Random Reveries

Today, I woke up at 2 and saw that the sun was absolutely gorgeous. It was around 68degrees F and I just had to go on a walk. I wasn’t planning on going to Whitstable but I just decided to go with the flow. I saw a family, a couple, friends, elderly people…I love how classy British elderly people dress. There was a grandma dressed in a blazer with a skirt and wearing a pearl necklace…she was so pretty…she was rocking all this along the muddy fields of the Whitstable path while holding a cane. Love it.

So anyway, I just kept walking and about an hour later, I realised that there was still more to go on the path…but I was worried about having to use the bathroom and not being able to find one or collapsing on the way home because I didn’t eat anything before. So I just turned back. But I wish I had just asked someone how much more we had to go to reach the beach ( <—- not really a “beach”) because I really have no idea how far or close I was to it. But basically, it was just me, the cool wind, the brilliant sun, my ipod, and the greenery/mud of the Kent farmland (and cows!). It was so peaceful. I was just thinking about life…

And then I reached home. I realised that it was actually not as far away as I thought, but it seemed really far away because I had no idea what the path looked like and I was just winging it along the way. But when my  roommate comes back from Spain, I’ll hike with her there.

One thing I love about English weather is that it never gets so hot to the point where it makes you angry about life, like it does in SoCal. When I try to go hiking back home, it’s always too hot and I give up because of the scorching sun. But today…wow…I would so move to England if I could have that weather every spring…

So when I reached home, I just sat at the soccer field of the Sports Pavilon and reflected on life before England, when I was deciding everything. I was so confused…about all the paperwork and which school to choose, etc. And I couldn’t believe that I was actually at Kent at the moment…after all the googling and pondering I did about whether Kent was the school for me. You see, I was so set on London but it just wasn’t plausible so I had so many other schools to choose from. Kent seemed so far away from Southern California…and it is, but it’s not…

I’ve got to say that England has and has not met my preconceptions. It’s actually quite funny and sweet…what I thought England would be like. But I really like England because wherever I go, I see some kind of history…the houses/buildings are built humbler and resonates tradition. They look so cozy. I love how England still preserves so much history in 2013, even in people’s living spaces. 

—

So I realised today that it’s been just a little over 7 months since I came to England…and I just thought, “What the hell….” I’m so scared of going back to California and starting a new school year and allowing my year at Kent to just become a distant memory…with new classes, a new apartment, a new job…etc. But…I’ve got to say that I’m stronger than I thought I was. Now that I know how much little time I have here, I’ve gathered myself and my emotions to prepare for my return to California. It’s time to face the real world…

So these are the thoughts that I had while sitting at the field. I realised that I still have a wish to fulfill on my bucket list: I really want to play soccer (football) sometime…maybe not like a serious game but I just want to shoot around the ball on a nice day…this is England after all!

After I got into my kitchen, Daniel came over and he allowed me to ride his bike. I rode around Parkwood in circles because I was so happy to be on a bike. There were these people sitting outside the house in Denstead…right next to the St. Edmund’s field where small boys play soccer every Sunday…and they kept looking at me because they thought I was weird for going around in circles…but whatever. I was SO HAPPY! I kept riding down the hill next to the bus stop to pick up speed. I felt like such a kid again. 

By this time, it was like seven something (but so FREAKING bright! :D) so I went home and watched Rocket Power. I also made an Oreo cake yesterday because I was going crazy from boredom. Because it’s vacation time and there are like no buses especially on weekends and everything here closes early anyway, sometimes I just get so bored but I realised that I need to make my own fun. So Dan, Davy and I watched Cruel Intentions yesterday. 

Before making the cake and before the movie, I asked the lady at Sainsbury’s where the cool whip was and she was just like “cream?” and I said “…sure” because I’m used to not finding some American products here now. I used vanilla cream and it turned out just as good so I was happy.

So anyway, after watching Rocket Power today, Davy and Dan went hiking to find a secret location for our secret plans. But Davy…broke his bike. LOL. Oh yeah, I noticed that they were both calling flashlight “torch” and I didn’t notice. I’ve kind of become English in some ways now…I guess vocabulary most noticeably. I had the urge to use some British vocabulary in this post but I didnt’ want to confuse my American readers…that is, if people actually read my blogs haha.

While Davy and Dan broke a bike and got lost in the forest at 11PM, I did laundry because this dog came up to me and went crazy while grabbing my thigh and he made my pants dirty with his muddy paws. I was going to hold off laundry for like 5 more days but I decided to live a humane life so I just washed my clothes. Damn you dog, even if you were cute.

Yup, that was my day and also my current thoughts/reflections on English life. I am kind of sad because I don’t blog enough about England…all those memories now gone…at least I take lots of pictures LOLLL :)