January 25-26
I woke up earlier than I would have liked due to the birds, chirping, at 4AM. They did not quiet down, so I was quite annoyed and frustrated. I informed everyone I spoke to that the birds woke me up.
Because I'd arrived late last time I went to the international introduction stuff, I headed out earlier. Today was just more information that I didn't really care for (as I already knew most of it from my pre-arrival research). I only stayed so I could get the contact info from fellow exchange students, as we hadn't done that last time.
I had to leave during some of the presentations to see my module leader. It took me a while to find her office as the instructions had said to enter from the backside of the building and it would just be to the right. It was not just to the right. So I went to what I was pretty sure was the front (it was the front) and then discovered that I was on the ground floor and that the instructions should have said, up the stairs and to the right.
I got there on time, but she was still busy with another student so I had to wait quite a while. When I did go in, most of what I had wanted to do was not offered this semester, nor was there any availability left in the course. I also was confused to find out I was only to take 3 modules, each worth 20ects. After talking to a bunch of people after (as for my honours requirement I need 6 credit hours in pre-1660 lit and 6 credit hours in 1660-1900 lit) I realized that each course may count as a full year course would for me (so possibly 6 credit hours each, as opposed to the 3 credit hours that I am used to). I emailed my UNB supervisor to double check my theory, but he hasn't reached back yet. To be safe, I only chose one course from each period. Then, for the last course I actually didn't select until the module fair.
Before the module fair, I went with some of the exchange students to look around in the city centre for some cheap restaurants. Surprisingly, the cheapest place was Eat4Less, where I got a 5 chicken nugget meal deal with a can of 7up (sparkling lemonade) for 2.45 pounds.
I then went with Milla, an exchange student from Finland, to the Armstrong building, where she had to drop off some forms etc. Since I had nothing better to do I walked around the building, as I would most likely have classes in it. This building had two magnificent staircases, plus a couple mediocre fire safety ones. The first one is when you first walk in the entrance by Percy Building (the English building). I called it the spiral staircase, as it goes up in a spiral. It has these long wooden things that makes it look like a giant wind chime, which is fitting since it's right by some of the music rooms. As you go up the spiralling case, there are some bathrooms on your way, which are really cool looking as well. The second staircase is where the other main entrance is. This one I called the marble staircase, as it had marble all around. It reminded me a bit of Boldt castle. While I was there I looked into one of the rooms and it was like I was spying on Harry Potter taking his O.W.L.S. As students were taking their exams.
After Milla was done, we struggled to meet back up in this immense building, but eventually did. Then we had to hunt down where the module fair would exactly be. We went back to the building where we'd had all the presentations, but no one was there. Then, one of the other exchange students messaged us all on WhatsApp where to go. It was another difficult to find building. Then finding the room was weird too, as we arrived where we were supposed to go, but it looked like the Ph.D student's offices, and not a room that would house any sort of fair, but as we stood there pondering our location, low and behold we heard the people.
This fair was where a lot of us exchange students got in touch and started to set-up meetings and what not. During the time I was there I decided to waste it away by checking up with my module supervisor, who told me it was a good thing I was there as one of the modules I was signed up for was actually full. We then struggled to find a replacement and ended up settling on Performance: Here and Now. She'd told me there was a creative writing component to it, but I didn't realize how much I would later come to like the course until I got home and found out I would be going to see a bunch of plays and shows all paid for by the school.
After the fair I went to the Language learning room in the Old Library Building (which I'll sneak a picture of in the future), where I signed up to learn French for free, whenever I want.
Back outside, in the misty Newcastle air, I met up with some exchange students, one from Columbia, another Austria, and a different Finnish exchange student from earlier (there are a lot of Finnish exchange students FYI). We all went to the mall to look for some school stuff and to get dinner. We ended up getting dinner at this wood-burning fire pizza place, which I was delighted to see white sauce on the menu. They even had a student discount, which made it so much better. While eating a couple more exchange students met up with us and invited us to join them later that night to catch the football game at a pub. I figured this would be a fantastic way to make a friend to one day actually go to one of the games with, so I agreed, even though I was already a bit tired.
We then went and bought some groceries and headed home to drop them all off. I live the farthest, at 20 minutes out of the city, while most of them live in Uni accommodation (albeit they're stuck with a lot of first years). The time it took me to get home did not give me much time to get ready before I headed right back out.
I arrived at our original pub to see it packed with a bunch of bald heads. Once back outside, one of my friends who had communication with the others helped us find the pub they had moved to that had a table available to fit all 6 of us (even though we had pre-booked at the other pub). The new pub also had a crowd of oldies, but that was fine as we really were just there to watch the game. There I had a beer that I recognized, Bud Light, but then quickly realized that I do not like Bud Light.
After the football game, that Newcastle did not win, we went to meet up with more exchange students at this popular bar called "The Botanist." To those who follow me on Instagram you would have already seen the beauty and luxury of this place. There was a live band playing and a much younger crowd hanging out.
