This one goes out to the ones I love. This one goes out to the ones I've left behind. A simple prop to occupy my time.

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Here I Go Again, On My Own

I've arrived in Newcastle! Actually, I've been in the UK since Tuesday morning but nothing really counted for me until yesterday when I actually started to get out and about and registered at school.
Newcastle is a pretty and busy city. I could love it here if I wasn't so isolated because I don't really know anyone yet. It's ok, I have stuff to keep me occupied here in the meantime. I should make contact with my advisor... this PhD business has already given me a few "what the hell am I doing here?" moments and I have hardly even begun.
The residence room I have is interesting. There aren't really any drawers to put clothes in... the drawers I do have seem more related to my desk and my night table. There is a large armoire but the space inside is limited and mostly for hanging up clothes rather than folding them down. The bathroom is also pretty laughable consisting of almost a cubed closet-esque space with the shower, toilet, and sink all crammed in. I heard an American girl describe it as a unit you would buy at Home Depot, and I have to say that is probably the best description of it.

I think my room would be perfect if the view outside my window wasn't the cement wall of St. James' Park which is the stadium for the Newcastle United football club. Something tells me that game days are going to be absolute write-offs for me.
Most students here are south Asian and somewhat perturbed by how "cold" it is. In fact it's been very temperate so far, exactly like the fall I was experiencing in Ontario, perhaps even a little warmer. Today it is actually 27 degrees outside and of course sunny. I am relieved that the climate of Newcastle is exactly like that of Vancouver so I know what to expect here in the winters.

I keep having moments where I can't believe I'm here... It seemed like a long year waiting to get to this point but even more surprising was that in the last six months I questioned if I really wanted this at some points. I think I mostly still do want this degree, the hard thing was leaving my job at an unusually good time, so it's probably best that I seize this opportunity and do the best I can and not think about other circumstances. I think it could work out very well for me here. I miss everyone at home terribly and this 5 hour time change is wreaking havoc with my sleeping and eating patterns but I am sure I will settle into a routine quickly. I'll start taking more photos before the weather turns perma-grey so I can at least show you how pretty Newcastle really is. I need to get out and do some more exploring... but for now... I have to go and meet some more residence folk. I'm trying to get back into my posting routine so check back often if you dare.

 
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