Lessons Learned

Hello! I am finally starting to get settled here in Leeds. Classes have started and so far, I'm really enjoying them! I have moved in my permanent flat where I will be staying for the remainder of the semester. I have 4 flatmates: Jennifer, Sophie (from Australia), Ally (from Seattle), and Emilia (not sure if I have the right spelling, but it's pronounced Emily-uh; she's from Australia). They all seem very nice! My body has not yet adapted to the cold weather, and I'm not entirely sure that it will; however, since February is the coldest month in Leeds, on average, I only need to make it through the the next month and then I think I'll be able to handle it a little better. During orientation, we were told about a program called "Give it a Go!" where the clubs and societies on campus have a day where you can come and try something new without any commitments. On Tuesday, Jennifer and I decided to give kickboxing/ krav maga a try. It was so fun! But my legs are so sore that I can barely walk! In the next couple of weeks, there is also an Irish dance and a traditional folk dance class and you can bet that I will be there! This Saturday, Jennifer and I, along with our new friend Gaby, are planning on getting out and exploring. We have yet to decide where we'll be going but as of now, we are thinking a trip to York would be fun. Stay tuned to hear about that! In the mean time, here are some things that I've learned so far since coming to England:

1.  Fleece lined tights are a life saver! I have yet to leave my flat without a pair layered under my jeans.
2. The English love their baked beans. Almost every restaurant I've been to offers it as a side dish with your meal. 
3. The water from the sinks is never warm! There are either two separate faucets for the hot and cold water, or one tap with separate hot/cold knobs and the water will not mix to make it warm. You either have scalding hot water or ice cold water.
4. Everyone starts going out to the pubs/clubs at around 10pm or later, which is about the time that I am usually going to bed. 
5. A lot of the grocery stores offer a delivery service! This is amazing for the university students who don't have cars. I have yet to use it, but will be looking into it soon as the walk from my flat to town is about 30-40 minutes and I can only carry a couple of bags back with me. In the week that we've been here, we have already made the trek almost every day just to get our essentials.
6. Most of the check-out lines at the grocery stores are self-service.
7. If you are under 25 years old and attempt to buy a pair of scissors from the grocery store, you will be carded. And no, a CA driver's license will not work. Neither will a copy of your passport. (I learned this one from Jennifer).
8. Many of the food colorings and sugary food items we consume in the U.S. are banned in the U.K.
9. Before coming to the U.K., I heard the peanut butter was terrible. I actually really like the taste and upon reading the ingredients, found that it is made up of about 95% peanuts. I'm assuming the U.S. just uses a lot more additives in their peanut butter. Shame!
10. The eggs sold in the U.K. are not refrigerated. Supposedly, it is illegal to wash the eggs here before selling them, so maybe there is some type of coating on them that allows them to stay fresh without refrigeration? 
11. The microwaveable meals are surprisingly tasty. 
12. It is pointless to fix my hair for the day because with the wind and the rain, it will be a frizzy mess within 5 minutes of being outdoors. 
13. The architecture is gorgeous! I feel like I've gone back in time when walking around some parts of the country!
14. The double-decker bus is not just a tourist thing. They are used everywhere.
15. People do not talk on the public transportation. If someone is being loud and obnoxious, they are most likely American.
16. There are little "on/off" switches next to all of the plug outlets. Instead of having to unplug appliances, all you need to do is flip the switch to "off."
17. Always carry an umbrella. You never know when it will start pouring rain!
18. Some of the local girls like to walk around wearing only a thin pair of tights and a dress. I practically get hypothermia just thinking about it. (By the way, I have a minimum of 5 layers on at all times! Lol just kidding. But not really.)
19. All of the children I have seen being pushed in strollers are sitting in something that looks like a baby sleeping bag.
20. One of the major stereotypes that the English/Australians have about Americans is that we all own guns and carry them around with us wherever we go. 
21. Most of the schooling consists of independent reading from a 'reading list' provided by the professor. Usually, your entire grade for the class is made up of one exam at the end of the semester/ year. 
22. A lot of people have greeted me by saying "hiya" instead of "hi." I'm not yet sure if this is just a Yorkshire thing or if most English people say this. 
23. Every single one of my lecturers has mentioned America in some way (usually in a negative way). Then all of the British students giggle while I sit there thinking "well gee, thanks!"/"why are you so obsessed with America?"
24. Everybody walks like they are on mission! Almost everyone power walks everywhere they go.
25. Vehicles have the right-of-way, not pedestrians. I have seen the drivers of double decker buses blaring on their horns and practically running people over. They will not stop for you to walk across the street. They usually won't slow down either.
26. A lot of the shops are multiple stories high, but each floor is smaller than what you would see in the U.S.
27. You don't need to tip at most restaurants and for most delivery services.
28. Sales tax is not added onto your purchases. The price you see is the price you pay.
29. There are pubs EVERYWHERE.
30. There are 20 oz. in the U.K. pint, compared to 16 oz. in the U.S. pint.
31. When someone says "thank you," a common response is "that's ok." I know, it threw me off too. 
32. Another one that threw me off is the common greeting of "you alright?" This would be the equivalent of saying "what's up?"/"how are you?"
33. The Yorkshire accent is amazing! It sounds like a mix between an English and an Irish accent. *Swoon*
34. Waiting at a stop light for the "walk" signal to appear is not a thing. Jaywalking is.
35. NOTHING beats California sunshine! :)

