So I've been back from the motherland for months now. Still feels weird. Like I still call them "galoshes." And I unintentionally walk on the left side of the sidewalk. And I lust for curry like nobody's business.
There are really strange moments sometimes. I miss the obvious things--like I would give anything to be back in London right now. But it's the stupid little things that really get me. I was leaving work a few weeks ago and had the sudden intense memory of walking up the ramp in the Merrion Centre to go grocery shopping at Morrisons. It was like this pit in my stomach, and I almost broke down and sobbed at the bus stop.
I still miss those idiotic things that probably shouldn't register: going to the station and taking the National Express coach, walking up to the counter and asking for a "white tea to take away." One pound coins. I miss those buggers.
So, boo. I'm incredibly glad I studied abroad--for the people I met, the places I saw, the experiences I had. But in some ways I wish I had never gone, because now I know what I'm missing. What if I never get to live in England again? Then I'll just have this dull ache forever.
Well, you know what they say. Better to have lived in England and had to leave than never to have lived there at all, right?
p.s. I know this all makes me sound like a privileged, whiny little bitch. I'm not usually like that.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
I Don't Think I Packed Enough...
I am leaving in under two hours to go to the airport. To get on a plane to Málaga. I won't be back in Leeds (or back to my computer...) until late April 30th.
I'm alternating feeling like this:
and this:
I shall be largely out-of-touch the next month, but I hope you all have a lovely April, and know I'll be thinking about you guys! So...Happy April Fool's Day, Happy Easter, Happy Birthday (to me), and I'll talk to you in May!
xo
I'm alternating feeling like this:
I shall be largely out-of-touch the next month, but I hope you all have a lovely April, and know I'll be thinking about you guys! So...Happy April Fool's Day, Happy Easter, Happy Birthday (to me), and I'll talk to you in May!
xo
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
This is a quick and subpar post.
Just a brief note on the next few weeks so you have an idea of what I'm up to if I don't get to post about it all later. It's post-midnight now and I'm frantically finishing my to-do list, because...
I'm hopping on a plane in t-minus....11 hours (!) to fly to Germany. I'm meeting a friend there and we're going to over to Belgium to spend a few days in Brussels. (First time I'm doing some passport-required traveling over here!) I'll be back in Leeds on Monday.
Then, a mere few days after arriving back here I'm going on a weekend trip to Edinburgh the 25th-27th. Should be kilt-y and fun.
Finally, on the 31st I will get on a flight from Leeds, ne'er to return. That's a lie, but I will be away from England for about a solid month while the Uni is on Easter break. In order, I'll be going to:
Spain: Málaga, Córdoba, Barcelona
France: Nice
Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice
Greece: Athens, Santorini, Mykonos
Then a few days in London at the end of April for the royal wedding, and I will finally arrive back in my English dorm home for the last few weeks of classes and exams.
Odds are my Internet time will be...uhh...limited. Whenever I have an available computer, I'll try to give a Facebook shout-out at least about where in the world I am. But you may not hear from me on the blog through April. Sorry about that. I'll be on the beach...
xo
I'm hopping on a plane in t-minus....11 hours (!) to fly to Germany. I'm meeting a friend there and we're going to over to Belgium to spend a few days in Brussels. (First time I'm doing some passport-required traveling over here!) I'll be back in Leeds on Monday.
Then, a mere few days after arriving back here I'm going on a weekend trip to Edinburgh the 25th-27th. Should be kilt-y and fun.
Finally, on the 31st I will get on a flight from Leeds, ne'er to return. That's a lie, but I will be away from England for about a solid month while the Uni is on Easter break. In order, I'll be going to:
Spain: Málaga, Córdoba, Barcelona
France: Nice
Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice
Greece: Athens, Santorini, Mykonos
Then a few days in London at the end of April for the royal wedding, and I will finally arrive back in my English dorm home for the last few weeks of classes and exams.
