This posting is dedicated to my fandoms

Shwmae pawb!

I finished with my courses on the 3rd. Now all I have to do is revise (US: study) for my exams. Of course, not everything is wall-to-wall highlighting and notes...

I had a meet-up with a friend from one of my courses. We went to get coffee together. It was very nice to be able to talk with this boy one-on-one. And, predictably, my friends gave me a bit of stick for it ("Oooh, you and that Welsh boy! Get it, girl!"). I've come to expect that sort of stuff by now. Haha.

The show Doctor Who had been filming in the Cardiff-area as of late. Based on some very convincing tweets, we were able to determine that a film crew would be on Cwmdare street. Kirsten W. and I headed up that way. We were joined by Laura B. and her friend Lieselot (from Belgium). The day was gorgeous. I think we all ended up getting sunburns! Sadly, they were just filming a sequence with a stunt driver. No sign of any of the stars (although I'm told the Jenna Louise Coleman showed up a couple hours later).

Cwmdare Street, note the "Filming in Progress" signs

Was it worthwhile? I think so, especially when Laura B. asked the security guy about who was going to be there. He told her no stars were showing (he was sad about that too), and that David Tennant's wife had just had a baby! We were holders of privileged information, before the Tumblr-sphere could get ahold of it!

Also, perhaps my best culinary creation to date. I impulsively bought a can of coconut milk and wondered what I should do with it. My friend Sasha suggested green curry, so here is my attempt! For the record, it was delicious.

Why was this not in my life before?!

I finally broke down and bought new shoes. The black heeled clogs I brought with me and have been wearing non-stop gave out. They were so thin! I ended up getting some flats and some heeled little ankle-boot type shoes.

Fun Fact #29: I've heard from other study abroad students that everyone eventually wears out a pair of shoes in their time abroad.

Friday was my friend Laura L.'s birthday. We went to eat at a buffet near the bay. Funny story though, we got into a nice conversation with the taxi driver (he told me I "couldn't go wrong with a Welsh boy" because my friends brought up my coffee-thing. Awkward!). He was very interested in learning what was different between America and the UK, so we were more than happy to oblige. At the end, I decided to thank him in Welsh, since he'd been so full of Welsh Pride during our chat. He said that he didn't speak Welsh, and not only that, but hardly anyone in Cardiff speaks it. Well, I certainly have heard it around, but I imagine that the Welsh-speakers probably have their own little enclave. We went to Glam (a nightclub) later that evening. Poor Kirsten W. got held up for a while because her driver's license looked fake (It was not fake, it's just that her state makes flexible driver's licenses).

Kirsten W, myself and the birthday girl herself, Laura L!  

On Cinco de Mayo, I met with the flatmate of one of my friends back home. The friend studied at Cardiff Uni the semester before me, and she really helped to set me at ease about the transition. The flatmate (Laura K.) was really cool. When she greeted me at the door in a Pikachu onesie, I knew that I'd found a friend for life. We had some coffee and talked about student life, Vermont and other things.

My friends (Lieselot, Laura B., Caitlyn and Kirsten B.) and I went to a Doctor Who pub quiz on Monday! It was at Buffalo Bar. Apparently, this used to be the favourite haunt of Matt Smith, Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan. They'd hang out there after filming for Doctor Who.

Before we went to the bar, we went outside of Bunker, a nightclub in Cardiff, because there was filming for the BBC's Sherlock inside. To our dismay, they were clearing equipment out and Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were at a bar somewhere (which the security guard conveniently didn't name).

The pub quiz was challenging! I was not up to date on my Doctor Who watching, but we managed to have a great time! Categories included: All 5th Doctor Episodes, Recent Episodes from this past season, and a music matching game. The music they played was number one on the billboard when a regeneration was shown on TV. We had to name the episode. Pub quizzes usually come with a picture game too. The one tonight was of Game of Thrones cast-members and we had to name who they were in Doctor Who. It was really tricky. One of the guys asking questions had a Scottish accent, which was just delightful to listen to.

