tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73599598396760461232023-06-27T02:49:25.514-07:00Jenny's Georgia AdventureJust to keep everyone in the loop whilst I am away in Georgia USA for a year.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-73386171784858253982008-04-06T17:47:00.000-07:002008-04-06T18:21:36.788-07:00On Thursday I went to a Step Show. It is a competition between the Sororities on campus. It was a mixture of dance and clapping and stomp. Each had a theme and they were all very impressive. A good friend of mine performed and I was very proud of her. They came in 3rd which was disappointing but at least they were placed.<br /><br />Over the weekend I went to a friends house and we made smoothies and ate cake which was fun. Last night I went out with my friend from Russia and a friend from the Ukraine with her boyfriend. We went to Rockin' Rodeo. The first shock was that the band were good for once. Second shock was that the singer and bassist are from Ireland! They played the usual rock music but also played Proclaimer's '500 Miles'. I was so chuffed, danced like a mad woman and I am sure people were a little confused as most people in America will only know the song from Benny and June with Johnny Depp. <br />Was also thrilled that in the corner of the dance floor there was some old school dance off going on. <br /><br />So this week I really have to get sorted with my studies and stop being so lazy. Just having so much work to do that I don't even know where to start. And I know I am going to have to start thinking about packing sooner or later with just 4 weeks of school left. <br /><br />Next weekend will be the last GRSP weekend away with all the students. We have a district conference two weeks after but their are 3 districts in Georgia so it may be the last time I see some people. Should be fun but may be a little emotional too.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-75766034205526302202008-03-30T11:48:00.000-07:002008-03-30T12:22:41.776-07:00Last weekend was my first American Easter. I stayed with my host family on Saturday and came back Sunday night. <br />Saturday was spent trying to find a suitable dress for their daughter so she could go to church on Sunday. We shopped till the evening and ended up meeting her friend to borrow one of her dresses.<br />Unfortunately we didn't go to Church on Sunday as their son was ill so we all stayed in the house. We ate Boston Butt for dinner and all the family came round. Then we watched the film Syriana.<br />I spent most of the day sketching for my costume design class.<br /><br />This week at school I went to another play. The students performed Arms and the Man by Shaw which was very funny and performed well. <br /><br />On Friday night I went to the Annual International Dinner. Students were asked to either cook a traditional meal or do some kind of performance. I realised that it is cheaper and less time consuming to perform a Burns poem instead of cook enough shortbread for the 200 guests. It was a nice evening. My room mate from Colombia sang a Shakira song in Spanish. Brazilian girls danced, there was an American Blue Grass band (with a Japanese guitarist) and also a fashion show with people in their national dress. It was wonderful to see all the different costumes. Also made me appreciate how manageable the kilt is to walk around comfortably in.<br /><br />After the dinner there was a big house party which was fun. I made friends with some lovely people and we went out to Mellow Mushroom where a band were playing. We arrived to Hotel California so I was pleased. The last time I went there I heard Jack Johnston on the ukulele which was lovely but didn't really put me in a partying mood. <br />I went out with my new friend last night also. He is friends with the whole tennis team it seems. One of them is a lady from Manchester but she used to live in France so if I hadn't been told I would have thought she was French. Anyway they were lovely, we went to a Fraternity house but didn't stay too long as there wasn't a lot of people there. <br /><br />Now I have the whole day to myself to do some work. I have finished my brass sculpture and now we are to do something in mixed media. We have far too many options that I am a little confused. We can work in glass or paper as well as metal, wood, stone, plaster, cement, almost anything really.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-42253974382340276532008-03-02T18:35:00.000-08:002008-03-02T20:37:17.476-08:00I am just back in Valdosta from spending my weekend with my friend and her family who stay in Thomasville which is around 45 minutes from Valdosta.<br />Her family was invited to a wedding and I was asked if I would like to join them to experience an American wedding.<br /><br />After my classes on Friday I drove to the house with my friend and we went to a restaurant in Thomasville called Mom and Dads. It is an Italian, family run restaurant and I was told they had the best lasagna (they have not had my dads). We then watched a little of 'Flight of the Conchords' which is a silly but very funny television show. <br />Saturday morning we woke up late and had some waffles in the new George Foreman Grill. Then we popped out to Belks (Georgia's answer to Debenhams) to see if we could find an outfit for my friends mother. With the wedding being outside it was important to look smart without freezing. So I ended up picking up a few bargains for myself and for some friends. After our shopping trip we rushed home to get ready and went to Gin Creek where the wedding was being held. It was almost in a field with a large lake around it. There were lots of little white chairs for the ceremony facing a wee wooden deck which was decorated with flowers and small trees. <br />Firstly the parents and grandparents were seated before the bridesmaids came down the aisle. The the best man, minister and groom. Then the bride arrived on a white horse and carriage (as you do) and the groom started crying which got everyone going-even me and I have never met these people. <br />It was a very traditional ceremony, the only thing I had not seen before was the pouring of two different kinds of sand to symbolize them coming together as one. Then a short walk away down 'lovers lane' the reception. It looked like a little house and had a chandelier and a few small round tables with pastel coloured mints. The food was fabulous. There was cheese and mash, pasta salad, green beans, pulled pork (it is good but sounds odd I know) and also grilled chicken. <br />It is common here to have a cake for the bride and the groom. The brides is the traditional teared cake and the grooms is usually more of a novelty cake. This one was a walnut cake with a duck sitting on top of it. I am not sure if the man works with ducks, shoots them possibly. Who knows. <br /><br />It was a lovely wedding and I had a great time. The next morning we went to church and it turned out the ministers son works in Paisley, Scotland which was interesting. I have not been to Paisley before though so didn't have much to say but I have seen pictures and it does have a pretty high street. His son and wife are having a wonderful time and love it in Scotland which is nice to hear.