Norfolk Terrace, UEA, Norwich, Day 138. Ten
Days’ Notice/ The Photo Shoot
It has been confirmed. I leave in ten days,
not sixteen. Sunday, June 3rd at 11am I will be leaving London’s Heathrow
Airport for Sacramento, California in the US.
I’m
leaving earlier than I initially intended for a few reasons. One, I’ve been
done with exams and school for 16 days and my Edinburgh trip was designated to
be my last. So the two big reasons for studying abroad, studying and traveling,
have come to an end. Of course, there really is more to studying abroad than that—there
are the people you meet. But many are leaving. International friends of mine
are leaving, one by one (i.e. Days 134 and 135), and my flat will be coming to
its last breath as a full flat in the next week. I have other friends as well,
but even they are beginning to head home for the summer too. And by leaving at
the same time as the flat’s Continental Drift (ha, but really: Wilson to China,
me to US, Jen to Wales, Dan to another part of England [Devon], etc.), I feel
like I can leave on a strong note before more people break off and go their
ways (around the world).
There
are also other reasons, of course: Katya. Family. Being home for a month
instead of three weeks (that is, before summer school July 2nd in
Berkeley). I couldn’t help but think about all this when my dad told me
yesterday on the phone that he and Mom had discovered that the ticket was
refundable. As much as I have grown to really love this place, UEA, the people,
Norwich, England, I know that even good things come to an end and that the
friendships I have made won’t be that much changed if I leave a week early.
They are made already.
Now
the clock is on. Time to make the most of ten days.
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| Photo Shoot Team |
Like yesterday’s celebratory fun, today had a
good beat to it. I did abs, ran, showered, shaved, and did errands. Check. I
was ready for my photo shoot. Marika was my photographer. The setting consisted
of various areas around campus: in the square, outside the library, on the
lake, next to the terraces (yup, Norfolk Terrace), and in the wild with trees
and baby bunnies in and out their burrowed holes. Sporting my navy blue UEA
T-shirt, which I am still wearing as I type this, I smiled and seemed to take
better photos with my hands up or animated than down and stiff at my side. I
really appreciated Marika’s willingness to help me out. As much as I probably
would do this sort of thing without cause, I actually needed photos of me on
campus for my scholarship testimonial. At the end, Marika and I grabbed
smoothies from the fruit bar in the Hive, above the Union Pub/adjacent to the
LCR, and then headed back to Norfolk Terrace. She showed me her window view
from her room, and then I returned to my block.
Tonight
I got to meet Marie’s date, from a few nights ago, Steve. Now I need to explain
a little background. There is a Stephen in the flat and she dated this Stephen weeks
and weeks back, but they had a falling out. This Steve is…I’m afraid I did not
learn what he studies, but he is a football goalie and gets along great with
people, from what I can tell (I mean, hey, I got along great with him). He made
a good first impression.
I
skyped both Katya and my dad today—it felt like Sunday Skype and I was loving
it.
Only
bad thing is the late hour upon which I type this in Microsoft Word. Early
bedtimes are really my greatest weakness. Good night.
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| There were moments like this where I just had to take a picture. |
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| And this too. |
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