Sadly, we placed last. But everyone got a kick out of our team name (Team Ten-Inch). The bar was out of food (they couldn't even make milkshakes for us!), so I got some ridiculously fruity drink called a Solero (non-alcoholic, of course). It was actually really nice. The description of it being "an ice lolly in a glass" was accurate. For dinner, we ended up at Burger King. We all had a good laugh about that.

Tuesday was a big day. Laura B. and I went to an event at Cardiff Arms Park. We got to meet the members of the Blues who were selected for the Lions squad (Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Alex Cuthbert and Sam Warburton).

There were around 250 people all crowded into the Gareth Edwards lounge. It was sweltering in there. We stood right behind the last row of chairs. There few a couple generic-sorta questions in the beginning, then they turned to the audience. There were a fair number of kids there from U-11 rugby groups, so they got to ask some questions. It was incredibly adorable. The Boys had words of advice and inspiration to the kids, like how there was a point in time when Leigh was told that he was too small to play. Sam told the kids to always wear a gumshield (mouth-guard) because he met this one kid who had to get 14 stitches due to getting hit in his lip.

Fun Fact #30: That kid was Alex Cuthbert.

Leigh was peer-pressured into singing Happy Birthday. That was cute. I don't think I'd really appreciated how thick his accent was. I had some difficulty understanding him at some points.

They talked about how much of an honour it was to be selected, where they were when they heard the news, that sort of stuff. Also, the tradition of the youngest Lion having to take care of the stuffed mascot. Last Lions tour, Leigh had that responsibility. Everytime the lion went missing (usually during practice or whatnot), it cost him 300 Rand (which was around £10). So it was an expensive tour for him!

The Boys had a lot of fun teasing each-other. Leigh, for being the one all the ladies swoon over. Jamie, for leaving the Blues for France. Sam, for his dad's constant tweeting. Alex got made fun of the most. According to Jamie, Alex is only in rugby for the women. Alex's background in showjumping was also mentioned. They also alluded to some events/inside jokes that just raised more questions than they answered...

Fielding questions from the audience 

I think Leigh Halfpenny saw my camera! 

The Boys 

I'd just like to call your attention to Sam Warburton's neck in this shot.

At the end of the question and answer session, we queued up to get autographs. I brought my Blues flag, Laura had her Blues jersey. While we waited, we befriended a second-year history student at Cardiff Uni. His name was Stefan. He was from Kent, but his dad was Welsh. Note to self: befriend people in the queue more often! People like talking with Americans.

Hard at work, signing things

Laura wanted a picture with him, so I obliged. Sam heard our accents and asked us where we were from. We proudly told him America. He responded "Oh, the good ol' US of A" and had this adorable smile going on. We were pretty flustered by that point (but in a good way). It was very cool to be singled out for our accents. I congratulated Sam on his captaincy and he said he was "so chuffed". Awww, so cute!

Laura and Sam Warburton! (Laura's Photo)

Leigh Halfpenny kept talking to Laura, asking her when she got here and how long she'd be in Wales. I, being such a great friend, took the mick. Girl, go for it! Leigh had a couple love letters in front of him, probably from some previous girls. He didn't seem quite as interested in me as he did with Laura, but that's ok. I had a nice conversation with Jamie Roberts though! I asked him how he was able to balance med school and a rugby career. He told me that he did med school part time. He was really happy that I was studying Bioscience at Cardiff Uni. It was precious.

I love my adoring look as Alex signs my flag (Laura's Photo)

Alex Cuthbert, we meet again! I told him that when last I saw him, it was at the WRU trophy thing. "I had glasses on, I was the American there who didn't really talk!" He kinda played along, which I applaud him for. I imagine that the other guys there would be giving him some stick for it later...

My Flag!

Now, whenever I'm feeling down, I'll remember this. Definitely a highlight of my time abroad! Also, can't go wrong with a Welsh boy!