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-63213728680537635772008-02-23T10:50:00.000-08:002008-02-23T11:05:44.442-08:00So on Wednesday this week I saw the eclipse. It was amazing. A couple of friends and I went to Nevins Hall which is where astronomy class takes place. They had the telescopes on the roof pointing at Saturn, Mars, the moon, and also a shiny blue star.<br />So I stayed on the roof for a while and then went to the 'front lawn' which is just a grassy area outside one of the buildings. <br />After the eclipse I went to Mellow Mushroom which is a pizza place by day and party central by night. They had a nice wee band playing and so I did a little dancing but more sitting and listening. They played a lot of Jack Johnston. I like his music a lot but I think it is swaying music rather than dancing.<br /><br />On Thursday I had class in the afternoon but my drawing class that evening was canceled so I went to a friends house. I brought her Caramel Wafers and she made me Hoe Cakes. It is a traditional Southern food. It is made from corn bread and water and lots of salt and in fried like a pancake type thing. So we snacked and watched Young Frankenstein.<br />I had dinner at another friends house to celebrate my birthday last week. There were a few girls there and we ate Mexican chicken and also birthday cake. It was a nice night.<br /><br />Friday I had class and went to the gym during the day. There were room inspections in the afternoon which luckily we passed even though we don't have a bin in our kitchen as the nasty girl has stolen it and put it in her room. It is actually mine and bought for me by my host family so I am really annoyed but the girl won't back down and claims it is hers. <br />I ate dinner at the loop with one of the girls I saw the night before. We then went to her dorm and watched 'Green Street', 'Superstar', and the beginning of 'You, Me and Dupree' before we fell asleep. I was woken up in the night as my friend met somebody who had been in Paisley, Scotland for 6 months. I wanted to talk to them but as my friend was sleeping thought it would be a bit cruel. Also, I have never been to Paisley so wouldn't know what to say apart from 'alright mate!'.<br /><br />This weekend I will be staying with my host family which will be nice. I saw them last week for my birthday but have not stayed the night since Christmas.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-54116331835757545032008-02-19T19:08:00.000-08:002008-02-19T20:10:21.763-08:00Last week was my birthdayLast week was a very very busy week for me. Just one of those weeks where everything is due at the same time and you want to just hide but then it all piles up and you feel even worse than you did to start with.<br />But in the middle of the tests and presentations I had my birthday! So...<br />I saw my friend for a smoothie and an afternoon of shopping. Then my host parents took me to Chilli's where I had chicken and a volcano ice cream cake which was fantastic.<br />Then a couple of my friends came round to my dorm room and we just had a wee natter, blew some party bubbles, played some guitar and so on.<br />On Friday I made a cast of my hand for my sculpture class and poured hot wax into it which will then be made into brass for my next project so that was fun. On Friday I also had an all American experience at Hooters! I ordered a burger but was later told that I should have had the fried chicken. Also found out that at night time the waitresses or 'Hooters Girls' line dance.<br /><br />On Saturday night I went to Las Bendaras which is a Mexican restaurant here in Valdosta. On the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month they have a salsa dancing night. So my South American friends and my friend from Russia all went for a fun night. And it turns out I am not too bad at salsa, it is really a lot of small steps to the side or to the front. <br /><br />My Sunday and Monday were spent trying to relax and also revise at the same time. Today I had a test and fingers crossed it went well. I had my drawing class tonight and after I had time to see the play by the students.<br /><br />It was called 'Holler me Home' and was written by Debra Fordham who was a graduate from Valdosta State. She has gone on to work on Murphy Brown and has spent the last 7 seasons writing and producing for Scrubs the t.v. show. <br />The play was really interesting. It was set in the Okefenokee Swamp in the South Georgia and set in 1930. The crash of the stock market left hundreds of people and businesses with nothing. But the people who lived in the swamp had nothing to begin with so weren't effected by it. There was also a little romance and health issues and suicide all mixed in so wasn't as Scrubs like as I thought it would be but I was really impressed.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-51167608048328195202008-02-06T07:33:00.000-08:002008-02-06T07:48:22.643-08:00last weekSo last week was pretty busy. Monday night I went to a Bible Study and then to a basketball game. The Valdosta State Blazers won the game by one point so it was all pretty tense.<br />Tuesday night I had my drawing class and was asked to go to a yoga class but it was starting straight after my class and I was too hungry.<br />Wednesday night I managed to get my laptop back but lost my key card to get into my room so had to pick up a temporary card and then buy a new one the next day. I went to my friends house for dinner and had pork with a ketchup and cola sauce which was pretty nice really.<br />Thursday night was a South America night at the International Centre. Some girls did a talk and then taught us how to salsa dance. <br />On Friday I went to a coffee hour at the International Centre. A couple friends and I went to El Toreo for dinner. It is a nice but also pretty cheap Mexican restaurant. We then went to a club called Glo down town Valdosta. That night there was another bomb threat at Centennial Dorms and so I had to sleep with a friend of mine. Nobody was allowed in the building till 5am.<br /><br />Saturday I went to the gym and went to a party hosted for the international students. It was at a house on campus which is white. People here call it the White House. I know, it is very clever.