There have been very few responsibilities since I’ve arrived and I’ve figured out that’s the reason it feels like a vacation. Every day is a free day with nothing really on schedule besides to explore the town. From the moment I got off the bus I found other students to discover Bath and the how to make the best of our time here. Our group has grown larger since meeting others in our building and going out together has become the size of a tour group. It’s great for us, but a bit of a nuisance for those who need to walk past us or seat us in a restaurant.

Originally Friday was orientation, but it snowed overnight so what was supposed to be a day on campus turned into a day in town. Walking in fresh snow was easy, minus the fact that it was still snowing and very windy, which, for this Florida girl, was not easy. I managed though, as we walked all over town stopping in various stores trying to buy things we may have forgotten. Eventually we got hungry and decided to eat at a pub– My very first pub in England! I was so ready to knock this off my bucket list, but thanks to the snow, the chef never made it in. This is England though, of course there’s another just a couple blocks down.

I’m glad we ended up here, because the outside is picture perfect and the all around aesthetic was complete with the still falling snow. The Pig & Fiddle didn’t open their kitchen for another 30 minutes, but that’s the perfect excuse to drink a beer in the morning. The food was great, even though I didn’t get to have the classic fish & chips because someone ordered the last one, but my food was still great. Supposedly this pub is known for their baked mac & cheese, and I could see and taste why. I will most likely return there and get the fish & chips for myself.

After the pub we walked further uphill to see the Royal Crescent which is breathtaking without snow. We were lucky enough to capture photos after a fresh snow that happens about once a year in Bath according to the locals. There were about a dozen snowmen and a couple giant snowballs amongst the large, usually grassy, field. Once the photoshoots were done, we visited more grocery stores. Between the, maybe five stores we went to, each have a specific thing that it’s best for. Overall, I prefer Sainsbury’s and Tesco for my groceries. Since arriving I have walked everywhere and after careful calculations, my upper body strength will be the best it has ever been thanks to carrying groceries home every 7-10 days or so.

It’s our first Saturday night and our last before so school starts, so we have to go out. Now this is where I began questioning a lot of things. Coming from South Florida, clubs are held to a pretty high standard, so I entered with lower expectations. Maybe it’s just because of the size of the town. Maybe it’s the DJ or maybe it’s a UK thing… but the music was completely unexpected. As my cousin said, “It’s a time loop! Run away!” (literally laughing outloud) No matter how old you are, you know about High School Musical. They played two songs. The theme song from Friends. Tina Turner. Queen. I could go on, but I’m sure that I gave you enough of the playlist to agree that you wouldn’t have expected that either. We still made it a good time and sang along, but definitely the strangest part of the weekend.

Sunday started late (normal for college students), but the first thing we did was eat lunch at Wagamama which was delicious and i can’t wait to go back to try the next menu item i have my eye on. There are a good amount of ramen places in South Florida, but I have only had the struggle meal ramen noodles. I have seen pitures and heard great things about it, finally, I tried it for myself. I need more lessons on eating noodles with chopsticks, but with a fork, it was much less work and tasted better. This place is actually a small chain, so if you don’t make it to Bath you can find it in London too. Did I mention they give you a placemat that you can color?! Even though I didn’t get to finish 😦

Our next site seeing stop was Pulteney Bridge, which happened to be covered in ice, but still a great set of pictures. There are cafes and shops all across the bridge, but the best view is behind them. Most pictures of Bath show this particular bridge, so crossing it off the list our first weekend was great. There’s still so much of the town we overlooked due to the amount of things to see, but guess what?! It’s home!! Temporarily of course, but that just means four months to explore and memorize the town.

My advice to anyone wanting to study abroad… Making friends is something you might worry about as you plan your experience, but you’re not the only one traveling alone. Don’t be an introvert, go ahead and introduce yourself to other students. The people you first speak to have potentional to be friends throughout the semester or even longer. Make travel plans together, because that’s why everyone’s there. Take classes together, because that’s the priority, and it’s more fun with friends. This entire post, especially the photos and various experiences, may not have happened if I bit my tongue.