The song I have played over and over again fo the past two days

Song I heard yesterday on the radio, was trying to memorize as many lyrics as possible, but luckily they said the name of the song in the end

Song I discovered from my iTunes while having it on shuffle

And traditionally something from Estonia :)

Ems

Erasmus saga

Finally I've managed to bring myself to writing this post :P

When I first applied to study French in the UK I noticed that every course has a compulsory year abroad. YAY was my first thought, especially as back home it was said that taking an Erasmus semester is recommended but everyone can not go anyway. Ok so I was happy a year in France.

This year has been pure horror in trying to sort it out though. We have 4 choices in what we can do

1. Teaching assistant - only for native English speakers
2. Erasmus - limited number of places
3. Find a job - (no bar/pub etc jobs) + not allowed for ex beginners
4. A language course - you have to pay for it yourself (reimbursed to a certain extent later but no income at all)

And since I am a poor Eastern European student who does not speak English I only have one option basically - Erasmus placement that is. We had a number of general meetings until they split us up depending on our choice for next year. And then all hell broke loose. They found out that they had too many applicants and not enough partnership places. Well I couldn't care less you fix it! because that is my only option!!!! Btw they figured this out after the teaching assistants had already applied meaning that no one could change their minds anymore and apply for the previous (we had a couple who would've done just that). Our co-ordinator actually tried to scare us away saying that we have to take a language course and whatnot. Blah blah blha yeah it would be better for my language skills BUT how the hell would I support myself financially??? At least with Erasmus I'll get some kind of bursary, nothing much but still a little something.

Then choosing where I want to go, initially we had about 12 places in 5 universities - La Rochelle, Nantes, Geneva, Paris and Besancon. Like I didn't want to live in London I do not want to go to Paris - too expensive, Geneva is the same, Besancon is in the middle of nowhere, so that leaves Nantes and La Rochelle, the last one being near the sea :) So for the whole year that was my first choice. And we had to give him our choices for about 5 times, omfg no one is going to change their minds until you actually start telling certain people to get the ffff out we do not have a place for youuuu!!!! But no he tried to indimidate people away, and he succeeded. For the whole year I was ready to hear a sorry, no, you will not get an erasmus placement and then freaking willing to fight for it with threats, tears and whatnot. Do everything I could to get it. As I heard that was a popular choice after Paris and we had about 20 people more than places. You can understand why I was worried right?

Fastforward to April this year, when we had our final meeting and finally the placements were to be revealed. The day before that he sent us a list of new placements. OMFG there were so many new places, especially in South France - where I'd wanted to go from the beginning. Toulouse, Montpellier, Corsica, Toulon. As soon I saw that Corsica was on offer and their webpage was quite decent - updated regularly and actually had all the information on it (trust me it is so rare to find a proper webpage for French universities). I wanted to go there with Montpellier as my second choice - who cares about La Rochelle anymore (I'd been telling people all year long that I'd go there). So sent him an e-mail stating that. And of course I got an answer back saying that he can't guarantee anything but good luck! When the hell are you going to be in charge and make the decision on who gets to go where and who's left out?! There is no more time to wait for people to drop out themselves! 

I was holding my breath during the meeting - the usual mambojambo we've heard a zillion times already cut to the freaking chase already!!! People want to know where they are going! And finally we had to make a list again to say where we want to go. I've done this 10 times already!!!!! And basically everyone got their forst choice! Unfreakingbelievable! I was so happy! And guess what! He had scared away so many people that there were actually more places than applicants by that time - it was left quite late this year - due to the high number of applicants. So finally he said why doesn't anyone want to go there and there???? I've worked so hard for this partnership and wouldn't want to see it go to waste. Well shouldn't have told people off earlier then!!!! And forced them into taking a language course!!!!!!!

I'll write a follow up shortly since the saga is not over yet, lol, the next part will focus on stupid bureaucracy and filling in documents.

Ttyl ;)

Jazzz...

So Special and so Mean!

This post is all about my Special Friend (yeap I've decided to start referring to him as that), because he truly is so special ;)

PS! I've been just sitting here for a couple of minutes thinking about what I'm going to write and just smiled to myself. Just thought I'd share that with y'all.

Anyway the reason why I call him my Special Friend: the name first came from Deary, before we were officially in a relationship, she invited me somewhere and casually mentioned that my Special Friend could come too :)

His specialness (is that a word, probs not but oh well, no it is) came out in Birmingham last Friday. Oh yeah a romantic getaway lol :D So we were casually walking through the city not really going anywhere but just feeling the vibe of the city. He got a call and talked for about 5 mins or so and obviously we didn't stop but kept on walking. I lead us somewhere. Then after a couple of minutes having ended his call he semi-freaked out because he didn't know where exactly we were (duh! is there anywhere you need to be? no! so what does it matter where we are?) and having looked around pointed to a random direction and said we have to go there. Woah! Why? Lol I'm following the sings if you haven't noticed lol :D I do have a sense of direction and rarely get lost (especially when I don't want to go anywhere particular). So I had to calm him down and say that I know (yeah well I didn't actually) where we are going and asked him to trust me. During that day he managed to freak out like that at least three more times, lol. And the funniest and most special part of that was the fact I could actually see the panic in his eyes LOL. Especially the last incident of the day when we walked out of M&S (the same way we had gone in) and had to go to the train station and he just looked around with panick in his eyes because he couldn't remember which way the train station where we came from was. I finally had to put my hands on his shoulders to calm him down and say Freaking trust me OK? We won't get lost :D  So Special!