Wednesday was an interesting day. My scarf that I ordered had arrived. Earlier, I won a drawing for a £10 Amazon giftcard (I only entered the contest because I'd get some welshcakes afterwards!). I figured that I should buy something American-ish. The American flag is really popular, it's bizarre. I've seen some artfully torn jean shorts that were Stars-and-Stripes patterned, for example. I also took it as a signal to the world that I have embraced being referred to as "The American". And it looks fantastic, let me tell you.

I met up with Kirsten W. and a friend of hers from back home. We had dinner and drinks at the Taf (in the Student Union). The friend had finished up study-abroad in Rome, so it was fun to discuss the various quirks of life as an American abroad. I also talked with the cute bartender. He's the first person to name the capital of Vermont for me. I was quite impressed (Based on further discussion, I think the naming State capitals is a party trick of his). Turns out he's from Swansea. Me and my Welsh boys...

I, being a true dork, went to the midnight premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness. I went with my friends Chase, Olivia and Kirsten B. We walked to the Red Dragon Centre, right near the Bay. It was quite the journey! We packed our own snacks, because we're resourceful in that way.

While they waited in the queue, I went over the the Ben and Jerry's counter. I was feeling a bit homesick for some reason and Ben and Jerry's has become my go-to Vermont fix. While I didn't buy any ice-cream, I did end up having an in-depth discussion with the guy at the counter. Turns out, he's from North Wales! I don't remember the name of the place he's from, but it was around 30 miles away from Llandudno (pretty sure it also had at least one "LL" in it). He was so happy I called him a Gog.

First time wearing the glasses, figured I'd commemorate the moment

I won't spoil the movie, but Benedict Cumberbatch is an awesome villain. Also, Spock gets to be a badass. The Klingons look freakin' spectacular too. It was definitely worth springing for the IMAX 3D experience. Since it was my first time ever seeing an IMAX, I think I flinched, jumped and held out my hands as if to catch something a couple times. The 3D didn't feel gimmicky, I think it actually enhanced scenes, like when they had to dodge a field of space-debris. I wouldn't say it was a very intellectually stimulating movie, but if you feel like watching a good popcorn flick, highly recommended!

Free Poster! The Sun and the Enterprise glow in the dark. And it's on my mattress because it's laundry day 

Ok, back to work. Send good thoughts my way as I embark on exams!

Cheers!

Happy May! (I'd advise you not to read this on an empty stomach)

Hello!

It is finally gorgeous in Cardiff. Here are a couple pictures I took in Cathays Park while I was waiting for my Cytogenetics lecture to start.

It looks like a promo shot for Cardiff University 

Yesterday, my friend Laura B. and I went to the Pettigrew Tea Rooms and had a light lunch out in the sunshine.

Lavender Earl Grey, because I'm posh like that. 

We both had the soup of the day (Parsnip. We had never tried parsnip before, so it was a culinary adventure for us both) and sandwiches. The portions were very generous, we were pleasantly surprised! Of course, we did have to save room for cakes...

Flour-less chocolate cake with almonds. Delish!

We did a little clothes-shopping after that. Laura had to leave to get to a lecture, so I continued browsing around for a little bit. The clothes I brought with me were picked with January weather in mind, so it was nice to find sundresses and skirts! I still don't really understand how UK sizing works, so I felt like a frequent-flier into the fitting rooms. Luckily, I found some cute things that work for me. Now all I need to do is get some sandals or something...

This image amuses me greatly.

I had a quick turn-around to get back to my flat and drop off my loot. I met up with my friend Kirsten B. (and Laura tagged along!). We went to O'Neill's for dinner. It was fantastic! I hadn't been there since  my first night in Cardiff. It was just as awesome as I remembered. Great atmosphere, tasty food, awesome friends. What more could I want? 

Dinner: Wild Boar and Chorizo burger and Club Orange

It was lovely to have some girl-time, share laughs and talk about absolutely outlandish things. We were totally eyeing up the cute Irish bartender while we were there too (I believe he was an Ulsterman, let the scandal commence!).

For those not in the know, I have small hands. When I saw that this espresso mug was in proportion, I had to get a picture of it!

