Abroad, At Home Abroad

Settling In

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3-2-15

My first weekend with Matt in the UK – it was lovely. It was nice to have him home during hours where we could accomplish things, though we didn’t quite make it through all of what we had planned. And, I missed the company last week, more than I realized. I let myself get pretty isolated last week, when I really didn’t have to, I mean I had a good excuse – fear of freezing to death in your shower is a viable reason not to do it often and not going out in public when you are greasy and grouchy is also not a completely invalid excuse, but I will have to do better this week.

Saturday, our landlord came over and helped us figure out the issue with our water pressure and temperature. Which means… wait for it… HOT WATER AND REAL SHOWERS! If this person were not a stranger I probably would have kissed her. I am so over the moon about it. She’s a nice woman, young and energetic, she seems a little spacey, and it’ll be interesting having a landlord who is more homeowner, less property manager, I haven’t seen that before. She doesn’t seem too precious about anything though, so that’s good. She did put a no down on us repainting the bedrooms, so that was both a relief (it was going to be a lot of work) and a disappointment (just wait until you see the color). Atleast she is very responsive to inquiries thus far. After she fixed the shower, Matt went to use the facilities, so to speak and discovered that upon flushing water began to pour out of the lid of the toilet tank and continued to do so until the bowl had refilled itself, which is not quick (it’s a weird old bathroom, lots o’ quirky (quirky is a euphemism for weird and a little awful) elements). We put down a huge bucket (luckily, they had left one in the house, because the only large container we had of our own was my dutch oven – and LIKE HELL – was that going to happen) an emailed her to get some one out to fix it asap.

We spent the rest of Saturday doing some really serious shopping. We walked through a lot of Wantage, stopped at a lot of charity and regular stores and did pretty well for fitting up the place. Charity stores are all the rage over here, they’re like really tiny Goodwill’s, mostly clothes, shoes, textiles and maybe some bric-a-brac and each run by a different charitable organization. We saw one called Debra, whose tagline was, ‘for people whose skin doesn’t work, we do’… I love that one and in no way understand what they are referring to. Skin cancer? Albinism? Roseacea? Anyways, we stopped in a local pub with free wi-fi and had a pint, then we did a load more shopping at the strip mall of discount/generic stores near the grocery. By the end of the day we had way more than we could carry and had to buy one of those roll-y shopping carts to get home. I’m going to use it to pick up a few more heavy things today – hello wine! Also, but less exciting, dog food.

Wantage really is as lovely and charming as Matt said, we had a lot of fun walking around the town square and I’m going to make myself go hang out there and be out of the house in it more often. Especially with our still playing the waiting game for wifi and furniture, it’ll be a nice break from the house. I think parts of the town are really quite old, particularly in the town center, while other areas are much newer, I know some of the developments on our end of town are only a few years old, though we think ours is likely at least from the 60s or 70s, if the bathroom is any indication. It is somehow sort of surreal walking around a place that looks more like a movie set from something I would totally watch than a place that makes visual sense in my everyday life. Does that make sense? It’s a wonderful sort of surreal though, and it doesn’t last too long, as there is a lot of new out there that strikes a much more ‘normal’ chord.

Sunday morning a father and son duo delivered a dresser that we purchased from them on Gumtree (UK’s version of Craigslist). We then spent a lot of the afternoon traveling by bus and by foot to view a few sofas posted online and to make arrangements for internet and cellphone. We got lucky and one couple agreed to deliver their couch to us on Friday as they are already renting a van to move (that’s why they’re selling the couch) and we’re on the way! SO, in 5 days and for a small extra fee we will finally have a sofa! And, as a ridiculous bonus for Matt it is leather. And, it reclines!

