FROM LAST WEEK

My student life is now beginning in earnest here in Cardiff. Yesterday was enrollment, today a crash course in British Planning systems for us foreigners. I met a pleasant Portuguese International Development student and an Australian whose enthusiasm rivals my own. Tomorrow we're going on a class field trip to The Big Pit, which is likely to be only slightly more exciting than its name suggests. It's a defunct coal mine up in the foothills of the mountains to the north. We get to see a depressed, post-industrial mining town and put on hats with lights and go underground. When the professor asked who wanted to go, I and one other girl sort of timidly raised our hands, someone said, "You mean you just go there on a bus and go down in a hole and come back?" Prof said, "Yes, something like that." And the Canadian who'd been there before said it was interesting, but depressing and definitely don't go if you're claustrophobic. So Prof asked again for a show of hands and 14 people said they'd like to go. An inexplicable change of minds, if you ask me. Evidently, advertising works differently here. So anyway, yeah, I'm going down into a dark hole in the ground with my new classmates tomorrow. Fact is, I can't wait. For real.

When I got worried today about being a new student and wondered what kind of impression I'm making on my new fellow students and try to figure out what kind I want to make, and how to do it, here's what I thought that made it all better: I thought of all the people who'd be willing to call me friend, and realized I couldn't ask for better people. Then I figured if you all like me well enough, then those that matter here will too, as long as I'm true and diligent and open. So, um, thanks for being my friends and family and giving me courage even here so far away and without even being around for a pep talk.