Meg

Halloween! I’ve been saving up all my events so that I could roll them all together in one post. Halloween in England is a relatively subdued event. We usually put decorations up the day before, (or on the day itself if we’re particularly unorganised that year) that is if we put decorations up at all. The Trick or Treaters start turning up around 5.30pm in their supermarket bought costumes – pumpkins and witches and ghosts – and then at about 8.30pm my Dad turns out all the lights that would be visible from the front of the house and pretends we’re not in. The decorations come down the next day. It was completely different here. People have been telling me throughout all of October that Halloween is their favourite Holiday – I don’t think my Dad would consider it as anything more than an annoyance and he’s probably counting down the years until Lewis and I are too old to want to carve pumpkins or put up decorations. He certainly wouldn’t consider it a Holiday! The first decorations started appearing on the doors of the girls’ on my floor back in September. Someone started a countdown to Halloween on their white board hanging on their door. It felt like it was a proper event rather than a small blip of activity on an otherwise quiet and normal autumn evening that I’m used to.

My Halloween experiences started two weeks before the day itself with a trip to Bloomsbury Farm with my International Student group. Eleven of us, from Spain, Germany, China, Wales, Brazil, England and America, all squashed on to the back seats of the school bus (because we’re the cool kids).

The farm was about a 45minute drive from the city, through field after field of corn. We were the eldest non-parental people at the farm by at least 15 years. That naturally did not stop us queueing up with the toddlers to have a go on the big slide. We took selfies with the goats and the donkeys in the petting zoo. We took two tractor rides around the maize maze to visit the pumpkin patch. We cheered on the piglets in the pig races. We split into two groups and raced round the maze, ignoring the path for the majority of the time and forging our own way through the corn. I fired pumpkins out of a cannon on a firing range (could there be a more American thing to do?) and we squealed more than the toddlers as we went round the Haunted Corn Silo. We finished our day out with toffee apples and there were cups of steaming hot apple cider (spiced apple juice), which is delicious by the way.

Mid-October and I found myself at the students union with my American friends queueing for the Haunted House they’d set up in the ballroom. I was very impressed at the elaborateness of it! They had actors banging bloodied knives menacingly on walls, and hiding behind curtains and chalkboards before jumping out and screaming. There were Chucky dolls, a mad scientist handing out Ebola, human centipede mannequins, hideous clowns with sharp teeth, and a corridor that recreated the atmosphere of prom night in a horror film just before the murderer strikes. We might have run screaming out the doors at the end, but only because the clown was chasing us. We weren’t scared or anything…pfft.

Halloween isn’t Halloween without pumpkins, and I feel especially pleased with how cute these little pumpkins are! My RA set up a pumpkin painting evening and these are the results of my artistic endeavours.

I’m really quite impressed with myself. They sit on my window sill and spread glitter everywhere.

Thursday evening brought about the Global Buddies Halloween party. We were joined by Rosie the Riveter, a Unicorn, Pocahontas, a Greek Goddess, a Nerd, a Hipster, a Zombie Bride and a Nudist on Strike. We drank a weirdly pinkish drink that was pretty much liquid sugar, we ate balls of popcorn, toffee apples, miniature chocolate bars and peanut butter-filled eyeballs. There was apple bobbing and bin bags filled with slimy things to stick yours into and identify – the bag that was exuding heat was very unnerving. We told “horror” stories accompanied by YouTube’s finest creepy music and brought out the classic Halloween playlist for the rest of the party – Ghostbusters, Alice Cooper’s Poison, The Monster Mash, Highway to Hell, Thriller, Monster (What’s that coming over the hill), etc.

On Halloween itself, I was not feeling up to anything that required a significant level of preparation, so I smeared a bit of black eye shadow on my face and dribbled a bit of red lip gloss here and there and caught a midnight showing of Guardians of the Galaxy at the student union cinema. It was a nice quiet Halloween but I still got to see all the inventive costumes of the people who had been out while waiting for the bus home at 2am. Zombies with bloody gashes on their chins, a porcelain doll, several bumble bees, a teenage mutant ninja turtle, a couple of pirates, superman, batman and some scantily clad Audrey Hepburns.

Halloween will feel strange next year when it returns to lasting a mere few hours.

Finally, the sweltering heat has broken. Shorts and flip flops have been banished for another year and in their place are rain boots (apparently welly isn’t a word here) and umbrellas. Moans about rain and the cold are rife amongst conversation here but I am secretly harbouring a masochistic pleasure in damp feet, a cold nose, and wind whipped cheeks. I take immense enjoyment from my walks to class first thing in a morning when the leaves are slick on the path, the sun has not quite risen over the tops of the buildings and the cold air stings every exposed bit of flesh. Perhaps it is just adoration for this time of year – there is a lot going for autumn. Crispy, crackly leaves to march through in boots, scarves and hats to snuggle into, that bliss of a hot *insert the Starbucks Autumn flavoured coffee of your preference here* cradled in cold hands, heavy downpours that give way to cornflower blue skies, riots of colour as trees change from green to every shade of gold, red, burnished copper etc., and the promise that before long the time for staying in, getting cosy under blankets and hibernating in front of the fire will soon be upon us.  I think a more accurate reason that I am taking delight in soggy socks is that it is completing my adjustment to Iowa. I have felt so much more at home here recently. Things seem to be clicking into place and making sense. And now there is finally weather I understand too.