Days like yesterday make me really wish we had a car, I definitely wore the wrong shoes for as much walking as we did, but fortune was with us and we didn’t miss any of the not-as-frequent-as-you’d-hope busses, so I suppose I can’t complain. Except about the bus prices – holy crap – they are high. You’re often looking at 5+ lbs for a round trip ticket anywhere nearby and maybe much more if you’re going a few more towns over. Also, there are multiple bus companies that service any given area (we’re not sure what if any affiliation they have with the government) and they do not honor each others passes, so even if you buy the day pass for one company, it doesn’t work if you need to use another company’s bus, because say they have more regular trips to the town where the cellphone store is and the store closes by 4pm. Matt is lucky he’ll be getting a pretty great discount on his annual pass through RAL, because it’s like a 10 lbs. commute each day right now. Not to say nice things about LA or anything crazy like that, but spending a day with the transit system here makes me much better appreciate how awesome LA’s metro/bus system really was. Although, I can’t picture anyone getting into a fist fight on the busses here.

Observations: Everything here is lovely or brilliant, nothing is great or good.

I’ve now been asked more than once, ‘Canadian or American?’ Apparently they can’t pick up the difference, but I kind of like the opportunity to lie and go Canadian… Fun, ay?

Altogether, we’ve been very lucky so far with the kindness of the Brits towards us, they’ve agreed to deliver things, or they’ve helped us with questions, confusions, etc., or they’ve just been very nice to us so far. Thus far, it’s been a really great experience here in that regard and I am grateful for it, we would definitely be suffering a bit without it as the logistics of this move have not been easy.

More to come.

– alaina

Abroad, At Home Abroad

we need stuff. badly. and a lot of it.

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2-27-15

I’m currently furnishing our flat out of a 1710 page catalogue, it has everything we could ever need in this place and they deliver, which is a bonus, because I’m not carrying home a dresser or even a food processor on my back!  Apparently this store, Argos is kind of like a JC Penny, but without the part where there is actually a showroom, at all. Instead you just walk in and stand around a bunch of tiny tables with catalogues on them and when you pick what you want, they go fetch it for you from the ether. We brought home a catalogue and since we are still sans internet, it’s one major source of entertainment for this gal. Supposedly delivery is 3.95, flat rate, so in theory we could place one big order for much of what we still want or need, have it delivered and call it good, instead of continuing to buy things by the backpack load every day on a walk to the  village. This would be especially nice for big things and the heavy things, and the breakable things, oh yeah, and ALL OF THE THINGS.

On a brighter note, we have a bed! I walked into town yesterday, planning to purchase and make delivery arrangements for one we had seen at a discount store, however once I got there it turned out I got to take it home immediately – if I was willing to hop into a giant white van with a strange man… Yup, when I went to try and make the purchase and the delivery arrangements, I was told that the store doesn’t offer delivery, but ‘by the way, I, Stuart, the duty manager, will deliver it for you under the table for 10 pounds’. And, since Stuart was about to get off work in 15 minutes I could just kill some time and then he would drop me and my new furniture back at our new home. Well, I’m never one to turn down a free ride home apparently, so after grabbing some clearance dishwater from the store next door (bonus heavy item to go in the delivery van!), off we went. I didn’t know exactly where it is that I live, I mean I know our street/neighborhood name (Chandlers Close), but not the name of any other street in the general vicinity. I think the closest street name I know is Trafalgar Square, it’s in London, you may have heard of it, kind of a big deal, but NOWHERE NEAR US right now… So, I told him we were up the road from the fire station, which I’ve now walked past a few times and he seemed confident of where we were going. After a few minutes small talk, and one missed turn Stuart helped me carry in our new furniture and offered up his services should we have anymore furniture delivery needs and went on his marry way. And, now we have a bed! YAY! Totally worth the hypothetical risk of kidnap, rape, murder, white girl slave trade, whatever.

Following the delivery adventure, I made dinner, which was ridiculous considering we do not yet have a complete enough kitchen for assembling a full meal, even one as simple as stuffed peppers, but I carried on and it turned out okay. Note to future visitors, the rent for staying with us will be a food good that we are unable to purchase here – the list so far includes Sirachcha, Crystal Hot Sauce, and Vanilla extract (in fairness, you can get vanilla here, but it is REALLY EXPENSIVE). Also, Half & Half (not that anyone is going to be able to bring that, because dairy and many hours of travel and eew).

