Farewell, Dear Readers...

After being read thousands of times by hundreds of people in a third of the countries in the world, I have come to my final post, sitting outside my gate at Dulles International Airport.

This morning I woke to pack up the last of my things, have breakfast and ensure that I had all the necessary paperwork in order. At 1:00pm I left Arlington with Caitlin's brother, Shane, who kindly said that he would drive me to the airport to save me lugging two bags in nice clothes throughout the metro and onto a bus. In plenty of time and running smoothly, I transitioned air side and grabbed a bite to eat before coming to my current chair, looking out at the 747 that will carry me home. 

I have enjoyed writing about my time in America and the amount of attention the blog has received has surpassed my highest expectations. So, it is with a heavy heart that I must bring it to a close at post 233 - not a particularly meaningful number, but perhaps this will give it some new meaning. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and I will return via a new blog once I am home, after a period of rest. It will not necessarily be a day to day account, but I will post the link on Facebook and Twitter (@BJpowell93) when I kick it off. 

So, despite my melancholic tone I am writing this post with a smile, thinking back on all the great times we have had this year. If you had asked me to describe my best case scenario of what this year could hold, it would not have come close to the real thing. It sounds cliché to say that this has been the best year of my life, but I must be trite. I could not have asked for more out of these nine months at Washington College, and I thank everyone here and at home who made it all possible. It is because of all of you that I had the chance to study abroad and that I had so many great times to write about here. 

Once again, I thank each and every one of you for following my international year and experiencing all it had to offer with me as I went: Crickets and routine shakers in the shower, day trips and road trips. Late nights and drunk nights, early starts and lazy brunches. First Fridays and farmers markets, fundraisers and family dinners. Coffee at Sam’s and drinks at JR’s, drinks at O’Connor’s and drinks at the Blue Bird. Drinks at Kent Crossing and drinks at the German suite…sorry, a slight tangent. Snow days and slow days, classes and deadlines. But most importantly, an endless number of amazing memories.

So, dear readers, I bid you farewell.

Mr Powell Has Gone to Washington. 

A Bite Out In Arlington...

Today, my final day of rest in the United States, was very much as it says on the tin. I spent the morning after breakfast watching lots of 'Suits' and doing a bit of writing. At midday I decided to step out into the 30'C of warm Arlington afternoon to explore the local area. 

After wandering a while, I decided to grab a bite to eat at a nearby bar and grill. So, I took a bar stool in the shade and watched the world go by with a sandwich and a cool pint. 

Returning home I watched some more 'Suits' and read for a while before eating dinner and watching 'The Holy Grail' - the perfect prequel to me returning to Blighty. This evening I ironed my nice clothes for travelling tomorrow and read a while longer. Now, I shall get some rest before the final leg of this wild journey.

On The Road Again...

Today I bid farewell to the kind and generous people in Montville to begin the final stint of travelling before heading home. This morning I packed up the last of my things and cleared up the bedroom, ensuring that nothing was left behind (touch wood). 

For breakfast Sean and I headed to OHOP (Original House of Pancakes) to meet up with a couple of his friends - I did think it was better than IHOP. We ate and chatted for an hour or so, then it was time to head to the bus stop. There, I bid goodbye to Sean, looking forward to see him on home turf in a month, and boarded the bus into the Port Authority like I did on Saturday.  

It was a much smoother ride in to the city outside of rush hour and the weekend throng, until we hit the tunnel. With the Peter Pan Bus for DC leaving at 1:00pm and our bus still in the tunnel at 12:40pm a slight panic kicked in. But, we cleared the traffic and my purposeful stride took me briskly through the station, and down to the correct gate within minutes of the bus pulling up. 

Once on board I quickly decided that for $13, the properly air-conditioned, wifi accessible bus with power points, seat belts and leg room, made for the best value ride this year - cast your minds back to the aptly named 'Ming In Bus' service at Spring Break.

The ride into DC took four and a half hours, but I've become so used to long journeys that it passed by fairly quickly, and with two seats to myself I managed to get a bit of rest. We arrived in DC slightly ahead of time and then it was three-quarters of an hour on the metro from Union Station across to Arlington. 

Once again, I have been greeted with maximum warmth and generosity as another family has opened up their home for a random Brit to crash in for a couple of nights - mistake number one: they showed me where the tea is. I chatted with Caitlin's brother and sister and ate, before meeting her parents. Unwinding for the evening, I am looking forward to a lazy day tomorrow to fully recoup before the final flight on Friday.

A Day At The Seaside...

Yesterday was a very lazy day spent writing a lot and playing the piano. In the evening after dinner, Sean and I met up with Lindsey at the local diner for a snack before she heads home to Utah. So, I managed to tick of two things I have been neglecting in the states this year; diners and loaded potato skins. 

Today we headed down to the seaside on what has been the warmest day since we arrived in New Jersey. It was a great last day here with very much a holiday feel, enjoying the warm sand, boardwalk food and dipping our feet in the chilly water.

Arriving back in the afternoon, the rest of the day was spent sorting out any last bits, including printing my bus ticket for tomorrow down to DC. I also loaded up some books on my kindle and finally opened the mini bottle of Southern Comfort that has been on my desk all semester - a toast to a great year and another excellent and much appreciated stay in Montville. 

First Communion...

Today, after a Granata-size breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs and toast, we dressed smartly for Sean's cousin Jessie's first communion at his church. We arrived at the church by midday and the service then took about an hour and a half. 

Afterwards, we headed to Uncle Joe's for some food, drink and it gave me one last chance to thank the extended family for hosting me and giving me yet another new and fun experience during this year abroad. 

We came home early in the evening where I played piano for a while, caught up on blogging and, you guessed it, began hungrily eating through the third season of 'Suits' - twelve to go...

Nosing Around NBC...

Yesterday was an earlier start as I made sure that I had everything with me I needed for my last visit into NYC before I head out for DC on Wednesday. Sean drove me to the bus stop with my holdall and I took the bus into the city and the Port Authority. From there, I took the metro a short way and finally walking to Sutton Place, where my godparents were staying. 

After a quick catch up in the room we walked down the street to the local patisserie for some food and a drink before walking down to the river. There, we caught the ferry across to Williamsburg in Queens to see the food markets. Walking into the district we passed through the brewery quarters, stopping off for a drink in a local pub. 