Autumn has brought with it a plethora of fun activities to get involved with. Starting with an authentically American experience – Homecoming! I have never been to a Homecoming before and I am still not convinced that I truly understand what happened and why but I know that I enjoyed it. The parade on Friday was brilliant and impressively large. I had not expected such a lengthy or diverse spectacle. I was amused to see that the members of the marching bands from one of the high schools participating exceeded the entire student population of my high school. Think that I’ve confirmed my status as a country bumpkin with that sentence.  The Pentacrest looked beautiful that night with all the pretty lights from the outdoor concert. My highlight of Homecoming had to be the Football Game. A very lovely and generous friend allowed me to tag along with her and so I was able to experience the joys of tailgating. My friend’s uncle is an ex-football player and so we were invited to join him at an enormous RV serving food and drinks and where the other patrons were also ex-football players. I have come to understand that tailgating is like being at festival but rather than bands playing there are cool boxes that double as speakers. I loved that Saturday.

Lastly, I have been in America exactly two months now! It feels extraordinary that the time should have gone so fast. I was informed in one of my classes today that we only have one more small group meeting before that module is finished. Mid-terms are nearly finished and then there is only November before exams start in December. Christmas will be here before I know it, and that will pose a whole new set of adventures that I am ridiculously excited about! See you soon, Canada!

• Are you from England? Seriously? Is that why you have a Union Jack on your door?

Yes, I am. It was not just for decoration. I was hoping it was making a statement.

• Do you say Bum or Butt in England?

To be quite honest with you, it is not often that I tend to enter into a conversation that requires the use of either of those words. I suppose if I must choose I think I have to pick Bum.

• Can you say Harry Potter for me please? Can you say it again?

Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter…

• Do you think my British accent is convincing?

….yeah

• What is the biggest difference between here and England?

The weather, the bugs, the people, the number of times I hear the words ‘dude,’ ‘bro,’ and ‘y’all’ in a single day. The little things, you know?

• Fish and Chips? Really? Just crispy fish and fries?

No! You’re not getting this. It is so much more than simply fish and fries. I can’t explain. You just have to try it. And under no circumstances miss out the mushy peas.

• Have you Got loads of fit Guys in England?

I don’t know where you got the impression that we are over flowing with attractive males. You realise that the entirety of the UK can fit into Texas EIGHT times, right? Statistically, there is a greater abundance of attractive guys here in America. Not that we don’t have any. Just not enough for all of you.

• Are you missing Home?

Yes but then I listen to the ‘Footloose’ soundtrack and remember why I came –and yes I realise basing my decision on which degree to do partly on my love for the soundtrack for a Kevin Bacon film isn’t necessarily the most solid foundation for a decision, but it hasn’t led me wrong yet.

• What made you choose Iowa? Seriously though, of all of the places in the whole of the US, you chose Iowa?

I heard it had a good writing programme…and it looked quite nice on the website… and you picked it too remember!

• Just say ‘dollop’. And ‘cinema’. And ‘Sheffield.’ And again.

Dollop. Dollop. Cinema. Cinema. Sheffield. Sheffield.

• Are you seriously allowed Kinder Eggs in England? They’re illegal here.

Yes we are. And why are they illegal? They’re 5% chocolate, 65% toy and 30% air. There is nothing to them. It’s not even a mouthful of chocolate.

• Do you just love London? I just love London.

Sorry to disappoint you but you have just met one of the few British people who dislikes London rather thoroughly.

• My cousin went to England once.

That’s nice. Where’d they go? Oh, London…right.

• Which NFL team do you support?

I’ve just been told off for calling it a Football Pitch. Repeatedly. I just asked if we’d scored a goal. I think we can both safely assume that American Football isn’t for me.

• Aren’t One Direction just amazing?!

Honestly, I liked them when they were on X Factor but now I leave them for the tweens to enjoy. Did I mention my Mum works in the same hospital as one of their mums? Hello? Are you okay? Is she okay? Woah! Calm down. Breathe. No, I never met him.

• Do People in England really use the word ‘Bloody’ as a swear word?

Well not as a standalone word. You have to add something else to it otherwise there’s no point.

• What does the Queen actually do?

She provides moral support and nice grandsons who marry commoners on a Friday meaning that everyone gets an extra day off school and something to cheer about. Other than that, walk her corgis? I’m not entirely certain but I’m glad she’s there.

• I just love the Royals. Do British people love them too?

Yes, I rather think that most of them do.

• So will Scotland have another election next year as well? Also which bit is Scotland? Isn’t it all just Britain?

No! It has never happened before and, with any luck, it will never happen again. Also, it was a referendum not an election. I can assure you it is not an annual thing. Now, let’s go find a map…

• How often do British people drink Tea? Is the stereotype exaggerated?

