Brewfesten...
Despite the mounds of concert and event posters thrown up, dropped at doorsteps, and taped to dorm walls around campus, there was a serious lack of information about the Norwich Beer Festival head a couple weeks ago in the city center. It hasn't really permeated this blog post, but I've got a thing for nice beer that's only been spoiled by the incredible brewing environment in the US Northwest. When I touched down in England, it was rather sad to see most of the pubs around here don't sport much of a selection on tap aside from your regular lagers.
The idea of a beer festival was simply too good to pass up. Call up the troops and hop in a cab! We arrive downtown in the doom and gloom of an uncharacteristically dark late afternoon in the center, 4 of us (including one of my University of Oregon compatriots) and immediately saw just how long the line was. I had stupidly assumed it wouldn't be very hard to get in since if there was so much support for real ale, you'd see it on tap. Boy, was I wrong. The line curled out of the entrance to St. Andrew's Church (yeah, it was in a church) back around the side and down the block. Not wanting to have wasted the cab fare, we trudged back over a footbridge and to the back of the line.
The line looking like it would take over an hour (which it did), we sent off a couple of our group to grab fish and chips from a local Take Away joint to fill our stomachs before we assaulted it with beers. It ended up taking them so long we had almost made it into the building by the time they returned, and we all popped the packages open and forced down scalding hot fish and big fries before dumping whatever leftovers we had to go inside.
It was a glorious scene of a wide range of different kinds of beers, ciders, and even a little barley wine. There were 3 separate rooms; the largest was British beers, smallest being other European imports and a third housing Norfolk and Suffolk beers (the area of England where Norwich is). Using the token system, I was able to sample quite a few different sorts of beer from loads of different breweries. The import stuff was far too expensive for its own good and so I stuck mostly with the British fare and was certainly not disappointed. It ended up being a good night with the lads and I came back to the flat before heading back downtown for a bit of dancing. All in all, fantastic night.
Reading week...
One of my favorite aspects of the British University system is Reading Week. A week off to work on our big assignments for the term, meet with advisers, and enjoy a little breather before diving into the final third of the term? Yes please. I do have a couple big essays I need to write, so I'll probably maintain the same schedule I would have if lectures and seminars were still meeting. Still, this will help alleviate some of the stress as deadlines creep closer and I realize I should probably have a little less fun to get some stuff done.
Amsterdam-bound...
Reading week also means that my trip to Amsterdam is coming ever closer. This Thursday evening I'll be hopping on a bus with a bunch of other international students on our way to get to the ferry which will escort us, overnight, to the city of Amsterdam. It didn't really seem like something that was actually happening right up until this morning, and the realization has made me both excited and kind of frantic to research the best possible places to see before our very short trip comes to a close on Sunday.
Of course, I'll be snapping loads of pictures and will assault the blog as well as my Facebook with them upon my return, not to mention a detailed report of everything that happened while on this trip. Next week's post will be sure to entertain far more than this one but at least this'll tide over until then. The Amsterdam trip also means I need to get on my travel a little better. I could potentially set out to travel every Thursday and come back on Saturday or Sunday, so now all it is is selecting locations. Edinburgh perhaps? Only time will tell.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Part 6: One Month Down
Hey, guys! Writing this blog post about 2 weeks later than I had originally intended to get it out due to quite a bit of stuff managing to occupy my time. It's been an absolute whirlwind of activity mirrored with some incredible laziness on my part.
Settling Down...
Where the first couple of weeks here at Uni (College actually refers to some other, earlier form of schooling here) were mostly filled with fun, bonding, parties and social activities, it's pretty clear to see that everyone's calming down as work builds up. Not to mention the monetary aspects to heading out to the pub/club more than once a week can get quite expensive, especially when combined with transportation costs, club cover charges and the inevitable late night snack purchases.
Uni is more oriented towards individual study rather than excessive lectures multiple times a week and rely heavily on essays/big tests rather than smaller assignments to make up your final grade. Though I do enjoy the "free time" this provides us with here, it also means a ridiculous amount of emphasis is placed on only a few big pieces of work and increases stress quite a bit. In any case, I used some of my free time to make sure and get a couple of early essays out of the way as well as delve into some "Additional Screenings" for a film class that painted such screenings as optional when they in fact... were not...
Gutter Trash on Ice...
After realizing that American Football's intense commitment and pace weren't for me, and having not been good enough to play on the equally serious UEA basketball society's team, it was all down to Ice Hockey as the final sports club I'd check out. Luckily, it's proved to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of my time here at Uni so far. The group of people involved (Captain, Vice Captains, team members etc) are all really great people and provide quite the atmosphere for learning and developing skating. I, accompanied by 1 or 2 flatmates and sometimes the majority of my floor, have been to the rink outside of scheduled practices in order to continue building on the preliminary skills taught to us. Both necessary and enjoyable, these trips help me cover areas where I need more work and let me focus entirely on the task at hand.
The Norsemen are the rec hockey team for the city on which a lot of the UEA club leaders play.
Not only is this good exercise (when I push myself, which I mostly do) but it also kind of clears my mind. When I'm out there practicing, a similar experience to doing some cardio or lifting weights, my mind rests on the task at hand and kind of assuages both the stresses of school and pangs of homesickness I experience every so often (more often some days, especially when I have more free time). It'll be a great day when we finally get scrimmaging and I can apply any development in my skating ability (which is just above dismal) to the game of hockey. Yeh!
Amsterdam bound...
The international student club here at Uni has a pretty great Amsterdam trip planned out for the 10th, including 2 nights in a hostel, travel to and from the country and some promo for nightclubs there. The entire cost is equivalent to 1 roundtrip ticket through KLM, so it was a no brainer to go with the club's travel package rather than shell out more dough for essentially the same thing. Sure, we'll be doing bus and ferry rather than flying, but I guess I can just get more reading done (probably not).
Now that there are a few of us going on the trip, it's time to start researching and getting excited for my first big excursion of the trip. Hell, I've spent a month lying around Norwich which has been nice and overall pretty fun, but there's only so much this city has to offer. It will surely be fun to get out and explore, perhaps inspiring me to get the travel bug and spend less on food/drink in order to travel more. Scotland's not far, for instance. I've never been to Ireland. In any case, I'm sure to snap quite a few photos on the trip since I don't have much for you this time. My camera died right as I was about to take some photos of the latest flat trip out to the ice rink and so you'll just have to sit tight for more soon. Sorry!
Writing...
The city of Norwich and the UEA aren't exactly adjacent in the way that it's roughly a 45 minute walk from the center of campus to the center of town. Though I've never done this walk, I've bused it quite a bit. Venturing into the center provides a much-needed break from the aesthetics and distractions of campus life. Not to say that my flatmates are merely distraction, just that I find I'm more creatively productive when I remove myself from the typical and everyday routine-based environments here on the UEA campus.
