Beware! Sheep poop may look like Milk Duds, but it don't taste like it.

Whoever says the weather in Great Britain is suppossed to be depressing and rainy can kiss off. While being in Swansea, also known as "an ugly, lovely town," by famous Welsh writer Dylan Thomas, I have experienced some of the most beautiful weather. I will admit it rains more than back home, but there have been a fair share of beautiful, sunny days. And besides, the rain allows you to enjoy the sun that much more when it is out.

This past weekend I decided I should be a tourist in my own town, fanny pack and all. And much to my luck, the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was actually warmer here than it was back in Richmond or Wilmington. So what better to do on a warm day than go out to the Gower Penisula.

The Gower Penisula is apart of the city of Swansea and is on the south coast of Wales, on the north side of the Bristol Channel. This is actually the first area in the U.K. that has been named "An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Traveling to the Gower is pretty simple. If you already have a bus pass (which after buying one for 220 pounds, I do) it costs only four pounds to have a round-trip bus ride out to the Gower. It's about a 20-40 minute bus ride depending on the circumstances (what time of day and how many old people are on the bus- for whatever reason, the bus to the Gower is all full of the ederly, guess they live out there?). The trip to the Gower is very scenic. Rolling hills of sheep and green grass. And sheep poop actually looked like Milk Duds. Yum! (you can see the picture to the right- except for some reason on the computer they look more like raisinets. hmm... just a little food for thought)

The road to Gower is extremely narrow, and if a car is coming towards you, either the car has to pull to the side of the road, or the bus does because it is basically only big enough to be a one-way road.

I went with a group of friends, all exchange students as well. We stopped for a quick Lunch at this place called Sam's Surf Shop. I got an amazing sandwhich there, and will definitely have to go back soon. It's a quaint little shop, with coffee and desserts as well. A good place to go for reading, as it looks over the beach on Rhosilli bayAnd the two dudes working in there legit looked straight out of Laguna Beach or the O.C. or something.

Check out the youtube videos I posted and look at the pictures! It is a remarkable place!
And this is a video of a dog that looks like my old dog Sunshine.

Island of Reality in an Ocean of Diarrhea

That's a video I made to encapsulate what an ordinary day is like for me in Swansea (Peanut-butter and banana sandwiches).

island of reality in an ocean of diarrhea from Jeph Hinshawty on Vimeo.
The song in the video is "Details in the Fabric" by Jason Mraz Featuring James Morrison.

When I walk up the stairs of the Hendrefoilan House, you can see the beach and Mumbles off in the distance.Mumbles is a village with adjacent headland stretching into Swansea Bay. It is part of the city of Swansea. And a random fact that I found humorous is that mumbles is derived from the French word mamelles, which means breasts. At the tip of Mumbles are two humps that resembles breasts. How 'bout dem apples?

And kudos to the Danny Deveraux for giving me inspiration with his self-proclaimed "cute video" called "Southampton Day." Check it out as well.

You can also check out his blog, God Save the Danny, it's entertaining. Or you can click the picture to the left which is taken from his blog.

Too Good for American Idol?

So I am no longer a self-proclaimed American Idol fanatic. I haven't been closely following the last couple of seasons (especially since receding hairline David Cooke won last season), and because of course, I am living in another country so it's not like I can really even watch it. But being the Youtuber I am, I stumbled across an audition for this season of a 22 year old girl who blew me away. Her voice is so unique. Reminds me of the precious Zooey Deschanel from She & Him meets a slightly Regina Spektor-ish (although no one can compare to the Soviet Kitsch Queen). And on top of that she is absolutely gorgeous (and has a full-sleeve..sexy). Her name is Megan Joy Corkrey. Check out this youtube clip and fall in love with her like I have.

So after seeing that video, I vowed to follow Megan Joy Corkrey's journey...and it seems to be short lived. According to an MTV article titled, Why Megan Corkrey Won't Win 'American Idol,' she was "far and away the best contestant last night (perhaps even the best of the season so far), she is beautiful and inspiring, and possesses a subtle, lithe little voice, but there is no way in the world she is going to win 'American Idol.'" And I completely agree. I'd go see her in concert...but I don't picture her concert being in the $94 million, 136,000 square foot theatre, 3,400 seated Kodak Theater. As MTV stated, "She’s more suited for a small club...fronting a new favorite band on indie label Saddle Creek. Winning 'American Idol'? No." And sadly, after her adorable signature dance stance, 60's esque side-to-side hip bobbing, this performance may be her last.

