Friday 31 January 2014

Hugs (not drugs)

1/31/14
So. Tired. Just...yeah.
The past few days have been packed full of fun and adventures! This school week I definitely failed at blogging but there's really only so much that I can say about me reading textbooks and going to class. However, Wednesday night we got to go see Henry V starring Jude Law! I'm pretty sure that most of the girls in our group only wanted to see Jude and had no clue what was going on but nonetheless, I enjoyed him and Shakespeare. Speaking of, Thursday morning started off with us meeting super early and heading over to Stratford On Avon the birthplace and grave of Shakespeare. That afternoon we got to see Wendy and Peter Pan  preformed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, it was so good! I cried. Alisan, stop judging me. This show is different from Peter Pan and focuses on Wendy more as the central character and her story of dealing with the grief of the loss of her younger brother. The rest of the day we spend going around the town and looking at little shops, Stephanie and I ended up having tea in a little 40s themed restaurant called "The Four Teas", get it?! Hilariousness. The whole group met together and we had dinner at "The Dirty Duck", sounds appetizing right? It was pretty good  except for the gross smell of fish and chips that enveloped the whole place. I feel bad for complaining about the staple meal that these people eat but seriously its a problem. Emily ended up just playing with her food...
"NO PEAS"
We spent the night in Stratford at adorable little Bed and Breakfasts and this morning I even had my first true English breakfast complete with tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, bacon (really just ham), and of course tea. Then we went to Anne Hathaway's cottage, the wife of Shakespeare not the actress :), and got to look around her place for a little bit. It was so cute and quaint but also very touristy, haha.
Once we left the Hathaway's we went to the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was baptized, married and eventually buried. Now I'm not sure if I'm just getting tired of looking at old things and old dead people but for some reason I was just not feeling it today! (I know blasphemy.) Anyways, we then went to "The Birthplace" which was Anne and William's first home together as well as where William was born. Sadly we were practically running through the house so that we could make it back to the coach in time to make our Oxford tour. It's kind of a blur now but I do remember one of the guides quoting us part of Hamlet from a cat's point of view, needless to say it was brilliance. While still in Stratford I got to briefly run into a Christmas shop that was called "The Nutcracker", Dad you probably would have died from excitement. I ended up with a little nutcracker ornament, he's so cute!
This is obviously not the ornament... :)
Our coach then headed off to Oxford and we went on a tour there! Outside, in the rain, and wind, and not so weather-proof jacket that I had, and canvas tennis shoes, with no umbrella. I'm still defrosting but despite the frigid weather I think most of us had a good time touring the University and seeing a few of the sites used for Harry Potter movies. Because of the weather though I only took out my camera once, to take a picture of the first theology building founded on campus, priorities people! 
Once our very wet tour was over we just wandered around Oxford until it was time to head back to London. I'm sad that I didn't really get to enjoy Oxford the way I would have liked but once your shoes are wet from the inside out there's really no making the day better. We are now back in London and things are drying over the heaters, my flatmates have all gone somewhere or another and it gives me time to be alone in the quiet. I've recently realized something about travel, part of what makes it so fun is going places with the people that you love. While I am definitely making friends here and they're all great people they're not my best friend or my sister, my mom or dad. I can't tell you how many times a day I want to laugh with my sisters or call Rebecca, I want to share this experience with someone other than my camera. Yeah yeah, I can hear you all telling me to stop having a pity party for myself and I hear ya loud and clear. It's not like I'm not having fun by the way! However, it has been over 2 weeks since I've had a hug and I am having serious withdrawal. I've heard that it takes 9 "positive human physical interactions" to keep a person sane, ya know a handshake, hive five, hug, pat on the back, whatever...although hugs are my personal favorite. There are no hugs in this country (the smashing together with strangers on the tube does not count) and I think that my sanity is in serious danger. Basically all that to say that I miss y'all and your arms and that I'm going crazy. Future husband, you have been warned. 
Seriously missing you all, 
Lydia 

2 comments:

  1. Aw. Lydia, I love this post. I'm feeling you. We are in a country with lots of cramming together, but no love. Last week I gave someone a hug on the street, but they smelled truly terrible. Not the same. And last night, Alex came to me and said, "Please can you just hug me." Ha ha ha. Oxford was tough. And usually I like being alone in London, but today was just so busy everywhere, I wanted to be in my parent's acres behind there house in Potosi, Texas. And just see dead grass and dirt. Ha ha ha and not people rushing to get everywhere.

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    1. Absolutely, we need to show them how to slow down and appreciate things! Including people! I also second Alex's need for a janelle hug :)

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