Southampton- First Impressions

Definitely can say that I am not in Seattle anymore; that point was driven home rather quickly when getting off the bus with Ashley and Zack and heading into the bar located within my residence hall complex to pick up my room key. The mindset of Southampton in regards to alcohol is rather laid back compared to Seattle. The activities during freshers week really reminds me of Greek roe, but in this case all of the residence halls are Greek roe, everyone is participating in costumed balls and raves. 

First day I arrived in Southampton, I lived my dreads of how I was going to transport my luggage. I discovered that some tube stations and train stations do not have lifts while my left shoulder I think was dislocated a few times from point A to point B accompanied with beads of sweat on my forehead and marks from the straps all over my shoulders. Ashley and Zack were really amazing in meeting me at the train station and after getting situating in my room we were off to Ikea to get bedding and other supplies.

For my first dinner in England, we had Swedish meatballs at Ikea. Ok so it isn’t quite English, but we were starving! Strangely enough, the gravy used for the meatballs in England is different than the gravy in the U.S. I have to admit, I prefer the U.S. gravy. In the evening I met my second clue that I am not in Seattle; when I crossed the street at one point I guess I timed my crossing in a manner where both Zack and Ashley were amazed at how brave I was. Sadly I just forgot to look the proper way when crossing the road, briefly forgetting that traffic flows on the left lane. I hope the learning curve will improve after each incident where something like this happens!

The curry here is to die for! One of my first dinners in Southampton was at a curry house where I had the most incredible Naan bread (the best I ever had). Even the next day, I was already craving to go back again, just need to figure out which curry house it was!

My flat consists of all Chinese international post grads and one Indian international post grad. They are all quite sweet, though they are also somewhat kept to themselves. Hopefully that will soon change as we get ourselves situated. In the meantime I have been making friends outside of my flat. 

Auf Wiedersehen, München!!!

September 25th
What a phenomenal two weeks this has been during my stay in München. I saw sights I never knew existed, traveled through southern Germany by train, and even managed a day trip in Salzburg, Austria.
I knew I would love it here in Europe, there is a certain atmosphere that just feels natural and not so uptight. Like Apollo and Venus shaped gummies, or crass terminology in the Bavarian strength measurer at Oktoberfest. Where it is treated like no big deal.
You can see dads and relatives drinking beer on the sidelines of a football match while their sons are fouling and being red carded and yellow carded all over the place (about 5 yellow cards and 3 red cards in less than half of Thomas' football match!!). Some of the red cards are for telling the ref to 'kiss my ass!' You could only wonder why that individual got a red card... When playing they say 'Hintermann' for our equivalent of 'man on'.
Oktoberfest is best seen during the day if you would like to avoid the crowds and most of the drunks. Though at nighttime it becomes alive as the lights of the carnival rides illuminate the night sky. The 'Toyer' is very fun as you feel the effect of the coriolis force when defying a bit of gravity by sticking to the walls, though if you don't slide downwards at all during the ride, as I discovered unintentionally, prepare for a steep drop when the ride slows down to a stop! I discovered the dangers of the very addictive 'Mandels', or candied almonds, which I sadly could attribute gaining a pound or two too.
I can't remember another two weeks where I have walked so much. After climbing the Alter Peter's 302 step tower, I compared every other excursion to it, asking Bettina, "Do you think we made our 302 steps today?", when either trekking it up switchbacks to see a castle in Salzburg or winding our way through tours in the Neuschwanstein Castle.
I have never seen so many exquisite designs in architecture nor intricate and elaborate interior decorating before in my life. Prepare for immense design almost overwhelming your sight when entering places such as the Residence in Munich or the many Gothic cathedrals within Europe.
Breakfast for me now seems incomplete without my Strussle (chocolate sprinkles) or Bettina's mom's amaretto plum marmalade on toast. I seriously can't believe that I have survived most of my life without chocolate sprinkles on toast- it is just unacceptable!
I managed surviving my visit in Germany without the convenience of water fountains or free usage of public bathrooms. After day one, I learned the importance of carrying a water bottle and always have two Euros on hand.
Going out for cocktails can be quite expensive-I guess that is the case anywhere; though it is quite fun for an evening out with girlfriends. Don't drink a tequila sunrise at an Irish pub and then mead at a medieval bar. Those two drinks just don't mix smoothly in ones stomach so prepare not to be able to finish your mead.
Last night could not have been more enjoyable as Bettina hosted for my last evening in Germany, a Singstar party complete with incredibly nice people who could put up with my signing from 7:30pm -1am. Vladimir and Micky are very amusing when one of the few songs they master are by Tokyo Hotel (a band that I can only describe as a Justin Bieber equivalent gone emo and whinny). Melli, Bettina, and I had immense fun when we covered the Disney SingStar CD- where I own at singing songs from Lion King and the Little Mermaid. Though songs from Cinderella still present a challenge- 'Bibitti Bobbetti Boo' to 'Cinderelli Cinderelli...' The night ended half past one with gallons of water consumed, Banana Chocolate Nutella muffins eaten (courtesy of Bettina), and voices rather rasp and sore from hours of singing.
With two hours of sleep this morning, I got up at 4am with one last morning spent with Bettina's amazing, and amazingly tired, family. I cannot thank Bettina's Mom enough and her sweet soul and kind demeanor shines through without the need of a common language. She even awoke to bid me farewell before I left at 5 am for my flight! Christian was so kind, and drove Bettina and I through the pitch black and foggy morning.
Songs barely audible from the radio played over the humming of the car as it wizzed by on the Autobahn going 140 km/hr. I recognized tunes which before I wasn’t quite a fan of, but now brings a smile to my face as it takes me back to the crazy road trip of this visit Bettina and I had of getting lost on our way to Neuschwanstein and discovering little nothing towns that neither of us could say we heard of before.
Sitting in the airport currently watching planes move about while the sunrise illuminates the hazy foggy sky a slight sherbet tint, people take up rows of three seats as they try to fit a nap in before flight. One man in particular has a snore that is usually only heard from a children’s cartoon.
I am prepping myself mentally, though it should probably be better off physically, as I am trying to figure out how on Earth I will carry my bags from Heathrow to Southampton (a trip consisting of two tube rides and a train). Never again will I let my mother help me pack for such a trip; I started out with a 25 lbs bag for check in and a 13 lbs carry on. After she got through with my bags, they weighed to the limit of 44lbs check in bag (without wheels), a 13 lbs carry on, and a purse that is probably 5 lbs. One talent my mother has always had was being able to pack things tightly- I swear she must have been a master of tetris at one point in time. Whether loading a dishwasher or my bags, I would say ‘oh it’s full lets call it done’ and then she could find a way to fit whatever it is with half more than what I already have loaded. Though it is an impressive talent of hers, I felt like I was going to have a hernia with all my effort in closing my duffle bag yesterday that was going to be checked in. It at least took me the better of 10 minutes with an ongoing battle with the zipper. I can only imagine how I am going to catch all my connections, whether train or tube; as I hustle along like a sumo wrestler carrying luggage that is around half my weight. Dear lordy I hope I do not need to walk far because this world won’t have enough deodorant for what I am about to endure.
If all goes well I should be meeting Ashley and Zack roughly around noon GMT.
As of yesterday, I finally secured a dorm room for this year thanks to Ashley’s resourceful thinking. Otherwise the butterflies in my stomach this morning would be swarming inside me. With sugar and cappuccino already running through my veins, I cannot imagine how it would have been if Ashley didn’t find a way to secure us dorm rooms. I figure this is all an adventure and adventures are best told when the stories are filled with bumps, twists, and turns. Whatever happens this year, I know that I will have a number of adversities to face, encounters made, blood pressure spikes, and hours of studying. But that all builds character, or at least I hope so- right?
Till next time.
Bis Bald!!!