<br />Sunday was really a day of rest and home work.<br /><br />Monday this week I went a walk to the bank which ended up being 2 miles there and back. I stopped off at the hairdressers too and I have appointment for today. I saw some friends for the bible study again but they spent it talking about being a leader and getting involved next semester. Which I can't do but hey. I was glad I was there as the girl in charge on International Events was talking so I think it was good I was there to show her hard work pays off.<br />Yesterday I had that odd art class so had to rush home for food.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-46084147844981819032008-01-27T11:30:00.000-08:002008-01-27T11:40:03.078-08:00Cataloochie ski tripJust back from the trip and had a wonderful time. It was organised for the international students by the Baptist Student Ministry. <br /> <br />We left just after 12pm on Friday and got to our destination at 9pm although we did make a stop at Arbys for dinner and a couple of pit stops. One of which was a garage which had the most interesting drip coffee. I had the Cinnamon coffee cake as I am not brave enough to try chocolate banana, tiramisu or smores (chocolate and marshmallows on a pie crust). They also had syrup and powder to put in it too so we were all wide awake when we got to the church at 9.<br /> <br />There we stopped for more refreshments and met other baptist ministry students from other schools in Georgia. First we had to say where we were from and shout out our country so it could be put on the map. I was the only one from Scotland. Then an international students made a short speech to us about being ambitious which was nice. We then had another chance to mingle and grab more to eat.<br /> <br />We were then told to sit down so they could go over forms for the students skiing as they had to know name, address, weight, height and shoe size for everyone. Then the fun really started and we were all taught the Virginia Reel and a line dance! 200 people line dancing is pretty funny in itself but when they are from all over the world and have never line danced before, oh it was fantastic. <br /> <br />So after that we all went into the hotel and were put into rooms with 3 others. I stayed with a woman from Thailand, a girl from Japan and also a nice girl from the BCM who I know pretty well now and love to bits.<br />We woke up at a 6am after getting around 5 and a half hours sleep and had to be ready and in the van by 6.45am to get to the ski resort nice and early! <br /> <br />We all met in a large wooden lodge which had lots of picnic benches around. Everyone was given their tags and taken outside if they were going to ski and around 10/15 people stayed in the lodge. The BCM girl I stayed with, a woman from Turkey and I were approached by one of the men in charge of Cataloochie Ski Area and asked if we did want to ski. He has a certain amount of tickets he could give us for free as long as we kept quiet about it. So after having a wee think about it the 3 of us said yes please and made our way out. We collected our ski's and went to the beginners area. They took a group of 14 of us and we were taught the basics (although not all that well as I was still pretty awful).<br />I was out in the snow from around 8.30 to 11.30 maybe as I had fallen over enough and was quite uncomfortable with the beginners area being so busy making it terribly easy to crash into people. <br /><br />I went back to the lodge and had lunch which was provided by the BCM and also Subway. Then after talking to a few people I decided to go for a little walk and take some photographs which I did with the lady from Turkey and a lady who is from Jordan.<br />The three of us spent most of the afternoon together and they are such fun interesting women. The scenery there was just stunning. It looked wonderful. The fake snow looked so real too. <br />I also bought myself a t-shirt. It is pretty cool.<br /> <br />At 4pm we had to be all packed up and ready to go. Which I was but of course the people on the slopes took a wee while. Then we hit the road again, stopped at Zaxbys this time for dinner (chicken fast food) and managed to get home at around 1.45am I think it was.<br />It was a little sad as I had met such nice people and really wanted to say a nice goodbye to everyone but we were all so tired and everybody just wanted to get straight to bed, including myself.<br />So I stayed in my jim jams until around 12.30pm and then thought I had best get up.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-38750033779537370962008-01-23T18:56:00.000-08:002008-01-23T19:04:23.061-08:00boo computersSo my computer has broken. The whole reason I bought the nice Mac was because I didn't think it would break on me. But nope. Broken. Stuck on the 'boot screen' according the the Valdosta University Tech Shop guy. In other words, it just won't turn on. <br /><br />However, I have had a pretty good day. My sculpture is looking less like a tree trunk which is good as it looks more like a sculpture. Although also sad as I do like tree trunks. <br />I also bumped into a few friends on mine and have been invited to a Movie and Pancake Evening with the Baptist Student Ministry tomorrow night so that should be nice.<br /><br />Tonight I saw a good friend of mine. She cooked me dinner and we watched The Queen which is a very good film. Almost made me like Tony Blair.<br /><br />We also went on a quick shopping trip where I found a 6 pack of noodles for 65 cents. So yay me!<br /><br />Off to call the apple people.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-11431221561695543412008-01-21T21:01:00.000-08:002008-01-21T21:07:31.083-08:00So today is Martin Luther King Day. Celebrations went on in Atlanta but as far as I know nothing was planned in Valdosta.<br /><br />I saw a friend of mine around 10am and we ate lunch at Palms Dinning Hall on campus. On my meal plan it costs $6 to go in which is very expensive for here. It is all you can eat but usually I don't eat too much. Today I took 3 tea bags and a banana home with me to try and make myself feel better about wasting all that money on an omlette and cinamon bun.<br /><br />I had a nice evening with my host parents, brought my camera to the restaurant Outback so they could see the NYC photographs. I had a small salad and grilled chicken sandwich which was very tasty. Then we went to Target (kinda like a nicer Matalan maybe) so I bought a cardigan for $5 and a belt for $10 to hold up my jeans I bought in NY that don't fit me, really annoyed I didn't buy the size down but Gwen said I can try and shrink them in the dryer maybe.