I started off my day with breakfast, which is probably some of the best hotel food I’ve ever had. We then hopped on a double decker bus which has been in my bucket list for a while. The best way I can compare the ride along with the driving would be to the third Harry Potter movie. In the movie Harry Potter gets on this bus that goes insanely fast and can squeeze in tight spaces much like the small streets of Birmingham.

We then attended BCU which, like the other buildings, was gorgeous. It contained bright colors and was overall a very welcoming environment. It was very interesting listening to the differences of the nursing program in the UK compared to the US. For example, in the uk the nursing program is only three years rather than four. They also go to school significantly longer than back home. I dont know if I would like this style of university because I really enjoy having 3 months off for Summer. I also enjoy the fact that I dont have to know what specific specialty I want to go into until I’ve completed all four years. Overall, the campus was very lively and pleasant to visit. I look forward to spending more time this week on their South campus.

Wound care and taking care of burns was today’s topic that we learned about. I love learning about emergency medicine as I want to work in a trauma two hospital in the emergency room. Medicine has progressed so much over the years, and the way patient care has been improved is truly remarkable. Chinenye Anetekhai, was our teacher who is a pro on all things burns. She is such a well spoken educated woman that is so passionate. Her passion for her career is what made this lesson very enjoyable and easy to understand. After today’s lesson, I’m excited to contiune to learn other topics such as mental health and what it’s like to be a midwife.

I tried Indian food today for the first time, the reasturant was beautiful and even had a picture of Ed Shearen when he visted the place. For the food, I’m not a big fan of spicy food which made it hard to truly enjoy the plates we were given. I’m glad I tried it, but realized its not my favorite type of food to eat. After food, Syd and I wandered the streets and ended up at H&M. We both realized it was significantly colder here then we anticipated so we needed to buy a jacket that would still be cute but also keep us warm. We both left with a brown leather jacket, a polka dot dress, and sunglasses to match the outfits we picked out.

While we were walking back to the hotel, we ran into some girls in our group who found two people that live here. We talked to them for a little about where to go and places to avoid. We even picked up on some British slang along with what it means. They had very accurate American accents and could do a spot on “valley girl” impression. I hope to find more people to talk to as I’m very curious on how they perceive Americans and how they view Birmingham.

I’m very excited to see what the rest of the trip will be like!