My dessert: a frothy mixture of meringue chunks, whipped cream, strawberries and Bailey's. This marks the first time I've ever had to show my ID in order to purchase a dessert.

All the waitstaff who passed our table (including the aforementioned Irishman) told us that this dessert was their favourite. I was not let down. I highly recommend it.

There was a guy playing acoustic guitar in the pub towards the end of our desserts. After we finished up, we went to check it out. It got a little embarrassing when some drunk guy tried to impress us with his dancing, then asked the musician to dedicate a song to "the three ladies in the corner". Awkward...

As we left, we heard the sounds of jazz seeping out of another bar. We got really excited and promised ourselves that we'd come back and explore it another time.

Today, I went to my favourite coffee shop in the world, College House. I've been hearing about something called a "flat white" and I was intrigued. The staff were tickled that I was curious and open to trying something new.

Flat White and a Ham and Roquito Pepper flatbread.

It's like a latte, but there's a higher proportion of espresso to milk. It was surprisingly smooth. The bitterness of the espresso was balanced by the creamy milk. I might have a new fave...

I had a pretty extensive talk with Dan, one of the guys in charge, about coffee drinks. He was super informative. Now I kinda want an espresso machine for myself.

And incase you've been wondering how the cooking for myself is going, here are my latest and greatest creations:

Lentil Salad and Chicken. I made a dry-rub for the chicken out of what I had on hand (which turned out to be a Memphis rub, fancy that) and poured lime juice over it while it cooked. Probably one of the best meals I've made. 

Ginger Rice and Steak with lime and cracked black pepper. The rice was kinda bland, but the beef was awesome. My flatmate Hugh got to try some steak and he liked it too! 

Not bad for someone who was culinarily-challenged in the beginning of the year!

What's new?

Pancake day was loads of fun. Through a collaborative effort, we made pancakes! I tried making my own batter, but we just ended using Rachel's (one of my flatmates). British pancakes are usually eaten with sugar and lemon juice. I tried this and liked it, but I still prefer maple syrup or nutella on my pancakes. I told my flatmates that I'd surprise them with American-style pancakes some time soon.

I got some steak on sale at Tescos (Quality Welsh steak too. Quite the coup.), so I decided to make some steak fajitas!

Practical Chemistry: Getting a Maillard Reaction going. Professor Lubkowitz would be so proud

Steak, onions, red peppers, rice and cheese. Yum!

I'm a little less grossed out by handling raw meat now. The texture is still something to get used to though. I had to eat this quickly, because Ash Wednesday was fast-approaching (fast, get it? Haha). I have turned the bottom section of my kitchen cabinet into a spice-rack. I am enjoying being able to play around with different tastes and see what results.

Ash Wednesday!

I found a Catholic Church within walking distance of my flat. They also were holding an evening mass, so that fit around my schedule perfectly. I sat in the back during the service, behind a trio of old Welsh ladies. I felt... comforted by the familiarity of mass. After we sang the recessional, one of the ladies turned around and said that I had a lovely voice. She recommended that I join the choir. So, I went upstairs and paid them a visit. They all seemed like such nice people. They needed another soprano and I fit the bill!

Adventures downtown! 

Millennium Stadium. Someday I'd love to see a rugby match there, maybe once I understand the game.

I went into town with Kirsten and Laura (both in my Medical Microbiology). We got our railcards (Highly recommended for anyone thinking about doing any traveling around the UK). My railcard photo looks like I'm only a half-shade less white than the sterile-looking white background. Must be my glow-in-the-dark Irish complexion. Sometimes I'm amazed that I even show up on film nowadays.

I had my first lab class this week too! It was for Medical Microbiology. Because nothing says Valentine's Day like blood agar and aseptic technique. I'm sure there's some entendres to be had there, I just can't be bothered to coax them out. I was paired up with a girl named Ellie or Emmy or something (her accent was kinda strong). We were plating bacterial cultures. We worked with E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in different scenarios. The most intensive one was monitoring gentamicin concentrations in the serum of two patients (Blodwen and Ianto, how very Welsh). We will be checking our results next week!