Different people will answer this question differently. I, however, am more than happy to fulfil this stereotype. I like to put the kettle on every time I re-enter the house. It’s not really important how long I have been outside. I need tea to make serious decisions and it is essential for rebalancing hormonal/emotional episodes. And I honestly do believe that all conflicts can be resolved with tea and cake. Now, we’ve done too much talking about tea without actually consuming any. Time to stick the microwave on (it just doesn’t sound or taste the same as ‘stickin’ kettle on.’ )

• I didn’t quite Understand you…what was that? You want to go to the softball field?

I’m sorry, but in what way does DEVONIAN FOSSIL GORGE sound like Softball Field? Never mind, we’ll just google map it.

• Is it Very rainy in the UK?

Yes, I don’t carry an umbrella everywhere because I’m pessimistic. It’s because I have been caught out too many times.

• What do you miss most about home?

My family and friends, tea that doesn’t taste metallic, Yorkshire Puddings and gravy, being allowed to drink (not drinking itself, I just like knowing I have the option) and as an extension of that-going to the pub and not having to leave before 10pm, my cats, my clothes – I did not pack everything I ought to have done. I miss my jumpers and my dresses! And finally, the stretch of the A19 that runs behind Eggborough Power Station going towards Selby.

• Do you think you’ll become an eX-pat? (Okay I struggled with this one. The question was do you think you’ll move to America one day?)

Absolutely, 100% no. Three years ago I wanted the pickup truck, the wooden house with the wrap around porch and the kids with an American twang, but being here has made me appreciate England and Yorkshire so very much. I now know that I need to be in a place where there are three prongs on the plug, where public transport is wide spread and effective, and where the letter ‘H’ is optional in speech.

• What did you just call the Yo-ghurt?

Yog-hurt. I also say Toe-mart-o rather than To-mate-o. And Ban-narn-a rather than Ban-nan-na. Why is Ban-narn-a funny? It’s really not that funny.

• Zed? That is so cute! It’s so Canadian. I’m going to start saying Zed instead of Zee.

Glad you like it. What’s that? Fine. Harry Potter.

Okay, I said two posts so you’re getting two posts. Last week’s post focused on less cheery subjects but it is over and done with now. Time to get on with making those memories I was talking about. Let’s start with the first weekend of the semester. My very first American Football Game! Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook might want to skip this bit – I think you got enough videos and posts from me to be getting on with for now. Saturday 30^th August was a gorgeously sunny and baking hot day. I donned what little Iowa apparel I had acquired in my short time here and went to the stadium to meet friends.

Once A Hawkeye…

Unfortunately plans (and mobile phones) don’t always work the way we think they will so I never actually found the people I had intended to meet. I soon bumped into some guys I had met a few nights before – and it was probably better this way as they at least could explain what was going on. I was told off repeatedly for calling it a ‘pitch’ rather than a ‘field’ and apparently it is normal to take off your shoe and wave it in the air every time there is a kick off. It is an unbelievable atmosphere. We were playing the University of Northern Iowa and both teams brought impressive marching bands and cheerleaders. They kept the crowd cheering for the entire game. Kinnick Stadium can hold 80’000 people and they take it very seriously. The wigs, the striped dungarees, the passive aggressive t-shirt slogans… I even found myself feeling invested in the game!

Both teams brought all 60 of their players and swapped them around constantly throughout the game. When they all pour onto the pitch like that it is easy to see how someone decided to give Iowa the name, ‘The Swarm.’ I feel quite proud that I did it properly (mostly). I didn’t stand on the bleachers as I found a better viewing spot in one of the walkways. But I stood for the entire match, all 3-4 hours of it. I ate a hotdog and shared some unnatural coloured popcorn with the guys. I sang the Iowa Fight Song and called out the ‘I’ in I.O.W.A every time we scored a goal – touchdown, sorry. Standing in the sun for hours meant I came home with rather luminous shoulders. They only stopped glowing pink a few days ago.

I didn’t really know what to do with myself on Labor Day (I also didn’t really know what Labor Day was until I Googled it). I had planned to go shopping with my friend Rachel but unfortunately we hadn’t realised that there are no buses whatsoever. We were rather stranded in the city. So we went to Pancheros, a Mexican fast food place, and had really really good quesadillas. Then we walked up and down every street and spent about an hour walking the aisles of an organic food market, getting excited about the strangest products and sniffing all the soaps in the beauty aisle. We spent some time searching for a park that supposedly had swans, but we found no such place. We skulked around the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre for a while, feeling intimidated by the fitness junkies and falling in love with the pool where you can watch movies while floating in rubber rings. In the evening we went to The Mill, a local bar with a back room that is used as a venue and watched the locals playing at the open mic night.

Exploring the city on such a beautiful day!

If you’ve perused my Timetable post you’ll know that I get Fridays off. So I spent one Friday afternoon happily perched on a sofa in the back room of the Java House coffee shop listening to their Java Blend event for the week, the seven piece Jazz band known as The Dandelion Stompers. Every week they have some sort of performance on a Friday afternoon that is recorded and broadcast on local radio. If I’m ever bored on a Friday I’ll know where to go.

The Dandelion Stompers

I have had my first cinema trip since being here. I went to a tiny independent cinema downtown called FilmScene. It is so small that it only has one screen and can probably hold 30 people. I went with my lovely new Welsh friend, Lowri, and we saw this beautiful film called Boyhood. The same actors were filmed over 12 years in order to genuinely capture the growing up process of the main character who was 6 when filming began. It stays with you for a long time after you have left the cinema.

