something is scratching its way out.

We went to The York last night (Steve, Elizabethe, Teja, Freya, both Brandons, and Rachel an her friend showed up later) for some drinks and relaxation. Everyone’s going to be gone this weekend, and it was nice to just hang out before leaving today.

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I just wanted to put down some funny things that we talked about/were said last night:

Elizabeth: I’m the most bitchin’ girl you know!

Gossip about relationships in the Annexe — scandalous!

We were talking about the sadness we feel about getting older and eventually becoming mature, if that happens. Steve was thinking sadly about when he would no longer be able to say ’schlong’ and laugh about it, and we were like, never! Just the mention has us cracking up!

And then I remembered Dad’s little wooden statue from the Philippines and told them about how, when you lift up the little man’s barrel-suit, he’s naked and his little schlong pops up haha! And then Teja said her friend had one from Africa.

Then Steve says: The African one will be like this (and lifts up his arm in his crotch area), and the Filipino one will be like this (and lifts up one finger in his crotch area)!

That just had us cracking up like crazy hahaha!

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Teja had two coupons for a free cocktail at The York and gave me one. I got a Cheeky Vitmo–it tasted sort of like carbonated cough syrup so I only drank a little bit. Then Brandon and Rachel chugged the rest before we left.

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We also met one of the orientation leaders because he studied at OU for a year where Rachel goes to school, so they’re buddies. He’s funny.

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We later went to the 24-hour store (Nisa?). Some people got beer and of course I got a Cornish Pasty! I wanted to try one so badly. I wanted waffles at The York, but they stopped serving food at 8pm :oP And then we stopped by Padrinos where the Brandons got kebabs and I ended up getting fries with KETCHUP!! Catlett, Troy, Stephan, Whitney, and Ashley ended up being there so we hung out. Then we walked back and I gave Catlett some fries and he was in a Ketchup Delirium. He’s been going through withdrawal, poor kid.

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Ok, I’ve got to go to class, then I’m off to Edinburgh until 4am on Monday!!!!

So my eurail pass came yesterday in the mail! It was the first day the mail was brought to the annexe, and I finally got my package!! I was so excited, I can’t even tell you. I opened it up in the hallway as I walked back to my room and the first thing I caught sight of were the two cd cases within the FedEx envelope.

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Pure excitement.

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They were the episodes of Supernatural I’ve missed so far! That made my week, I swear. I was trying to hold off on watching those, but today during my break, I ate a lot and watched the episodes. And then I bought the one that wasn’t recorded on the DVR at home when it was full.

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Oh, Supernatural. I’ve missed you terribly.

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Well, after that I checked to look at the Eurail pass and couldn’t find a card. I naturally assumed the pass would be in a relatively durable form, such as a card, but I’m wrong because whenever I assume things, I am always wrong. And also because the world doesn’t seem to like me much this week (except for giving me supernatural to watch–which makes up for all the rest I think). I finally noticed that there was a slip of paper that looked like a bank deposit receipt and double checked it with Catlett. It definitely IS the Eurail pass and everyone came around to admire it, and I was rather happy.

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So Catlett’s not going to Edinburgh anymore. We were walking back from The Edge yesterday where we watched the second half of the Sheffield United v. Middlesbrough rematch when he gave up his spot. Let me tell you about the game first. Sheffield U. lost in overtime. Middlesbrough took a shot, the ball bounced off the post and the goalie tried to swipe it out of the goal area and it ended up going in instead! Poor goalie! He looked young too…not that that makes a difference, but it made me feel a bit more sympathetic for him. Ah well. Also, it was casino night at The Edge–they played Casino Royale (I <3 Daniel Craig) and gave ten free chips to everyone to play with. I lost at poker and at black jack. I did win one hand at black jack though, that was rather exciting :oD

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Anyway, so we’re walking back and I’m talking to Javier, the kid from Salamanca, Spain. He asks if I’m going to Edinburgh and I told him yes.

Catlett then turns around and is like, “Are you going?” Javier says no. “Do you want to go?” asks Catlett. “Because I’ll give you my spot.”

And I’m thinking, oh screw you! Haha. Boo. But yeah, he’s not going and Javier is now. I was rather upset last night, emotional or something. I don’t think it’s that time of the month, but going from the way I was last night, it very well may be. Man, I started crying because I’m a loser haha–and I couldn’t stop!

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I talked to Stu though, and he’s really just always there and made me feel better. Not that he was particularly consoling, but he’s just silly and the type of person you know is always there for you. I miss him. He said if he were here he’d have gone with me, and I knew he would have. He’s so nice. I sent him a message last night saying, “I don’t know if I’ve said it, but I love you” because I really did and do because he’s a great friend, all the time, even when he’s annoying haha. Hannah wrote me in her novel that he said it was cute because I don’t say it often. I really don’t say it often to people because I’m silly and want to really mean it. I mean, I say it frequently (after every phone call and Skype conversation) to my parents and to Frankie. I also say it to some friends sometimes when they say it to me because I’m having fun or they’ve done something so silly in that moment. But I get uncomfortable when saying it. Usually I say, “I <3 (heart) you!” Haha. I’ll admit to my silliness. I do quite often.