We continued walking down to the Williamsburg Bridge, which we crossed to get back to Manhattan. Taking the metro I travelled as far up as Rockefeller Center to meet up with Jack, a new contact who works in a studio at NBC. I had a great tour around the studio before finishing up the day at an Irish pub a short way from Times Square for a couple of hours. From there I walked the short way back to the Port Authority, where I caught the 8:30pm bus back to Montville.

A Little Fall Of Rain...

Today our spell of hot, sunny weather was broken by a day of near continuous rain and downpours. However, after getting ready for the day, Sean and I drove to the nearby shopping centre and spent much of the time inside, so we only had to brace ourselves to and from the car. 

So, after several bank stops on the way, we grabbed lunch and did some clothes shopping. I, after many years of service and many back-handed remarks this semester, decided that the pairs of capris have had their day. We made a stop at American Eagle so that I could get a couple of new pairs of shorts in the sale for the upcoming warm days and, with any luck, some sunny weather when I get home. After that, we spent time getting Sean business clothes for his internship in Ireland.

All done with shopping the afternoon was still young, so we headed across the car park to the cinema, where we spent a couple of hours watching the new 'Godzilla'. Now, I'm not usually hyped by disaster/monster films, but I think it is well worth watching. And, not to sound too pseudo-intellectual, some of the shots and sequences were really impressive and effective. 

Following a drive through sheet rain to Montville, we ate dinner and then sat down to 'The Great Gatsby', which I haven't seen since almost exactly a year ago to the day, which is also when I began working on the current book project. I did indeed do some writing and caught up with a belated post for yesterday. I finished off the night with some more book and the final episode for season two of 'Suits'. Only the third season left and with no way of watching the episodes when I get home, I have a week to hit sixteen episodes - more than doable. 

A Day of Disney...

Yesterday we left in the morning to meet up with one of Sean's old friends to have breakfast at an 'IHOP' (International House of Pancakes) because I had not yet had chance to try this particular American experience. It was a great start to the day, swapping stories and eating classic American Pancakes, french toast, eggs and bacon. 

Returning home, we settled down to plug some of the holes in my watching of Disney films from childhood, that came up the night before. So, eating some leftover curry and Ben & Jerry's, we watched 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Little Mermaid', 'Aladdin' and 'Mulan' - a very lazy afternoon indeed. 

After watching some 'Suits', we ordered takeout Chinese and in the evening we watched 'Moulin Rouge' - no less tranquil than a Disney musical, but a film I have wanted to watch for a long time and I liked it a lot. 

Sean's Stroganoff...

A lazy start to the day, doing some writing and then playing the piano for a while - yes, even here I can tinkle the ivories. This afternoon Sean and I went to the store for him to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner that he was cooking for the household - beef stroganoff, which was very good. The meal was accompanied by pints of Ben & Jerry's and as ever, I went for peanut butter cup. 

This evening Tarzan was on TV and I accidentally opened the floodgate to all the Disney films I've never seen, which I was told I would watch before I returned home. So, that looks like tomorrow's schedule is full.  

Cooking A Taste Of Birmingham...

This morning we woke early to have an early breakfast and then head over to the neighbour's for an hour or so. Afterwards we stopped by the local pizzeria for a couple of slices before heading over to the Verizon store to look about getting Sean's phone sorted for Ireland. 

Coming home, I chilled out watching 'Suits' while Sean had a Skype meeting with Ireland and then we went over to the grocery store. In an attempt to give back some of what the Granata's have done for me, I cooked a curry for dinner with some beer and wine to go with it. The food was well received, but we'll see how the rest of the house feels tomorrow. This evening we chilled in the lounge, relaxing in the time we have, which is already rapidly flying by.

Unpacking And Repacking...

Today was a lazier day. First thing I headed down to the basement to greet everyone and I was kindly made an English muffin and a mug of tea to make me feel especially at home. 

After I showered and dressed for the day, just making the AM, I did the big task of the day, which was to unpack everything and re-pack it carefully again. Squeezing things in I managed to pack everything I need for the rest of my stay in my smaller travel bag so that I can drop off my holdall with my godparents in New York on Saturday. 

That done and after Sean had cleared up his things, we broke for lunch and a film. This afternoon was spent doing some book work, relaxing in front of the box and catching up on 'Suits'. Once the rest of the household had returned from their comparatively productive days at work we had dinner and then spent the evening with more writing and TV. 

A Second Mothers' Day...

Today was my first relaxing day in New Jersey and, my second Mothers' Day in the US. After a breakfast of eggs, potatoes and toast, we freshened up and then took a ride out to the Granata side of the family for Sean to catch up with his relatives before flying out to Ireland. 

We stayed a few hours in the sun on the deck, me applying a couple of layers of sun cream in a somewhat vain attempt to prevent any burning. I did, however, get to wear my new sunglasses, Ray-Bans I might add - a bit of self-congratulation at a discount after a successful year at WAC, as well as a necessity to prevent my horrendous squinting. 

Returning home, we relaxed with some sangria before a Mothers' Day meal with chocolate covered strawberries and a mug of tea - these two weeks are seriously all about the great food. This evening we chilled out in front of the TV watching a series called 'Sirens' - literally a whole series. I think I'm starting to learn how to go about this 'relaxing' business. 

Final Farewells...

So, although Friday was the last full day on campus, yesterday it was time to clear out our belongings, hand in our keys and say our final goodbyes at the CAC. 

Making sure I was up early, I crammed in the last few bits and pieces in what has actually been the easiest moving out experience at university yet, given that I can take very little back with me. That done, I checked out with Baker and shifted my bags into Sean's car. 

Then, we walked over to the CAC where everyone was waiting for the morning shuttles to take them to BWI or New Carrollton. It was a crushingly sad experience to have to say goodbye to everyone despite having plans to see some again in the near future and knowing that I will make the effort to stay in touch and visit everyone else. Even so, there were lots of tears and I don't mind saying that I was barely holding it together myself. But, at 9:00am the shuttles had a schedule to keep to and so did we. 

Departing from Washington College we drove Hjordis to Philadelphia for her to fly home to Germany. Detour made, we continued up to Montville where yet again I entered the Granata household dragging my belongings behind me.

