I've been here a month and 2 days?

Wow, this week has really flown by!

I cannot believe I've already been here for a little over a month? Time sure has flown.

This week at school was pretty good, our schedule is actually getting full which is good, because I like being busy. Thursday was Amy's last day with YFC and it was bittersweet. I'm sad she's leaving, but so excited for her travel year....she'll have an awesome time with Nathan! 

I've been feeling pretty under the weather this week, which I hate because I normally never get sick. Besides, it's never fun to be sick when your mommy isn't around and you can't sleep in your own bed at home. 

I really actually don't have that much to report, so this is probably going to be a short and sweet post. 

It's starting to get colder by the day. I don't know how I'm going to cope when it actually starts getting really bad.

I had some homesick blues this weekend, because all of my friends went home for homecoming which is kind of lame. But, I really miss all of them. 

But, I'll be home in a little over a month and I'm so excited!

Last night I got to watch the presidential debate and it made me so happy. I felt like I was connected to America in some strange way even though I'm so far away.

Happy Sunday!

I've been sleep deprived lately....what?

The past few days have been pretty slow, well they've gone slow they've actually been pretty hectic!

Sunday was good, I went to church with Nicole and Ste and afterwards we went and had a proper Sunday lunch! It was like Thanksgiving, but well I like Thanksgiving way better. Nicole and I just hung around the house until that night where we went to the "alternative service" at the anglican church in Great Ayton.....it was interesting. Ha, so funny side story Nicole and I were sitting in the pews during the service and there are these cushion things hanging in front of us and I assumed they were to kneel on, but I wasn't sure since there was like no room to kneel! So, I asked Nicole and she said you're supposed to sit on them so we did and Amy and her boyfriend Nathan starting cracking up and I just thought it was because we were super tall from sitting on them. Yeah, but no they actually are for kneeling on.....apparently people back in the day were way thinner than they are now.

Monday was a pretty slow day....for the most part. Neil and I went to school and just planned for about 2 hours and it was good, we got a lot done. We got to go home around noon because I have Monday afternoons off since I work Monday nights. I love the kids, but Monday nights are always rough for me the bible study ends at 10 and I usually don't leave until about 10:30 or so. Another funny story, someone brought some candy to bible study last night and one of the candy's is called minstrels. Well, someone asked another person to pass them a minstrel and I heard menstrual and I about had a heart attack. The minister quickly explained to me what had actually happened, it was pretty funny though.

Today I woke up and was feeling pretty under the weather so I stayed home today and basically just slept all day and it was glorious! 

OH MY COW!!!! FATHER BEAR TOLD ME TODAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD IN AUGUST AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED!!!!! :) :) :) :)

Alright here is some more British translations/lingo:

Instead of saying "don't have a cow" they say "don't have kittens" hahaha great right?

They call the board game Clue, Cluedo instead.

And the board game Chutes and Ladders, Snakes and Ladders.

I swear we almost speak and entirely different language.

A very productive Saturday!

So, this was my first productive Saturday in Middlesbrough....and what a great day it was!

I woke up at around 10 and I basically slept walked downstairs to check my clothes that were line drying they weren't dry yet so I went back inside to take a shower. I then proceeded to be very productive I reorganized my drawers, changed my sheets, and put up all of my clothes. While I was doing this I was still half asleep and after all of this I fell back asleep. I woke up again about an hour later and Nicole and I ate breakfast and waited for Ste to get up and then we decided to go into Middlesbrough and do some stuff.

We took the train from Nunthorpe to Middlesbrough and went to the 02 mobile store, because Nicole and I were thinking of setting up a contract thing where we pay 20 pounds a month for unlimited texting and 600 minutes, because this pay as you go thing isn't very good at all. It turns out though we need to set up a UK bank account, but HSBC has this passport account thing for people who come over for a few months so we're going to look into that.

Ste showed Nicole and I where all the good shops were and stuff so now Nicole and I know where to go. We got simple things like a hamper and a bin so we're set for awhile. 

And then we went to the most exciting place in England.....TESCO!!!!!!! AH! I love it there :)

We stocked up on groceries and we mostly bought healthy stuff, so I'm really excited! 

On October 11 Nicole and I are going to YFC commissioning in Coventry and I'm so happy to see everyone from training again! It's kind of like an induction into YFC and everyones families will be there, but Nicole is my family this year so it'll be good. I'm so excited for her to meet everyone!

Tomorrow Ste is taking Nicole and I to get a proper Sunday lunch! Yay!

Well, Marc introduced us to a website where we can watch The Office for free! So until next time.

-Kelsey

So, don't take the little things for granted

So, for the first time ever I did laundry last night WITHOUT a dryer! Let me tell you it was not so fun. First of all the washing machine is teeny tiny and Nicole and I basically filled it to capacity. To dry our clothes we laid them over the many radiators in the house, it dried the clothes pretty quickly but they're pretty stiff now. Any suggestions?

It's been a pretty chill past few days, Neil has been out sick so Amy and I have been going to the school and not doing a whole lot, because Neil has the majority of our school stuff. Today we just helped out the librarian with getting the library in order and organized, also I ran my first ever lunch club! I did it on the prodigal son, and I kind of went off what we did when we were at Kings Academy, but still! It was great, we had a really great discussion and I'm a happy camper.

