6.23.09

One again, purely for reader enjoyment :) You're all welcome

So, I'm kind of starting to stress about how close me leaving for Wales is. Like, I'm not ready. Originally I had planned to do all this history reading and preparation for when I leap across the pond, but of course I haven't done any of that. PLUS I still don't have the pants that I want and I have no idea when I'm going to go and get them. I work a ton this week (like I've already told everyone). Also, I'm trying to squeeze in all the friend time I can get, but also spend time with my family. Man, I always stress myself out like this, it isn't good.

I also have some relationship queries/situations that I don't know how to handle. *sigh* why can't things ever just go the way that i want them to. It would be nice, for once. Like, if I had an idea and maybe some wishes for the future and such the could actually come to pass. I'm getting rather tired of having to hope/faith in these situations, and myself.

I need to make a list. A long list of things I need to do, buy and pack up before wednesday of next week. OH and I need to buy my coach ticket! Otherwise, I'll never actually make it Wales. Which would be sad.

But maybe I could convince a certain friend of mine to drive me there...which wouldn't be so bad ;)

Haha nope. I should buy the ticket.

6.22.09

So, this picture really has nothing to do with the blog for the day, and is simply for appreciation. One of the many reasons why I love the summer. :) now, if only I had one that I could call my own, that would be something.

So, I'm sitting here in my room, blogging, watching Gordon Ramsay and waiting for my laundry to get done. Rather productive use of my time, I'd say. Especially since this is going to be the work week from HELL. Seriously. Let's take a look at my schedule:

Mon - 5:00-close [johnny rockets]
Tues - 10:00-2:30 [bath and body works] 4:00-close [johnny rockets]
Wed - 10:45-3:15 [bath and body works]
Thurs - 12:30-5:00 [bath and body works]
Fri - 5:00-close [johnny rockets]
Sat - 10:00-3:00 [bath and body works]

So, I've officially re-structured and re-titled my blog. It's title now matches the URL and it's going to be pretty cool. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to upload videos and such on here as well so that while I'm overseas I'll be able to give y'all little glimpses into what I'm doing and the things that I'm seeing.  I looked at the calendar the other day and realized just how close this trip to Wales is. Like, I'm just about jumping out of my skin in anticipation! It's sneaking up on me, and I'm not nearly as prepared as I thought I was going to be. But, I still have some time to read up on my history and get my things gathered together. I often forget that there is a school aspect to what I'm going to be doing there across the pond. 

Other then that I've been working two jobs to try and have some money to spend while I'm over there. It's really hard, especially since I've never had a job before these two, but I guess you have to grow up sometime. Plus, my money isn't going to go nearly as far over there so that's kind of depressing, especially since I still have to buy my coach ticket so that I can actually make it to Wales...and come to think of it, I'm going to have to buy one for the way home as well. Especially if I plan on making it to the airport. Shucks.

So, even though I've been awake for a few hours I've pretty much done nothing today. So, maybe I'll go lay out in the pool and read before I come in and clean my room because, seriously. I need to. It's driving me insane. Then after that, I'll cook some dinner for the frère and myself, put some laundry to wash, kick back in my nice and organized room and watch the season premier of True Blood. Mmmm, vamps

So, this blog was originally just meant to be for my study abroad trip this summer, but in thinking about what I was going to be doing while overseas, it would seem that I probably won't have a lot of time to post in this. Therefore, it is going to just become my blog for whenever I'm away from home.

Now, I already have my livejournal shennsley.livejournal.com and I'm going to keep updating that too...for the time being. I'm just not quite sure how long that's going to last. I may just make the full switch over to this blog...but we'll see :)

So, yeah. that's the update. I hope you stay tuned for all of the cool and exciting things that I'm doing with my life...ha. OH and I hope you enjoy my musical selections. 

2.16.09

I just got an email from the program director with our full schedule (as of right now) attached to it and after looking over it several times I just can't get over how excited I am! I just thought I would share the lovely details of my trip with y'all

Saturday 7/4/09 

Welsh Study Abroad begins; be in Cardiff around 12:00

Shop for Food and stuff

Sunday 7/5/09

Church at Cardiff central branch

Cardiff City walk part one

Monday 7/6/09

Train of Coryton, walk to Castle Coch

FHE

Music at Y Mochen Du

Tuesday 7/7/09

Work on class projects, etc.

Free Day

Wednesday 7/8/09

History Class

Thursday 7/9/09 *Train day 1

London, British Museum and National Museum, free time

Mid-Summer Nights Dream at Globe

Friday 7/10/09

Water taxi to the Bay

Visiti Cardiff Bay and Welsh Assembly, food festival in Plas Roald Dahl

Saturday 7/1/09

Cosmeton WIllage visit

Find Ffynnon Garw

Watch "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain"

Sunday 7/12/09

Church

Cardiff City Walk part 2

Monday 7/13/09

Uffington White horse, Uffington Iron Age hill fort, Weyland Smithy

Oxford, city specialist and Tolkein specialist

Blenheim Palace in Woodstock

FHE

Music at Y Mochen Du 

Tuesay 7/14/09

Drive to Caerwent

Caerwent visit

Drive to Chepstow

Chepstow Castle

Drive to Tintern

Tintern Abbey, Welsh Gold Ice Cream

Monmouth

Goodrich Castle Exterior

Wednesday 7/15/09 *St Swithin's Day 40 days of rain or sun hang in the balance!

