Cremation stories in Birmingham and other adventures of the last week or so…

Thursday, I wrote the qualifying test that allows me to continue into the second year of my degree.

I spent Friday studying a bit for a presentation I have in a couple of weeks [that is 10% of my final IR mark], and then went to Birmingham to catch up with Natalia, a great friend from France that I met while on a German lit. course a few years ago. Birmingham was great – I very much liked the city, and I couldn’t help but notice how Marxist and industrialist the architecture was – long, factory chimneys everywhere [even as a highlight of the University of Birmingham], terra cotta red bricks, very geometric, symmetrical buildings adorned with sickles, hammers, miners, hardworking members of the proletariat, etc. You get the point. So different from Oxford!

As Nat and I walked back to the bus station on Saturday afternoon, I realized my left foot was hurting [I just found out that I have a sprained ligament]. It was all a result of Nat’s courageous French quest to find all the cute and edgy restaurants in town. We dined at a place called the Warehouse Cafe [check out their menu online], and had lunch the next day at Handmade Burger Co, which, I just found out, is a chain [see here]. I had the cajun burger, and by the time I finished eating it, I wanted to have another one – it was really good [they claim their meat comes from cows fed grass in natural conditions, without any chemicals, maybe that's why it tasted so good].

At the bus station, a hippy-looking couple, returning from Scotland, where they clearly spent their holiday camping out [they had huge bags, the ones you stuff tents in]. The woman, with a shaved head, , wearing six earrings on each ear and sporting a small, wallet-like purse made of hemp, and showing off her sky blue shorts, asks me if I’ve come from as far as her and her boyfriend. I smile and say “No, I just came from Oxford.” She adds, “I’m from Oxford! Where are you from?” – “North America.” – “I have some music from Indian Americans in my backpack.” – (smile) – “Is she your girlfriend?” – (smile) – “My husband died ten years ago. He was thirty-five years older than me. You know what killed him? Smoking. And funny, he smoked himself to death, and then wanted to be cremated. On the same day, I had barbequed chicken, which might as well be cremated. It was all about smoking up that day! (laughs) – (I don’t know how to react, so I turn to Nat).

She goes on: “But now I’m vegetarian. I don’t eat meat. I don’t even eat his meat (points at her boyfriend…The man blushes). And you?” I turn away once again. As I enter the bus and I settle in my seat, I overhear her story about the cremation again: She’s telling it to the people opposite her seat. Great memory from Birmingham!

I’ve spent the last few days counting the hours before I get my marks. Now I’m indifferent and sort of think I don’t want to know anymore [I really do, but I don’t want to think about it anymore…).

did I mention that I like the fact that cash machine withdrawals in Britain are free? It’s great!

Oh, I also just learned how to say “wha’eva” in English accent…

Newfoundland to Japan – Go, Holly, Go!

I was pleasantly surprised over my holiday break to find out my good friend Holly was off to Japan on an exchange trip to Japan, which sounded amazing! Holly is in a group with other Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, as well as other Canadians, along with some French young professionals, and their Japanese counterparts, and will be touring Japan. What an excellent way of spending the last few months of Newfoundland winter! Here’s the blog of Holly’s group. I’m looking forward to the news updates and stories from the land of the rising sun!