Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
I just saw the date of my last blog post (posted in the last few days of November), and it feels like ages ago since that post. Since then I have finished my first term exams, completed my first term at Atlantic College, said goodbye to all of my great new friends, returned to Jacksonville for a wonderful month at home, and come back to AC to see those awesome people again! I was struck by how easy it has been to settle back into the natural rhythm of life, both at home and after returning to Wales.
The holiday break came at a much-needed time, and I was so happy to come home and spend Christmas with my family. I found that home was the same as it always was in the important ways, like the people there and how easy it was to slip into living in my house again. I was surprised by how quickly my sisters are growing up, especially Shannon, who looks more like a middle-school student every day. Katie too is ready for high school, I think, and they seem to have jumped into the next phase of their lives while I've been away. I'm glad I came back for at least part of that transition for them. Mom and Dad were great, and being home with parents was awesome....and not just because I didn't have to do my own laundry for a little while! I was lucky enough to see a lot of family over the break, especially my great-grandfather, who came down for Christmas. My friends, when they are not being crushed by the ever-intimidating Stanton Junior Year, were lots of fun and we all promised to keep in better touch than we did this term...we'll see.....
We first-years had a lot of stress laid on us the very first day of classes during assembly Monday morning. Every Monday the whole school gathers in the Bradenstoke Hall so that teachers, academic staff, and students can address the entire student body and make announcements, etc. Coincidentally, this assembly was our first introduction to our new principal, John Walmsley, who is taking over for our Acting Principal Paul Motte. He has had a lot of experience in boarding schools, and was previously the headmaster at another international school in Britain, so he is coming to us with a good deal of previous knowledge to work with. He lives in a black boxish house across from Morgannwg, and apparently he has a family and a dog living with him, so we just got some new neighbors! That was not the stressful part of assembly, luckily. The stress came when our Vice-Principal informed us that all of the first-years will begin work on their Extended Essays starting on Wednesday. The Extended Essay is a 4000-word requirement for the IB Diploma on virtually any topic. It is less intimidating than it sounds, but it still wasn't a welcome back-to-school present for us!
Now the first week has finished and it's business as usual on Monday....we were lucky and had a couple of beautiful days this weekend, which was a nice relief since it's been raining a lot since winter set in. Service on Thursday was really good, and I was glad to see the kids we had been working with last term. Students have started a couple of new activities this term, the most exciting being Quidditch, which my co-year Luke started. Apparently it has been a huge hit in American colleges in the northeast for the past few years, and we are bringing it to Britain for their....enjoyment.
Well, I guess I must continue searching for the right Extended Essay topic....it should be a good one because, as our second-years tell us, we'll be stuck with it until October!
I hope everyone is safe, healthy, and enjoying 2012!
Best Wishes,
Madi
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