March 5, 2008
Cheerio!
I’ve had so much fun today! I woke up early and started exploring the town. I went to the Arndale and grabbed some breakfast at Marks and Spencer (a higher-end grocery, I came to find out) – today it was a huge bottle of water and a traditional English sausage roll (minced sausage in pastry). I looked around the store for a while before I chose something…there were so many food combinations that I had never even heard of. Some I want to try are: chicken and sweet corn sandwiches, sweet caramelized onion and cheese sandwiches (very popular, it seems), and coronation chicken wraps. I started walking around town with my breakfast, trying to find something recognizable, when I ran into an older woman passing out flyers for free meditation classes at the recreation center; turns out, she was American, too! We talked for a while, and then I found the Student Centre (the university has its buildings scattered throughout the city), which houses the International Office. I made friends with the girl working the desk, Ada, who is from Nigeria, and we talked for almost an hour. Just like Mohammed, my Pakistani friend, Ada wanted to know about all of the American celebrities that I have met (she was particularly interested in Will Smith). She then gave me advice on everything, from whether or not my kitchen tap water is safe to drink to which areas of town to stay out of; I felt like such a dork when I asked if there were any drinking fountains (there aren’t!). I made some more stops at the school buildings, the Student Union, the Chaplaincy, etc, and made an appointment for a private library tour. While I was waiting I went back to the Arndale (only across the street), and looked around in the open market. I love it! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life…African food, Chinese food, Filipino food, Caribbean food, and Indian food, all under the same roof. There were other things there, too, like cheap boots and sunglasses, but they didn’t smell or look as good! Tomorrow I think I’m going to get a curry pasty or some African food. On this trip I also found the preferred grocery store for college students, Tesco, which was super busy! But, Ada was right, everything was so much cheaper than in Marks and Spencer. I looked around for groceries, and found some great deals…four pieces of sushi for one pound, four instant soups for 55 pence (I got Asian chicken noodle), a litre of cranberry juice for 55 pence, and all kinds of hummus for one pound each. I was surprised to find that, in the ready-to-eat food market, the Brits have us beat, hands-down; hardly anything in the store, besides produce, was in its original form. Not that I’m complaining…the way the Brits eat is very easy on a college student’s budget and cooking skills! After that I went back to the library for my tour and chatted with the Brit working the desk; he was so cool! He was black, also, but I actually think he’s British, not foreign; he’s finishing up his Master’s in business. We talked about school, how easy it is to go to college in Florida, his really expensive studio apartment, and the exchange rate; and, he’s going to look into getting me a job at the library! The guy who was supposed to give me a tour cancelled at the last minute, but Nathan let me in to explore anyways; it was okay, but I like the Luton Library better. By the time I got to St. George’s Square and into the library, I was so tired! It gets dark here pretty early…2 pm here feels like 5 pm in the United States! Today was cloudy, though, so it could be different tomorrow.
I will say that most everyone figures out that I am a foreigner, and I think I have figured out why: my so-called “polite” gestures. People here do not smile very often, especially not in passing on the street. One gentleman, who I was walking next to in the market, said, “With a smile like that, you can’t be from around here.” I don’t know if he was referring to my mannerism or my actual teeth, but it was a good conversation starter; he was originally from London, and we talked about my impending visit there on Saturday. I’ve found that the nicest people here are either old or black (and most black people here aren’t originally from England). I had several old ladies start talking to me in the grocery; I couldn’t really understand what they were saying, but they were nice. There are so many old people here! They all congregate in the park, the grocery, or in Costa (which is the leading coffee shop here, no Starbucks!). Although, there were a lot of younger people at the Arndale, too; I’ve begun to wonder if anybody works in England! They definitely have more laid-back schedules…nothing is really open until 9 am…I think that’s cool, though, because I like getting up around then.
Anyways, I’m kind of just chilling in my room now…my roommate is listening to his American rap again; he turns it off when it starts to get late though, so it’s not a problem. I’m sifting through all of the maps, discount flyers, and brochures I got today; when British restaurants say they have a deal, they really mean it! One flyer I got from the school is for Dario’s; one entrée (anything from pizza to burgers to kebabs), one side (fries, veggies, etc.), and one drink all for five pounds, and they have free delivery, too. My sister would be happy to know that they have a Quizno’s here and lots of good deals for it, too. Also, tomorrow is my first induction event; it’s just an information session, but I’m looking forward to it! Well, I hope everything is going well back in the states.
Bye!
Jennie