Now I shall try once again to work up the courage to go shower again, but as you may have heard, it’s a truly terrible experience and I’m not sure I want to leave the house so badly that I’m willing to try it again. That water is so cold it makes your head skin actually burn. That seems antithetical, but it really does. So, catalogue…

Observations: Trying to ask about delivery options at the store today, the girl at the check stand said, ‘I’m sorry, I cant understand you at all’ She was frustrated and that was my first ‘serious’ language barrier experience here, it made me suddenly realize, I am the immigrant, the fish out of water, the hapless here. It wasn’t a big thing, but it was sobering, and I hope it increases my empathy in those interactions in the future – because they currently bring out the absolute worst in me.

More to come.

– alaina

Abroad, At Home Abroad, everything

Well, that was bracing…

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2-25-15

Well, that was bracing…

This is my 3rd afternoon in the UK, and I’ve finally braved our freezing, creaking, pathetic little shower and it was every bit as bad as Matt said it would be. But, on a better note, we’re really here, we’re in our ‘terrace house’ in the little village of Wantage (which I have yet to see, but I hear is delightful) in the UK. We did it. We moved ourselves and both Schipperkes to England. It’s been about four months of planning, worrying, and working towards it, but the move has now happened and now we just have to adjust to it and get functioning in our new home.

First, things first we really need a bed, a sofa, the internet and some fucking hot water. I will take these things in any order. Immediately. Secondly, we need dressers, eating/cookware, and a few more pieces of furniture to unpack our few belongings into. At some point, we need to figure out a way to dry our clothes, get some grass growing in the ‘garden’ for the dogs, and bikes – because I can only walk and carry so many things home from the village by myself and I’m not a fan of multiple trips. So, bikes.

I departed Seattle, WA on Sunday, Feb 22nd at 3:30pm PST, I arrived in London on Monday, the 23rd at just about noon. I have absolutely no idea how many hours happened in between those times, but I know I only slept for a few of them. I did however watch a lot of tv I didn’t care about, seriously contemplate stealing a really nice airline blanket (you go, Icelandair), and listen to the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack multiple times (still haven’t seen the movie, but I like the soundtrack a lot, even if they are trying a bit hard with the Sinatra). Upon being dropped off at my door by Kannan, my private driver – yeah, that’s right, we’re that fancy – also, we had no other option because I had 300lbs of luggage with me and no way in hell was I going to be able to navigate the bus and train system by myself with them – anyways. I started unpacking my luggage and trying to keep myself busy while waiting for Matt to come home from his first day at the new job. It was all going pretty well until I stepped outside to talk to the woman and child who were crouched in front of our porch. Turns out it was the landlord, we had a nice chat, the dogs were quiet throughout, we made tentative plans to talk more this weekend about our concerns about the place, then she left. Then I tried to go back in the house… Turns out we have what is known as a ‘Yale’ lock. It locks automatically upon the door shutting. I tried running after the landlord, then I tried breaking into the back garden, then I tried to continue not crying. My cellphone was inside, along with my coat, my shoes, and I don’t have any contact information memorized yet. So, that happened. Next, I knocked on a neighbor’s door and was taken in by our neighbor, Greg, a proper older woman who lives two doors down and who just happened to have formerly worked at RAL and was able to call and let Matt know he needed to come home and rescue his wife. She fed me coffee and biscuits and we had a fairly nice conversation while we waited for Matt to arrive, all in all – for being locked out my house on my first day in a new country while horrifically exhausted – I got off pretty easy.

Yesterday was less eventful, I read and slept a lot, I’ve been so tired that I haven’t taken the Melatonin supplement at night the way I should have, so I sleep two hours at night and then am wide awake and miserable the rest of them, I will have to do better tonight. I imagine the move will start to feel a little better for both of us when we figure out the kinks in this house (we really need hot water) and once we get a bed, sleeping on the floor, well, it sucks…

Observations: It is really lovely here, super idyllic, at least the parts I saw of the drive.

More to come.

– alaina

everything

Fiesty non-invalid home from hot(ter) climates.

