It was Fi who broke the silence and made the comment that she never views goodbyes, or leaving somewhere, as an ending, but simply a continuation. The people we grow to know come into our lives, and leave them, and while they may or may not come into them again, they were always there at one point, and always remain a part of our story, and we should celebrate the fact that they were with us at all rather than dwell on the fact that they've gone. Although this was quite a comfort and a thought to ponder, I have high hopes that I'll remain in touch and even see the people I've grown close to this year again, even if we do live on different continents, because I've found that, while I love my friends back home with my whole heart, the friendships one makes in this kind of situation are that of a different kind - a faster and equally deep bond in a different way, especially with other International students. And while I cannot wait to share my stories and memories with everyone back home, it is these friends who I can be with and not have to say a single word - they've experienced so much of the same bit of life as I have.
Leigh Anne and I decided the best place to be after a heartbreak on a still dreary afternoon would be a dark theatre, and preferably one with Johnny Depp. Luckily for us, this was the day that the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie came to the cinema, so we stocked up on candy and went to avoid our sorrows for a little while, and definitely enjoyed lots of laughs and, well, you know... good looks!
Since then, I've spent some time in town, walking the streets that I so wish I could pack up and bring home with me. There are things I've come to see as natural here - strolling along cobblestone streets and popping into a centuries-old pub for a drink, stepping back in time through the open doors of ancient churches, grabbing local produce from an outdoor stand on my way home, and addressing people with British rather than American phrases. I did not believe in the warnings about reverse culture shock, but now I find myself nervous for not having all of this familiarity when I return home. All the more reason to consider coming back, right?
And coming back is something I've promised myself I will do. Before I came here, and for the first few months, I felt the need to get everything in, in terms of travel and experiences, in this one year, because I had it in my mind that this would be my only opportunity to do so. Although I'm fully aware that things happen and could change, I am convinced that I will be back in Europe. Unfortunately, funds have run out, and I really want to spend as much time as possible with the people and places here before heading home, so I've had to narrow my last big travel plan down to one country, and I've chosen to visit Amsterdam. My heart longs to see France and Germany (although I may visit the coast of France before I leave), but Amsterdam tops my list, and after talking with lots of Europeans, I think it's the right decision. I feel so fortunate to have had the adventures and experiences that I've already had this year, and now that I truly believe I will return one day, I have no doubt that I'll get to add even more to my list. With connections in both Germany and France now, I am even more certain!
Before Amsterdam, I'll be making one last journey to what I still consider the best place in the entire world - London! I will be sure to write updates on both, I promise.
So, the last week has been filled with making as many memories as possible in Canterbury, and oh yeah, exams. I took my second and final one yesterday, and what a relief it is! Fortunately, I received a very large package in the mail filled with chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies from my grandma which made studying a little less painful when paired with what will live on in my mind as the best study breaks of all time!
The night before my first exam (I know, of all nights to go out), a group of us met on the lawn in front of the library and enjoyed some wine and chatting before heading into town to a pub, where we hung out and had major fits of laughter over embarrassing stories, and discussed the 1990s and American politics of all things, for quite some time. I had to duck out early (midnight) and head back to campus since I had to be awake and on my way to an exam at 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday the next morning.
For the first time in my life, I was not too concerned about my exam - usually I spend weeks studying and stressing over them, and this one, I felt I had in the bag. That is, until I entered the exam hall. It was held in the gymnasium in the Sports Centre, individual desks put into rows and spread very far apart. It took me a moment to find my assigned seat, marked with my examination number. I had my tiny purse taken away from me and taken to the back of the room as even it was not allowed, and witnessed several people being forced to peel the labels from their water bottles off and hand them over to one of the ten people patrolling the room. An automated announcement came over, listing off the rules and regulations of exam taking, including the fact that if we needed to use the restroom, we'd be escorted, and we couldn't leave within the first or last half hour of the exam period. Strict, strict, strict! When the bell rang to begin the test, though, I was quite relieved to see that the essay questions were just what I'd expected them to be, and wrote... and wrote... and wrote... for an hour and a half, then handed it over, grabbed my purse, and got out of there!
I won't lie about being extremely lazy after that, napping and glancing over my notes for my next exam, and getting groceries were about the only "productive" things I did. I was pretty much waiting for Sunday to roll around, as that meant...
Cricket!
Yes, for some reason, I ended up getting the absolute perfect advisor (at IPFW) considering my studying abroad in England, as he's got a passion for all things British. He was able to give me lots of advice about England before I left the states (another bonus: his girlfriend studied abroad at Kent, too!), and insisted that he wanted to treat myself and a friend to a cricket game since I'm here for the start of the season! We were both excited, and made a few British boys who have wanted to go to a game for years rather jealous when we got our tickets in the mail for the Kent Spitfires vs. Sussex Sharks game for Sunday.
