Except I'm not even sure that this is the correct date. I've noticed that during some months, I find it very difficult to keep track of what the actual date is. February is one of those months, as is September, and November is as well. That problem is only exacerbated by the fact that it matters more what day of the week it is here, rather than the date, since if something is happening everyone sends out an email saying 'come to this activity on Tuesday at 19:00' or 'don't forget to sign down for a calendar by Friday' and things like this. If you took a slice out of the emails we get, you would have no idea when the emails were sent, until you came across Nick Lush's ten-day calendar reminding us of important things the school wants us to know about.
But anyway, this marks the beginning of the last real week of school! Our monthly grades are due by Friday, and the next week we only have 3 days of codes. Then we have a 'cleaning day' on Thursday, and we leave either that night or the next morning! I cannot believe my first term is coming to an end. It still feels like I just arrived, or just finished Induction, or just returned from half-term. I can't wait to be home, but I am shocked at how quickly I'm returning to Florida.
Christmas is in the air! You can see it, feel it, and sometimes even smell it if you go to Cardiff Street Market to see the roasted candy nuts being sold, along with lots of other holiday wares. Our houseparents have put up some great decorations in the house, including a table-sized Christmas tree with lights and some wreaths. There is a Christmas crafts fair on campus today, and I saw it advertised all the way in Cardiff, so I except quite a few people to show up. It is a strangely beautiful day, and since we've been getting a lot of rain lately, I'm sure the whole school will be out to soak up some sunshine.
Thanksgiving was a fun affair, as all of the Americans got together and made a dish to contribute to our own little celebration. About 30 of us crammed into the Globe Lounge in the castle, and there was a pile of delicious food and good company, which made for a lovely evening. I made Mom's green bean salad, which turned out very well, and the vegetarians were very happy to have it since they don't eat turkey.
I also got to talk to my family and some of my extended family, which I definitely enjoyed, especially since I won't see some of them this year at all.
Last week was the 'Culture of Consumerism' Focus Week. During focus weeks, codes and activities continue, but there are generally workshops or activities that you can attend that have to do with the topic of the focus week. My second-year, Luke, created this focus week because he is very interested in what he calls the 'pseudo-spiritual culture of consumerism' that has been created in the west. So there were lots of discussions and workshops about our current economic system and if and how it should be reformed or changed completely. I went to one of them, and I wish I had had time to go to more, because it was an incredibly interesting discussion, and no one took it personally or got mad with anyone else. That's something I love about living here. Last week I had a very intense debate with one of my co-years in Spanish (which made it much more difficult) about gun control in the USA. We were both pretty passionate, but in the end we respected each other's opinions and put it away after we left class. That's how discussions and arguments should be, and I'm lucky enough to have them every day.
Well, I'll be seeing some of you very soon---I can't wait!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and have a good week!
Madi
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