With my first semester drawing to a close I’m already meet with this feeling of sadness. I can’t believe this is going by so fast. It’s December but it seems like I just arrived. The year is just going to be up too soon. That’s not to say that I don’t miss my friends and family, (I’m not slagging you off) it’s just that I love the little life I have created for myself her in England.

There are small things that I have really come to love about Hull, and for me it’s always the little things that I value. For example I love Monday evenings at Hull Screen. It’s the Independent Cinema run by the city council. Every week a new Independent, Foreign, or just cool film is shown there (sometimes in Digital even). Of course that is right up my alley, but that’s not exactly why I love it. I love it because as you enter the building you are actually ushered by women in uniform as I imagine was the norm 30 years ago. I love it because they only charge me 3 quid. I love it because the seating music is 1920’s big band with all its crackle and charm. I love it because you can bring your own food and drinks; coffee with baileys, and cheese and crackers are among my favorite. And I love it because it’s a hidden gem. Sometimes I am the only person who isn’t there as part of a senior citizen’s night out. Not that I mind sharing, I’ve already turned several locals on to the place. But I think I love it most because I can imagine my friends from home there. Beau and Carrie in the back row as often as they’d get the chance, Daniel and Devon coming in late and hurriedly finding seats and discussing the film meaning afterwards, Randee and Natalie bundled up in baggy winter wear stealing sly drinks from 40 ounces of something, and Cristy, Amy, and Melissa sharing a bottle of wine and baguette between them. Sometimes I think I can almost see their faces in the dark.

Or there are my other haunts, places where I pass days in comfort. The 5th floor of the library building, where I get free Internet, am surrounded by films and great classical literature, and most importantly get to watch the cityscape bathed in pink and before retreating into the purple-then-black night. I’m there almost every day to do homework checking email. There is also my sitting room; the place once banished for being “grandma like” but is now is my favorite rooms in the house. The transition occurred when I discovered that the odd 80’s looking wooden box in that room was actually a gas fireplace. Now if I’m at home I am typically in front of it, reading, studying, musing, de-thawing, etc. Or there is Nathan’s house, where I am always met with smiles, jokes, coffee, and often home cooked meals. Helga’s (the affectionate or not-so-affectionate nickname given to his mother) dinners are the one time where I actually feel like I’m eating a proper meal. Full on veggies, Yorkshire pudding, roast, potatoes, and pools of gravy. It’s amazing how a good meal make you feel at home or reminds you of a childhood spent ‘round the dinner table. I wonder if it is more the eating dinner with a family then the food itself that makes it feel right. Like something subconscious is ingrained to make you believe that this is how teatime should be spent.

That’s not to say however that I don’t know where to fend for myself when it comes to food. I have spider web grids of where to get what for cheap, a collection of what is delicious and what is economical. The Zoo Café for hippy food, vegan meals, and the best thick sliced and organic homemade bread you can imagine. Jaws for hot sandwiches if only because the older woman who owns the place has taken a liking to me and gives me extra portions when I stop in. Matt’s Deli for fresh, cheap, and delicious baguettes that I eat almost daily. Jericho for a huge container of olives, garlic, and feta costing only a pound. Coopland’s for Brandy Butter Mince Pies… also known as heaven in a mini-tin-foil pan. Waitrose for any time I want to treat myself to something gourmet and exotic. Last time I bought Rosy Pink Peppercorn Goat’s Cheese, White Stilton with Apricot, Pumpkin Humus, and steamed apples in a wine sauce. Even with a place like Waitrose it’s just a matter of knowing how to spend your money. Looking for bargains and cutting corners gives me great pleasure.

This is true also of buying clothes. I like almost everything I see in clothing stores, which a new experience to me. In the States I had to search hard to find stuff I really liked and then look even harder to find things I liked AND could afford. That is not the case here. Any store that sells men’s clothes is bound to have many things I like. My style is apparently very English. With so much selection however I can just go to the clearance section, thrift stores, or the like and find much to chose from. It’s great. I just bought a big wool overcoat for this winter weather.

Or there is just the fact that England feels like the gateway to the whole world. You literally have unlimited travel possibilities at your fingertips. If you know where to look you can get round trip airfare to almost any part of Europe for less than price of a nice dinner. You can travel just for the heck of it. Had a bad day? How about spending the evening in France? It’s such a liberating feeling, especially to someone who has a keen sense of adventure. I can just get up and go whenever I fancy. Rather than just talk about it I decided I would actually go for it. So after my exam next week I am going to Dublin for two days then Nice France for 4. Roundtrip airfares, taxes, fees, hostel, and hotel all being under £80. I’ll be sleeping 5 minutes from the French Rivera for less than it’d cost me in gas money to get from Lakewood to Seattle. I just can’t wrap my head around it, how does RyanAir or EasyJet make any money? Not that I’m complaining.

I mean, how could I be ready to end my adventure, I’m really only just getting settled into it? Luckily I still have something like 6 months to not think about it….