Travelling Part 1: Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

It has been exactly two months since I wrote on my blog and I can't help but feel a bit nostalgic. It seems so strange to think that the last time I wrote on this blog, I was in the States. Now I write it from the other side of the pond, wondering whether I was there at all. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to try and write about the three and a half week trip I took around the US, which started in Los Angeles and finished in Boston. I'm going to divide it into sections, otherwise it'll be ridiculously long. The first part is going to talk about my time in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. This will encompass three states: California, Nevada and Arizona.

I started the first part of my journey in the early hours of a Wednesday morning. Malcolm had kindly agreed to take me to the airport and it felt bizarre that I was leaving. I could feel myself welling up a lot and we were both quiet on the journey there. Once we found the airport and he left me at the terminal, the most overwhelming sadness came over me. Ironically, I had become very close to a group of friends towards the end of my time in Denton and I was suddenly thrown into the unknown again. 

I checked my bags in, boarded my flight and cried as we flew above Dallas and over to the west. I slept most of the way there and as we were nearing closer to LA, I saw the most beautiful scenery - I am going to assume the Rocky Mountains. 

We landed and I made my way to the international terminal to await the arrival of Colleen. I had four hours to wait until her flight landed, so I slept for a large proportion of it. Even though I had waited this amount of time, it was another two hours until she appeared. She has been caught up in customs and keeping to the LAX reputation, they were quite tough on foreigners. 

We grabbed our SuperShuttle and it took us into Downtown Los Angeles. Downtown LA was definitely not what I was expecting. It isn't where the famous things are located, e.g the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive etc. Instead it was the business side of town... the business side of town that was polluted with poverty. I have never seen so many homeless people in my entire life. Many of these people were missing limbs, were talking to lampposts and carrying their things in a trolley. Something I have learnt in my time in America, that as much as the 'land of the free' has so much good to offer, there is an incredible dark side too. The 'land of the free' is only free if you are white and middle-class. 

The trouble with the poverty in the city comes from the closure of many mental health institutions around the US. If you didn't have family to help you, it would be likely that you would end up on the streets. I found it largely distressing. My Mum volunteers with a group called 'Noah' in our hometown, which gives homeless people a place to stay at night. The problem in my hometown was manageable: when I was in Los Angeles, the problem seemed beyond me - this wasn't something that would just clear up over night. 

We only had one night in Los Angeles and from this impression, I will not be returning unless it is for work. It was dirty, unfriendly and just dangerous. Walking a few blocks from our hotel in the evening pumped more adrenaline in my body than some of the theme parks I had been to. 

The next morning we left Los Angeles and we began our Contiki tour from LA to New Orleans. We were travelling with 50 young people who were primarily Australian (which made sense, as my Australian roommate had recommended the tour to me). There were a few Brits, a couple from New Zealand and a Korean girl. We started to get to know the people on our tour as we stopped at Walmart and shopped for food and guns. 

The drive took around six hours and we finally arrived in Las Vegas. Surprisingly I didn't really think of Las Vegas much when I booked the trip, but it turned out to be one of the best places I visited. It was just wonderfully obscene. So materialistic, so filthy rich and sinful. Sin City lived up to its name. 

Our hotel was in the middle of the strip and I couldn't get over the size of the place. We were there for a day and a half and we only explored one half of the strip. If there is a place that I would want to have my hen do, it's Las Vegas. We explored everything from MGM, (the world's largest hotel), New York, New York (with it's own rollercoaster) and Caesar's Palace. Surprisingly, the city was extremely clean. I was expecting it to be quite dirty and seedy, but apart from the one offer to buy cocaine, I was very impressed. 

During our time there, we went to see the famous Las Vegas sign and had a tour around the city in a limo. This was definitely one of the moments where we started to bond as we were throwing ourselves on each other and covering ourselves in champagne - when in Vegas. We had two incredible club nights, where we went to two of the most high profile clubs on the strip. One major downside about Vegas was the prices. This was probably the most expensive place I went on the tour and an average drink was approximately $30 (£20). To say the least, I was not paying for drinks that night, but instead my new friends were. 

Ha. Haha. Ha.

We spent a lot of time eating true American food, sitting around the pool, sunbathing and gambling in all the casinos. To put it mildly: I lost everything I gambled. However, I only lost $40, so it wasn't the end of the world. Colleen seemed to do fairly well, making what she had lost and a bit extra. 

However.... I have come back with a brown chip from Las Vegas. I found this in my suitcase and I have looked up that they are called 'Chocolate Chips'. It was from the casino 'Paris', which was confusing as we didn't gamble at that casino. 

Apparently these chocolate chips are worth $5000.

Anyone going to Vegas anytime soon? 