Odds are my Internet time will be...uhh...limited. Whenever I have an available computer, I'll try to give a Facebook shout-out at least about where in the world I am. But you may not hear from me on the blog through April. Sorry about that. I'll be on the beach...
xo
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Catching Up
There's a reason I was never successful at writing in a diary. Because it's hard for me to do it often (that's what she said), and I get way behind.
Anyway, I owe you a lot of info. I've been several new places and done lots of things over the last few weeks that I haven't shared with you. You probably won't get all the details that you deserve, but I'll do my best to share as much as I can! So, a la This American Life (because I'm a nerd), this blog is split into four acts.
ACT ONE: York, and York again
A month ago, now, I went to York. Then, 2 weeks ago, I went to York again. I'll explain why in a minute. York is such a gorgeous old city, built by the Romans many many centuries ago. The central highlight is most definitely York Minster, a ridiculously fabulous church you can't miss.
It's amazing inside and out. We went down into the crypts (in a couple places you can actually see skeleton fragments in the walls) and saw the remnants of the foundations of a Roman fort, and then the Saxon one on top of that, then the Norman cathedral, and finally the "modern" Minster, built in medieval times. The other highlight is climbing the tower to see the view of the city. When we first went Friday the tower was closed due to high winds (thanks for making me feel safe, York), but we went back Saturday and it was reopened! Yay... So, another tiny spiral staircase. Not only that, but if you buy now, we'll throw in a walk along at roof level between the two towers to make it the rest of the way up! My knees trembled, my stomach queased, but we made it to the top and it was once again worth it for the views. From the top you can see the lines of the stone fortification walls that still surround the city and the ruins of other ancient buildings.
Anyway, I owe you a lot of info. I've been several new places and done lots of things over the last few weeks that I haven't shared with you. You probably won't get all the details that you deserve, but I'll do my best to share as much as I can! So, a la This American Life (because I'm a nerd), this blog is split into four acts.
ACT ONE: York, and York again
A month ago, now, I went to York. Then, 2 weeks ago, I went to York again. I'll explain why in a minute. York is such a gorgeous old city, built by the Romans many many centuries ago. The central highlight is most definitely York Minster, a ridiculously fabulous church you can't miss.
 |
| Oh, you mean the giant one you can see from pretty much anywhere in the city? |
Friday, February 25, 2011
A Bit Morbid
So this post's a little different. I'm taking a module (as they call it here, course/class as we call it back home) about the history of Leeds. It's actually called Leeds: Voices of the Past, which may be important later. So anyway, this modulecourseclass tries to explain how this area was shaped, from Prehistoric times to the present, by the various peoples who called it home. We've talked about Romans and Celts and Saxons and Normans, discussed how places get their names, and handled animal bones from 8,000 years ago. Wednesday, we took a field trip. To a cemetery.
Now, I know how that sounds. A cemetery? Walking around a graveyard in the rain and mud (because it's England, so of course it was raining) for 2 hours counts as a field trip? Well it turns out yes. I've always kind of like cemeteries (I'm weird) because they make me feel peaceful (weird) and contemplative (weird). But my teacher for this class really encouraged us to pay attention to the headstones and to figure out the stories of the people buried there.
We went to a place called the Beckett Street Cemetery, which as far as British cemeteries go, is a fairly important one. It's the first (probably) municipal burial place in all of England, which basically means you didn't have to be Anglican and rich to get buried there, and more than 180,000 people took advantage. Even in the warm-and-fuzzy public burial though, there's a nice segregation between the Anglican dead and the dissenters (they went with a strict "with us or against us" type of policy), complete with separate chapels and staff. No cross-religion-contamination here. Kind of sad that even in death we can't forgive our differences.
Side note: the cemetery is also pretty much across the street from a giant hospital. That must be a cheery reminder for patients.
Anyway, not the point.
