A quick look at the last few days...

So, I have about five days to summarize in one post...this is going to be another long one. To those who are reading, grab a comfy chair/bed/area where you can either bring your laptop/printout/internet source and settle in ( I also recommend a cup of tea!)

I have up to this point filled you in on my trip here. Now here is everything else.

Saturday January 9th 2010:

I woke up at like noon. My room was still freezing and I didn't have any food really. I still didn't have internet so I got dressed, packed my computer into my backpack and went to see what the computing services could do for me. They were closed, but at the same time I found the grocery store here on campus and got myself a loaf of bread and a box of Cheerios. I then went back to the payphone and called the parents again because I needed a friends phone number so I could call her. Of course it was while sitting on the phone in the corner talking to my parents that I got internet to work. FINALLY!!! I was reconnected. Facebook loaded, mail could be checked, and I was again in the loop. After talking to parents and experimenting with various calling plans we hung up and I called Katherine. She didn't answer at first, but then the payphone rang and it was her. She invited me into the city to hang with her and her mother. She didn't know that we could have moved in early, so she was at a hotel. I decided to join them because I still needed a phone and this was the perfect opportunity. So I took my carbohydrates home and went in search of a bus stop. Now the nice taxi driver had shown me where the bus picked up and how it was easier to walk across campus to grab it then around campus so I wandered my way across and found the stop next to what I perceived as the library (later I discovered that no the library is across the street and up a very tall hill). A bus pulled up (not purple...the taxi driver said the purple busses were the ones to city center) but it had the right title so I got on and asked the driver what I should do. He answered "I don't know what you want to do" and I then looked the dumb american I was trying not to look like. I told him then that I wanted to get to the Minster and he said "single or return" and I said single (because he was by then pretty frustrated with me) and paid my pound ninety and sat down.

Now unlike any bus I have ever been on- the English buses don't tell you which stops are coming up...so, when the lady next to me pushed the stop button I asked her kindly which stop this was and she said that it was Clifford St. and the stop I wanted. We then bonded slightly over being both from different countries (her Toronto Canada). She also gave me some very vague directions on how to get to the Minster (because it is on the other side of City Center).

I got off the bus...walked about a block or two...turned...looked up and saw a steeple...thought oh hey its a church must be the Minster...and ended up in front of a catholic church...oops. I was lost. So I asked another lady who gave me some more detailed instructions along the lines "walk down this street till you get to a squareish place walk straightish across and then turn right after you see the mcdonalds." Umm...ok. thanks. I headed off.

As I was walking I saw a "Phones 4 U" store a "vodophone" and a "T-Mobile" since the other two seemed a little sketchy (i wasn't familiar with them so I didn't trust them) I went with the T-Mobile. Guess who is now paying more than anyone else for texts and minutes...ME!!! yup but i did manage to get myself a phone without help and for only twenty pounds (cash). The guy who helped me was really nice and recognized that i was new and a little bit crazy and so didn't mind me whatsoever. I kept walking and actually using those directions I had gotten did make it to the Minster in one piece. Here I met Katherine and her mom and we headed out to explore the town. Both of them had already figured out the streets and which ones were the most important. So we traveled down the Shambles and looked in shop windows and watched the people. I was getting a little hungry, having not really trusted solid food in a while and so we decided to stop at a teashop named Betty's. It was sooo pretty and quaint and delicious! If you come to visit, I will take you to tea there. It's a little pricey, but really worth it. After tea we went back out to shop and recognized that neither Katherine or I had any tea, or a mug, or anything to eat on. So we found a tea shop and purchased a bowl/plate piece and then a mug and some tea. I have not brewed my tea yet...will try later, but it smells nice. We then went back to their hotel to dry off and decided where we were going to go to dinner. They stayed at a really nice hotel and will recommend it to anyone who needs a place to stay in York.

We ended up deciding to eat at Oscars which is a pub/bistro/wine place. We were going to try Indian, but with my stomach still iffy, simple food sounded better. I had a burger, while they both had tikka masalla (I apologize spelling wise).

