History Lessons

Back to AC. Back to Codes. Back to late nights and alarm clocks. Ah the love.

Nothing significant has been going on to talk about. This morning I had a really great double History code. The class was split into six groups of three and we were defending countries Britain, France, Serbia, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany and we were in a debate defending how our country was not the cause of the First World War. It was brilliant. I was in a group with two other girls defending Austria-Hungary. Some of the students got really aggressive and passionate about their country and were adamantly arguing with one another- it was tough to keep up at some parts.

Also tonight there’s a presentation in Tythe Barn with a past AC-student named Jack Fairweather on ‘A War of Choice’, his book published last week on the War in Iraq. I think it will be really fascinating, and compared to the other places he’s visiting in Britain we are so lucky he’s given a day to come here.

I miss Anne-Sofie quite a lot. There’s a new girl in my dorm, Chloe from Nice, France. She’s incredibly happy and a sweet heart. And though I do miss Anne-Sofie it makes me realise that she really may not have been right for this school, Chloe’s enthusiasm and happiness in the room makes that apparent.  

This weekend I plan to take Chloe to the Italian restaurant to get to know her a bit better. Have lots of homework to do, Halloween SOSH... exciting times ahead :)  

Sorry for such a short-scattered blog. Hopefully I’ll have a more substantial event to talk about soon.

Love, Abi

PS- I haven’t eaten meat at the school for 3 weeks now!

Half-Term

Ah, bliss. Some of my friends had extremely adventure-packed weeks planned for half-term and I’m sure tomorrow night I’ll hear all about them and become quite envious. But for me, coming to my grandparents house with no major things planned was really lovely. I had my hot baths, sleep-ins and even a couple pajama days which I hadn’t had for two months at AC. Good home-cooked food, bits of shopping and essentially time with family was perfect for me and am glad I did come to Cornwall- I did was meant for Half-Term: rested. Ready to start the whirl-wind of AC again.

Looking forward to going back SO much! It’s crazy you don’t realize that you spend every day with people your age around you and just a week apart from them feels like a months. There will be some screams of joy and excitement seeing everyone again!

I know it will be an intense six weeks until winter break, yet I can’t wait J

Love, Abi

Anne-Sofie

So if you’ve read any of my blog you’ve probably heard me talk about Anne-Sofie. She is my Danish room-mate. We had the same side of the room, shared a hairbrush, an alarm, and went to bed at the same time. She became my first true friend here and I will forever appreciate her for getting me through the first month of home-sickness. Sadly, she’s deciding over half-term if she will be coming back. AC really isn’t the place for everyone, it’s fully understandable.  This is simply a blog to try and explain how close I’ve become to this girl after only two months. The relationships created at AC are something incredible.  I know already that no matter what she decides, I have her somewhere as a friend.

As half-term begins, I’m excited to have a week of calm relaxation with my grandparents but am dreading coming back to a three-girl dorm. Life changes, we have to take it as it comes.

Pictures

 Amnesty Head Shaving

 Karen from China, Geo class

 The lovely showering in action.

 <3

 Morgannwg is boss!

 This girl, makes my day. Shana :)

Guys dressing up as girls ftw! Einar from Norway :)

School Picture!

A better link if you can get to it:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=277265325638303&set=a.245213602176809.61685.166860356678801&type=3&theater

Birthday Weekend :)

Yes, I turned seventeen yesterday! My weekend was a lovely one, very unique and something that could only have happened at AC.

On Saturday during the day I went to Cardiff with Anne-Sofie where we had Subway (really craving them!) and watched Midnight in Paris. It was really nice to spend some time just sitting in the movies not having to think too much about anything.

That night… well the night before your birthday is quite something. I think it ended up  being even worse because it was a Saturday so many people were in the house and had time to prepare. Coming back from Gay Pride Sosh – I worse rainbow socks! - I was asked by Dmitry, a second year in my house if I was allergic to marmite or black pepper… oh why?

I then quickly changed into some clothes that I wasn’t too worried about ruining and went back downstairs where friends from Morgannwg and other houses were waiting. Two guys picked me up and brought me into the guys showering room where buckets of water were thrown on me with various things mixed in…however I didn’t smell terribly because of the amount of shaving cream that was then sprayed on me. This all sounds really disgusting but it’s quite a funny tradition. Afterwards hugging everyone while I was gross was quite funny.