Later on Nicole and I are going to Redcar which is right by the sea to have a lemon top with Lauren! It's actually a really pretty day here in northeast England so Nicole and I are going to take advantage of that!

So, this may sound totally lame but I'm really going to need some prayer as the weather starts getting colder and colder. I was clearly not made for cold weather and I picked one of the coldest places that I could ever see myself, so yeah. Nicole and I are doing alright for now, but we're both pretty big babies when it comes to the cold so just keep that in mind!

Until next time,

Kelsey

I should probably start writing more frequently....

Alright, so I haven't posted in awhile because things have been pretty slow lately. I'm not complaining though!!!

I didn't really do much last weekend, Nicole and I hung out all day together just hanging around the house which was nice. We both needed to relax and just have a mental health day. Sunday was my first time to attend church over here and I went to Great Ayton Methodist Church and it was good, pretty contemporary. I met loads of people and I can't remember most of their times, but I'll get there. I had to go to the front of the congregation and get interviewed, which was fun. Although, occasionally I would kind of forget what they asked me and I was already half way through my answer so I would always find somehow to direct my answer towards God.

Then on Sunday night Ste had a few people over and it was good to meet more people! Yesterday we had volunteer induction and then Fiona (my locations manager) took Nicole and I out to lunch and after that I hung around the house until I had to go to youth group for Great Ayton. It's a good group and for the younger ages we're starting the NOOMA videos by Rob Bell so I'm pretty excited!

Today we had a full team meeting and we had to climb Carlton Bank which is a hike! Whew. We just took time up there to pray over Tees Valley and dedicate this year to God, it was really neat.

Tomorrow my schedule kind of returns to normal and I start going to school again!

Happy day!

-Kelsey

P.S. Can anyone tell me how to post pictures on this?

Who knew youth work could be so exhausting?

Wow,  so I think that this week has drained me, but in the best way possible.

I had to wake up again at around 8 today to be picked up at 9:20, and then Neil and I went to the school (Amy was working at Staples today), and we went into tutorials and hung out with the kids for awhile, and then we basically sat around for a couple of hours making a flyer to advertise all the lunch clubs we do during the week. Then, during lunch we had the Year 7-Year 9 lunch club called Rock Solid, and they're a fun group....very energetic though. After that we really had nothing going on until about 4:30, so Neil dropped me off at home.   I got to relax for a couple of hours.

At 4:30 Neil picked me up, and we went to Stokesley Methodist Church for their weekly after school club, and I can tell I'm really going to like doing that!  (Only about 3 kids were there but they're a really fun group.)

After that let out at around 6:15, Neil dropped me off at St. Mary's Church Hall where Ste and Nicole work; we're putting on a huge youth-night club-sort-of thing for Year 9-Year 11 and the theme was "back to school", so the kids were supposed to wear school-type clothes. Let me just say that I have never seen so many stomachs, short skirts, and high heels in my entire life. Nicole and I really weren't sure what to think.....but then again it is a good way to reach out to the kids in the community. That ended at around 9:30, and we got home about an hour later after cleaning up the church hall.

I GET A DAY OFF TOMORROW! HAPPY DAY!

I really need it; I'm so exhausted, and I kind of think I deserve to sleep in a little. But, I think Nicole and I are going to attempt to do a little laundry and go hang out with Lauren. 

It'll be a pretty chill weekend; I just have church to go to, and even on Monday I really have nothing to do until that night due to volunteer induction, so all-in-all it's going to be good.

I can really tell that I'm going to love what I'll get to do this year, even though I hate the weather.

-Kelsey

Getting used to this whole freedom concept...

So, it just hit me last night that I don't have to ask permission before I like want to go out and that just really weirded me out for some reason.....

Yesterday I told Ste that Nicole and I were planning to go out with our friend Lauren, and then I kind of phrased it as a question, but I mean it's not like he can say no and I totally forgot that. Not that my parents every really told me to stay at home, but I don't know this is just all so new to me. But, it was good because Nicole and I were dying to get out of the house.

I can tell my schedule is going to get really hectic really quickly for YFC. Which is good, because I like staying busy but it'll take awhile to get in the swing of things.

Also I really need to remember to just be myself....my outgoing, loud, and talkative self. I think I'm still so overwhelmed by everything right now.

Tomorrow night I'm basically working all day, but it'll be good to sleep in on Saturday and basically do nothing.

Ah, so tonight Lauren came and picked Nicole and I up and we drove to Whitley Bay to see Libby! It was good, because I really missed her and I'm glad Nicole got to meet some more people and basically get to know everyone from training by us telling her about them, even though she really won't get to meet any of them until January. 

On Saturday Lauren is taking us to Middlesbrough to do some shopping and then to Redcar to get a lemon top! Happy day!

Well, I'm off to bed.....I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow!

-Kelsey

First day of school in Stokesley

It has been such a long day here in rainy and cold England!