<br /><br />Anyway, don't have class till 12.30 but want to go work on my sculpture for an hour or so as I missed class on Friday. Hopefully it will all be fine, just a bit nervous that I have to finish it by the 11th of February and it still looks like a tree trunk.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-34826036163046479502008-01-20T19:03:00.000-08:002008-01-20T20:01:59.727-08:00leadership weekend GRSPDunwoody and Atlanta Rotary Clubs and The Halle Foundation hosted a leadership weekend for the Georgia Rotary Students of 2007-08.<br />We all arrived at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta which looks like an old English castle. Three GRSP students stud there and I am pretty jealous of them.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Program Introductions:<br /><br />· Welcome: Bill Woulfin, Governor, Rotary District 6900<br /><br />· Weekend Roadmap: Fred Brandt, Past President, Rotary Club of Dunwoody<br /><br />· Making a Difference: Kathy Brandt, President-Elect, Rotary Club of Dunwoody<br /><br />· Video: The Star Thrower, Joel Barker<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />2:00 pm – 3:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Key Note Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Kiss, President, Agnes Scott College<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />3:00 pm – 3:15 pm<br /> <br /><br />Break – Refreshments<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />3:15 pm – 6:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />One Person, One Group Making a Difference<br /><br />· The Balashikha Project: Blake McBurney & Dr. Al Brann - Rotary Club of Atlanta<br /><br />· MedShare International: A.B. Short, Executive Director<br /><br />· A Personal Story: Kristi Matthews, Esq., City of Atlanta, Asst. Attorney<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />6:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Students picked up by Dunwoody and Atlanta host families<br /><br />Students picked up by Dunwoody host families for evening at homes<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />7:00 pm – 10:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Potluck suppers for students and Rotarians in Rotarian homes<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />SATURDAY - JANUARY 19, 2008<br /> <br /> <br />OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY – LUPTON HALL<br /><br /> <br /><br />WORKSHOP: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR LEADERS<br /><br />Presented by<br /><br />Larry R. Hart, Chairman, Vistage International, Inc.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Students to have breakfast with host families in homes before program. Program begins at Oglethorpe at 9:00 am sharp.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> 9:00 am - 12:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Program - Oglethorpe, Lupton Hall<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />12:00 pm - 1:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Lunch - Oglethorpe Cafeteria, Emerson Student Center<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />1:15 pm – 2:45 pm<br /> <br /><br />Program Continues - Oglethorpe, Lupton Hall<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br />OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY – EMERSON STUDENT CENTER<br /><br /> <br /><br />PAINTFEST<br /><br />Presented by<br /><br />John Feight, CEO, Foundation for Hospital Art<br /><br /> <br /><br />3:00 pm – 5:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Paintfest - Oglethorpe, Emerson Student Center<br /><br />· John Feight, CEO, Foundation for Hospital Art<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />5:00 pm – 5:30 pm<br /> <br /><br />Student Rehearsal - Emerson Student Center<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />RECEPTION, DINNER & PROGRAM<br /> <br />Open to all GRSP Students, Host Families and Interested Rotarians<br /><br /> <br /><br />5:30 pm – 6:30 pm<br /> <br /><br />Refreshments/Beverages … Oglethorpe Student Center Lobby<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />6:00 pm – 9:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />Dinner … Oglethorpe Student Center<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />SUNDAY - JANUARY 19, 2008<br /> <br /> <br />OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY – EMERSON STUDENT CENTER<br /><br /> <br /><br />MAKING A DIFFERENCE….GRSP STUDENTS<br /> <br /><br />Breakfast with host families in host homes before program. Drop off promptly at 8:45 am<br /><br /> <br /><br />9:00 am – 12:00 pm<br /> <br /><br />GRSP Class of 2007-08 Creating a Legacy …<br /><br />· Kathy Brandt and Rotarians, Rotary Club of Dunwoody<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />12:00 – 1:00<br /> <br /><br />Lunch, Emerson Student Center – Conference endsJennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-71746456666292407922008-01-12T11:53:00.000-08:002008-01-12T12:26:54.081-08:00christmas dayMy first Christmas away from home!!<br />It started with a big ole breakfast with sausage, bacon, omelet, toast and cinnamon buns. The whole family was there and everyone ate together before any presents were even touched. <br />I had a phone call from home after breakfast which was really lovely to hear from them. Also a little odd as we had just had breakfast and at home they were just about to have cake. <br />Everyone exchanged presents and had a nice relaxing time together. My host mothers parents and brother then left to get ready for dinner. Then I watched a couple movies with my host parents until it was time for our meat which I think was pork but I can't remember. It was the usual mash potatoes, and peas but no brussel sprouts. Then there was cheesecake and brownies to be eaten.<br />Then we went back to the house and watched another movie before it was time for bed.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-80926212739825029692008-01-12T09:48:00.000-08:002008-01-12T11:52:56.652-08:00mums visitSo first things first. Sorry. I know it has been an awful long time since I have written the blog. It has all been pretty hectic really. My mum came over from the 13th to the 23rd of December so I wanted to spend as much time with her as I possibly could so didn't write the blog. Then it was Christmas with my host parents. Then on the 28th I traveled to New York City to meet my boyfriend from back home. Then I returned to Valdosta the night of the 6th of January and started classes the next day at 8am.<br /><br />So I have a lot to write about...<br /><br />It was wonderful to see my mum. My school friend drove me to Atlanta airport as he was going home to Henry County for Christmas. So once he dropped me off I managed to find mum and a family friend of ours who stays in Atlanta. We stayed at the friends house with her husband and sister who we are close friends with after she studied in Edinburgh.