Goodbye Norwich

Well tonight is not only my last night in mine and Taylor's flat but also our last night in the UK.  This year has both gone by extremely quickly and at a snails pace. Our bags are all packed (which was a task in itself, due to the fact that a year of our lives must be packed into two suitcases weighing 50 lbs each), the flat is cleaned and today we said our goodbyes.  We had a small going away party at a local pub and so many wonderful friends showed up.  This year has given both Taylor and myself wonderful memories, and friendships that I think will endure being long distance. 

Living in England (specifically getting my Masters here) has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager.  I'm so proud that not only did I get accepted into grad schools here, but I also completed the course.  It was freaking stressful, difficult and many times I think I went slightly mad, but it was also educational and enjoyable.  This year has been one of the best, not only have I met so many lovely new people, but I have been able to explore my favourite country with my favourite person.  Taylor moved with me to England without ever having visited the country, and he was scared (for obvious reasons), but he has grown to love England, and can't wait to move back. It was amazing to take him to various sites and museums that brought me so much joy, but also introducing him to British culture.  We are both going to miss cheap ale at pubs, crazy flavoured ciders, afternoon tea, fish and chips (Taylor enjoyed this and not me), Quorn, puddings, cups of English breakfast tea and so much more. 

Tomorrow is going to be hell.  We have to take a two hour train to London, lug our suitcases onto the tube for 1.5 hours and then board a plane for 8 hours that arrives at 2am British time.  Hopefully I have packed enough British sweets in our bags to keep us alive on the flight, but at least when I get home I have 3 cats to snuggle (well one will not be snuggling me) and one puppy (who seems to have the qualities of a goat). 


It's been a wonderful year.  I cannot wait till the day I can move back to this country!

Gradschool is done!!!

I know I haven't been very active, but once I got back to the UK I worked non-stop on my dissertation, after a month end I decided to COMPLETELY change my topic (I went from conservation at the National Trust to studying the displaying of ancient Egyptian human remains in museums) From July-August I worked 6 days a week 9 hours a day researching and writing my dissertation, with my other day spent working at my part-time job.  Handing in my paper has been the best feeling ever! I have dreamed for years of not only moving to England, but moving to England to complete my Masters degree.  I can proudly say that I have completed this, although I can't officially say it till November, I completed my Masters degree in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies.

Since handing in my paper Taylor and I have spent the rest of September roaming England.  First we went to Billericay, Essex to see Margaret and Ken (distance relatives) who are some of the nicest people Taylor and I have ever met.  They made us feel as home, and showed us around their beautiful town, a beautiful village called Saffron Walden,while also taking us to the 16th century heritage home Audley End.

Margaret, myself and Taylor

Billericay

Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden

 

 

Saffron Walden

After this adventure, Taylor and I headed to Scotland! We flew there (which was pretty cheap and only took an hour, compared to the 7 hour train ride).  We stayed with my friend Steph (who studied at the UEA, and is now doing her PhD at the University of Edinburgh), who met us near the Royal Mile.  Her flat is beautiful, with a lovely view of the castle.  We only had a few days there so we were BUSY! We went to the Elephant cafe (where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book).  The toilets are an adventure in themselves.  There is graffiti on every surface with inspirational messages about the books. 

Even the mirrors were covered

After, we visited the National Gallery of Scotland, where I avoided the mummy exhibit and headed straight for the Mary Queen of Scots special exhibition.  It was really well done, with lots of wonderful objects that I have always wanted to see.  We weren't supposed to take pictures, but I didn't find this out till the end.  Opps.

These dolls were replicas of portraits and I want to own all of them!

We also wondered around the famous grey friars cemetery before meeting up with Steph for dinner and I had haggis! Well, vegetarian haggis.  But, it was delicious! I must make it when I return home.  The next day Taylor and I headed to the zoo! It was a very Scottish day-cloudy, and rainy.  We went directly to see the pandas, but the girl panda did not like the rain and so she was inside.  But, we saw some penguins who kept swimming up to us and playing with the shadow of our 'brolly in the glass.  After we wandered around the zoo (which was not busy at all) to see some monkeys, koalas, bears and the most evil animal alive-the Cassowary! Taylor tried to agitate it, and it worked, the thing kept coming closer and closer to us, making this terrifying noise.  I'm sure it wanted to kill me.

So playful!

EVIL!

Taylor and his family

We then decided to go back and try to see the panda.  It was cold and rainy, and we just stood there waiting for her.  We waited 40 minutes with nothing happening.