So potentially I'm sitting on a goldmine, but for the time being, let's carry on with the narration. We also saw a 'mock wedding' performed by Elvis at one of the chapels in Vegas. Apparently a wedding costs $150, but a divorce in Vegas costs $500. Why? Because it's worth it. 

The next day, we began our journey to the Grand Canyon. To put it mildly, everyone was hanging of their arse, so it was a rather quiet journey and LONG. I think that this part felt the longest. We travelled along the famous route 66 - the journey from Chicago to Los Angeles in reverse - and stopped occasionally, but it just seemed to take forever to get to the Canyon. We left at 10am, but didn't arrive there until well after 6pm. 

There was such a huge amount of anticipation as we stopped near the Grand Canyon. It was the part that I had been waiting for when I had booked the trip all those months ago. As we got closer, I honestly couldn't take it in and I just had tears in my eyes. I would like to point out that I wouldn't call myself highly emotional, although this blog might convey that. I have never cried at a landscape in my entire life, until that moment. My eye couldn't even take it in, it looked so unreal. 

Bizarrely, as we arrived I spotted my friend Rob who I had gone to school with at UNT. He was a fellow Brit and had decided to go travelling at the same time as me. I couldn't help, but think that this was the most brilliant place to run into someone. 

That evening, we had dinner with the group and I couldn't help but think of the irony of where we were and where we had just left. We had just come from Las Vegas, the city of material wonder, to the place that holds one of the greatest natural wonders. As amazing as Las Vegas was, the Grand Canyon puts into perspective how much of a speck you are in the universe. One step further and I would have been gone, probably never to be seen again. 

The park itself was wonderful. There are very few streetlamps, so you are largely in complete darkness, only to marvel at the stars above you. Living in cities my entire life, it was amazing to see a sky that was more white than black. We would walk around the park and animals, such as elk, would just walk by us, minding their own business. It was such an incredible place to be. 

The next day we went cycling around the Canyon and we got to see a proportion. The place is far to big to comprehend and we barely touched the place. However, this was a good way to get a round with a very knowledgeable tour guide who told us how the Canyon was formed over the years - plate tectonics my friends. 

I tried to pick up a few rocks to take home - a true reminder of this part of the trip. A few of the group decided to have a picture on this rock that hangs off a cliff. There was the most astonishing drop underneath and I couldn't even bring myself to look at it. However, what a view. I don't think I'll see scenery like it ever again. 

That evening we had a picnic as the sunset over the Canyon and we got to experience its beauty at a different time of the day. 

That evening, we mingled and started to get to know the group even better. We had done so much in just four days, that it seemed incredible that we were moving on again. 

So, the next blog will be:

Monument Valley, Durango, The Rocky Mountains, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Amarillo. 

(Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas) 

See you soon! x 

It's time

I haven't written in over a month and although I haven't got anything specific to say, I feel like I need to say something. There were many reasons why I decided to go on a year abroad. One of which was because I had hit the third month of my second year at university and was beginning to feel like I no longer loved music. My degree was slowly sucking the life out of me and there were moments where I wanted to throw the towel in and call it a day. During this time, I was told about the opportunity to study abroad and I felt like I needed to apply. I needed an 'out' option. 

I was incredibly anxious about the future. I had a few ideas as to what I could do, but all of them seemed as ridiculous as each other. I could see myself graduating in a year and felt sheer terror.  

During this year I have achieved more than I could hope for. I feel like I have tightened the areas of my musicianship that were weak and have started to solidify a good singing technique. I can conduct, sight sing, pronounce Italian and French correctly, act on stage, read IPA and have a good understanding of vocal pedagogy. 

The truth though is that I have suspended my life for far too long now. I wouldn't give this experience up for the world and it has been so valuable and enriching. I have met some of the most beautiful and inspiring people in my entire life. I finally love what I do again and I have a clear plan for the future. 

Because of this, I can't suspend my life any longer. 

It's time to go home. 

Spring Break: Edinburg, South Padre Island, Conroe and New Orleans

So the lead up to Spring Break was exhausting. You know how it is, you're approaching a break and you're using the little energy you have left to get through the week. T0 say the least, that break was needed. 

So what was meant to be a fairly easy journey to McAllen, TX, ended up being a disaster. My friend Laren kindly gave me a lift into Dallas and I got to the Greyhound station at 9:00am, an hour before my journey. Advice to anyone who is planning to use the Greyhound during Spring Break: DON'T. 

The place was packed. I got to the desk, printed out my ticket and joined the queue for the coach. As the coach filled up, me and about twenty other people were turned away as the coach was overbooked. It didn't matter that I had prepaid or had a reserved seat - it meant that I had to catch the next bus at 1:45pm. 