<br />The next day we drove to Athens to stay with our close friend. Athens is a beautiful city. There were a lot of lovely old buildings which were all being used as Fraternity houses. Which is a bit of a shame as I can only imagine what state the inside of the buildings would look like after a hard night of partying. <br /><br />We managed to do a lot of shopping in Athens and found a nice bagel place to eat. We went to the Varsity fast food place which is only in Atlanta and Athens. We went to a church service. Mum also experienced Chick-fil-a which is another fast food place which just does chicken and again is only in Georgia. We made a visit to UGA and had a look at the stadium and bookstore. Also a visit to the tree that owns itself is a must in Athens.<br /><br />From Athens we drove to Thomasville to saty with my Georgia Rotary Scholarship truestee. He is in charge of the four GRSP students in Valdosta so if we have any problems with our host parents for example, he will be able to find a new family or try to resolve the situation.<br /><br />On our way there we stopped in a lovely place called Madison. We had a tour around a couple old houses and had a nice bite to eat. We also stopped to see the Brer Rabbit statute. It was pretty tiny.<br /><br />Once in Thomasville we were shown our rooms in our wing of the house. I was in the play room, along with the pin ball machine and other toys.<br />We went to the black history museum, had a look around Thomasville. Saw another tree, this one was a large oak tree which is pretty massive! We went to the farmers market too. <br />A friend of mine from university lives near Thomasville too so my mum got to meet her and her mother. We went to Pebble Hill Plantation House which was stunning. The four of us had a look around the shops and ate lunch in Savannah Moon where I had a lovely salad. <br />There was also a nice pasta place called Fish Bones. The pasta is cooked in front of you and you pick the kind of pasta, sauce, vegetables and meat.<br /><br />So then my mum and I went to stay with my host family in Moultrie. It was nice that she was able to meet my host family and friends here as I know it must be odd hearing all these names and stories and not knowing who anyone is. Her visit seemed to fly by but we did so much together.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-4070430099248146572007-12-12T08:07:00.000-08:002007-12-12T08:24:19.933-08:00Yesterday I went to a Rotary meeting and listened to the Serenader's. They are high school children who sing. I got to meet some more lovely people which was great. <br />I also went to see a couple of my host parents school pupils wrestling in a competition between the Valdosta Wild Cats. It was one of the most horrible experiences I have ever encountered at a school (and I grew up in Portobello). The boys were only 10 years old and had to pin each other down so their opponent had both shoulders on the ground. This of course made their wee faces turn blue and they just looked in pain. I couldn't watch it. And it was so bizarre to me that the parents in the audience were shouting and obviously supporting their children but if that was my child, I would be down on that ring in a flash.<br />We only managed to watch two boys and then ran away from it all.<br /><br />We went to a shop to find an outfit for Gwen as it was the Rotary Christmas Banquette last night which was lovely. They had a very talented harpist playing but I don't think I liked her that much. She said she would answer some frequently asked questions. Although she doesn't like it when people ask how much it costs as you wouldn't ask how much someones house costs. Erm. It's a harp. She doesn't live in it, it is a musical instrument that she plays that is rare and hand carved, I think it is a valid question. <br />She also wanted to clarify that men also play the harp. Now I don't know where she heard that question but obviously someone was not a fan of the Marx brothers. It is in Harpo's name, of course men play the harp. <br />Anyway, it was a lovely evening and as always I met some wonderful and interesting characters. One retired man in his 80's felt the need to sing Old MacDonald to me. He was a charmer. <br /><br />Today I should be going to the bank and possibly to the Middle School to read to my host mothers class. Then tonight I am traveling to my dorm at uni to stay over so I can leave early Thursday morning with a friend up to Atlanta to meet my lovely mum.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-49802877307935634852007-12-10T10:43:00.000-08:002007-12-10T10:50:00.169-08:00holidays!All finals are completed. I am out of school and feeling pretty good about it. I will miss some friends but hopefully it is not the last time I will see them.<br />I am spending the next few days with my host family before to traveling to Atlanta to pick up my mother and show her this fine state.<br /><br />Yesterday I saw a Christmas Youth Choir at a Moultrie church and yesterday was the Moultrie Parade.<br />Now, that was fantastic, nothing says Christmas like Hells/Christian Christmas Angels! Fairy lights on the bikes and dead wolfs on the head. Nice. Also loved the fact that the floats were dragged along the street by the Jon Deere tractors. It was an experience though for sure. I got to see the Middle and High School marching bands and all.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-90039470499900766032007-11-30T21:27:00.000-08:002007-11-30T21:38:55.985-08:00This week has been horribly busy with school work. I am so thankful that it is all over now. Just have one week full of final exams before I will be done with this semester.<br />Just saw a play by the student theatre group, everything written, directed, performed etc. by the students themselves. It was a very good play I loved it. A friend of mine performed and did so well I was chuffed for them.<br />Tomorrow I will be going to a luncheon at the international office. We will learn a little about American traditions and are to talk a bit about our own. Then I will be meeting with a friends aunt which should be fun.<br />I will have to try and get as much revision done this weekend as possible though which is a pain.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-18632146123378977612007-11-19T12:10:00.000-08:002007-11-19T12:42:15.610-08:00Well I only have one more class left tomorrow morning and then I will be on Thanksgiving break! YAY. Once I am back at University next week there will just be two weeks of classes left before the final exams. I have to admit that I am a little worried as we are still starting new topics in some of the classes. Ach well, I am just going to have to make the most of it and study when I can, I just hoped there would be more time to revise over past topics.