I've spent my fair share of walking around the city and seeing all the different little nooks and crannies of the center, trying to get a lay of the land and discover anything tucked away without just googling "best kept secrets" or something. I've discovered the Mm..Food vinyl in a record shop, for instance, and had to purchase it. Getting it home might be tough but whatever, it was a direct result of one of these walkabouts and I'm really glad I took the time to do it.
With these walks has come a kind of rudimentary knowledge of where things are and a sampling of the local cafes. Yes, as stereotypical as it might sound, I have spent quite a few hours writing (whether screenplay or novel) over coffee at a back table in a cafe in the center. Headphones in and instrumental music pulsing (trance, downtempo, mellow hip hop = best for me) let most of the outside world be blocked out and focus turns instead to the creative task at hand. On top of this, my new favorite cafe located in the same building as the library has some kind of wireless network that doesn't gel with my laptop's Airport and so I don't have the added distraction of the net which is one of the most seductive and time consuming things ever. EVER. Plus, I can pop over to the library and have a browse once I'm feeling brain-drained. We'll see if this results in good work or not, but for my sake, let's all just cross our fingers that it's some nice fiction.
The Forum building, home to the library and cafe.
Until next time, my friends, I'll try and do loads of exciting stuff to make sure every post is a better read. Always improving (except when I'm feeling lazy, like most days)!
Settling Down...
Where the first couple of weeks here at Uni (College actually refers to some other, earlier form of schooling here) were mostly filled with fun, bonding, parties and social activities, it's pretty clear to see that everyone's calming down as work builds up. Not to mention the monetary aspects to heading out to the pub/club more than once a week can get quite expensive, especially when combined with transportation costs, club cover charges and the inevitable late night snack purchases.
Uni is more oriented towards individual study rather than excessive lectures multiple times a week and rely heavily on essays/big tests rather than smaller assignments to make up your final grade. Though I do enjoy the "free time" this provides us with here, it also means a ridiculous amount of emphasis is placed on only a few big pieces of work and increases stress quite a bit. In any case, I used some of my free time to make sure and get a couple of early essays out of the way as well as delve into some "Additional Screenings" for a film class that painted such screenings as optional when they in fact... were not...
Gutter Trash on Ice...
After realizing that American Football's intense commitment and pace weren't for me, and having not been good enough to play on the equally serious UEA basketball society's team, it was all down to Ice Hockey as the final sports club I'd check out. Luckily, it's proved to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of my time here at Uni so far. The group of people involved (Captain, Vice Captains, team members etc) are all really great people and provide quite the atmosphere for learning and developing skating. I, accompanied by 1 or 2 flatmates and sometimes the majority of my floor, have been to the rink outside of scheduled practices in order to continue building on the preliminary skills taught to us. Both necessary and enjoyable, these trips help me cover areas where I need more work and let me focus entirely on the task at hand.
The Norsemen are the rec hockey team for the city on which a lot of the UEA club leaders play.
Not only is this good exercise (when I push myself, which I mostly do) but it also kind of clears my mind. When I'm out there practicing, a similar experience to doing some cardio or lifting weights, my mind rests on the task at hand and kind of assuages both the stresses of school and pangs of homesickness I experience every so often (more often some days, especially when I have more free time). It'll be a great day when we finally get scrimmaging and I can apply any development in my skating ability (which is just above dismal) to the game of hockey. Yeh!
Amsterdam bound...
The international student club here at Uni has a pretty great Amsterdam trip planned out for the 10th, including 2 nights in a hostel, travel to and from the country and some promo for nightclubs there. The entire cost is equivalent to 1 roundtrip ticket through KLM, so it was a no brainer to go with the club's travel package rather than shell out more dough for essentially the same thing. Sure, we'll be doing bus and ferry rather than flying, but I guess I can just get more reading done (probably not).
Now that there are a few of us going on the trip, it's time to start researching and getting excited for my first big excursion of the trip. Hell, I've spent a month lying around Norwich which has been nice and overall pretty fun, but there's only so much this city has to offer. It will surely be fun to get out and explore, perhaps inspiring me to get the travel bug and spend less on food/drink in order to travel more. Scotland's not far, for instance. I've never been to Ireland. In any case, I'm sure to snap quite a few photos on the trip since I don't have much for you this time. My camera died right as I was about to take some photos of the latest flat trip out to the ice rink and so you'll just have to sit tight for more soon. Sorry!
Writing...
The city of Norwich and the UEA aren't exactly adjacent in the way that it's roughly a 45 minute walk from the center of campus to the center of town. Though I've never done this walk, I've bused it quite a bit. Venturing into the center provides a much-needed break from the aesthetics and distractions of campus life. Not to say that my flatmates are merely distraction, just that I find I'm more creatively productive when I remove myself from the typical and everyday routine-based environments here on the UEA campus.
I've spent my fair share of walking around the city and seeing all the different little nooks and crannies of the center, trying to get a lay of the land and discover anything tucked away without just googling "best kept secrets" or something. I've discovered the Mm..Food vinyl in a record shop, for instance, and had to purchase it. Getting it home might be tough but whatever, it was a direct result of one of these walkabouts and I'm really glad I took the time to do it.
With these walks has come a kind of rudimentary knowledge of where things are and a sampling of the local cafes. Yes, as stereotypical as it might sound, I have spent quite a few hours writing (whether screenplay or novel) over coffee at a back table in a cafe in the center. Headphones in and instrumental music pulsing (trance, downtempo, mellow hip hop = best for me) let most of the outside world be blocked out and focus turns instead to the creative task at hand. On top of this, my new favorite cafe located in the same building as the library has some kind of wireless network that doesn't gel with my laptop's Airport and so I don't have the added distraction of the net which is one of the most seductive and time consuming things ever. EVER. Plus, I can pop over to the library and have a browse once I'm feeling brain-drained. We'll see if this results in good work or not, but for my sake, let's all just cross our fingers that it's some nice fiction.
The Forum building, home to the library and cafe.
Until next time, my friends, I'll try and do loads of exciting stuff to make sure every post is a better read. Always improving (except when I'm feeling lazy, like most days)!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Part 5: School...?
School...?
I suppose that, being part of a study abroad program, the time would come where I would actually... you know... study. Yet it seemed like I was still on vacation as I spent time in lecture halls listening to my instructors and screening films. Sure, I've been keeping up with the readings that are just as needlessly wordy as back in the states, and starting some outlining for the big essays I'll have due before I fly home in December, yet there's almost a subconscious refusal of a school year mentality when I'm so far away from the U of O.
All the same, I think it's high time I slow it all down and get some writing done. Going out most nights has been a blast, and a great way to bond with the flatmates, but I don't want to burn out on the fun or spend all my damn money so I better cool it. Just think of all the fun that I can studying Media Practices and writing thousands of words about it! Doesn't sound interesting? It.. isn't so far.
