Snow

Recently the English had to encounter a phenomenon that was formerly known as a myth:

white garden, two days ago my laundry froze on the clothes dryer...

In Brum it's not too bad though. Even buses are still running which is a little surprising. Rugby training, however, has been cancelled for the last 1.5 weeks now. This is why I'm still not asleep - too much excess energy. Also matches have, unfortunately, been cancelled so far.

At least gigs don't get cancelled that easily: I watched Interpol last Friday:

Italian, German, French, respectively

the best shot of the singer

The concert was good, fog machines are overrated. I definitely expect a better performance by Faithless on the 10th Dec 2010 and, you wouldn't guess, the Beatsteaks next year for only 12 quid!

Recently I'm experiencing the joys of English building quality. Apparently they fucked up the roof of the house, the latter one being shared with my two Polish flat mates. Unfortunately the English guy moved out two weeks ago. Now as a result of the leak, water evaporates through the walls of all first floor rooms after rainy days, which inevitably abets the growth of mould.

You shall not be surprised if I let you know a new address in a few days time, fingers crossed! Naa, I don't need the A-Team to get me out of here ... yet. I shall try to keep you, my fellow followers, updated more frequently. Thanks for your interest and good night!

My place and uni

I've been here for quite a while now, I guess it's about time that you get to see a few pictures:

Clock Tower of University of Birmingham

That tower stands in the middle of the campus and is higher than Big Ben. During the first couple of days on my way to uni I was happy to have such a landmark for orientation purposes...

Great Hall of UoB

My house looks like this:

Top middle window: my room

Fake chimney in living room

Dining area and kitchen in background

Our garden :)

This e-mail turned my life upside down!

Subject: disposal of rubbish Sent: 21 October 2010 08:31 Dear student I am writing to remind you that we all need to observe good housekeeping measures when on campus.  You should dispose of any rubbish in the bins provided in around campus and within buildings.  This is important in order that we can prevent any issues with vermin around the University. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter __________________________ Dr Georgina Fletcher Operations Manager - Facilities Operations Manager - School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham Working Days:   Monday, Wednesday and Thursday T: 0121 414 8042 E: e.g.fletcher.20@bham.ac.uk

A walk into the centre of Birmingham

most central station

From the station it is a very short distance to the central shopping areas. There are two major malls and quite a few really big shopping streets which are pedestrian precincts. The city centre is pretty modern as well, especially architecture-wise.

Monument and Bullring

Mini-waterfalls with Bullring in background

The stunning thing is that there are old and modern buildings right next to each other: History and tradition meet progress and innovation!

Bullring next to St. Martin

St. Martin is a church in the style of gothic Victorian architecture, designed by Alfred Chatwin and built in 1873.

Another monument and St. Martin in background

Saffron Walden: Mission accomplished

I'm staying at my colleague's place in Saffron Walden, the village in England which I first went to exactly four years ago. Now the old Bell school is partly demolished and I cannot enter the site:

Main entrance, library gone

my old place of employment: completely sealed off

Tonight there's an Italian style pasta for dinner which I very much savour. Also, over the course of my stay, I enjoy three Italian-German lessons: Italian for me - German for the Italian chef :) . After dinner I go to the pub with my colleague and chat and drink for a while, then we carry on drinking in another pub. We play a round of darts (I loose twice out of two times we play) and feed the quiz machine with our pounds and don't get a sinlge quid out of it: We are doing ok, but there are always one or two questions which are simply too difficult.
This morning I go very English again: Fully cooked English breakfast. This breakfast saves me a proper lunch.

Beans, mushrooms, bacon, tomato, sausages, egg...

Finally on Monday I go to London, get myself a paper at Green Park station, lie down under Her Majesty's close supervision (lawn in Green Park next to Buckingham Palace), and learn from the paper how Pakistan cheat in cricket. Scandalous!
Arriving at Heathrow I find my flight to be delayed 50 minutes. My mood reaches rock bottom. I don't know for what reason precisely. I have been living in Cambridge for one month now. It's been a very good time and now it's all about to change - again.
Ultimately I'm content for I've done everything which I set out for: I've got my English bank account now, I found a very nice falt share in Birmingham, I earned a reasonable amount of money, I made a couple of new friends. What else could there be?

Cmon you irons!

Here we go: it's Sunday evening and I've just gotten back from the office. Yes, that's right. All day long. It's the deal. Anyway, tonight's gonna be a good night, tonight's gonna be a good good night! Going to play some footie with the students and am off to the cinema later to watch "Inception".

