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Status: Alive (after all), and back.

Dear passengers, sorry for disappearing.
I was hit by a virual infection and experienced the worst of my medical history. People say you miss home when being most vulnerable and what I miss the most about the little hill is actually our ladies (especially Leslie, she’s perfect) from health service. The school clinic here? Let’s put it that way, it was rather different and a bit less approachable due to the size of student body–the staff did a good job managing patients among the 17,000 students enrolled, in addition, their family members who live here, I just missed being in a small school so much. After used up over 5 boxes of tissues and stayed in bed for two weeks, I was finally able to go back to desk work: but not back to be your pilot, for your safety. I apologize for the long wait and please shall I introduce to you what went on now we are at the halftime break.
  1. Where are we? (Uni of Sussex!)
  2. Again? (Brighton……An English Channel away from France if you wish.)
  3. What do we do? (uh, we still go school….)
  4. How do we do? (……we tried not to get beaten so hard by a new environment.)
  5. What else? (The “Old England”!!!!!! and how much I love it being a history student, 😉
  6. And the food? (Well…)
  7. Best of Sussex? (A looooooooooooot!)
  8. To be continued? (See what’s next!)

Be back soon with your Sussex guide 1-8. Hope you all had a great time with families and trees and Santa, and happy new year! 2018……just keep us alive, please.

Merry Christmas from the historical town of Lewes, England.
She kissed me and it was the best day of the month. Period.
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Chapter One: The Reasoning (The boring first chapter, 0% excitement, 100% reflection. Skip to Ch2 for pictures.)

I’ve been thinking about “the” question recently—why study abroad.

No matter how it feels like a second home (and a 2nd level homesickness) to me, Holy Cross was the first place that made me consider the reason for studying abroad. It didn’t take too long—I knew I wanted something different.

It was also a quick one with full confidence last fall: why study abroad? Why not? I had so much more than just curiosity spending one year and a half on the hill dealing with life alone. I lived in Berlin by myself for a month in a winter worse than New England, I had an unexpected 24-hour stay in Ireland with a visa given at the airport and no data or phone service, I knew I got this.

It wasn’t however, how I thought would be. I did had a great time since arrival(and we’ll get into that later), but at the end of the day(and even during) it was not the excitement that filled my head: I can’t stop comparing my life here with it was in Holy Cross, and from what I realized something I may never if I stayed on the hill for this year. I realized how much I was changed by Holy Cross, and how, in every decisions or reactions to things happening here, I found a piece or two of my previous college life. I realized how deep the people I met, the things I’ve done and the difficulties I’ve overcome(or not) had influenced and prepared me. I think of my friends, professors and the faculty back on the hill all the time with gratefulness, for I could never be who I am today without them.

❤Thank you, HC. ❤

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Welcome abroad!

Dear readers, welcome abroad. I mean…aboard, to this blog that will later take you somewhere “else”. I’m your captain in this journey heading to Brighton, England and you will soon meet your crew member, if they decide to join. My name is on the top of the page, feel free to call me Siming, Jasmine, Jazzy…be creative.  We will departure from Shanghai, China because your captain needs a ride, and take a stop near the hill so that you can all get on board, and then land in London, England in the morning on September the 16. I believe that you all need a pre departure guide, where you will find below, and any unattended curiosity will be taken care of as you post them at the end of this page as our guest. Thank you for flying with us, fun is guaranteed in our service.

Q1. Destination?

A1: University of Sussex, Brighton, England, UK. Department of HAHP (History, Art History and Philosophy)

Q2. Place of Departure?

A2: Shanghai, China.

Q3. The crew?

Q4: Your captain had already contacted local staff to assist this journey and you will be seeing them very soon. They might come and go but you can’t get rid of me, sorry. =)

Q4. The Captain?

A4: The perfect representation of the career path of History and International Studies double major. Absolutely certified for time and international travel.

Q5. Why abroad?

A5: Why not?

Q6. Why England?

A6: Because I’ve never been there.

Q7. What else?

A7: Keep calm, stay curious, have fun.

Again, thank you for choosing my blog, and welcome aboard.