So what was I meant to do for the next five hours you ask? Sit around and do nothing clearly! My one adventure was to the McDonalds that was opposite the Greyhound. The Greyhound coach stations are usually located in the dodgy parts of a city and the Dallas one was no exception. As I went into the coach station, I met a man that was covered from head to toe in silver paint, like one of the guys from the Blue Man Group. However, he then started cussing at the server 'I AM BLACK AND I AM A RICH MAN. GO BACK TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY'. 

Murica. 

I got in the queue for the 1:45pm coach and found myself waiting for 45 minutes as this coach was late. I have never been so happy to get on a coach in my entire life.  The journey to San Antonio, TX,  took six hours and as soon as we hit Austin, TX,  there was a giant thunderstorm. At this point, everyone on the coach had experienced delays, rude staff and poor weather, so there was this strange sense of community - like we were all in it together. In typical American fashion, the woman next to me told me her entire life story on the way to San Antonio and she wanted to add me on Facebook - of course, she never did.

It was 9:00pm when I got to San Antonio. I grabbed my suitcase and ran to see where my connection to McAllen was leaving from.  I then realised that my connection had already left and that the next coach was due to leave at 1:50am, not getting into McAllen until 7:30am. By this point, I could have cried. It felt like I was never getting to McAllen and I was so looking forward to seeing the Lopez's. 

The passenger behind me told me that a coach was leaving in five minutes and was heading to Harlingen, TX. I vaguely remembered that Harlingen was near McAllen and without an extra thought, I changed coaches and got onto that bus. It finally felt like I was going somewhere. 

The journey to Harlingen was rainy. The problem with the terrain in Texas is that it is not used to wet weather and as soon as it does rain, the roads flood easily. I knew I wasn't going to get to Harlingen until 3:00am, but what I didn't realise was that the clocks were going forward, so by the time that Val and Smiley picked me up, it was actually 4:00am. I felt awful that they were having to pick me up in a) horrendous weather b) stupid o'clock in the morning c) six hours after my intended arrival at 9:00pm. 

When we got back to their hometown Edinburg, we sat up and had some tea, but finally got into bed at 5:00am - not the time that we expected. 

The next day Bella, Uly their friend Becca and I went to South Padre Island to experience Spring Break in America. We booked a hotel room and again I found myself on the road to South Padre Island. This time it was only a two hour trip, not a monster 16 hour nightmare. Unfortunately the weather wasn't fantastic when we got to the island. Like most of the planet, the weather has been particularly strange this year and Texas has been experiencing a very cold winter by their standards. Normally it is in the mid-twenties solidly during this time of year, but it has been bobbing up and down from freezing to nearly thirty. 

In true Spring Break tradition, we started drinking once we arrived and carried on to explore the beaches and went out to dinner and had some pretty fantastic seafood. The trouble with living in Denton (besides other things) is that there is no possibility of having fresh seafood, so I was making the most of it whilst I had the chance. 

In the evening, the island can only be compared to 'Pleasure Island' from Pinocchio. The place was wild and the whole situation was beginning to remind me of Freshers Week at Birmingham. I found it bizarre when I arrived here and there was no Freshers Week, but then I remembered that's probably because none of the freshers in America are legally able to drink - poor sods. However, during Spring Break, no one really seems to care and everyone blows off a lot of steam. 

The club we went to was enormous and probably would have been more enjoyable if it wasn't so packed and if it wasn't an 'outdoor club'. The rain was falling as heavily as the night I travelled to Edinburg and the night was becoming miserable quickly. Luckily for us, when we went home we were provided with a free coach service by the Christians to prevent drink driving - thank you Christians, this is my biggest pet peeve about America, I appreciate your work. 

That morning, Uly and Bella were pretty hungover, so we stopped to get some food at a beautiful restaurant. I can definitely say that I have been spoiled food wise during Spring Break. Either it was extremely good or anything that isn't cafeteria food is just gourmet in comparison. 

Afterwards we looked around a few beach shops, but we soon headed back to Edinburg and I had a few hours sleep - I still hadn't caught up on sleep from the nightmare journey from Dallas. 

The following days in Edinburg were very relaxed. We went out to dinner, had coffee, looked around the parks and went shopping. I knew I had to make the most of it because I knew that the second half of my Spring Break was going to involve very little sleep. 