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For those of you that dont’ know I’ve just come back from New Orleans.  This is my fourth (?) trip to visit Tara there and was just as much fun as well as loaded with prat-falls as all the other trips have been.  Becky picked me up in Houston, about an hour late after we had some confusion as to which airport I was sitting in.  Nevertheless, we made it to NOLA by evening and went to Vaughn’s to hear Kermit Ruffins and eat red beans and rice and celebrate our arrival in style.  Vaughn’s is small, dark, crowded and always very hot and very loud but I think that is a part of it’s charm.  Kermit Ruffin’s has a raspy croaky voice but he sings and plays (trumpet) wonderful music and the food always tastes better after you fight a crowd to get to it, plus it’s free – always makes food yummier.

We took Tara grocery shopping and sampled wine and cheese in fancy whole foods. . . We had Snow Bliz’s (I’m not sure I’m spelling that right), which I guess are a long standing NOLA tradition and require standing in a very long line because there is only ne machine that makes the ice that way… a machine like 50 years old and handed down through generations by the guy who built it.  I had Cream of Nectar, which was delicious and while eating it I had one of the few increments of time where the weather did not make me want to kill myself and go to hell just because it would be cooler. We saw Julie & Julia at the only Sunday matinee in movie history to sell out and have a line half way around the theatre.  Much weirdness.

We went and had a very fancy dinner at a gay men’s country club.  Which, according to Tara, has naked pool parties for the men with memberships and a great deal of drama for the wait staff.  However, the food was phenomenal.  It inspired me to try and make baked macaroni and cheese with smoked gouda, I’m excited about it.

We drove out to Vacherie to see the Laura Plantation which was a big part of what I wanted to do.  I’ve never been outside of NOLA when visiting Tara.  The plantation was beautiful and the tour was interesting, but I felt like it could have been a lot more informative.  I was a little disappointed.  Tara and Becky kissed a frog at lunch but I refrained as his face was cracked and bleedy and he made me too agitated.  I did however try alligator and didn’t much like it.  Tasted like extra tough and chewy deep-fried chicken.  🙁

We also drove out to the Jean Lafitte Nature Preserve  It was really hot and humid until the 30 minute rain storm which soaked us from head to toe and at the end of the mile walk there was so much greenery over the water that we didn’t even get to see alligators.  I am still really sad about that.  We did how ever see a frog about the size of a half dollar, rainbow colored spiders three times the size of the frog and completely surrounding the trail and one decently large black and grey snake slithering under the trail ramp.  The frog was adorable but the spiders scared me to death, i almost didn’t want to walk the trails anymore after seeing one directly above my head.

Okay, I know we did other things but I need to be done for now.  Much love and thanks for reading.

yours,

Alaina

At Home in CO

A little update for Mariko

I have some time left to kill in the library, so I thought I’d give you an update, whether or not you’re actually that interested.THE SNOW LEOPARD – MATTHIESSEN

About a guy trekking the Himalayas on a physical and spiritual quest.  He gives a lot of information about Buddhism and contemplates the world in a fairly serious want-to-be zen way.  I didn’t enjoy it, but i’m not big on spiritual quests or eastern poetry turned prose.

EARLY SPRING:WAKING TO WARMING WORLD – SIEDL

Haven’t finished it and don’t really want to.  She combines science writing with occasional parenting scenes.  It’s short and does have some fairly interesting scientific discussions and cutesy Vermont-nostalgia anecdotes though.

INTO THE WILD – KRAKAUER:  i hated the main character and forgave him at the same time, which sounds difficult but it’s true.  It was a great read if you can stand Chris.

HEAVEN’S COAST – DOTY:  Really sad but incredibly beautiful memoir of the time surrounding his partner’s death to AIDS.  I cried like ten times reading it but his language was beautiful and his take on love and life and grief gave me a lot to think about.

TRUCK:LOVE STORY – PERRY: Fixes a truck, meets, dates and falls in love with a nice lady, cooks and eats a lot and is completely lovable if you forgive him for being a charming chauvinist (on accident).

HOW TO READ NEITZSCHE – PEARSON
HOW TO READ LACAN – ZIZEK

I really enjoyed these.  They were idiots guides for not idiots, but not theorists either.  And, Nietzsche is less annoying as you get to know him.