Perhaps one of the best things that I have done since getting to Iowa is join an organisation called Global Buddies. Essentially international students are paired with a domestic student and you meet up once every few weeks to do things together. We’ve only just been assigned our buddies so we haven’t had the one-on-one meetings yet. But every Thursday evening the entire group meets up to socialise and it is some of the most fun I’ve had here. The first week was simply talking and getting to know people – we dominated the outdoor seating area at one of the local bars and stayed till closing time. The next week we had a BBQ in one of the parks. Tonight was a game night. About 35 people all playing one giant game of trivia. Naturally it was chaos but it was brilliant fun. I won a very snazzy T-shirt.

#QuadSquad

We spent a while just chatting and with the assistance of an American and a Brazilian girl I have finally managed to master playing ‘Cups,’ the craze that swept the world when Pitch Perfect came out in cinemas a few years ago. When the numbers dwindled to about 20 we spent an hour playing a cross between Musical Chairs and Never Have I Ever. Nothing gets people talking like Never Have I Ever! I seriously look forward to Thursdays. They’re my favourite days.

Now I’m getting settled and more comfortable with how things work here I’m ready to start thinking about doing activities slightly further afield. I’m starting small with a shopping trip to Coralville which is just a few miles away. Baby steps. Soon I hope I’ll be spending weekends away from Iowa City and exploring other parts of Iowa. I’m very excited.

I’ve been a bit quiet for a while so I am making up for it with two posts today! First post is all about the main reason I am actually out here munching brisket and wandering down sidewalks and not sitting at home supping proper tea – Classes! I’ve had a month worth of classes now (I really want to call them lectures but that word does not seem appropriate as we aren’t lectured – they are really a blend of lectures and seminars. Participation is a large part of a class) and I am not sure if it is because I handpicked my classes but I am enjoying them so much! I’m not even overly flustered at being in class by 8am two mornings a week (yet… I can see that changing as time goes on). I must admit that since I had my bed ‘delofted’ it is so much easier getting out of bed for class. I couldn’t face the descent that early in the morning.I know you’re eager to know my timetable so I’ll walk you through it.

Monday morning at 8 o’clock I can be found bleary eyed in a class room in the bowels of the English and Philosophy Building. This is where I have my Topics in Postcolonial Studies class. For some reason I have not yet discovered, the classes have titles that don’t really make much sense to the content of the course. The subtitles make so much more sense. Topics in Postcolonial Studies is much more understandable as Writers on Food. We have read the entire History of Food in Felipe Fenandez-Armesto’s ‘Near a Thousand Tables.’ Surprisingly reading the entire history of food isn’t as arduous a read as you might think. I haven’t left that class without my stomach growling.

At 9.15am, Writers on Food concludes and I then have the next 8 hours off. I use this time for one of two things – catching up on reading and writing or napping. I have rediscovered the pleasures and the necessities of afternoon naps. At 5.30pm, I have my longest class – the Art and Craft of Writing about Culture. It’s still light when I go in to this class and by 8.15pm when we leave it’s dark. We’ve only skimmed the surface of what this class entails but I think it will be really interesting and with any luck it will refine my writing skills until I am world class! – or at least until I can pass the class.

Tuesday I get to have a lie in as my first class doesn’t begin until 9.30am. Topics in Film and Literature is sort of self-explanatory but the subtitle helps narrow the gaze to Surveillance and Mediation. So far we’ve watched three black and white German films from the 1930s and we’ve read George Orwell’s 1984. Dracula is up next. I am enjoying this more than I thought I would. It’s given me an opportunity to read classics that I have wanted to read and never quite had the time or motivation to plough through. Immediately following this, I make my way down a floor and have my Topics in American Literature after 1900 class. Again it is another title which is pretty meaningless. Its subtitle is In Print/In Person which doesn’t make things that much clearer. We read recently published books from all genres and after discussing each book for two classes, the author comes in to talk to us. For a wannabe writer, it is an exceptionally interesting thing to listen to someone who has achieved what I might like to do someday.

On Wednesday morning I am once more bleary eyed in the bowels of the English Building for my Writers on Food class. Then there is time for napping or working, whichever desire is more overwhelming tends to win. Wednesday afternoons I am enrolled in a class called the Passport Project. This is our weekly meeting when we discuss which events we have been to in the week. We are required to attend at least 12 different extra-curricular events from 6 different categories throughout the term and write a few paragraphs about our experience. So far I have attended a football game, a jazz performance in a coffee shop, an open mic night and a film screening of a ground breaking filming technique. It is a brilliant idea to get new students involved in the things going on in Iowa City.

Thursday brings another round of Surveillance films and In Print/In Person classes, and when Thursday afternoon rolls around I get to attend my favourite class. It is called Writers Commons: A Community of Writers. We only meet once a week and we each bring a piece of writing that we have been working on that week. We share it, critique it, review it and collaborate to improve our style and techniques. Of all my courses I feel this will be the most useful and insightful.