The morning I left to go to Conroe, TX, I was up at 5:30am. Val kindly dropped me off at the Greyhound station for my early coach and like Thanksgiving, I felt tremendously sad leaving after a few great days - too few days for sure. The coach to Houston, TX, left on time and I slept for the majority of the coach journey. Once I got to Houston, I waited in a McDonalds as I had two hours before my connection to Conroe. Unfortunately I had another saga in McDonalds - note to self, never go in American McDonalds that is next to a Greyhound station. A man sat next to me and started hassling me for some money as he was trying to get home. After a 40 minute ordeal, I finally gave him ten bucks for the 'coach he needed', but instead, he ran away from me and away from the coach station, probably to his crack dealer. 

I was annoyed at myself. 

I got back to the station and got on the coach to Conroe. Luckily for me, it was only a 45 minute journey and Claire was waiting for me at the gas station. We headed off to her Nana's house and I felt very welcome, very quickly. I can't really explain how wonderful it is to have family time when you have been deprived of it for so long, even if it isn't your own family! We had a wonderful evening, with good food and good conversation about everything and anything. 

We headed to bed and for the second morning in a row, I was up at 5:30am and Claire and I headed into Houston to pick up Eleni. We started the 5 hour trek to New Orleans, LA, and were ready for our first road trip.

The journey was fairly straightforward and the tour of New Orleans (the locals call it Narlons) started with Claire's strange instruction of 'lets go to a graveyard first'. Slightly bemused, we went to a cemetery and it was the strangest thing that I have witnessed in America. All the bodies that are buried in New Orleans are preserved in mausoleums because the low sea level makes the bodies rise to the ground, so these 'mini houses' are the best way to preserve the bodies. 

If I'm honest I found them very strange. These mausoleums wouldn't just preserve one body, but the bodies of an entire family; the idea of it was incredibly eerie. The strangest aspect of it was the fact that people still build these houses and as we were driving around, we could see the latest mausoleums that were being constructed. 

We headed to lunch and we went to a great place called Camellia's. This was my first experience of the Cajun accent and REAL southern hospitality. The Texan's are incredibly hospitable, but the hospitality in New Orleans was astounding. Everyone would call you 'babycakes', 'darling', 'sugar', you name it, didn't matter if they knew you or not! 

 We headed into Downtown New Orleans and I was so impressed with the city. There was a real vibe to the city. The trees were covered in all of the beads from Mardi Gras, there were streetcars (just like a Streetcar Named Desire) and people were drinking on the streets. 

I instantly fell in love with the place. 

 After dinner, we headed to our hosts house, a couple named Dane and Michael. They lived in one of the most beautifully decorated houses I have ever been in - high ceilings, works of art, mirrors - all tastefully designed. 

The next morning we headed to the French Quarter on the Streetcar and headed to Cafe du Monde - famous for its beignets and coffee. We enjoyed the sunny weather and looked around. I was very interested when I came across the voodoo part of town. We explored some of these shops and met some witches and found some rather curious signs. The people in this city believe in witchcraft and you could see traces of it everywhere. 

  What became apparent as we explored the French Quarter and the infamous Bourbon Street was that there was a more liberal attitude to life and in particular, alcohol here. It didn't matter if you were underage, they would let you in, regardless of your age. 

 This led to the best night out I have had in America. If I'm honest, it would take me far too long to explain everything that happened, but what a fantastic night. I met the strange, the British, the naked and the drunk. This all impacted into a night that got me back home at 6:00am in the morning - something I haven't done in a long time. 

After three hours sleep, we were woken up for the St Paddy's Day celebrations. In true NOLA spirit, I decided to be spontaneous and cut all my hair off - bye hair! We dressed in green and headed down to the street to see the parade. We have these parades in the UK, but honestly, none of them compare. It was like a giant party in the street, everyone was dancing, drinking and just having a great time. 

We collected beads, cabbages, potatoes and flowers from the parade, giving the odd kiss to each drunken, old man who was feeling lucky. We headed back to the house, eating gumbo and jambalaya; two New Orleans specials. We sat back and spoke to people at the party, telling me their stories of Hurricane Katrina and the true effect that it had on the people and the city. 

That night we went back to Bourbon Street, but enjoyed a more relaxed evening; exploring the streets and the cool jazz. 

The next morning as we left we went to explore the wreckage caused by Katrina and to this day, there are still neighbourhoods that have been completely abandoned after the disaster. Many people went to Houston and never came back and honestly, these suburbs could give you the chills. 

If I'm honest, there's nothing I want more than to go back to New Orleans. I have never been to such an incredible city. It is strange how a place can remind you of nothing. People told me that it was like France and Spain, but I couldn't see either of them, even though I have spent a lot of time in both European countries. I'm so happy I got the chance to see more of the place before I go back in May. 

NOLA stay cool for me.

February

This is a strange blog to write because February has been very strange. Honestly, I can't remember such a turbulent month in the entirety of my life. February wasn't entirely bad - I had some very good moments - but it has been filled with some seriously challenging moments. 