Now, I know how that sounds. A cemetery? Walking around a graveyard in the rain and mud (because it's England, so of course it was raining) for 2 hours counts as a field trip? Well it turns out yes. I've always kind of like cemeteries (I'm weird) because they make me feel peaceful (weird) and contemplative (weird). But my teacher for this class really encouraged us to pay attention to the headstones and to figure out the stories of the people buried there.
We went to a place called the Beckett Street Cemetery, which as far as British cemeteries go, is a fairly important one. It's the first (probably) municipal burial place in all of England, which basically means you didn't have to be Anglican and rich to get buried there, and more than 180,000 people took advantage. Even in the warm-and-fuzzy public burial though, there's a nice segregation between the Anglican dead and the dissenters (they went with a strict "with us or against us" type of policy), complete with separate chapels and staff. No cross-religion-contamination here. Kind of sad that even in death we can't forgive our differences.
Side note: the cemetery is also pretty much across the street from a giant hospital. That must be a cheery reminder for patients.
Anyway, not the point.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Hey MTV, Welcome to My Crib
Too bad I don't have any pools, cars, or solid-gold refrigerators to show off.
It's been a while since I gave you all an update, and though I did go on another short trip since then, I'm going to put that story on hold (you'll have to live in suspense for a bit) and instead tell you a bit about my life in Leeds.
It's hard to believe I've been here for a month. I feel simultaneously like I've done so much already and that I've barely done anything. Hopefully I still have a lot of adventures to come in the next four months. In the meantime, how 'bout I show you round my new living space?
It's been a while since I gave you all an update, and though I did go on another short trip since then, I'm going to put that story on hold (you'll have to live in suspense for a bit) and instead tell you a bit about my life in Leeds.
It's hard to believe I've been here for a month. I feel simultaneously like I've done so much already and that I've barely done anything. Hopefully I still have a lot of adventures to come in the next four months. In the meantime, how 'bout I show you round my new living space?
 |
| My desk. Note the desktop background--still awesome. |
 |
| Ze wardrobe and little table thingy (which would be handier if it were anywhere near the bed, no?). |
Thursday, February 3, 2011
To Be...atles or not to Beatles
I apologize for the title. If I could refund those couple seconds of your life that it took you to read it, I would. The rest of this will be better. Or at least it will have 100% fewer puns.
Last Saturday (And, shut up. I can hear your judgment. I know it's taken me days to write a post about this. Jeez.), I went on a trip to Liverpool through the International Student Office here. It was all for us international students, and we each paid a small sum of money to be loaded onto buses early in the morning. They pretty much just organized transport, so they basically took 6 coach buses full of foreigners and set them loose on the city. I'm sure the Liverpudlians (or Scousers, as they're apparently actually referred to) appreciated that.
I mentioned The Beatles in the embarrassingly bad pun of a title of this post because, as you may know, it's the birthplace of each of the Fab Four, and also the city where the band formed. This gave me another thought. I would bet that people who grew up in Liverpool are utterly sick of the Beatles. I mean, they think I make annoying puns? There's a "Hard Day's Night Hotel" in Liverpool. An "Ate Days a Week Cafe." Seriously--I bet it makes people want to cry. All the tourists (including me) walking around singing Beatles songs, having people stop you to ask where Penny Lane and Strawberry Field are... Besides the fact that it's all anyone knows about Liverpool, the Beatles overload must be a bit much.
Last Saturday (And, shut up. I can hear your judgment. I know it's taken me days to write a post about this. Jeez.), I went on a trip to Liverpool through the International Student Office here. It was all for us international students, and we each paid a small sum of money to be loaded onto buses early in the morning. They pretty much just organized transport, so they basically took 6 coach buses full of foreigners and set them loose on the city. I'm sure the Liverpudlians (or Scousers, as they're apparently actually referred to) appreciated that.
