Salad Cream is NOT Salad Dressing

So, apart from clothes I also like food? And, Northern English food leaves something to be desired to put it nicely. There are a lot of heavy, bland creams, which to my experiences so far, do not add flavor, just calories it seems. Our dorm food is fine, it’s dorm food and I was never expecting a five star restaurant, it’s just funny to me how Americans seem the ones most interested in food. Restaurants are huge in the US and while, yes, there are tons and tons of restaurants here; something just seems a tad different. Americans may get the fat and dumb card, but geeze at least we get to taste the deliciousness of our ignorant caloric intake. Our dorm is also right on the curry mile, which is a loooong stretch of everything Indian you could ever imagine, yes, including curry. I would say there are open curry restaurants every 2 doors. It is baffling to me how they all stay open with so much competition. Here is where I really really wish I could like curry. I have tried it over and over and there is just something about the mushiness of it that I can’t get over. I think the turmeric taste also gets to me, that sort of bitter, sweet, dry-mouth-causing taste that lingers in the air just doesn’t taste satisfying to me, but I wish it did because my meal choices would get a lot easier, and a lot closer. Taking the bus the whole length of the curry mile is a very interesting experience because it does not feel as if you’re in England. Manchester is a big city with many different cultural influences, but the Middle East, India and parts of Asia are the most dominant. Dotting the curry mile is store after store selling brightly colored cloth adorned with beads, saris, and any kind of sandal one could imagine. (going back to fashion)
North of where our dorms are located on the curry mile is the city centre, which as I mentioned the other day, I am in love with. The grand hotels and gothic buildings make an awesome skyline mixed in next to the very English looking buildings with different colored shutters. Plus the English department stores are so awesome. Marks and Spencers, for example is what I would compare to a Dillards, but with a supermarket in it! Come get a new outfit for work, or a cocktail dress, need any groceries while you’re here? Such a different kind of store. Then there is Primark. I have yet to see something I would deem “expensive” at Primark, and I’m cheap. Primark consists of three wonderfully large floors packed to the brim with extremely cute clothes, millions of shoes, etc. all for an average of $10 each. When I first entered the double doors off of Picadilly square I was overwhelmed by the vastness of cuteness, and stores don’t overwhelm me often. Ahh, I just love it. Anyway, where I was going with my city centre speech, trying to stay on my topic today about food, is that also downtown is a China town. I have yet to see it with my own eyes, but I know it exists and I cannot wait to explore this unknown gem (and maybe get some sesame chicky?).

Even though Manchester’s food is just short of awful, I still like it ☺ and I’m warming up to the fact that I am in a city. An actual, gritty, industrial, city, pretty much alone. This fact is kind of nice for me to reflect on because this will probably be one of the only times in my life I will be a live-in explorer in a foreign city alone. Yes, I am a little lonely, I miss Michael, my friends, and it kills me to not be with my family, especially yesterday at my grandpa’s funeral ---- Rest in peace Pa --- but a funny thing is, that I came here with a slight inclination that I would be exploring alone. I don’t know how I felt it, but it turns out our group isn’t the sort of “buddy buddy” kind, and it’s nice because I think Manchester has some things to teach me; I already feel like I’ve learned so much. How to get around on public transit, for one. The last time I saw my grandpa I said, “I’m sorry but I won’t be able to see you for a month” and his reply, in his “teach me something voice”, was, “That’s okay, that’s not a big deal, don’t you worry about me. Amanda needs to take care of Amanda.” And that line stayed with me, I thought about it the next day, I thought about it on the airplane, and I thought about it when I got here, because it’s so true. You have to figure out who you are first and be okay with that person, and now how to handle yourself in any kind of situation life throws at you before you can add anyone else in the mix. This is why I feel so grateful for having the opportunity to do this kind of study abroad, I am teaching myself how to be me in a place that doesn’t know me, where no one knows me, my teachers don’t know me, and (to borrow a line from my professor), it’s kind of great! I did have this similar experience in Costa Rica, but every tiny detail was planned out there and we were constantly working, here it’s just me for a little while. I also should mention how wonderful my professors are so far. Our poetry teacher is absolutely hilarious, while at the same time so inspiring. I like to think of him as a disheveled English man/yoga teacher/comedian/person at a random bus stop that you could talk to like an old friend.

Speaking of old friends, Morgan and Katie come to visit next week and I can’t wait to show you guys around!!

I am posting a slide show of pics from the Manchester Museum I explored by myself the other day and I loved it. Tons of animal exhibits and the Egyptian wing was fab. I can’t wait to go back. Cheers!