Translations
U.S. = U.K.

Fries = Chips
Chips = Crisps
Cookies = Biscuits
Underwear = Pants
Pants = Trousers
Sweater = Jumper
Sneakers = Trainers
Sidewalk = Pavement
Stand in line = Queue
Cotton Swab = Cotton Buds/ Ear Buds
An electrical cord = An electrical cable
Bathroom/ Restroom = Toilet
Shopping Cart = Trolley
Apartment = Flat
Tap/Faucet = Tap
Goodbye/ Thank you = Cheers
Pulp (like in orange juice) = Juicy Bits
Eggplant = Aubergine
Arugala = Rocket
Zucchini = Courgette

Well that's all for now! Let me know if you like reading these types of posts, as I'm sure I have a lot more to learn while I'm here! :)

London Orientation and Leeds Arrival

We made it to England! It was so hard saying goodbye to my family but I know that I will experience so much while I am here and before I know it, I will be on a flight back home. I have just finished my orientation in London and it was so much fun! Jennifer and I were so tired when we landed and we had to take the Tube to our hotel. Because it was so crowded and we had our luggage, we almost didn't get off at our stop in time. Thankfully, Jennifer is a quick thinker and just as the doors were closing, she managed to shove her luggage in the way (and then we had to sit there for about 30 seconds waiting for the doors to open again with a bunch of annoyed English people staring at us and thinking "stupid Americans!"). It was hilarious!

The Harlingford Hotel

There were 34 students in our orientation group from California who would either be going to the University of Leeds or the University of Bristol. On our first day (January 20th), we met the other students and learned about life in the UK. Then our program leaders took us to dinner at a restaurant called Byron Proper Burgers, which was very good.

Our British Goody Bags: Still Scottish Mountain Water, Sainsbury's Apple and Orang Juice, Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisps, Cadbury Curly Wurly, McVitie's Mini Digestives, Jacob's Cream Crackers, Pen and Tote

 Day 2 was full of activity! We began the day with a full English breakfast. Then, we learned how to take the Tube and it was so scary! We went during rush hour and with 34 American students, we stuck out like a sore thumb. Half of our group didn't get on the Tube fast enough so they had to catch the next one. Those drivers do not care if you are half way in, they WILL shut the door on you. On the elevators in the Tube stations, everyone stands in a line on the right side. The left side is used for the people who want to rush past and if you are standing in the way, they will run you over. Everything is so fast-paced in London and it definitely takes some getting used to.