<br /><br />This weekend I stayed in Valdosta on campus. I had revision to do for my sociology test so that kept me occupied. I also went on a couple of quick trips to the gym this weekend as it is just next door to my halls and I think I should maybe make some room for the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners ahead. <br />It is a friends birthday over the break so we went out on Saturday night to celebrate it so a few friends went to Rockin' Rodeo. It was a good night and the club was packed which made it more exciting.<br />Sunday night the Baptist Student Ministry who organized the trip to Stone Mountain, made a thanksgiving dinner for the international students of Valdosta. It was a lovely gesture and idea. I got to meet a few people that I hadn't met before and also say hello to some friends I had made on the Stone Mountain trip. <br />So pumpkin pie.....not too sure about it. It is all wet and smoochy. Also I tried the sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top but there is no way that I will ever do that again. A couple of the people from America said that they have sweet potatoes as a desert with marshmallows and cinemon on top. 'Hmmm' is all I could bring myself to say.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-11782012294666481612007-11-12T20:26:00.000-08:002007-11-12T20:30:56.631-08:00Just back from a play by the universtity theater company. It was so funny and very well done by the cast. A friend from one of my classes was in it and was really good, the play was 'The Man Who Came to Dinner' and his character was called Banjo and was a representation of Harpo from the Marx Brothers. <br />Also I have just found out that Family Guy is on TBS.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-90286920247268386482007-11-11T09:19:00.000-08:002007-11-11T10:32:24.766-08:00Atlanta weekendWell I had a crazy busy weekend in Atlanta. The Georgia Rotary students met on Friday night for a meal in one of Atlanta's high schools. Lasagna made a lovely change from the regular hot dogs and burgers. Once we all had our dinner and catch up we were told to go into groups of four and find a Rotarian who would be our host parents for the night. I stayed with a girl from Malaysia, France and a good friend from Scotland. The couple that we stayed with were really interesting and had traveled all over the world and had been host parents for 7 students in the past. They were also very interested in us, our views and our country which is always nice.<br />We had an early start in the morning at 8am. We arrived at the YMCA to drop off our bags as we were to stay there on Saturday night. We took a school bus around Atlanta with our first stop being the zoo. It was lots of fun and there were giant pandas there. After the zoo we went straight to the World of Cola. They had a tasting room at the end with different coke products that are sold in different countries all over the world. Although I didn't recognize the lemonade that is sold in England and I did hear a few other people saying they had never heard of the juice that is meant to be from their home countries. <br /><br />After we all went a little mad in the giant Cola shop we headed to the Varsity. Two Saturdays in a row...not so good for my wee growing belly. We had some people from Atlanta with us so I was able to ask what the best meal was and although the picture didn't look too appetizing the chicken was rather tasty and not too greasy. <br />After lunch we went to an arcade which had go kart racing. We didn't all have enough money or time to go racing so most people just played the arcade games. <br /><br />Then we went back to the YMCA to play the arcade games that they had there, and eat our pizza and salad. They opened up the climbing wall and swimming pool for us until 10pm which was fun. It was nice to just relax with everyone and have so much time to talk with people that I hadn't had the chance to yet. So we all slept on the floor of the gym on yoga mats and sleeping bags. It was not all that comfortable however, the fact that I was so extremely tired after such a busy day meant that I just fell asleep as soon as my head hit the floor.<br /><br />Sunday morning I was collected along with the other students from Valdosta. We went to the aquarium which was just stunning. They had the most beautiful beluga whales and such stunning colourful fish. It was all just stunning. <br />Needless to say we slept well on the four hour journey home. <br /><br />It was so tempting to just jump straight into bed when we got home but it would be so early and I didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night. So I waited until 10pm before I went to bed. This did not work out how I had planned as at 10pm the fire alarm went off once again and we were told to evacuate the building for another 4 hours while the rooms were checked for another apparent bomb threat that was called. A few people are getting paranoid but I really don't think there is any need to be. It is still an odd experience and something I could really .do without as with finals coming up it would be good to get enough sleep as possible.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-43703199452225130382007-10-27T23:22:00.000-07:002007-10-27T23:49:11.260-07:00stone mountainIt is 2.20am and I am just back from a day trip to Stone Mountain, Atlanta. It was organized for the international students at Valdosta State by the Baptist Ministry group on campus which was so kind of them. I had so much fun there but now I am so tired. I have a lot of school work to do tomorrow so I thought I should write in the blog now rather than sleep in and not have time to.<br /><br />So our day started at 8am and we started the four hour journey to Atlanta. Once there we went to the Varsity which is one of the largest fast food restaurants as regards the size of the building. I think it is only in Atlanta and they have t-shirts and hats for sale which is rather crazy. I had onion rings (they have grown on me since being here) cheese burger and also a large drink so I could get it in a plastic cup and take it back for a souvenir.<br />After lunch we hit the shops. There were all these NASCAR racing cars about and their different sponsors such as McDonalds and Kodak. Most had lots of freebies so needless to say I picked up a couple of things.