Monday
Monday was spent travelling from Heathrow over to Dallas/Fort Worth, we arrived to lovely weather not too warm but slightly humid. I ended up going to bed pretty much as soon as we arrived as it had been a long day and the next day was destined to be even longer.
Tuesday
I love a buffet breakfast, and this one did not disappoint. I fell in love with blueberry bagels. We jumped into the van and headed off to the Sheriffs office where we were greeted by the Sheriff and his Deputy and had our own passes made up. After a tour of both the training centre and the jail we were treated to lunch at the jail. (the food was made by the inmates - we were only told afterwards) We then visited the District Attorneys office and the court. It was really interesting from a criminological and criminal justice point of view. We then were taken to the University of North Texas where we met up with some of the criminal justice students who took us for dinner at iHop - it was my first visit and I loved it.
Wednesday
Another early morning but this time we drove slightly out of the city of Denton to the sheriff's department shooting range and saw a SWAT team demonstration, and got to experience a number of the aspects involved in SWAT. Including firing a gun, I have very little interest in guns, I didn't before and don't after. After learning about guns and the way they are used in Texas and the laws I can see there purpose but I still am not a gun person. Although this did not take away from the amazing experience. After a 'proper' texan barbecue we went back the CID offices and had a forensic demonstration by a man who had taken the hearts of all the girls on the trip.
Thursday
I was taken under the wing of a lovely old sheriff who took me on patrol of this area, I got to see the Texan countryside and he told me all about the history of Texas and how the sheriffs department had changed over time. He bought me a pink lemonade and wore his cowboy hat the whole time. After patrol me and another girl were taken to interview three male prisoners, who were all incredibly polite to their guests, I got the feeling they weren't always so polite. In the afternoon we were given a talk by a lovely forensic artist who's work was incredible.
In the evening we were going to the university to have another barbecue but we were rudely interrupted by a tornado - an actual tornado - with a siren and weather warnings. We had to go into the library which was also the tornado shelter. As we didn't get too eat, me and one of the girls Alice went to have dinner at the hotel accompanied by cocktails. We were later joined by our lecturer and one of the masters students from UNT who gave us a great insight to the criminal justice world and Texas.
Friday
SHOPPING DAY. we ventured into Dallas which took a couple of hours on THE cleanest train and then a tram. We arrived at the mall and split up so we could do our shopping, I may have gone a little crazy in Kate Spade!! It started to get busy on the way back to the hotel because of the final four. But I did manage to find some Minute Maid lemonade which is my favourite. We then spent the evening hanging out with some of the UNT students.
Saturday and Sunday
We shopped again on the Saturday morning and then hung out at the hotel, I was getting super tired by the end of the week and looking forward to having a rest day. Sunday morning I watched the football in the hotel room which was a total bonus, we then were taken for some proper Texan Mexican before we had to fly home.