On Saturday, my study abroad group from IFSA (Sherron, Laura, Kirsten, Jen and Olivia) as well as our Australian friend Lucy and a fellow American named Meredith went ice-skating. Kirsten took the bus down there, which later proved to be a smart choice. The rest of us decided to walk there. We spent two hours on foot to go to this place!

Fun Fact #13: Poor Kirsten ended up waiting about an hour or so for us!

We walked through some of the rougher parts of Cardiff, along what looked like Cardiff's equivalent of the highway and into Glamorgan. We crossed a bridge with a virtually nonexistent sidewalk. At the end, we saw the back of a sign which read on the front "no pedestrians". OOPS. In our defense though, if you don't want pedestrians, you need to label both sides of the bridge/path/whathaveyou. 

View of the Millennium Stadium from a bridge

A Fiat Panda! Found along this stretch of car dealerships during our ramble

Ice skating was lots of fun. There were lots of kids there (weekend program?) so the line for rentals was a nightmare. Good thing the British love an orderly queue. On the ice, I felt like I was back in my element. I can't do all sorts of fancy skate tricks, but I can dodge speeding kids half my height. And isn't that what's important? We finished up the day at Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I highly, highly recommend this place. The chips alone are worth the trip. The milkshakes are also delicious. Everyone was thoroughly exhausted after this, so we headed home and called it a night.

The morning after, I woke up feeling terrible. No, it wasn't a result of my "taking liberties" when handling the E. coli, I had finally caught the cold sweeping through the international students. I still managed to drag myself to mass and sing, but spent the rest of the day doing little other than drinking glass after glass of water. What a miserable day. I did order take-out soup though. That was very nice.

On Monday, I tried to visit Cardiff University's Common Cold Research Centre, thinking I'd make a good test subject. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the door, they weren't taking any more volunteers that day. I just wanted to further the progress of science, CCRC! Is that too much to ask for?

Today, I am feeling much better. Maybe well enough to cook again.

I will be heading to Stonehenge and Salisbury this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled for pictures!

On the Homefront: I entered the Global Eyes study abroad photo contest. Since I was on the SMC Burgundy trip, I am eligible to do so (I don't feel like I've gotten a photo from Wales yet that is worthy of such a treatment). Here is the photo:

"Illumination" for the Creative/Artistic category

While waiting for our flight out of Paris, my group of friends and I chose to visit Notre Dame. We had been learning about Gothic architecture and wanted to put our knowledge to the test. What I like about the Gothic style is the interplay of light and shadow, especially with stained glass. This is my attempt to capture the mixture of light and the soaring stonework that makes Notre Dame such a stunning example of Gothic architecture.

And as a post-script: British "spending a night on the town" outfits are different than Saint Mike's "Let's all go to the Threes!" outfits. Quick and dirty generalisation here: British outfits highlight the legs. This even applies to schoolday clothes here (but normally with a greater degree of modesty). I wore a cowl-neck shirt yesterday and I got the impression that I stuck out like a sore thumb. The shirt, which is incredibly modest, still made me feel like I was underdressed. It probably didn't help that the shirt was black and I had reverted to my winter pallor.

Also, British clothing and shoe sizes are tricky to figure out.

Well, that's about it. Wish me luck and a speedy recovery.

Cheers!

Pancake Day, among other things

Hello All!

Here is a quick little post about the latest stuff in my life.

I forgot to share a picture of this wonderful poster from the Doctor Who Experience.

"Victory of the Daleks" poster too!

More kitchen adventures! I made chicken curry lentil soup last Tuesday.

Cooking the chicken

Adding in lentils and broth

Fin!

I was able to stretch it further by serving it over rice. So I won't be starving... yet.

I am celebrating Pancake Day tomorrow with my flatmates. Since I couldn't find the ingredients (Bisquick) I needed for the pancakes I'm used to, I'll be making crepes. I have Nutella, maple syrup, ice cream and some other stuff. I should be all set.

