Only 3 more days :/

Well, I am sitting here, waiting for my English breakfast tea to steep (however no milk due to my lack of milk *sad face*), staring at my Galaxy Caramel bar, debating whether or not I want to open it, listening to the wind howling outside and waiting for the inevitable sound of rain, curling up under my blanket, thinking about whether or not I want to buy more Ribena tomorrow, and listening to Alex Day (an English singer on Youtube).  I think this country has rubbed off on me just a little bit :-P I have noticed a few words that I say differently now as well as some English slang that I have picked up.

I spent the evening in the Learning Zone with Jen and Meghan working on papers.  We went to Sultans for dinner and later on Greggs for tea and hot chocolate.  After Meghan's laptop died, we headed back (and filmed going through the spaceship doors!) and I went to Meghan's in hopes that she would help keep me on task. For the most part we did get work done, with some interruptions to take strange videos, discuss who would win in a fight versus orange boy, and watch the first 20 minutes of Casablanca.  My laptop ended up dying and so now I'm back in my room.  I just have to write conclusions for my 3 essays and I am DONE!!! :) :) :)

Christmas Pudding

I thought of a few more random things that are different here that I'm pretty sure I haven't blogged about yet (if I have, I apologize).
1.  When you're at a cafe or a place like McDonald's, there aren't bins around for you to throw away your rubbish.  You're just supposed to leave it on the table for one of the workers to clear away.  I have now gotten used to this (in the beginning I felt really bad) and will have to make sure I don't make such mistakes in the USA.
2. The cash register is called the till here.
3.  Pudding is not the pudding that we think of at home...it's pretty much any after dinner dessert.  For example, Christmas pudding! It's basically a cake...but it's called pudding.  What we think of as pudding is called custard over here.  Rice pudding with vanilla custard = UTOPIA IN A CUP.
4. The shopkeepers and people selling things on the market, anyone really...pretty much call each other "love."  When I go to buy lamb from my favorite meat guy at the market, he pretty much always says  "Alright love?" Some people may find this creepy, but I quite enjoy it! It always makes me smile and it feels like such a  nice and cheery thing to say. I can't really explain it, but I will definitely miss it when I go back to the States.
5.  The service in restaurants and such is a bit slower here, not the GET IT OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE that we have in the States.
6.  People talk about the weather here not just for small talk, but because it is constantly changing! Last Friday it was really nice in the morning, but then that afternoon it was raining and then turned cold and into slush! Everyday is different and you never know what's going to happen no matter what the weatherman has predicted.
7.  mmmmm Tea
8. Guys know how to dress over here and it has been wonderful just walking around campus.

That's all I can think of for now. The plans for tomorrow and Thursday are going to be good fun :)
Tomorrow, Meghan and I (hopefully Jen as well) are going to walk all around town! We're going to go up to the castle and the priory, around to the canals, through the market, and anywhere else she thinks I need to see.  I think we're also planning on watching Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead tomorrow night.  I am making a list of the things I need to buy in town tomorrow to take with me back to the US including treacle toffee, good Twinings tea, and maybe a package of crumpets.  I wish I could smuggle back some Red Leicester cheese, scones and flapjacks from Kayes and lamb from the guy in the market.  I have already made a list of things I need to make when I get back, but top of the list is definitely flapjacks! :)

Thursday we're going to Carlisle, which is a town in Cumbria. Meghan suggested it, it was only 12 quid return, and I was up for a trip to anywhere that would involve at least an hour long train ride.  We're going to check out the castle, Hadrian's wall, and just get lost in another English village!

I am looking forward to Paris and Ireland, but I wish I was coming back.  I am glad though that I'm not doing another term here at Lancaster because I'm pretty sure I would go crazy.  The academic system here just doesn't work for me at all.  But that's okay...I'm going back to Geneseo...where I'll be stressing over 6 classes.  Oi...when I go back I'll have to worry about bridesmaids dresses, making sure I can get into my 6th class so I can graduate, clear up some paperwork issues (completely dependent on if they still have the paper work) with the School of Business so I can get my Economics degree, having enough money to get through next semester, and lots of other things.  It's not going to be pretty, but at least I can skype with Meghan and Jen, look back at pictures and videos, and plan my life in London whenever that will occur (because it's definitely going to happen!). Whelp, I think it's about time I get to finishing off these essays so I can proof them and hand them in on Friday. Woo!!! :-)

Cheers!
~Carolyn