Birthdays...
These Freshers are young! One of the girls in my hall turned 20 on Thursday and so we all planned to head down to the Norwich city center to celebrate with an evening of yelling at one another to be heard over loud music followed by dancing. We settled on a club called Lola Lo's all tropical themed and dark. I couldn't decide if it the bamboo and tribal wallpaper was ultra tacky or awesome, but the lights were low and the music was good enough to have me on board. Imagine a restaurant at Disneyland by the Swiss Family Robinson mockup, entering a pair of glass doors and walking over a short wooden bridge into a nighttime jungle theme peppered with blacklight and a kind of sweet aroma emanating from the bar (also done in bamboo). It wasn't terribly busy at first, and we managed to get in without much of a wait (always a bonus) but soon filled up with various societies from the UEA having their social night out. We were shortly joined by the rest of our flat and some friends from Constable Terrace also arrived later in the evening to complete the set.
Nothing like hearing Get On The Good Foot to get me smiling and wiggling around at the table before hitting the dance floor. The DJ threw on a smattering of different genres, peppering a few big electronica anthems in between old school hip-hop, indie rock, Journey, Maroon 5 and more. It's obviously more fun when you know the words, and even better when no one can hear you belt them out thanks to the volume. Probably coming out of my shell a little bit and adjusting more to the club atmosphere after being severely deprived for years back home.
I think the most important part of the whole evening is that everyone seemed to have a good time, no one was too drunk or upset, and the taxi ride back provided enough cooldown time to return to the flat a little more subdued and ready to see if I couldn't skype with my girlfriend before heading off to dreamland.
Travel...
Finishing Week 2 marks the second time that I haven't done anything aside from kick back and relax on my weekends. Those of the Americans I've met who're here for an entire year have the right idea in taking it slow, working on school and saving their money for bigger trips. However, I don't have the luxury to bide my time and head off to Spain during winter break. Instead, I need to plan out all of my weekend trips so that I can achieve at least some of them before it's time to head back to Oregon. A rough idea would be:
Week 3 - Cambridge
Week 4 - The coast? The weather's rapidly getting worse but I can't just ignore how close the ocean is
Week 5 - Amsterdam ? Supposedly everyone studying abroad pays a visit to the Netherlands, I don't want to be left out!
Week 6 - Edinburgh? Will I run out of money after this?
There's also a Norwich City premier league game on the 29th that I'd absolutely love to go to and get my support on with loads of dedicated fans. The team supposedly has one of the most loyal crowds this side of London that have supported the club rain or shine. A friendly taxi driver described the atmosphere to me on the ride back from grocery shopping with the flatmates and it sounds pretty ideal.
In the meantime, I think it's time for some movie watching, novel writing, schoolwork completing (lower on the list? Don't tell!), and fun in the rain here in Norwich. Next post I'll discuss the quiet night in that ended in nudity (not me, of course) and how I learned to ice skate! See you sooner rather than later.
I suppose that, being part of a study abroad program, the time would come where I would actually... you know... study. Yet it seemed like I was still on vacation as I spent time in lecture halls listening to my instructors and screening films. Sure, I've been keeping up with the readings that are just as needlessly wordy as back in the states, and starting some outlining for the big essays I'll have due before I fly home in December, yet there's almost a subconscious refusal of a school year mentality when I'm so far away from the U of O.
All the same, I think it's high time I slow it all down and get some writing done. Going out most nights has been a blast, and a great way to bond with the flatmates, but I don't want to burn out on the fun or spend all my damn money so I better cool it. Just think of all the fun that I can studying Media Practices and writing thousands of words about it! Doesn't sound interesting? It.. isn't so far.
Birthdays...
These Freshers are young! One of the girls in my hall turned 20 on Thursday and so we all planned to head down to the Norwich city center to celebrate with an evening of yelling at one another to be heard over loud music followed by dancing. We settled on a club called Lola Lo's all tropical themed and dark. I couldn't decide if it the bamboo and tribal wallpaper was ultra tacky or awesome, but the lights were low and the music was good enough to have me on board. Imagine a restaurant at Disneyland by the Swiss Family Robinson mockup, entering a pair of glass doors and walking over a short wooden bridge into a nighttime jungle theme peppered with blacklight and a kind of sweet aroma emanating from the bar (also done in bamboo). It wasn't terribly busy at first, and we managed to get in without much of a wait (always a bonus) but soon filled up with various societies from the UEA having their social night out. We were shortly joined by the rest of our flat and some friends from Constable Terrace also arrived later in the evening to complete the set.
Nothing like hearing Get On The Good Foot to get me smiling and wiggling around at the table before hitting the dance floor. The DJ threw on a smattering of different genres, peppering a few big electronica anthems in between old school hip-hop, indie rock, Journey, Maroon 5 and more. It's obviously more fun when you know the words, and even better when no one can hear you belt them out thanks to the volume. Probably coming out of my shell a little bit and adjusting more to the club atmosphere after being severely deprived for years back home.
I think the most important part of the whole evening is that everyone seemed to have a good time, no one was too drunk or upset, and the taxi ride back provided enough cooldown time to return to the flat a little more subdued and ready to see if I couldn't skype with my girlfriend before heading off to dreamland.
Travel...
Finishing Week 2 marks the second time that I haven't done anything aside from kick back and relax on my weekends. Those of the Americans I've met who're here for an entire year have the right idea in taking it slow, working on school and saving their money for bigger trips. However, I don't have the luxury to bide my time and head off to Spain during winter break. Instead, I need to plan out all of my weekend trips so that I can achieve at least some of them before it's time to head back to Oregon. A rough idea would be:
Week 3 - Cambridge
Week 4 - The coast? The weather's rapidly getting worse but I can't just ignore how close the ocean is
Week 5 - Amsterdam ? Supposedly everyone studying abroad pays a visit to the Netherlands, I don't want to be left out!
Week 6 - Edinburgh? Will I run out of money after this?
There's also a Norwich City premier league game on the 29th that I'd absolutely love to go to and get my support on with loads of dedicated fans. The team supposedly has one of the most loyal crowds this side of London that have supported the club rain or shine. A friendly taxi driver described the atmosphere to me on the ride back from grocery shopping with the flatmates and it sounds pretty ideal.
In the meantime, I think it's time for some movie watching, novel writing, schoolwork completing (lower on the list? Don't tell!), and fun in the rain here in Norwich. Next post I'll discuss the quiet night in that ended in nudity (not me, of course) and how I learned to ice skate! See you sooner rather than later.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Part 4: Enter Norwich
Long time no post, guys! The train from London to Norwich provided a nice little view at some English countryside and some of the smaller towns in between that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. The sun was out in full force and the train moved quickly. After finally managing to finish the first chapter of a novel I've been trying desperately to write, I put the laptop away and resumed reading a Dean Koontz novel I was close to finishing before the train pulled in.