A Taste of Bavaria in Oktober!

September 23^rd

Started our Munich tour at the original Hofbräuhaus where we walked inside to see a similar seen of the atmosphere in the tents of Oktoberfest.

Afterward we walked to the Residence in Munich; a place that at one point housed Bavarian royalty for many generations. Grabbing bulky audio devices from the coat check to guide Bettina and I on a tour, we wandered through the countless rooms, each very elaborate almost to the point of exhaustion for our eyes. I loved all the grandeur; the grotesque statue/fountain of Medusa’s beheading, and countless rooms with marble flooring that created perfect setting for pictures to be taken. The only thing that I wished I could have changed about it was the length of time the audio tours took for each room.

Walking around the English Garden, we passed by some surfers that were urban surfing on a river. Crowds formed at the bridge and river banks to catch a peek of these dare devils that are surfing on really narrow areas.

At the English Garden one of the first things Bettina and I saw in the vast open fields were these pink naked old men. Luckily it was from the distance, but I had to just laugh, day one of my trip we saw a similar scene though instead of being nude, they were in g strings and speedos. I guess these old red men really are confident about their bodies, or something of the sort. 

We also walked over to see the 'Walking Man' though Bettina and I are still trying to figure out why it is there in the first place, it is a pretty cool statue that is absolutely huge!!!!!

Before heading out to meet some friends of Bettina’s at Oktoberfest I got and email from Ashley, who somehow managed to get a room in the dorms; and sending a similar email to the same person who helped Ashley, my accommodation application suddenly had a housing offer for me!!!!!! I shall not have to live on the streets my first night!!!! YES!!!! Jumping with excitement, I told Bettina’s mom, “Ich habe ein Zimmer fur Uni!!!!!!” 

At night Bettina and I joined Bettina’s friend, Micky, and his friends to Oktoberfest. This time it was dark out, and the whole festival seemed to have changed scenes. There were far more drunk people stumbling about on the filthy streets, filthier than before, and the lights of the rides were amazing as they brightened and colored the night sky.

We went on this one ride that turns you about while spinning around and rotating 360 degrees like a ferris wheel… in other words moving like a really thorough blender through the night. Before the ride had started, Bettina was looking down to make sure her shoes wouldn’t fall and unfortunately got a little stuck when the safety clamp came down on her, luckily the guy in charge of the ride was there to assist her! 

After that ride we went on the ride where it spins and the floor lowers and you stick to the walls, eventually sliding down little by little till the end of the ride. Bettina immediately went down two feet when the ride began. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t slide down what so ever and when the ride stopped, like a scene from a cartoon; I dropped like a rock about 6 feet maybe even more!

We also partook in bumper cars and other rides; it was such a splendid evening!!!!

Day Trip to Oktoberfest

September 22^nd

This morning started out with a call to the Southampton Accommodations Service hotline, finding out that so far it looks like I will not have a dorm when I get there and will have to figure out housing some other way. Bit stressed out by that since I leave for England on Sunday, but this too shall pass- right? Or I shall be homeless for the beginning of my Southampton experience.

Around noon Bettina and I dressed up in our dirndls and headed our way to Oktoberfest where we wandered by all the fair activity and took a peak at one of the Biergartens to see people linked arm in arm standing on the tables and singing to live music. It was really quite a sight to see, but we didn’t stick around and decided to go see the Bavaria statue instead.

Turns out that you can climb inside of the Bavaria statue, at a cost of 2.50€, so Bettina and I did just that. I never climbed in a statue before, so it was a new experience for the both of us. As we reached the top, it was very warm inside; I guess you could say that the Bavaria statue is a bit of a hot head.