AMERICAN COOL -STEARNS:  This was a dry read, but really interesting, it actually charts our American relationship to “being cool” and why we do or don’t do it and what it means.  A good read for history of an emotion or culture/social status.

I’m ignoring all the others from my first list because I either don’t have anything interesting to say, or haven’t gotten to them yet.
That’s all I have for now, just wanted to let you know that you should definitely pick up Truck, Heaven’s Coast and Into the Wild if you haven’t already.
And, by the way, I never heard how Things Fall Apart went!  How did it go!?!?
At Home in CO

Spring has sprung?

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Well, it’s been 65 plus and sunny all week, but I’m not holding my breath that it will last, with our luck there will be more snow before summer begins.  In the interim, it is getting really hot here, Matt says it’ll get close to 80 today and based on my walk to campus this morning I believe him.  The snow and rain storms of last week have helped a lot here, the grass is finally turning green and the trees are just starting to flower.  Being here in spring makes me appreciate how pretty flowers really are in Oregon in the Spring – as we have NONE here.  I miss daffodils soooo much!  I’ve seen tulips and hyacinth in beds tended by the school but no daffodils.  Oh well, hopefully the flowers Matt and I planted will start to come up once we can let them outside in May.

Speaking of our little gardening endeavor, everything is still alive for the most part but I think further growth is stunted until they can be outside.  Mostly things are short and only a little leafy, except for the peas and beans which are a couple feet tall and twisting themselves around everything they can reach.  I can’t wait to see what everything does when it all gets outside!  We found a free bbq on the street yesterday and are looking for an outdoor table so we can really hang out out there when the weather is nice.  I am really excited for spring and summer and being in the backyard, even if the dogs do bark far too much for anyones comfort out there.

3-4 weeks left in the term, I’ve got a few papers and a couple presentations and am a bit scared of how much work this will be in not much time, but I’m excited the write about The Robber Bride and Buffy, so I’m hoping that will make the papers go a little faster than normal.  I really hope that both turn out well because I feel like I should submit them to something for publication or conference if I can, everyone is so big on pushing that here.  I’d love to present the Buffy paper at conference, that would be incredibly fun and not nearly as intimidating.

My new job is fantastic!  I’m really liking the people and enjoying being busy doing something non-academic but productive for a few hours a week.  My boss and everyone else I’ve met have been really nice and it’s a very low-key office which is great in comparison to some other places I’ve worked.  Matt has walked across the courtyard to  come by and visit a few times which is a lot of fun.  I’m really grateful to finally have found something and to be enjoying it so much.  I might not be a very important part of the weather research and science, but I deliver mail and errands like nobodies business.  🙂

Matt and I will be back in Oregon in July.  Starting from about the 6th and I’ll be there until the 21st.  I hope to see many of you then!

okay, until next time,

yours,

alaina

Adventures in Colorado

We’re expecting 15 inches of snow!

Yeah, 15 INCHES.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen 15 inches of snow.  I’m terrified and my warm boots slip on everything.  I almost did the splits today trying to get to the library, ow.

So, what all haven’t I posted?  It’s been so long.  Spring Break.

I spent a lot of time home alone watching tv and trying to get ahead on my readings for all of the various projects I have coming up.  I did okay, I could have accomplished more, but that’s always the case, and I’m trying not to feel bad about it.  I went to the Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory over the break, that was fun.  I stood in the mint storage room and it was insane. It was like bathing in menthol/mint smell. It was incredible, and while it kind of hurt it was also really exhilarating.  My lungs have never had such an experience.   I’m not sure how to describe it…

I had an interview Monday for a part time student aide position at CSU today. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get it, the lady who interviewed me said as much, she just needed to check on my references first. I’m hopeful. It would only be 10 hours a week, but I’m last person to scoff at any job these days. It is in the building next door to matt’s so that might be fun too.  I think I’d be a glorified errand and phone-answering girl, but I’m still excited.

