
I know I’ve started every blahg entry until this one with “The one…,” but it’s getting to be a little awk—especially while I’m here and I’m imagining most titles will be stupid similar and confusing. So, RIP, “the one.”

don’t feel any coldness through them when I plow through the snow. They’re 9% (?) off at L.L. Bean right now. GETCHU SOME.
Ahhh, so I’ve been here for five snowy, snowy days now and it is just INCREDIBLE. Y’all. It’s lovely. (Everything is “lovely” here. Oh, my hair? Yes, it’s lovely. You like my backpack? It’s lovely isn’t it? That bitter cold? Yes, it too, is quite lovely, love.” Oh, Brits. Back to my dramatic description of the painful cold. It is just that. PAINFUL. My insides start convulsing at just the thought of an open door. But thankfully, the heater in my bedroom is super bad. Bad, as in good. Like, bad to the bone or whatever.

Me and my directional guide have done some serious exploring of this town and have made our own as well as mutual friends. One includes the coolest Aussie ever who is Britney Spears in another life. She recognized us as foreigners one night at a pub (IN THE STUDENT UNION. More info to come on the coolest student union ever.) when she was looking to meet up with some other exchange student strangers she had talked to online, then sat down with us instead, and shabam! The rest is history. I’ve gotten to know some Canadians (the French kind), Singaporians (if that’s a thing), lots of UK kids (obvi), tons of Aussies, a Malaysian studying Dentistry, a couple other Americans, and yeah… Other people, too, but none are my friends. Yet. We like to just doss around (Brit slang for hanging out) wherever the wind may blow us. And the wind is pretty serious up in hurr.

The student union has three bars, a grocery store (that sells alcohol…), a charity store (which I haven’t been to yet, but I think it’s like Goodwill—gotta hit that up), Starbucks, a café, classrooms, etc. It’s ridiculous. So when people get all hot and spicy at night… it’s likely they’re going to the union. Isn’t that crazy? Imagine if Ole Miss’s union was like that. O.M.G. The hipsters would be having a hay day. And so would everyone else. Tonight, there was a tea party in the union. You better believe I was there.

Skype is the best invention since sliced bread. Or since the bread slicer, rather. I’ve been able to chat with all kinds of folks back home fo FREE. Hellur. We are living in the future. Also, class started today. I seem to have forgotten I was here to go to school… sorta. The one “module” I had was taught by the cutest and most fun little British speaking Indian and it went from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. with an hour lunch break in the middle. I got to chatting with a new ginger friend as well as a French chick from Canada who was called out along with me by the teacher as being the “foreign exchange students.” Then we had to introduce ourselves. I was sorta her translator since we were like best friends by association and all. WAH. Good news is that I only have to go to it once a week, and I get done with it in early March… right before our four-week-long Spring break! HEYO! More classes to come for the rest of the week, with the exception of Wednesday when I have none. And on Saturday, I’m going to LIVERPOOL! Here comes the sun… doo doo doo doo.
Also, does anyone know the correct protocol for the situation in which you’re the new foreign kid who just used the last of the community bathroom toilet paper on your floor? **tiptoes back to bedroom*

~ Gabrielle Campo