Quick side note...everywhere serves curry dishes...as in CURRY NIGHT MONDAY NIGHT! or CURRY DISH AND FREE DRINK. I haven't been anywhere yet that hasn't had this as some option on their menu (well Betty's didnt...but thats a tea shop).

Ok, so after dinner we went next door to a nice bar and met some friends of Katherine's mother. They were really really nice and welcoming and invited us to call on them if we ever needed anything. We talked until late about everything from school, to books, to traveling, to dogs, to food, etc. Then I caught a cab back to my dorm and went to bed.

That is saturday...I hope I haven't forgotten anything, I might've but if so then tit wasn't as important...maybe.

Well I got to run to meet some friends for coffee, so cheers for now!

I'm Here. (cont. so if you havent read the first bit dont read this bit yet)

Ok...so where was I. OH I got my room. First of its on the ground floor. Pros: not so many stairs to climb/lug a suitcase up, Cons: it kinda looks like a basement room. Its a little smaller than my room at allen...which means that it is kinda spacious. Its about the same color as allen...yellowish with two sets of shelves one above my desk, the other above a blank space on the wall. My bed is next to the door and my wardrobe is across from that with my sink right next to my door on the other side of the room. My radiator is broken...someone was out today to look at it and so I now have a lovely little electric heater to keep my room warmer. There are only two plugs...so I will have two strips (a uk strip and a us strip) but all in all the room is growing on me. Except for the ugly black pealing tack board located right next to my bed. Lets just say I have some decorating to do. When I first got to my room I dropped everything and just relaxed. Then I noticed that I was missing something...BEDDING! They had not placed a bedding bundle in my room (something I had requested). So I had to go in search of that. I also had thought that there would be a phone in my room, but there wasnt and the only thing I wanted to do more then sleep was call my parents. So I bundled back up and headed out the door. As I was doing this I met two flatmates (Sarah and Tom) and we introduced ourselves.

To get a bedding bundle I went to the Porters desk (front desk for my college (dorm)) and no one was there so I headed towards the information center. Of course by now it was dark, and I had forgotten my map back at my room...so I just wandered campus trying figure out where everything was. Finally I found the information office and was helped by a few people so that I did get my bedding bundle and was even told who to go to because I couldn't get the internet working (it is now). By then I also had been told where a pay-phone was and was able to talk to my parents for a while. It was really nice to talk to them after my crazy day. After that I went and watched some Castle back in my room and went to sleep (freezing).

I'm Here.

Whew. So the last few days have been crazy. But I think its best if I start from the beginning...

Thursday January 7th.

I woke up that morning and finished repacking my suitcase so that it was as tiny as it could be (meaning it was about a foot wide and four feet tall). My dad came home and we headed off. It was snowing. After making a few stops for cash we called to see how my flight was and heard the one word we did not want to hear. "CANCELLED" Yes. My first flight (the one that would take me to Toronto so that I could then head to London) was cancelled. The mad rush began. My dad then got on the phone with a guy trying to get me on anything going to London, whether it was a flight to Toronto to catch my 8:15 flight to London or a straight shot to London from Chicago. The guy was able to get me to stand-by on a straight shot that would leave at five, and then a 1:22 flight to Toronto, which would make me wait a long time for the 8:15. So this is what I was looking at when I got to OHare. At OHARE the lady behind the counter asked what I was on so that she could get my ticket all ready and when she looked up my name, five or six different tickets showed up. She also told us that it was not possible to stand-by on an international flight, even though with the weather there was going to be openings on this flight. So my dad and her worked on trying to get me a flight. As we found out, not only was my flight to Toronto cancelled, but Air Canada had taken me then off the next flight to London and switched me onto a flight the next morning, making me have to spend the night in Toronto, and then (because of the time difference) spend the night in London, because there was no way in the world I was going to try to catch a train at 9:00 at night to get to York about eleven. During this whole ordeal I was worried that I wasn't going to arrive until maybe today or the 12th which made me really scared and added to my nerves that I already had. After a while it became clear that no matter what I would end up not on the 1:22 to Canada, but probably not leaving till around 8.

