My first week in England!!!

Alright! So I am here!! All that anticipation and counting down is finally over. I, Kelsey Nicole, have finally made it to the beautiful United Kingdom!!! Sorry it has been a bit delayed... it took a few days to finally get the internet sorted out at the base. The trip itself was not all that bad. It was long, but all my flights were on time, and my last leg from Houston to Gatwick was pretty much empty so I had a bunch of seats all to myself. Check out this sunrise over Dublin!!!!

So, I got into the airport and Steve my teacher, his daughter Esther, and Andy on staff were there waiting for me. I spent a few hours waiting for some of the other girls to fly in, and then we had our first experience on a European motor way (highway). It was pretty crazy... the drivers here are um... lets just say I don't even compair in craziness. Haha. Saturday was spent for the most part just settling into our rooms and hanging out getting to know eachother. My room is pretty small, I share with three other girls that are all awesome, but we have managed to get it to work. (There are pictures below.)

So Sunday we all slept in really late we were so jet lagged. We got up and hung out for a while. Sunday there was an Apple Festival on the Base, as we have an orchard behind the Factory. It was fun. They made apple cider and we went and climbed the trees. Haha. Then some of the girls and me took our first walk into Harpenden. It is such a cute little city! Everything here is pretty much brick. There are lots of pubs and salons and boutiques. But we don't say here we are going to the city, we say... "we are going to the shops". Haha. Harpenden also happens to house the worlds second smallest Blockbuster Movie Store. Haha. They have one here! No starbucks but many coffee shops. It was a lot of fun, and only about a 15 minute walk from the base. Sunday night was spent just hanging out and catchin up on some sleep.

Today was the big day! The first day of classes. It was so crazy. I was nervous, excited, everything in one. Our DTS has 20 students and 9 staff. Together we represent I think 10 different nations. We come from the States, Canada, Korea, Iceland, New Zealand, Argentina, Brasil, Ecuador, Germany, Wales, and the UK! Crazy cool huh?!!!

This morning, lecture was about culture, and all the little things that affect who we are and where we are in life, yet as Christians it isn't about changing our culture, but learning to combine the two and be who we have been called to be in Christ. I don't know if I explained that well enough but that is okay it works. After class we had lunch and then went to town for a class scavenger hunt through the city. It was pretty fun and helped us to learn our way around town better. Dinner was good tonight. We had rice and chicken with brocolli cheese sauce, it reminded me of something my mom makes at home. We got our schedules now, its pretty busy! But I am so excited to see where the Lord will take me these next few months. It's going to be stretching and chaotic at times, but I am ready and prepared for what he is going to be teaching me and showing me!!!!!!!! Bring on day two!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes. I almost forgot, that apparently my birthday here is a huge British holiday of some sort, where they celebrate with bon fires and fireworks! How awesome is that?!!! And.... we get to go to the DNA Conference at Kings Lodge during my birthday too! Loren Cunningham is leading it! That is going to be amazing!

Well. I think I have blogged myself out for the night but I will try to post some more in the next few days!! Here are some pics! Enjoy!