Where I Am

So this post is in many ways really for my parents to see what my living situation here in the North Wing of Sherwood hall is like...but anyone else who is curious is welcome to peruse my room and note how clean it looks (hehe). The truth is it took me almost two weeks to put up pictures of my room because it was really messy before and I just didn't want to be immortalized on my blog as a slob like Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. I just keep imagining him saying things like "this is the worst university room...ever", "Michael Jordan is nothing" and "the snack stash needs to be at least 10 times this size". I don't want to turn into Comic Book Guy because I don't know if I could even room with myself at that point.

Actually my room shouldn't get too messy though because we have cleaning ladies who come to vacuum and dust "fortnightly" and empty our "rubbish bins" every week. Its a pretty sweet deal. Kinda like getting free candy without the creepy bearded man in the Astro van.

I'm very happy with the room, it has it's own sink and a mini fridge for six packs of bee...I mean...er...who am I kidding? Six packs of beer...and anything else I want to keep cold. I've also got ample room for my snack stash and a nice desk lamp to go along with my nightstand and laundry box. I mean the room pretty much has it all...its kinda putting Linfield to shame. I mean I've got the Jordan sign, the corner niche, and the wardrobe!

So that's my home for fall semester in Nottingham; hopefully there is Sherwood Forest trip happening this weekend so I'm hoping to have another post up soon! And if ya don't know, now ya know...

The Big Bird Bombing

I realize it has been a while since my last post, I've been rather busy with course registration and settling in yada yada yada.



The classes I'm taking are going to be pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good, I hope. They are: Approaches to American Culture, Physical Landscapes of Britain, Introduction to the study of Old Testament, and Moral Philosophy. 50 credits all in all and a whopping eight hours of lecture and seminar a week! Long story short, most of your learning at the University of Nottingham is meant to take place outsided the classroom. This just means I'll have to get my studious hardhat on and take my laborious lunchpail to work every day from now on.



Outside of the academic realm I have been exploring more of the city of Nottingham as well as the little town of Beeston. My buddy Jordan and I went to the Prince of Wales pub in Beeston the other night and had a nice chat with the barmaid seeing as how we were her only patrons at the time. It's conversations of the sort and people like that that make me appreciate England. Meanwhile, I didn't go to any of the official "freshers week" club nights all week until Friday when I went to the "Rave" party. It was basically this huge tent they set up on campus with a silent disco; everyone wears headphones with the channel of music they like playing. So whenever you took off your headphones it was eerily quiet. I can say this about the Brits; they like their parties, and they like to dress up for them, and they like to drink before them. Our hall bar was filled with bevvied up Brits reciting chants about how much our rival Rutland Hall sucks. Everyone here is extremely into "fancy dress" and really getting into the theme of their parties. They are like Oakland Raiders fans when it comes to bringing their game face to the party. They kept asking why myself and some of the other international students weren't dressed up and I just wanted to tell them that we aren't into looking like Richard Simmons with bad teeth...I don't think they would get the reference anyway. The party wasn't that cool, it was allright but maybe since I'm a couple years older than these other "freshers" its not the same. I prefer just going to the pub and relaxing with a couple brews.



I'm going to end with the biggest news so far, I got pooped on by a bird today! We aren't talking about a hummingbird here either. I suspect it might have been Big Bird from Sesame Street hiding up that tree because I thought someone had dropped a football or something on my shoulder at first. Then I looked over and felt like Austin Powers must have felt when he saw the rose bud left by Fat Bastard. It was disgusting. I think whatever it was up that tree was aiming too, cause I was walking pretty fast and it's hard to hit a moving target. That bird must have used an ICBM missile, an Inter-Continental Bowel Movement...It was just "turrible" as Charles Barkley would say. The only consolation was that fortunately I was wearing my sweatshirt when it happened and I was able to take it off right away and turn it inside out. Unfortunately I just did laundry yesterday so I'm not sure if it's worth 2 pounds to wash and dry a poop covered hoodie...I know this is a long post so I'll save that decision for next time. So if ya don't know, now ya know...

International Nights

A quick update on the multicultural aspect of the study abroad experience in England; last night I hung out with a few guys from India, a Chinese dude who came from Ireland, and guy from Azerbaijan. That was pretty cool and yet it might have been topped by tonight when I went to a bar on campus with my fellow sherwoodians from America; Jordan and Katie, along with a girl from Chile, a German guy, an Estonian and a British lad. It was pretty cool to say the least, I feel like I'm in the United Nations. Its fun to hear their perspective on the States and our way of life. I learned that they think it is wierd how much water we have in our toilet bowls, it is wasteful and surprising to get splashed when you shit according to the Estonian. Also, they all know our TV shows, CSI, House, Friends especially. It was odd to hear Raunek, one of the Indians, summarize a whole episode of Friends in a minute. He knew that Chandler and Monica ended up adopting. Crazy, I know! Anyway, just a quick summary of the last couple evenings with the international crowd. If ya don't know, now ya know...

Taking It To the Streets

A lot has happened since arrival on Tuesday evening. There have been really boring orientation meetings, registrations, and lots of long lines (queues to the brits). However, there has also been time to explore Nottinghamshire (as the greater Nottingham area is known hereabouts), this has meant a significant amount of taking it to the streets on foot. I have done loads of walking recently which is good because I've also done a bit of sampling some of England's finer bitters and ales. What I have learned thus far regarding beer in England is that it is good and it is not cheap! I spent about 10 pounds in the pub the other day for lunch and a couple pints. I also went to "Ye Olde Jerusalem Inn" which claims to be the oldest pub in England dating back to 1089 or some pretty ancient time about there.

While I have been sampling England's wares this week it isn't the only thing I've done; I've gotten some toiletries and a mobile phone which were both interesting experiences because England apparently calls laundry detergent "fabric conditioner" along with distinguishing between the butcher and "fishmonger" who apparently only peddles the fish...not that I was buying beef or fish, just that it's wierd to experience their way of life. Another thing I thought was odd at the supermarket was that there seemed to be an uncommonly high number of old people and women with small children in strollers...they must sell a hell of a lot of diapers here!

Anyway that's a small summary of what's been going on in Nottingham so far, next week is class registration and "fresher's week" when all the british freshman get here so that should be fun. Until next time, if ya don't know now ya know...

A Few Photes...

Let's Stop to Get it Going

I’ve just arrived in the Isles of Britain, specifically; Nottingham, England, where I’ve already dreamt myself a thousand times. I’ve been thinking about this semester abroad for nearly a year and boning up on the United Kingdom through general research and from middle-aged travel whiz Rick Steves. I’ve got my “Rick Steve’s” travel backpack and my Moleskine journal and I’m ready to hit the road. I’m sitting here trying to think of what I really hope to accomplish or learn from this four month stint across the pond. All that I have come up with is that I hope to see the world differently than I do now and optimistically am seeking to find the reasons behind how I have and will formulate my worldview.

Having previously alluded to the serious, solemn, stated purpose for this blog and my trek to Robin’s hood; the flip side is that I hope the next four months will be a time where hilarity ensues and fresh experiences with new people and cultures expand my horizons; I hope that this blog will reflect that. Consequently as a “disclaimer” this blog’s intent is not really to be a deep and reflective analysis of my time across the pond; rather, while it may at times be a sober examination of life abroad and my reactions to that, at other times this blog will hopefully lean towards being an interesting, funny and facetious inspection of my time in Europe. So I ask in advance for understanding and I apologize for any embellishment, colorful language, or offense that may occur. Please bear in mind that if you find something distasteful, it is most likely nothing more than a joke. So if ya don’t know, now ya know…