Friday mornings…who are we kidding, I don’t see Friday mornings. I have no lectures on a Friday so I arise at my leisure, choose which work I shall complete based on my plans for the weekend and usually get most of it done.

Simple as that.

I’ve recently become aware that there are four stages of Culture Shock. The first is the Honeymoon phase, when everything that is encountered in the new place is viewed through rose tinted spectacles and with a feeling of fascination. Eventually, the Honeymoon phase passes into the Negotiation stage. It has been reported that for Study Abroad Students, the Negotiation phase manifests itself in the form of loneliness, frustration and confusion. The lack of immediate parental support and sudden distancing of close and intimate friendships can leave them feeling isolated and on occasion regretful of their decision to leave home. Things that ought to feel familiar and old hat are suddenly brand new and not functioning in a way that is expected. However, the second stage doesn’t last and it gradually morphs into the third phase, Adjustment. The Adjustment phase brings with it the realisation that everything is not as scary and confusing as perhaps it was first thought. Solving problems becomes easier and dealing with the small everyday tasks, that had previously felt daunting and seemingly unfeasible, becomes manageable. The final phase is Mastery. By the time the final phase is achieved, the person can almost call themselves bicultural. They still retain their home’s culture and traits but they have become so accustomed to the host country’s lifestyle that they could almost proclaim it as their own way of life.

I spent the first two weeks of my American adventure happily burrowed inside the Honeymoon bubble. I loved the people, I loved the weather, I loved the architecture, I loved the food, I loved the city itself. I loved everything. I think I expressed my adoration quite sufficiently in my previous post ‘It’s Not Culture Shock, It’s Love’-clearly I was wrong about this. I have now been away from home for three weeks exactly. And the Honeymoon phase has passed. When I arrived I thought I would never feel anything but amazement and enthrallment but I would be lying if I said that everything was perfect all the time. I still love America, and I get the feeling that ours is going to be a long and generally happy relationship, but it has not prevented the presence of the Negotiation stage entering my life. I had convinced myself that it would be the same as my first year of University in England. I was positive that within the first week I would have made firm and lasting friendships with all the people living along my corridor. They would be my new family, the American counterparts to those 20 brilliant people from my Residence Block in England that made my Fresher’s year so memorable. But in reality I had to realise that these girls I now live with had come here with completely different perceptions of college life than I had. They were less concerned about making strong friendships with the students in the next room as they first had to adjust to and make close bonds with their roommates – something that we in Britain do not typically expect to encounter at Uni. I have a single room here too so it is not something I have ever had to experience.

But I don’t believe it is something to feel disheartened about. Even if I haven’t had the greatest success at making friends in the dorms I am undoubtedly sure to find kindred spirits in my classes and the clubs I join; if my peers have chosen the same classes I have then surely we will have things in common. I decided even before I arrived in Iowa that I would not make the same mistakes as I did at my home University. Two years ago I was too excited learning about my 20 new friends in the block, so much so that I did not feel the need to push myself to meet people in my classes nor did I feel the need to join societies to socialise. What did I need casual acquaintances for when I had an entire building full of fun people? I feel the reason that the Negotiation loneliness has hit me so hard is because I have been comparing my experience here with my experience from home. I don’t have a block full of friends but I have other things instead. I have met so many lovely people. I have been invited to House Parties and had offers to have someone join me in attending Ballroom Dancing classes. I’ve possibly got a friend who’ll come swimming with me on a regular basis. I’ve met people who love Doctor Who and want me to join them for a marathon watching session. I’ve found a girl who texts me on an evening to see if I’m hungry so that we can go to the cafeteria together so that we don’t have to eat alone. I’ve met other international students who I might make travel plans with so that we can explore America together. They aren’t my friends from England. These people don’t live down the hall or on the floor beneath. They won’t be cooking in the kitchen when I get home from lectures (possibly because we don’t have a kitchen). They won’t sit on the stairs with me and play ´øˆøgames or have water fights or do heaven knows what to the only ironing board in the building (I’m not sure it was even functional by the end of the first semester). But I realise now that I shouldn’t expect them to. I have made friends and they are completely different to my friends from home. As such we need to make some new memories, our own memories. Once we’ve started to do that I think the process of passing from Negotiation to Adjustment will be so much smoother.

It’s been a few days since my last blog, for no other reason than that I have been so busy, so bear with me if this is a little longer than usual. I have now completed all my Orientation classes – I’ve had talks on subjects such as how to avoid/deal with the police (obvious – duck and cover or state your right to remain silent. I’ve seen the TV shows. I know how these things go down), how to access and make use of the counseling facilities, how to use the health care services, and what immunizations are required (all of them).  It’s been a lot to take in especially in such a short space of time. there have been a lot of details that I have needed to take care of that I didn’t even consider when I arrived – such as Health Insurance waiver forms, dealing with being charged too much on my Uni Bill, and organising a Turbculosis screening (there better not be any more needles, I can’t be doing with anymore needles). I have explored the library a little in preparation for classes (not lectures as I am inclined to call them). The library itself is very modern and comfortable, and I have already picked out a squishy armchair by the window on the ground floor that will be my place to retreat to when I have breaks between lectures to do all my readings – if you’re in Iowa I am trusting you not to nick my seat, I have trusted you by divulging its location. I haven’t yet found my study spot for writing essays but there is still a lot more library to explore so I have no doubt I’ll stumble across the perfect place soon. My time has not been completely dominated by serious matters. I have also been able to experience the lighter and more fun side of American University.