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But yeah, I was crying and then Catlett comes up and I try wiping my face because I hate it when people see me crying. I think that’s like everyone though, but who knows? And he’s like, “Sorry,” and I tell him it’s no problem, but I’ve got to read and I start closing my door because I can FEEL the tears coming back. He asked me, “Are you crying?” And I’m like, “No!” But I started crying for real and tried to shut the door lol. And he tried to stop it but I pushed hard and locked it and told him I’d talk to him later. Eh. I felt bad because I knew he’d feel bad after seeing me crying when it really wasn’t a terrible thing; I was just put off. Anyway, he came back later, and I still was crying/started up again so I yelled over my music (which I had turned on because I started hyperventilating because my body is crazy, man) that I’d talk to him later, and he asked, “will you really?” and I said yeah. He came back shortly after and I was pretty ok by then haha. Man, I think he felt bad and that sucked. And then of course I started crying again haha and went into my room and he followed and picked me up from behind because he’s silly. But then we talked a bit and I fiiiinnnaallly calmed down and that was ok. I just don’t like people thinking that they’ve upset me unless I’m pissed. I don’t like people seeing me sad, then, I should say. I hate being affected by people. That’s all.

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Anyway, I’m still rather excited. I want to see the castle and frolic. I want to stand on the ramparts and take pictures with a fake crown on my head (if I get up the nerve to stare over the edge and also if I’m not too cheap to buy a fake crown). We’re staying at the Castle Rock Hostel in a 16-mixed dorm, which is apparently right beside the Edinburgh Castle! Yay!

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I may go out to get a drink with some people a little later tonight at The York (down the street in Broomhill) or The Interval (bar and cafe in the union) just to hang out and relax. :oD

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Oh. So you know what just made my WEEK? Supernatural is coming back on with four more new episodes on April 24th! Supernatural is so great that it warrants two pictures in this post as well as two mentions. I’m so happy that it’s not cancelled! I told Catlett and he was like, “It’s back on just for you.” Damn straight. I would riot and there would be bloodshed if it were cancelled. I suppose I’d have to be in America though. And a rioting sort of person…

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Eh, semantics.

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But joy! :oD

Ok, so I’m not lying, but I swear we just had an earthquake. Yes, in Sheffield, England. Crazy, I know.

As the title of the pictures says, this is my “sh*t’s crazy, baby!” face.

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So I tried to sleep at about 11:40pm this evening. I even left the festivities in the common down in the basement to read and skype the parents. Reading was a bust, so was skyping because the family wasn’t signed on. On a side note, Heather’s boyfriend, Jay, is here and staying the night (he doesn’t have classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because they’re annoyingly awesome in Edinburgh I guess).

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Rhinos and QUASI-EARTHQUAKEs. (Someone should have mentioned that England is a fricken dangerzone.)

So I’m trying to fall asleep, but it’s not working–it feels as if I’ve had a cup of coffee before bed, but I haven’t. I thought about it for a while and I’m sure. At one point I wake up from the scary sound the wind is making against my window–it sort of seems to be hitting it and, I promise this is what went through my head, I thought a rhinoceros was angry and trying to run into my dorm room. Or there was a tornado.

I guess I went to sleep on and off after that. And then I was jolted awake, literally did a jacknife sort up jump to a sitting position because my room was shaking. It QUAKED. My bed shook. I could HEAR the fricken room shake. I don’t have to tell you how much that freaked me out as you can probably see that it did, but it FREAKED ME OUT. Worse than the Rhino-Winds!

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I sat there for a moment because I swear my heart was beating a mile a minute and I was saying, “What the heck was that?!” I looked over to my shelf:

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CLOCK: It’s 12:59am.

MIKA: OH MAN. That was an earthquake!

CLOCK: You’re a loser; you should still be awake.

MIKA: Damn, I want to run down the hallways but I’m in my PJs…screw it.

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I went to peek out my door and Rosa and Marta across the hall both did so at the same time–it was kind of funny and relieving at the same time that others were as disturbed as I was (and in PJs looking like they were asleep like I was too) enough to come into the hallway. All of us were like, “Was that an earthquake?” “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it!” “The walls were shaking!” All the girls in the next corridor were out with squeaky voices talking about our little nighttime shock as well. We all congregated in the middle to talk about what the heck that was. Pretty much a repeat of my, Rosa’s and Marta’s conversation.

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Teja came up and we hugged because I got freaked out and needed a hug desperately. That was so crazy. Rob breezes on by with the same air that he usually has–that chill, life-is-good-and-I’m-lovin’-life sort of air. I asked him if he felt it and he was like, “Yeah, we were watching a movie.” That was it, and he continues on. He was going to get the next The Office cd. Haha, he cracks me up, man.

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And then the girls are all together and Alli’s like, “That shit ain’t an earthquake!” in that ghetto-white-girl-texan accent she has. Gotta love that ho-bag. (It’s ok; she calls me her favorite manslut. We’re buds like that.) And I said, “Well it isn’t the fricken WIND.” Then Miriam starts cracking up because she’s a crazy girl–we love that chick–but (or because) she crazy, baby.

