Year abroad: Making a new home homey.

Today is a good day. Why's that? you ask. Well, today is a good day because my second suitcase arrived (we'd shipped it from home using sendmybag.com which I thoroughly recommend), meaning I finally have my slippers, posters, Big Bear and one very precious bottle of squash. My flatmates found it amusing that for the past week I've had British teabags, but an extremely bare wardrobe. Priorities = sorted.

It's different for everyone, but I know that to feel settled and comfortable, I like to have everything unpacked, tidy and organised (neat freak? Me? Never!) Reminders of home and pretty things make me happy, and I think I've done a pretty good job of making my new home feel homey.

I still can't believe I've only been here for less than a week, and having finally unpacked my huge suitcase, done a load of laundry, hoovered (always good for the soul) and put up my (very many) decorations - alas, the fairy lights couldn't make it *sob* - I feel really very at home.

Bayreuth as a town still doesn't fail to take my breath away. I don't think the novelty of the oh-so-beautiful buildings is ever going to wear off. Wanna see a few pictures? Yeeeaaaah ya do. I know I posted a fair few in my last post about exploring Bayreuth, but I can't help it - every time I walk through town (oh, and I go through a PALACE on my way to work), I just want to take more photos as it's all so pretty. Enjoy...

What? Doesn't your town have a dinosaur?

Yeah that was quite a lot of photos, wasn't it? Sorry. But I'm hoping they slightly do justice to the wonderfulness I've been going on about. I really am finding it all rather delightful. Oh, did I already mention that?

Remember how I was waffling on about how much I like my flat in this post? Well now I've finally finished decorating (and as my previous post of room decorating tips and this one about my uni room last year went down well), I thought I'd share a few snaps with you...

My homemade bunting blows in the breeze when my skylight is open. That please me.

Photos = a must

I tied this cutie little bird to the blind pully thingy

Home comforts

How awesome is this little make-up shelf?

This beautiful bouquet was a birthday surprise from my wonderful parents, accompanied by scrapbook, iPad and planner.

Hooray for birthday cards!

Ahh. That was nice.

But I have to reiterate that I just feel so lucky to have been left so many lovely things and such a nice room - it looked delightful before I even exploded on to the scene with my plethora of girly bits and bobs. Some of my fellow year abroader friends have found themselves in unfurnished rooms, so I'm just so grateful I don't have to deal with getting furniture on top of everything else at the moment.

I say that, everything else is going really rather swimmingly. And worry not, dear friends (slash probably just dad... mum if I'm lucky), I shall keep you posted as my year abroad adventure continues. I can't promise not to keep posting pretty pictures of Bayreuth though. If it was good enough for Wagner...