The first few days in Bangor

So when I left my family in the airport on Wednesday it was pretty tough. It kinda hit me right then that I was not going to see any of them for five months. I walked with my friends to the last gate where my plane was going to be. But apparently the plane was having some mechanical problems so they had to switch with different planes. So the flight ended up being delayed two hours. I got a window seat on the plane ride over and wow was there a great view. It was about seven 1/2 hours long and I got to see some of the sunrise.

We landed in Manchester with snow all around us. It wasn't too cold though. We met our program director, Tecwyn, at the airport and then took a 2 hour bus ride to Bangor. We unloaded our stuff into our rooms. Each students has a single room with a shower and toilet in the room. Only one Central student is on each flat with seven other Bangor University students in the other rooms. Each flat shares a kitchen and we have to cook our own meals. All the Central students are spread out throughout different flats. After we unloaded our stuff we took a tour of the town.

The next few days we had orientation meets with Tecwyn about different stuff in the University and the town. It has been some tiring days but fun as well. The mountains are absolutely beautiful and everything is so green. It's so different not hearing American accents everywhere you go. All you hear is the Welsh accent which is so cool. It's so amazing that God allowed me to come on this study abroad program. The past few days my friends and I have explored Bangor. There is upper Bangor and lower Bangor. All consist of little shops and grocery stores. They even have a Claire's and Aldi!!!! One day we went to the pier that goes across the Menai Strait. It is very cool.

The food here isn't as different as I thought it would be. The other day I had bangers and mash. It certainly sounds different but actually it's sausages and mash potatoes. It was pretty good!

The money was hard to get used to at first. But now I feel like I know most of it. In Wales and England they use the pound. They have two pound and one pound coins that they give out and there are 50 pence, 20 pence, 5 pence, 2 pence, and 1 pence. It's fun to handle all of the different coins.

Tomorrow, the Central college group is going on a field trip with Tecwyn to the Caernarfon and Cricieth Castles and the Llechwedd Slate Mines! I am so excited to see the castles!!! They are going to be so cool. Thanks for the prayers. They have certainly helped me through these last couple of days. :)