Yesterday I went to see West Ham United play Bolton Wanderers. Luckily I'm not a supporter - otherwise it would have been painful to watch: 1 - 3 and a penalty given away. Even our chants didn't help. Here are some impressions:

The Hammers' stadium

West Ham vs. Bolton Wanderers

supporter Tom

German, Belgian, Spanish supporters

Hitz the hammer, injured

Before we went to the stadium our bus driver (Bell Teacher Campus Trip) got lost in London. She took one wrong turn and ended up driving through London for one (1) extra hour!!! She got really nervous and kept apologising to our group via the mic. My colleague and I tried to calm her down, but she was simply to embarrassed and, more over, desperate for a fag. I hope I don't meet her again! (I wouldn't have done any better in London, but she's supposed to know her ways around! Didn't even use her SatNav - thought she was too smart for it. You can't stop a coach in London, can you? No way to pull over and employ a map, I doubt we would've even had one...)

Rain

You think it's not unusual if it rains, right? In England particularly? Wrong, I think. It rains just as much as in Germany if not less. However, this is the beautiful look from my window WHEN it rains:

Today I only read a book (I realise for how long I've actually not really done this!) and talk and chat to my people on Skype. I'm still shaking off a few remainders from a rather nasty cold I caught bout four days ago. Tomorrow I'm back on the job! I've experienced worse than a bunch of 200 international English teachers :D

Jazz 'n gym

Hi lads, I've always loved jazz music and I honestly miss playing trumpet, but yesterday night was definitely one of these moments when I was reminded of that all the more: I went down to the pub called "The Cricketers" which is near Parker's Peace close to the city centre of Cambridge. These people playing down there were simply amazing!
Monday, Tuesday, and last but not least Wednesday I've been to the gym. They've had a 3 day free trial programme, which I took advantage of. Why not? Obviously they try to talk me into signing up: I don't sign up, of course. Their swimming pool, their steam room, and the sauna are very worthwhile I have to say ;) For warming up, I start with a 11 minute run on the treadmill. Then I'd usually work out my legs and arms, today I've only been doing my arms. I then go to the swimming pool and do a few laps alternating with a few minutes in the steam room. Unfortunately my fellow work colleague can't join me today as he's joined me the last few days because of a temporal medical disorder, often referred to as "hang over", due to a late night out where he emerged himself into socialising by means of drinking alcoholic beverages.

Magic in Ely and the truth about marriage in Oxford

Me performing the lumus spell in Ely Cathedral

Here you can see my wand in action - for those of you who've had any doubts about it: Yes, I can do magic! In the picture below it says " Marriage is a wonderful invention, but, then again, so is a bicycle repair kit." This philosophical sentence must come from a very wise man... or even woman??

Pub "White Horse", Oxford, opposite the bar

Work that doesn't feel like it

Yesterday I accompanied a trip to Ely which is just about a 15 minute train journey from CAmbridge. If you want to find more about Ely, you can click on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely .

I went to the restaurant "The Lamb" and my boss ordered tea for the two of us. We let two copies the Guardian entertain us, occasionally dropping in bits of very enjoyable small talk.
I didn't get back on the coaches for I was going to meet a the very same friend of mine who works at the Cambridge University Press. We met down the riverside in a pub called "The Cutter Inn". I was very impressed by these typical English house boats anchoring just a few metres away. I ordered a portion of Fish and Chips accompanied by mushy pies. Here's an idea of the size of my fish:

I don't think they used them for FishnChips, though.

The above beauties were swimming in a pond in frond of the Cambridge University press.
I went back on a train to Cambridge. There were a couple of lads singing a few rock classics as well as other songs on the train. Getting themselves into the mood for a night out, drinking alc, too.

Today I get up at 7 am in the morning which I find very hard. I'm still slightly shaky, when I stagger downstairs to breakfast in the great hall. It's the London trip day today, and I have to give a guided coach tour through the cities of London and Westminster. I give out maps of the London city centre on the coach that is due to arrive in London around 10:30am. Then I go through my notes again to make sure that I don't fuck my guided tour up, being a novice on that. It turns out to be all right. I now feel very relieved that I've done it :)
I've been to London quite a few times now, but this time I haven't got anything to do on my mind, really. I wander around and came across this really ... interesting bookshop near Aldwych: It is a bookshop with books on Vodoo, Witchcraft, Yoga, Healing power of herbs, Vampires, and similar... they also sell incense sticks.
Being still a bit bewildered from that recent experience I luckily find a Waterstone's with decent books. I get myself "A Florentine Death" by Michele Guittari, a sandwich and three bananas at a Tesco Express near Convent Garden. I stroll down to St. James' park and lie down on the grass. A few minutes later I am fast asleep. I only realise that I've been sleeping nearby Her Majesty's Residence Buckingham Palace, when a light British summer rain sets in. I then escape into the National Gallery in which I've never been before. At 5pm sharp I gather my teacher group nod them towards the coach and leave London. Isn't this a rather pleasant way to earn money?