First Arrivals...
I knew only very vaguely the route I was supposed to take to the hotel, so I picked the direction Google Maps told me was right and luckily managed to find it after a bit of an uphill walk. The Lansdowne Hotel sat in between an office building and another hotel on a 2 lane street up a hill from the train station. It looked like an old-style house that had been fitted with loads of extra rooms and this is precisely how it felt. The old carpet, narrow winding staircase leading to upper levels, and even the old women (I'm pretty sure it was run solely by old women) at the counter gave it an old-style homey feel. Their elevator was terrifying slow and came to a halt with a big lurch that put me on edge as I opened the door to my room.
The City...
Finally, a Queen bed, desk, tiny television and my own bathroom. I shaved, showered, and just had a nice little rest session spreading my arms and legs out over the sides of the bed. Feeling the space. Awesome. I dumped the suitcase and most of my backpack's contents and returned down the hill to the train station. Continuing on, I soon arrived at a beautiful bridge arching over a narrow river with boats moored along one edge. There was even a floating Thai restaurant which I really want to try. It a little like Kyoto did last summer, my hostel that time being across the river from the town center as well. This bridge led on to Prince of Whales street (or road, who knows) that was lined with restaurants and night clubs (loads of them) and then went up a hill towards a castle rested atop a grassy incline. I walked in no particular hurry, staring at all the buildings and trying to absorb how different this place was from the frenetic pace and energy of London. It's certainly a different vibe here.
There are two shopping malls mere blocks from one another here in Norwich City Centre. The Castle Mall, located directly by the castle, is a little less interesting, featuring decent stores but not on the level of Chapelfield which has the convenience of being right by the bus stop for the Centre. I explored both, along with the pedestrian side-streets between each. The city retains a kind of small-town feel while being about the size of Eugene, though the centre here is much more contained and centralized than our downtown and biggest shopping areas back home. It manages to be both a pleasantly local experience with small businesses and eateries while simultaneously providing all the essential big names in case you're looking to buy the latest Blu Ray or get some fashionable threads.
The UEA is farther out of the centre, looking like they just chopped down a bunch of the forest encroaching on the city and placed a concrete university in its place. The aesthetic is rather 1970s prison, much of the buildings hideous grey boxes that make me yearn for the old-style buildings and Lillis complex of the U of O just to get some kind of visual pleasure. The dorms (I live in Suffolk Terrace C Block) are concrete ziggarauts that fit the style on one side, and make grand windowed pyramids on the other. My room, a single with sink, looks out on a massive grass field leading up to a lake ringed by trees along its border. There isn't really a beach perse and there's no swimming allowed, but at least the UEA provides benches along the edge for some nice sitting-and-reading time.
New Home...
Moving into the hall was a bit eerie; being the first one in a hall built to house 15 people gave me a kind of isolated sentiment that only waned when the first of my flatmates arrived. I occupied myself with a healthy helping of video games, reading, writing, and taking care of a few administrative things ahead of the designated International Student Orientation just to be ahead of the game. I again went into town and explored the Centre more, coming upon the City Library which is absolutely fantastic and the BBC office/building that is currently hosting a Music Video Festival in a viewing room stocked with cushy seats and beanbag chairs. They were even playing a video to one of Onra's amazing productions and I found the room by following the familiar music.
As all the students began to arrive and move in, my hall remained pretty empty. I and one other roomie are the only internationals on our floor, and so we would not be receiving any more neighbors until the weekend. I continued the routine of using a consistent and fast internet connection to catch up on my email and skype sessions looking forward to getting to know everyone arriving in a day. Finally, the excitement of starting a new experience replaced any kind of homesickness I felt (although I don't imagine I'll ever stop missing certain people). When the day came that most of my flat moved in, campus was bustling with activity and there were so many new people to meet. I'm pretty terrible with names, so it took me a few tries to remember everyone that now are my core friendgroup here at the University. Their ages vary between 19-20, and most of them would be Sophomore's in the States aside from the odd Freshman. It took me a while before I realized this fact and, when I finally did, it became a bit weird for a few hours relating to these younger people not far from my sister's age. Suppose I never considered my family in the same light, but I think it's finally time to recognize her as an equal as I do my neighbors.
They're an energetic, fun group to hang around with. As Fresher's Week kicked off (A Freshman orientation equivalent, but way better), every night had an awesome musical event and socials designed to acclimate the new students to their surroundings. I didn't have tickets to a lot of it, but neither did at least a handful of my new neighbors and so there was always somebody to hang out with in the evening. These guys, with very little in the way of lectures in their first week, have no homework to worry about and so have had some kind of social drinking function every night to attend to, and I've tagged along most times to have a laugh and get to know everyone. Though it's only been a week, I'm pretty sure everyone gets along well and has formed a kind of initial bond.
Societies and Sports...
Part of our first week featured a Societies (clubs) fair and the following day Sports. The LCR (EMU equivalent, student union) was filled with tables housing different clubs and sports that students could pay a fee to join for the year. Of course, being here only 3 months meant that some of the prices were a bit high (Basketball cost me 35 pounds, a decision I might regret here in a minute) but still worth it for the social aspects. I joined the Film Society and Creative Writing club, and the following day signed up for American Football, Ice Hockey, and Basketball.
Saturday was the day we had our first Rookie Day with the American Football club. It was scorching hot and I downed my 1 litre waterbottle almost instantly. They ran us through drills for 3 hours and at about the halfway point I started to feel a combination of light-headedness, a strong urge to vomit, and my heart kind of hurt every time I took a breath. Having never experienced this, I checked myself out and sat in the shade. Initially, I thought I'd take a few minutes to cool off and get back out there, but I didn't feel straight even at the very end. This put me off the experience and I realized that, though the people involved in the club are really great, it's too serious for me. I want to casually play some sports in between classes and homework, have a fun time, and then go home. These guys really love the game, and I appreciate their determination.
Today is basketball, and I'm hoping there's more of a recreational option to the club rather than trying out for the team. I'm really dying to get into Ice Hockey and see what it's like so I'll certainly write in about that in my next post provided they actually hold a session.
Classes...
I started the week off with 2 of my 3 classes having lectures. Unfortunately, I had to swap out of my favorite one due to a requirement issue and needing to fulfill Film Major stuff back at Oregon and so it has been replaced with a more generic Film Theory class that might be entertaining.
I remain the only male student in my Women and British Cinema class and I got some surprised glances from some of the girls in class when I hustled into the screening a bit late after having a fiasco with the bus back from the grocer's. My other class doesn't have a session here until Week 2 so I'm a bit unsure how it'll be. Still, exciting, interesting stuff that coupled with societies and sport should keep me damn well occupied.
