Thanks to Rachel's father, I started work last week at the Malham Tarn Field Centre collecting weather data and cleaning rooms/supplies. The job doesn't pay much, but I receive free accomodation and food. It feels good to finally be working again, to have a little sanity and order in my life. But, I can't stay here forever, so I'm going to start looking for flights soon and consider where to go next. I'm thinking of going back to Italy-south, where it's warm and I've at least an idea of where to start in terms of work. If I don't find anything, I may head to Croatia where it's supposed to be beautiful but cheap.
Rachel left for Cambridge on Friday and I'm alone again, but her family is nice and they treat me so well. I miss her already, but she has to do her thing and I have to go and look for mine.
I'm still reading Oliver Twist, which I found back in Rome but grew bored halfway through. The story got a little better on the bus back from London however, so I think I'll try to finish it this weekend. The last Harry Potter was divine, of course! I look forward to the movie...
There is a show that is on here called Green Wing, it's an equivelent to scrubs except that the acting is AMAZING and the writing is very Seinfeld-esque. I highly recommend this show if anyone feels up to ordering it on Amazon or whatnot.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
East Grinstead and London
I spent this last week with a friend named Emilie in a place called East Grinstead which neighbors London. While there, I hung around the pubs, played poker, watched Battlestar Galactica (season 3) and visited London (of course). Emilie is also the first scientologist I've ever come to know, which has been strange in itself (but i try to be respectful and have an open mind). I've wanted to find work and was looking for help in Emilie, who has much more experience travelling having been all over the world, but things didn't go quite as I'd hoped. She had a couple ideas I will look into but couldn't at the time because she didn't really have internet access. And so, the basic lesson I think I have to learn here is to stop relying on people... you've got to do things yourself. Although I do think people are my strength and I'm all about meeting new peeps and networking, it is superficial 80% of the time. Picking grapes in France... fell through. Greece... fell through... Working here...? I may soon have to return to Italy and start over but this time with a little more ardour.
As for London, well London is a pretty cool place. There are a lot of double-decker busses around and old-looking taxi's. It's very expensive in London, but so is England in general when your currency is only half of theirs. A cup of coffee is $4. A beer at the bar is $8 -$12. The weather was also cloudy and awful, so most of my pictures weren't really coming out.
While in London I visited Buckingham palace but was unable to be the annoying foreigner who goes up and pokes the fuzzy-headed, toy soldier looking guys (you know damn-well I would've!) West Minster, which is their house of Parliament and the home of Big Ben was probably my favorite. We also went on a cheap sight-seeing boat tour and saw lots of cool architecture like some egg-shaped building called The Cigar, London Bridge and Tower Bridge. London Bridge looks like crap and is often mistaken for Tower Bridge which is the grand-looking thing posted above. St. Paul's Cathedral is pretty cool, as is Baker St. and Notting Hill. We saw a lot of cool areas, ate fish and chips and all that jazz.
As for London, well London is a pretty cool place. There are a lot of double-decker busses around and old-looking taxi's. It's very expensive in London, but so is England in general when your currency is only half of theirs. A cup of coffee is $4. A beer at the bar is $8 -$12. The weather was also cloudy and awful, so most of my pictures weren't really coming out.
While in London I visited Buckingham palace but was unable to be the annoying foreigner who goes up and pokes the fuzzy-headed, toy soldier looking guys (you know damn-well I would've!) West Minster, which is their house of Parliament and the home of Big Ben was probably my favorite. We also went on a cheap sight-seeing boat tour and saw lots of cool architecture like some egg-shaped building called The Cigar, London Bridge and Tower Bridge. London Bridge looks like crap and is often mistaken for Tower Bridge which is the grand-looking thing posted above. St. Paul's Cathedral is pretty cool, as is Baker St. and Notting Hill. We saw a lot of cool areas, ate fish and chips and all that jazz.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Warwick and Stratford
Shakespearean Exposure
I spent this last weekend in Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon. Warwick is the home of Warwick castle, which is basically a big, gnarly-ass castle but quite the site to see. Stratford-upon-Avon is the town where Shakespeare grew up and is also the place of his burial. We explored the house where he was raised and the study where he began his career. Later that night, I attended my first Shakespearean play, which was ‘Twelfth Night, or What You Will,’ performed by the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) that is world renowned. The antagonist, Malvolio, was performed by John Lithgow who used to star in the sitcom ‘3rd Rock from the Sun.’ and was also the voice of Lord Farquaad in ‘Shrek.’ I passed him in the hallway as we took a tour of the theatre before the show and was like ‘You look familiar…’ Overall, the show was amazing and I would have to say it was probably the best I’ve ever seen except maybe for ‘Don Quixote’ (but I’m a little biased b/c I love that book!).
Both Warwick and Stratford were nice towns with very amazing architecture. Rachel’s Grandmother used to be a tour guide in Warwick and taught us quite a bit; there is so much history here in England. The United States is so young! Even the house I’m where I am currently staying is from the 13/14 century. Amazing!
And now: a quick word on Kinder and Happy Hippos. Jim, Dennis, I don’t know if you ever had a chance to try any Kinder candies or chocolate, but I find them to be divine. They are God’s candy, if ever there were to be one. Happy Hippos are THE most amazing candy I have EVER tasted. Let it be known. Happy Hippos rule all that IS!
