A few things not to be forgotten.

This last fortnight or so has been busy but fun. I feel so rooted here in Bozeman, like I've set up home here, made a little life for myself. I love the place, the people and the opportunities, the classes and the culture. I wish I could stay here to finish off university, but sadly that isn't the case, and I know once I am back in Plymouth in six months time, I will appreciate the people there and the seaside surroundings. Also, being within train travel of my family will be much appreciated.

A few memories from the past few weeks:

-A dorm room dinner party with Sean, Mia and Max the night Spring break began, sneaking the food and beer up into the dorms was fun as well as the catching up and getting to have some of Tesco's finest fudge courtesy of Mia.

-A talk by Neil Degrasse Tyson with S at the University one Wednesday night. It was a really cool event, with all of Bozeman (it seemed!) filling the basketball stadium turned lecture theatre. He was a wonderful speaker with a wealth of knowledge and thought provoking scenarios to teach everyone about. He was also hilarious and ever so charismatic which made it a really good night. We ended it with a walk home with Ben and a discussion about life's many burning questions.
-I wrote about Bozeman on Lu's blog: http://www.frauleinlouise.com/frauleinlouise/2015/3/5/city-slicker-guide-to-bozeman-montana#comments-54f8ce99e4b083d0ec2a947f= and how much I love the damn place.
-February 2015 on video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpMwCriLNQY&feature=youtu.be as part of my ongoing monthly video series (it is now in its fourth year which is crazy to think) but I'm happy I have a backlog of memories to watch back now!

Campus on a sunny day!

-The cold came back. Montana does like to keep you guessing doesn't it? 14 degrees one day, -22 the next.
-Yoga! I 'm loving my yoga class that counts for 1 credit, I've made some lovely friends in the class and am really enjoying the practice of yoga, even incorporating it into my daily routine at home.
-A potluck at Ben's one saturday night with cous cous, aubergines and sugar free banana bread (which Ben raved about all night - baking win I think) with the international crew, followed by some of the girls heading to mine for tea and talking into the early hours.
-A photoshoot full of flying sparks in the freezing cold with good friends, followed by ice cream and excitement at cold stone creamery. So tasty!

Me and Natalie - I'm way too excited about ice cream ha

-Signs of spring - can't wait for it to get warm again and to feel the sun (for real)

-Cycling home late at night and seeing the mountains lit up by the snow as well as the amazing views of the stars.

-Acting in Directing class and doing improv, reminding me of drama school days and actually really enjoy playing different characters. It was really fun and made me wanna get involved in some sort of acting club or something - we'll see. 

-Hot chocolate or herbal tea on freezing days drunk out of huge mugs with friends or a book.

-Weekly Wednesday 'dates' with Mia - usually a coffee shop working morning or a stroll round town, it's always fun, whatever we do.

We found beard hats in the MSU colours. 

-Actually sorting out my job and getting some shifts - I start the first day back after Spring Break. The other staff seem really nice, and I can sense some english accent banter coming on. 

-Scriptwriting class - getting feedback on ideas and having really interesting conversations with my lecturer out of class. He has been an editor, a sound man, a screenwriter and a weather man so has many cool stories to share.

-Thrift store shopping with Meg for her upcoming Jamaica adventure. You find some cool things in there and also some amusing things!

Thrift store = goldmine!

-Skype catch ups with the bestie (Lici) - always missing her but it kinda feels like we actually hung out after a 2 hour catch up!

 -Brunching with Becca outside (despite it being -2 outside) and taking in the fresh air and views of the mountains.
-Going into a shop and looking for a chalk bag for climbing and being met by a wall of deer heads. And a display of guns (why america why).

-The perfect cup of herbal tea. So welcome after cycling home in the cold.

-Visiting my lecturer's house for portraiture to do some indoor lighting demos, and in turn meeting his very cute puppies and using his pet ferrets as props. How very strange. 

Zoe the model ferret. 

-Going for a sunset run with S - it was so nice to run up to Peets hill and watch the sun set as we did. Trying to prioritise things like running and yoga - I always feel so good afterwards, I just need to make time for it.
-The prospect of spring break travels! So excited to get out of Bozeman and venture out to see some more of the USA. 

-Pretty icy patterns on the windows on frosty mornings.

-Buying a CAR! We had planned to rent one for Spring break, and then it turned out that it was not an option so after searching for weeks on craigslist - one happened to pop up that was perfect on the exact day we needed it to. Crazy good timing! It feels so good to be part owner of a car (despite the fact that I cannot drive it) - I really appreciate the freedom and opportunities it is going to give us living in such a space out area of the USA. It is also big enough to seat lots of friends, so excited for the group adventures that will be had as well as travel with S. We will also hopefully be able to sell it on when we leave so long as we take good care of it!