Drive to Winchester

Winchester Cathedral and Great Hall

Salsbury Cathedral

Old Sarum, English Heritage Building

Stonehenge evening visit

Avebury visit & Silbury Hill

Thursday 7/16/09

Raglan castle

Drive to Bleanafon

Pwll Mawr visit

Blaenafon Iron Works

Drive to Caerleon

Caerleon, National Roman Museum, Bath Museum and Ampatheater

Friday 7/17/09

Depart for TreTower

TreTower

Hay on Wye

Saturday 7/18/09

Catch up on laundry, buy food, journal and study!

Sunday 7/19/09

Church

Cardiff City walk part 3

Monday 7/20/09

History Class

FHE

Music at Y Mochen Du

Tuesday 7/21/09

History Class

Wednesday 7/22/09

History Class

Thursday 7/23/09 *Train day 2

Train to London, Museum of London

Afternoon free

Romeo and Juliet at the Globe

Friday 7/24/09

History class

Cardiff Castle

Saturday 7/25/09

Tredeger House visit

Free day

Sunday 7/26/09

Church 

Cardiff City walk part 4

Monday 7/27/09

St. Fagans, Welsh National Musuem

Tinkinswood visit

Music at Y Mochen Du

Tuesday 7/28/09

Drive to Gadfild Elm

Visit Gadfield Elm, Benbow Farm, Great Malvern Hill

Stratford city walk

Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway's cottage, Boating

As You Like it at Startford-on-Avon

Wednesday 7/29/09

Drive to Bath

Bath walk led by student/free time

Wells cathedral (Evening Song for free)

Bath Roman museum

Thursday 7/30/09

Depart for Tintagel, Cornwall, UK (3 hours)

Tintagel Castle

St. Ives

Check in at Penzance Hostel

Drive to Lanyon Quoit, Men an Tol, Bronze Age village

Overnight in Penzance

Friday 7/31/09

Drive to Marazion

St. Michael's Mount, Book with National Trust

Hurlers, Trevethney Quoit, King Donarts Stone, Dartmoor

Catheral in Exeter (Evensong)

Drive Home

Saturday 8/1/09

Rest and Wash stuff

Sunday 8/2/09

Church

Cardiff City walk part 5

Monday 8/3/09

Drive to Eisteddfod (3 hours)

Eisteddfod Meirion, Pensarn Abergele, Conwy, UK

Drive to Conwy, wall walk, small house

Stay at Conwy Hostel

Tuesday 8/4/09

Conwy Castle

Plas Mawr

Caernarfon Castle

Segontium

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogoerychwyrndrobellllantisiliogogogoch, food from market, drive to Bryn Celli Ddu

Optional drive to Beaumaris

Wednesday 8/5/09

Drive to Trefeiw Wool mill

Llanberis Slate Museum

Snowdon hike

Thusday 8/6/09

Drive to York (3 hours)

Hang in York, tour by student, Rail museum, city walk, wall walk, assembly room, Fountains Abbey, Studly Royal, Castle Howard

Evensong at Minster

Ghost walk

Friday 8/7/09 *Train day 3

Train to Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle

Museums and festival in small groups

Edingburgh eye

train to York from Edinburgh

Stay at York Hostel

Saturday 8/8/09

Drive to Cardiff

Powis Casle, National Trust, Birmingham Museum

Sunday 8/9/09

Church 

Free day

Monday 8/10/09

Work on Projects

Walk to Llandaff Cathedral and Welsh book store

FHE

Music at Y Mochen Du

Tuesday 8/11/09

Work on game, projects & site visits

Wednesday 8/12/09 *Train day 4

Train to London then Cambridge

Fitzwilliam Museum, Christ's College

Thursday 8/13/09

Play class game, prep for site visits, work on projects

Friday 8/14/09

Work on projects

Saturday 8/15/09

Free day!

Sunday 8/16/09

Church 

Monday 8/17/09

Work on projects

Rowing in Roath Park

FHE

Music at Y Mochen Du

Tuesday 8/18/09

Work on game, project, site visits

Wednesday 8/19/09

Work on Projects

Final

Thursday 8/20/09

Pack and Clean

Friday 8/21/09

Depart for the States!

2.9.09

So, this is my first post here on "Postcards From Far Away"

I know it's a little confusing b/c the title of my blog isn't the same as the URL for the page but....that's ok. I figure if I ever want to change the central focus of this blog to something other then my travels than I can.

The whole purpose of this blog is to journal and keep track of my travels. Mainly this means my Summer 2009 BYU Study Abroad Program to Wales, but hopefully I will be going to other places in my life and can log my fun here too. I will not only be posting when I'm in Wales this summer, but I will be making this a photojournal of my preparations etc. leading up to my trip this summer.

So, I hope y'all stay tuned, so to speak, and keep up with this blog so that all my hard work won't be for nothing!

Oh, and I hope that you like the header - I made it all by myself. Thank goodness for www.picnik.com 

Seriously, it makes me feel like a photoshop genius.