I woke up at 8:30 AM and got ready for my first day at Stokesley School. Neil (who I'm working with at the school this year) picked me up at around 9:30 AM, and we headed out to Stokesley which is about fifteen minutes away from Nunthorpe (where I call home). When we arrived, Amy (who I'm taking over for) was there and we all kind of hung out in the student center, and then we met with the head religion education teacher. It was good, but I really had no idea what they were talking about, so I need to learn a little bit about the British school system. 

Then Amy and Neil went off to do something, and I sat in and observed an R.E. (religion education) lesson on 9/11. Haha, so that was interesting.....I can honestly say I've never heard an actual lesson on September 11th. We then ate lunch and drove around Stokesley and then Neil dropped me back off at home.

And, ever since then, I've just been hanging around the house with Nicole because Ste is at a meeting, and we watched the worst movie ever....Bend it like Beckham. Now we're watching another movie.

I'm off to another day at the school tomorrow, so I'm going to attempt to get to bed a little earlier tonight....but I bet that won't happen.

OH! So Nicole, Ste, Rebecca (who works some with Nicole and Ste), and I were sitting in the lving room and all of the sudden the doorbell rings and it's for me! I went to the door and I had a flower delivery from my wonderful family :)

Until next time.....

-Kelsey

Final hours in Nottingham.....sad day :(

Well, really sad day I'm so bummed to leave Nottingham in a few short hours....

This has been such an amazing 10 days of training.

I have met some of the coolest and best people and I feel like I've known some of them forever.

My new best friend Tom Spicer is my Harry Potter soulmate, really last night we had a Harry Potter quiz with one another and I've never met anyone that knows as much as I do. He's a really cool guy, and I can tell we're going to be friends for quite awhile.

I met another cool guy Kyle....he's a really sweet guy. But, I kind of broke his guitar today....ON ACCIDENT! But, I've never felt so bad. I was just putting it on and all of a sudden the top of the strap came off and then it fell on the floor and the neck like came off. It was horrible, Kyle was so nice about it but I was like I'll pay for it! And he said he had like 8 guitars and not to worry about it....I think I'm still going to send him some money to repair it. I should never be trusted with objects of importance to others. I almost cried though.

One of my new friends Lauren is at the ER right now, because she hurt her thumb in a very intense game of 4 square, so I'm not sure if we'll get to leave on time.

NICOLE IS FINALLY IN ENGLAND!!!!!!

I'm so excited to see her tonight! I'll get home pretty late, so I'm not sure if I'll actually see her or not but I might just wake her up and give her a huge hug! 

But, honestly this last few days have been amazing and it's so comforting to know that I'm going to have such a large support system this year and people I can talk to who will know exactly what I'm going through.

Oh! In case anyone wants to write here's my new and permanent address:

15 Ripon Road
Nunthorpe
Middlesbrough
Teesside
England
TS7 0HX

Day off!

Wow, so can I just say that I honestly cannot remember a time where I have been this exhausted and felt so drained? 

I love training and the people, but this schedule is way intense, but luckily we had a day off today!

I went into Nottingham with a few of my new friends and we just walked around, went in a few shops, ate and came back to the university(where we're staying)

I then proceeded to facebook, watch Secret Life of the American Teenager(amazing), and take a nap....I'm lazy.

Not much to report after that...but it was really good to get a day off and clear my head a bit and get ready for my last few days of training. 

My team leaves on Sunday, which is about 5 days earlier than everyone else but I'm glad that I'll be able to have about a week to settle into my new home.

Nicole finally gets to the UK on Sunday!!!!!! She's also bringing peanut butter :)

British lingo lesson of the day:

When you say something is "top banana" that means cool.

Haha, amazing right?

-Kelsey

Nottingham is love....

So, basically I couldn't be happier right now!

No more gloom and doom Kelsey for awhile!

Training has been going really well so far, it can be a little long and tiring at times but for the most part I'm really learning a lot and I know God is going to do great things this year!

Funny story though, but first let me explain our schedule 

Breakfast 8-9

Devotional 9-9:30

Break 9:30-9:45

Morning Session #1 9:45-11

Break 11-11:20

Morning Session #2 11:20-12:45

Lunch 1-2

Afternoon Session #1 2:30-3:45

Break 3:45-4:15

Afternoon Session #2 4:15-5:30

Dinner 6-7

Evening Activity 7:30-whenever

Lights out 11

So you can see it's a pretty jam packed schedule...

Well, I haven't been getting a lot of sleep since I've been on my computer talking to everyone back at home so I've been wicked tired the past few days.....

Here comes the funny story....yesterday at afternoon session #1 we were talking about personal sin and I could feel myself dozing off, but I was holding it together. But, then the speaker went into a prayer and in a prayer like position I totally fell asleep, and I woke up a little later and everyone around me was staying up with their hands in the air.....STILL PRAYING! I mean I love to pray, but I don't like the marathon prayers, but anyways I was just thinking in my head "Oh crap....what do I do? People are going to think I'm like unholy!" But shortly after the prayer ended and everyone sat down. My friend Caitlin said that she just thought I was in a super intense prayer....so score one for Kelsey!

But, I really love it here. I'm meeting some great people and making some friends that I know are going to last awhile!

xx,

Kelsey