Where did the sun go?
I have been here for a month now and let me tell you, England is one hell of a place. It has been full of adventure and it is not at all what I expected. I had an idea when I asked questions and I watched the Youtube videos (yes, I went that far), but it was interesting to find that it is like the Harry Potter movies. The shops, the people, the tea, the Sweet Shop, and all of that. I did expect it to be cloudy especially this time of the year, but I didn't realize it would be so cloudy all the time where you only see the sun for about an hour a day. The cold weather, the warm dinners, the transports, all of that is just perfect.
All Day, Everyday
So, how do I spend my time here? You can all beat me with a stick that I am wasting my time here. I wake up, make my morning cup of tea (yes, I have converted to the tea thing) and I get dressed. I look out the window and see the frost covered everything and chill for a bit on the bed. I whip my phone out and see how my friends at home are doing and read a book. I muster up the strength to get up and make breakfast which could either be eggs, avocado on toast, and sausages or Frosties (Frosted Flakes). I maybe go outside to the garden (the backyard) and take a breath of fresh air for a bit. Go back inside and watch a good amount of a TV show we are watching (we like to binge watch a lot of shows) and then whip out our computers and game. We go out for our midnight walks and go to Sainsburys to buy meaningless junk food to snuggle up and watch a film or two.
Normally, that is my day. Nothing too fancy at all, a regular chill day. I was taking this time to wind down and enjoy the simple things of England before I really get into anything more. I am too broke to go all out and explore. I could only do so much. But it really doesn't matter, spending time with Connor and his family has been wonderful and what this trip has really been about.
It doesn't mean I don't go anywhere, I do. I have been to weird places, some beautiful sights, and the cutest little shops. I do find a way to spend the time. I would go and feed the birds for hours if I could, they are actually fun to feed. I feel like an old person, but the simple thing as feeding the birds makes my day.
The women here take real pride on how they look. Maybe because I live in the Central Valley in California and not a big city , but girls here are NOT afraid of putting on their heels. From young to older women, they wear their heels and face (makeup) with pride. Most look like they are going on a fancy date or have to appear on the red carpet at the end of the day, but in reality they are just buying Branston Pickle at Morrisons. I actually love it. I love seeing the women in their 80's walking about with bright red lipstick, heels, and their hair done. Just now, writing this I saw a woman in her 70's walk past the coffee shop I am at with her boots on fleek. The younger women dress just as nice and look like they should be in magazines, not because they have that English flare, but they look the part. I always feel under dressed going to town. I am over here wearing some black boots, a jumper (sweater), some sad looking skinny jeans, and minimal makeup. They have these trench coats on, their makeup that looks spectacular, not a hair out of place, their heels up to there, and some nice purse to go with their look. You know, maybe it is just me! I dress lame... Ha!
The food here is like you would expect, but for a Mexican American, it is super different. I am used to lemon, spicy, and hot food. I find everything to be bland except for Connor's mum's cooking. There is no Hot Cheetos, Tapatio, and any of that good stuff, which kills me inside. I have to add a pinch of salt to everything and the chocolate is SUPER strong for me. Indian food is the craze here. Curry this and curry that in almost every shop I go to. They sell fries instead of mashed potatoes in KFC, a large is a medium, no refills on ANYTHING, small portions, cheap, exact prices, and there is always a queue. But I love that about England, you pay exactly the amount priced. If I only have one pound on me and I go into a shop and try to buy a drink that is priced a pound, it will be EXACTLY a pound at checkout. The tax is already included and I love that.
The vibe here isn't what I expected though. I should have taken Connor's advice, it isn't a super friendly place. Everyone keeps to themselves. If you spark a conversation with a stranger it is weird and people will tell you to fuck off. Maybe because I am too nice and I am a little too friendly with strangers, but you can't go around here and speak to just anyone. Don't get me wrong, you do meet nice people here and there, but not as much as I would back home. They are fair people though. I have seen people stick up for people here without hesitation. They call people on their bullshit 110% of the time and are not afraid to get their hands dirty. They do not call the cops, but instead they settle things man to man, and you know...I like that. The law doesn't have to be in every little thing here.
