Dear Family and Friends,
I have now spent two weeks in the UK. It is lovely here. The people and the places are wonderful. There are several other international volunteers as well including two from Mexico, one from Uganda, one from Colombia, one from France, and another from the U.S. The rest of the volunteers are from England and Wales. So far it has been a wonderful opportunity to learn about other cultures and backgrounds. I do get a few odd looks when I say certain words or pronounce words, the British volunteers sort of just laugh and smile at me. They are trying to teach me the lingo here, as well as the differences in spelling.
The student I am assisting here is such a nice girl. She has cerebral palsy, which affects her mobility and overall motor function. However, she is quite strong and independent, and is able to do much on her own. Two other girls and I are simply there to assist her with any thing she needs. She is pursuing a Masters degree in War and Society with an emphasis on America. She had earned her Bachelors degree in American Studies and likes to speak to me about her travels in America a great deal. We exchange information, and the similarities and differences between the two countries. She particularly enjoys American media, so we have very nice chats together.
The top picture is in a town called Mumbles which is a part of Swansea, Wales where I am staying. It is a very pretty town right by the water. It is also home to Catherine Zeta Jones (if anyone is interested). The picture is of the pier there. The 2nd photo is of the lighthouse in Mumbles, the 3rd is of an old Lifeboat house, built in 1883, and the last photo is of the Mumbles pier from a distance.
I will continue to update my blog more frequently as I now have a more stable rota to follow.
Love to All,
Elena