I spent the beginning of February in the lowest place I have been on my year abroad. I was sick with the flu in bed, in a dysfunctional relationship, had a roommate who religiously got up at 4:30am in the morning and made a racket and had lost the friendship group I had made in my first semester. I was feeling incredibly sorry for myself and was dreading the rest of the semester.

I started to feel better and during the week, I made the decision to change rooms. I couldn't deal with my roommates lifestyle. She would get up at half past four in the morning, blow dry her hair, put the microwave on, whilst I was still in bed. It would wake me up every single morning and as a result, I became very ill because I wasn't getting any rest. I moved in with a girl called Gabby and a few girls helped me move my stuff to my new room. Gabby and I got on along very well and our schedules lined up, but the first few days I was feeling very unsettled as my relationship had just ended.

What was meant to be an easy break up turned into a mess. I was completely ignored, blamed for the break up (psycho bitch ex-girlfriend syndrome) and within a few days he had a new girlfriend. He insists that he didn't cheat, but hey, call me a cynic - I wasn't born yesterday.

I felt trapped and was incredibly hurt, so I made a last minute decision to spend the weekend in San Antonio. I booked a hotel and went with three exchange guys at my university (sausage fest). It took six hours to get to San Antonio and we arrived at midnight on the Friday, so we went straight to bed.

The next day we explored San Antonio and it was a really fantastic day. I fell in love with San Antonio, it really reminded me of Spain and there was a great vibe to the city, especially on the Riverwalk. Also, as San Antonio was south of Denton, it was 27 degrees Celsius all weekend.

The Riverwalk

We visited the Alamo, took a trip down the river, saw the city skyline and drank margaritas by the river; enjoying the weather and the city. There was so much to do and see.

The Alamo

That evening we went to dinner and Chris mentioned that his car was playing up. I didn't really think much of it and we enjoyed the evening in the city. However, the car was proving to be a real problem, so the boys decided to book the car into the only garage that was open on a Sunday in San Antonio.

That morning the car was really playing up whenever it was just starting. The exhaust fumes were so strong and the car was noisy whenever Chris changed gear. When we arrived at the garage, it turned out that there was no one who was trained to fix a BMW. We all started to panic. The attendance policies in American university's are tight. You can only have a certain amount of absences and after that amount, the professors will dock your grade. As foreign students, we are required to take a certain amount of credit hours and if we fail, we potentially could be kicked out of the country. Rob (who is a Scottish exchange student) and I were beginning to panic because we had to get to class for the next day.

As a result, we decided to get a taxi to the Greyhound station and get a coach back to Dallas, whilst Chris and Henri stayed with the car. Although we spent a good few hours on the coach home, it was actually nice to talk to someone British in person. Even though we leave at different ends of Britain, we just 'got' each other. There wasn't any confusion over the slang we used and we understood each others sarcasm.

We arrived in Dallas at 8:30pm, a couple of hours later than we should have and luckily enough, the foreign exchange mentor picked us up from Dallas. Chris and Henri braved driving the car back to Denton and somehow they made it, even though the car was a mess. I'm not sure whether Rob and I made the right decision, but breaking down in America, in the middle of nowhere, on a Sunday, was far from appealing.

Unimpressed by the return to reality, I decided to occupy myself on a 'snow day' (see picture below) by booking the majority of my trip around America with Colleen. As I was booking hotels, taxis, hostels etc. I get a message from one of the companies saying that my card was declined. I was confused, I had the funds for the trip, so I decided to ring my bank at home. Within minutes I was put through to the fraud department who told me that my card had been cloned and that they would have to send me a new one.

Heavy snow in Texas

Welcome to living in America with no money.

I am currently still waiting for my card to turn up and it has been nearly three weeks since my parents sent it from home. The amount of people I owe money is ridiculous and I still have no means of paying them back. My parents have been able to send some money to my American bank account via Paypal, but that has been problematic as well. After they sent the money, I went to a cash point to take it out, only to discover that 'my card was not recognised'. When I went into a branch, I was told that they had closed my account because I hadn't used it in three months and as a result, I had to set up a new account, meaning I wouldn't get any money for a week.

Sweeney Todd rehearsals and singing lessons were the only thing that was taking my mind off everything and singing was one of the few things that remained well in February. I was given the role of 'Second Lady' in the Magic Flute, which was the role I was hoping for. I was also invited to audition for another summer programme in Italy and I am currently waiting to hear back from them.

The only problem I have here is the fact that I am facing the reality of going home and going back to Birmingham next year. I love Birmingham very much, but having a year in a music college has made me realise how much I was missing out on and how much I still have to learn if I want the chance to study at a conservatoire for postgraduate.