We spent the rest of the day watching films and relaxing. As expected I ate as much food in one afternoon and evening as I have in the past few days. But, as always, the food is well worth it. I shall just have to continue with the running when I get back home. And so begins the final fortnight of my time in America and whilst I hope everyone enjoys there travels around the states and I look forward to the photos, I am looking forward to two weeks of relaxation.  

The Last Day...

Yesterday was the last day ever at Washington College. The last of my belongings were packed away and the room cleaned up. With most of the work done, I went down to Cheryl and David's to say one last hi and goodbye. After a mug of tea and a chat I returned to campus to see what everyone else was doing.  

Having spent much time helping Will roll up his posters and finding another text book of mine, we went over to the CAC to post the posters and sell off the last of our books. That done, I went over to KC and chatted with the parents for a while, giving them the schedule for the next couple of weeks.

In the evening and after dinner we went back over to KC and chilled out whilst the last of everyone's belongings were boxed up and put into suitcases. Then, we had a few drinks and walked over to the German Suite to meet up with everyone. Unfortunately, I threw the latch on Lenka's door and locked inside with my rucksack and all my important belongings, and the others' valuables too. So, getting Lenka's keys I headed back to KC to unlock the door. It was a great evening to finish off the semester and the year.

Last German Suite Party...

Yesterday was another day of finishing up. In the morning I went down to the shops to buy some packing tape, and I walked down to the Dollar Store to clear out there back storage of cardboard boxes. With all the things I needed, I went over to KC and spent the afternoon packing up Sean's kitchenware. 

That done and Will and Lenka at a break point with their essays, we headed over to the dining hall for some food. Afterwards we returned to KC and bought some drinks. Whilst the other two finished their work, I chilled out with a beer and did some concept drawing for the books. 

Later on I headed back to campus to change before going over to Chester and a farewell party in the German Suite. After a couple of hours we transitioned across to O'Connor's, where the international students took over the patio. It was a great night to toast a great year. 

German Suite Picnic...

Today was a more productive day, with the final bits of wrap up before Saturday. This morning I wrote a letter back to Blighty, did some emailing and took most of the stuff I am passing on to next year's internationals over to the GEO. An episode of 'Suits' was sneaked in there as well. 

At midday I had a bite to eat in the dining hall, bumping into Ester. Then I headed to ACME to get some food for Hjordis' birthday picnic. It being German themed in the German suite after rain called off using the green, I went for mini strudels. Arriving back on campus I played the piano for a while and then headed over to Chester to meet up with the others. 

Despite being inside there was still very much a picnic feel about the occasion, sitting on pillows and using a checkered cover for a tablecloth. It was an enjoyable couple of hours relaxing, doing the birthday cake and catching up with how everyone is planning on spending the rest of the summer. 

Afterwards, I walked over to KC to begin separating out Sean's kitchen things for Friday. Going to the dining hall and returning after food, I spent a couple of hours cleaning everything down and making sure that nothing was missing. Now, I just need to get some boxes to put it all in.

Lunch With Rick...

Yesterday was such an empty day of leisurely drifting that I took the executive decision to not waste what would have been a relatively empty post. I did, however, speak with parents a while and do a bit more with inter railing plans.

Today was an excellent day of relaxation. After a lie in, I dressed smartly and at midday headed down to the Fish Whistle for lunch with Rick, along with Lenka and Will. It was a great meal out on the deck in the warmth, watching people sail by, chatting about anything and everything. Before we knew it we were settling the bill two and a half hours later, with the promise to stay in touch with Striner once we're back across the pond. 

From the Fish Whistle we walked up to Sam's for a drink under the shade of the trees in the back courtyard. From there, Will left us for a while to take a sociology exam and Lenka and I wandered through town and down to the river.
We relaxed down at the boathouse for well over an hour, taking in the world, enjoying the quiet and watching the wildlife go about its business. 

At six we walked back up to campus for dinner and a catch up with the others on their days and travel plans after term ends. Afterwards, I went down to the piano for a while and then returned to Worcester to watch some 'Suits', and relax with some creativity - a perfectly lazy, hazy day. 

Why Not Work Some More?...

Today was a bit more productive that yesterday. This morning after brunch with Sean I worked on a new tune at the piano and then I started on season two of 'Suits' - the productive part is coming. 

In the time before dinner I then looked over and edited up a paper for Kristine, stopping briefly to get a coffee and a Snickers to keep me going - at fifteen pages I think we can class that as a good afternoon of work, free of charge I might add. I also fixed up a date to meet with my godparents in NYC after term ends, finalised lunch details with Striner and looked at trying to get a late departure from dorms.

By the time I was finished the Snickers had worn off, so I hit the dining hall. From there, I headed over to KC to offer up my laptop to Kristine as the document I attached to the email didn't open for some reason, so we went through my suggestions. 

This evening I went back over to Chester to watch the tail end of 'Kill Bill' followed by the sequel with Sean and Kayla. I received a second essay to edit over from Sean and caught up with the snooker, which I have missed since being in the states. With more papers coming in I'm starting to consider what my pagely rate might be. But, for the time being I am undecided, bored without a routine and apparently incapable of totally relaxing, so I'll take the work.  

Drifting Without Routine...

Yesterday truly was a lazy day of drifting. I did lots of writing whilst hanging out with Sean who was writing his last paper, played the piano and played Xbox. I also made arrangements to meet up with Striner for lunch at the Fish Whistle on Tuesday, which will be good. In the evening people came round to Sean's for Axel's 21st, which was a nice, social way to end the day.   

Chipotle, Not Chick-fil-A...

Today being a reading day from classes threw off my scheduling somewhat and I have spent the day thinking it's Saturday - which is always nice as it makes for a longer feeling weekend. 

So, with this free day I had an unprecedentedly long lie in until midday before meeting Sean in the dining hall for lunch. I then went over to Chester and chilled for a while before Kayla met us and we drove out to Chipotle, which is different to Chick-fil-A, but I continue to get them both mixed up. Anyway, the food was much needed and afterwards we stopped by Target where I bought a new pair of flip flops as mine broke yesterday. Considering that they were originally handed down from Tom to me some years ago, I think they more than proved their worth. 