I then went back into the dark dayroom where my roommates had spent the night making (DELICIOUS) chocolate cake and everyone sang me happy birthday.  It was really special.

For my actual birthday I woke up to Anne-Sofie and Proma making me pancakes. I’ve commented a few times on how much I’d been craving some really-American food: pancakes! They were so yummy, we even had a few with bananas.

The rest of the day I did bits of homework and pottered around, lots of phone calls also which was nice J I went to the Italian restaurant with 11 close friends for dinner and then went back to school to watch the Nordic National Evening.

All in all it was a perfect seventeenth birthday weekend.

Four more days of Codes and then half term!

Busy? Me? Never.

From an e-mail:

This week is Gender and Sexuality Focus Week!!!  Here’s what’s going on!

MON:

“ACCEPTANCE”  WORKSHOP

with

Siobhan and Arman

19.00-20.00

in Economics

TUES:

Dress as a Man Day

For the Bible Tells Me So Movie and Discussion

19.00-21.00

in Coffee Lounge

WED:

Dress as a Woman Day

DEBATE on GAY PARENT ADOPTION

19.00-20.00

in Great Hall

THURS:

“Feminism”  WORKSHOP

With

Merone and Uxia

19.00-20.00

in Coffee Lounge

“What If Your Dormmate’s Gay?”  WORKSHOP

With

Phalgun and Sam

20.00-21.00

in Coffee Lounge

NOTE: Workshop times may be changed due to Amnesty Head Shaving.

FRI:

CINEMA:

Coming Out in a Developing World,

Prayers for Bobby

and

Transamerica

21.00-onward

in Languages

SAT:

PRIDE SOSH!!

So as you can see today, being Wednesday we have quite a few guys walking around in flouncy dresses, enjoying the bitter cold on their bare hairy legs. Entertaining? I think so.

Also going on:

 Head Shaving for Amnesty is tomorrow night but unfortunately I have service so don’t think I’ll be able to go L Real shame because witnessing people putting money on shaving parts of peoples head would be quite something I think… Next year!

We’re taking our all school photo today at 4:30! Everyone is to bring their flags and dress in their national costumes. I have a kayaking service that ends at 4:15 so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get my pirate costume on in time, but I have my flag ready to go if I have to run up there in my wetsuit!

I went to my first Sustainability Council meeting last night J as I’m an Eco-Rep in my house with another first-year named Luke we are required to attend the meeting that’s held about every three weeks. Our others jobs are to make sure the recycling is being done properly, lights are being turned off and simply make others aware of how to be more sustainable. (So far this is our job…I’m sure there will be more to come, project-wise). Coming from an island that has such poor practices in recycling, I find it really exciting on the amount of things I can now put in the bins and know they’ll be re-used somehow. Got to share my enthusiasm!

We mainly spoke about the issue of Meat-Free Mondays. Though that isn’t the official name, it’s what the students have bequeathed it. There are meat-substitutes put into the lasagne and such… which I find a bit creepy because the first time I ate it, I didn’t even realize. I think it would simply be better if the school made food that was meant to be vegetarian from the start, instead of trying to make a meat-ful meal with no real meat. We’re trying to figure out a way to become more sustainable in the food that is brought into the school but keeping the student-body (the majority of the guys) happy. Hard task.

It’s official! My 2012 Project Week will be in Rome! I’ve never been to Italy so am extremely excited to be a complete tourist for a week and visit some of the most amazing places. When I get the itinerary of what we’ll be doing each day I’ll put it up. I’m so happy I got into it. Thirty-five people were chosen but more than 60 I’d say signed down. Yippeeee!

This week I must have exchanged over a hundred e-mails with my parents over train tickets, English Essay corrections and general nuisances. It actually amazes me, in particular with my mum who has been booking several train tickets for me, how much they manage to get done for ME while they still have a full day of work. My appreciation is monumental. <3

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. It’s getting colder. Oh boy. I’m actually quite disappointed at this supposed Autumn. Nothing. Few leaves changed colours to reds and oranges; they’re either still a dull shade of green or have completely fallen off the trees. What is this? I want to experience all of the season’s people. I’m doing pretty well so far though with it getting colder; I have to complain about being cold at least once a day though… it’s only fair.

Lots of Love,

Abi