I am also faced with the struggle of deciding where to study for my postgraduate. Do I go to London, do I go to The Hague or do I go back to the US and study on the East Coast? This decision is likely to influence where I will have my career and this year I have seen the realities of living away from friends and family and the problems it can cause in relationships. Opera is my passion, but it is a career that demands so much and I am currently thinking about whether I am willing to give it.

Last night was the opera after-party and I was introduced to 'everclear' and vodka punch. To put it mildly, the stuff is strong and two cups later and I am on the floor. Vodka has a history of making me emotional and I realised how vulnerable I have felt over the past couple of weeks. I really haven't had any security and being so far away from home, I realised I wasn't coping very well.

Although there have been some very challenging moments, there have been some incredible positives this month. The moment I told people that I was struggling, I had such support from people at home and here in Denton. It made me realise that I was incredibly blessed and that even when things get rough, there are people who love me and will support me when I'm in trouble.

I have had some really good nights with some friends, whether it's been visiting bars or just hanging out in someone's room and even though I was hurt by the break up, I feel like I have my life back.

I've really had to remind myself that it could always be worse. At least I have a roof over my head, a support network and my health. 

Here's to a fantastic March! 

Year abroad blues

If I was to say I was okay at the moment I would be lying. This semester is proving to be extremely challenging, even though I know that if this was to happen at home, it would be no feat at all. 

When I first arrived at UNT we had an induction session where we introduced to the concept of the 'year abroad blues'. We were told that they usually hit students during the middle of November and there would be a low point up until the beginning of February and things would start to perk up again. The trouble is I didn't have a 'dip' at all last semester. I couldn't have asked for a better semester. I became really close with a group of exchange students, made friends with people on my course, got a boyfriend and was making the most of my time here by travelling at the weekend. 

However, all good things must come to an end, right? 

I suddenly realised a few weeks into my first semester that I was one of two exchange students that were remaining in the U.S for the full academic year. The others were only staying for the semester and I suddenly started to panic. In order to maintain a social life, I decided to move to 'Bruce Hall' in my second semester as it was a dorm only for music students. I felt like this would be the best solution. 

However, it didn't really pan out that way. I went home for Christmas and had a fantastic time with my friends and family. The only problem was that I didn't think I was going back to America after the holidays. I saw myself back at Birmingham with my old course mates and if I'm honest, the reality of it didn't hit me at all... not even at the airport. 

At first I went to Chicago and had a fantastic time with my boyfriend, but the mood changed once I was back in Denton. The first thing I saw was Santa Fe, the old dorm I lived in last semester - where all my exchange friends didn't live anymore. Denton was starting to enclose on me. I have never felt more trapped in a place than I have in Denton. As someone who has always lived in big towns and in big cities, Denton is the smallest place I have lived in, in my entire life. 

Socially this term has been a struggle. I am having resurrect my social situation, which is difficult since everyone here is underage. The drinking culture is very different here and I miss just going to the pub with someone for a drink and a chat. I am having to switch rooms today because my roommate is unaccommodating to the extent where she wakes me up at 4:30am if everyday because of her practice routine and as a result, I have just got over the flu. I have just broken up with my boyfriend for reasons out of my control, which kills me as it worked so well. 

I have very little security here. 

I know I'm not behaving rationally here because if this happened at home, I would wipe myself down and get back up again and sort everything out... but I'm so alone here that I find it hard just to ask someone to hang out. I know I need to change something, but I can't seem to find the strength. 

I'm struggling. 

Healthcare

Today has been another day that I have spent in the bed. Over the past four days, I have been very sick. I have been extremely rundown for several reasons and it was hardly surprising that I got ill. I started to feel poorly on Wednesday and by Thursday I was starting to feel worse. The opera rehearsal was proving to be hard work - normally it was easy standing, waiting for directions, but this rehearsal was proving to be too much. I just wanted the process to end. 

On Friday, I felt even worse. I somehow managed to get out of bed to my 8am conducting class and it was torture. I was sweating profusely and as we practiced our conducting, I could feel my temperature rising further and further. I went back to bed and I was thankful that my 12pm was cancelled. I messaged my director and MD and apologised that I wouldn't be able to make it to my opera rehearsal. 

After that I spent 24 hours in bed. I couldn't move. I was falling in and out of sleep constantly. I was sweating, I had aches in my stomach, a headache, I had lost my voice and a violent cough that was making me want to heave. I felt awful. Around 12am, I managed to pull myself together and get into the shower. Just getting off my bed took me thirty minutes alone. 