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Someone later said that Garrett (Aussie blondie) said it was the building shifting or something, so the second and third floors felt the movement. I ran down to the basement to attempt to tell my buddies down there and to hopefully quell some of my scared-jitters. Some were around the poker table still and the others were around the quarters table.

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MIKA: There was an earthquake!

EVERYONE ELSE: We’re drunk and our eyes are squinty, not because we’re Asian, but because…did we say we were drunk yet?

MIKA: Did you feel the EARTHQUAKE?!

HEAT: Wow guys, let’s listen!

MIKA: There was an earthquake! My room shook! Did you guys not FEEL that?!

HEAT: I think I’m drunk and have forgotten to listen.

EVERYONE: We’re too drunk to listen. Have you seen our squinty eyes and lazy postures?

MIKA tapping Catlett’s back insistently: Console me, dammit! There was an EARTHQUAKE! I’m from Northern Virginia! I don’t DO nature!

CATLETT: Fo’ real?

MIKA: Yes, there was an earthquake!

CATLETT: Have you noticed my squinty eyes and Wheezy-f’in-baby lounging slouch?

MIKA: Fricken-A, DJ Kahled. I went to bed too early. This would’ve been easier/more exciting if I were drunk too. God dammnit.

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Then I went back upstairs after getting no consolation or sympathy from the buddies downstairs and decided to go for the family. It turns out that Frank got an F in Spanish and isn’t doing well in government still so the parents were arguing and trying to coordinate getting him tutors for it so that’s why they weren’t on. Apparently they argued and poor Frankie was in the middle again and frustrated. Poor hermano! Poor padres for being stressed and whatnot and arguing!

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Anyway, I talked to Dad and Frank a bit, which helped :oD

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Plan for tomorrow

After my class I’m meeting up with Catlett, Heather and Jay and we’re going to go around the city center to see the Sheffield Art Gallery, the Art Gallery in the city center, and the Winter Gardens. I’m hoping to also get a memory card for my camera and batteries too. Rachel and Craig are going to call to meet up with us.

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Plan for the weekend

So…Catlett and I were pretty much going to be the only people here this weekend. Heather, Rachel and Craig are all going to London for a U. of Illinois coordinated trip–they’re leaving us! So we wanted to go watch a Newcastle game. However, it was too expensive. THEN, tonight Steve and Stephan came up to ask if I wanted to go to Edinburgh, Scotland, with them because Catlett said to ask me. I was pressured to do so because the deal sounded fabulous and I didn’t want to be here when no one else was, but at the same time…we’re going to Porto, Portugal next weekend with Heather, Craig and now Rachel Pearson. BUT, when I spoke to Catlett later, he said he’d go if I went! That made me really happy because I did want to go, but not really without him, so it worked out! And then I gave him a big hug and ran to go catch Steve and Stephan before they booked it.

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So we’re leaving on Friday at 1pm and coming back Sunday at 4pmish I think. We’re staying in a 16-mixed-dorm in a hostel called Castel Rock Hostel, which is apparently right next to the Edinburgh Castle! Holly and Brandon from New Mexico are going too! Very exciting!

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Next weekend, Heather, Catlett, me, Craig and Rachel P. are all going to Porto, Portugal. We’re leaving Thursday evening and coming back on Saturday night. We may stay in Liverpool, but as places are so expensive to stay at and there would be 5 of us staying with Heather’s friend if he offered to let us stay, we may instead just spend the night in thet rain station and come back early in the morning to Sheffield on Sunday. Who knows?

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I’m so excited to be travelling. This weekend will be my first weekend away from England, off to roam around England! I hope to see my first castle and to stand on the ramparts and be jolly! <3

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Note: (Wed. 27/2) Yeah, it really WAS an earthquake. BBC said it had a magnitude of 5.0 and it was apparently “the biggest earthquake in the UK for nearly 25 years.” It had a magnitude of 5.2 toward its epicenter in Market Rasen in Lincolnshire. I’m living out HISTORY.

Modules thus far 

School’s not bad–not much school to go to really, just lots and lots of reading. I only have three classes right now and halfway in my third class ends and my fourth class starts. I love my Intro. to Post-Colonial Literature module! It’s so interesting–we read stories in the point of view of people whose countries or cultures are being colonized by world powers–it’s fabulous. And my professor is a white South African who knows his stuff. He’s very articulate so it’s great just listening to the things he’s found in the stories. This is the way I thought the science fiction and short story classes should have been like at Tech. :oD

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Recap on buddies

Hmm…Heather, Craig and Rachel are all from the University of Illinois and they’re all pretty much from Chicago. Craig and Heather knew each other before coming and they met Rachel before coming here as they all went to the same university. Craig and Catlett play soccer with the other guys in the afternoons a lot. Craig says such silly stuff– we were talking about going out last night over brunch today and Catlett was saying how, if he’d met himself, he’d have hated himself–he’d be THAT GUY that he wouldn’t like lol. In response, Craig’s quote of the day is:

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“If I’d met myself last night, I think I’d really like myself.”. Hahaha–it was so hilarious. We were all laughing and saying, you love yourself, you’d so date yourself, Craig!  .Another time we were talking about Craig’s hair for some reason and he said, “Well, my mom said it looks good any way,” and we just cracked up. There are a bunch of things that everyone says here that are just ridiculous or so silly that it kills us. Hahahha 

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Heather (aka Heat, or, as Catlett sometimes calls her, “Heater” or “Furnace” lol) is so funny and silly–it’s not that she makes jokes, she’s just a funny person to be around because it’s fun to laugh with her–and at her because she’s so silly! That’s really the only way to explain it. Rachel (aka Franny, or Franny with the Fanny) is super silly and fun also–she laughs at everything and then I start laughing and can’t stop and it’s a vicious cycle. I’ve done that laughing-crying thing a bit over here…perhaps too much, but every time is to much so whatever. We call her Franny with the Fanny sometimes because at the Bar Crawl we were taking pictures in the bathroom (don’t ask), and she kept turning on the air hand drier thing by sticking her butt under it lol. That was hilarious!

