Four Months in Bath, England

For anyone who doesn't know, I will be spending the fall semester in the beautiful Bath, England, 97 miles southwest of London.  It is also 3,138 miles away from my home in Rochester, New Hampshire.  I've always wanted to study abroad, but now that it's time to actually leave I'm getting a little anxious.  Considering I've never even left the continent of North America, spending four months in Europe is a pretty big leap for me.  Nevertheless I am incredibly excited to be living in England!


http://visitbath.co.uk/site/ideas-and-inspiration/pictures-and-videos


While I'm in Bath I will be participating in Advanced Studies in England, a program for American students to come take classes and provides many other opportunities such as residential trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.  But by far the biggest reason I chose to study abroad with ASE is because of their Education Programme, which allows me to spend Tuesdays at the Bathampton Primary School in a Year 2/3 classroom (the equivalent of American 1st/2nd grade)!



http://www.bathampton.bathnes.sch.uk/


In addition to my school placement I will also be taking three other classes:

• Education in England -  Examines contemporary issues relating to the educational system in the UK, including No Child Left Behind compared to Every Child Matters, and gender in the classroom and teaching profession
• Patterns of Power: Theories of Gender, Race, Class, and Sexuality in Contemporary Society - Attempts to explain individualism, risk culture, hypermediation, the therapeutic state and the possibilities and implications of new technologies through historical and contemporary sociological theories. 
• Women, Culture, and Society in Eighteenth Century England - Pretty self explanatory but it does feature a study trip to Dyrham Park.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dyrhampark

And I'll be living in this lovely house with six other ASE students.  There's a pretty sweet patio and backyard here too!  Although there is one downfall: I'm going to have to learn how to cook for myself.  No more Alliot for me, which will be much less convenient, but hopefully tastier. 

http://www.studyabroadbath.org/drupal/ase_dev/?q=node/841

With 7 days until I leave there's a frenzy of packing and last minute miscellaneous errands I must run. Not to mention visits to my wonderful friends.  Hopefully my procrastination soon ceases to exist.