On Thursday evening I went to see the Hypnotist, Erik Kand, at the Iowa Memorial Union with some girls from my floor. I was very skeptical about the whole thing, because rationally how could someone control another person like a puppet by simply telling them to go to sleep. I was completely shocked and amazed by what I saw. The students on stage were completely under his spell; three girls were fighting it out because they believed Zac Efron was on the phone (in actuality they were talking into their left shoes) to all three of them at the same time, one student was trying to flirt with a police officer to get out of a speeding ticket she’d received while driving her sports car, the guys were convinced that their chairs had electric shocks in the seat and one of them flat out refused to sit down again. Towards the end, they were all convinced they were giant dancing chickens. It was so clever and I have no clue how it was possible. Following the show, there was a massive surge to get on buses to go to the Target Takeover – an after-hours shopping trip just for students. I came home with fistfuls of bags around 1am, utterly exhausted, very happy and with a lot less cash in my purse.

On Friday I had my final International Student meeting about visas, traveling, rights etc., followed by an Academic Success talk from a panel of students and staff. Both were very useful but they were not the events that I was most excited about. Friday meant it was Kickoff at Kinnick day. Every student had been assigned a team colour – mine was green – and we met up with our groups to get to know people and ask questions about Iowa and the University to someone who actually had experienced everything. I had a brilliant group leader – Sara- who kept us talking and smiling even when we were reluctant to join in and possibly embarrass ourselves. She was the one who led us all to the Kinnick Football Stadium for the event we had all been waiting for, a party on the pitch! (or field as I have been advised to call it). I was surprised to find that it wasn’t real grass. I don’t know why I thought it would be as everything seems to be made of 3G nowadays. It was a wonderful event though. The entire class of 2018 made a giant I on the field, there were fireworks, we learnt the fight song, there was a DJ, we had talks from some of the sports coaches and the cheerleaders performed some incredible routines. It was a really fun and memorable thing to do. I will never forget it.  I also went to the Bingo that night at the IMU and was lucky enough to be a winner. I am now the proud owner of a very fetching key ring and some Iowa pencils.

Saturday gave us the opportunity to meet up with our small groups again, we played Heads Up, ate sweets (sorry, candy) and talked more. In the afternoon, Sara escorted us to the IMU where we had free rein to wander around the Student Organization fair and sign up for things. There are over 500 student organizations, catering for all interests. I signed up for Ballroom and Latin Dancing, the Photography Club, the Dance Marathon event, the Campus Activities Board, and the Editorial on Campus group who visit magazine publishers amongst other things. In the evening we attended an event called the Passport Project which was like a variety show compiled by students of the University. A writer read his letters to Maury (the American equivalent of Jeremy Kyle) which was very funny and a bit sad as well. The Swing Dance Society showed us the Shim Sham, there was a Clarinettist who gave us his own musical stylings, another student explained her ground breaking research and the finale was the Men’s Gymnastics Team who put on a very lovely performance – I can neither confirm nor deny that every female in the room (and a few males) had their phones out recording or photographing the final act. I can also neither confirm nor deny that I was one of those people.

The Passport Project Variety Show at The Mill

Sunday meant the end of On Iowa. The majority of the Freshman class gathered in the shaded areas of the Pentacrest for Convocation, where we gave our pledge to the President, Sally Mason, to be loyal, hardworking and caring students for the duration of our time in Iowa. We received a golden tassel similar to the one that will be handed out to put on caps for the Graduation Ceremony, in order to inspire and motivate us to achieve that next tassel.  On Iowa wrapped up with the President’s Block Party outside the President’s house. There were banners and Chinese lanterns swinging from the trees above and music from the marching band and a DJ, the dance marathon people were there busting moves until the cheerleaders took over, there were stalls handing out freebies, a large mobile museum exhibit to explore, Herky the Hawk posing for photographs, hot food and ice cream sandwiches were available and President Sally Mason was Ice Bucketed.  It was quite a party, but the time for partying is over now. I think I’m finally ready to go back to school.

I have been stateside for nearly a week now and there are finally American students here! I’ve met some really great people so far and talked about everything from the Beatles to Gossip Girl to the train system at Atlanta Airport. I’m starting to get a routine in place and to know the best ways to get from A to B. There are multiple ways to cross the river and thanks to a very handy map I was given earlier this week I’ve worked out the quickest route across via the small back paths that run behind the residence buildings. There is also a free University bus called the Cambus whose route and timetable sound devilishly complicated to master when you speak to current students, but like everything nowadays, there is an app for that. It’s called Bongo and informs the user where the stops are, when the next bus is due, where it goes to and even provides a little map to show you where you are. I made use of it today and am entirely thankful I did because moments after I stepped on the bus the most almighty downpour began and now, back at Quad, sopping wet and huddled in my towel, I can feel the walls and floors vibrating with the strength of the thunder. I’ve never heard anything like it before! The noise seems to roll across the sky endlessly till it has crashed and rumbled itself to some other part of Iowa. For future days like this, I will most certainly be availing myself of the Cambus services.