This is our tired of waiting face

By this time I was ready to go, so Taylor told me to wait there while he threw a penny in the wishing well in the hopes that he could wish the panda out.  A few moments after he left the panda just barely came through her doorway.  Soon she was completely

outside in her complex, sitting atop her tree house resting.  She was beautiful! I have waited so long to see a panda in person, and it was worth it.  She was massive, but gorgeous.  I wanted to snuggle her.  We stared at her for a bit before finally leaving. Our next stop was Hollyrood Palace!

On the way to the palace, Taylor and I stopped in on a bakery that had Nanimo bars!!! Seriously, no one knows what they are here, I have made a few batches for friends, who did not know what they were, but loved them.  The palace was breathtaking.  Unfortunately, you couldn't take photos inside, so you will have to visit it for yourself.   After, we rested at Steph's flat before going out for a dinner at a vegetarian restaurant. 

We took a flight back to Norwich the next day.  Overall, I fell in love with Edinburgh and would love to go back (and I would not be opposed to moving there one day either....)

This is why Scotland is awesome

My next post, will sadly be my last one in England

So far...

After Blickling Hall my life was boring.  Taylor did return from Canada, but we both had the flu when he returned so it wasn't anything special.  In April I had two papers due within a week of each other so I had no life.  And for the majority of May I had an 8,000 word paper to finish in 20 days.  I went a little crazy for those 20 days, I'm not going to lie.  But, I got the paper done early and got a damn good mark on it.  After the assignment was due I had a week of freedom before I flew home to Toronto for a wee vacation.  In Toronto I had a blast! I got to see all my friends and family, there was sunshine and nice weather, I got to snuggle my cats and most importantly, I got to meet Ms. Ruby.

How could you not fall in love with that adorable face?! As Taylor can tell you, I had my reservations about meeting her.  I was either afraid I wouldn't care about her (because she wasn't Luna) or that I would look at her and see the Goo-Goo.  Luckily, this wasn't the case.  She doesn't look like Luna, she is more lizard like in appearance.  And no offense to my darling Luna, Ruby wasn't as crazy and Luna was as a puppy.  So I fell in love with her and we are now BFFs.


When I returned to Norwich, two hours after my arrival Hanna showed up! We were both exhausted from being awake for 24 hours and jet lagged.  So we spent the day doing nothing, except going to the grocery store (she appreciated the giant aisle of British chocolates).

Afternoon Tea!

The first couple of days were spent wandering around Norwich.  I took her to Biddy's for afternoon tea and she fell in love.  She is now obsessed with scones and clotted cream (who wouldn't be). We visited Elm Hill (the street where all the buildings are from the 16th century), went shopping, ate at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, saw the Cathedral, went to a pub and basically just enjoyed ourselves.  On one of the days here we randomly discovered a new oddities and curiosity shop we have never seen before.  We walked in and I knew it was the place for me.

Taylor began talking to the young guy who owns the shop and in the backroom Hanna spots an owl.  Now, I thought she meant a stuffed owl.  But when I looked there was a real, giant owl (tethered on a long piece of rope) in the back room.  We found out the owl is 29 years old and the guy who owns the store grew up with the owl. It made the best noises....

Next time...our trip to London!

Blickling Hall

I'm in the beginning stages of researching for my dissertation, so I'm going a little crazy and decided I might as well post about my placement.

For our program we are expected to do a 14 day placement at a museum or heritage site of our choosing (with a very long management plan about the site to follow).  Because I couldn't afford to go to London for two weeks, I figure the next best thing was the National Trust Property Blickling Hall.  Blickling Hall is a 17th century property on roughly 5,000 acres of land.  The original building was in fact the site where Anne Boleyn was born and spent a few years so it's a famous site. In fact every 19 May(the day Anne Boleyn was executed) tons and tons of visitors show up to witness Anne Boleyn's headless ghost return to the site in a carriage pulled by a headless horseman.  Yeah, there are a lot of ghost stories about this site, but I sincerely doubt any of them are true.

  

 

The travelling to the site every day in March (when it was still freaking cold here in the UK) was difficult, I began by walking to the bus stop to take a 30 minute bus ride through the country.  The bus stopped at a small market town called Aylsham.  From there I then walked 25 minutes.  The walk began through a cemetery, then I walked along country roads with cars flying by and then for the majority of the journey I was on a dirt/grass horse path.  Sometimes along this journey pheasants (I'm terrified of birds in case you forgot) would randomly cross my path and I had to stop, walk away, until the bird wandered off.  So yes, that was my twice a day (unless one of the employees gave me a ride to Aylsham) daily commute. 