Here I actually left my originally group to meet a whole new group of exchange students. More Fins, some Germans, and an American student who I was really excited to meet, as I knew we would have a lot in common. While chatting, we took up quite a lot of space at the table we were at, since there were a lot of us, we were nearly overtaking the tables around us. I'd gotten myself a drink recommended by the bartender called a Goose Island (I now realize that I love beer that I can taste all the hops in), however it was very big in my small hands. There was a Geordie couple right beside us and he told me it was ok for me to rest it on the table. That's when we all ended up talking and hanging out with them. They new some nice places near where I lived to go out, but they also were interested in Canada as they want to one day move there. I was glad to answer their questions to the best of my ability, but the Geordie accent is quite tough to hear, especially in a loud bar.
Around midnight we decided to head home, again I was alone on my walk home, however I have never felt safer walking home in a city. It was well lit, there were no creepy groups of men loitering around waiting to harass you. In fact, as I walked I noticed I was not the only girl doing so. Of course I won't create a false sense of safety, but it's good to know that I can do the walk alone and not have to worry about it.
I then had a shower before going to bed because I walking 20 minutes back and forth is exhausting and not pleasant. I had a bit of trouble falling asleep because I was still a bit used to the 5 hour timezone difference. At some point I eventually fell asleep and woke up at 4am to birds, a bunch of birds chirping. Some sounded like ones from back home, some were quite new. I didn't hear them any other day (and they have yet to make a reappearance), but for some odd reason that day they woke me up. I can handle typical city noise, including drunk girls screaming, but birds, those are my weakness.
I got a message in the WhatsApp group chat from some girls who wanted to go see some of the bridges and check out the castle. Even though I wasn't fully rested I decided to go for it, as these were things I wanted to do, so might as well just go do them. Two of the girls live near me so we headed down together, as we're really close to the bridge that blinks. See my photos below.
When you stand on the white bridge you can feel it shaking, so it's a good thing Emily wasn't there, as I think she would struggle with it (felt like a suspension bridge).
There was also this gold globe thing, but no sign explaining why those cities.
We then took many old stone stairs up to the castle keep. It was painful, and I felt like I would fall backwards as the stairs were slanted from years of feet placing pressure on them. It was well worth it as I got some great shots of the castle.
We went on a tour for 6 pounds. We didn't learn much, but it was neat to explore, and the chance to go on top of one of the buildings was really cool.
I explored all the nooks and crannies I could (I paid 6 pounds, might as well get my money's worth). I found two chamber pots. One, which was a private one for special guests, and the second was one I found while I climbed up to a window, where I was going to take a picture outside, when I saw a darkened passageway. Of course I pulled out my phone light and entered inside. None of the other girls saw me leave, so I worried for a second I had made a terrible mistake, but then I saw the sign below.
Also, this secret prison cell lead to the second chamber pot.
Afterwards, we were starving, so we headed back down the stairs and went to an Italian restaurant. I ordered some pasta that had ham in it (was very good). It had begun to rain (pouring this time) while we were in the restaurant. We ended up having to walk in the rain back to the city centre, where we arrived back at the mall. Thankfully I dressed smart in my raincoat and boots.
At the mall we went to a crepe shop, where a lot of us ordered smoothies. While chatting and learning more about each other a Scottish man came and kneeled between me and another girl. You could smell the alcohol off of him. Anyway, he says to me (ugh why me) "I'm gonna tell you the best joke yer'll ever hear." So I let him go on. "What do you call something that is pink and fluffy?" I tell him I don't know. "Pink fluff, what do you call something blue and fluffy?" None of the others respond, so I say "blue fluff" just to get it over with. He then grins and says "no, pink fluff that's holding its breath" and just gets up and runs off, disappearing around the corner. It was a lame joke, but the experience of it all is very humorous, and I shall treasure the memory of it (even though I was frightened at the time).
After we finished, we talked about going clubbing as one of the girls had gone and said it was actually really fun. I said yes in the moment and was kind of planning on not going. Then when I was back at my place one of the girls said she was at Five Guys, and I really wanted one of their milkshakes. So, I put myself together and braved the Geordie Shore.
We went back to the Botanist first, to have some drinks. I got to meet more exchange students there. I even made a friend in the bathroom with another Geordie girl. The club we went to wasn't that bad. It was packed inside, so much so that you really couldn't dance, so it wasn't a big deal if you could or not. Other than being shoved around and nearly falling on my face and having to catch one of my friends from falling down the stairs it was a good experience. Way better than the time I had in Hull. The clubs here don't have a coat check (that's why you see pictures of girl's dressed in their short skirts rushing between clubs in the cold - they can't really bring a coat). I wore mine around my waste, but one of my friends left hers on the couch. It wasn't stolen, but security put it in the lost and found, so she had to go back later to grab it.
I was going to walk home after, but I wasn't sure where I was, so I took the taxi anyway with some of the other. I figured safety first.
That night I actually fell asleep good, and wasn't woken up by any birds.
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