Until next time, there's a bit of an update from me. Photos:
Dorm Room 1
Dorm room, my sink
Outside the...
Castle
Old Wall
More on my facebook
First Arrivals...
I knew only very vaguely the route I was supposed to take to the hotel, so I picked the direction Google Maps told me was right and luckily managed to find it after a bit of an uphill walk. The Lansdowne Hotel sat in between an office building and another hotel on a 2 lane street up a hill from the train station. It looked like an old-style house that had been fitted with loads of extra rooms and this is precisely how it felt. The old carpet, narrow winding staircase leading to upper levels, and even the old women (I'm pretty sure it was run solely by old women) at the counter gave it an old-style homey feel. Their elevator was terrifying slow and came to a halt with a big lurch that put me on edge as I opened the door to my room.
The City...
Finally, a Queen bed, desk, tiny television and my own bathroom. I shaved, showered, and just had a nice little rest session spreading my arms and legs out over the sides of the bed. Feeling the space. Awesome. I dumped the suitcase and most of my backpack's contents and returned down the hill to the train station. Continuing on, I soon arrived at a beautiful bridge arching over a narrow river with boats moored along one edge. There was even a floating Thai restaurant which I really want to try. It a little like Kyoto did last summer, my hostel that time being across the river from the town center as well. This bridge led on to Prince of Whales street (or road, who knows) that was lined with restaurants and night clubs (loads of them) and then went up a hill towards a castle rested atop a grassy incline. I walked in no particular hurry, staring at all the buildings and trying to absorb how different this place was from the frenetic pace and energy of London. It's certainly a different vibe here.
There are two shopping malls mere blocks from one another here in Norwich City Centre. The Castle Mall, located directly by the castle, is a little less interesting, featuring decent stores but not on the level of Chapelfield which has the convenience of being right by the bus stop for the Centre. I explored both, along with the pedestrian side-streets between each. The city retains a kind of small-town feel while being about the size of Eugene, though the centre here is much more contained and centralized than our downtown and biggest shopping areas back home. It manages to be both a pleasantly local experience with small businesses and eateries while simultaneously providing all the essential big names in case you're looking to buy the latest Blu Ray or get some fashionable threads.
The UEA is farther out of the centre, looking like they just chopped down a bunch of the forest encroaching on the city and placed a concrete university in its place. The aesthetic is rather 1970s prison, much of the buildings hideous grey boxes that make me yearn for the old-style buildings and Lillis complex of the U of O just to get some kind of visual pleasure. The dorms (I live in Suffolk Terrace C Block) are concrete ziggarauts that fit the style on one side, and make grand windowed pyramids on the other. My room, a single with sink, looks out on a massive grass field leading up to a lake ringed by trees along its border. There isn't really a beach perse and there's no swimming allowed, but at least the UEA provides benches along the edge for some nice sitting-and-reading time.
New Home...
Moving into the hall was a bit eerie; being the first one in a hall built to house 15 people gave me a kind of isolated sentiment that only waned when the first of my flatmates arrived. I occupied myself with a healthy helping of video games, reading, writing, and taking care of a few administrative things ahead of the designated International Student Orientation just to be ahead of the game. I again went into town and explored the Centre more, coming upon the City Library which is absolutely fantastic and the BBC office/building that is currently hosting a Music Video Festival in a viewing room stocked with cushy seats and beanbag chairs. They were even playing a video to one of Onra's amazing productions and I found the room by following the familiar music.
As all the students began to arrive and move in, my hall remained pretty empty. I and one other roomie are the only internationals on our floor, and so we would not be receiving any more neighbors until the weekend. I continued the routine of using a consistent and fast internet connection to catch up on my email and skype sessions looking forward to getting to know everyone arriving in a day. Finally, the excitement of starting a new experience replaced any kind of homesickness I felt (although I don't imagine I'll ever stop missing certain people). When the day came that most of my flat moved in, campus was bustling with activity and there were so many new people to meet. I'm pretty terrible with names, so it took me a few tries to remember everyone that now are my core friendgroup here at the University. Their ages vary between 19-20, and most of them would be Sophomore's in the States aside from the odd Freshman. It took me a while before I realized this fact and, when I finally did, it became a bit weird for a few hours relating to these younger people not far from my sister's age. Suppose I never considered my family in the same light, but I think it's finally time to recognize her as an equal as I do my neighbors.
They're an energetic, fun group to hang around with. As Fresher's Week kicked off (A Freshman orientation equivalent, but way better), every night had an awesome musical event and socials designed to acclimate the new students to their surroundings. I didn't have tickets to a lot of it, but neither did at least a handful of my new neighbors and so there was always somebody to hang out with in the evening. These guys, with very little in the way of lectures in their first week, have no homework to worry about and so have had some kind of social drinking function every night to attend to, and I've tagged along most times to have a laugh and get to know everyone. Though it's only been a week, I'm pretty sure everyone gets along well and has formed a kind of initial bond.
Societies and Sports...
Part of our first week featured a Societies (clubs) fair and the following day Sports. The LCR (EMU equivalent, student union) was filled with tables housing different clubs and sports that students could pay a fee to join for the year. Of course, being here only 3 months meant that some of the prices were a bit high (Basketball cost me 35 pounds, a decision I might regret here in a minute) but still worth it for the social aspects. I joined the Film Society and Creative Writing club, and the following day signed up for American Football, Ice Hockey, and Basketball.
Saturday was the day we had our first Rookie Day with the American Football club. It was scorching hot and I downed my 1 litre waterbottle almost instantly. They ran us through drills for 3 hours and at about the halfway point I started to feel a combination of light-headedness, a strong urge to vomit, and my heart kind of hurt every time I took a breath. Having never experienced this, I checked myself out and sat in the shade. Initially, I thought I'd take a few minutes to cool off and get back out there, but I didn't feel straight even at the very end. This put me off the experience and I realized that, though the people involved in the club are really great, it's too serious for me. I want to casually play some sports in between classes and homework, have a fun time, and then go home. These guys really love the game, and I appreciate their determination.
Today is basketball, and I'm hoping there's more of a recreational option to the club rather than trying out for the team. I'm really dying to get into Ice Hockey and see what it's like so I'll certainly write in about that in my next post provided they actually hold a session.
Classes...
I started the week off with 2 of my 3 classes having lectures. Unfortunately, I had to swap out of my favorite one due to a requirement issue and needing to fulfill Film Major stuff back at Oregon and so it has been replaced with a more generic Film Theory class that might be entertaining.
I remain the only male student in my Women and British Cinema class and I got some surprised glances from some of the girls in class when I hustled into the screening a bit late after having a fiasco with the bus back from the grocer's. My other class doesn't have a session here until Week 2 so I'm a bit unsure how it'll be. Still, exciting, interesting stuff that coupled with societies and sport should keep me damn well occupied.