But then a magical thing happened. The lady next to us at another counter wasn't helping anyone so she was looking to see what I could do as well. She must have checked the straight shot again just because she was looking at all the options, but I am glad she did because there was a seat open. And I got it. They needed permission from a supervisor to put me on it, but they said yes as well and soon I was the proud owner of a ticket to London (no canada) leaving at five. It was of course by now about 1:30, so we had some time. My parents were able to come back into the airport with me so we ate lunch and headed to the Red Carpet Club. There I fell asleep until about four thirty when it was time to head down to the terminal. When I got there there was a bunch of people, but my dad (being the cool guy he is) was able to get me priority seating meaning that I was able to board close to first. This allowed me to settle into my seat before my neighbor arrived. I had the window.

My neighbor was a middle aged mad traveling on business and trying to catch another flight to somewhere else. He was very nice, especially since he had to deal with me and an upset stomach the whole flight. Yes, I will admit it, that flight was the worst I have ever taken. The take off felt like a roller coaster with different pressures coming at me and me just nervous that we would crash and burn. By now my stomach was already hurting, but I thought it nothing. If my stomach doesn't feel right before getting on a plane again, I'm not sure I will be getting on that plane. I ended up not eating anything the whole flight (except water) and sleeping enough, but at the same time, not really enough. We got to Heathrow with no problems and landed about 7:30 in the morning (UK time). I got off the plane and made my way toward baggage claim. Immigration was no problem and getting my luggage took no time at all. I'm not sure if I skipped customs or I just didnt have anything that needed to be told, but I just went straight through on my to try to get to the Underground. I grabbed a water and a newspaper at a stand for a pound. The underground was interesting. I had to actually roll my luggage (which was not a pleasant thing because it was so heavy and the wheels were a bit odd) but I got my ticket and got onto the train. This took me to Kings Cross. At this point I am going to go into a little bit of a Harry Potter nerd moment, so if you would like, skip the next paragraph.

OK. Kings Cross Station is completely different then I thought it was. Sadly I did not see Platform 9 or 10 so therefore no 9 3/4 due to the fact that I had to sit by the big board to find out when my train was actually going to arrive. Yet at the same time I kept glancing out to where the trains were and I could just picture a beautiful train showing up, red, and people would be getting on it and off it with trunks (instead of terrible suitcases) and owls and all of that. The platform itself is a little more modern then I thought it was going to be,but at the same time all I had to do was look up at the soaring ceiling and there was the old architecture mixed with the new. Sadly the train I got on was not an old train at all, but a very fast electric train.

Of course the trains were delayed as well. This was not because of weather, but because of a train breaking down in Petersbourogh (or some spelling like that) and so everything got pushed around and delayed. But they weren't telling us how delayed, so we kinda just had to wait and see and they called out platforms and trains as they came in. So, finally my train came in, and there was a mad dash to get seats (its a first come first serve deal) and I ended up on the train, but with no seat. about three minutes before it left, a guy stopped by and told us that there were seats at the front, but there was no way in hell I was going to lift my suitcase off the train down the platform and then back onto the train in two minutes so I just stuck where I was. I was standing with an elderly couple, a couple younger guys, and a elderly mother and daughter.

About an hour into the train ride another person came and told us that there were seats still in the first car, so some people went in search. I stayed where I was because of the bag, but then about a half an hour later when the train came to a stop (because there was something wrong) i decided i needed a seat. I was feeling light headed and really tired so I grabbed my duffle and backpack and headed down the train. In car B (i started in H) I found two seats facing forward and dropped my stuff. Then I went back for my suitcase. If it had been any wider then it was it would not have fit between the seats. I was able to push it along running over probably about four feet and having to lift it over a couple of bags along the way. But it made it to B with only a broken handle. Then I slept for the next hour and a half, only waking to look out the window or ask the guy sitting in the seats across from mine (cute guy, i think he was from New Zealand) which stops we had hit. He wasn't paying attention at all. The train stopped i think twice more because of some problems (it wasn't moving that fast at all) but in the end we got to York and I got off the train. To get to the area where the taxi's were though I ended up lugging my bag up about two flights of stairs, and then down the same amount...I thought my wheels were going to break. Thank god they didn't. I got into the queue for a taxi and finally was on my way to campus. The taxi driver pointed out some spots on the way and so we had a lovely ride. I checked in and got to my room.