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Peak District

Yesterday was fabulous. We went to the Peak District, which is a county over and apparently in English tour books because it’s a great nature walk that’s a must-see in England. We took a bus out and hiked for a couple of hours. It was so much fun and so beautiful. I mean, you see pictures of the English countryside and think it’s dreary-looking sometimes, and it was sort of dreary outside, but it was still gorgeous. The walk itself was so relaxing and peaceful, which made the whole experience that much better I think.  

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It was cute because we passed by this house where these super-friendly dogs were watching us come up the path. They had these things on their collars that may have been invisible fencing things. One of them was black and was all over Catlett. It was so funny because she rolled over onto her back and wanted Catlett to pet her belly, but he said, “Oh, you’re so mangy!” And it was true—she was kind of gross on her belly lol. Then the other two dogs came up and we got to pet those ones too. They were so friendly. So was their owner who let us know that we could walk on that path as it was a public footpath. Another guy was gardening in a cute, little old-fashioned plot and he told us where to go to get a good view, and also where to get a good cup of tea. .Afterwards we got tea at a café in Hathersage and the tea was soo good, even with milk! I wanted to try it the British way. Delicious.  

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Pong Tournament and Pop Tarts

When we came back we got dressed for the beer pong tournament at Opal 2 (Jimmi’s place) and Pop Tarts! Rachel and Craig won the tournament! That was awesome. it was also intense! So many tie-breakers! I talked to people during the tournament and met a German guy whose name was Dominic. I like being able to talk to people from so many different countries! Their lives are so different!

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Then we headed to Pop Tarts (this is a night that takes place at the union every Saturday for 4 pounds that always gets sold out). Pop Tarts is pretty much the basement of the union(at the Foundry and Fusion)—all the clubs were devoted to 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and today pop music. It went from 11pm-3am, but we got there at about 12:30am and left at about 3:30am—haha! Best night EVER. We danced for three hours straight and went up on the stage and all danced together.  

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It was so funny when they played “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Backstreet’s Back”—we went crazy with those! It was so awesome. I’ve never been dancing in a club before except for at the Bar Crawl and never for that long! It was so fun when they played songs we all knew because we’d go crazy, start jumping up and down and singing really loud—it was great!  

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Catlett carried a backpack full of beer and cider in water bottles in and they didn’t even care! So everyone was feeling good and it was just great. I mentioned Connor to you—he was with us that night and he’s such a funny dancer. He was also really drunk lol. We got back at about 4am because it takes forever to walk back to the Annexe. I also ended up getting on my computer because I didn’t feel tired after I showered (lots of exertion that night!) and I fell asleep at my computer before I went to bed haha. 

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Next weekend, Craig, Heather and Rachel are going to London because their school organized their stay there. They just have to get there and then they get to go around and also get free dinners. I’m so jealous. Catlett and I are thinking of trying to catch a Newcastle football match while they’re gone. The weekend after that, Catlett, Heather and I and maybe Craig are going to Porto, Portugal from Thursday until Saturday. Ryan Air had super cheap flights :oD  

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That’s it for now! <3  

This past week has been a torrent of stress and frustration. It’s pretty much all because of spring break plans. I’m not even going to go into it because nothing is solid and it’s a jumbled mess. (Well, perhaps it’s just me and my brain that’s a jumbled mess. Scrambled even.)

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However, we ARE planning a trip to Porto, Portugal in two weeks that should be relatively easy to plan if everyone’s 100% into that, and at the moment, Heather, Catlett and I are all set. We’re hoping to meet up with Craig later today after he gets out of class to make sure that he’s cool with that. But how exciting! It’s 2p without taxes and fees to get to Porto! That’ll be so fun!

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Tomorrow we’re planning a trip to the Peak District, which I believe is one county over from Sheffield. It’s also apparently in England tour books and a place that’s a must-see. We’re planning on eating our 50p breakfast in the morning and then taking a bus to the Peak District, where we’ll hike around and enjoy the little villages and scenery.

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The weekend after that, Heather, Craig, and Rachel are all going on a London trip so Catlett and I might try to watch the Newcastle game.

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Oh yeah, so I shaved a chunk of hair off the back of Catlett’s head when he asked me to help him out with trimming. He wanted me to trim the bottom so it was in a U-sort of shape, and I am dumb and now he’s missing a chunk of hair. haha–oh man. I felt so utterly horrible and when I walked out, a bunch of the manics were sitting and chatting in the hallway. I waded through their legs and couldn’t even say or do anything but shake my head and when I finally got upstairs, I started crying/laughing like crazy as I attempted to recount what happened to Heat and Franny. Crazy business.

