Just a few things I wanted to mention about last week. I have not started school yet and will not until this wednesday. Crazy I know seeing that many high schoolers are quickly approaching mid-term. We spent this last week, All five days going back to campus every morning to register. We spent hours in various lines of various sizes oftentimes finding out we should never have been there in the first place. Registration in Britain is in the old fashioned form of pen to paper, and you have to go to each individual school to get a signature to be allowed into every class by a professor in that department. Some departments were more organized (American Studies) than others (Religion and History). All of us in the flat have had some pretty frustrating and exhausting days reworking schedules and learning things we hadn't known beforehand. It is really a terrible system that is used. One would think that they would at least have it down to a very decent system over the years, but sadly no.
Despite all this, I love campus in general. For a huge school of 30,000 students, it is very clean and scenic with lots of landscaping all around. I sometimes feel as though I am getting all the benefits of a big school in a big city with plenty to see and do and lots of people to meet, while getting the beauty of Luther all wrapped up.
We also attended fresher's fayre which was insane! Thousands and Thousands of students pack into giant tents to get in the know, and sign up for hundreds of different clubs and societies over a three day period. Think state fair business expo buildings packed with people such that you can hardly move at times. I signed up ( and paid for) The New theater, which is the student run theater program on campus. THey have about 7 shows a semester! Next week tryouts begin. I jumped on the chance to be part of a men's volleyball team which meets every monday night for the "advanced" players of which I humbly believe I am. Real Ale sounded kinda interesting to Kevin and myself, which involves touring breweries, getting into the pub scene a bit more and meeting some new folks. It could be good, or it could be lame.
Lastly, but first on my list is the Rowing Team. For months before I left, I swore that I would do all I could to give this a shot. It has always sounded interesting and was something I may never get to try again. On Thursday night they had a swim test for all students involved in water sports. A made some of my first foreign friends while waiting for it to begin. The swim test consisted of them throwing us all in the water at various times, we swim three laps, tread water for a few minutes and swim back. Not too bad, that sounds doable and it was, but most of us felt like dying after just that little bit. Hats off to all you hardcore swimmers out there. That is one of the toughest sports ever. Anyway, I passed just to be clear.
Today, to follow up on the rowing, we had our first training sessions for the Novice rowers. I decided to be adventuresome and bike clear across the city instead of taking the bus, which took just over half an hour. I am pretty proud of myself for doing it and not getting lost, though I got rained on on the way back. I should have expected that with there always being some rainfall, mild or severe almost daily. It was a great time. We didn't get on the water, but they split us into two groups. I kept the time for the first and we went running for half an hour along the river Trent. Then after we got back we switched and went in and learned some rowing techniques on the ERGOS, which are rowing machines. It is definetely tough work and there are some very technical aspects to being a good rower. This was all very exciting and I got to know a few more guys and feel really comfortable and a part of the team already. I got a few of their mobile numbers...I got connections now other than just the people around the flat.
Now I am going to backtrack to yesterday. Yesterday, we were assigned different villages outside the city to explore either in pairs or alone. I went at it alone, and left at nine in the morning to catch a bus to Calverton, about a half hour ride. I spent the first two hours walking around and admiring the countrysides surrounding the village, and then checking out the inner part as well, which had little to nothing in it. The whole purpose of all this was for us to expolore the culture, ideals and thoughts of these villages and the people that live in them. We were supposed to be receptive to everything we see, talk to people and learn all we could to become mini experts in each and then come back that evening and share with the group. I had a really good day, and talked with an elderly man about a new development being put in and how upset he was over it. He showed me where some of the original buildings stood. Interestingly, they had to leave one standing because they discovered a rare breed of bats inhabiting the rafters, and they haven't been able to relocate it yet. It was sad to see this development in a place that was content with what it was and had no reason to grow since everyone was either retired or commuted to the city. Farmland is always being lost no matter where you are. I thought I could escape that being away from the U.S., but now I know it is inevitable.
Finally, I see a little hard-core patriotism. One does get used to seeing Green and Gold slathered all over Green Bay.
This is where I had lunch. I couldn't resist the cumberland sausage in mash and peas and carrots with a side of breaded garlic mushrooms and a pot 'o tea all for 4.90 here at "The Gleaners". The name reminded me of that Hunk of junk combine we had at home for a few years.
These are the type of people you see everywhere in town, and they even have signs warning of their presence. I know if I ever met one of these fearful people at night in a darkened alley I would probably give them a big hug.
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