Then we stopped at a Cold Stone ice cream parlour, which was great. Also, I realised that it was a place we stopped by at in San Francisco years ago and somewhere that I couldn't remember the name of. So, now I know who the company is I know what to look out for in the future. 

Back at campus I finished off the first season of 'Suits' and continued doing some work on an author brand, which is something that I have been looking into to make yourself more marketable if I am going to take this whole writing thing seriously. So, after thinking a lot about the themes and trends across my different stories I think I'm almost there. 

More May Day...

Yesterday saw the very last class of the year, and the end of uni work for six months. Afterwards I walked over to kc in the warm sunshine and relaxed on the balcony with Will until dinner. 

Following food, we went to the liquor store and bought drinks. After we had had a few and Kristine and Lenka were ready, we met up with everyone else in the German suite before going on to East Hall. There, preparing for May Day round two, people painted themselves up and lost enough of their inhibitions to head outside on the campus green and join the rest of the runners. I being the good friend that I am and not running around, held the clothes of the people who were. 

Into The First Day Of May...

Yesterday was the wettest day yet I think this year, with most of campus become one huge river of running water by lunchtime. 

In the morning and between class I played the piano and generally stayed out of the continuous downpour as best as I could. After class I went over to Sean's and spent the time before dinner writing whilst he finished essay work and then I looked over a paper for him. 

In the evening we hung out a while longer and then we went to see what the situation was with the first night of the May Day naked run around the campus green - before anyone says anything, I did not do it and won't tonight either. If anyone wants more information on the tradition, it is on Wikipedia with a full history of how May Day started. It was very weird at first, but once you've seen a bunch of drunk naked people, you've seen them all really. 

After a while, the novelty of the occasion wore off and, feeling peckish, we took a walk down to Rofo's as it was a warm night and no longer raining. We bought snacks and then walked back to campus to turn in for the night. 

Much Time To Fill...

Yesterday was my first Tuesday up in the dining hall without an essay to write, which was nice but meant that I had a lot of free time on my hands. I used to hours to research into inter railing travel and lots of book writing. I met up with Sean over lunch and discussed a bit more the end of the semester. I also had chance to talk with the parents, which Will weighed in on after I ate second lunch with him. 

After class and into the evening I did more book work, totaling just over 4,000 words for the day, and continued my addiction with 'Suits' - season one nearly finished. 

The Final Film...

Today began the last, incomplete week of classes of the year. In Civil War a guy in my class brought in a couple of bullets that actually wounded his great-great-grandfather who fought under Lee in Virginia, which was really great. I had no idea just how heavy the bullets were. 

At lunch I met up with Sean and discussed the possibility of spending some time at his house and in New York before he flies out to Ireland and I then head down to DC to fly home. No concrete plans yet but it's an idea. Having looked at the cost of travel and considering that I'm inter railing when I get home, I have decided on a quiet, relaxing and easy going end to my year abroad. This may seem like a bit of an anti-climax, but I don't think it is. This year has been full of adventure and now I am ready to reflect upon it and completely unwind for my last weeks in America.

Anyway, after a particularly the absurdest film 'Bedazzled' from Peter Cook and Dudley Moore to finish the day and the semester of films, the Americans got a glimpse at just how really crazy Brits could get when it came to comedy. Afterwards I headed to the library to print off my Supernatural film essay and prep the last two articles for Miller. 

In the time before dinner I watched 'Suits' and did some writing. A trend that I continued into the evening, whilst everyone else is busily planning their end of semester travels. 

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...

Today rounded off the sunny, relaxing weekend with a day out. This morning Sean and I went to McDonalds for breakfast because the dining hall was opening after we left for the baseball. After our gourmet start to the day we ensured that we had everything prepared and then went over to the CAC to wait for the bus. 

We left campus and arrived at the Orioles stadium in Baltimore in plenty of time for the game start at 1:00pm. At the third inning we went to get some food. Keeping up with our healthy day, we had jumbo hot dogs and beer to keep ourselves going. The game wore on with some great catches and a home run to boost the crowd. 

By the seventh inning Sean and I were in the mood for a snack so, having still never tried it in the states, we made for the funnel cake vendor. Lots of queuing later, we arrived back in our seats for the last inning. 

Catching the bus back, we arrived at campus at 7:00pm, myself nicely sun burned having not learned after twenty-one years to wear sun cream in hot weather. But, a cold shower later and I feel more comfortable. This evening I went to mondo's again, having arrived back too late for the dining hall and sat down to a couple of episodes of 'Suits'.  

Booking Inter Railing...

Today was a very relaxing day indeed. After a lie in I went to brunch, where I found Eoin. When Sean finished with his last campus tour he joined me. With clear skies and the sun shining down, we moved out onto the balcony and spent half an hour chatting, relaxing and enjoying the warmth. 

At 2:00pm, having doing some writing, I Facetimed Cambridge to discuss inter railing arrangements with Tom, Grace and Saoirse. So, after much discussing most of the hostels are now booked, the trains have been timetabled in, and the flights home chosen. 

This afternoon, I met up with Will and Lenka and we went to the Chester 5 to watch the new 'Captain America' film. I'm not an avid superhero fan, so I won't go crazy about the plot line and character portrayals, but I liked it. 

This evening I did more writing and had a quiet night after O'Connor's yesterday. I also need to be up for a day out to the baseball in Baltimore - post and photos to follow.

Going Vintage...

Yesterday wrapped up another rapid week. In the morning I did some book work and played the piano. After classes I walked down to the shops and picked up a pair of blue suspenders for my outfit to the 1920s Speakeasy Dance that I had forgotten was happening. Luckily I'm such a classy guy that I could throw together the rest from my wardrobe. I also had to put more product in my hair than ever before in my life in order to tame my fringe into a slicked side parting, but it was finally achieved. 

After the social we headed to O'Connor's which got busy fast, but it did mean that I had chance to meet up with a lot of people that I don't often see. 

Starting Travel Plans...

Yesterday was a momentous milestone, with the last essay of the semester, indeed, my last assessment for six months, written before lunch. In the afternoon I relaxed with some writing and piano playing. In the evening I went over to KC and Will, Lenka and I started making some actual travel plans for the end of the semester to see what is feasible with travel and timings. For myself, Boston, New York and a little bit of DC to finish off is looking like the plan. 

The Prestige...