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I also found a backpacking backpack! Franny and Catlett and I went to the city center yesterday to get Catlett a phone (originally just a sim card, but the O2 plan was too expensive even though he had a free phone for it) and a hair trimmer (that damned trimmer!). It’s a great pack–people are jealous of this backpack. It cost 20 pounds! I’m very excited to put it to use.

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On the way there I also pretty much ran into a pole. It was in front of two British boys too haha — I was picking fuzz off of my peacoat and looked up and suddenly–POLE. Haha…oh man. This country does not agree with me. That or it’s sucking what little brain matter I have. But I can’t help but love it all the more. These are the things that I’ll remember fondly about my time abroad–running into poles, chopping off hair, buying my backpacking backpack. Good times.

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Not much really is going on besides that, just the planning of spring break disaster. So…yes. Cheers.

Jimi’s birthday on friday night

Friday was Jimi’s birthday party and everyone met in front of the union that night to head to Opal 2 together where he lives. Opal 2 is really nice, sort of like a hotel, and the party took place in the common room. I wasn’t planning on drinking at all or staying out late, but of course both happened! We hung out in one of the rooms and also in the common room and it was BYOB(bring your own beer), so Catlett, Heather, Rachel, and Craig all had Blacksmith cider. They gave me some on the way and some there also. Then some people started a game of flip cup and asked me to join so I did for two games and after that, I was good haha. I left with Elizabeth, Stephan, and Ashley, and we took a cab because I was so tired of walking and my feet hurt pretty badly. We were pretty tired and all of us except Stephan were going on day trips the next day.

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Missing the bus and the adventure thereafter

So my feet still were hurting on Saturday morning before my and Ashley’s Give-It-A-Go day trip to Liverpool, so that morning we decided to take the bus to the union where we were supposed to catch the coach. BUT, I didn’t even think of the schedule or how early it ran or whether it was different on weekends, so it turned out we would have to catch on of two buses. We met Connor on the way to the stop just down the Annexe hill, and we were so ready for the bus coming toward us that we were completely stunned when it drove right past us and kept on going. Apparently you have to hail the bus like you would a cab for it to stop.

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Murphy – 1, Mika and Ashley – 0.

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So then here comes Pedro, the Community Assistant (advisor?), or the CA of the Annexe (super fun guy, 28, from Columbia :o), and he’s going to work. He’s catching the next bus, which is the bus that we also want to take. It finally comes, not at 8:26 like it was supposed to. Ashley and I have to be outside of Bar One by 8:30am so we’re freaking out and we get on the bus and have no idea where we’re going or when to get off. Pedro yells my name and tells me this is where we’re supposed to stop and I’ve no idea what to do so I push the red ’stop’ button on my seat and turn around to see if this is right and Pedro’s talking to the bus driver saying stop here! It was all so horribly confusing and all I know is that we finally get off, thank Pedro and the driver, and run to Bar One. We see a small group and one guy detaches himself from the others and asks us if we’re headed to York, and we tell him no, Liverpool. He says, “Oh you just missed the bus!”

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Murphy – 2, Mika and Ashley – 0.

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So we’re screwed and miserable, but then he says we can go along with them to York! He was a group leader for the York and Viking Festival day trip also through Give-It-A-Go so Ashley and I were SO lucky! Take THAT, Murphy!

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York and Vikings

York was so much fun. Ashley and I met up with Amy, Richelle and Elizabeth and we all just went around everywhere together. We saw a fortress on a hill, walked along a stone wall, saw so many cute houses and cobblestone streets and little shops! We walked through The Shambles, which is a famous street for its little shops. We tried the most delicious belgian swirl fudge ever–it literally melted in your mouth. We walked through an international fair they were having that day, where I bought a yellow/orange coin purse for 5 pounds, and I also ate a Turkish wrap.

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We got to go inside the York Minster! It was absolutely gorgeous. I also got to sit in the Chapter House of Cannon D. W. Smith. That was sort of interesting. And it turns out we’d been walking on tombs the entire way — they’re marked by large slabs of black stone that’s even with the rest of the stone floor so I didn’t notice until later. Richelle and Elizabeth laughed at me when I got a bit freaked out and jumped away from the one I was currently standing on.

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We also got to see the Viking festival! And the quote of the day was, “Vikings are crazy SOBs” — Richelle. We were allowed inside the compound where the Viking vs. Army battle reenactment took place, and it was absolutely hilarious! Some of them were really legit too! Long flowing locks and grizzled beards! We also got to take pictures with one too! Richelle got a Viking hat even!

