I am grateful for what I am and have - Henry David Thoreau

25th November 2013 - 28th November 2013 - Thanksgiving week!!!

Monday - I saw Catching Fire. It was very close to the book, so I'm impressed! 

Tuesday - Went to 'Friendsgiving' at Jono's house. It was 'bring your own dish' so naturally, I made yorkshire puddings (as I miss eating them so badly.) Even though it wasn't 'cooking' as such, I realised how much I have missed this activity (had to be careful how I worded that - putting "I have missed being in the kitchen" opens me up to stereotyping!!!) I tried American biscuits which are basically just scones. Also witnessed sweet potato mash with marshmallows on the top - it looked and smelt revolting; no way was I even going to try it!

Wednesday - Went to see Frozen today!! Haven't seen a Disney film in the cinema since Tangled came out so naturally, I was very excited. It was amazing - the detail was spectacular, it was hilarious and the music was great (however, I am a sucker for a good Disney love song, Alan Menken style and it wasn't delivered, but female power ballad 'Let it Go' was my favourite. Talking of female power, after the release of Pixar's Brave, I'm guessing it was simply time for the main branch to follow suit with bamf princesses. 

I loved Olaf (the snowman) for the comic relief, but Elsa had to be my favourite. Her dress is SO COOL. Yes, I realise I am 21.

Thursday - Had lunch with Katelyn and her family - I have experienced an American Thanksgiving!! It was very good, complete with cranberry sauce and I even tried pumpkin and pecan pie (I have discovered that I do not like the flavour... I am a savory pie kind of person instead of a sweet one). The rest of the day was relaxing - have two 10 page essays to complete this weekend so I wanted to have one day off! No rest for the wicked.

However, 2 weeks until the end of term and 3 weeks until I go to Chicago. I can do this!

Edit: I realise I forgot to blog about the last of the football games. Homecoming game was great - this was the only game we attended as a big group.

I borrowed Austin's hat - became a bit attached to it.

Cheeky pic of Mike dressed as Darth Vader in the background!

GROUP PHOTO! (Minus Alice, she wasn't looking in the right direction...)

The final game I saw was against Texas A&M - THE GAME WAS AMAZING. Ridiculously cold and drizzly (it shouldn't be like this, it's Louisiana!) The football games have really made my time here enjoyable - it has been a proper American college experience.

Spot the drunk participant *coughs* Austin *coughs*

After all, Saturday night in Death Valley is the 'best time you will ever have with 92,400 of your closest friends.'

Washington is a very easy city for you to forget where you came from and why you got there in the first place - Harry S. Truman

7th October - 10th October - Fall Break!

Thursday - The day started at 2:45am. I was surprised at how friendly the security staff were considering it was so early in the morning but that is the South! Sat next to Charlotte on the journey and I was supposed to start reading The Golden Compass for English but I was too tired (so I attempted to sleep instead!) Two things I noticed when I got off the first plane at Texas; 1) SO COLD, probably because of 2) I COULD BREATHE - NO HUMIDITY! WONDERFUL! Arriving in DC, we got on the Metro (I miss the tube!) and met Hannah; we dropped off our luggage and first, we went to Madame Tussauds when we first arrived - I wanted to go for the simple reason that all 44 Presidents are immortalised in wax!! 

Met George.

Debating important things with John Adams

Hard times in Hooverville

ONLY MY FAVOURITE PRESIDENT, FDR

 

Chilling with the Kennedys - it's a hard life.

My 2nd favourite President LBJ (yes, I know it is controversial!)

MY HOME GIRL HILLARY CLINTON!

Afterwards, we walked to the White House and then took the fifteen minute walk to the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial.

I don't consider myself very talented when it comes to taking photographs, but I do like this!

View from the Lincoln Memorial 

 It was a surreal experience - it is a scene I've seen in textbooks for years and to finally be there, looking out at the view...I had a moment!

That evening, I went to a place called 'Sign of the Whale'. I didn't have much food as I ate the world's biggest burger for lunch, but I ended up drinking a bucket drink!

Let me tell you, it made me feel a little bit wobbly....

Friday - Today I started as I meant to go on - I put salt in my coffee instead of sugar! We went first to the Natural History Museum.

Outside the Museum

Casual elephant model in the lobby...do love seeing taxidermy animals!

Next, the American History Museum. The counter from the Greensboro sit-in was there, so I had a history fan-girl moment, but I also enjoyed over exhibtions; a Presidents section, First Lady dresses, American at War...

Eleanor Roosevelt's inauguration dress (my favourite First Lady!)

Rivalling Lincoln with the hat!!

The last museum we went to was the National Archives where I saw the Bill of Rights, The (very faded) Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We couldn't take any pictures, considering the documents were so old; and to get into the building we had to submit ourselves to airport type security but it was still interesting to see such an important part of American history. 

