My first week in the States

My first week in the States (well technically week and a half) has been crazy busy but so much fun, and I thought I should probably write a blog all about my first thoughts/impressions/what I’ve been up to before I forget it all! (Plus classes started yesterday so less time for blog writing.)

After flight delays due to weather, I finally arrived at the tiny airport of Evansville at 1 in the morning. It was too dark and I was too tired to properly see my surroundings so it wasn’t until the next morning when I was driven up to the university that I saw what the place was really like.

In the ten minutes it took to drive to the University it was already noticeable how different this place was to home. The roads are much nicer, wider and easier to drive on here and the houses are also very different. I miss the old buildings from home! I also passed multiple baseball and American football fields as well as yellow school buses driving around which were all a complete novelty to me.

Pretty much the first thing I did after I’d dropped off my stuff in my room was head off on a well needed trip to Walmart. I went with another international who had also just arrived from Canada (Hey Matt) and together we tried to navigate the ginormous maze of a store. I walked in aiming to get school supplies and other basic items that I actually needed. Somehow I ended up walking out with a whole load of Arizona tea (the greatest drink ever) and a ridiculous amount of double stuffed birthday cake flavoured Oreos which I may or may not have devoured in only a few days…

International Orientation started that evening with a dinner followed by a dance and it was a great chance to meet all the other new international freshman. UE (university of Evansville) is a fairly small campus, but represents many students from all around the world. The next few days were so busy, fun and full on I didn’t really have a chance to be nervous! The IOLS (International orientation Leaders) were all so friendly and welcoming so it was easy to feel settled in, and it was also nice to know that everyone around me was also thousands of miles away from home too, so we were all in the same boat.

The rest of the week was spent sorting out VISAs and other mandatory things, as well as lots of fun events organised by the IOLS. We went bowling (and we drove there in a yellow school bus which I got way too excited about) played games in the gymnasium (imagine people from over 15 different countries all playing musical chairs together…it was chaotic to say the least) and we all went shopping at the local mall.

The incoming American freshmen joined us a few days later for ‘Welcome Week’ and were put into small groups. I ended up in the best small group ever and we ended up all getting along so well despite all being from completely different backgrounds. (Check out the photo of us all on my photos page!) I think the biggest ‘culture shocks’ so far have been the food and the fashion. I could literally eat pizza and fries and drink coke twice a day every day if I wanted to. I remember the first day I had to actually ask where the water was- I would have never found it myself as it was hidden in between about 10 different flavours of fizzy drinks! The food is great however, and since I’m only here for a year I need to try as much as possible, right? On the subject of fashion- People definitely go for comfort over style here which is great and my gym shorts have had loads of use. No, not because I’ve been working out (although I need to after all this food) but because gym shorts and sweaters are the ultimate comfy combo. When I left England I said to myself I would uphold ‘European fashion’ but I’m literally sat here in gym shorts and an old top so that one went out the window.