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After that we ate at a pub called The Golden Fleece, and it was founded in 1503! I tried Yorkshire pudding for the first time, and what better place to try it than York? The bread was really good. It was, overall, a fabulous day that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

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When we got back, we met up with other people who went too and ate at The Interval–we all got 50p voucher for that place so we just ate there. It was so fun talking to those people; they’re hilarious, and it was nice just hanging out at that cafe. Then we went to a 24 hour place to get a few drinks, then met up with people in the common room to drink a bit. Ashley and I went to talk to Pedro a bit before sleeping and met his friend Atok, who was also really cool. I <3 Pedro–what a crazy kid. I ended up going to bed a bit early again because we had plans for the next day :o)

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Sheffield v. Middlesbrough

This was the first football match I’ve ever been to live in Europe and it was SO much fun. I was so excited the entire time, and it was just a great day. I want to go to another one! The Sheffield fans were fun and kept doing the chant, “United! United!” putting their arms in a ‘U’-shape as they said united, then clapped three times afterwards, and then doing it again. That was like Green Street Hooligans, which was AWEsome. The Middlesbrought fans, however, were amazing! They sang so many songs and did so many chants that it was great that they were there because we were able to experience that sort of fanfare. Their side behind the goald was completely packed as well. It was awesome to watch. The match was really exciting too–many attempts on Sheffield’s part, and not bad ones either! There were a couple good ones!

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Afterwards, we went to eat at McDonalds and that was heaven. I miss real fries so much so that was delicious. Rachel and I ordered Cadbury cream egg McFlurries, but they gave us just plain Cadbury chips in them, which sucked. But oh well, I’m so glad we got to eat that. When we got back, we tried to plan our spring break, which was a disaster and which I feel will bring on more stress and tension today when we finish planning.

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So…the next post will most probably be about spring break plans, and I will either be very happy that it’s over, or happy that it’s over and depressed because people hate me.

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CHEERS!

The bar crawl last night was maybe one of the best nights ever, right up there with high school prom and concerts and other events that I can’t quite remember (not because of alcohol, silly) but know exist.

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“You won’t make it to the next stop.” You’re right, Mr. Security Guard, we made it to 6/8. Cheers.

There were eight stops on the bar crawl trail including Subway, and we only made it to six of them, Subway included again. It was funny because after one of the stops at Vodka Revolution, I asked Franny to come with me outside because I was literally about to throw up. I almost couldn’t speak because my mouth was filling with spit (I’m sorry, that’s disgusting, but it’s true), and I tugged on her jacket, and we hightailed it out of there. I ended up spitting up liquid a bit away from the bar. I didn’t want to throw up in there because I don’t know if people throw up in England (they may be too used to drinking lots of alcohol), and they might have thrown me out, which may have made me feel better, but it would have been a bit embarrassing. A security guard passed by after I threw up and he said, “It doesn’t look like you’ll be heading to the next stop.” Hahaha, that was hilarious because it was pretty much true–the next and last stop we made was to Subway.

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Can’t feel the pain :o)

It was such a fun night though–lots of dancing and drinking and talking and hanging out with everyone. They love Justin Timberlake songs here. That’s pretty much all they played! I think being influenced by alcohol helped me have more fun because I didn’t care if people saw me dancing haha. That was great.

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VT Baby!

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We all got yellow shirts for the Ranmoor complex, and because each dorm complex/region got a different color, it was easy to see who lived where, and we all travelled pretty much as a big group with our colors, but we saw many different colors around at each pub. At The West End yellow people started singing/chanting:

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“I’m Ranmoor ’til I die,

I’m Ranmoor ’til I die,

I know I am,

I’m sure I am,

I’m Ranmoor ’til I die!”

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And it was hilarious. It was just like the football match songs/chants that I’ve only really ever heard from Green Street Hooligans and a bit at The York where we watched the Man. U. vs. Man. C. match. In response, the other group (orange) sang/chanted a retaliation song. They were Tapton residents and apparently they’re rivals. No one was nasty though; it was all in good fun, and it was hilarious. I want to learn all these chants! Later on in front of Subway, some people were doing another chant and Catlett started up “USA! USA!” and so a few of us joined in and that was pretty funny too. People also signed the bar crawl shirts last night, that was funny. Miriam drew an ass-crack and hair around it with an arrow pointed at it with the words “hot ass,” literally on my butt. That was funny. We also tied our leg ties around our heads so we could be Poundtown Ninjas!

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I think I was pretty drunk last night. I don’t really remember the walk home too much or being out so late. It seemed like time passed by really quickly. I fell asleep on Stephan for a very short minute in the pizza place that Heather, Craig and Rachel bought food from on the way back before they woke me up to move on. I’m not quite sure how long I was really asleep though because their pizzas were done when they woke me up, and I didn’t realize that. 

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I also thought I had class this morning and asked them to wake me up at 8:40am so I’d go. However, I woke up at about 6:30am and went on the computer and hung around, then showered. Rachel, then Catlett, then Heather all came to knock on my door to make sure I woke up this morning. I love my friends. I actually didn’t end up having class. I went to check the schedule to see where my class would be, and it said, “No lecture.” I was pretty amused. And felt pretty dumb. I couldn’t sleep anyway though, so that’s ok I guess.

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Today Rachel and I are planning to meet Catlett at noon for lunch on campus and wake up Heather to go too. We ‘re also planning on getting student football tickets for the Sheffield match this Sunday. How exciting! I hope we get them–I’m excited at the prospect of going and will probably be over-excited on match day if we get to go. Apparently it’s the thing to get a pie and beer at a match–like at baseball games you get a hotdog and soda. Also, I hope we eat at McDonalds. We were all craving American food last night haha.

