I Suck at Blogging

I suck at blogging, and this is a known fact. Usually it's because I feel like I've run out of things to say. In this case it's because being in the U.K. has turned into living in the U.K., and suddenly it seems too dull to discuss. Basically, I spend my days simply, riding the bus to class or doing homework or reading or shopping for warm clothes during the day and drinking or watching movies with friends at night. It's exactly what everybody else does at home, only here there are a lot more English accents.

But I shall try to tell you interesting things anyway.

First of all, my accommodations. I live in a flat, which is English for apartment. The building is huge and must have 50-something blocks, each with 4 flats. Anyways, ours has 8 girls and 8 boys, who all share a kitchen. This is only somewhat problematic. The place looks a bit like a prison, with pale green stucco-on-brick walls and cheap-ass furniture and not much space, so the fact that half the time it's a pig sty is no terrible thing. My parents will be surprised to learn that I do a lot of dish washing. My room, however, is cluttered. Some things never change.

My flatmates are lovely creatures, mostly. The girls consist of Mia, Daisy and Stef, with boys Tom, Tom, James (Jimbo) and Danny. We also seem to have adopted a stray by the name of Ed. He's cute, as strays tend to be, but he makes a mess and yells a lot. I teasingly call Mia Wendy, after the character in Peter Pan, because all the boys always end up in her room snuggling on her bed and watching movies. It's cute. Daisy is thespian and is also a sweetheart, but a bit more high-strung. She's also gorgeous and tall and blond, but she doesn't seem to notice. Stef is a strange Aussie-English hybrid who grew up in Singapore and Mexico and Texas, and she is my best friend here. I do not have room to discuss her absolute amazingness, but trust you me, she is indeed awesome.

The two Toms are Tom C and Tom A. Tom C tends to keep to himself, while Tom A loves all things American, most especially American football. Jimbo is an English Lit major and comes off as very English. I like him because he talks about going to boarding school, goes to the pub every night, and thinks I have great music taste. He's also been known to quote Lord of the Rings on occasion. Danny's cool too, but I don't know him so well. He also has great taste in music.

What else...

I have bought a lovely wardrobe of snuggly cold-weather clothes, including boots and sweaters and scarves and thick socks. I can't wait to be way over dressed when I get back to Cali.

The best city I've visited so far is York. It's touristy but adorable. Unfortunately, I left my camera's memory card at home when I went, so there is no evidence of me ever having been there, but if you ever visit England, go.

Full English breakfasts are delicious. Much better than American ones, in my opinion, but our bacon's better. Also, our pancakes.

It's sad, but I sort of miss hip hop music and people filthily dancing to it in clubs. They mostly dance to rock here and there is a woeful lack of grinding. I know, I know. I don't really mean it, it's just the homesickness talking.

Also, in regards to being homesick, I haven't really been at all. I miss everyone, of course, but I absolutely love it here. I wish I could just teleport all my lovely friends and family over here and then things would be perfecto.

In conclusion, I suck at blogging.

X
Sarah

A Tardy Update

Sorry about the lack of posts. This past week or so has been a busy one, and fun of course, but not the most exciting. Lots of name-learning, small talk and drinking (it's probably only a mild overstatement to say I've consumed my body mass in tea and alcohol). I've met a massive amount of people from all over the place and can now boast a healthy posse of Aussie, Canadian, American, English and Chinese students, to name a few. My flatmates are fantastic as well, and despite our dreary-looking accommodations, we get on great. The boys have offered to cook a Sunday roast one of these weekends and I've promised them a nearly proper Thanksgiving dinner.

Two activities of interest: last night I got to see The Civil Wars at a pub and they were fantastic. Plus they're American--so proud! And tickets were only about 10 quid...there are so many other fantastic acts playing here and they're all so affordable. Hurray!

I also attended my first proper football match today, Manchester United v. Basel (a Swiss team). First half was boring, as Man U dominated by 2 and there was barely any singing. Then second half Basel managed to tie it, then got ahead by one. The crowd was so intense...singing, booing, frenzied screaming, hair pulling. Luckily it got tied up with 30 seconds remaining, but they couldn't get another goal in overtime. O well, at least they didn't lose, right?