day off, Cambridge University Press

Today I miss breakfast, but luckily I still have a banana sitting on a shelf in my room. Now, naturally, it doesn't exist any more.
At about 10am I get ready for a run through Cambridge. I jog out of the college and by the Cam, which is still in the city of course, but also quite green. The weather is just right - not too cold not too warm. Still, when I get back to the college I'm all sweaty and my head's as red as a tomato.
At 12:30pm I wait in front of Edinburgh building on the Cambridge University Press for an old friend and colleague to pick me up. We've arranged to meet for lunch on the site of CUP. It is brilliant to talk to him after such a long time!

One of the many buildings of the site

On the terrace of Cambridge University Press

Next I get a free tour of the company. We walk down the corridor of fame, as I'd call it, with the most renowned authors whose works the CUP has published. Only to give you an impression of whom I'm talking about:

James Clerk Maxwell

Raymond Murphy

Stephen Hawking

Noam Chomsky

Bertrand Russel

Ernest Rutherford

Then I walk into town to open an English bank account which turns out to be more complicated than I thought it'd be. Apart from my ID card they want a bank statement from my German bank to prove that I have a permanent address in Germany, oh well, why should they care? Now, I'm going to have dinner first and then see if I still find the energy to go to the pub later on.

dinner at Homerton college

You may or may not believe this, but only a few minutes ago I've had a nice English dinner at 5:30pm! Isn't that amazing? (No worries, I won't starve but get myself a meal later on this night ;)
Also the dining hall is the great hall of the college which is very impressive! For those of you who have read Harry Potter: Yes, it is exactly like that, except the big double door doesn't open with magic but electronically with a motion detecting sensor.

Homerton College of Cambrige University = my working place for August

Can you spot the double door that leads to the Great hall? (on the left)

All chairs in there have "respice finem" written on them which means "mind the end". This is taken from a Latin proverb: "Quidquid agis, prudenter agas, et respice finem." I actually knew that by heart thanks to the cool tutoring of Dr. Adalbert Nobis. Oh, and it means: "Whatever you do, do it wisely, and mind the end."

I found a place to stay at!

I call house #2  to let them know that I would like to move in and house #1 and #4 to turn them down, which was hard from the social point of view but fairly easy from the financial one. And yes!! I'm so glad that house #2 want me, too! This makes my day.At the same time it is my first day at work for the Bell teacher campus. I'd say this is definitely the next stage I've gotten onto here in various respects. One colleague of mine has offered me this job and I work together with him and the team. I recognise a few people who I met in '06, so I already feel very much being back "home" :).
Now this is the day where all new arrivals come in for the next two week course. Sometimes it gets a bit hectic, but basically my job is to give just below 200 teachers in total a friendly smile after their stressful journey.

Welcome to the Bell Teacher Campus! How was your trip? May I give you your welcome package, Sir? There will be an induction tomorrow at 9 am in the auditorium. Would you proceed to the porters over there, please? This is where you are going to receive your room keys if you live on site. Please feel free to ask any questions at any time...

I guess it would be impersonal if Bell had recorded this message and played it from tape, right? This goes on until 10pm, then I go straight to bed.

Birmingham, day 2

I get up fairly early and walk over to get some breakfast which wasn't too good. But anyway, internet access is for free even though it says 50 pence/half an hour. To be on the safe side, I don't ask them if this is they mean it seriously.
I'm still impressed with house #2. Anyway, I have about 30 pounds cash and I'm a bit annoyed when nationalrail.co.uk tells me that I have to pay another 44 pounds for a single fare to Cambridge.
Luckily when I walk down the road I bump into a coach station with National Express coaches. I get myself a ticket for a service to Cambridge at 3pm for 25 quid. Not too bad, ey? I decide to walk to house visit #4 for it seems pretty close to me near the University of Birmingham and the city centre. And indeed, it is.
I meet the landlord who's an extremely friendly chap who shows me around and explains me everything. I'm very impressed with the house. It was built in 1910 and each single room, even the attic, has got an own little fire place. Naturally the rents quite high. Not even does he introduce me to the house but also walks with me through the nearby wonderful park, explains me in which pub Oasis had their first ever live gig, and gives me a tour of my future university campus!
I very much like the university. All seems to be very modern and student-friendly. Each department has got it's own building and there's a high tower in the middle of it. Unfortunately you can't climb on it anymore, since a Japanese student committed suicide by jumping off it. I have the impression that someone couldn't handle exam period there. A shame, really, and also very selfish because now students can't climb it anymore, as I said. And not very nice to look at, I'd imagine.
Well, anyway. I walk back into the city centre and to the station. I find a foreign currency exchange bureau where I trade in my last remaining €s. Then I get myself a portion of chips refined with salt n vinegar, additionally a burger. British beef, of course. What else?
The coach to Cambridge is delayed so I wait for a bit. I've got a friendly driver again, who, unfortunately, drives like if he was in a race. So again, I caught a little sleep but not too much. Arriving in Cambridge near Parker's piece, I lend my mobile to a British lady to call her son to pick her up.

