My week started off well, as always, since I have Mondays free! I spent the day getting caught up on my readings for classes and preparing seminar questions. There's really no getting around speaking up in class here, each week the professor assigns a seminar topic that you've got to be ready to discuss for that portion of the module. The seminars are broken up into smaller groups, so it's quite obvious if you haven't put in your two cents! I worked my way through political definitions and theories first, then delved into some required poetry reading as a reward!
Later, I went to the Feminist Society meeting, where we discussed feminist role models. The discussion was all over the place - from mother figures to inventors. I was also introduced to the "Moomins" and Beth Ditto... both of which I think I could have done without! Afterward, I went to meet up with Leigh Anne and a few of her swim team members for a social at a pub in town. On my way back to my flat, I was directed to take a different path than usual and traffic was being sent down a back road. When Leigh Anne and I got on the bus to town, she told me that the commotion was due to a guy who was stuck under a bus! This came right after I'd received an e-mail alert about the American tourists in Europe travel advisory. Mom, what did you let me get myself into?!
We safely made it to the pub, where we felt entirely dressed-down American... the English seem to dress to impress on the daily, even if it's a run to the grocery store! So, when I was invited to come along to their social on Wednesday night, I made a mental note to say no to my jeans.
Tuesday was filled with lectures and seminars... and a much needed nap. It felt like Christmas for a three-year-old when I received a package from home... mom had sent me a box full of American candy, which I've been devouring all week! Aside from that, it was a bit rainy, and to be honest, that's about all I remember!
Wednesday night was the swim team's social. We started out at Woody's Bar, and the plan was to pub crawl our way to the Venue (a dance club on campus.) We ended up making a big leap from Woody's to the Venue, skipping the pubs in between, because our first stop was too enjoyable to leave. Armed with a pitcher's worth of cider black, I played my first drinking game in England: The Game of 21. Basically, a person begins counting, and can count up to 3, then they choose either right or left and the person next to them continues counting consecutively up to 21... whoever is stuck saying "twenty one" has to drink. However, all kinds of rules are thrown in to make it utterly ridiculous and impossible to avoid drinking... many of the rules are the same as in the states - thumb master, no asking questions, etc. but there's also no pointing allowed, no calling people by their real names (thus, nicknames are given and Leigh Anne and I became "Thelma & Louise" for the evening), and my favorite (which I luckily avoided) the throwing of a coin into someone's cup so that they have to down their entire drink in order to "save the [drowning] Queen!"
After Woody's, we made our way to the Venue, which is not typically my kind of place. However, with the right kind of people, I think fun can be had anywhere. Believe it or not, I was dancing - to the best of my ability - and having a blast. I've decided to have a photo album for each month when it comes to happenings in Canterbury. You can see my October album by clicking here.
Thursday, after my lecture, I stopped in town to get a few groceries - I still find it so strange to be going every few days instead of every few weeks. Anyway, what is most important about this day is: I purchased my first copy of The Guardian - one of Britain's national daily newspapers! Yes, I'm a nerd. But I needed some decent reading material and because it was National Poetry Day, there were a few special articles about poets, namely Sylvia Plath and her husband Ted Hughes.
The day was one of the most gorgeous I've seen here... blue, sunny skies and warm. Sadly, once I got back, I slept... a lot. I went through nearly all of my travel-sized tissue packs and have, over the last two days, consumed massive amounts of tea and hot cocoa!
Before realizing the weather forecast had lied (it was supposed to be equally amazing outside today), Catherine, her friend Edward, Leigh Anne and myself made plans to visit Whitstable today - a seaside town just outside of Canterbury. We still managed to visit, though, and I'm so glad we did. I definitely want to make a trip back when it's sunny for better pictures! Like in Dover, the seaside was much different than what I've seen before. In Dover, the waves crashed into cliffs. In Whitstable, they crash into a rocky, seashell mix. And in Margate, where we plan to travel next, they crash into sand. So strange how different the nature is just miles apart here!
We walked along the seaside, where there were little seafood stands, fish and chips places, and boats. I was surprised at the amount of sailboats on the water and dogs without leashes on the beach. Edward slurped down a slimy oyster and Catherine nibbled on some little shellfish things that we all agreed looked like baby aliens. We made our way into town, where we passed by the windows of quaint, vintage shops and stopped to get some chips (remember, these are french fries) which were the best I've had while here! We ate them while sitting on a wall looking out into the sea and talked a bit before heading back to school. See more of Whitstable by clicking here.
I hope this finds everyone well and happy...
Love,
Aly
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