Things I have grown to love about Britain:

Toffee Waffles! Cinnamon-y cookie-type things with toffee in the middle.

Blackcurrant juice! My obsession with cassis continues.

 And to finish off, here's a list of three random things I miss from the USA:

1. My dog, Robespierre.
2. Being able to drive around
3. Saint Mike's, but not Alliot. I don't know if I'll ever reach that point. Haha.

Robespierre!

Until next time! I have some fun stuff in store ;)

Cheers!

Classes!

Figured I'd wait until I had some actually interesting material. Apologies for the wall of text to follow, there's going to be a lot of content.

Monday-
     Classes started! My first course was Horror, Fantasy & the Media from 12:10 - 14:00. It is a third-year (senior year-level) film studies course focusing on horror and fantasy movies. Screenings include: Thor (2011), Spirited Away, Hostel, and selections from Torchwood: Children of Earth (which I just happened to finish watching before I came to Cardiff!). Sounds pretty awesome, right? The intro lecture talked about common views on these two genres, why they merit study, and the origins of the two genres. Very interesting stuff. I have little background in film studies, per se, but I am very much in-tune to literary analysis techniques. I am incredibly excited about this course, challenges and all!
Immediately after, I had a mandatory 3 hour lab to learn aseptic technique (Technically, it was the lab of a course called Microbiology. I just needed to attend today so that I would be prepared for my real course in Medical Microbiology). We were practicing starting bacterial and yeast cultures, as well as making dilutions. I had some background in this, but I did get to learn how to pour agar plates and do slope cultures! Also, holding things with my pinkie and palm. Good thing I played violin for all those years or else my child-like hands would've otherwise put me at a severe disadvantage.
Immediately after this lab, I had a 2 hour screening for HF&tM. We watched the 1931 Dracula movie. My initial reaction: cheesy as all get-out. But if I put on my analysis goggles, I saw the use of chiaroscuro (influenced, no doubt, by German Expressionism), the female protagonist clad all in white (Would you believe she's a blonde too! Really going for the pure and innocent motif there!), the cutaways before Dracula bit anyone, the use of shadows of gruesome scenes/characters' reactions to them to show how gruesome they were. Maybe also some subtle xenophobia. Not bad for a film studies newbie!

Now, you may be asking, when did you have lunch? And the answer is that I just had a packet of salt and vinegar crisps from a vending machine as I ran back and forth from class. See, I didn't know that the lab would go on for three hours, and I didn't know about the screenings until the professor told us about it that very day. I also left for my first class very early so that I would get there with time to spare/get lost in. Now that I know this about my Mondays, I am going to pack myself a lunch.

Come to think of it, lab was a bit of a bummer too. Since I was just taking that one lab for technique, I didn't have a partner (odd number of international students). And to top it all off, my cultures were knocked on the floor as I was getting tape to seal them up. The frowny-face emoticon does not even begin to convey the gravity of this situation. Since I was feeling all sad, my homesickness decided to pay me a visit and the tears started welling up. Luckily, my London roomie, Kirsten, was taking the class too. She calmed me down and we got the aforementioned crisps from a vending machine. I figured that my film professor could deal with me missing the very beginning of Dracula instead of me fainting like that girl in Microbiology lab....

Oops, forgot to mention that fainting thing. I am up in the front of the class in my labcoat, waiting to be paired up with someone. I must have looked like a TA, because a girl comes in late. I show her where to put her bags and get a coat. A little bit later, she comes back over to me, drained of color (no U's yet, take that British English!), clutching the side of the lab bench, and saying "I don't feel so great". Classic "Holy S***, that's a bad sign" right there. Luckily one of the real TA's stepped in and attended to her. I felt terrible, because I am a lifeguard. I know what to do in those kinds of cases... I should have done something, anything. Still kicking myself for that.

TL;DR: Mondays are terrible, no matter which side of the pond I am on.

