The adventures continue!

What a journey I am already embarking on!  The past week has been spent settling into classes, which are really interesting.  I'm here researching material for my dissertation topic: What makes American Literature American, rather than just an extension of European Literature.  I'm taking Contemporary Native American Literature, taught by a native american teacher who's enthusiasm makes the 8am lecture time so worthwhile!  20th Century British Literature, taught by David Milovski, who in the first lecture made so many digs at the English I had to say at the end of class I was english... he has since ceased, but now assumes I know everything about English history. In that class we are currently reading Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent which while slow going is interesting.  Most interesting about that class though is the way in which American's perceive English history.  They seem to think we are thieving, invading tea drinkers... How funny...  Also American Drama, which is great, we have just read a realist play called The Rabbit Hole which was an amazing look into human nature and how we cope with loss.  I'm going to try and tie this in with trauma theory, studied last year in Critical Theory.  My final class is Ethnic Literature of the US, I struggle in this one, simply because my lecturer doesn't really have a personality.  His voice has climaxes, that's all I'll say.

Extra curricular activities through the past few days have been a trip to swim at horsetooth ridge:

This was incredible, freshwater reservoir with water as warm as out of the tap.  I loved it there, sunbathing, chilling out - good preparation for a massive house party we went to that night.  This party was great, mudwrestling, beer pong, table tennis, music and more red cups!!  It is safe to say that I am beer pong champion, now undefeated in 11 games!  That was saturday night!  Friday night I attended a smaller gathering at one of Tommy's old school friends.  This was a more subdued affair, but still good fun, though we left when someone suggested there were police sat outside watching the house:

Luckily they had found someone else to pull over, nevertheless we moved back to the dorms pretty quickly.  Yesterday I spend the day recovering from the night before, I think I'm actually going to stop drinking now and really get on the training hard.  I'm in a very lucky position to be able to use amazing gym facilities for free, and food I have already paid for actually has some healthy options, so I'm going to start making the most of it!  Getting used to the altitude has been tougher than expected, but I'm slowly starting to run a mile faster and faster.  We'll get there, c'moooon six pack.  Today I'm off to classes again, my schedule looks pretty good really:

I'll include a map of campus as well so you can see how huge it is:

My halls are the towers in the top right corner.  It takes a good half an hour to walk from one end to the other, luckily my classes are fairly near me, only fifteen minutes away! Wheey!  I thought I was going to have to buy a bike at one stage, but I can save myself that money as I just don't need one!  I think the cost of living her is cheaper than at home, because so much is included in the bill for the semester, a beastly $4462.  My student loan comes in in instalments, so I did have a mad panic about whether I could actually afford to be here.  I quick phonecall to mum and dad reassured me that I would be okay - and Grandma Hobbs (mothers' mother) is sending a cheque in dollars from her American bank account.  Things look like they will be okay, though I was really worried for a while!

Made plans last night for Labor Day long weekend - ROAD TRIP!  Going to hire a car and drive with 7 other people to Yellowstone, about a seven hour drive away, so excited!  Though I have my international license, you can't hire a car under 21, so I won't be able to drive it, not until march, but Alistair, one of the Aussie exchange students will drive it.  It will work out as being about $100 dollars for the car plus food (each) which I think is really cheap.  Friday - Monday will be an experience, can't wait to see some of America!

Dad - you need to get your skype sorted, because I'm dying without being able to chat to you here.  Mum - I would love a chat soon please :) Anytime you're free just send me a text and I'll hop online!
Also, thank god for Blackberry Messenger - there is no way I'd be able to get through this without being able to talk to my special girl, this way I only feel like she's a moment away, which makes a big difference!  I do miss home though, now again again it sweeps across me.  Loving it here still, good friends, lovely working environment.  All I need now is matt to get his arse into gear and onto XBox now and again so I can chat to him!

Much love to you all, will try and get some pictures of campus up later today.
xxx
(oh and for those of you who are confused by computers - if you want to see the pictures bigger, just click on them)

This was the view from Tommy's house of the twin peaks... awesome eh!?

Also, late additions are the volleyball game we went to see:

And the college bronze ram (one of them):

And also the American football team training, who on our first wander of the campus had these water BATH boys, filling these tanks with ice for their ice bath... Also found out that they get paid to play...