2010-2011- A year to remember... My International Exchange + Internship

Arriving in Wales...

The International Exchange experience had begun....

Wales, UK Sept. 2010- June 2011

I first arrived in London on Septeber 20th, 2010. I was on my way to the start of a new experience, the international exchange. Although I have travelled several times in the past and also have lived abroad for some years, this would be the first time to be in Europe for such a long period of time. I stayed in London for three days, during which I explored the city, museums and beautiful architecture. London is a beautiful place, and it is very easy to get around. Its subway system is the biggest I have ever seen, and can take you anywhere and everywhere around the city...it is organized and very clean. People in London did not give me a good impression at first, especially when I was alone with a lot of luggage and needed some assistance. The assistance was sometimes nowhere to be found! However, without a panick, things always work their way out. There is always that nice helpful smile of a good samaritan in our times of need right? right....good people are everywhere. I then took the train that would lead me to my destination- Swansea, Wales. It was a real experience to have to take the taxi to the train station and then figure out a way to get all my luggage together and find some assistance...again. I was carrying a heavy backpack, a carry-on wheeled luggage and 2 large suitcases!! Well, somehow I made it.... Three hours on the train took me to Swansea, in the south of Wales. My first impression was what I had already expected. The train station there was much smaller than the one in London. Swansea is a small town, and cannot compare to the city, but they each have their own charm. A taxi took me to the hostel where I would stay for 3 nights before going to my permanent location. "Leonardo's guesthouse" was the name of my hostel. A cozy, little, great family place, ten bedrooms, small dinning room and that was all actually! My room however was very cool, it was on the last floor, and I had a complete view of Swansea Bay from my window. It looked so beautiful early in the morning as the sun rose, but I knew it was only for three days. I had a great time during those three days... I went for a walk on the long stretch of beach right in front of the hostel. Later in the evening I ordered food to my room, relaxed, and watched TV, and during this time I begun to realize that I was about to begin a whole new experience, as I was standing on a land way accross the Atlantic from where I live....Toronto. These three days also gave me time to go for a long walk around town and see if I could maybe find my way to the house where I would be living. Also, I took a walk to the University that I would be attending, Swansea University. This, I already knew, was only a short 15 min walk from the hostel...as I had done some research on this before leaving Toronto. To my surprise, the house was only a 3 minute walk!! I was ecstatic to see how close my permanent place of residence would be from the University! The house was a 4 bedroom townhouse, large kitchen and dining area, nice long backyard, and my room, as small as it was, I made it my own. After all, I would be spending a lot of time in it for 9 months. As I am still in Wales at the moment and still residing in this house, I will from now on write in the present tense. :) Well, the best thing about my room is it's location. It faces the house backyard, which has a park behind it. Every morning, I hear the little birds singing and the sun shines at my window. Yes, it's a small room, but the window is as large as it!! and from it, I have the best view...my backyard, the park, and right behind it in the distance I can see the waters of Swansea Bay; the same Bay that I saw right across from Leonardo's Guesthouse.

This is where the house is...Brynmill, Swansea..
luckily at the bottom of that hill