I mentioned The Beatles in the embarrassingly bad pun of a title of this post because, as you may know, it's the birthplace of each of the Fab Four, and also the city where the band formed. This gave me another thought. I would bet that people who grew up in Liverpool are utterly sick of the Beatles. I mean, they think I make annoying puns? There's a "Hard Day's Night Hotel" in Liverpool. An "Ate Days a Week Cafe." Seriously--I bet it makes people want to cry. All the tourists (including me) walking around singing Beatles songs, having people stop you to ask where Penny Lane and Strawberry Field are... Besides the fact that it's all anyone knows about Liverpool, the Beatles overload must be a bit much.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Oddities
On the one hand, it seems like England shouldn't be that different from back home in Wisconsin. After all, we share a language and (you would think) similar Western cultural traits. It's not like I'm studying abroad in a country where I don't speak the language or am cut off from the amenities and things I am accustomed to. I'm in England, for Pete's sake! America's estranged parent, our closest ally, the home of most of our TV stars.
Turns out, all of that means very little. I can still barely understand what some people are trying to say to me. I feel largely confused and very much like I stand out in the crowd of Brits. I say "thank you" instead of "cheers," I usually wear jeans and not leggings, my eyeliner isn't an inch thick. So...here's a not-at-all-comprehensive list of things that are different and difficult in jolly old England:
(1) Things are backwards. Look, I know that they drive on the opposite side here, and I'm pretty well adjusted to that. It also means you have to look right first when crossing the street--still challenging, but I'm improving. But the "left" thing extends way beyond that. Remembering to walk on the left side of the sidewalk and the stairs, to enter in the left doors, to take the left escalator up a floor. Still getting tripped up on those.
(2) Converting things in my head sucks. Temperature, distance, weight/volume, currency, the 24-hour clock. My head is full of numbers and it's nearly impossible to keep them all straight. I bought a 700g jar of peanut butter for £1.56. Is that a good deal? Who knows!
Turns out, all of that means very little. I can still barely understand what some people are trying to say to me. I feel largely confused and very much like I stand out in the crowd of Brits. I say "thank you" instead of "cheers," I usually wear jeans and not leggings, my eyeliner isn't an inch thick. So...here's a not-at-all-comprehensive list of things that are different and difficult in jolly old England:
(1) Things are backwards. Look, I know that they drive on the opposite side here, and I'm pretty well adjusted to that. It also means you have to look right first when crossing the street--still challenging, but I'm improving. But the "left" thing extends way beyond that. Remembering to walk on the left side of the sidewalk and the stairs, to enter in the left doors, to take the left escalator up a floor. Still getting tripped up on those.
(2) Converting things in my head sucks. Temperature, distance, weight/volume, currency, the 24-hour clock. My head is full of numbers and it's nearly impossible to keep them all straight. I bought a 700g jar of peanut butter for £1.56. Is that a good deal? Who knows!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
An Awfully Big Adventure
Hey guys!
I know that it's been a while, and part of that is my continuing struggles with sketchy internet availability and a semi-functional power cord for my laptop. The internet issue appears to be fully resolved, but it's still touch and go on the power. Hopefully that will be taken care of soon!
It's hard to believe that I've been in lovely England for a week and a half already! I'm still living in temporary accommodations, so I don't quite feel settled into Leeds yet. The place I'm in until this coming Friday is called Bodington Hall. It's the largest residence hall at the University of Leeds, and it also happens to be (by far) the farthest from the central campus. It's over 4 miles, so I haven't even bothered to try to walk it--I've been getting by with purchasing bus passes to cover the rest of my stay here. Then, I'll move into St. Marks on Friday, which isn't directly on campus but is literally a two minute walk away. Then I can finally stop paying a ridiculous amount of money to get around town!
