Travel Day(s) ??

I will be using my blog for a journal on this trip so mostly all of my adventures will be on it. I'm going to try to put up as many pictures as I can and I will probably post a slide show because there are SO many pictures. I got an 8G camera card for my Europe trip at the end of England, but I honestly don't think it is going to be enough. I took so many pictures in only the first couple days!

So our travel days were crazy! To be perfectly honest, they were rather calm. Nothing major happened, it's just that I was up for a really long time. I'm not quite sure how long because of the time changes. But I got up on Wednesday morning, was up all day for immersion days (lots of class time talking about culture and stuff). I finished doing errands on Wednesday afternoon. I talked with Cha for a couple hours. We had a tearful goodbye. Cha is going to China next year for a long internship and she won't get home for a year. I will have graduated by the time she gets back, so we aren't entirely sure when the next time we'll see each other is. But we talked for a while and then Michelle came to pick me up Wednesday night at 10pm. At Michelle's we tried to watch a couple movies but ended up sleeping through both of them for the most part. We were trying to stay awake the whole time so that we could sleep well on the plane. By the time the second one was over, it was 3:30 am and we took off to the airport. We got to the airport, Michelle's brother took us, at about 4:30 and turned our bags in, 45.0 pounds :).

We wandered around each terminal of the airport to stretch before getting on the plane. We boarded and the captain said that we would sit on the tarmac for an hour because of weather in Chicago. I was okay with that and I got my best sleep or the whole trip during that hour. During the flight we had some people sitting behind us that talked so loud the whole time!

We walked around a lot during our six hour layover, changed our voicemail, got a McFlurry, explored the airport, took some pictures, waited for the plane, went to Chili's, played some cards.
Manchester!!!
Michelle and Heidi, these are my two travel buddies for after our England trip is done and we're off to Europe. :)
Chicago is "trying out" for the Olympics in 2016, we took a picture under the Union Jacks :)
Waiting in the airport...

On the plane to England (on my gosh, I'm in England!!! AHHH!!!) It was long...I guess I shouldn't be complaining compared to groups that went to Taiwan and Australia, but I felt like it was forever, only about 8 hours. They fed us "dinner" and then put some movies on and turned the lights out. Unfortunately I didn't sleep that much even though I was so tired. It was quiet too, I just couldn't sleep. Plus the headphones were broken on our side of the plane, so we couldn't listen to the movie. Oh well, I dozed, and people watched, and walked around since nobody else was up. We landed at 8am, England time, on Friday morning, got through the border okay, which was a relief. Michelle's passport says she's male, so we were scared. It gave us a good laugh when she noticed but it was still scary. She had called the Passport office to figure it out before we left and they told her that it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but to bring her birth certificate along with her just in case.

We drove on the wrong side of the road to Huddersfield from Manchester Airport and the countryside is just beautiful!!! It reminds a lot of home, green and trees and rolling hills, random rock fences everywhere. There a tons of sheep and cows out in the fields. Everything is so charming and it is beautiful. Every building with it's architecture tells a story and you can just feel the history here, it's amazing! Friday we took a nap and then crashed at about 9pm to get early and have an all day field journey to Liverpool on Saturday, another post to come.

I've never gone this long....

I made it safely to England, I'm here and exhausted, too bad it's noon and I really shouldn't go to bed yet. I've been up for 48 hours, I've never gone that long...some how I need to force myself to stay awake until at least 8pm tonight so that I can get into the rhythm. More to come...

I'm LEAVING

On a Jet plane...in 63 hours, and I'm not ready!!!!!! But I'm super excited!!!! AAHHH!!!!!

Dear Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,
I just want to start by saying that I am a dear friend and love to be in your company. But the reason I am writing this letter is to inform you that some of your recent actions have been unkind and unfair. I am only writing because so many people have ill feelings toward you after your lash out this week. Have you recently gone through a break up and you need to talk about it or something? Whatever is going on in your life right now, please settle it so that you can get back to normal and restore Springtime peace and serenity to Provo. Let me show you what I mean exactly:
Snow on the blossoms and slush on the ground is no way to END a winter semester, Mother Nature.

Even the ducks agree with me. They told me that while they enjoy playing in the rain, snow is just too cold for April.

The blossoms are trying to come out, please let them!

Does this look like a cure for Season Affective Disorder to you?

Damaging valuable BYU property is not the answer to your problems. These pavilions are used for students who normally want to enjoy your company in the Spring weather. Now they are ruined because they have 10 inches of snow inside:

This is not the way that BYU is supposed to look on April 15th.

So Mother Nature, please bring Spring. We've had enough winter this year. It's time to move on.

Sincerely,
Your concerned friend

It's lookin up!

I thought I would give everyone an update that life is lookin up! I had a rough goin the last few days, but things are so much better now! Life is good and back on track! :) Today was the last day of classes (HOOOORRRRAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and it was fantabulous! I only have two tests left! And I am not going to get kicked out of nursing school! (It's a long sob story, and I'd rather not share it...). Today I gave myself my birthday present. I chopped off all my hair. I've been wanting to for a while, and I did it! I can actually hold my head up now! Plus, I had enough cut off that I'm donating it to Locks of Love. My hair hasn't ever been this short though, it's going to take some getting used to. More awesome news to share: I leave for England in only 15 days!!! Notice my countdown on the sidebar :). I can't wait, it is going to be so awesomely awesome!!!!!!! Another thing I thought I would let you know, is that the group of us going to England has started a "group blog" that all 6 of us will update to keep in touch with friends and family back home. When there is a new post, it will raise to the top of the blog list on the right hand side >>>>> The blog's name is "Glorius Summer." If you don't understand what I'm saying then just periodically check this website for updates on the trip:

http://byuenglandnurses.blogspot.com/

I just want to say that I am so blessed and so grateful for everything in my life right now! Trials are given to us for a reason and I have learned so much in the last ten days!

LOVE YOU!!!!
-Candice

Reverse Psychology

So many bad things are happening right now, I need to focus on what's been good in my life over the last couple days before I have a panic attack. So I'm trying to use some reverse psychology on myself:
--I went to Cheesecake Factory today.
--I played frisbee on Tuesday in the middle of campus.
--I got 6 hours of sleep last night.
--My brother got his permit (not sure if that's a good thing....) just kidding, bud =)
--I had some Oreo, mint chocolate chip ice cream cake yesterday.
--I wore shorts yesterday.
--I really connected with my patient on Thursday and Friday even though she was the neediest, most busiest, most yuckiest patient I've had, ever.
--I had tea and biscuits today in my culture class.
--I got my new backpack from the study abroad office.

It's official

It's official. I'm freaking out. I hate the end of the semester, it kills me. I have 7 tests, a paper, two presentations and two days of clinical to complete in the next 11 days!!!! On top of everything I am the family home evening mom in my group, and we have this ward Oscar night and we have to make movie. So far it's been like pulling teeth to get people to cooperate and come. Tonight we got kicked out of the library while filming...oops :) It was fun though, and we caught the security guard in action which is even better so we'll put it in the movie!

I changed the layout to London because it will remind me that there is light at the end of the tunnel and I am so close!!!

But really, this is how I am feeling right now: