Liverpool

On January 26th the International Students Association had a trip to Liverpool. It was a good thing to do, so I could check it off my list of things to do before I die, but other than that, it was a lot like Leeds except on the water.

The best part of the trip was the Beatles museum, this placed contained everything that you could have ever imagined being associated with the Beatles.

Sadly, no pictures (I am finding that is a common trend in all the places I really want to take pictures) could be taken inside.

Along with the museum we wandered around Albert Docks...

and then went to Mathew Street. This was the street where the Beatles use to haunt when they still played in Liverpool. We also went to the Cavern Club, which is now just an exact replica of the original club (the original was destroyed for a reason I don't know) where they actually played.

API girls in The Cavern Club

Entrance to more of an ally than a street

Hanging out underground

After that, we were a little Beatles-ed out so we went walking around the rest of the city. We also found what out pamphlet claimed to be the largest Anglican Church in the world, but the sign claimed to be the second largest Anglican Church in Europe, either way, it was huge!

It looks really ugly from the outside, but it was surprisingly beautiful inside (again, no pictures allowed)


This is the back garden-ish thing that I don't know the purpose of.

I'll try and remember to bring my camera to campus so I can show all of you what the school looks like. And this weekend I am going to Durham with API, so that should be a lot of fun; I'll post pictures once I get back.

Until then, I'll see you!

My Flat

I know it has been a while, but classes have started so I have forgotten to. I live in Headingley which is a small village that got eaten by Leeds. The flats that I live in are about 30 minutes, at a brisk walk. This has been hard to get use to because I am so use to my whole world being contained in an area that it takes no more than a 5 minutes to walk anywhere.

This is my building in the Lupton Flats, M Block.

I live on the first floor on the other side from where this picture was taken. I kind of like living on the first floor, it meant that I didn't have to drag my two very heavy bags up any stairs.

I would show you a picture of my room, but it is not that exciting in real life so it won't be that exciting in a picture. I share a bathroom and a kitchen, but I get my room to myself (which I really enjoy). The best part about my room is the view

While it might not look that exciting, I like it because I can watch people walk by and the wind swirl. Yes I know that sounds weird but I really enjoy watching things.
Now in case you ever wanted to send me anything, my address is:

Katharyn Roberts
M1.12 Lupton Flats
University of Leeds
Alma Road
Leeds
LS6 2PG
(And yes it all has to be on its own line)

Hope all is well!

The Top 7

Yes I know that 7 is a random number, but I couldn't think of ten and five seemed too few.

So here they are, in no particular order, the top 7 things that have been hard to get use to...

1. The accent. You would think that since they we both speak English it would not be that hard to understand each other, but I cannot count the number of times I have been asked to repeat myself or have asked someone to repeat something

2.The money. I'm getting better. It has gotten to the point where I only hold up the checkout line a little bit as I am trying to figure out the coins. I am also becoming a little more numb to how expensive everything is, although I don't think this is a good thing :)

3.The weather. I knew it rained in here, but this is getting crazy. I can deal with the rain, the problem is how cold it gets while it is raining. According to the locals, it is never usually bad, but since this past summer hardly a summer, this year, it should be a good one.

4.The cooking. I know I will sound spoiled when I say this, but it hard to get use to having to cook everything. I have always been at the receiving end of either a wonderful cook or cafeteria. While I like having the flexibility of eating when ever and whatever I want, it is hard to make a meal when I keep think "Oh, gee I wish I had....to make..." So for the moment, it is sandwiches and salad.

5.The classes. All of the classes I have this semester come in two parts, a lecture and a seminar. The lecture is the time a normal class time where the professor stands in front of us and spouts information that we are supposed to take down. The seminar is when about me and twenty of my classmates have a meeting with the professor where we talk more indebted about the topic.

6.The dress. Everyone here dresses like they are a mannequin straight out of an H&M catalog. I'm all about the jeans, a sweater, with my, practical over fashionable, rain jacket. That and the accent (or in my opinion the lack of one) make it rather obvious that I am not from Europe.

7.The alcohol. It is so weird for me to here that there is going to be a meeting and that they are going to be serving wine. While I do enjoy the atmosphere of the local pub, and I have to be present to prevent myself from having no friends, I have yet to participate. When something has been ingrained in you so long (no drinking until you are 21) is hard to then in just a 10 hour plane flight reverse all of that.

I will post pictures of my flat and of campus once I've actually taken them (I keep forgetting to bring my camera to campus).

Well, as they say here
Cheers!

London Orientation

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted anything, things have been a little crazy as we have tried to get use to living in the new city. But, before we get on to talking about Leeds I wanted to talk about the orientation in London.

The first night we were there, we took an open bus tour. This was good because it we took the tour with the live guide. Our guide, who was from the US, but was studying Politics and History in London, really into entertainment history. This meant that he was pointing out all all of the sites that had to do with the Beatles or Harry Potter among other things.

The second day we were supposed to go to the Tower of London, but because they were doing a terrorist drill, we went to Greenwich. For those who don't know the significance of this sight, it is the location of the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude).

It was a beautiful day, probably the only day that it wasn't raining as well as freezing.

The third day, we went to the Tower of London. This was the only thing that we did that I had not done before. Because it was the middle of the week, early and raining there was no one there. This was a bummer because our Yeoman Warder tour was short since we did not stand outside. The upside of this weather was we could take as long as we wanted looking at all of the crown jewels and we didn't have to wait in any lines!

A view of Tower Bridge from within the Tower of London

Our tour guide

On the last day we went to Westminster Abby. It is always amazing to think of how many famous and influential people are all buried in such a "small" place. This building is so overwhelming to say the least. It is always so sad that they do not allow you to take pictures inside, but you are allowed to of the cloister...

After that we drove for 5 hours to Leeds. The reset of this week has been spent getting use to the city, but more of that later.

Hope all is well!

I am FINALLY in London

After what seemed like forever and a lifetime, I am finally in London.

My flight over was fairly uneventful. The only nail biting part was when we landed at Gatwick; after some major rocking back and forth (just a few hundred feet from the ground), we managed to land on the ground, but only after we BOUNCED!

At the moment it is 5am on my body and I have only slept for about 3 hours total, but the city calls so I am off for a whole city bus tour, it should be good.

Well, more will come later, after I stop feeling like my eyeballs are going to fall out due to tiredness.

Power!

For the past 75 hours we have been without power. After living in a house that was barely warmer than 50, and was only because of the fire.

The day consisted of waking up and then staying in bed because it was too cold to get out. It was then running to the shower, the water was the only thing that was warm. At night it was huddling around the fire trying to play boardgames by candlelight.

Needless to say it is wonderful to have power once again!

4 days to until take off