Our car! Maybe we should name it!

-Also, taking the car out for a drive with some friends on the first night that we got it, playing some tunes and getting really excited about all the opportunities for travel it holds!

Inaugural trip in the car! Sean, Mia, Max and Me. 

-Feeling grateful for the support of S and getting excited for our road trip next week! Warm weather here we come!

 -And finally Montana Sunsets! Because they are gorgeous and last for hours! I love it :)

And that's it for now! Off to Utah tomorrow for some paddle boarding, bouldering, hiking and camping! Can't wait to see the red rocks :)

Big (pink) sky country!

Heatwaves and Snowstorms.

Montana is known for having strange temperature changes, and apparently the highest to the lowest in a one day period. This past week or so has definitely demonstrated that. Last week was hot! I'm talking 14/15/16 degrees (celsius - still can't get used to that american fahrenheit) most days, t shirt weather by Montana winter standards. It meant a directing class being taught outside which was so nice, we acted on the grass and bathed in the hot sunshine. It was glorious.

Montana Hall in the Sunshine. 

This week involved a trip to Ben's for chilled out catch ups, soup, quinoa stew and beer, a birthday celebration for Mia, excitement for the long weekend (Yay Presidents Day), catch ups with my favourite Norwegians, a drive up to Hyalite Canyon (where it was -5 and freezing with loads of snow) at night to start a bonfire and throw sparks around with steel wool for photography class, along with a 7 hour cinematography shoot where everything that could go wrong did go wrong (yay learning) and a lovely valentines day spent with S exploring Bozeman by bike, and sipping orange beer out of mason jars (so hipster) with Ben and Juliet. Also, there has been a ton of work, my first critique for portraiture, studio days and yoga in between it all. Also got myself a locker in the gym, meaning that every time I want to get to my climbing shoes I have to struggle to open the weird american non sensical combination lock.

The warm weather made for some nice sunset walks for S and I complete with ice cream cones that had us reminiscing about Plymouth summertime. Also, another attempt to go ice skating with Mia failed again, this time we tried to go indoors since its so warm outside there is no chance of that, but the rink was hosting a hockey tournament the whole of that day so we could go on the ice. Did get to watch some ice hockey though. 

I also hosted a movie night with the English girls, we watched zoolander, ate lots, had a bonfire, impersonated harry potter and toasted marshmallows as the snow came down. It was really nice to have some girl time in the house where I am vastly outnumbered by males.

Studio time with the class. 

Sunset walk with S.

Sunset walk. Reflection in the University Barn's window. (Yes-the university has its own barn.)

Pancakes!

Main Street.

Bonfire times!

Birthday Celebrations for M.

I think that's about it for now. Excited for adventures to come!

Super Sunday.

This past Sunday was so good, so I thought I would write about it. It started out warm and sunny, with a drive to main street with my friend Becca (school assigned buddy - but we got on really well so became actual friends)  We had hysterics about Becca trying to get into a box on the side of the road for a surprise valentines photo - the box subsequently broke, and we both nearly fell over laughing so hard. We gave up after that, and headed to 'overeasy' on Main Street for a shared brunch of pancakes, and a veggie omelette. So tasty!

After she dropped me home, the next plan was to hike the famous Bozeman M - a pile of rocks on a mountain in the shape of an M! Me and S cycled up to campus to meet our hiking buddies - 2 Aussies and Dillon - the lone New Zealander. I nearly got frostbite on the way there, due to being overconfident about the temperature....bad decision, had to run into the library to warm up and allow my hands to return to their usual colour. We met up with everyone, after farewell crying from Mia who decided to do homework instead of join us for the hike - which meant we could drive the 5 miles as opposed to cycling it in minus 5 temperatures!

We drove, listening to the best music (triple j - thanks aussies for the introduction to that) and got closer and closer to the M - the hill looking steeper and steeper as we did. We parked up and then started the 'easy' climb which involved mud, slippery ice patches and lots of beautiful views. It was really fun getting to chat with the guys and climb up the mountain. We reached the top and were a bit underwhelmed by the M - since you can't really tell its an M from up close but amazed by the views over Bozeman, the mansions below us looked like sheds and you could see so far, to campus and all of the mountain ranges surrounding Bozeman. It was gorgeous. After snacking on some saltines care of Dillon and trying to coax a chipmunk out of the undergrowth that someone saw for a split second, we took a couple of pictures and then began the descent down the 'steep' trail. It was funny, and hard on the knees and seemed so far. I think we were going pretty slow, since one man passed us (he was going up, we were coming down) and then passed us again (he was coming down, and we were still going down) - blaming it on the altitude....