We’re reading Heaven’s Coast right now for one of my classes and it is heart wrenching.  I really think it’s incredible, Doty writes like a poet, but without the floridness that usually drives me nuts.  The story is beautiful and astoundingly detailed from my limited experience with grief.  Other than that I’m rereading the Robber Bride for a paper, and numerous articles to discuss Buffy in the terms of somatic criticism, and that’s my term.

I wish I had more to report but the term is busy here and hence my life has become quite dull.

At Home in CO

Wednesday Morning in the Lobby

Well, I should be reading Power/Knowledge, or Truth & Power, or Truth & Knowledge or something like that from the ancient Foucault reader I’ve lugged all this way, but my tooth hurts and as I am still a student I’m gonna go ahead and embrace the excuse to avoid my homework.  I had my permanent crown put in this morning and it hurt so much that I not only cried, but I also screamed and prayed and begged Matt to talk to me about random crap to distract me for the 15 minutes it took the painkillers to kick in.  Why do dentists say “it’ll be a little sensitive” or “it’ll only hurt a little” when they really mean that you’ll be in anguish for days?  Why do they lie, it doesn’t make them anymore likable.  Or maybe it doesn’t hurt this much for most people and I’m just a giant baby about my teeth.  That is entirely possible.  But at least now I’m supposedly all fixed up.  Thank goodness!

What other news…  Valentines Day was really neat, it was probably even more expensive than going out to eat somewhere fancy but we had a lot of fun cooking and I kind of loved watching the green beans inbob around in the terrifying FryDaddy that we borrowed.  I also love being able to say that I’ve made Cinnamon-Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleans.  Yeah, that’s right.  I feel so domestically awesome.  However our kitchen looks like the victim of a home invasion or minor natural disaster still, even though we’ve been working on it.  Guess that kills the domestic awesomeness prize, huh?

I’m apply for a job as a data technician at an oil & gas pipeline company and have actually spoken to a real live person about my application.  I consider this an excellent sign and I’m crossing fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyes in hopes of getting the job.  It sounds like a great opportunity to work for a really great company.  So, if you pray, pray for me getting it, if you dont mind.  And, if you dont pray, wish me luck and cross your fingers (I wont ask you to cross the rest) for me.  I really want a job, and especially this one.  I know they say your shouldn’t take it personally if you can’t find a decent job in this economic climate, but I’m tired of not working.

And, now classes.  I was super stoked about my classes this term.  And, still am about one of them.  I’m really enjoying my critical theory class and the professor.  It’s like philosophy classes – but not always about the metaphysical.  But, as for the other two…  I tried to speak out in class 4 times yesterday and every single time someone spoke over me and I was ignored.  The first class, where it happened 3 times I figure it’s mostly my fault, I’m quiet and the rhet/comp students leading the class really only notice other loud rhet/comp students.  But in the second class I was actually half way into a question directed at the teach who was listening to me ask it (with eye-contact) when some guy in the class decides he has to interject his comment at that moment.  SERIOUSLY?  I know I’m not the loudest person, but I do speak at human decibels, so what does it say that I can be so completely disregarded 4 times in one day of classes???  I miss when raising your hand was an option that got you at least a word or two in edge wise (I’ve never written that expression before, I have no idea if I did it right) against pretentious MFA poet type boys who really think that the need to tell the teacher about their interest in the use of compassion in their own work! ! !  That’s not even relevant, you jerk!  And, just so you know, all those exclamation points are standing in for a whole lot of raging bitterness I’m restraining as this is on the open internet and I can’t bring myself to say all this the way I’d like to.

Alright, tirade finis.  I have class in 17 minutes and should wrap this up on a positive note.  I took my car through a car wash yesterday and think that has to be the most exciting automotive related chore ever.  It’s practically an adventure.  A loud and slightly intimidating one when those giant things come at your car, but it was a great deal of fun for $3.  I also get to go talk about my term paper tomorrow with a professor whose already told me it was good (so no worrying) after class and then only have to read one article for my mean rhet/comp class tomorrow.  I’m very excited, I think I’ll devote my spare time to watching my netflix and unloading the dishwasher.  hehe.

until next time,

yours,

alaina