Until next time, there's a bit of an update from me. Photos:
Dorm Room 1
Dorm room, my sink
Outside the...
Castle
Old Wall
More on my facebook
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Part 3: London - Ending
[This will be edited with photos tomorrow at some point, just want to throw the text up and finish it with this spare time.]
Changing hostels to one in Willesden Green, a short walk from the tube station along the Jubilee line that has had technical problems 2 out of 2 days I’ve been here, seemed to coincide with a slight switch in mood.
Where there was once a kind of jubilant excitement preceding each day, these feelings seemed to have lost their foothold and been replaced by more of a passive indifference and pangs of homesickness. I imagine this is the natural step which someone studying abroad goes through, but I can’t help feeling a bit like I’ve failed to fully embrace the experience.
To counteract these unwanted feelings, the daily planning for my London trip also has taken a turn. Instead of trekking around the city at high speeds, exhaustingly cramming all I possible can into each day, things are going slower now. I attended the Imperial War Museum, for instance, and stayed not a minute longer than necessary. I absolutely love that all of London’s museums have quite a bit of free content to peruse, and so I felt guilt free taking off after inspecting the marvelous “Secret War” exhibit featuring real-world MI5 and MI6 information, passports, weapons, and gadgets from WWI/WWII/Cold War and the Gulf War. It was fascinating.
The Jubilee line being down meant no Abbey Road today, and so I settled on searching out Gosh! Comics, a store I hadn’t visited since living in London in Middle School. They’d relocated, and a quick google search told me they were now in Soho. Soho in the daytime seemed like a crosswalk between the Picadilly/Leicester Square area and Oxford Circus, but upon walking through tonight it was alive with people at the pubs and shops. Here in London, it is totally ok to stand outside of a bar in mass groups and chat with a pint/drink, no one seems to fuss about alcohol in ‘public’ at all. Brilliant.
The first introduction to Soho I received after locating the street Gosh! was on were not 1 but 4 different sex shops; videos, toys, lingerie, emporium. The street was narrow, pedestrian, and each shop seemed to come with its very own odd-looking fellow standing on the stoop and looking at the passers-by. Fine, I thought, I didn’t have any intention of pushing past these gentlemen to browse the wares anyway.
Gosh!’s window had a giant knitted squid, part of some London art-everywhere style event that, according to the photos, included loads of different knitted items sprawled over, attached to, or hung on common monuments around the city. I don’t remember the shop being nearly so trendy, but it was bursting with people of all sorts. Of course there were your typical comic readers, but also the more smartly dressed examining the plethora of graphic novels, art mags, and zines that make up the first floor. The basement is still reserved for new comics and back issues, but wasn’t nearly as populated. I grabbed a Punisher MAX and the latest issue of Scalped (Both really good, you must go and buy them right now) before heading out. I desperately wanted to chat about the store with one of the guys, but I was checked out by someone new and so didn’t bother asking about the move to the new location.
Forbidden...
I stopped at a Café called Costa (read my thoughts on this particular one below) and worked on my novel over some coffee before heading out again in search of a big store. I’m looking for a very particular (being cryptic for reasons) item that I haven’t been able to find yet, despite quite a lot of searching. It’s harder still when Google Maps indicates a location that doesn’t actually exist. For such a cool service, they sure do mess with me sometimes. No worries, I ended up walking most of the way to Forbidden Planet, perhaps the single greatest nerdy store in the existence of Earth. They’ve got vinyl toys, action figures, exclusive busts and comics from comic and film conventions, not to mention a bookstore and comic shop all crammed into 2 floors of pure glee (not the show. I’m sure singing isn’t allowed).
If you’re looking for used books, Smith Family style, then get yourself to Charing Cross Rd just past Leicester Sq. I made a couple purchase, one of which I had heard about (Dean Koontz always seems to do good stuff), and another I picked up merely on impulse. The pound-to-dollar conversion still makes these books more than they’d be in second hand shops back home, but the 2.50 pricetags were not even close to the 12 or 15 I’d be spending at a place like Waterstones.
Another kind of London...
Camden Town station puts you right in the middle of the main shopping district of Camden. Gone are the designer stores, the Marks & Spencers et all, giving way to a different manner of business. Saturday, despite the rain, Camden was incredibly busy and all the shops seemed to be full. There are stores as well as a plethora of stalls forming a kind of labyrinthine network of London/England-tourist clothing, novelty tees like you might find at Hot Topic, or more independent handmade/screen-printed fare. I even stumbled upon a couple art shops with some really fantastic original work.
Camden is also the spot if you want to get some cheaper eats, especially if (and I was) you’re craving Mexican or Thai food. There’s even bar seating made out of old scooters repainted (and missing the handlebars/front). The whole atmosphere is a lot of fun, and getting lost among the goods can eat up at the very least a couple hours (and a decent chunk of cash too, if you’re not careful). The visit almost made up for Arsenal getting thrashed earlier. Even took care of some gift shopping!
Brick Lane is also a similar style to Camden, though there was a fair bit more vintage clothing and graffiti around this district. As such, I walked around only half looking at the stalls and instead turning my attention to the walls, overhangs, and doorways for any kind of street art to photograph. I snapped a few, and discovered a couple of interesting galleries; StolenSpace Gallery and the Print Club London which sold some really awesome prints for about 40 pounds each unframed. Had I lived in London, I certainly would have gone to the print club to decorate my flat with some interesting work but it was a bit high for something that might get trashed in transit back to the states so I skipped out just barely avoiding dropping some serious cash.
Perhaps the most interesting stall I found while in Brick Lane was one selling vintage toys, clothing, and a wide array of old gas masks from all over Europe. I guess you have to buy them somewhere, though I certainly wouldn’t want to drop 20-30 pounds on something that no longer serves its intended function. Although…
There was also a music festival going on Sunday, and I was attracted by the bass heavy reggae only to learn it (of course) cost money to get in and so I skipped out and finished my day with a good long skype session. Now off to Norwich, here are just a couple tips to share;
Few tips...
Cravings: If you need some coffee and want to pop open your laptop for a little bit of internet while you get your fix, I have to recommend Café Nero. Similar-styled Pret a Manger and Costa offer roughly the same thing, but Costa’s wifi is not free, and Pret’s is quite fussy. I never had an issue at Nero.
Beware: The Jubilee line, on which Willesden Green and my hostel were located, is perhaps the worst line in the history of the London Tube. Out of the 4 nights I stayed there, 5/5 days saw the Jubliee having technical difficulties and partial closing. When booking a spot to sleep, try not to do it on this temperamental transport.