We went for cupcakes at a place called Sprinkles afterwards!

I would not lie on this blog...and for this, I must admit that after being here for 3 months without Indian food has driven me a little bit crazy (or, more so than my usual standards before anyone else attempts to make that joke!). So we had curry for dinner and life is complete right now! Afterwards, we went to two bars which was an interesting experience...by interesting I mean THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THERE, IT WAS HARD TO BREATHE.


Saturday - First, we went to Arlington National Cemetry. Luckily, the weather wasn't as cold as it was yesterday! 

The views from the top of the cemetary were stunning.

The eternal flame to mark JFK's grave

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Afterwards, I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum; it was a very emotional museum. I ended the day by exploring the memorials.

Found Louisiana!

At the Korean War Memorial - a very interesting quote...

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

At the FDR Memorial - which made me ridiculously happy!

One of my favourite women in history; Eleanor Roosevelt (so glad she was included in the memorial!)

My lovelies Jessie, Sarah & Adam!

That evening, I saw Thor 2 with Hannah & two of her friends. The movie was amazing, Tom Hiddleston is even more perfect than he was before. It was a great way to end the trip!

Sunday - Back in Baton Rouge. I had the most amazing time in DC; yes, it was cold (my internal thermometer has adjusted to Louisiana temperatures!) but the scenary was beautiful, it was such an iconic place to see! A big thank you must be given to Hannah, letting me stay with her, Sarah, Adam & Jessie for showing me such a wonderful time! However, I'm glad to be back in the South - I missed the friendly people who randomly smile at you on the street rather than glare.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes - William Shakespeare

2nd November 2013 - We have a problem... I'm wearing too many clothes for Halloween!!

31st October 2013 - I experienced an American Halloween. It was an interesting experience for 2 reasons; the first - students even go to class in costume like it is normal (and some professors even give extra credit as a reward!) and the second,  "in the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." I saw far too much boob and far too much bottom for my liking. The only benefit about having Halloween here is that the night is still warm so the girls wearing practically nothing won't end up with pneumonia. Halloween at home has such an emphasis on looking scary and disgusting (complete with fake blood) but here the emphasis (for women - OHHHH DOUBLE STANDARDS) is to wear as little as possible.

I tried on my roomie's costume - I'm more of a Loki girl myself but it was rather fun walking around the room as the God of Thunder!

I made a very half hearted attempted at a costume - put on a Gryffindor tie (I'm a Slytherin but my roomie didn't have that costume), wear my Hogwarts t-shirt, drew a scar on my forehard and voilà - female Harry Potter! I mean, I was going to go as a slutty cop/nurse/witch/stereotypical female role but let's be honest, I didn't want to end up causing a sex riot. We ended up going to a house party...and leaving after an hour because woooooow. Sometimes there are no words to describe these things.

I should have gone as Wonder Woman to continue this DC line up!

2nd November 2013 - I was a volunteer at this year's Louisiana Book Festival, helping in the Young Reader's Pavilion. I have never met a child at home who called me ma'am so to experience it here was weird - the confused look on their faces as a non-American voice came out of my mouth was priceless!! I had a really good day; and I love the fact festivals have to be held in November because to hold them in summer means everyone would melt from the heat!! The weather at present is perfect.

Much to my surprise, Claudia Gray was at the festival. She is a young adult writer, and I started reading her books at about fifteen/sixteen so to meet her was unexpected yet great. 

I bought the fifth book in a vampire series she writes - this book was impossible to find at home so my collection is now complete! (no idea when I will get to read it but it was signed!!)

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on - Robert Frost

25th October 2013 - A towel on your head and a sexy dress.

Midterms are over; such a lovely feeling after having the sense of impending doom looming over your shoulder for two weeks. I weirdly got 100% on my women's history exam...I haven't received a score like that since primary school. To celebrate, I went to downtown Baton Rouge in the evening to a music event. It wasn't really my type of music and the exhaustion from working until ridiculous o'clock these past few weeks meant I left early with Nikki. Public transport here is, shall we say, an experience. First, we waited 50 minutes in the rain for the bus to arrive, there was no clear bus stop so we just loited outside of a hotel and it gets dark really early here so I feared for my life at 7pm.

We were handed out free towels at the Florida football game. Everyone seemed to be wearing them on their heads so we joined in...

I have also come to the conclusion that there is something unnatural about still putting on suncream in October.

The work load continues however. I have 2 essays standing between me and Washington DC so I am very excited (also, with the government being open again means monuments & museums are also open!) - the next two weekends will be busy in order to achieve this goal, but I know Fall Break is going to be worth it!

Fall Fest!

I'm still buying random stuff I don't even need. Went shopping on the 20th of October and bought a dress for when I go to DC. It started out as something for me to try on to make Alice laugh and everyone on viewing actually liked it. It appears that not only can I pull off stupid hats, I can pull off interesting dresses. Showed mum and her reaction was my favourite; The dress is very sexy for you! What can I say mum, America has changed me and that is 50 Shades of okay.

