1 MONTH!!!

Yes...it's true. It's been a month. Time has gone by so fast. It's hard to believe that about a month ago I was in the moment of anticipation for the future and now I am able to reflect upon the past. The past which was filled with excitement, fear, nervousness, anxiousness and a whole range of emotions and expectations. I had no idea of what my room would look like, what my classes would be like, who I would meet, who I would be living with and the list goes on. Now all of the questions that I had for months before heading out on this trip are answered and I am very pleased to say everything has turned out to be more than I had expected!

An exciting end to my first month here has allowed me to say I have seen one of the wonders of the world. Saturday I spent the day in England visiting Avebury and Stonehenge. Stonehenge is officially crossed off my list of places to see ...one on a list of many ;) Although I can say I saw one of the wonders of the world...unfortunately I hate to say I wasn't as impressed. Perhaps it was the documentaries and many pictures (professional pictures) that I have seen in previous years that I compared what I saw with. This is a perfect example of how the media and photography can make anything look flawless and perfect. Perfect lighting, no tourists in the background, perfect weather, etc. You get the idea. I think the importance of the site is more about the historical significance rather than the actual stones themselves. However! Interesting fact, some of the stones were actually brought from Wales! Specifically Rhossili Bay which is in Gower if you happen to be looking at a map of Wales :)

The site is roped off so you can't get very close and I happened to be one of MANY tourists waiting and battling to get to the front of the rope to get their snapshot of history. Now I hope I haven't ruined it for you if this has been a place of interest for you but I guess I think the most important element about writing about travelling and my experiences is to be honest. But...on a more positive note, although my immediate impressions were not as great, after walking around the specified path and listening to the ear piece that was an audio tour I found I learned a lot and before the end of it the sun started to come out and I got some great shots of the sun peering through the clouds and shining on Stonehenge. Perhaps I went with too many expectations and hopes but by the end of the day I was glad I went.

Here are some pictures from the day!