Fire Ants: The Red Devils

The Fire Ants was a nickname for South Carolina’s football team in the late 1980s, nicknamed due to their garnet colours and fiery defense they would "swarm the field like ants defending their turf".

This was an interesting fact that I happened to stumble across earlier this week, yet unfortunately it was not the football team that I was trying to research.

Coming to South Carolina I had been warned about the cockroaches. They usually come out at night and if you’re wearing flip-flops they will crawl over your feet. I had heard the stories my first week of the girl who found one in her shower and the ones that crawl into your sheets and under your doors. However gross they are I seem to be coping well and at least they aren’t spiders! I have probably seen around 50 cockroaches yet only one spider, life was going well on the insect front... but not for long, it seems I was not warned about the fire ants!

These little buggers have created some serious issues for me this week. It was Monday evening, I was just returning from class and I bump into a friend on the path home. Not wanting to be in anyone’s way we step to the side to continue our conversation. Approximately two or three minutes into the conversation I start to feel my feet burning as if they were on fire, no joke! To my horror I look down to find my feet covered in fire ants. After screaming and running to the grass on the opposite side of the path and frantically swiping at my tootsies (I'm going to admit I was FREAKING OUT!) I had to return for my flip-flops which were now also completely covered in ants. With my feet on fire and my friend trying to help me brush the rest of the ants off the realization came that alas I had been standing right smack bang in the middle of the fire ants nest. Needless to say I cut our conversation short in desperation to get to my antihistamine!

Two days later my feet are very red, very sore and itch like CRAZY! Each fire ant will bite several times and release venom which causes the intense burning sensation. My week has consisted of a lot of antihistamine, sleepless nights and left some very unattractive welts. Only native to the Southern States of the USA I should have considered New England and gotten as far from these nippers as possible!

I guess spiders really are the least of my worries here!

News Flash: Irene Is Raging

First an earthquake and now a hurricane, the east coast is getting a real battering from Mother Nature this week. No sooner had the excitement of the earthquake abated but serious weather warnings and talk of evacuating coastal regions of South Carolina became the new topic of conversation. Hurricane Irene was approaching and was heading right for us.

Yet it would seem that luck (for us anyway) was on our side as Irene has narrowly missed South Carolina and headed north, hugging the North Carolinian coast. The city of Charlotte, a mere 2 hours from Columbia, has experienced severe flooding and seen the first three victims of this raging storm which occurred due to falling debris. North Carolinas outer banks have been greatly affected by 8ft storm surges which have flooded most of the low lying banks.

With a hurricane so close by there has definitely been a change of weather here in Columbia, the blazing summer heat has been dramatically softened by cloud cover and although no rainfall there has been a swift wind filling the air. The only real physical sign has been the clouds over head racing by at an unbelievable speed. It is hard to imagine the destruction being caused so close by.

It was a close call but thankfully here at USC we have not been affected by the weather. I sincerely hope Irene begins to lose momentum before destroying anymore cities in her path.

It is safe to say that nature has definitely welcomed me to the States and reminded me that we may complain about the rain in England but at least we don’t have to contend with super storms and seismic activity!

I am clearly not in England anymore!

News stories covering Irene s destruction:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/08/saturday-morning-reports-hurricane-irene-va-nc
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/27/tropical.weather/index.html?iref=BN1

Packing For The long Haul

A recent study found that the average woman will over-pack her holiday suitcase with 26 items, none of which will be worn. This does not surprise me in the slightest as the usual thought of “I’ll take these... just in case” is an all to frequent one and a thought which for a 7 day holiday can probably be justified. 

Imagine my dilemma then when I am confronted with the task of packing a bag for an entire year. The “just in case” tactic is obsolete as I have to contend with packing for all four seasons as well as trying to pack my living essentials and clothes for the mundanane activities such as the gym into one bag. Not to mention which shoes to take?!

Flying US Airways I am allowed up to 23KG in the hold and 18KG as hand luggage. How anyone could fit 18KG into a bag suitable for lifting onto the plane I do not know. At 5ft it might be slightly embarrassing trying to maneuver my bag into the overhead lockers and then to tactfully retrieve it again 8 hours later without taking out my fellow passengers. Although it’s nice to know I could attempt this if necessary.

Not wanting to look like a pack horse upon arrival into South Carolina and to avoid the embarrassment of storing my hang luggage I opted for the 65L travelers backpack with one small wheelie case to take on board. I have also taken the approach of “I can always buy things out there” as let’s be honest I’m going to America, not a small island in the middle of nowhere with no pharmacy or suitable clothes stores. It also helps to be going to a city in the middle of a heatwave averaging 40 degrees meaning I am able to pack only shorts and strappy tees leaving more space for that extra pair of shoes!

Thus I have confined a year’s worth of clothes into a selection of only my finest wardrobe pieces and the necessary beauty products, I couldn’t possible go without my make-up bag and straighteners! With some economic packing and ruthless decisions I will with any luck avoid looking like a pack horse and with only 26 items in my bag hopefully I will wear everything at least once!

Sources:

http://newslite.tv/2011/07/12/women-overpack-their-suitcases.html

Destination: USC

The time has come, the wait is over and after a night of contemplation at the prospect of spending a year of my life at the University of South Carolina, I can safely say that I am VERY excited. There is a saying that, "If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude" and whilst it may have been my third choice, and not one which I made easily, I am confident that South Carolina is the place for me! Well that and the fact that I’m going there now so I just need to man up and start getting excited for what will undoubtedly be the most amazing year of my life thus far.

The University of South Carolina (or USC) is in the heart of the American South, with colonial charm, a beautiful campus and southern hospitality it will surely be a year of cultural and enriching experiences.

The countdown has officially begun and with only 244 days to go (not that I'm counting!) there is so much to plan and organise to make my time in the US incredible. Follow my blog and my adventure to see how my year unfolds.