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Tomorrow Ashley and I along with a few other people are going to Liverpool on the Sheffield sponsored Give-It-A-Go day trip. I’m very excited. It was supposed to include a tour of the Liverpool FC Anfield Stadium, but it’s game day so they cancelled that part of the trip. However, because it IS game day, I think we’ll go to a pub to see what game day is like and how crazy the fans are near the stadium. I also want to go to the stadium to listen to the crowd just for a bit. The others back at Sheffield plan on eating at Wokmania, the Chinese buffet, and I’m so jealous, but hopefully they’ll want to go again another day.

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Anyway, that’s all! Ta!

I’ve decided that if I don’t come back with the strongest legs in the world–what with all these hills and the long distance walking I’m doing over here–then something is wrong with me and I will need to be punished.

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I’ve been walking all day–about four hours, not including the walk to class which was from 10-10:50. After class I went to the Information Commons to try to print stuff out and get the novel I need to read before tomorrow’s seminar. They didn’t have it so I got the book for next week. After that I went to the English Dept. and signed up for my seminars, then went to find Blackwell’s, which is a bookstore that sells uni books. I found Nervous Conditions there and have to read that before tomorrow.

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I then bought tickets for a few of us to the Valentine’s Day Bar Crawl tomorrow–I’m so excited! We get a free T-shirt with our section color: Yellow for Ranmoor. We wear our shirt and go on a trail of pubs “Hitched,” as this is a hitched bar crawl and we get a drink at each pub–we have to do the bar crawl as a three-legged race! So we get in pairs and tie our legs together haha. It also says to drink safely and get a non-alcoholic drink at every other bar haha! It sounds so exciting!

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We’re going to go to dinner soon and then I’ll have to get cracking on this reading…maybe I’ll go out, but I have tons of reading to do.

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Ashley and I already have our tickets for the Give-It-A-Go day trip this Saturday to Liverpool. It was 12 pounds, but it was initially 18 pounds when it included a tour of the stadium. However, they had to cancel as it’s going to be game day there and Catlett’s pissed about that and boycotting it haha. I’m excited to see a different city though. The Beatles came from there! I want to visit Abbey Road and take a picture there :oD We’re also hoping to plan spring break nowish as well as a trip to Edinburgh!

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More:

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I love all the people here! We all go to dinner in big groups and sometimes in different ones :oD And though campus is in the city, I see a bunch of the Manics (haha the international kids) around. . I’m procrastinating. I have to read a 212-page book before tomorrow afternoon so I’m staying in, and I also have to read a few essays on it and also for another module. Some people are just going to the Ranmoor pub at about 7:30, but I’ve got to do work.  

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Tomorrow though is going to be SICK. There’s a Pub Crawl—it’s 3 pounds and we get a shirt for our designated area (ours is Ranmoor so we’re yellow). There’s a map on the back of it and everything of all the pubs and stops we’re going to. We have to wear the shirt and get “hitched” along the way—turn into a three-legged team or something. I don’t quite know how it works, but it’s going to be so fun. Pretty much all the Manics are going and we might pre-game downstairs in the common beforehand. I’m terrified because I have class at 10am on Friday, but I’m determined to drink because I’ve been sick and we haven’t really gone out all week. The others did on Monday, but I stayed in to try to recuperate. We heard there was karaoke tonight, but apparently that was yesterday so Ashley and I want to go next week haha. Hopefully my voice is better by then! 

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The paranormalist we saw yesterday was pretty interesting—some of the people were trying to figure out how he ‘scammed’ us on the walk back to the Annexe, but I liked it. For his first trick, he came up towards me and made eye contact b/c he was looking for volunteers but I was terrified of him going in and didn’t want to look him in the face and when he started coming over, I was saying “no, no, no” under my breath and shaking my head hahaha—either he read my mind or understood my body language because he turned to Catlett, who in turn told the guy to pick me, but Catlett went up anyway. He did keep trying to tell me to volunteer, but I stand by my conviction that these people are scary. Even though the guy was pretty nice. He was probably just very knowledgeable about body language and psychology.  .We almost won the pub quiz before the paranormalist came on too! It’s pretty much trivia at the bar and you can win prizes—it was at The Edge’s bar (the Edge is another residence hall). It was me, Catlett, Heather, Rachel, Craig, Elizabeth, and Stephan (he’s the German guy who came in to talk to you on Skype haha). Anyway—they put up questions and you write down the answer on a sheet and then turn it in at the end after answering a tie-breaker. There were four teams (all international kids! ‘cause we’re awesome) that tied and it ended up being down to us and the Aussie team which had Garrett and Tom (the Aussies) as well as Melanie and Ashley and two others. They won (BOO) and it was so funny because both our teams were talking trash (rubbish!) to the other. They won tickets to the comedy club (VIP tixx too), but that’s ok. And our team was mostly American so we called our team ‘Poundtown, USA’ ahahaha – and they read out the team names and we were cheering for our name really loud; it was hilarious.  