I do have to mention that I still can't get used to the traffic here though. The roads are obviously not the same as home, but the speed limits are not as respected. I have only seen five cop cars since I have been here, cops are too busy with stabbings to care about traffic I guess. The pedestrians have the right of way, yes, but the pedestrians yield to cars, not the other way around. There isn't as many crosswalks, but the amount of people here in such a tight space, I see why they don't have as many. If they had as many as we do in my town, traffic would be more hellish than it already is. To get a licence here, you have to pass a written test and then you have to get driving lessons from an instructor. I forgot how many hours of driving with the instructor you have to do before you get the okay to take the actual test but its quite a bit. You will have to take this reaction test, the driving test, and so on. On average you might easily spend more than three hundred pounds trying for that licence. I can see why public transportation is popular here. We might not have free healthcare, but I do love the fact that I got my licence within three days and only paid $33 for it. The roads are way too small and the traffic is fast, so I see why they have to be very strict on who is allowed to drive on these roads. I have seen road rage back at home but nothing compares to good old England. You have to be a confident driver here or you won't survive. They do not give a flying fuck here.
People are super active here. Everywhere you look you see bike riders, people walking their dogs (I am not kidding, they LOVE their dogs here), people walking about, joggers, the works. I have not seen nearly as many overweight people here as much as I do back home. Everyone is fit here and I can see why. The laws they have on food makes sure that portion control is respected and sugar intake is minimal. I will give it to them, as much as I hate the fact that you never can get refills, they are doing a good job on keeping obesity levels low. I haven't googled the overweight population here, but by the looks of it, it is pretty low compared to where I am from. Way to go England!
The scenery here is BEAUTIFUL. It is gloomy and gray here almost all the time, but it is breathtaking to see all the old architecture. The brick buildings, the history behind it all, the descriptions they have sprinkled all over the place, the lights, the people walking about...it is all so refreshing. They have these little wind up machines that talk to you about the history of the area and it is wonderful. It feels very welcoming and warm in a weird way. It would be as if everyone in Fresno decided to shop locally and everyone walked instead.
Normally, that is my day. Nothing too fancy at all, a regular chill day. I was taking this time to wind down and enjoy the simple things of England before I really get into anything more. I am too broke to go all out and explore. I could only do so much. But it really doesn't matter, spending time with Connor and his family has been wonderful and what this trip has really been about.
It doesn't mean I don't go anywhere, I do. I have been to weird places, some beautiful sights, and the cutest little shops. I do find a way to spend the time. I would go and feed the birds for hours if I could, they are actually fun to feed. I feel like an old person, but the simple thing as feeding the birds makes my day.
How it is Like for Me
The town I am visiting in Bedfordshire, there is a large population of older folk. There is the cutest old ladies ever and old men that dress to impress. I have never seen so many elderly walking the streets EVER until I got here. Normally in California I see the younger people walk the streets and I see the occasional shoppers everywhere, but never mobs of people 65+ years old. They look well taken care of and very active.The women here take real pride on how they look. Maybe because I live in the Central Valley in California and not a big city , but girls here are NOT afraid of putting on their heels. From young to older women, they wear their heels and face (makeup) with pride. Most look like they are going on a fancy date or have to appear on the red carpet at the end of the day, but in reality they are just buying Branston Pickle at Morrisons. I actually love it. I love seeing the women in their 80's walking about with bright red lipstick, heels, and their hair done. Just now, writing this I saw a woman in her 70's walk past the coffee shop I am at with her boots on fleek. The younger women dress just as nice and look like they should be in magazines, not because they have that English flare, but they look the part. I always feel under dressed going to town. I am over here wearing some black boots, a jumper (sweater), some sad looking skinny jeans, and minimal makeup. They have these trench coats on, their makeup that looks spectacular, not a hair out of place, their heels up to there, and some nice purse to go with their look. You know, maybe it is just me! I dress lame... Ha!
The food here is like you would expect, but for a Mexican American, it is super different. I am used to lemon, spicy, and hot food. I find everything to be bland except for Connor's mum's cooking. There is no Hot Cheetos, Tapatio, and any of that good stuff, which kills me inside. I have to add a pinch of salt to everything and the chocolate is SUPER strong for me. Indian food is the craze here. Curry this and curry that in almost every shop I go to. They sell fries instead of mashed potatoes in KFC, a large is a medium, no refills on ANYTHING, small portions, cheap, exact prices, and there is always a queue. But I love that about England, you pay exactly the amount priced. If I only have one pound on me and I go into a shop and try to buy a drink that is priced a pound, it will be EXACTLY a pound at checkout. The tax is already included and I love that.