On Saturday, my friend Erin kindly took me to the doctors to get myself checked out. I was curious about the American health system. The truth of the matter is that the Brits give American's a lot of stick for their healthcare system and the seemingly backwards nature of it. Being born in Britain has meant that I am entitled to the National Health Service - a free health service for any British citizen. This is paid for by the taxpayer and they will contribute approximately £1900 ($3100) a year (approx. £160/$260 a month). 

I made that when I went to the US that I took out a travel insurance plan. I had heard so many horror stories of foreigners who had been caught out in the US and ended up in thousands of dollars worth of debt. However, I was aware that when I went to the doctors that I was going to have to pay up front and then be reimbursed by my insurance company. 

We went to a GP's clinic that was owned by the company 'CareNow'. Now the initial thing about this GP's clinic was that you could get a 'walk in' appointment. At home, it would be impossible to have a walk-in appointment. You must be up just before 8am and rush to the phone and try and make an appointment with the receptionist. If you try and ring at 8:05am all the appointments will be gone and you will have to ring back the next day to play the waiting game again. Of course you could go to a walk-in centre or a 24 hour clinic, but it is at the risk of making an appointment with someone who doesn't know your medical history. 

I sat in the reception for about 45 minutes and was quite occupied during that time. Firstly, the reception area was so much different to the clinics in England. It was very spacious, super clean and modern. Thinking back to home, there was only one clinic that was as modern and spacious as this centre and it only opened a few years back. The trouble with a lot of practices in England is that they are old and haven't been revamped in a very long time. As a result, they look drab and rather sorry for themselves. 

On the other hand, it was very American. I know this is a ridiculous statement to make, but when you have been here for a while, you begin to realise that a lot of houses and businesses are fashioned in the same way. Most houses have the same tabletops, the same skirting boards, cabinets etc. You can't say that in England. Houses in England are built very differently, but I have been to so many houses and businesses now that are structured the same and have the same interior.  

After 45 minutes, I was called over by a nurse who took my height and my weight. She spoke to me about my symptoms, how long I had felt like this, how I would rate the pain etc. and she then left the room. I thought that was slightly odd and I sat by myself for about five minutes. Suddenly, a doctor came into the room, who asked me some questions about my symptoms and my medical history. She took my temperature, checked my throat and told me that I had a respiratory infection and the flu. She told me what medication she was going to put me on and how to take it. She then left the room and a different nurse came in. She handed me my prescriptions, a doctors note and paperwork for the receptionist. I was then taken to the reception to pay for my visit. 

The total visit came to $83 (£50).

The thing that really took me by shock in this centre was the fact that I was seen to by three different health care professionals. A typical appointment at home will consist of approximately 10 minutes with the doctor to explain something that has potentially been causing you problems for over a year. This isn't a criticism of the NHS. I think most of us watched the BBC programme 'Keeping Britain Alive: The NHS in a day' and on one of the episodes it followed a day of a GP. She explained the time constrictions she had and how it was her job to prevent the majority of patients heading to hospital where the expensive treatments were. It is clear that in a time of austerity, the NHS does not have the money to fund such luxuries as time and staff. 

I went to pick up my antibiotics and cough medicine from a pharmacy (quick comment - did you know they have drive through pharmacies in America...) and I paid $50 (£30) for the medicine - very different to the £7.50 ($10) charge for every variety of medicine from the NHS.

I'm definitely starting to feel a lot better now. I don't have a temperature anymore or an upset stomach, I'm just waiting for this cough to go and to get my voice back. 

I am also looking forward to the day off tomorrow...

SO

What are my thoughts on this system? Is it better than the NHS? Should we say no to the NHS and throw it down the drain?

Of course not, don't be silly.

The American health system sums up one thing for me - you get what you pay for. According to statistics, an individual in the US will pay $5600 (£3400) a year for healthcare - almost double what we pay in taxes. The quality of service I received was fantastic and as result, I feel well on my way to recovery, which is great...

IF you can afford it. 

Lucky for me, this will be back in my bank account in a few weeks and it will be as if this trip to the doctors never happened... but what if you're poor? So poor that you can barely pay your bills and a trip to the doctors is enough to send you over the financial edge. What then? I guess you don't go. You suffer. What might have been just a cough could have been a sign of lung cancer, but instead you go without because you can't afford treatment. 

However, with the introduction of Obamacare, individuals that earn under $45,000 and families that earn under $90,000 a year will be able to apply for subsidies from the government to pay their health insurance. Hooray you say? Well apparently not, if there has ever been a bitter dispute between the Republican and the Democratic party, it has been over healthcare. 