<br /><br />After shopping we headed to Stone Mountain which is the largest block of granet in the world. At the woodland area on the mountain we met other international students from different universities in Georgia. I managed to speak to a couple of people, one girl was from China and was very nice. We all ate together and there was a live band to play good ol' Southern music. I am always in the mood for Sweet Home Alabama! After dinner our Valdosta group went up to see the stone in all its glory. They had a patriotic carving of leaders from the Civil War on a part of it. Around the mountain was a little old Western village type place. There was a blacksmith shop with a man going presentations and an example of an old fire 'engine' which was just a couple of barrels on a cart. It was all decorated for Halloween with pumpkins and hay scattered around. Also all of the buildings were lit up and covered with tiny fairy lights. It was just beautiful I could have spent all day there.<br /><br />After our wonders we sat and watched the laser show. It was projected onto the side of the mountain and were little anomations outlined in different colours which went along to music. It was so much fun, I sang along to most of the songs although there were a few that I didn't know. There were a couple songs about America and I enjoyed listening to them. Made me think if there are any modern songs about being proud to be a Scotsman. I can't think of any but that might be because I am so very tired.<br /><br />After the laser show it was time for us to head back to Valdosta. We watched Shreck on the way back which is always funny no matter how often I see it and has such a good soundtrack.<br />Well now I am off to sleep. I hope that this makes sense as in my sleep deprived condition I am not too sure it will.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-56418000707484607942007-10-26T11:12:00.000-07:002007-10-26T11:30:38.002-07:00Well it has been a busy and rather stressful week. This is the week to register for classes next semester. This is done online and started monday for seniors through thursday for freshman. This system meant that the classes I had planned to take were all gone by the time I was allowed to register. I am pretty happy with the way things worked out but it was a horrible stressful time. I had to find other classes to take the night before registration and try and work out the time schedual too. So the classes I have chosen are:<br /><br />Introduction to Engineering<br />Algebra<br />Sculpture<br />Drawing<br /><br />I think they will all be pretty useful for my architecture course next year.<br /><br />So it is Halloween in America and some people are going a little bitty crazy. Others are not at all as they don't celebrate it so it is a little odd. I shall be trying to find a costume in the one and only Walmart this evening before I meet up with some friends of mine. I can't say how awake we will all be as last night/morning was a little tiring. This was because of the alarm in my hall going off at 3.30 am, waking us all up. Then after hovering in the cold for roughly an hour we were all told to go inside the gym next door. So, I was there until around 6.30am before walking to the dinning hall for breakfast which stared at 7. So I was not in my dorm until 7.50 this morning. Thus, I am extremely tires, my human communication teacher did not help matters at all so now it is 2.30pm and I am going to my bed.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-75263391248369144402007-10-16T16:23:00.000-07:002007-10-16T17:28:47.141-07:00fall breakHey Ya'll<br /><br />Well this weekend and Monday and Tuesday (my fall break) have been so much fun. <br />Friday was another GRSP Conclave with the students from the scholarship. Of all 71 of us 67 students came to Savannah which is a great turnout. I was so excited to see everyone again as well as a little nervous as I was ill and couldn't go to the previous conclave so I was frightened that people wouldn't have remembered me but of course everyone was lovely and I had a ball. We arrived a little before dinner on Friday night so the Valdosta crew went on a little walk along the river front which was just so beautiful. Once we had eaten the burgers, hot dogs and 2 and a half cookies in my case, we all went on a ghost tour. I was a little scared that it would be like the ghost tours back home with people dressed up and jumping on your back however it wasn't like that at all. A woman drove around 40 of us on a bus around downtown Savannah telling us lots of stories of sightings of ghosts in the different old Georgian houses.<br /><br />After the tour, the five of us from Portobello went to the host parents house. They were very sweet and had bought bourbon creams and shortbread for us as there is an actual Scottish shop near them. We talked until we fell asleep and then had to wake up a few hours later to go to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. It was a very interesting museum and they had so much information on WW II and different things on display I think I would have needed a day in itself to take everything in.<br /><br />After that we went to Tybee Island to walk the 178 steps up the lighthouse which gave the most incredible view. It was so gorgeous there I could have been there all day too just watching the world go by. Then we all headed to the beach house of one of the Rotarian's. The beach was lovely and the sea was nice although once in it I didn't want to get out as it seemed so cold. Everyone had a lot of fun at the beach and the house it was just the most wonderful atmosphere. <br /><br />Sadly enough after the beach we all went home, slept and then had to go our separate ways Sunday morning. However the fun didn't stop there for me. My Colombian friends host father took the four of us studying at Valdosta to a place called Jekyll Island which is where a lot of people go on holiday to escape from the world. It was very pretty and had a lovely beach however cactus plus flip flops equals problems but thats another story. <br />On Sunday night I stayed over at a friends house which was lovely. Her parents own 100 acres so we went around on the golf buggy through the pine trees and by the lake. It was so pretty. Her father made the most amazing steak for us and I brought them some shortbread which her mother loved. I was also so happy to find that they had Nutella and there is a shop here where I can buy it so that is amazing. When I left on Tuesday her mother had bought me a jar as a gift so I am extremely happy. <br /><br />Monday my friend and I went on the almost 4 hour drive to Panama City, Florida which is the most beautiful beach. On the way there we bought some grapes, fig rolls candy called Air Heads and lots of water. We also dropped into a Dollar Store to see if they had a bucket spade which they didn't so we just bought cups to make our sandcastle.