On the flipside, don’t ever try a ‘Dandelion ‘N’ Burdock,’ it is the nastiest soda you will ever taste. Generally, I always look to try something new whenever it comes to food or consumption when abroad and that was the case in this sad situation (I will post). I thought it was root beer, but dear Zeus don’t ever ask me what it was that I drank that day, for I can only say that it was some black licorice mixture from hell…
I hope you all are well. Well over a month has come and is now gone, and I am still not fully situated. I have met the love of my life, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot until I find a means of financial support. I still look toward picking grapes in France, but if that doesn’t pan out then I look to Greece as my final stand- which is coming soon. I don’t know what will happen next but I will post it as I live it. Pictures to follow~
Both Warwick and Stratford were nice towns with very amazing architecture. Rachel’s Grandmother used to be a tour guide in Warwick and taught us quite a bit; there is so much history here in England. The United States is so young! Even the house I’m where I am currently staying is from the 13/14 century. Amazing!
And now: a quick word on Kinder and Happy Hippos. Jim, Dennis, I don’t know if you ever had a chance to try any Kinder candies or chocolate, but I find them to be divine. They are God’s candy, if ever there were to be one. Happy Hippos are THE most amazing candy I have EVER tasted. Let it be known. Happy Hippos rule all that IS!
On the flipside, don’t ever try a ‘Dandelion ‘N’ Burdock,’ it is the nastiest soda you will ever taste. Generally, I always look to try something new whenever it comes to food or consumption when abroad and that was the case in this sad situation (I will post). I thought it was root beer, but dear Zeus don’t ever ask me what it was that I drank that day, for I can only say that it was some black licorice mixture from hell…
I hope you all are well. Well over a month has come and is now gone, and I am still not fully situated. I have met the love of my life, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot until I find a means of financial support. I still look toward picking grapes in France, but if that doesn’t pan out then I look to Greece as my final stand- which is coming soon. I don’t know what will happen next but I will post it as I live it. Pictures to follow~
Sunday, September 2, 2007
York
Malham


Remember taking pictures like this at Derek and Heather's wedding Holl? Good times.
Hard as I tried, I could not get this leech to suck my blood. I named him Arty and carried him around with me on our Hike. Sorry it's out of focus, but he's a rydah...
England: A Drastic Turn
I am in the UK now. I arrived in Liverpool last week and am now staying with Rachel and her family in a small village called Malham, which is near Leeds. They have a beautiful home out on the moors or what feels like the middle of a green nowhere. There is a tarn (which is like a lake) down the road where you can go out on a boat to fish or whatnot. Livestock and wildlife are everywhere. There are deer, sheep, horses, cows and even leeches. Areas and roads are separated by walls of piled stones, placed without any mortar and there are even wall-building competitions for this, so I guess it's quite an art {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry-stone_wall#Dry_stone_walls}. The weather is generally cloudy or a light drizzle, but the sun does occasionally break through. It's all so quiet and peaceful here, so very different from life back in California but I love it.
Rachel's family has been absolutely wonderful to me. They are fantastic people and since leaving home, I have not felt so... at home. If they were to stand as representatives for English hospitality, then I would say that everyone should come to the UK! Also, although contrary to popular belief the food here is wonderful and delicious, not bland or flavorless as I have heard. I have yet to try something that I don't like, and their sweets and pastries are fabulous to say the least. Rachel is going make me a cheesecake soon, dear Zeuss I will be fat if I stay here much longer!
Thus far, I have been to York and Manchester. In York we visited the York Minster, which is another big ass church. This one was very different from those in Italy however, it's very pointy and gothic, and has a lot more stained glass. The inside was really cool, full of history dating all the way back to the Romans where Constantine was supposedly proclaimed emperor, back in 306 AD. I didn't do a lot in Manchester except drive around and then party. A quick word on driving: if you didn't know, driving in the UK means you are driving on the other side of the car on the other side of the road. It is a unique experience in itself and I don't recommend it for everybody, but if you have the courage then you may just survive the slim roads and confusing-ass roundabouts (instead of intersections). We all know that I have had a hard enough time driving in the states, but I guess you can say I'm starting to get the hang of it here.
So, my life seems to have taken a very different turn. Actually, everything has gone much better than I would've imagined. Although I don't exactly have a job yet, I may working here in the UK soon if I can just get a permit. Or, I still have a couple of other possibilities to pursue if working here falls through. I could go to France. I could go to Greece. Either way, I am enjoying a life that I never would've conceived but am happier than I have ever been. In regards to the future, well I am open to anything that comes my way.
Rachel's family has been absolutely wonderful to me. They are fantastic people and since leaving home, I have not felt so... at home. If they were to stand as representatives for English hospitality, then I would say that everyone should come to the UK! Also, although contrary to popular belief the food here is wonderful and delicious, not bland or flavorless as I have heard. I have yet to try something that I don't like, and their sweets and pastries are fabulous to say the least. Rachel is going make me a cheesecake soon, dear Zeuss I will be fat if I stay here much longer!
Thus far, I have been to York and Manchester. In York we visited the York Minster, which is another big ass church. This one was very different from those in Italy however, it's very pointy and gothic, and has a lot more stained glass. The inside was really cool, full of history dating all the way back to the Romans where Constantine was supposedly proclaimed emperor, back in 306 AD. I didn't do a lot in Manchester except drive around and then party. A quick word on driving: if you didn't know, driving in the UK means you are driving on the other side of the car on the other side of the road. It is a unique experience in itself and I don't recommend it for everybody, but if you have the courage then you may just survive the slim roads and confusing-ass roundabouts (instead of intersections). We all know that I have had a hard enough time driving in the states, but I guess you can say I'm starting to get the hang of it here.
So, my life seems to have taken a very different turn. Actually, everything has gone much better than I would've imagined. Although I don't exactly have a job yet, I may working here in the UK soon if I can just get a permit. Or, I still have a couple of other possibilities to pursue if working here falls through. I could go to France. I could go to Greece. Either way, I am enjoying a life that I never would've conceived but am happier than I have ever been. In regards to the future, well I am open to anything that comes my way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)