I am by no means a socialist, but I do believe that healthcare is something that we all should be entitled to and that it is the responsibility of the government and society to take care of the poor, the vulnerable and the disabled. Poverty is not a choice - people do not decide to be poor. Even though the NHS might be slow sometimes and you may have to wait for an operation or to be seen in A&E, it is still there if you need it. It will cover you whether you need a stitch on you thumb or brain surgery. 

The NHS is truly one of the things that makes Britain great and it will be a wicked day if anyone decided to abandon it. 

Chicago

So and as soon as I was home, I'm back again in the US. If I'm honest it feels like I haven't left, even though somethings are different. The exchange group I became extremely close to have all gone home to their home university's and I am here alone with the American's. I have also changed halls and have a new roommate. I'm enjoying my new classes and am picking up some useful skills including Italian diction, French diction and conducting. 

It was hard getting back into routine after such a fantastic time in the city of Chicago. Originally I was quite nervous about going to the city as their was tremendous storm across the north of the US the week I was meant to fly out. The weather most days was around -25c. Luckily by the time I flew out it was only -12 and it warmed up over the few days I was there. 

I spent the first day in the town of Frankfort (which is just outside Chicago) and had my first real Chicago deep pan pizza. It was pretty lush, I won't lie. 

You don't get this in the shops. 

The first day was pretty chilled. I was quite sick over the holidays and was still ill when I arrived in the city. I was also stupidly jetlagged and wasn't impressed that I was put on an old BA flight. It didn't even have a TV on the seat - what the hell is up with that?!

The second day I spent in Chicago and it was pretty jam-packed. At first we headed into Chinatown and we tried lots of different herbal teas and some Chinese bakery goods. We had the most fantastic lunch at a restaurant in the quarter, making us suitably stuffed for the day. After that, we headed to the art museum  - before I go on, America WTF. Why do you charge for your museums?! I can't even get over this. Anyway...

Such a beautiful art gallery and if I'm honest, there was too much to see in a short amount of time. However, I found a really exciting new artist called Monika Baer and I found myself really interested in her work.

I also saw an incredibly famous work of art, the 'American Gothic'. 

After the art exhibition we headed to Millennium Park, which looked so beautiful in the snow. I couldn't get over how deep it was! I had some fun traipsing around the park... 

We ended up looking at the Palladium and the famous Chicago 'Bean'. A lot of people were there, taking photos of themselves in the Bean. Of course, I joined in... 

After going to the Bean, we looked at several other sites around the city including the theatres, the ABC news studio, Intelligensia Coffee and the Chicago Cultural exhibit. Before I arrived in Chicago, I didn't think I was going to think very much of the city, but before I knew it, I found myself falling in love with it slightly. It was a very imposing city, with tall buildings and wide roads, but cleaner than New York. There was a lot going on, but not too much. You weren't constantly knocked into. 

We headed home after that, I was feeling pretty ill throughout the day and in the end, I was just exhausted. The next day was another early start, but instead it began with a coffee tasting class at 'Counter Culture' in the arts district of the city. It was a pretty interesting experience and as per usual, my taste buds were DA BOMB.

We had lunch in the area and then headed to central Chicago. It was here that I completed my dream and I stepped into 'Rock and Roll McDonalds'.

I have achieved everything I wanted in life and more.

Walking through the city we walked past the Chicago river (still covered in ice) and we found ourselves outside the Chicago Lyric Opera. A very special moment for me.

As we continued on through the city, it started to rain. And it didn't stop. I didn't know it could rain when the temperature was below zero...

We stopped at a coffee shop - pretty disappointing, tasted like cigarette butts - and headed to a fantastic Italian restaurant called Quartinos. I would say it was possibly the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to in my life.
Good shout Eli.

After dinner, we swam through the city and found the car and headed to the evening's entertainment - the Blue Man group.
Eli had kept quiet about this group and I wasn't really sure what I was going to expect. All I can say is that it was pretty fantastic, but I can't really describe what happened... I've posted a link to one of their acts, but this is just one part of a large item...

We headed back to Frankfort and we were so tired that we just went to bed. In the morning we packed for a mighty sixteen hour drive back to UNT.
The first day was the drive to Springfield, Missouri (apparently the largest meth county in the US) and that took around nine hours. We stopped in St. Louis, which was a nice town and we crossed the Mississippi River as we left Illinois.

We finally arrived in Springfield and stayed out our friends house - well, log cabin.

It was a really beautiful house and we were really welcomed. We headed off early in the morning and drove through Missouri and Oklahoma as we approached the mighty state of Texas.
I can't say I think much of Oklahoma. It's just.... barren...
After seven hours we got into UNT and since then it feels like I haven't left.

However I can now say:
- I have been to four states in the U.S - Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas
- Driven over 1000 miles in America
- Crossed the Mississippi
- Visited the city of Chicago

Here's to more travelling!