<br />At the beach we sunbathed for a while, went into the outdoor swimming pool of the hotel next door, sunbathed some more and read a little before building a 'sandcastle'. This took us from around 12 till 5 and then we thought it best to pack up and grab a bite to eat at Pineapple Willy's. This is the place to eat on the beach, we managed to get seats outside so we could see the sunset. We shared some alligator bites. They tasted a little like chicken but had a hint of fish and were really tasty. <br /><br />We got back to her parents house around 11 so I stayed another night as it is about an hour and a half away from the campus. In the morning I met my friends sister and we all went with her mother to a cute town called Boston for lunch and a little look around its antique store. Then we went on a little tour of Thomasville so I could see the old oak tree and some of the pretty houses there. Back at the house my friends father was going out on the tractor for an hour so asked if we would like to join him. We both had a shot of driving which was fun although I was not born to be a farmer it seems.<br />So that was my fun long weekend. I am a little sad now that it is all over and school starts tomorrow. I think I needed that break though so I am glad that it turned out to be so much fun.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-34442385702256987932007-10-09T12:36:00.000-07:002007-10-09T12:38:02.586-07:00yay me3D design project=A+ oh yes, 95% people. Bring it!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-2931573012175496502007-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:002007-10-08T11:50:45.138-07:00All of my tests have come at once! Why?! One down today but Sociology Wednesday and Costume history on Friday. On top of all that is the homework that I am expected to do at the same time oh and of course the plaster sculpture which I am to start carving into tomorrow.<br /><br />I saw an amusing event on Wednesday last week. 'Big Man on Campus' was set up by the ZTA sorority girls in order to raise money for breast cancer. One boy was picked from each fraternity to be the 'Big Man' which was really like a Miss World type thing. Each had a swimsuit competition (snorkels being very popular) and also had to do a talent and answer a question asking what animal they would describe themselves as or how do you cook a turkey. The guys that took part were very funny and obvioulsy extremely comfortable in their sexuality and bodies as there were a few ballgowns going on. I know I end a lot of my blog entries like this but really, who knows?Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-63770831946665165302007-09-28T12:28:00.000-07:002007-09-28T13:09:19.735-07:00homecomingSaturday is Valdosta States football teams homecoming game. This has been celebrated all week with different events. Wednesday was a comedy show which hundreds turned up to as around 100 people were waiting outside to get a seat when we were told that the auditorium was full and we all had to go home. There was also a trip to a theme park nearby called Wild Adventures which I decided not to go to as I had been told it is quite expensive. Of course I heard the next day that it was free for the students that day so I was a little miffed that this fact was not written down.<br /><br />Yesterday I went to the pep rally with a friend. It was in our PE complex on the basketball court so already I was excited as it was huge. I felt like I was in a movie there was just that this atmosphere and buzz in the place. It started with the cheerleaders. They were spectacular I have to say. On each others shoulders and flips in the air, I was amazed. Unfortunately they were only wearing t-shirts and shorts so that wasn't all too exciting but the bows in their hair were smart. Made me wonder if they are given them as part of the uniform or whether they are told what type of ribbon to buy and have to go to the haberdashery. <br />There are also dancers. Not too sure what there deal is to be honest. It seemed a lot like cheer leading but without the acrobatics. Still rather kinky though. <br /><br />After the dancing it was time for us to meet the judges who would be judging the skits performed by the sororities and fraternities. They call it the lip sync contest. The theme was 'blazing into the future' (the football team are the Valdosta Blazers). So most of the songs had something to do with burning or fire and went from the 50's to present day. It was very funny and the people performing didn't take themselves seriously and just had fun with it so it was a good laugh. <br />The fraternity that some of my friends are part of won in the end so I am chuffed for them. Also, the fact that they one and didn't resort to wearing woman's clothing for a cheap laugh was very commendable. Although I have to give my respect to the boy wearing the pink, PVC HIGH heeled boots, I don't even know if I would be able to walk in those.<br /><br />Well tonight is a parade with different floats made by different societies at Valdosta. I know some people that will be riding on the floats so I am going to show my support with my friend from London (hopefully).<br /><br />Oh, I also voted for Homecoming Queen although I am not sure how to find out who the winner is. All the girls were part of sororities apart from one who was a cheerleader. I voted for the girl who wasn't blond. She looked the nicest.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359959839676046123.post-23652990356939017662007-09-20T20:13:00.001-07:002007-09-20T20:20:56.997-07:00So the last couple of days have been pretty good fun.<br />Last night i went to see a play called 'Wit' by Valdosta's drama company on campus. I have to say that I was incredibly impressed, the lead was fantastic. The set was also very clever and well designed. <br />Then I went to my friends Fraternity house for a short while and played a little ping pong. They have a lovely fairly old building with a cast iron fire place and all their pictures on the wall of previous years. It was interesting to have a look around. I had a lot of questions but it is all very secretive so not a lot were answered which was a shame.<br /><br />Today I had my 3D design class which I enjoy so much! After I used the laundry room for the first time which was successful. I then went round to a friends dorm and watched 'Shaun of the Dead' as he had not seen it. For dinner we went to a place called Zaxbys which is a fast food place but with chicken. The chicken was tasty but the crinkle cut fries/chips were a bit hit or miss.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15343471126443784758noreply@blogger.com0