Monday I started classes, so once I'm settled into those I shall start traveling around. I have Wednesdays off, so hopefully I'll be able to do day trips nearby, with bigger destinations on my 3 day weekends. This weekend I'm doing a proper tourist experience here in Manchester, then the Lake District Sunday. In 2 weeks Stef and I are going to Pompeii and around Italy for her birthday. Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Cheers,
Sarah

Right-Handed Romans and Jaffa Cakes

I'm here! I'm finally here! And yet it still doesn't seem entirely real...

First off, the good stuff. I am constantly breaking out into a silly grin at all the accented conversations going on around me. I also just break out into a silly grin for no reason at all because, golly, I'm in ENGLAND.

Getting acquainted with their strange foodstuffs is also quite amusing. I've already fallen in love with Jaffa cakes, which aren't all that strange but are extremely addicting.

London was fun, but not at all what I expected. It's smaller, not as grandiose. Still brilliant of course, with pretty buildings absolutely dripping in history and mad people in business suits bicycling to work alongside double-decker buses. I'm also in love with the pubs and the boys in bow-ties and the sweet old Scottish man who gave us adorably terrible directions. Also the free museums. I might suggest that they make street signs a wee bit easier to find however instead of sticking them on random buildings in a sick game of "let's see how we can make Sarah even more inefficient at navigation."

The countryside's lovely. Lots of sheep and huge, cheerful cows. I can also attest to the fact that there is a lovely rest stop at Shakespeare's birth place, complete with a KFC (which lacks fried chicken of any kind) and a Burger King. O dear.

I'm not at all homesick as of yet, but certain things are starting to get to me. Currently it's cars not driving on the right (opposite of left; also meaning "correct") side of the road. I have no idea why it bothers me so much, but it does. Part of it is that I keep almost getting run over because I don't remember which way to look before crossing the street. Also I feel disoriented, like I imagine a drunken hamster might. The reason explained to us why Brits drive on the left makes the whole thing even more infuriatingly dumb: because the Romans did it. And the Romans did it because they carried swords in their right hand, so in case they wanted to have a slice at someone in the oncoming chariot they were all set. Boo.

At this particular moment also, I miss warmth. I think I'll be fine, nay, utterly contented, once I have a nice thick pair of boots and the equipment for tea-making, but right now I keep stepping in puddles of mud and my ugly, chilly little room is no comfort.

Anyway, here is a picture of a creepy guy in a bunny costume hugging me to lighten things up:

Cheers!

And I'm Off

Leaving for the airport in a little less than 3 hours and my flight should be taking off at 9:30 tonight. I woke up this morning with that Christmas morning type of excitement where it took me a little while to figure out why I was so happy. It's surreal thinking that I'll actually be where there are real British people with real British accents...like BBC come to life! Joy!

I also know that I'll miss home like crazy, especially my family. No more mom to listen to my long-winded ramblings, no more Emily to share witty banter and everything else with, no more dad to cook me steaks. I'll be all on my own in an alien culture and I'm a bit scared out of my wits. But everything will work out and I know I'll have the time of my life.

À bientôt!

London Calling

Being the huge nerd that I am (many thanks to Em for perpetually reminding me of this), I made a playlist for when I get to London. Feel free to take a listen and pretend you're taking a soggy, delightful stroll with me along the Thames.

T-Minus 3 Days

In 74 hours I'll be leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again. O babe I hate to go...John Denver lyrics aside. I'm so bloody excited (and working on my slang. Must remember to refrain from mentioning how I dislike to wear pants), but also nervous. What if my luggage gets lost? What if something goes wrong with my my visa? What if I get ripped off or someone steals my money? What if I get hopelessly lost on the tube? What if my blog is boring? *Deep breaths* I know, I know, I will have fun and everything will work out fine.

Anyway, anyone have any tips for surviving a 10 hour trans-Atlantic flight? Or recommendations for places to visit in London?