Well it is now time for me to actually socialize/get some stuff done...so I will pick up with the story at a later time...sorry its so dry.

I leave on Thursday.

I cannot believe that in two days I will be leaving the US. I am currently sitting on my bed which is covered in everything that I will be packing (if it all fits that is). This IS happening. And I am freaking out. I have never traveled alone, so the fact that I am flying out thursday afternoon to catch a plane in Toronto that will then take me to Heathrow Airport outside of London, is a little intimidating. Thank god for the three hours I have between plane one and plane two. Of course I then get to take the Underground (tube/subway) from Heathrow to Kings Cross Station (Platform 9 3/4 anyone???) and then a train to York from there. That is how I am getting to my new Home University. Knowing me though I will fall asleep either in Toronto, or on the train and miss either my flight or my stop, but still I am a little jazzed that this is all happening.

For those of you who are new to this blog. Hello. I will be gone from January 7 to July 6. My schedule is ten weeks of classes, five weeks off, then ten more weeks of class.

Other news items is that if you want a postcard (or in some cases movies) sent to you you HAVE to get me your address (school, home, work) so that I can send them off. I will be sending postcards...I promise. If there is anything you think I need to do, see, eat, drink, please let me know. I think I will make a facebook page/note. Or something that people can comment on with ideas. I have some already, but I know there are more out there. This of course doesnt just deal with England, but the whole of Europe as well. Because those five weeks of break I am hopefully going to be on the mainland...we will see though.

Within that note or facebook page I will also place my new address so that people can send me stuff as well. Also my skype name and any email address that people might want. Please feel free to email me anything.

Random blonde moment I had. I got a really neat power plug adaptor and it has plugs for not only the UK, but Europe, Australia, and I think even africa. I amused myself for like ten minutes trying to figure out how they work and how to change the US one to the Australia plug (all you have to do is like turn these two things and all of a sudden its an Ausie plug!!!) Yea it was funny...maybe not so funny here in writing.

OH dont try to text me using my phone number now...i wont have it with me so i wont get the texts. I actually wont have a phone at all that will reach across the Atlantic. Hence SKYPE! lol.

So thats it for now I need to get back to packing...because I still need to go shopping for some essentials, like jeans, and new shoes.

TTFN!

Next time I will be posting I will most likely be sitting in either the Toronto Airport...or LONDON!

Time for a new post.

So for my own records it is now December 11th and my flight leaves on January 7th. That means that in total I have approximately five weeks left till I am in route to the beautiful UK. Currently finals are beating me over the head...well not really, considering tonight I spent a couple of hours playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl with friends and most of today was taken up by errands and meeting other friends for coffee, oh and that one exam this morning. I have gotten housing for the University of York and will be posting my address somewhere...not sure where...at some point. Thus if you want to mail me things, or if you want things mailed to you...we will figure out a way to do that. Okay well I am going to go work on my portfolio now so signing off.

Spelling...

So I just recognized that my spelling gets worse as the night goes on... see previous post to recognize my mistakes. Yea.......

Time flies...

When you least expect it. For instance, I thought that I would have bundles of time to actually get ahead in Wuthering Heights (my new novel for 435) and actually read Hamlet, but alas it is looking like I will again be referring to sparknotes and Kenneth Branagh for Hamlet. Oh well. Plus there is my study abroad stuff...I need to get a visa...but I do not know how or which one or anything because the website is terrible at explaining which paperwork I should fill out. Another thing that should have gotten done is work on my writing...yes I have not started another piece of writing in too long and now have no idea when it will happen. Thus I have been stuck without any of my work getting done.

Although my social life has accelled recently with rehearsals and just events in general. This is a good thing and a bad thing. I like it.