We randomyl found the canal, not the nicest one though. Looked pretty rough but people were running along it so obviously it couldn-t not be the place were people get robbed and killed all the time. But as a normal Briton he was scared of that neighbourhood the whole 5 minutes we were there LOL. It wasn't that bad.

The first time he showed how special he was that day was when he wanted to sit down on a broken bench :D LOL he kinda fell on it and then screamed at me DO SOMETHING!. Obviously I just laughed my head off and tried to not to fall down because of the laughing.

Actually before that incident he managed to ask directions (because he couldn't trust me enough to let me lead the way) and started off by saying "Hi! We're from Aberystwyth and here for the day blah blah blah" What the hell? No one cares lol :D And do not tell random people that you are a stupid tourist that does not know where he's going ok? Especially in a big and dangerous city like Birmingham! He is from a small place where you talk to absolutely everyone about everything, but you just do not do it in a big city!!! I was again laughing my head off next to him and hoping we wouldn't get robbed later...

At some point during the day he threatened to leave me there on my own (because I was picking on him too much obviously) but HAAAA the jokes on you my Speacial because I would survive in a big city (plus I had the train tickets to get back home) but he would be like a deer in headlights and probably would get robbed and all that shhhh :D He agreed (because I am always right ;) ). So special :)

Out of nowhere he said "Do you want anything from Tesco's when I go there?". Excuse me? When YOU go there? What about me? Am I supposed to wait outside for you or what? Why am I not allowed to come woth you to Tesco? LOL Then later he did the same thing and asked: "You don't mind if I pop into Waterstones for a minute, do you?" Again, do I have to wait outside while you are in looking for your book? So special and of course he didn't mean it like that. :D Or he's just too scared to tell me the truth :D

He practically hates One Direction so obviously I now like it and everytime I see a photo of them or something send it to him and tell him I want their book etc. Like all loving girlfriends do :) A couple of days ago he actually went to Poundland and while being at the till saw that they have some One Direction sweets stacked behind the till and asked if he could get some :D The cashier didn't understand what he wanted at first so he had to repeat Could I get some One Direction Sweets please :D HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA now I've scattered them in his room partly hidden partly for his other guests to see how much he loves 1D :) He occasionally finds them and sends me a text about how special I am :D LOL well you are the one who bought them so deal with the consequences.

Once I forgot the thing that lets me plug in my european plug into the british socket so I just did it my own way ;) He was so worried if it is safe and blah blah blah You canät do that! Blah blah blah. It took about ten minutes for him to calm down and see that it wont start a fire. When we were in the kitchen I casually told him that I can smell smoke and his rooms probably on fire. He practically ran to check :D LOL LOL I'm so mean :D But I can't help it :D Then when it was time to take it out I wanted to use the pen (that's how I got it in but he didn't see it then). He nearly had a heart attack. Okay yeah it is scary if you do not know what you are doing i guess but this is Britain everything is so freaking safe that I'm surprised people get hurt at all. Anyway I wanted to show him that you can't actually get electrocuted from their sockets and put my fingers on it. Another near heart attack! Do you know what the upper hole in their socket is? Protection! thats what it is, so if there is nothing plugged into it the socket is closed off. Not like our very very dangerous european sockets where you could get electrocuted all the time.

He's just so Special and so am I lol + I'm mean :D

Ttyl ;)
Jazzz...

Farewell

People who know me know that I get attached, to people and to things and the past week has been rough (nothing tragic :P just my dramatization ok?) having to move out of my flat and basically becoming homeless. I really liked my flat :( The packing was absolutely horrendous, having to pack my life into boxes and knowing that I can not unpack those things for a year or more, since I can only take one suitcase (yet again) to Corsica for next year (I promise I'll soon write about that!) with me :( Right now I have about three boxes of stuff that has to stay behind. And I promised everyone, mainly to myself that before I leave Aber, which is in a month and couple of weeks (ironically I've just started to like it here), I'd look through my stuff once again to throw out the things I do not need. 

Anyway just wanted to say a BIG thank you to the people who helped me carry my stuff from one house to the other. That meant a lot :) The funniest moment: one box was very heavy - books mainly and my dear M, nearly collapsed carrying that :D My strong man :D And all of you others who did not mind waking up early in the morning or late at night to carry my shhhh through town, I do not know how i would've done it without you :) PS! going through town with the mattress was on of the highlights, since we dropped it at least twice :P

Went past my flat yesterday (after I was locked out of my new house - the longest day I've spent in Aber since everyone was busy, had a lunch by myself - awkward - and walked through town and every shop about a hundred times, all because my housemate was up in the library and did not have any credit on her phone etc, all the usual fail stuff that happens to me :D) and saw someone in there. In MY kitchen!!! How dare they. It was heartbreaking. There are new people living there now :( I want to live there!

To be honest I like the new house, I'm only staying there for a month til I'm gone. But it has big rooms with high ceilings, wow, amazing. The staircase, that we sat on one Friday night for a couple of hours when someone (probs my dear M) managed to lock us inside the house, is so cool and I'm a 100% certain that one day I will fall down the stairs, it is just bound to happen with my luck. At first it was a bit frightening especially when Deary (that's how M pronounces her name, LOL) is not home. I am pleasantly surprised on how well we get on :) I was a bit worried about that since we haven't really hung out before, but she's nice, well actually she is really mean and calls me names and so on, but I do the same to her so it is all right :)

That's the story of me moving house, you can only imagine how soppy I will be when I actually have to leave this town :D

Ttyl ;)

Jazzz...