Today I spent my spare time playing the piano and did some book work. After class I went over to KC and we watched 'The Dark Night' before dinner. After food I met up with Caitlin and passed over my unnecessary suitcase for her to take care of for the time being - a huge thank you for storing it. 

This evening I took some Easter chocolate back to Lenka's and we watched 'The Prestige', which is one of the few films in the world that I have seen and Will hasn't. A list that has now shrunk even further, like my chocolate supply. 

Farewell Reception...

My apologies dear readers for letting the blog fall by the wayside the past couple of days, but they haven't been the most riveting of days to write about, what with term starting to wind down. 

On Tuesday I planned the last essay of the year on the Jesuit relations with Native Americans in New France, and played the piano for quite a while - I did say that not much happened. Although I did watch the second episode of 'Suits', which I have decided will make a good replacement to 'House of Cards' and prevent too much withdrawal from Kevin Spacey. 

Yesterday, I began the packing up process. Caitlin very kindly offered to store one of my suitcases at her house in DC until I need to swing by and take it for the flight home. So, I sorted out clothes and belongings that I didn't want to drag around America with me, decided what I would leave for next year's exchange students, and the few bits and pieces I still need. All in all, it looks quite manageable and I don't think I will have to ship anything home ahead of time, which is good. Although, the bookstore will be in for a shock when I bring my bag full of books to sell back to them. 


In the afternoon, myself and the other international students went down into Chestertown for food, drink and a farewell reception at the President's House, which was very nice. I had chance to chat with the President's wife, who is British and we made a date to meet up next year when I'm back at Holloway, which will be nice. 

Happy Easter!...

Unlike what I heard from home, Easter Sunday has been sunny and warm, if a bit breezy. After a lazy start, I changed into smart clothes and made my way over to KC where Will and Lenka were getting ready also for your Easter meal out with Sean and his friend, Lindsey. Sean picked us up at quarter to three and then we drove out to Rock Hall, where he had made a reservation for a late lunch at a very nice little restaurant. It being a buffet, we ate as much as we could and then went down to the water for some photos by the bay. (Photos to come)

Model shoot finished, we headed back to campus where I collected my laptop and went back over to KC to Skype home for the holiday. Having caught up I went back and relaxed with some writing in Worcester. Later on the plates of food were wearing off so I headed for Mondo's and a late snack. 

The Colour Run...

Yesterday I woke bright and early to sort out the last bits for the colour run before the taxi departed from campus at 7:30am. The drive into Baltimore was smooth enough and the roads were open as far as the event itself, so we didn't have a long walk to the check-in. 

Inside the venue we were issued our runner packs, with a t-shirt, race number, sun glasses and other freebies. Once we were kitted up we joined the last wave of runners funneling towards the start line. 

The race itself didn't feel like 5km, but I suppose that time passes quicker when there are new things to see as you go. There was a different colour paint station at each 1km milestone where staff threw their colour onto the runners as they passed through. Suffice to say that by the time the race was run we were coated in colour from head to foot.

The rest of the time at the event was spent at the after race concert where everyone was given lots of individual bags of colour to throw in the air/at each other, which made for a great display. We also took advantage of the free food and drink, and the post-race team photos to give a nice contrast to the spotless shots from earlier in the day. 

With a couple of hours before the taxi was due to pick us up, we walked down to the waterfront for a bite to eat and to take advantage of the sunshine. The taxi picked us up on cue and we arrived back at campus by mid-afternoon. 

Once I was back in Worcester I had the most intense hour long shower of my life, comparable to a scrub down following exposure to nuclear fallout - a situation not helped by the fact that I so found out I was slightly sun burned as well. But, eventually I was squeaky clean once more. We spent the evening at Sean's in Chester and then we moved across to KC for the rest of the night. 

Colour Run Prep...

Today was spent making final preparations for the Colour Run tomorrow - making sure that everyone has the right money, knows where to go and has printed off everything they need. Now, I think everything is in order and I need to pack a bag for myself - hopefully with the weather dry tomorrow the powder won't cause us too much hassle. 

After class I had a chance to skype home from KC for a catch up before Easter weekend - my Easter Bunny package arriving just a bit too late for me to pick up for Sunday, so I will have a delayed treat next week. 

To finish, a small treat (I hope) in light of the 200th post yesterday and your continued loyalty. Below is a recording of one of the songs I've been working on put as a packing track to photos from the Cherry Blossom Festival because I like the photos and I couldn't work out how to insert an audio file by itself. It's a bit slow on the load and excuse the squeaky stool in the background.

The Blog's Bicentennial...

Well, dear readers, it is the 200th blog post of my amazing time here at Washington College. I have decided that once my time here is passed I shall continue a new blog and I invite you preemptively to continue to join me when the time comes. Writing these posts by lamplight is somewhat of a habit now that I will find hard to shake off. 

But, enough of the future. This morning I wrote the penultimate paper of the semester on a genre of film coined by our very own Professor Richard Striner as 'Supernatural Romance' - films comprising of love, death and the afterlife. My particular topic was on 'The Presentation and Personification of Death and the Supernatural' within the genre. With that done and once I had eaten it was time for class. The rest of the afternoon passed with more 'House of Cards' - a serious addiction now. 

This evening, and a fitting event for such a momentous post, was my final dinner with David and Deirdre. This time I took Wilson as my +1 because he had not yet sampled Deirdre and Joan's amazing food, or the great company that everyone provides. Unfortunately, Fern has returned home to LA, so no wolf-husky for entertainment, but it didn't put too much of a damper on the evening - the Bellini's certainly helped to raise our spirits. I shall certainly miss our brief hiatuses from the dining hall to sit around a dining table with home cooked food in front of the fire. But, I thoroughly look forward to seeing David and Deirdre later in the year when we pass by their place in Canada. 

Returning back to Worcester, I watched the last two episodes of 'House of Cards' to round off another small era - what will feed my addiction now?

Anchorman...

Yesterday was a long, but routine day, with the workload starting to ease up as the last few weeks of the year draw to a close. I played quite a lot of piano to pass the time in between classes, working on a new song and learning actual pieces. I did some reading for Miller on the final text of the year that needs reading - 'Olaudah Equiano: The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings'.

