Arriving in Manchester

The flight was delayed due to “flooding on the Runway” for about an hour, finally we took off, screaming babies and all. It became apparent that the delay was not due so much to flooding as to the late boarding of a VIP, some girl, who was very flustered, and was hated by everyone on board the airplane. Watched half of Iron Man 2 with little interest whilst the man beside me read “Eclipse” he then switched seats with a lady that passed out ON ME for four hours. Afraid that this might be last human contact I experience for three months. Not lucky enough to really sleep. Landed in a rainy Manchester, luckily Ann persuaded me to leave behind some of my larger luggage, so the trip from the airport to Piccadilly station wasn’t so bad. Got lost, eventually found the hostel and thank sweet baby Jesus that they let me check in early. Determined to acclimate both to the time change and the English weather, I locked my things up, and ventured out into greater Manchester. It was beautiful, even though the downpour, picture a mixture between Asheville and Soho, went to some stores and bought some sauvignon blanc and a frozen dinner. Trudged back to the hostel to eat and met my roommates. Two Irish ladies looking at the university of Manchester, Holly and her mother Helen, were some of the warmest and entertaining people I’ve ever met. I drank some wine and chatted/rested, and then went out for a sushi dinner. I was expecting to eat alone at the sushi bar in the company of other loners, but alas, there was no sushi bar, just hibachi tables, and one little table in the back next to some douchebags giant-ass birthday party. I quickly ate and left, went back to the hostel, where despite many a sleeping pill did not sleep. Woke abruptly at 5 am sick as hell….perhaps the wine…perhaps the sushi…perhaps the fact that my body was so, so, so, pissed off at me. Had breakfast at the hostel, the Brits eat beans at every time of the day, like canned beans, baked ass beans, barbeque beans, for breakfast, on a roll, with a wedge of deep fried potato. So coffee it was for me. Next I needed to get back to Piccadilly to catch the train to Uni.

Hello Love

The train was standing room only. Full of students and hikers on their way north to the Lake District. Took the bus down to the college, which is about five miles from the city Centre. Campus is huge and sprawls all around deep green hills. Cartmel college, where I now reside, is the farthest from the bus stop, so it was one last great heave-ho with all my bags. Went wandering and missed the meeting where I was supposed to meet all of the people in my flat. Found out that there is a thrift store on campus though, so I was able to buy a towel and take a shower. I can’t believe I forgot to bring a towel (LAURA.) Couldn’t eat any of the food here, don’t know if I will ever be able to. Lots of cheese and potatoes. Had my first pint at the college bar and then managed with a little liquid courage to meet some ladies that live in the same building as I do. Promptly passed out at 8.

Sunday Mornin Rain is Fallin

Woke up too late this morning to go on the college field trip to Blackpool theme park (awww man, I missed riding roller coasters?) so took the opportunity to take a taxi to the city centre and see what this place is all about. Running on coffee I took a tour of Lancaster Castle, totally awesome. It is the only castle in England that also still acts as a prison. THAT’S RIGHT A PRISON. The whole time that I was touring about, looking at the courtrooms (which are also still active), and admiring the coats of arms of various Dukes and Sheriffs, there were class C inmates on the other side of the thick castle walls. As I understand it those guys aren’t that bad, because class C is pretty much minimum security. I did learn where a lot of our figures of speech come from, like “Cat got your tongue?”- cat of nine tails were used to silence people; and “hang on a minute” because people used to hang on to people’s legs when they were hung so they would strangulate faster and thus suffer less. Neat stuff. After the castle I went shopping, got some necessities, iPod cord, bedding (so I won’t have to sleep in my sleeping bag all term), shampoo, aspirin, and all that sorta stuff. Got some lunch, vegetarian lasagna, which just ended up being a lot of cheese in a crock pot with some zucchini. Rotten stuff. Took a cab back, set up my room, and am about to venture back out into the world, after I get my first proper shower since leaving Ann’s. Tonight is a college wide event called a “Silent Disco” where everyone gets a set of Wi-Fi headphones that can be switched between two channels of music. I have only heard about this sort of thing from JRE, who seeing a silent disco full of rolling people at Bonaroo told me it looked pretty fun. I am going.

Panic After the Disco

Well, not panic, just hangoverJ The silent disco was awesome. Got to meet almost all of my flat mates in the kitchen common area to pre-game (or pre-smash) before going. Half a bottle of wine later I was definitely ready to boogie. Turns out that the UK is the best place to dance ever because NO ONE TOUCHES WHILE DANCING, as a result I was able to shake my tushee all night free of harassment, the only time I have ever been able to do that outside of family dance circles. Had to tuck in early, the wine buzz made me go a little too hard a little too fast, and all that Lady Gaga put me out before one. Making friends and taking names, too bad I can’t post anything yet.

Monday, Orientation

International student orientation is shit. Everyone is so pissed off that they don’t have the internet. I want to strangle every person with an iPhone I see just so I can look at pictures of JW on Facebook. I had no idea I was so addicted. Tonight was my college’s “Big Night Out” aka pub crawl, we went to five pubs and ended up in the student union’s pub called sugarhouse. IT WAS GIANT, too bad I had to register the next day at 8 am and therefore did not drink/dance/be friendly all night. Getting a little pissy due to homesickness. Got to meet a ton of people from my college, learn some chants, pick up a bit of slang, and talk real beer talk with some guys that were so surprised I thought they were going to piss themselves. “I mean, like, you, you just don’t look like the typical beer drinker, I mean, like, you’re not hairy and round” It was worth going out just for that one quote. Also think I saved someone’s life, they were so drunk they don’t remember, but that doesn’t mean I will forget.

Tuesday, GREAT SUCCESS!

Did course registration this morning, it was okay. Going to take a lot of environmental science courses, and some criminology, things I actually have always wanted to take but couldn’t at UNC. Have gotten closer to one of my flat mates, an Aussie, Libby, who is righteous, and hilarious, and likes to cook. We went on a journey all about campus to finally register for our library cards, and FINALLY GET INTERNET ACCESS, OMG, OMG, OMG…I can read the news, I can check my Facebook, and I can look at pictures of all of my lovely family and friends. It is glorious. Posting all of this, which will probably not be read, and then proceeding to jump for joy/check out the rec center. HOO-RA