I love walking around the campus, there is so much to look at and to see. I’ve been within a metre of a chipmunk and they are so utterly adorable! I’ve seen loads of grey squirrels – they’re very tame and are happy bouncing around the trees and watching you wander by. I also saw a gorgeous black squirrel. I’ve never seen one before and it was so much sleeker and more graceful than its grey counterpart. There is a lot of wildlife along the back path I use to cross the river and there is also this strange blue pillar. It is an emergency point, for people walking alone who feel unsafe. You press the button and you are instantly put through to someone who can assist. They’re all armed with CCTV as well. They are scattered all over campus, particularly in areas that are more remote. I haven’t yet decided if I feel happy knowing that they’re there if I need them, or if I feel disturbed that someone felt there was a need for them there.

I have my timetable now and I am really looking forward to getting started, I just wish the courses came sans the exams and the essay deadlines. I have two 8am lectures that I am not thrilled about but seeing has I handpicked the courses myself I’m hoping the content of the course will be enough motivation to make me attempt to climb out of my bed – whoever thought ladder-less bunk beds were a sensible idea needs a good talking to. In a morning I’m barely functioning, it is not good idea to then make me navigate coming down from a great height as well.

I’ve got the dining hall cracked which was possibly the most daunting thing I’ve done to date. It’s a ginormous room filled with multiple counters serving a variety of foods. If you’ve been to a Cosmos Restaurant you’ll understand what I’m trying to describe. There are counters serving Italian foods, pizza and two types of pasta with a tomato or meat sauce. There is a Wok counter serving rice and noodles with a chicken, beef or vegetable dish to accompany. Taco stations, deli counters, bagels and croissants, make your own waffles, salad bars, chilli with nachos, lots of different types of fresh fruit, a smoke house station serving different meats and every type of way you could serve sweetcorn as well as a counter serving burgers and hotdogs. Drinks are also available in a wonderful variety including Iced Tea, chocolate milk, French Vanilla coffee and Cherry Coke. I was thoroughly overwhelmed when I first ventured in, I spotted the sign saying bagels and made a bee line to it as I knew what a bagel was. My tea that night consisted of an untoasted bagel with a layer of low fat Philadelphia on it, topped with a single slice of a gherkin on one side followed by a little bit of ham and little bit of turkey and then sandwiched with the other half of the bagel. I also found some sort of sweetcorn mixed with black beans and roasted red peppers. I have since made my food choices slightly more coherent. The grilled chicken is very good, as are the bulgur wheat salads, the sweet potato wedges and their sweetcorn concoctions, also their lemon squares are pretty amazing too. Not sure where those came from but I’m wondering where to enquire for the recipe.

Last night I attended my very first On Iowa event. On Iowa is the equivalent to a British Freshers Week except that it only lasts Wednesday to Sunday and due to the drinking laws here, all alcohol free. I was seriously surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I asked two girls who had just moved into my corridor if they fancied going with me. One declined and the other accepted. We went together and found the event in Hillcrest where there was loud music playing and people chatting and dancing. We got into a line and made our own tie dyed t-shirts and then proceeded to acquire these fetching hats that we attacked with artistic enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realise at the time, but the letter I on my hat isn’t quite central and now it bothers me every time I look at it. Other than that, I am very pleased with it. After that we decorated cupcakes with ‘frosting’ in the Iowa colours. Then we ate them. And they were good. We watched the dancing for a while before we headed back – I was suffering from jet lag and my new dorm mate had had a long day moving in. It was a good welcome event and I’m looking forward to the rest.

I moved into my dorm room today. Quadrangle Hall is one of the older residence halls on campus and, as one tutor I bumped into lovingly described it, ‘It has character.’ It’s not brand new but it’s clean and friendly and there is a certain charm about it. I’m in a ground floor room looking out over a grassy area with trees. I couldn’t be happier with the view.

The room itself is small but filled with light pouring in from the window, it’s warm and comfortable and, of course, unfurnished. Hence the necessity for a trip to Wal-Mart. The University (I got called cute for calling it that- ‘It’s so cute that you call it that! It’s so Ed Sheeran!!’) put on a free bus for all the international students. If you read my last post you’ll know how excited I was about my shuttle bus. I want you to take that excitement and double it, then triple that and you’ll understand how happy I was about being ushered onto a genuine American School Bus – one of the iconic symbols unique to America.

Anyway, Wal-Mart. From the perspective of a Wal-Mart newbie it is huge and weird and it doesn’t all make sense. There is juice in the dairy section, the knives and forks seemed to be hiding away from the other kitchen utensils and there are strange spinning carousels of plastic bags at the end of each till. It’s a bit overwhelming. Thankfully we had representatives from the university with us to guide and assist. Before we got off the bus we were told that if we needed assistance seek out the representatives that would have either black or gold T-shirts on. We went inside and I was amused to see that at least half the customers had black or gold T-shirts on as it was Saturday and everyone had been to the Football Stadium to watch the University of Iowa Hawkeyes play. They was an abundance of people in Hawkeye gear or Iowa T-shirts. I’ve soon realised that it is not uncommon for the majority of people to be sporting some sort of Iowa/Hawkeye apparel.