In the evening I went over to KC after watching some 'House of Cards', to chill out with a film. We decided on 'Anchorman' as neither Lenka nor I had seen it. I won't deny that the film was amusing, but with Will quoting from it so often it is nice to now have some context to his conversations. 

House of Thrones And Game Of Cards, Wait...

Yesterday was a quieter day for workload because Striner has shortened the last couple of film essays because their deadlines are so close together. One is already out of the way, but the second took far less planning, with half the number of pages to fill. So, to fill the rest of my time in the dining hall before class, I did some book work and then had lunch with Sean. 

Following class, I went to the piano for a while and then did some relaxing and catching up with 'House of Cards' in the time before dinner. Afterwards, I dealt with my bedding in the laundry, which left me with a fresh clean bed - always a great way to finish off a day. Totally hooked as the series rises to its climax, I watched another episode of house of cards before going over to KC to catch up with the second episode of 'Game of Thrones'. 

A Greenhouse Gym...

This morning the laundry was due again, although I could swear that I only did a couple of days a go - time flies. In between first and second class I rang my Granddad to wish him a happy 80th birthday, which was nice to catch up and hear the voice of home. 

After classes I played the piano a short while and then hit the gym, which was sweltering because apparently 26'C and bright sunshine hitting a glass-fronted room isn't hot enough to turn on the AC. So, I only ran two and a half miles and did a bit on the mats, not wanting to over do it in the final run up to the colour run this Saturday. 

This evening I spent some time chilling out with Will in Chester and then came back to Worcester to catch up with 'House of Cards', which I have been neglecting of late. But, given what happened in the last episode (season 2 episode 8), not giving away any spoilers. 

Cherry Blossom On A Bright Sunday...

Yesterday we had a later start, leaving from Caitlin's and catching the metro into DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival. First, however, we needed some food and after wandering around, we found a Languedoc French Bistro opposite Ford's Theatre and neighbouring the house in which Lincoln died. I had some excellent coffee and an omelette whilst the others settled on Eggs Benedict Florentine. 

Fed and more alert, we walked across to the Jefferson Memorial, merging with the throng of people circling the Tidal Basin. There was still sufficient room to wander without feeling completely hemmed in, but did get hot in a crowd under the sun. The trees provided some great photo opportunities and it made a nice change to see DC in the warm with some colour after our past couple of visits. 

The Cherry Blossom Contingency...

...So, it's on to Saturday and a later start than I had anticipated. Missing the 10:00am alarm, I woke up to the fourth call from Sean at 12:45pm, informing me that I had fifteen minutes to get dressed, packed and over to Chester to head off to Virginia. 

Setting off slightly later than first planned then, we made our way to the hotel not far from the music venue. After debating the validity of our free breakfast we dropped off our bags and drove out to the nearby retail park to buy some drinks. The big twist came when Sean returned from calling the taxi company and then several others, informing us that Avicii had been rushed into hospital for emergency gall bladder treatment and so the concert had been cancelled. 

After some rapid contingency planning, we checked out of the hotel, but not before I'd had a much needed shower, and drove three quarters of an hour to DC, where Caitlin was waiting as our saviour with a free house for us to ditch up in for the night. We changed, had a couple of drinks and then grabbed a bit to eat at a really good Italian place down the road. Afterwards, we took advantage of a warmish evening and walked from the Jefferson memorial round past Roosevelt to Martin Luther King, Jr. to take advantage of seeing the cherry blossoms with virtually no one around.

Relay Event 2014...

Lots to write about after a busy few days in which there was no chance to do any blogging. But, to avoid an massively long post, I'll divide up the days into several accounts. So, let's venture back to Friday night shall we?

The day passed by as usual, but in the evening was the climatic Relay For Life Event 2014. Going down after a quick haircut, I helped to set up the remainder of the things for the night and then grabbed one last bite to eat before the evening began. The doors opened at 6:00pm and we set the wheels turning for twelve hours of relaying. 

After initial speeches and the Luminaria ceremony, the night was filled with activities including locks for love, a frozen wet T-shirt contest, messy twister, a burrito eating contest, buy a phi and a rave to give everyone a final boost of energy. With the pizza from earlier in the night wearing off, breakfast was served up, consisting of fruit and doughnuts to provide a mix of healthy and a much needed sugar boost. 

Once the closing speeches had been given and everything was taken down and packed away, I trudged back to Worcester as the sun was coming up. I finally climbed into bed at 6:30am with the view of waking up to have brunch before setting off for Virginia at noon on Saturday. That was the plan...

Fight Night...

This morning I wrote the second film essay of the semester in the morning before class. Afterwards I walked down to Walgreens to get some things with Lenka before returning for an earlier dinner. But, enough about myself (cue some kind of moving soundtrack), today was really about a young man who had nothing but skill and a dream . A young man who wanted more than anything to fight and to win. That young man was none other than Australia's finest, Wilson Hill. 

The MMA boxing competition started a 7:00pm, but we got there early in order to get good seats, which it turned out was a good move because there was a healthy turnout. Our support was naturally thrown into Will's corner and he did great, getting to the final which was eventually decided as a draw - a decision that we contest considering that Will broke the other guy's nose. Anyway, it was a really good, albeit tense evening. Afterwards, we went to Chester for a short while, then KC and onto O'Connor's for a victory drink and an unwind. 

A Marathon Of A Movie...

Today was one of those rare occasions, even less common than a blue moon, when I slept in past my alarm. So, it was a later breakfast and a short stint at the piano before first class. To finish the day we rounded off our Supernatural Romance genre for film class with the suitably lengthy, three hour long 'Meet Joe Black'. Afterwards I did some reading for Miller tomorrow and then headed up for dinner. 

This evening was the last Relay committee meeting in which we made final arrangements and preparations for Friday. After so much built up, it's suddenly come round to the home run of setting everything up. Afterwards I took the shuttle to KC, where I did a bit more reading and relaxed with some writing after a long day of class. 

A Centenary On...

They said it was the war to end all war

and we are still questioning what it was for.

The human race cannot help but fight,

arguing over what they think is right.

We have a compulsion to take up the gun

and pick off each other one by one.

Somewhere, someone must think it’s fun.

Have the factories stopped making their weapons?

Has the ministry emptied its stores?

Do bombs still fall from the heavens?

Will Janus ever close his doors?

