First day

Hi everyone!

I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for checking out my blog =)

I intend to use this space to record my time here at the Arts University at Bournemouth (otherwise known as AUB). I'll try to post at least once a week, and hopefully more frequently than that. I'm very excited to share about my experiences and thoughts as I grow here this semester. Already, I have been challenged and encouraged in many ways and I am brimming with excitement as I look forward to the coming week of orientation.

To give you a little update on what's already happened:

My flight landed in London without much fuss. I rode a taxi to campus and had a wonderful time conversing with my driver, Mr. Gavin. He has a strong grasp of European history and enjoyed telling me the stories behind the forests and ancient battlefields that we passed on the way here. For some reason he reminded me of Alfred the butler =) Very nice guy.

When I arrived, I was greeted by Maria Quero, an international studies coordinator. She showed me to my room and gave me a brief tour of campus (which is deceivingly confusing, despite being very tiny!). As we passed all the different workshops and art-making spaces, I couldn't help but think "man, I wish I could study all of these things!" There are animation studios, costume and fashion design shops, model-making studios, and so much more. The nice thing about an art university, though, is that there is a continual interaction between the students of each craft: the animators work together with the model makers and costume designers, for example. At least that's what I've been told.

Today one of my neighbors, an acting student who hails from Northern Ireland, accompanied me to the supermarket so I could get some supplies. I'm still a little bit put off by all this driving on the left side of the road, but I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually, haha. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to navigate the bus system myself to find a church nearby. Then in the afternoon, my new friends and I might go check out the Bournemouth town center, which is close to the beach and quite lovely I hear. Can't wait!

One interesting thing that stuck with me today: I met a girl here who will be studying animation. Her quirky personality and slightly challenged nature put me off balance at first, but I felt God was encouraging me to look at her through His eyes. As I've gotten to know her a bit more, I've been struck by how fascinated she is by all her surroundings. She is like a child excited by the simplest toy, finding the beauty and the fun in all that it is. I love that about her and I hope that I too can become one who greets the world around me with childlike joy and shining eyes.

Much love,
Krista