Well that was fun.

I can now add 3 full weeks of school and nearly a whole month of being in the states to my list of acomplishments.

Yay! 

Since I last spewed facts at you, I've since become part of the fall play and it turns out that thesps are a safe space everywhere which brings furlongs of comfort to me.

We we're going to go and see a college football game today but the car broke down in the bronx and so, i'm still a football virgin but DID go to a diner for the very first time and see another borough of New York. Only one left to see- if you count Staten Island, which, most people don't. I only saw Queens briefly on the way back from JFK airport, but meh. Still counts. 

I've been shopping in Soho, but am told I still need to make my way to Williamsburg for the thrift stores (which just sounds so much better than 'charity shops', but that could be because they are actually different things...). It fills me with excitement to buy a winter coat and be able to say "ohh, this? Just picked it up in a thrift store in Williamsburg...Never been? Weirrdd" when I get back home. (Yes, I have thought this far ahead. But let's be honest, I'm going to reap all the benefits that this year will bring me.) I have been warned about the infestation of hipsters there and am now worried I'll look too mainstream when I go... I should probably wear my glasses and doc martens and a beenie to be safe. And some plaid.

I missed Fashion's Night Out in early september for 'convocation' (3 days of fun and bonding with the whole senior class. I can now safely say I have met every single person in my year now, due to a handshaking extravaganza) at school but the Atlantic Antic is coming to Brooklyn tomorrow and although its a different set up to FNO, I was told I "gotta go". This is on my list of touristy things I must complete while I'm here:

Satue of lib

Empire state building

Ellis island

MOMA

Frick 

Guggenheim

Natural history museum

30 rock 

Central park

I've also joined an array of clubs, and found that a cappella singing is actually much harder than I thought, but in a totally delicious way. AND I plan to join the squash team because the kit is boss (as well as 'team sports' being a vital part of my american education).

Fingers crossed the foreign exchange student thing works in my favour... which it has in some ways. The dear Mr Rush who taught my mother all those years ago- and doesn't stop telling people as much- gave me my first ever 1000% the other day in Art History. 

I've decided he's my favourite teacher. 

Good Job.

OK.
This blog is to keep you all updated on my crazy adventures through my year in NYC.
Thanks to the ESU secondary schools exchange programme I've been given the chance to spend my gap yah in school instead of getting drunk on every continent.

I spent the first few days crying at anybody who would listen due to homesickness but all it took was a couple nights of bonding with my hosts, the wonderful Prince family to get over it.
I then churned out a few e-mails home delighting the fact that not only have they seen British classics such as The Vicar of Dibley and Father Ted but have the Black Books box set!

I decided then that the whole family will be part of my wedding and this was only day 4.

Because I left this first post so late, ima just go ahead and list everything vaguely interesting that has happened or I've discovered so far. Please forgive my lack of imagination, I'm sure I'll get better at this...

1- From what I experienced, Connecticut is just like Stepford Wives. With fewer robots...
2- Only people who have emigrated to the US hug on meeting
3- I joined the YMCA (which for the record is much less homoerotic than I thought it would be. Having said that, its a gym so the potential is there) in an attempt to FINALLY achieve my Adonis-like physique.
4- The first book I bought at Barnes and Noble was by the columnist Caitlin Moran and was a comforting piece of home even though the spelling had been americanised.
5- There is an American Apparel on the way to school, so often times I'd stop in and enter into a bit of retail therapy (something I didn't usually do at home) just because I was so glad to recognise something as I wondered through Brooklyn Heights on the way home.
6- Nobody here has an electric kettle... hugely baffling.
7- A lot about American school that I had previously thought was stereotypical, isn't actually that but commonplace.
8- Shakespeare read in an American accent provides an entirely different perspective on things. (interpret that as you will)
9- American teaching is a lot more... verbose.
10- The Blind Side, Remember the Titans and other such films have been a surprisingly accurate source of american-ness despite having nothing to do with New York. Thank you Hollywood for teaching me most of what I need to get by.
11- There is no Ribena in this god forsaken cranny of hell. LOLJK its just expensive, and lets face it, any hard core addiction is.
12- "Fit", "rank" and "scrape" don't exist here. The words, not brand of person. Rank people plague us everywhere. Otherwise, there is a lot of common ground (thank you internet) as far as I can tell... "cute" has snuck its way into my vocab like a ninja but I can't yet bring myself to describe somebody as "hot" unless the weather dictates I should.
13- Because I'm not applying to college or taking any SAT's I have much less on my mind compared to the rest of the seniors, so the most important dates on my mind are christmas and prom (both vex me in a pleasant way).
14- Reginald D Hunter says "British people drink as much american's eat" which must be true but it depends where you are taking your statistics from... there are just as many sober anorexics in both places.
15- Although the year names in highschool are confusing here, they make more sense than they do at Marlb. Having said that, Marlborough is a minority.
16- People have asked me questions like; "Where are you from?"..."are you welsh?" and even "Why are you here?" and "Stop trying to hug me"
Every time my response is, "I'm English!" and hope that explains it if the obvious accent hasn't already.
17- I have also been compared to Fez from That 70's Show, which I take as a compliment because not only is he a vital comedic device, but he is also now very nom.
18- Vampire Diaries is my Smallville (cite Oliva- my saviour and confidant thus far) and the new series comes out in October, so that will have to happen. WEEEEEEEEE!
20- Homesickness plagued me for the first week, I cried to anybody who was kind enough to listen but thanks to skype its manageable. Although, I miss Pix and Coco like a hole in my heart, I may have to travel home just for them.


Aaanndd that's all I can conjure up for now...
We may all be waiting weeks for the next witty installment. Haaa.

DAY ONE.

I am so tired.