But somehow it makes us feel better

to follow tradition to the letter,

to plant flowers and line up white gravestones

for Tom, Dick and Harry, Brown, Smith and Jones.

Polish off a memorial

shown in a war-torn tutorial,

that teaches us all about grief

to try and forge some kind of relief.

We will still wear the poppy

to show we remember our dead,

soon forgotten with a morning coffee

and a slice of think-healthy brown bread.

The trenches are tactical units

and gas cans are flash bang grenades.

We’re firing higher calibre bullets,

and bayonets are stealthier blades.

de Havilland is now the Tornado,

the Zeppelins converted to drones.

Our outlook on war may be different,

but we’re throwing the same sticks and stones.

So use this year to remember

what brave men and women have done.

They died to give us a future

that they themselves have foregone.

And no, the fighting’s not finished,

I’m not sure anyone’s won

But their sacrifice’s not diminished,

so remember for another century to come. 

Random Inspiration...

This morning I planned out the second film essay of the year, which felt slightly weird because I made the notes on the films back in February. But, it didn't take long to get back into the right frame of mind to write on the title 'Knowledge is Power' in Film Noir. 

After Miller's class Lenka and I went to a talk on the Civil War for some extra credit. By the time it was over with the questioning that followed, it was getting on for 6:30pm. So, after a brief play of the piano I went up to the dining hall where we started trying to make some more concrete ideas for what we will do with our month of travel at the end of the year. 

This evening, keeping Lenka company at KC and struck with some random inspiration, I decided to write a poem on the centenary of the First World War. If anyone is in anyway interest it is on my Facebook wall and I will add it as an additional post after this one. Following some random writing, I carried on with more of the latest book - now over 30,000 words through, so it's slowly getting there. 

Return Of The Iron Throne...

The sad news of the day was that, like that depressing scene in Mary Poppins when Dick Van Dyke's pavement art washes away with the rain, after a day of wet weather there is virtually no evidence of the Relay chalk work from yesterday. But, to try and silver-line these clouds we did get photos, and there has been a considerable leap in likes and feedback on the Facebook page since we did it. 

Today I finally had chance to put my laundry on to dry after breakfast. In the meantime I went down to the piano and started trying to practice a song requested by Lenka, which hopefully won't take too long to learn as she printed me off the easy version of the music.

At the end of the day I went back to Worcester for a while and then headed down to the gym, having not run a 5km for a while. The good news is that despite a slightly persistent cramp in my side after a couple of miles, there was no leg aching. 

This evening I went over to KC and watched the much anticipated TV premiere that aired yesterday; this Storm of Swords...this Clash of Kings...this Feast of Crows...this Game of Thrones. 

Paint The Campus Purple...

Another day of non-academic work, but not quite as lazy as yesterday. This morning I had brunch with Sean and Marcela and then went back to Worcester to put the piling up laundry onto wash. Whilst it was on I played the piano for a while and then had to take my clothes back to my room because I wasn't fast enough to get in with the dryer. It being such a nice day - warmer than yesterday, I took my laptop and did some writing outside the library in the sunshine with Shana and Vanessa.

At 3:30pm it was time to go over to Mt Mary's on the Western Shore to help Katie take over our Paint the Campus Purple supplies for Relay. By 4:00pm we had coordinated who was doing what, so I started helping to chalk out huge cancer ribbons along the Cater Walk. The pictures don't really do justice to the size of them, but to give you an idea it took me until 5:30pm to do three. But, the sun was out, the sky was blue and the wind had dropped, so it really wasn't that bad. The rest of campus looks great with purple ribbons, balloons and flags all helping to make the visual last big push before the event on Friday. 

Afterwards I found Shana and Vanessa again in the dining hall for dinner. This evening I spent some time at KC and then headed to the library to do some more fun writing before another week of essay planning and writing to come.  

A Drifting Day...

Yesterday was one of those perfectly lazy days where you seem to drift from one thing to another without bothering to look at the clock. After a lie in - yes, I did say lie in, I went up to the dining hall for brunch. From there I went down to the volleyball court and played for a while with Relay people, which was a lot of fun. 

Afterwards, I printed off an article I need to read at some point before Tuesday. Then I walked down to Walgreens and ACME to fetch Addison some things as he was feeling bad again and it being such a nice day I wanted the walk. At the store I bumped into Will, Sean and Lenka who had gone down to the animal shelter earlier on. 

After our fail attempt the other day, Sean and I went to the gym to help  Will train for Thursday's fight. Without wrist supports I'm pretty sure that I did more damage to myself in the end.

Later in the day I met up with Sean and others in the dining hall, going from there to get some drinks for later on. We spent a large portion of the rest of the day in Chester, relaxing and playing some games. Wanting to get some fresh air, Will, Lenka, Vanessa and I headed up to O'Connors, meeting up with Kristine and Axel as well - a briefly bumping in Ester in Safe Ride, so we got to see most people which was really nice. 

MMA "Training"...

Yesterday rounded off yet another working week that flew by. In the free time between classes I did some reading for Miller and played the piano a while. Once classes were done I went to Worcester and changed with the intention of helping Will do some training for the upcoming MMA contest, which turned into playing Xbox for several hours instead - hey, it's not my fight to win. After dinner, we changed and then spent the evening down at JR's, having not been down there for a while.   

Morale And Music...

With all reading done for my essays and another one knocked on the head today, it's starting to feel like we're on the home straight, which is simultaneously pleasing and scary. But, I won't even venture down that avenue of reflection. Today's essay, the second of my Civil War course, was titled 'The Driving Power and Depressive Force of Morale during the American Civil War', using those soldier's letters I planned with on Tuesday.

Aside from work, I went to the piano and began working on a new song idea with a couple more finalised, although I wouldn't be confident with any of them to share via an audio file. Not yet, anyway. I did a bit of writing and reviewed what I got down the other night in the library. 

This evening I went over to KC with Sean, where we spent the evening discussing future travel plans with Lenka and meeting up later this summer. 

Pizza And A Film...

Today I finished off the second half of 'Jesuit Relations' for Miller's class, which I have decided to write my last essay of the year on. The book recounts Jesuit missionaries in New France (French Canada), which fits in nicely with family travels later in the year. To finish off the day, in film class we watched a rom-com classic - 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Watching it again, I recognise an awful lot of actors that would appear in many things later on. 

