Anyway, we went to the Colorado Rockies vs San Fran Giants last week, and was apparently one of the worst performances the Rockies have produced this season, go figure. It was a VERY hot day and I got significantly sunburnt as we were in the highest stands in the full face of the sun. We really enjoyed ourselves though, and it was great to see a major league baseball match in its country of origin...
Grades are still up, my lowest average %age at the moment is 85%, but I will be bringing that up over the course of the next couple of weeks as it is my British Fiction class and I have an important mid-term coming up next week, which is 35% of my grade. Loving it though, and find myself increasingly engaged with that which I am studying. It is my belief here that the level of teaching well exceeds the level of students, as there are some that would put "Cheating on his wife" on a test instead of "Adultery". I was aghast, and this level was highlighted when I was given a sheet of literary terms in my Native American Lit class, that had things explained like "imagery" - things english kids would have learned back in year 9. The teachers are great, they obviously love their work over here, it's not just a job to them; my BritFic teacher has written something like 9 novels, 250 short stories and has a regular column in The Denver Post... It's refreshing to know that these guys are always learning and writing too.
Had a lucky couple of days over here as classes were cancelled for a couple of days thanks to the English department reading day, which will have been useful to catch up on work. Did house-keepy stuff today like my laundry and tidying my room, so tomorrow is study day. I find that I can't lay in here, though I was never really any good at that in Leicester either, but I wake up between 7 and 8, get up, have breakfast, shower and get a bit done before Tommy even stirs. I would feel so guilty getting up at the same time he does, I feel like half the day is gone any later that 9! Early nights are nice though, as the training I'm doing leaves me shattered. Attempting a daily indoor triathlon; 10mins row, 10mins run and 10mins cycle on the spin machines. It's brutal, and then a weights workout afterwards. I'm working hard but need to remind myself that I will not see instant results, and while I don't feel any bigger or look any leaner in my eyes, I reckon that you guys will notice a difference at home... I hope so anyway, otherwise what was the point in all this. I miss ULBC circuit training though, there's no equivalent here which makes me sad. Still, I'm putting in some effort, going to try and add a minute a week to each section of the triathlon, so I will see how that goes.
Last weekend we took a trip up to Pengree Park, the CSU campus in the mountains at 9000ft. Had to be up at the very lovely 6 am, and was treated to a sprinkler display in the rising sun:
It was a lovely setting there, and we were expecting a bit more than what we got, which was effectively international team-building of the cheesiest and most cliche'd kind, which of course I could not take seriously. There were also fun games to play. Horseshoes (throwing large horseshoes at metal spikes in the ground), Volleyball and Basketball. I tell you if it wasn't for the people I was with I would have had a rubbish day. It was a laugh however and great to do something different. Nice to tick something else off the list.
Not a lot happening this weekend, Grant offered me a trip to Denver to visit a family he knows there, but with midterms beginning next week and my effective day off today, I can't afford the time. I feel I let him down but there will be other opportunities to go to Denver I'm sure. I'm very excited about the weekend after that, when we are hopefully driving to Boulder. Going to take my Mac in for a health check to the Apple store there, and Grant is going to buy a mac. Will do a bit of shopping, I need some more socks, boxers and a well fitting hoody. Nothing expensive (I hope) just functional. Bought some shorts to send home to Han today, am going to save getting CSU branded clothing until next semester, when I'll have stable finances and have been through Paris. Don't want to spend money I won't have. Also, why would I want to wear clothing that says I go to a University people see me at daily... I need to internationally advertise, not advertise somewhere people have already signed up to!
Missing Leicester this week, everyone arriving back and the photo's and facebook updates about how amazing the Union is, but I'm sure it will survive without me. What is disappointing is that the Union has already hired a new photographer, Ollie Millington, to do the events and whatnot. That would have been my job, but I suppose I shut that door to open the one that led me here - and I'm not regretting that decision at all. The AmStudies folks at Leicester said that my experience here would be like a U - up at the start, then my excitement and mood subsides, then up again when I realise how amazing it is. Feel I'm fairly low down at the bottom - missing home etc, but I find I can get around it by going to the gym and taking time out for myself. My own space has always been important, and in a country that doesn't fully appreciate that its my low times that are really tough. It's all tough, but it's all equally amazing.
After such a picture dominated post last time, this one must seem really chatter heavy, but it's nice for me to write down whats going through my head sometimes, pretty therapeutic. I'm sure you'd agree Mum.
I will have missed something out, but if I remember I will add them in later.
Much love to all reading, rest assured I am missing you lots :)
xxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment