Second Week Thoughts

Rolling hills of the Cotswolds (image may not be used without permission Copyright Mastering Oxford)

So its been 2 whole weeks since I landed in England. Apologies for not writing sooner, its been a whirlwind. Let's just say the minute I landed I had problems. I found my way around fine, but since I didn't have a sim in my phone, it wasn't getting Internet. Which is where my e ticket for the bus to Oxford was.  You could see I had purchased a ticket, but the check in logo wasn't there. And I couldn't get another one because my debit cards weren't working in Heathrow. I nearly had a meltdown in the airport! Poor planning on my part, but it was all a learning experience. Fortunately for me, the driver let me on and I made it to Oxford around 10am. What I've found most interesting is that all the lovely feelings that I had about Britain before I got here have not re emerged. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it here! I think I expected to land on my feet and start running head first into this new life but I ended up  landing on one foot, stumbling and nearly face planting.  So much I didn't account for. Like walking. Everywhere. My feet after the first week were raw. And needing cloth bags to swing over your shoulder so you don't cut your hands in two lugging groceries home. The fact that doors here are pushed open and not pulled. That because of all the moisture in the air I may never had straight hair in England. (It's the small things). Having nothing upon arrival. I knew this but to look in the loo and not even have loo paper there is enough to make you go mad after an 8 hour flight and some wicked jet lag.

But there are some things that I've come to love. Like grocery delivery. The smell of the English air (and the men). The fact that there are no bugs here. The sheer amount of history around me. The fact that I've only been asked about Obama once. My flatmates. Here is where I really lucked out. I've been placed with the weirdest, most wonderful bunch. There are 6 of us, I am the only American. 4 guys and 2 girls. Latvia, Romania, Croatia, Japan, France. 48 hours after meeting we were unbelievably bonded. ( I guess when your Romanian flatmate appears in his underwear 24 hours after you've met in the kitchen needing his brownie that's bound to happen) It hasn't been perfect, and we've already had some drama. And if it had been with anyone else, it could have ended a lot worse. The last thing you want is to not go home because your flatmates are being asses. But we are all committed to this being home, and after conversations and sleep it's on it way to being fixed. Like I said, I could not have asked for a better bunch of weirdoes.

Everything prior to 12 Sept seems like a lifetime ago and in truth it really is. When you uproot yourself, even if its to a place you love, don't expect everything (or anything for that matter) to go smooth. It's a shock to the system and you will need time to adjust (not to mention at least a week to get over the jet lag) Don't become discouraged if after a week you haven't made a solid friend or are still apprehensive about getting groceries on your own. Take a walk, make a date with you and your new surroundings. If you take it slow, you're bound to last.

My Plane Ride Playlist

You can't travel without music. At least you can't travel well. I've always been a play list girl. It's a yearly thing for me, whatever songs have meaning at certain times or events go into a play list, thus I have a memory of the whole year in music. And nothing deserves a play list more than a big trip. The biggest I've experienced. Some songs are cliched (Yes, London Calling), some remind me of the first time I went abroad (The Ataris was on non stop in Spain in '03), some to calm me (Everything London Grammar has put out) and some are brand new findings (Wandering=Amazing). What are some of your favourite travel songs? Let me know in the comments below!

One Week Thoughts

I'm sitting on the couch listening to the crickets outside while The Red Green Show is on in the background (the most Minnesotan show, even if it is from Canada). This time next week, I will be writing this to you in England. Most things are taken care of (still need to find that damned diploma), packing is looming (I'm a last minute girl) and the drama of leaving has finally died down. In saying goodbye, I've realized its really been 3 years of goodbyes, both to various aspects of myself that no longer serve me and to people, places and things. Saying goodbye to the place I considered home, saying goodbye to parents marriage, goodbye to the friends I've had since I was 5 because I no longer had anything in common with them, goodbye to childhood as things were sent to Goodwill and the house I grew up in was sold. Even goodbye to my bed and car! As depressing as it can be, I've looked at it as more of a spiritual cleanse. You can hang onto a lot of deep down stuff through the years, clearing things out clears out the negative.

This has been 5 years in the making. I could pinpoint exactly when this passion started. Sometime in 2010, maybe late 2009. I remember wanting to go, and wanting a sign from the universe. I put my iPod on shuffle and out of 2000 songs, this is the one that came on.

To say that I had a mild heart attack would be putting it lightly. But it was all the confirmation I needed. And my passion for all things British increased at a steady pace over the next 5 years. I look at what's to come and to be honest, I haven't allowed myself to think about it much. I'm owning that to the fact I didn't realize how much drama comes with saying goodbye to certain people! Things come out of the woodwork that you didn't plan on. But I have an long haul plane rid to think on it. It is life changing. An opportunity that many either don't or can't take. This will change me in ways I cannot even being to fathom right now. Will I love England as much as I do in my head? What if I somehow don't? I have no plans to come back to America, I will tell you that right now. Maybe I'll end up a permeant resident of the UK (I cannot tell you how hard that task is) or maybe I'll decide a Ph.D in Geneva is a good idea. Who knows. It's an adventure.