After classes I went to the gym for an hour before lunch, completing a quick one mile run to warm up my legs before a very sweaty ten miles on the bike. 

This evening was the penultimate Relay meeting before the big night next Friday. Having sorted out the planning and prep for the event, I went over to KC to watch 'Up' with some pizza and cider. 

An Ailing Addison...

Today I planned the Civil War essay as I intended throughout the morning. In the run up to class I chatted with people in the dining hall for a while before playing the piano for a bit and then going to class. 

This afternoon, I went to the business office to top up my print balance with the upcoming final run of essays and articles to be read for Miller. That done, I hung out in Chester common room until dinner, wanting to give Addison and his fever plenty of space. I watched the first half of a 'House of Cards' until I let the ailing wifi get the better of me.

After dinner I spent the rest of the evening and into the night in the library doing some writing to get away from essays and class reading for a while. I may try to watch the second half of that episode.  

The Sunshine Of Spring...

At long last, yesterday brought the first true day of spring. After breakfast I walked down to Walgreens to pick up a toothbrush having mistakenly thrown away one the night before, thinking that I had a new one already. I also picked up a broom to sweep out the growing levels of dust, dirt and debris that gets swept in from the corridor. By the time these errands were done it was time to start classes for the day. 

After first class I spent the time compiling the bibliography for my Civil War essay, which is always a time consuming task, but I'd rather get to the end of the essay on Thursday (hopefully) and just added it in rather than have to write it then. 

Once all classes were done, it being such a nice day and needing to pick up a couple of things, I decided to take a walk into town down to the river and back up. Despite the warmth, I thought that the gym was necessary, so I ran an intense 4km in twenty minutes - well, at least I thought it felt pretty intense. 

The evening was spent with Sean and Will in Chester, just relaxing whilst the other two did work, briefly. 

Happy Mothers' Day...

This morning, it being Mothers' Day, I skyped home from KC, which I discovered has amazing wifi compared to Worcester - one more reason for me to hang out there. With that done, I went across to the dining hall to have some brunch and then played the piano for a while. 

Later in the afternoon I returned to KC, and Lenka and I walked down to Walgreens and ACME in truly miserable weather, where we met up with Will and bought ingredients for tonight's family dinner, with Sean and Eoin. Whilst Will and Lenka worked on the spaghetti bolognese, I prepared the timeless classic, ciabatta garlic bread with homemade garlic butter to keep us going. After the roaring hoorah that the bread recieved, the bolognese had a lot to live up to, but I must say that Will came through in flying colours. 

So, well fed and dry once more I caught the shuttle back and chilled out at Sean's a while, watching the last bit of the last Harry Potter that was on TV. Tomorrow promises sunshine and warmer weather, which I think I speak for everyone when I say, I cannot wait for. 

Civil War Letters...

After a lazy start yesterday followed by some brunch, a good portion of the day was spent taking cover from the rain. From midday to mid-afternoon I spent my time reading through online archives of American Civil War soldiers' letters for my next essay. To some people that must seem like a hellish way to spend a day, but I really like reading them. The best part is that because these people intended their writing to be private, there are a lot of details and gossip in them that probably wouldn't have been said in public. 

I read about a young man telling his brother how he hooked up in secret with the eldest daughter of a man in a Southern town his regiment were staying in. With whole collections of letters between one soldier and all his siblings and parents you get to see what everyone secretly thought of each other as they confided in the one family member that wasn't around to spread the gossip. In one letter a mother had caught wind of the fact that when her son had been home, he had secretly had a girlfriend, and she was probing for answers on the young girl's identity that he was refusing to give to her. There was news of Christmas parties, people getting too drunk, weddings that people didn't approve of, and mothers wanting to wish their sons sweet dreams with a goodnight kiss. So, despite the different world in which we live, people haven't changed much over the past hundred and fifty years. 

Anyway, enough of my nerdiness. With an hour before dinner, I relaxed with a 'House of Cards' and then headed to the dining hall. After food we trekked over to KC to have some drinks and celebrate Katri's last evening with us before she flies out this morning. 

Noah And Rain...

We rounded off the week with warmer weather for a change, but accompanied by some rain, which will continue throughout the weekend. But, looking ahead it appears that the cold weather is finally behind us. 

Classes passed routinely and at the end of the day I went over to KC to get my rucksack, having left my laptop and other things at Lenka's yesterday. Whilst Lenka napped, as is her custom, Will and I watched 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', and cleaned up the apartment of empty cans, bottles and glasses.

After dinner, Shannon, Eoin, Lenka, Will and I headed over to the Chester 5 to watch a movie. Whilst Shannon and Eoin settled on 'Diversion', the three of us went into 'Noah', which I liked - the effects in particular were stunning. Having gone out last night, it was a more relaxed rest of the evening now watching some 'House of Cards'.

Filming A Speech...

Yesterday was a reading intensive time until lunch, eating up over half of the next book that needs to be read for Miller on Jesuit Relations in New France with Native Americans. Reaching a milestone, I decided to switch work and start looking over primary sources for the last Civil War essay, for which I have chosen to discuss the issue of morale for different groups throughout the war, using from letters, songs and other primary sources. 

After class I continued doing some work in the library for a while and then went over to Chester to help Will record his video speech for his friend's 21st back in Australia. That done, we headed to dinner. 

Giving ourselves some time to freshen up, I went back to Chester and hung out for a while playing Xbox, then we went over to KC for some drinks before heading out for a social night. 

Final Year In Founders...

Well, after thinking that the snow wouldn't stick around, it did until the afternoon sun took care of it. Sunny it may have been, but an arctic wind still whipped around campus and forced everyone to layer up. 

In preparation for next year, I had an email confirming that I have been offered a large single room in Founders next year, which I've been eagerly waiting for. It will feel very different after sharing this year, although I don't get a bathroom to myself. 

After classes I went to the gym to meet up with Will, who decided to sleep instead. But, I still got in half an hour cycling on the bike to help ease up my legs from yesterday. 

This evening I hung out with Will for a while until our sub-committee Relay meeting to discuss our 'Paint (figuratively) the Campus Purple' event next Sunday in the final run up to the big night. With planning matters concluded I returned to Chester, bumping into Sean and then going up to his room to chill out for the rest of the evening.