Craig's Experience in Wales A personal documentation of my journey as an exchange student in Great Britain

I look at my blog and realize it has been way too long since I’ve made an entry. Since I wrote last, there have been so many wonderful experiences that I’d love to recount with you. There was the soccer game last week that was an absolute blast, the house party (church retreat) I went to this past weekend, Stonehenge, meeting loads of news people, seeing new scenery and on and on. I have just spent the past hour writing mini journal entries in an “Inspirational Daily Planner 2007” that my mom gave me prior to coming. For each day there are lines to write notes in and recount anything that happened throughout the day. Realizing the absolute necessity of documenting this trip, I conjured up every memory I’ve stored the past month and wrote it down day-by-day. Luckily I’ve remembered enough throughout the weeks I’ve been here to have some occurrence or memory written down for nearly each day I’ve been here! It was one year ago that I walked into Gordy Hall with the idea of studying abroad. I vividly remember taking a pamphlet from the wall across the Study Abroad Office. Countless pamphlets scoured that wall with opportunities to go anywhere and everywhere in the world. It’s strange, really, because it never crossed my mind to look into anywhere else expect the UK. I suppose that’s because my mom has romanticized the UK since her yearlong experience in England during college. I remember gazing upon all these opportunities in front of me as I got this rush of sheer excitement and endless possibility. “University of Wales Swansea … Swansea, Wales … Full Year or Semester Programs” was written upon a thin blue pamphlet right in front of me. I picked it up, thumbed through it and stuck it in my back pocket. I suppose in some abstract sense that pamphlet has never left my back pocket. It was as though that four-page leaflet became as crucial to me as my wallet or cell-phone. For one year the country of Wales has been imprinted on my mind and splashed all throughout my imagination. I took on more hours over the summer than I should have and spent time at OU talking to my advisor and other students who had been to Swansea. During my investigations of student experiences in Swansea, I ran across an interesting pattern. Not one single person had one negative thing to say about Wales or any experience they had with the people or university. Now I have joined in that pattern. For those of who have seen Big Fish you’ll understand what I mean by saying that this place is like Spectre. Granted I haven’t seen anyone roaming around in just their bare feet. I point all the enjoyment I’ve received in my experiences to one source: people. You will notice in a gallery I just created titled “Welsh landscape” that this country is absolutely stunning. The pictures you’ll see are from a drive taken through the Brecon Beacons National Park on the way home from a church retreat I was on this past weekend. While the country is beautiful, what leaves me in awe the most are the friendships I have been blessed with. Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to play in my second soccer game with the Christian Union. It was such a blast; I can’t even begin to describe how much fun I had out there. Before the game, I was informed that I’d be starting at center-mid (play offense and defense). Oh, man. Forget any other team that I played on and started – basketball, baseball, even football… to get this opportunity was literally like a dream come true. I mean who wouldn’t have dreams to play soccer with a bunch of guys in Wales? How often in your lifetime does that opportunity just present itself? You see, that’s why I’m loving it here! My excitement was at such a high level because I knew that I’d be playing a majority of the game. Let me explain: they make substitutions only after the first half and the halves are about 45 minutes (or it seems) in length, so if you start than you are guaranteed at least that amount of playing time. It was an exceptionally beautiful day—the sun was out, sky was pretty clear and there was a slight breeze. Wearing a #14 red “Lonsdale” uniform I was quite prepared to take the field by the time the game started. As I observed the other team, I noticed their size was quite a bit larger than mine. Luckily God blessed me with an aggressive nature in sports to make up for lacking an imposing physique. I knew that my skills weren’t up to their level, so I just trusted that my hustle would somehow match their abilities. Being at the position I was at, I ran all over the field trying to play both sides of the ball. I loved this because it is very hard for me to stand still in sports or wait for something to happen. It was like being in some kind of a zone out there with those guys. All around me guys from my team and the other team were yelling and directing and being ecstatic one second and then screaming the next. As long as that ball was being kicked there really was never a dull moment. Frequently I would stop when the ball wasn’t around me and really try to take in the surroundings. I was at the campus I’ve been dreaming about for a year… in Wales…. I’d seen the school’s buildings on websites for so long and now it was like I was in those pictures … a whole ocean apart from my home … the ONLY guy from America on the whole field… oh, it was so great just being on that field. After the game I examined my body and discovered quite a few cuts, bruises and sore spots that I knew would remain for a good week. Well, it has been nearly a week since the game and I am proud to say that I have retained many of those bruises. My shins are sore, calves are a bit achy and above all my heart is completely satisfied. Who doesn’t love waking up the morning after a game and barley being able to move without groaning? Completely priceless. The best souvenirs. We ended up tying the game 3-3 and I’ll never forget in all my days the thoughts I had while walking off that field. If I could have captured that moment on DVD— walking off the field with those guys—I’d want to watch it over and over again. Perhaps it was the sense of unity I was feeling at the moment. Or perhaps it was just the sheer joy of knowing that a dream had just come true. This past weekend I went on Mount Pleasant’s House Party. It was in the middle of Wales at a Christian conference and holiday park called “Cefn Lea”. Yeah, I know, it looks as though they just chose some letters from the alphabet they liked and meshed them into two seperate words. It’s Welsh for something but I’m not really sure. I could spend the next two hours talking about the weekend but I’ll just highlight some enjoyable moments. The place was in beautiful surroundings—in the middle of Welsh hills and countryside and amidst plenty of grazing sheep. You’d be surprised to see how much excitement I receive just from simply hearing a sheep “bah”. People in America, you can imitate a sheep’s “bah” all you want but you have never…ever....heard the utter joy of a “bahhing” sheep until your eardrums are met with the sound of the real thing. The people I met on this retreat were all so incredibly genuine and loving. It provided me a wonderful opportunity to get to know many of the people at the church that I have only been able to see on Sunday mornings. I must admit that there are very few occasions in my life where I have met a group of people so warm and inviting and personable. I felt embraced as though I’d been a part of the church congregation for months or even years. There was line dancing on Friday, sketches on Saturday that were quite funny, games such as soccer and floor hockey that I thoroughly enjoyed playing in, and talks given by the pastor Steve Levy. He focused on the concept of how church is to be heaven on Earth and different aspects around that idea. I hadn’t heard much of the worship we sang and am really hoping to get a CD of worship songs I hear at Mount to take back home. Oh man, and the food. I haven’t ate that good in ages. I never left a meal feeling hungry! It was such a blessing to get to enjoy food cooked by others an to actually get to taste Iranian food that was prepared for Saturday night. There is a good amount of Iranians at the church who prepared an incredibly delicious meal for us with rice and well, to be honest I don’t know what the other stuff was that was in the dish. But it was oh so good. I felt as though I grew in my walk with God and gained a better understanding of who He is. You know what? I would never in my wildest dreams have imagined myself placed at a church retreat in the middle of Wales. On Saturday I remember thinking that it was exactly one month go that I landed at Heathrow Airport. If someone would have walked up to me at the coach station as I waited for my bus and told me what would happen, I would truly question their sanity. Now here I was… sitting on chair in a chalet (basically a cabin) with a small group of people in a Bible study going over the hope we have in Christ. As that thought entered my mind, I became so awestruck at how God works and puts all the little pieces of the puzzle together. And to think… it all started with a simple desire and a thin blue pamphlet. I think about you all everyday and look forward to seeing everyone upon my return. Until then, I’m soaking up as much of Wales as I possibly can! God Bless and remember that God always has the best in mind for us. Peace! Philippians 1:3, Craig ☺