The Great Hall

Anyways, I greatly enjoyed my two weeks there, every day I was doing something different (from working with  marketing, to shadowing the house steward, dealing with volunteers, cleaning and configuring a 18th century dinning room setting, and dealing with daily conservation).  I also got to see rooms that the public doesn't view, learn little secrets and get really close to the beautiful objects.  The placement was probably the most useful (in a career aspect) part of my program. 

Back from the dead

It's been a realllly long time since I last posted.  I have no life, like seriously, my life is writing essays.  Usually when I am writing a paper in my spare time I really don't feel like sitting in front of my laptop writing more.  What has happened since I last wrote? Taylor went away for a month and left me all alone.  But thankfully my parents (not just daddy, but also mom!) came to visit me for two weeks.  I was able to show dad around Norwich (we went to Biddys, Jamie Oliver's restaurant and wandered the streets).  I also opened my first exhibition (although it was small, it is still an exhibition!)

My parents and myself at my exhibition opening

Me and the other CURATORS!!!!

'Indian Kitchen'

'Indian Kitchen'

We also got to visit Cambridge (holy shit, it's beautiful there, I want to to live there forever) We got to visit a museum full of taxidermy, things in jars and animal skeletons! My kind of place.  We event went punting (even though it was freezing!)

Baby hippo

Then myself, my parents and my friend Charlene went to see the studio tour of Harry Potter.  It was incredible!!! They had every set, almost every costume and butterbeer! It was absolutely freezing out, but at least the majority of it was inside. 

My parents left and I spent March writing papers.  In April Mr. Taylor came home and we were both horribly ill so we spent the first two weeks doing nothing. 

Next time: My Placement

The adventure to Peterborough and the train ride from hell

On January 26th Taylor and I took a trip up to Peterborough to visit the Cathedral which was celebrating Katharine of Aragon (who is buried there).  It was a beautiful, sunny day (which is rare here) and the train ride up took about 1.5 hours.  Peterborough  is a really small town, but beautiful.  The town square consists of a really old church in the centre and further along is the beautiful cathedral. 

Town Square

The Cathedral and tiny little me!

Since this day was honouring Katharine of Aragon there was people dressed in period costumes telling you about food, weapons, and various other Tudor things.  There was also people dressed up as Henry VIII and Katharine of Aragon, with Tudor minstrels, and guards in livery.  We wandered around the Cathedral just looking at the breathtaking architecture. 

Since I discovered Tudor history I have always been fascinated with Katharine of Aragon.  Many people assume that my favourite historical person is Henry VIII, but they would be wrong, it's Katharine of Aragon.  She was such a strong willed, intelligent woman.  I mean how many woman are known to have stood their ground against Henry VIII and his ministers? Not many.  Not only that, but she was raised by one of the fiercest warrior queens in European history and as the  regent of England while Henry VIII was in France she planned a battled against the Scots that got the King of Scotland killed! She is amazing.  I have always wanted to go to Peterborough Cathedral to see her grave and never thought it was possible so it was absolutely spectacular to be able to visit it in person.

I'm a nerd, I brought my Henry VIII and Katharine dolls for a cute little photoshoot.

After I visited the grave there began a huge show of Henry VIII and Katharine of Aragon processing through the Cathedral and then hearing "petitions" from the audience, as well as the audience learning how to properly address and king and hearing Tudor music. After I got to take some photos with the re-enactors.

After this event Taylor and I had a few hours to kill before our train ride so we got some lunch and then wandered around the small town.  Then the real adventure began.  We got on the train at 7:30 and after about 30 minutes of not departing we got an announcement that there was a signal problem along the route and we would be stuck here for a little bit. At 9pm we are told there is still a problem and they will order us taxis to take us to our destination.  So we wait for the taxis in the pouring rain and they arrive, the one heading to Norwich was a giant one for like 10 people, but there was 12 of us.  So Taylor being the idiot/gentleman that he is offered two young ladies to go and we would wait for the next one.  Problem was, they didn't order another taxi.  So after frantically speaking to the train staff (who were rude and unhelpful) we found out there were no more taxis and we would need to take a train departing at 10:30, switch at some town and then go to Norwich.  So the train was full of drunks on one end and very cranky people on the other.  After all this we finally got back to our flat at 1a.m and I had to go right to bed as I worked the next morning at 9:45.