Idyllic

Idyllic -- I borrowed that word from Mr. W today after he used it to describe the view from our window on our jaunt to the Lake District. We traveled by train, by bus, by boat, and by foot to explore this quaintly beautiful area in England's northwest. The hilly countryside is dotted with sheep and goats and hedgerows and stone walls and stone cottages, and farmhouses, not to mention a castle or two. Other than that perfect word, the only way to begin to do justice to William Woodsworth's cottage at Grasmere, or England's largest lake, Lake Windermere, or to delightful market towns like Ambleside is to show you some pictures so you can see for yourself. Wish you were here!

Charming, Charming

How'd it get to be Thursday already?! We're already making plans for the weekend, which begins later tonight -- yay! But first we're whizzing off straight away to visit another university. :)

Yesterday morning we visited one of the more charming and picturesque schools I’ve ever seen. Nestled in the hilly countryside outside of Lancaster, Quernmore School is affiliated with the Church of England. With 5 teachers and fewer than 100 pupils, the pastoral setting just outside its windows enriches their topic based hands-on curriculum. Pupils in this school take field trips to locations such as the Isle of Man!

A Learning Curve

No luck getting to sleep tonight yet. So . . . some random thoughts about a few things I'm better at now than I was even yesterday:

• Paying in pounds and pence without looking helpless
• Finding locations on campus without taking the long way or getting completely lost
  
• Speeding around curves in a taxi without panicking because another car is coming down the side of the road I think we should be on
• Walking down sidewalks and stairs on the left side
• Knowing classmates’ names and stories
• Drinking instant coffee or none at all
• Walking, walking, walking everywhere
• Writing the day before the month
• Ordering pints or half pints of beers I’ve never heard of
• Remembering to say: “toilet” instead of “bathroom”; “single” or “return” instead of “one-way” or “round trip”; “ring” instead of “call”; and “whiz around” “straight away” and such!
• Actually answering my rented international cell phone in time before calls go to voice mail, which I don’t yet know how to access

Photos

Okay here we are! Here's the Irish lass enjoying a pint with me during our first evening in Lancaster.





And to prove that we reallly are visiting schools, here we are at Moorside Primary School today.

Six Hours & An Ocean

Today I'm six hours ahead and an ocean away. How unique to experience living the day before my loved ones.

Arrived in Manchester, England early this morning after a smooth seven-hour dinner, movie, and nap at 33,000 feet. Verdant, moist countryside greeted our hour and a half train trip to Lancaster, then a taxi ride to the university where we checked into our rooms. And soon we were trekking across campus to a two-hour orientation session, followed by technology set up, a walking tour of campus, a stop at a pub for well, several beers, a pizza, a stop at the campus store, and a walk back to our rooms.

All of which makes every one of us really, really tired now at 8:30 p.m. And even though the sun is still up we're calling it a day! Actually, quite a day!

Good night!

Happy-But-Tired-Traveler, N.

Growing Instead of Shrinking

I've had months to prepare, now the countdown is at three days, and somehow things just aren't done for this trip yet. I can't figure out what clothes and shoes to take, so of course I'm still not packed, and I have a To Do list that keeps growing instead of shrinking.

Back from Chicago late last night, I headed off to the golf course with new friends this morning, stopped at the bank, picked up groceries, baked brownies and made black bean salsa for Relay for Life tomorrow, sent e-mails, talked on the phone (okay a lot!), got the car washed, took potted flowering plants to my neighbor's patio for easier watering while I'm gone, drove house plants to another friend for safe keeping, visited and had a glass of wine. And so forth.

Yet as long as I keep growing myself instead of shrinking away like I was afraid of a few months ago, then who cares about that silly list!? And I know when I get on that plane in a few days it will all be done.

New Perspectives

We rolled the top back on our white Sebring convertible as we motored gloriously up and down LSD and through the Loop today on our way to and from mother/daughter/neice mani/pedis. I needed fresh, colorful nails for the trip abroad, J & Aubs were capturing brighter looks for the weekend.

With no car ceiling to obstruct our view, the city opened up for us in a new way today. How breathtaking to be able to look up and see straight to the top of the Sears Tower, how amazing to look directly up into the underbelly of the El. We luxuriated in seeing the Windy City from a new perspective, yet we remarked that we also felt a little vulnerable with the top down.

I'm imagining that a new perspective is also in store for me as I cross the Atlantic for the first time, off to observe the world opening up in a new way. And of course the vulnerability of being on my own and leaving my much needed support system behind me in the states gives me more than a little pause. But I could use a fresh perspective on how to live my life and I'm hoping this trip will be as glorious as the ragtop day we had today!

Getting Ready

Still a few more days before I go to England to study at Lancaster University and I'm here in Chicago visiting J and Ry and the little furry one. This is a photo of us learning how to blog. That's me on the left. You can probably guess which one is J. Hint: She's not the furry one.