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This weekend Ashley and I are going to Liverpool with some people—it’s game day so we’re excited to go in a pub and watch it with some (as Ashley calls them) ‘Liverpoodles’ hahaha and we want to stop by the stadium to hear them ROAR. And then it’s also where the Beatles came from so we want to go to Abbey Road :oD yayyyyy! And then on Sunday maybe Heather, Rachel, Craig, Catlett and I may go to the Peak District. They were going to go on Saturday but they said they didn’t want to go without me YAY so maybe Sunday. 

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Tonight we’re hoping to plan our Spring Break when Rob gets back from the play (it’s a spoof on Bible stories—blasphemous! But it sounds hilarious and I wanted to go but I have to read so much stuff…). We’re also planning our own Edinburgh trip WHOO. We’re going to make it a weekend trip ;oD Hopefully we plan some tonight, but I don’t want to be up too late because I have class at 10am again and it’s Pub Crawl night for Valentine’s Day!  

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So Tuesday was my first day of classes. I had two:

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1) Advanced Molecular Biology

This was a kind of intimidating first class to go to as the advisor I met with that signed me off on (had to give me the ok) said it may be over my head. I went into class and because I missed the first day, I asked a girl in the row in front of me if she’d mind telling me what I missed and what the prof. might have said about what to expect for the rest of the sem. She was very friendly and told me where to print off the previous day’s lecture notes and told me the topic covered (eukaryotic chromosomes). Then she asked where I was from, and I said the US and she said, “Wow.” But it was more like this:

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MIKA: I’m a poor, ignorant international student–please take pity on me and hold my hand.

BRITISH GIRL: Oh, how exotic! Let me help you!

MIKA: Let’s be best friends!

BRITISH GIRL: Tell me where you’re from first so that I may impress my friends.

MIKA: I’m from that super-land, the States!

BRITISH GIRL: Oh.

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I think she thought I might have been from China.

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The class turned out to be ok though–we covered eukaryotic DNA replication and it was all stuff I’d learned at Tech in Cell and Molecular Biology, so I’m rather relieved :o) BUT, the exam (one of two in the entire semester) is multiple choice and short answer. The short answer will kill me because I will not be able to guess and will most likely have to actually know all the processes covered in every class in enough detail to write about them with any modicum of knowledgeablity, which I know I will not have.

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Oh, and the writing style is very different there–they elongate words to be more descriptive (e.g. progressivity…there were weirder ones though; I was chuckling beneath my breath and British Girl was probably sneaking me frightened looks) and they’re very wordy when the processes can be described in more concise ways like at home. But it’s just a different style. At least I understood the prof!

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2) The Romantic Period

This class was a bit boring; I think I nodded off a bit. It’s about the 1780s-1820s and it’s apparently during a time period where there’s a bit of political unrest and sad feelings. The poets use harmonic themes and nature to speak about their desolate emotions in these times of trouble and interweave them to create a balance and a generally even flow. Yeah, not quite my thing. I think it’s mostly because of the professor who spoke sort of slowly in a flowery and earth-child sort of way. I almost thought she was going to start us in on meditation at any minute.

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It was also in St. George’s Church haha–that was interesting. I was a bit reluctant to go in because I felt rather blasphemous for some reason, and that’s odd because I’m not a particularly religious person–that is, I’m not a responsible church-goer. Anyway, here are some pics of the cathedral:

St. George’s Church1

St. George’s Church2

St. George’s Church3

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After class I walked around with Amanda, who is also in that class, and we went to the Information Commons to look up notes and try printing, which didn’t really work. It turns out I went to the wrong printer because I’m dumb. Then we tried to find the English Department building to sign up for our seminar classes (tutorials/discussion classes to go along with our literature modules). We walked all over and couldn’t find it. Blah.

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We ate dinner at Ranmoor House again and then just went back and talked in the hallway. We also made our signs with Heather’s sharpies :o) I Skyped with Mom and Pop, but not Frankie because he was watching a bball game with his friends–it was his birthday so I’m sad I wasn’t able to greet him, but it sounds like he was out having fun so that’s great!

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That was pretty much it.

On Monday I had to go get signatures from the Biomedical and English departments. That was a long day just because I was starting to get sick (still am a bit and it’s Wednesday)–my voice was gone and so I pretty much lost it by the end of the day. I also bought hangers and went around to some shops with Ashley and Tom. That was probably a bad idea as I had to carry all the bags for about five hours and then on the way home too–my arms were a bit tired after that.

HOWEVER, I finally got my internet! I registered at about 2:30pm and got my internet stuff then hightailed back to the dorm so I could set it up. I’ve never been so relieved and I’ve never felt so suddenly connected to the WORLD as I did then. The downside is now that I’m in the UK, the internet does not solve the problem of my not being able to watch Supernatural online :o( It’s okay though, Padre’s sending the show to me!

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I was pretty sad about getting sick and losing my voice though because everyone went to Population club that night. I even had a ticket, but I sold it away because I wanted to recuperate before the weekend (aka…thurs.) came around.

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Hmm…I finally skyped Mom and Dad which was nice! It made me homesick for them–not so much for home, but just for them and Frankie! But it’s so nice being able to chat face-to-face! I also talked to Hannah a bit and introduced her to some of the Manics who were hanging out up here on the second floor. Catlett came in to talk too. Then later that night I skyped with her again with Stu. 

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Not that much happened…went to sleep…had to wake up early to walk to class the next day…