After the chaotic Tube ride, we were given a tour at the Tate Modern museum, which is full of modern art pieces. We walked to Oxford Street for some lunch and free time where we could purchase our international phones to use while at school. On the way there, we passed by the St. Paul's Cathedral where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married. It was so pretty! I couldn't figure out how to get the date stamp off of the picture below, but I had to post it!

St. Paul's Cathedral

After lunch, we took a double decker bus to Trafalgar Square where we met out tour guide for the rest of the day. She was a cute little English woman who had a morbid sense of humor. We passed by a building that was somehow associated with the Navy (I don't remember exactly what she said about it) when the front wooden gates opened. She told us that you rarely see the gates opened, then preceded to warn us not to take pictures or the guards might shoot us. This was all said with a straight face so I have no idea if she was joking or not.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

The next part of the tour was amazing! We got to see the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben (which is actually not the clock, but the bell inside the tower)! It was so surreal to see them in person.

The London Eye

Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament

Right around the corner, we came across the Westminster Abbey. It was literally the most beautiful building I have ever seen in my life and my favorite part of the tour. Jennifer and I plan on going back to London when we have more time so that we can take a tour of the Abbey. The pictures do it no justice!

Westminster Abbey (Front)

Westminster Abbey (Side)

For the last part of the tour, we walked around St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace. It is huge! The tour guide also pointed out Prince Charles's house, which is off to the side as you walk toward Buckingham Palace. We got there just as the sun was going down and the light was bouncing perfectly off of the bronze statue in front of the palace. The statue is called the Victoria Memorial in remembrance of Queen Victoria.

That night, we were taken to Sartori, a cute little Italian restaurant where we ordered meter long pizzas! They were so tasty! To end the day, we went to see One Man, Two Guvnors, a British comedy that was playing at the London Theatre in Leicester Square. It was my favorite day that we had in London.

The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed to King's Cross Station (where I had to get a picture crossing over Platform 9 3/4. I got to wear a Gryffindor scarf and felt just like I was in Harry Potter!)

Our train ended up being a little delayed because someone was hit by a train at another station further down the track. It was a little scary and we weren't exactly sure how we were going to make it to campus but we ended up catching a train an hour or two later and made our way to the University of Leeds. We have some more orientations coming up and I'm staying in a temporary residence until my permanent one opens up in about a week.

Train ride to Leeds

The view outside of my temporary accommodation. And yes, that is a cemetery right below my window. 

Sorry for the long post, our wifi wasn't working that well at the hotel. I'm hoping to have another post up soon once classes have started and I've got settled in. On a side note, IT IS SO COLD HERE! Supposedly, there's a storm heading our way that should hit on the 26th and it will be very windy! We may even get some snow on Monday. Wish me luck! I love and miss everyone back home and can't wait to hear from you guys!

Adventure Awaits

By Anthony Bourdain

In exactly one week, I will be boarding a plane with a one way ticket to England to study abroad. I could not be more excited, but I'm also nervous to be going so far from home on my own for an entire six months. For years, one of my biggest dreams was to be able to travel in Europe and I am so glad that I finally have the opportunity to do it. It still hasn't fully hit me yet that I will be leaving so soon but I am ready to begin this adventure.

I will be leaving the night of the 18th from LAX, with my friend Jennifer, on an eleven hour flight. We will be in London for a couple of days for our orientation before heading off to the University of Leeds. I have no idea how I am going to pack everything that I'm going to need for six months into one fifty pound suitcase and a backpack. I guess I'm going to have to learn how to pack light! In the next six months, I hope to travel as much as possible, make new international friends, and really experience the culture I will be surrounded by. I want to get out of my comfort zone by going to new places and trying foods that I normally might be too scared to try. I hope to use this space as much as possible in order to keep friends and family updated with what I  might be doing when I'm gone. I know that I will learn and grow so much while I am abroad. I am so excited and hope that this journey is one of the best experiences of my life, thus far! 

My next post will be coming at you very soon! In the mean time, feel free to follow along on Jennifer's blog here: leapingacrossthepond.blogspot.com