Sleepy: Both the Astor Hyde Park and the Palmer’s Lodge are both good hostels that offer two different experiences. If you’re looking for something young, loud, and close to everything then Hyde Park is your thing. However, if you want to get more sleep in a darker room with less people, you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of distance and convenience for the nice facilities and on-site bar of Palmer’s. I think at this point I’d rather stay at Astor thanks to the ease of navigation.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Part 2: London - Accidentally Awesome
Enough negativity! If there's one thing that London this time around has really permitted me is the chance to walk around popular areas without feeling a gripping need to see all the big sites and look at every exhibit in every museum. While the English Museums both in London and around the country tend to be absolutely amazing, I wanted to cover newer ground this time around.
This isn't science...
The Astor hostel was near Hyde Park (beautiful place), that played host to Lionel Richie the night that I arrived in London. Had I known, I woulda been there in a flash and danced on the ceiling all night long. Pissed I missed it. Near Hyde Park is also the Museum of Natural History, and the Science Museum both of which I... think I'd been to before, but decided to try again. On my way to the Science Museum there was loads of construction blocking off various pedestrian paths. Through all the rerouting, I got turned around and walked into what I thought was the Science museum only to find out I was somewhere else entirely; the V&A Museum. After walking through a few rooms of sculptures and various other art, I figured it was the wrong spot but decided to stay anyway. Glad I did, there's an exhibit running right now about some crazy craftsmanship ranging from bicycles made entirely of wood, a Gundam-style suit that was prototyped as a way to give wheelchair-bound citizens a way to walk, move, and fight badguys and even new kinds of clothing. The opening to the exhibit was guarded by a giant Gorilla roaring and beating its chest, all made of coat hangars. Ridiculous. Awesome.
An introduction to film...
This isn't science...
The Astor hostel was near Hyde Park (beautiful place), that played host to Lionel Richie the night that I arrived in London. Had I known, I woulda been there in a flash and danced on the ceiling all night long. Pissed I missed it. Near Hyde Park is also the Museum of Natural History, and the Science Museum both of which I... think I'd been to before, but decided to try again. On my way to the Science Museum there was loads of construction blocking off various pedestrian paths. Through all the rerouting, I got turned around and walked into what I thought was the Science museum only to find out I was somewhere else entirely; the V&A Museum. After walking through a few rooms of sculptures and various other art, I figured it was the wrong spot but decided to stay anyway. Glad I did, there's an exhibit running right now about some crazy craftsmanship ranging from bicycles made entirely of wood, a Gundam-style suit that was prototyped as a way to give wheelchair-bound citizens a way to walk, move, and fight badguys and even new kinds of clothing. The opening to the exhibit was guarded by a giant Gorilla roaring and beating its chest, all made of coat hangars. Ridiculous. Awesome.
An introduction to film...
It feels pretty cliché to say something is a “hidden gem” but sometimes it’s the most appropriate phrase. Feeling lazy and perhaps a bit homesick after a few days of seriously trekking around London and trying to cram in as much as I could by train and foot, I settled on finding a theater showing a film called Beginners. I’d missed it at the Bijou and so sought to right the wrong by finding here where it would surely be playing…somewhere.
There were 3 different theaters in the vicinity of Piccadilly that would be close enough to get to easily and in time after a visit to Buckingham Palace and a late lunch. At the Cafe, I chose the Prince Charles Cinema near Leicester Square, a few blocks away. The Google Maps photo looked like a picture of a rundown building that had closed its doors permanently and, actually, this is how it kind of appears at first. Nestled away in Chinatown just by Leicester Square and close to the Soho area full of theaters and shops. I was offered roughly 5 different sorts of Asian massages (Korean, Chinese, Foot etc) while strolling through the main street.
The PCC has 2 screens, a bar, and free Wifi for customers to utilize while they wait for doors to open, have a beer, or wait for the show to start (2 of which I did, the bar was closed) and offers the kind of Bijou/David Minor style atmosphere that I absolutely cherish. There's even a showing of Red State and a Q&A with Kevin Smith tomorrow night that was, of course, sold out. I might go by and see if I could snag a ticket, as that would just make my trip. They are currently running Beginners and The Guard. Both of which I wanted to see, and I almost Double Featured myself. Tickets run at 8 pounds each, which is about a pound+ less than most of the other cinemas in the area (of which there are many).
The theaters are small themselves, but have wonderful leather cushy seats and almost all seats seemed to be good viewing points for the film (I think the other screen has much more seating). Going at 4 p.m. was just right to get a great seat in a theater that was only a 3rd full, though leaving it seemed like the evening shows are more popular. Gotta visit this place again.
Chinatown's Not-so-cheap Eats...
It was only natural that I'd want some food after getting out around 6 p.m., and Chinatown provided a plethora of choices. A lot of the food joints here are priced kind of high, especially considering the interiors and location, but a corner cafe that advertised bubble tea and hot food just couldn't be ignored. There was a small Asian woman hand-making all the dumplings the cafe served in front of the window, and a small crowd had gathered to watch her work through the glass. It felt rather reminiscent of some Taquerias who employ the same tactic in Mexico. The inside was bare save for bar seating, a few tables, and a review from a London publication heralding the cafe as providing great authentic Chinese food. Indeed, the staff chatted to one another in Mandarin the entire time. I ordered the Fish Ball special with rice noodles and a mango bubble tea. The special, for 5.95, was filling and absolutely delicious. As a single eater, I was given a table and then had guests sat down with me. I'm not sure where the couple was from, but one of them saw my food and asked for the exact same after clarifying that he'd like it with his boyfriend in a language I didn't recognize.
It was a great tasting way to quietly reflect on Beginners and provided some tapioca ball comfort before making the push back to the hostel all the way in Willesden Green some 30 minutes away. Being in England means no guilty feeling when one doesn't eat the food native to the country, since most of it is pretty basic and, though I love meat and taters as much as the next dude, gets kind of old. Explore! The name of the restaurant escapes me, but it's next door to The Tokyo Diner which is a bit more spendy.
Part 1: London
I'd like to open this post commending Air Canada for being quite the airline to fly for over 8 hours with. First, I wasn't carded or charged extra for ordering a mini bottle of wine with my pretty-decent chicken dinner and the small screen in the headrest in front of me was not only stocked with both arthouse and hollywood flicks, but all were available free of charge. It made the flight a thousand times better than it could have been, and I'd certainly like flying them again.
I haven't quite decided just how I'd like to approach this blog. Writing in once a week (roughly) means that attempting to recap everything that's happened in between each post would be both tedious and rather boring for all of you. Instead, I'll just hit on some main points and post pictures once I sort out how to get them off my SD card and onto my laptop. For now, pretend all the photos included were taken by me except with a better camera and a hint of photographic skills.
Hostel Horror
If you read my Japan trip postings, you'll know that I'm really extra talented at getting immediately and irrevocably lost by myself in a foreign country. So, after being in the air and on layover for over 12 hours, finally tasting the relief that is solid ground and fresh air, what else was I to do? Wander around in the rain with a huge suitcase, of course. The Tube (London Underground) directions were easy enough, the maps posted at each station with the various lines are infinitely easier to deal with since they aren't in Kanji, but the struggle came after I left the station.