We are not ashamed to admit that we Googled the basics of cricket before going, along with what to wear. We had images of big hats and pressed white dresses, but are glad we fit in just fine going casually. We made sure to take food and sweaters and plopped down in perfect seats under a pavilion, just beside the players' dressing room, but once we got there, found ourselves wishing we'd brought a radio (many people do, since there is no commentary during the game, but it is broadcasted) as we had no idea how the scores on the scoreboard kept getting higher!
We were constantly comparing and contrasting cricket to baseball, and couldn't believe how quiet it was. Only the occasional chatter of children could be heard and we felt a little guilty for talking... a lot... but as the game went on, more and more voices began to join ours. We were also surprised at having to walk on the playing ground to get to our seats, and on seeing everyone run out onto the pitch to play their own games of cricket, soak up the sun, and eat hot dogs and burgers, during the break, and watching players leave the dressing room in flip flops, sitting with the audience and eating cookies when they were off the field. It was so laid back and a perfect way to spend our Sunday afternoon.
By the end of the game, we had a much better hold on what was going on, and began clapping and saying aloud how many points had just been earned before the scoreboard even changed. We felt a little guilty for cheering on Sussex rather than Kent, but their players seemed to have a little more enthusiasm and were fun to watch (and in some cases, stare) and we were content when they came, all smiles, back towards the dressing room after their win. After the game, we stuck around for some autographs (!), and walked back to the city centre to catch a bus to campus.
On Monday, the night before my second exam, Sam, Leigh Anne, and I, decided to have a girls night out (see a pattern here?) We started by getting a bottle of tequila on campus, and should have known how the night was going to go, when, before even taking a sip, Sam accidentally threw her change at the unsuspecting cashier. We went through the entire thing, though, waiting to feel some kind of effect, talking about everything under the sun, and when we didn't, decided it was time to take our three-person-party into the city.
By the time we got to our stop, we realized maybe the alcohol was working after all, and popped into three pubs before deciding to stay at The Cherry Tree for awhile, sipping on drinks that I made Leigh Anne order because their names were simply too inappropriate for me to say, even to the bartender, but that did not take away from their deliciousness.
After about an hour there, we were feeling pretty good...
...and thought, since it was a Monday and we seemed to be the only people out, that we'd be content with our night ending after a stop at Subway. However, Sam tends to get these urges that result in spurts of sprinting when she drinks, and this led to my sprinting with her and some synchronized zig-zagging down a street towards a few more pubs, Leigh Anne declaring her love for us from somewhere in the shadows behind, and we eventually ended up at a place where we met these guys:
Two Brits and a German, (Jason, Ben, and Rudy) who are stonemasons working on a part of the Canterbury Cathedral. We enjoyed a few drinks with them at a pub called The Canterbury Tales before all of us decided to call it a night.
Us girls skipped on over to Subway, and devoured our sandwiches while walking towards home, until Leigh Anne's sandwich took over and gave her an energy that caused her to decide to lead us towards our new friends' (pictured above) flat instead of home. On our way, we met a drama student named Andy who invited us to a party after talking to us for some time (I have no idea when or where he said it was.) We finally made it to the flat, which is almost connected to the gate of the Canterbury Cathedral, and after climbing about 100 flights of stairs, made it through the door. We spent some time failing miserably at Super Mario and admiring the paintings that Ben had done and hung up all over the flat, as well as their goldfish, Dink.
We were about to call a cab when Jason offered to drive us home early in the morning (I insisted I had to be home by ten to study for my exam) and well, sometimes you're just an American out with your American friends in ye olde Canterbury in the wee hours of the morning and you end up falling asleep to the voice of Ron Burgundy in a flat with cool artwork and a goldfish, and wake up on the floor, shivering under what your hosts call a blanket but is really a large burlap sack, and not really caring much about it because it takes a lot less effort and money than going back to campus, and bonus points when you wake up to an amazing view of the cathedral from their kitchen window.
Sam and I couldn't stand the cold much longer after being woken by the passing of early morning trucks (the living room window could not shut, hence the almost-frostbite) and dragged Leigh Anne out with us just before eight in the morning. We really wanted breakfast and our own beds! We stopped at Starbucks to warm ourselves up, and then got on a bus to Parkwood. Amazingly, I was feeling very well aside from a bit of tiredness, cured easily with a Coke and Snickers, and studied for a few hours before taking my final exam. Again, it was a bit intimidating walking into it, but I was able to write two short essays with more detail than I thought I possibly could, and returned to my own flat, thoroughly exhausted, and happily went to sleep before the sun had fully set!
So, school is officially over... I have a trip to London, a visit to Amsterdam, and a few more days to spend in Canterbury. My worlds are beginning to mesh now, as I'm still living life here, but beginning to look for jobs and make plans in Indiana. I cannot describe to you how much I've found out about myself, and how much I feel that I've grown through this experience, but it definitely leaves me with so many more open doors and opportunities than I had before I came here, and I don't think I've ever felt so strange about returning home, because it signals a new chapter entirely - one that I have no outline for, no inkling of what I want it to contain, how I want it to begin or end. Whereas I would have been a nervous wreck before, I'm okay with that now. I'd say nature's done a pretty decent job at writing my story so far.
Until next time,
Aly
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