The bus ride back to Quad took us round the other dorms and along the Iowa River. I have come to realise that I have chosen a really beautiful place to spend my year abroad and I cannot wait to explore more and see what else this wonderful city has to offer.

Do you want to know what else made me very happy today? Fire hydrants! Red ones! They’re so American looking, and I don’t doubt that any American readers seeing this, (and probably some non-American readers too) are going to think I’m exceptionally strange for taking such delight in these novel little things. But I can’t help it! I’ve heard that some Americans have similar reactions to the London buses or the red phone boxes. The fire hydrant is my equivalent. They’re so foreign to me.

Yesterday was my very first full day as a Hawkeye, and I am absolutely loving it. My bunk bed is surprisingly comfortable and if I kick off the comforter and just sleep with the sheet it is not too hot either. I’m still on English time so it feels like 1pm when I wake up rather than 7am, but it is really nice getting a lie in and being able to watch the sunrise as well. It also means I get the bathroom to myself which was nice. I’m still not convinced about communal bathrooms, the showers are literally cubicles with a curtain across the entrance and then another halfway through to separate the shower area from your clothing. On the plus side they are lovely and hot as well as powerful, not a luxury you always get in British Student Accommodation. I did make the mistake of leaving my slippers on the floor rather than putting them in my clothes bag which resulted in sopping wet slippers. But as it is fabulously warm here, after an hour on my window sill they were good as new. I made my first cup of tea in my microwave; it’s really not great but needs must and it’s far better than making coffee (note to self – buy instant coffee not filter coffee, they are not interchangeable and you do not get the same results at all.) While having my breakfast, I watched the American students that were moving in early. They have an unbelievable amount of things! They were using these ginormous carts and those bag trolleys that you find in posh hotels in order to shift their things from the car park into the halls. My suitcase, which I had originally viewed as obscenely large, looked pathetically small in comparison.

My little suitcase that I fit a year’s worth of things into.

After breakfast, my fellow Brit from my University in Hull joined me for a bit. It is really nice having at least one familiar face here. We both agreed that the occasional sirens whizzing past on the nearby road make it feel like we never left Hull, where we lived on the main road that leads to the hospital. It’s nice having those little reminders of home. I’m also quite enjoying the fact his Yorkshire Accent keeps making appearances – a bit of home in the middle of America.

We went to the International Student Welcome Ceremony in the Iowa Memorial Union. I certainly felt in the minority. Most of the students were from China and Japan, some from Korea, about 6 from Brazil, a couple from Australia and a few very loud Scotsmen. We had four hours of Orientation, which did feel a bit long towards the end; there were three guys from China sat next to me and they fell asleep on each other towards the end which isn’t surprising as a lot of the students had come straight from the airport. On the plus side they broke up the talk with a Cookie break. Warm cookies with the chocolate still melting were brought out by the tray load and served with lemonade, water and iced tea – which I was very surprised to realise is literally cold tea, not like Lipton’s Iced Tea at all. The speakers – a mixture of staff and domestic students – were all really enthusiastic and friendly. We were taught the cheer required for the football games which was fun and we had a very amusing skit that helped to explain the best way to interact with domestic students. Apparently not being punctual is seriously frowned upon. I’m going to have to work hard on that!

When I returned to the Quad I met some of the girls I’ll be living with this year. They seem nice and I hope I’ll get to know them better over the coming months. They swapped ghost stories and offered forth the obligatory haunted story required for all residence halls. Our ghost is called Nan apparently and she likes to open Fire Exits from the outside. She sounds nice too. I couldn’t stay too long with them because I am trying this new approach to University and getting involved with everything I can, which is why I ended up on the Pentacrest behind the Old Capitol Building at the International Student Welcome Night. There was a mixture of American and foreign students. They were playing Frisbee (very seriously I might add, I never realised it was such a competitive sport!) and people were just chatting and the very lovely co-ordinator of the event was handing out Frozen Yoghurt vouchers. People are surprisingly forward here which confuses my British sensibilities no end. I met a second year student who was really chatty and approachable and who almost immediately asked if I’d like to go get ‘FroYo.’ At first I thought she meant in the near future but soon realised that she meant immediately. So we went and I tried the most delicious frozen coconut yoghurt that I covered in fresh blueberries and mango sauce. It tasted like the Caribbean. I loved it. As part of the forwardness, I have noticed Americans add people on Facebook really quickly. I soon found myself scrolling through the girl’s Facebook trying to locate the right Megan Taylor for her to add, and I now know that there is a ridiculous number of Megan Taylors in the world. 5 minutes later I was still scrolling.

The Old Capitol Building

The event on the Pentacrest was really great because it gave me a chance to see some of the university and the city. It is beautiful, there are green spaces all over with flowers and trees and water features in the street that light up and small children like to run through trying to avoid the jumping water. The river is one of my favourite things about the city. I have to walk over it in order to reach all the University buildings. It is so picturesque. The buildings themselves look like brand new stately homes they are that grand. It was such a good day which I finished by consuming a really tasty ‘grilled cheese sandwich’ or cheese toastie as I’d call it, while walking back through the city to the halls.