On a final note, I have chosen my course choices for next semester; Science Fiction & American History, Tudor England, The First World War and Comic Books & Graphic Novels of the 1980s. I really wanted there to be a course on 19th century literature but alas, it was a graduate course - no Louisa May Alcott learning for me!

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. - Robert Louis Stevenson

5th October 2013 - How many places within state can I manage to visit?

I may have a midterm Wednesday. I may have an essay to complete tomorrow. However, that did not stop me from going to Lafayette with my room mate for what I dubbed 'road trip with the roomie' day. Cue awesome mix tape made by me (showing off the very best music Britain has to offer *coughs* McFly *coughs*), and an hour journey from Baton Rouge and we were ready to hit the open road!

I'm glad I went - I have booked flights to Massachusetts, Chicago and DC & I am planning trips to many more states yet have not even managed to leave Baton Rouge. From what I saw, the place was very much like the city I live in only smaller. We drove through Downtown which had some cool architecture choices before finding outselves at a mall.

Let me have my female moment. I have not shopped in weeks. I usually find shopping tedious and unnecessary but when I haven't done it for a while, I suddenly shop until I drop; and dropped I did. I told mum I would come home from this year abroad with 1 t-shirt, maybe 2 tops. I now have roughly fourteen and I still have another term worth of buying to follow. May need to seek therapy for my t-shirt buying obsession...

Like I could resist this.

Like I could resist this either...

Okay, this one was more of a souvenir t-shirt as we drove past the university and the stadium and the name makes me chuckle. [I say t-shirt, it's so long I'm wearing it as a dress!)

Tigers are still better mascots however.

Ha.

Regardless of the trip, on my return I managed to plan an essay (which I still have no idea what I'm writing about) and wrote a journal on The Hunger Games & Catching Fire for English. I can be productive when I put my mind to it!

I gave my best to the country I love, and kept my tears till he was gone - Louisa May Alcott

28th August 2013- It's moments like this I'm glad I'm in the South! 

After having 3 football games in a row, this Saturday was an away game. "I'll do a lot of work!" I said to myself, "I will plan my literature essay, I will do some reading and then I will have a relaxing evening." Instead, I did something better.

Katelyn, Natalie & I went to the LSU Rural Life Museum who were having an open day. It was lots of fun! First we looked in the museum & outside were a number of old buildings - from an old school and farmer's houses to a plantation hospital & slave houses. We went on a tractor ride (the hay we sat on was rather uncomfortable and I felt like I was going to fall off of the back!) and completed a "corn maze".

I even made a new friend today.

In the afternoon, we watched a Civil War battle re-enactment (The Battle of Baton Rouge - which was mainly a naval battle but we obviously watched the ground battle!) It was really cool as the whenever the guns were "fired", it was very smokey.

The Union Troops

The Confederate side had horses...

while the Union side had a cannon (which was SO LOUD when it went off!)

Afterwards WE WENT TO CHILIS. I don't think you realise how great this is to me. The day the chain went bust in the UK was a HORRIBLE DAY FOR ME. So, good food & good company rounded off a great day!

Yum, a tortilla chip.

I have missed this dessert :') It barely touched the sides though, with the 3 of us sharing!

I had to sadly work on my return though - that Literature essay won't plan itself! (Sunday update - I have written my literature essay, it's probably terrible.)

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by - Douglas Adams

23rd September 2013 - Can someone turn the repeat switch off please?

I've not made a blog post in a week now, so just to inform you all - I am still alive (barely), I still have a lot of reading to do (understatement of my life) and I'm still surrounded by fried food (oven roasted veg? please? anyone? I'M BEGGING YOU!)

I went out again at the weekend. I know, how out of character is that? I shall tell you why - it is the only form of "break" I'm getting at present. You see, when you don't have a car, it is very very very very very hard to go anywhere down here (wait, that might be the understatement of my life) so going to a bar and enjoying a gin & tonic at the end of a hard week is worth the really tragic surroundings (perhaps).

Here, have some pictures of me enjoying life;

Yes, I am still going to football games. Also, whoever said it never rains in Death Valley is a BIG FAT LIAR and waiting in the rain for 2 hours is a terrible experience. I didn't even make it through the first quarter. My patience wore thin.

Looking relatively kept together before going out.

I don't even know what happens - I go out and my hair goes 'helllooooooo 1980s!' This humidity and I are incompatible; I think it's time we broke up. 

That's it - this, I feel, will be my life for the next few weeks I'm afraid so expect a quiet blog. Don't be sad readers - I shall leave you with something amazing. My future husband.

Thirty two years of beautifulness *sighs*

It's just criminal that we're not married already... *more sighing*