As it is, I have now just been in Durham for just over a week, and thus am possibly in a position to engage in introspection. I tend to overly abuse the generous allotment of introspection afforded to the sane portion of the human race, so it's nice that in this day and age, outlets like this exist where one can bloviate without having to be self-conscious about it.
Durham University is as beautiful as it looks in the pictures, as long as those pictures aren't taken by yours truly. Coming from Singapore, the weather is quite a bit colder, but there is a lovely bracing feeling that comes with it as well. Every bitter wind which batters my cold, weary body reminds me not only that I am actually in this lovely country, but also that I should probably have put on my coat. I once made a post about London - that was a different blog, a long time ago - and to say that Durham is an entirely different kettle of fish altogether will not be stretching it; in fact, one of the wonderful things about Durham is I'm not entirely sure that the kettle of fish is purely metaphorical.
The locals are amazingly genuine. I have mentioned on several occasions to the people around me that the Geordie accent just makes me feel all warm inside. On one occasion it may have been indigestion, but for the most part it just feels a lot more sincere and unabashed to me. Hearing the night man - Martin I think his name was - speak made me smile in part because it sounded so local, although to be fair another part of it was just because I couldn't understand what he was saying and was just trying to be polite.
One thing that I get asked about a lot by my family is whether or not the food's good. To that, I state that I trust anything the kitchen staff make that isn't South-East or East Asian in origin. The fact is that I just don't know enough about foreign cuisine to know what is or isn't good. I am, however, in a position to judge at least some of the other foods, and of course the question is why come all the way over here and eat something you have fonder memories of at home? Admittedly, there is a certain pleasure that comes from criticizing the food here and reminiscing about how much better it is in your home country, but I think I'll reserve that pleasure for when I'm 80 and reminisce about how it was 60 years ago instead.
I have met many amazing people here, undergraduate and postgraduate alike. Everyone is incredibly friendly (as long as you can summon the nerve to make the first move), and most of them have at least a passing interest in what I have to say about Singapore, so conversations usually last at least two minutes. I find it slightly easier to make friends with international students, not least because they too come from completely different cultures and so we can hold a conversation for approximately four minutes instead. I exaggerate, of course, but I must admit to finding it just a little difficult to make friends with some of the UK students from time to time, although in all fairness this is partly because most of them already have friends of their own whom they talk to, and who can fault that? So I make my 50-second pitch about how Singapore's a lovely place and they really should visit it one day (who says I don't do my part for my country?) and then move on. What I really enjoy, though, is chatting up people from China and put my oft-lamented Chinese skills to terrible use. I mean, I can understand how it must feel being apart from your home country and being surrounded by a bewildering number of people speaking extremely rapidly in a tongue you only just have the basics of: after all, I did have a transfer flight in Germany. In all seriousness, I think making someone's day just by giving them an outlet to talk comfortably is the best feeling ever bar chocolate, which I can't have too much of.
Oh, that's right, I've lost my voice. The weather here is dry, and the humidifier really isn't working as amazingly as I hoped it would. The habit I have of singing to myself when I'm alone has done wonders for my throat. A lot of the food is fried, because it cooks more easily that way, and I've been suckered into every hash brown and battered fish they've served to date. It's a pity, because I'd originally planned on maybe trying out for the choir here, but I think it's probably best I try something else anyway. It's not just about how dry the air is, but also the fact that I actually do plan on taking part in as many volunteer/pro bono activities as I can reasonably cope with.
Speaking of the food again, I'm reminded of how stupid I feel now not bringing anything to cook. They have kitchens... after a fashion. In the Hild Gym Block where I stay, we have a passable common room, but I've been to the Hild building and they have everything you need to cook whatever you want as long as you have the utensils (or appliances) for it. Obviously, there isn't a wood oven, but then I don't actually know of any use I'd ever have for one anyway. That's one of the main reasons I want to stay in a house with people next year, really: it's great fun cooking for them, and there's the added advantage of possibly giving them dysentery the next day if you can't actually cook. Of course, that might be a little short-sighted seeing as how everyone probably shares the same bathrooms. Except you, of course, because after that little fiasco you've probably already been evicted.
I have been going on walks around town in the morning: something I have never actually done while in Singapore. Sometimes I feel like a tourist, and then I feel a little embarrassed, but also strangely proud. Coming to this University has been a blast so far, and I've made plenty of friends (I hope?). I think the wonder hasn't worn off for me yet, and I hope it never will.
Post a Comment