EUROPE BLOG #1

Well I have been in Liverpool for exactly one week. It feels like it has been months. I am going to write this blog so my family and friends can keep up with my activities while I am away. Due to my laziness and lack of motivation the first few blogs will be a general "catch-up" of the events that have transpired thus far! First I will begin with the airport. I have been planning this trip for 9 months and never once thought leaving my family would be so hard. Saying goodbye to my mom and sister was extremely hard and then when I had to tell Lily goodbye and see her break down a bit I knew I would be visiting the bathroom to have a little cry myself. I knew I couldn't cry in front of my family!
Once I got through customs it seemed like moments before we were on the plane to New York. It was the smallest plane I had ever been one. It sat one person, isle, 2 people. The plane ride was quite short and a bit bumpy. Once we got to JKF the waiting began. We had a 5 hour layover, and not much to do. Jessie Bailey and I went to get some lunch. We ate at an Italian restaurant that was over priced. After we ate we just sat and talked about random things. Eventually we got a card game of uno going and talked with the other kids in the group. Once we finally boarded the plane Bailey and I sat together with Jessie and Andy behind us. I was stuck in the middle between Bailey and a stranger. The stranger ended up being the sweetest woman ever. She happened to be from Liverpool and was a retired school teacher and professor and a college in Manchester. She and I talked for hours. We even exchanged emails at the end of the flight to keep in touch. I haven't emailed her yet but I plan to meet up with her.
Once we landed in Manchester we had to talk to the Manchester customs and explain why we were there. It was very intimidating but we passed through quite quickly. We then rode a charter bus to the University and got our room assignments. Luckily Jessie and I are on the same floor but in different flats. It's nice because we meet every morning in the hall and walk to breakfast together. The first day I was so beyond jet lagged that I thought dying would be the only way I would be able to rest. (Dr. P made us stay up so we could get acclimated to the 5 hour time difference. Well thats it for now I will write more later!