Afterwards, we had some chocolate orange, good tunes and a scenic drive home past the cross country ski trails and the local hospital - 'for such small town, that's big' - F and 'it looks like a fancy chocolate' - D, we headed home after a quick stop for food supplies. We then ate, and promptly tried to do some homework and fell asleep, missing half of the much talked about and anticipated (overrated) Super Bowl.

Once we woke up, we wrapped up warm and headed to Ben's for football watching and tunes, with the international crew, which was fun, involving birthday cake oreos - a staple for these guys and trying not to fall asleep - American football just ain't my thing, it just seemed like a lot of stopping and starting and everyone kept cheering yet the scores didn't move.... maybe I will learn one day!

After commiserating that our 'local' team had lost, we hung out a bit longer, then me and S headed out for a walk around the neighbourhood - no streetlights makes it a little scary sometimes. And then felt super hungry and ordered pizza which we ate while watching Sherlock.

It was a good day. Now to catch up on all that homework and reading I didn't do....ooops.

Making me happy this week.

1. Summer evenings - so much more potential than the winter, a bike ride or a long walk have been our activities of choice recently.

2. Hanging out the washing, something I have always found comforting and not something that is usually possible at uni, but thanks to my favourite boy, I now do my washing for free at his, and it smells so good when it has been hanging outside in the breeze. 

3. Listening to old music: James Blunt and Busted have been our nostalgia of choice this week. 

4. Excitement for a trip home next week, and seeing the family which I cannot wait for! It's been far too long and I have missed them all so much, can't wait for sister catch ups and kitty cuddles. 

5. Pretty skies at night. Something that will never get old. 

6. Adventures that are yet to happen - also getting excited for all of Lulu's upcoming travels. 

7. Wearing dresses without tights and dipping toes in the sea.

8. Feeling grateful for people coming into your life at the right time. And appreciative of the friendship shared.

9. Dodgems: a small part of the summer ball but definetely one of the main highlights.

10. Yummy healthy meals making us feel good. 

Making me happy this week.

Hello there,

I haven't used this space in a very long time but decided to give the happy list another go, after reading a few different blogs with similar lists! It's always good to appreciate what you've got right?

1. Falling asleep to the sound of rain. Living in the 2nd wettest city in the UK, rain is an hourly occurance and I've grown accustomed to listening to it, as it now helps me relax and drift off!

2. Going on long evening walks, the last one ended up being a 5 mile round trip cause we may have got a bit lost! 

3. Finishing first year! And getting a first in my final presentation as well as having a big turn out for the end of year exhibition, it's so exciting/scary to be at the end of the year cause now I have four months of summer stretching ahead!

4. Getting into good books! Reading has taken a backseat in recent months so it has been nice to get back into it this week and spend many evenings with my head in a book.

5. Living without sugar during the week! If you know me, then you know that chocolate and I have a very close relationship that should never be messed with, but the past few weeks, I have decided to give it up on everyday but Sunday, and it actually feels really good to not eat it and then treat myself on the Sunday! 

6. Climbing! Last week, me and 2 friends started climbing, our uni offers free starter courses where they teach you all you need to know! It's really good fun, and although I've climbed before, I've never felt quite so confident as I do now, I even managed to reach the top of one of the tallest walls in the south west, I love it, feel right in my element when I'm climbing! 

7. Making little videos of adventures that S and I go on, love that he's so into video too :) 

8. Getting excited for the ball coming up at the end of May! 

9. Listening to really good music! 

10. My favourite boy! 

Kinda wanna do these more often, we shall see if I stick to that promise! 

What has made you happy this week? 

Love Ellie 

Thoughts in the middle of the night.

It's one of those nights where I can't sleep. It's very late, I have an early start and my mind is buzzing for whatever reason.

Remedies I have tried:

-going for a run at 4am: definetely a moment of sleep deprived insanity but fun all the same - ran a mile at least!

-counting sheep

-having a nice warm shower 

-drinking milk 

But none seem to work, any fellow insomniacs - feel free to share tips in the comments! 

I have taken to reminiscing about how much has changed in the last year of my life, and how long it has been now since I moved back from Italy - nearly a year! It's crazy how this life I used to live over there is now just memories and snapshots and faces and journal entries full of excitement of all these new experiences. 

I miss that life, the way we used to cycle everywhere and buy the special bread each morning, the funny games the kids and I would play in the park, the little mannerisms and traditions I had with the people I would meet on the street - the nuns at the school, the woman in the bakery, the mums in the school playground, the man in the bookshop, the way I used to wear flowers in my hair everyday, the friends I made who all came from different nations, the little parks on street corners, all these little details that I desperately try to hold on to wishing to go back in time and relive them.

I think I will always love the little Italian city I once called home.

Sorry for a rambly weird old post - that's just how it is though!