I'm not sure what it is about these hostel websites, but I guess accurate and well-written directions aren't important. Google Maps proved dangerous as well; the printout I had brought with me was really accurate as to the place Google had decided I wanted to go, which wasn't at all the right address that I'd entered in. I ended up getting buzzed into an entirely different hostel and having the clerk there re-search and give me the proper directions. With a laugh, the real destination was located and I dropped my bag off. All hostels have a check-in of 2 p.m., giving me a solid 3 hours to spend, sweaty and dressed in athletic shorts, jersey and a fitted, to put around London smelling like plane and BO.
I came back and checked in, lugging 50 pounds worth of urban street clothing and 2 pairs of my boat-sized shoes up 5 flights of stairs to my room. Thank God for showers and nice German people, giving me a warm welcome and a great way to finally feel clean after travel. The Astor Hyde Park hostel provides both decent beds, en-suite shower and toilet, and a free breakfast in the morning (cereal and toast, including peanut butter and nutella spreads) and is a great location in Gloucester Road a few stops from all the most important stops.
However, what's not so great is trying to sleep while a handful of drunk Hostel-stayers sit outside the hostel at 3 in the morning belting out Disney songs, Journey, showtunes and everything in between. The girl had, at least, taken a few singing lessons and so wasn't too out of key but her male compatriots were not so... polished. As I lay awake, splitting headached and jetlagged, I fantasized about dropping the various items my roommates had lying around out the window at them. Nothing says passive-aggressive like mortaring a backpacking bag at some Irish people and ducking back into your room. The next nights weren't nearly so nightmarish and I'd certainly stay in this place again.
Whatchu Starin' At?
While in Japan, I became accustomed to quite a few people looking at my 6'2 white self on the subway or in the streets, especially when exploring non-touristy areas. However, I arrived in England half expecting not to have the same experience. I was, of course, incorrect. Sure, my fashion choice on the first day was a bit different, but the looks continued to come, and not all were very friendly.
At first, I felt a bit angry at all the stares. Perhaps it was a preconceived notion that being anglo and of UK descent would have given me a physical appearance that would allow a certain degree of blending in here in London. Maybe these looks made me feel like an outsider somewhere I desperately didn't want to be an Other. However, after this week, I feel more or less alright with being picked out as foreign. I'm not ashamed to be from the States, and I'll just pretend all this attention is because they love the Obey tee combo'd with the black Analog shorts.
Stylistically, if I wanted to fit in with the London crowd (at least in the center/affluent areas), I'd need to overhaul my wardrobe to include tight blackwash jeans, collared shirt, shoulder bag, and some kind of brown leathery shoes that absolutely are never ever made in a size 15. I've observed a couple of these people staring down at my sneakers (called Trainers) who do not break their gaze even when they notice I see them. It's odd.
More to come soon, I've finished my cappuccino and I need to get some food in me. Quick shoutout to Nic, hostel roomie and cool dude. Enjoy N. Ireland breh
I haven't quite decided just how I'd like to approach this blog. Writing in once a week (roughly) means that attempting to recap everything that's happened in between each post would be both tedious and rather boring for all of you. Instead, I'll just hit on some main points and post pictures once I sort out how to get them off my SD card and onto my laptop. For now, pretend all the photos included were taken by me except with a better camera and a hint of photographic skills.
Hostel Horror
If you read my Japan trip postings, you'll know that I'm really extra talented at getting immediately and irrevocably lost by myself in a foreign country. So, after being in the air and on layover for over 12 hours, finally tasting the relief that is solid ground and fresh air, what else was I to do? Wander around in the rain with a huge suitcase, of course. The Tube (London Underground) directions were easy enough, the maps posted at each station with the various lines are infinitely easier to deal with since they aren't in Kanji, but the struggle came after I left the station.
I'm not sure what it is about these hostel websites, but I guess accurate and well-written directions aren't important. Google Maps proved dangerous as well; the printout I had brought with me was really accurate as to the place Google had decided I wanted to go, which wasn't at all the right address that I'd entered in. I ended up getting buzzed into an entirely different hostel and having the clerk there re-search and give me the proper directions. With a laugh, the real destination was located and I dropped my bag off. All hostels have a check-in of 2 p.m., giving me a solid 3 hours to spend, sweaty and dressed in athletic shorts, jersey and a fitted, to put around London smelling like plane and BO.
I came back and checked in, lugging 50 pounds worth of urban street clothing and 2 pairs of my boat-sized shoes up 5 flights of stairs to my room. Thank God for showers and nice German people, giving me a warm welcome and a great way to finally feel clean after travel. The Astor Hyde Park hostel provides both decent beds, en-suite shower and toilet, and a free breakfast in the morning (cereal and toast, including peanut butter and nutella spreads) and is a great location in Gloucester Road a few stops from all the most important stops.
However, what's not so great is trying to sleep while a handful of drunk Hostel-stayers sit outside the hostel at 3 in the morning belting out Disney songs, Journey, showtunes and everything in between. The girl had, at least, taken a few singing lessons and so wasn't too out of key but her male compatriots were not so... polished. As I lay awake, splitting headached and jetlagged, I fantasized about dropping the various items my roommates had lying around out the window at them. Nothing says passive-aggressive like mortaring a backpacking bag at some Irish people and ducking back into your room. The next nights weren't nearly so nightmarish and I'd certainly stay in this place again.
Whatchu Starin' At?
While in Japan, I became accustomed to quite a few people looking at my 6'2 white self on the subway or in the streets, especially when exploring non-touristy areas. However, I arrived in England half expecting not to have the same experience. I was, of course, incorrect. Sure, my fashion choice on the first day was a bit different, but the looks continued to come, and not all were very friendly.
At first, I felt a bit angry at all the stares. Perhaps it was a preconceived notion that being anglo and of UK descent would have given me a physical appearance that would allow a certain degree of blending in here in London. Maybe these looks made me feel like an outsider somewhere I desperately didn't want to be an Other. However, after this week, I feel more or less alright with being picked out as foreign. I'm not ashamed to be from the States, and I'll just pretend all this attention is because they love the Obey tee combo'd with the black Analog shorts.
Stylistically, if I wanted to fit in with the London crowd (at least in the center/affluent areas), I'd need to overhaul my wardrobe to include tight blackwash jeans, collared shirt, shoulder bag, and some kind of brown leathery shoes that absolutely are never ever made in a size 15. I've observed a couple of these people staring down at my sneakers (called Trainers) who do not break their gaze even when they notice I see them. It's odd.
More to come soon, I've finished my cappuccino and I need to get some food in me. Quick shoutout to Nic, hostel roomie and cool dude. Enjoy N. Ireland breh
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