The vibe here isn't what I expected though. I should have taken Connor's advice, it isn't a super friendly place. Everyone keeps to themselves. If you spark a conversation with a stranger it is weird and people will tell you to fuck off. Maybe because I am too nice and I am a little too friendly with strangers, but you can't go around here and speak to just anyone. Don't get me wrong, you do meet nice people here and there, but not as much as I would back home. They are fair people though. I have seen people stick up for people here without hesitation. They call people on their bullshit 110% of the time and are not afraid to get their hands dirty. They do not call the cops, but instead they settle things man to man, and you know...I like that. The law doesn't have to be in every little thing here.
I do have to mention that I still can't get used to the traffic here though. The roads are obviously not the same as home, but the speed limits are not as respected. I have only seen five cop cars since I have been here, cops are too busy with stabbings to care about traffic I guess. The pedestrians have the right of way, yes, but the pedestrians yield to cars, not the other way around. There isn't as many crosswalks, but the amount of people here in such a tight space, I see why they don't have as many. If they had as many as we do in my town, traffic would be more hellish than it already is. To get a licence here, you have to pass a written test and then you have to get driving lessons from an instructor. I forgot how many hours of driving with the instructor you have to do before you get the okay to take the actual test but its quite a bit. You will have to take this reaction test, the driving test, and so on. On average you might easily spend more than three hundred pounds trying for that licence. I can see why public transportation is popular here. We might not have free healthcare, but I do love the fact that I got my licence within three days and only paid $33 for it. The roads are way too small and the traffic is fast, so I see why they have to be very strict on who is allowed to drive on these roads. I have seen road rage back at home but nothing compares to good old England. You have to be a confident driver here or you won't survive. They do not give a flying fuck here.
People are super active here. Everywhere you look you see bike riders, people walking their dogs (I am not kidding, they LOVE their dogs here), people walking about, joggers, the works. I have not seen nearly as many overweight people here as much as I do back home. Everyone is fit here and I can see why. The laws they have on food makes sure that portion control is respected and sugar intake is minimal. I will give it to them, as much as I hate the fact that you never can get refills, they are doing a good job on keeping obesity levels low. I haven't googled the overweight population here, but by the looks of it, it is pretty low compared to where I am from. Way to go England!
The scenery here is BEAUTIFUL. It is gloomy and gray here almost all the time, but it is breathtaking to see all the old architecture. The brick buildings, the history behind it all, the descriptions they have sprinkled all over the place, the lights, the people walking about...it is all so refreshing. They have these little wind up machines that talk to you about the history of the area and it is wonderful. It feels very welcoming and warm in a weird way. It would be as if everyone in Fresno decided to shop locally and everyone walked instead.
The People I have Met
I have met really nice people, mostly Connor's friends. I have met people out of the way, but it was just a co-inky-dink. They talked to me first because my american accent gave me away...or the way I looked like an idiot staring at my coins not knowing how to pay for the coffee I ordered. (I know how to count! I just haven't gotten used to the money yet but I will get there!) I have met sweet old ladies and nice people at the local coffee shop and I love it. I am getting used to the comedy and sense of humor they have here, it is super different from the ones I am used to, but they are pretty jokes here. The young people don't go out as much, I don't see a lot of people my age walk about, but it is understandable, it is cold, they work a lot, and lots of them chill at friends houses.In Conclusion...
It is a nice place to visit. I recommend visiting the UK at least once in your life. It has its charm and you would love it. I am sorry I have not posted in over a month, I have been getting used to the life here and exploring my surroundings. Don't take my opinions of England as literal, it is just that, an opinion. I will post more soon. I was thinking of posting once a week, every Wednesday in fact to get in the groove of it all. I am happy about all the positive feedback about my Blog posts, I know I am not a good speller and my grammar is shit, but it makes me super happy that some of you actually enjoy my posts. So thank you for the love and telling me that you love to read them.
I don't know what to post in the near future, I am still working on that. I have no idea if I should go around and asking random people to tell me about themselves for a post...and getting told to shove something up my bum after doing so! Ha!
I am enjoying myself, I really am. My Snapchat is Moonbeamray and I try to post as much as I can there and my Instagram @paranormal_norma. I forget to post much because I do not have data and I refuse to pay so much for a local line. I try to hop on the free WiFi as much as I can and post the pictures I take during the day. But because I don't get signal I forget to bring my phone with me sometimes and I am sorry. I did promise my friends back home to post videos and pics as much as possible and I am LAGGING. Sorry.
I have to go now, but I will write more soon, promise! Thanks for the love!
-Norma :)
P.S) I did not read the post for any spelling/ grammatical errors so I do apologize for that! Sorry about that, I will get to that A.S.A.P
