Intro to Hogwarts

Well, as many of you know, I'm going to be studying abroad this year in England. My reasoning? First of all I am an English major so where else would you go to see the places that these super cool (and they ARE super cool) writers were writing about/from/to/etc. Secondly, I am a Classics major--though that is in dispute with the paperwork gods (monsters) of UCLA--and they know their classical history there. And, in addition to these fine reasons, it's an awesome jumping off point to seeing the rest of Europe when I get a chance to travel around during spring break.
But, after choosing England, I had to decide where. I'd been to London when I was little and was not a fan of the gasoline smell and the loud honking and...things like that. I'm sure I would love it now and being in one of those universities would have been fine, but when I was doing the paper work, that was my thinking. So, I cruised around the websites, looking at them all. My final top two became Bristol, in the southwest area of England, and Durham. Durham just had that picturesque English university feel and--more than that--had a TON of classes offered that worked with what I wanted to do. Most of it came down to whether or not I would still be able to double major if I went to whichever university. Bristol I definitely wouldn't have, but Durahm I have a good shot at it (once I jump through all the UCLA hoops).
So, Durham it was. General description: north-east England, and includes the North Pennines which is kind of like their version of a national park as it is protected and just miles of moors and heather and cool British countryside. Durham is a bit from the coast, about 10 miles, but evidently the coastline is spectacular. Newcastle is about 15 minutes north east by rail, which is a pretty big city and they have a huge stage/performance place where many artists stop by on their European tours. Who knew.
But Durham itself is pretty small; like UCLA the campus/town is on HILLS--supposedly seven of them--and I will be living on the top of one in their University College. The University as a whole is split into 16 (I think) colleges and University College was the first one, built in the old castle that existed there. So, just to be clear, there's a really old cathedral and a keep (the circle thing that people lived in). I'm not in those. But it's pretty cool looking and really is a castle, and they DID film part of Harry Potter there (the courtyard scenes and some of the classroom ones supposedly) so it is now being referred to as Hogwarts by friends and family. So, I may be living in the keep itself or other ones at the base of the castle, which I understand will be freezing but hopefully the awesomeness of living in Hogwarts will carry me through the winter. Hopefully.
For now this is all, mostly because I have to be at work, but I will add more about Durham, and especially pictures once I get there. Enjoy!