Updates on Several Fronts

First things first. I registered for classes today. I will be taking Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, Contemporary Political Philosophy, and a Joint seminar of Philosophy and Law. I am really looking forward to starting on Monday. At least that is the hope.

During registration yesterday there arose an issue with the stamp on my passport I received when going through customs. Apparently I just received a regular visitors stamp with allows me to be in the country for up to 180 days, so I'm fine on that end. But they needed to endorse it "VST" for visiting student, in order that I may actually study while I am here. I did everything right on my end, I showed them my documentation to say that I am studying during my stay and I also made it expressly clear that this is my purpose for being in the U.K. If I remember right the customs agent endorsed my landing card that I have to complete in the plane and hand to them when going through customs. If that is truly the case then I have proper clearance to study. If not then I would have to leave the country and come back in and do the whole boarder thing again. So I might be going to France next week. We will see. Just pray that it all turns out alright. It should be fine, it has happened before according to the people in the student services office. So ya...

On a happier note. I have settled in to my residence and met a good group of kids. We are hitting it off pretty well. I met most of the other students that are studying abroad at Essex over the last two days and I think my time here is going to be great. There is another study abroad student on my flat (basically the same thing as floor I've figured out), Steve is his name, he is studying Philosophy and Literary Theory at Purdue and we've hit it off pretty well. Today we went on a nice run through the countryside, it was amazing (oh ya I saw the sun for the first time today since I arrived, but only for a brief while). Anyways, Steve's parents have a timeshare with an International Organization and according we can get huge discounts on nice Condo's around Europe, it would be a lot more comfortable (and safer) than a hostel so we are planning a trip with a few other people that I have met to take a trip to Sicily or Venice and get a condo for a week. I'm looking forward to it.

On an extremely happy note. I was informed today that the last scheduled exam at Essex (through all departments) is June 11. But I have my flat here paid for until the end of the term (July 3). So when I get done with school I can spend a month traveling with absolutely no worries!!

I am super excited to get this term started and experience all that is out there.

I'll be setting up a Skype account later today, so I if you wish to know the details to that in order to talk to me at some point, write me a message (either on here or on Facebook) and I we be glad to share.

Oh ya, I am going to Cambridge tomorrow so first round of pictures will go up when I return from that.