Tuesday-
     The day where I don't have any classes at all! I was able to sleep in a bit, which was very nice. I made a big, grand run to Tesco. For those not familiar, Tesco is the hybrid spawn of Staples, a grocery store, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Any basic thing which you need to live, they most likely have it. Since I had freetime, I decided to cook myself a dinner from scratch, instead of the miserable dinner I had the night before (chicken strips, spinach and my flatmates' pity).

Dinner! Salad and Pasta with hamburger and shredded-by-hand Cheddar cheese.

 How does that look?! The pasta dish was a little bland, I should add onion/garlic powder, or cumin or oregano or something to it. Hey, I am learning though.
I also decided to get a four-pack of Kopparberg Cider (Raspberry and Black Currant flavored!). I had a chuckle to myself when I was carded.

Fun Fact #7: If you look/are under 25, you better show some ID to go with that alcohol!

After dinner, I went with my flatmates over to Flat 7 (across the hall from my flat) for a birthday party. Birthday party here meaning "predrinking before going to a club". I joined them for the party, but returned to my room. No clubbing on a school night. That's where I'm drawing the line. In other news: I'm not definitively saying that I'm going to the Doctor Who Experience very soon, but don't be too surprised if there are pictures with me and Kirsten there at some point!

Fun Fact #8: The only weekday I have off of classes is the only day that the DWE doesn't do their student discount.

Wednesday-
     Classes again! I only had one today, Cytogenetics and Human Genetics. Hoo-boy, was I out of my depth here. I know that histones are proteins that DNA wraps around and that together they make chromosomes, but I was not prepared for this! There are 4 different types of histones (5 if you're an avian RBC), scaffolding proteins, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins, different placements of centromeres, and all sorts of stuff. Guess what I'll be doing in my spare time?

After class, I went to the student centre and treated myself to a Magic Wrap. It's like Subway, but with more variety, probably healthier options and with wraps instead of bread. I got one with chicken, BBQ sauce, hummus, carrots, mozzarella cheese, lettuce and grilled halloumi (a Cypriot goat/sheep cheese that melts at a high temp. It's like a better feta... betta). The wrap guy called me "lovely" but I'm not sure if that's just what he says or if it was me.

Fun Fact #9: I dressed really nicely today because I have been putting off laundry. Shame on me!

 I also stopped by a coffee place called Costa Coffee. Apparently, coffee culture is still in its infancy in the UK. I had fun trying to make sense of the Fratalian (French and Italian, the official language(s) of coffee houses everywhere) and settled on a strawberry lemonade.

Fun Fact #10: UK Lemonade is a clear, carbonated lemony-flavored drink. US Lemonade is lemon juice, sugar and water (or yellow dye #5 and "natural flavors"). So if, for example, you ask for a vodka lemonade here, you will get a completely transparent drink.

To my shock, it was US style lemonade. Just when you think you have things figured out...

I also got to submit my first maintenance order! My window was unable to close all the way on one side, leading to a weird draft. Also, the toilet seat in my bathroom became completely detached from bowl.

Fun Fact #11: Talybont North is nicknamed "Taly-Bronx". Make of that what you will.

Luckily the maintenance guy showed up and fixed it. He was super kind and, hearing my accent, told me about his American penpal from Milwaukee from back in his school days. I told him I was from VT (land of Ben & Jerry's, I always feel like I have to follow it with that) and showed him my free-handed map of the USA.

I am so good at daearyddiaeth!

Well, that's really about it for the moment. Time to figure out the laundry machines and reheat some pasta.

Upcoming stuff includes: pictures of my room/flat, class buildings, a list of the differences in British/US college classes and some more attempts at cooking!

Cheers!

Edit: Added dried basil (Bay-sil, not Baah-sil) to my leftovers. Satisfied with results.

I made dinner!

They said it couldn't be done. But I showed them!

Waiting for the water to boil

Making Tortelloni with Pesto

Oops, overfilled the pot. All part of the learning process I suppose. 

Almost done!

Dinner.

Cheers!