I'll write more about Leeds in another post, but today I want to share with you some stuff about my weekend trip to London with my friend Megan. As part of our determination to do as much traveling as possible this semester, we planned our first excursion for the morning after our initial arrival. After travel via car, plane, and train, we arrived in Leeds around midday last Thursday. Then, with the aid of the buses and numerous understanding British direction-givers, we managed to find our way to the dorms and move all our stuff into our rooms by early afternoon. We ran around for several hours after that frantically finding food, cell phones, bedding and toiletries and set our alarms for early Friday morning. After a well-deserved and not nearly sufficient night's rest, we trudged onto a morning coach bus to London. Then, I had to fight the urge to sleep more on the four-hour ride both to try to adjust my sleep schedule and battle jet lag and to avoid missing stuff like this:
I know that it's been a while, and part of that is my continuing struggles with sketchy internet availability and a semi-functional power cord for my laptop. The internet issue appears to be fully resolved, but it's still touch and go on the power. Hopefully that will be taken care of soon!
It's hard to believe that I've been in lovely England for a week and a half already! I'm still living in temporary accommodations, so I don't quite feel settled into Leeds yet. The place I'm in until this coming Friday is called Bodington Hall. It's the largest residence hall at the University of Leeds, and it also happens to be (by far) the farthest from the central campus. It's over 4 miles, so I haven't even bothered to try to walk it--I've been getting by with purchasing bus passes to cover the rest of my stay here. Then, I'll move into St. Marks on Friday, which isn't directly on campus but is literally a two minute walk away. Then I can finally stop paying a ridiculous amount of money to get around town!
I'll write more about Leeds in another post, but today I want to share with you some stuff about my weekend trip to London with my friend Megan. As part of our determination to do as much traveling as possible this semester, we planned our first excursion for the morning after our initial arrival. After travel via car, plane, and train, we arrived in Leeds around midday last Thursday. Then, with the aid of the buses and numerous understanding British direction-givers, we managed to find our way to the dorms and move all our stuff into our rooms by early afternoon. We ran around for several hours after that frantically finding food, cell phones, bedding and toiletries and set our alarms for early Friday morning. After a well-deserved and not nearly sufficient night's rest, we trudged onto a morning coach bus to London. Then, I had to fight the urge to sleep more on the four-hour ride both to try to adjust my sleep schedule and battle jet lag and to avoid missing stuff like this:
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
One Week!
Okay, it's actually 8 days, but still... I can't believe the time to to leave is coming up so quickly! I'm getting on a plane next Wednesday and landing the next morning almost four thousand miles from home. It's going to be really weird being away from my family and friends, not seeing the Wisconsin winter melt away, missing out on the opening of the Union Terrace. But I'm incredibly excited about spending 5 months in Leeds (and other places)!
I have a terrible sense of direction--so bad that I manage to get turned around inside buildings. But I kind of love that feeling of wandering and not quite recognizing your surroundings, but exploring and experiencing them. I'm looking forward to getting lost in all sorts of new cities, and finding my way back again. Hopefully in the in-between times I'll get some studying in, discover good food, meet new people.
Haven't started to pack yet...of course. Procrastination strikes again! I do have a pretty solid packing list and a to-do list to finish in the next week. But I also have a lot of book-reading/TV and movie-watching/friend-seeing to do in the next 180 hours or so. And then...on to Leeds, where I will drink boatloads of tea and develop a terrible British accent. I'll try to keep you all updated with stories and pictures as it all unfolds!
Best wishes,
Leah
I have a terrible sense of direction--so bad that I manage to get turned around inside buildings. But I kind of love that feeling of wandering and not quite recognizing your surroundings, but exploring and experiencing them. I'm looking forward to getting lost in all sorts of new cities, and finding my way back again. Hopefully in the in-between times I'll get some studying in, discover good food, meet new people.
Haven't started to pack yet...of course. Procrastination strikes again! I do have a pretty solid packing list and a to-do list to finish in the next week. But I also have a lot of book-reading/TV and movie-watching/friend-seeing to do in the next 180 hours or so. And then...on to Leeds, where I will drink boatloads of tea and develop a terrible British accent. I'll try to keep you all updated with stories and pictures as it all unfolds!
Best wishes,
Leah
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