After performing Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Record On," Wednesday night, she was not voted in to the top 12 by America. However, the judges have the opportunity to bring three "wild-card" contestants back. As the episode came to an end Simon hinted, "Maybe even a couple from tonight you're going to see again." I hope so, but if she doesn't come back, I won't be too heart broken, as American Idol doesn't seem to be the place for someone quite as unique as Corkrey.

Like Sarah Palin in a Gun Shop

Since I have been in the Land of the Dragon (or sheep...as seen pictured to the right- a herd of sheep on the Gower Penisula in Wales) I have become a pro at "fannying around" ("procrastinating" for those of you not as down with the British lingo).

It has taken me over 6 weeks to get this up and running. Pathetic, I know, however, with 6 weeks worth of traveling, accents, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches (cheapest, easiest, and most nutritious sandwich), that means I have a lot of ketchuping to do.
-Ketchup cost an outrageous 10p a packet at McDonald's! What is this world coming to? Bye-bye days of grabbing handfuls of ketchup and sticking them in my pockets. But with that being said, paying for packets of ketchup has surprisingly been one of the biggest culture shocks I have experienced thus far. Life over here doesn't seem that different than America. (And the teeth over here... not that bad. you can find worse in any trailer park in the states).

American culture is a big part of the culture over here. From being able to sip on a caramel frappocino amongst trendy scholars and their Macbooks at Starbucks, to discussing with mates the mishaps of the Desperate Housewives on Wisteria Lane, I feel right at home. Certain American restaurants such as Subway, Pizza-Hut, and yes, "Southern Fried Chicken" are within a walking distance of the city-center, and going out to the clubs is like stepping into a 2 month lag of American Top 40 Music. Oh yes!

And if you thought Obama was a celebrity in America, you may want to reevaluate. Because over here people are in love. My friend Katie and I met one guy at a club who was sporting an Obama t-shirt, American obsessed. There was even an event, with bubbly and all, held on campus for Obama's inauguration. I was even interviewed by the British Broadcasting Company for it, and although I don't remember a word I said, probably because of the blinding spotlight on my face, I am sure something profound came out of my mouth. (above is a picture at the inauguration ceremony of Obama right before he stuttered over the pledge- he's pictured above the American flag and the sweet Welsh flag)


But despite the parallels, I have found life over here to have some key differences.
-Sports: Football (soccer) and rugby fans over here are just as insane as my mom and brother are with Carolina football (American-football) to the point that drinks can't be served in glass at pubs on game nights for fear of stabbing.
-Style: The style over here is much more trendy, including guys, which is really messing with my gay-dar. My favorite store in Swansea is called TopMan, which is the counterpart to the female store TopShop, and includes a variety ranging from informal indie-rock-influenced casual-clothes to high-street formal wear. The first time I walked in the store, I walked to the first section, expecting just a small corner section for men, as seen across any store from back home, but found myself like Sarah Palin in a Gun Shop when I realized the whole bottom floor was just for men! Blimey!
-Toilet: If you have to relieve yourself, you are going to the toilet. Not the restroom, not the bathroom. The toilet! Makes sense to me. But how different can going to the toilet in another country really be? The stalls are still defaced with obscene gestures and drawings. For instance, written on the wall of a stall in a pub in Swansea,

"Some come here to sit and think,
some come here to shit and stink,
but I come here to itch my balls,
and read the writing on the walls."

If anything, maybe the defacing over here is more creative. And not only are the stalls graffiti'd, but it seems people everywhere are still having trouble aiming. But the differences...there really are some major ones:
1. Going # 2 on campus almost seems out of the question, even coming from a self-proclaimed IBS recipient and lactose-intolerant guy. I'm not sure if people have smaller poops over here or what, but finding a roll of toilet paper is just not possible. The toilet paper dispenser only gives you one thin sheet of paper at a time, like a cheap tissue box. 2. When flushing the toilet in my flat, it's more like performing a WWF elbow drop.
3. Being a guy over here has its perks. A majority of the stand up urinals (pronounced ur-anals over here) are just walls with flowing water. And in Amsterdam, I was given the opportunity to pee in public free of charge. (as seen on the right in the city center in Amsterdam)

And I realize I am rambling on and on about the toilet, but you don't realize how much you use it, until it changes on you. One of the funniest mishaps with involving the toilet was a gay bar that labeled the Men and Women's room as (Fags and Hags).

Fanny Around? Check!

Before I left for Wales I told everybody that I would start a blog to update everyone on my new

and exciting life in Swansea! However, I haven't had "time" to sit down and spill my guts and glory. And to be quite honest, I almost lost all desire to start a blog site, but after talking to my friend Danny Deza (Deza What?) and being inspired by his "daily dose of Deza magic," I had a change of heart.

Check it out, The Deza Detour, or you can click the picture to the right, which is the header to his blog.