#29 of the 30 Day Snap | Birthday Cake!

Read more about the series here and here.

Day 29. 

In the evening, we had a little birthday dinner for my Dad and I with all the family (except my sister since she's away) and my auntie had got us this lovely cake (with bunting - yes!) 
My cousin was given creative license on how to do the candles on the cake so he chose to add together my age and my dad's age which is 73 and put that many candles on the cake, plus a 0 for a joke! 

It was such a great evening sitting out in the garden (because it is now warm enough!) chatting, eating wax covered cake (we had to pay a price for that many candles) and playing the board game version of 'Would I lie to you' which caused much hysteria! 

<3

#15 of the 30 Day Snap | A sea of pink.

Read more about the series here and here.

Day 15. 

Last night, I along with my mum and my sister, volunteered for a local hospice event - the 'ladies in the night' and it was so amazing to see all these excited women ready to do something great for charity. I was filming the video for them and it was so great to talk to everyone and hear why they were walking. I really admire them all walking 5 or 9 miles through the night and agree that the work the hospice does is absolutely brilliant. 

This was technically yesterday but it went on until 3am so I think it counts, right? 

<3

#13 of the 30 Day Snap | Sunset

Read more about the series here and here.

Day 13.

yesterday's sunset was so beautiful. I love it when the sky is so pretty, a mix of burnt orange, pinks and yellow. 

<3

#11 of the 30 Day Snap | The Cotswolds.

Read more about the series here and here.

Day 11. 

Today was a day that my Mama and I set aside for ourselves to spend some quality time together (since we both had the day off work), we had originally planned to get the train down to Brighton but when the weather forecast predicted 'rain, rain, rain', we decided to pick a place where it was supposedly going to be warm and sunny. 

We considered Norfolk (a firm family favourite but too far for the day), Dorset (recommended by a neighbor but also a bit of a trek) and a arty day visiting some of the galleries in London (have done that a lot) but in the end, we decided on the Cotswolds, for a day of country walks, tea rooms and frolicking in fields, why not? 

We visited the parts of the Cotswolds that are in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire (mainly because that is where we happened to end up) stopping at: Moreton-on-the-Marsh (to browse the market and pick up some sweeties for the road), Stow-on-the-wold (for lunch in a cute little tea room and a browse through the shops), Lower Slaughter (for a walk to a mill and a wander to see some sheep), Upper Slaughter (to take silly photos in a field of rapeseed), Bourton-on-the-water (for a dragonfly maze where we got very lost) and finally Burford (for a quick cup of tea before we headed home) 

I highly recommend any of this places if you are looking for a typical English village, they were all very pretty and we felt like we had stepped back in time. It turned out it wasn't too sunny (though we saw the occasional bit of blue sky peeping out from behind the clouds) but we had a great time anyway, my mum is great fun to be around and we had a lot of laughs while 'making memories' (our cheesy family slogan we use to make each other laugh when we get lost or end up in a less than ideal situation e.g. stuck behind a van of pigs for 10 miles while driving in a foreign country - this actually happened.) and also felt very quintessentially British the whole day. 

The photo I chose for today was this, it is me at one of the 'top 10 lunch spots in the UK' for 2013, but I didn't have any food on me to pose with so pretended to eat my camera instead. It made us giggle at how ridiculous I look, but it kind of sums up the day's silliness, so I like it. But RIP to my camera (pictured in the above photo) - the lens is now pretty much broken, it still kinda works but I have a feeling that in the next few days it will stop. So, have bought a very reasonable one on ebay as a replacement, excited for that to arrive this week! 

And I love a good road trip, don't you? We had Ben Howard and Bruce Springsteen blasting all the way there. Love it! 

Hope you are enjoying the 30 Day Snap, I'm enjoying following along with other blogs too :) 

                 What did you do today? Do you like road trips? Have any fun traditions on them? 

  <3

Things I'm thankful for, this week.

This week, I'm thankful for:

-The fact that I'm flying home tomorrow! To be reunited, with my family, cats, friends and english food/chocolate (hehe).
-A helpful and caring host mother, who is lovely and looked after me when I was feeling my worst and just wanted to be at home with my real mother.
-My mother who listened to me at all hours when I just needed someone to talk to (being ill in a foreign place is lonely :( ....)
-Sweet Italians.
-A friend who I can call up for coffee dates and riverside walks
-The Sparkly Christmas lights.
-The Christmas Tree and homemade decorations.
-The snow, sticking around for over a week!
-TEA (English Breakfast of course)
-Books (kept me interested this week while in bed!) - especially Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.
-The Prospect of seeing friends, and being in London
-Christmas is COMING!
-Festive Music (being played on repeat!)

Ellie x