What do I owe you, my dear? - No, that's fine, thanks...

I have a trolley as luggage so I can drag it after me as I walk down Hills road, where I find Homerton college straight away. The porters show me to my room and I make myself comfortable. Since I'm too late for dinner I get myself some cheese, ham, rolls and a pack of nice olives in garlic sauce at the nearby supermarket. I don't find any Bell staff on site so I decide to go to sleep and see what tomorrow brings.

off across the channel again

It's Friday, 30th July 2010 and I set off from G-town to Dusseldorf Int Airport. My flight is scheduled for 7:05am GMT+1, and lasts for about one hour in which I ... sleep. Arriving in London Heathrow I go to the tube station straight away, Picadilly line in this case ("this is a Picadilly line service to Cockfosters"), change at Leicester square, go northbound via the northern line until I reach London Euston station which provides a direct rail link to Birmingham. I get there at around 9:30am GMT. Before I get on the train, I get myself the following English mobile no: 07587 531 112 at the nearby King's Cross St. Pancras International rail station. I then pay 40 pounds for a Virgin train single fare ticket to Birmingham New Street. On the train I contact various people regarding spare rooms and arrange meetings (I need somewhere to stay for my Erasmus year starting at the end of September). Also I go past a station of a town which's called like this:

A remarkable place :)

I arrive at Birmingham New Street Station (cloudy, occasional light rain fall) from where I take a taxi (nice driver, except he charged me 5 pounds for a distance that would have been worth 2 Pounds) to Central Backpackers Birmingham. The entrance hall of this youth hostel looks like a hippie-flatshare, nice chill out music, loads of cushions and comfy sofas, the receptionist was (presumably?) French and explains directions to me for my first property visit.

The woman studies somewhere like Malaysia? At least she's got Himalaya paintings up the walls in her house. She tells me to get bus no 50 on the phone which was followed up by a 20 min walk ~  If I'd taken bus no 3A straight away, as I had intended, it would have brought me straight to the doorstep...
Her younger daughter lives in the house and studies at UoB! Another PhD student who seems to be a little messy. She is all into arts and is running around on bare feet, she gets nervous when I ask her about heating: I should possibly only heat rooms in which I am, otherwise the energy bill would be too high - I would never have guessed!Then I go back to the city centre and have a greasy kebap for lunch.
Second flat:

The address is: [...], Bearwood. The best buses are 120,127,128 from Corporation Street(which is just by the New Street Staion if u arrive there), this 2min walk to the house. U can also take 9, 126, 138, 139,140 from Colmore Row(which is next to Snow hill station;both streets fairly close), but then is about 10min walk to the house. any difficulties just give me a call or text. good luck! (SMS)

I have difficulties to find bus stops to Bearwood, in exchange a very friendly bus driver – he shows me where to get off, then I ask for directions in the pub called Bear and they were very friendly but send me to the wrong place.
So I call the dweller of the house which has got an Italian accent but is Polish, very friendly and nice person also male flat mate who is EFL teacher. The third flat mate is not there. She lived in Italy for a few years.
As I walk down the road I happen to see this ad:

Deutschland, Deutschland über rated

Wow, for me being German this is quite an experience - in England it doesn't seem to bother anybody. It's a Nissan commercial - obviously they find it worth mentioning that some people think that German cars are the best ;) There's a similar one like this in which "sausages" play a role...
Finally, the third flat share is in a dodgy area near the city hospital and the neighbour picked me up with two little kids in the back of his car. He grows himself a straight A Taliban Beard. Then he shows me the flat which is a bit of a construction site. The kitchen seems to be old and stuffed with a lot of useless things.
I don't stay for long but walk back into the centre. There's a free dinner at the Centr. Backpackers prepared by an Italian girl. Some really tasty rice with tuna, tomato, corn, and similar stuff - cold though. I sit down at a table and a nice and intelligent (but fat) Aussie girl starts chatting to me. She and her friend (I'm afraid also...) do a Europe trip for 5 month. We go outside into a nice garden - they smoke a cigarette, I have a Carling for 2.50 pounds. After that I feel more dead than alive, it's been a long, long day. Hopefully a successful one... fingers crossed. Tomorrow I'm going to have a second house hunting round.