Different kind of Melting Pot.

'Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.'

~Seneca

Time flies.  My sincere apologies for the delay of my second blog post.  It has now been just under a months time since I arrived on UK soil.  As you all know I am here to get my masters and coach at the very prestigious Durham University.  English University's have a tradition that is novel to Americans or most international students for that matter.  The University essentially divides up the students and allocates them to a specific college.  Each student is a member of a college - with a dining hall, bar, support systems, commons rooms etc.  I am the proud Sports Coach Resident at Grey College.  Grey is awesome besides the fact that it sits on one of the highest points in Durham (aka I have to walk up a serious and steep %$*&# hill multiple times a day!!!  At least my legs will look nice and the exertion blocks my cognizance of the actual outside temperature).   Durham is a quaint town with some remarkable history and views that I get to experience from my Grey College window.  

Luckily, I have so-far experienced very good weather for the typically rainy and overcast country.  Despite the fact that the leaves were changing and falling weeks ago we have been fortunate to have a few days of sunbathing sunshine.  Here are a few pictures I have captured on the British Mobile of Durham, early fall at Grey, the sunrise one my way to the pitch during preseason - superb, some of the spectacular views: 

An early Fall

7 am preseason start - motivation

Castle

Town: these ppl drive on the wrong damn side

river

 

To play on my previous blog I want continue educating my followers and share some more observations of the English dialect.  We are supposed to speak the same language but sometimes I can't help but ask 'are you taking a piss?!'.  In America this would obviously be asking someone if they are going to the bathroom or urinating.  Some foreshadowing or indicators being over consumption of alcohol, over hydration, pant-lowering, the sound of a faucet - you get the point.  However, apparently this can be translated into 'are you f'in kidding me?' in British English.  How this expression came about I'm not really sure.  Although this saying may not become part of my everyday conversation there are a few others that have already started to squeak out unconsciously.  But the words that I have adopted may only be because they are over used.  I do fancy some - fancy being one.  Quite is another.  Quite honestly is an overused combo (Anna Derrick can be awarded for this one).  Keen is overused.  Lastly, appreciate is a common substitute for understand - 'I appreciate that y'all (tribute to my southern folk) have obligations to attend to...'.  So in summary:

'taking a piss' = 'are you f'in kidding me'

Fancy = like 

quite --> quite honesty overused

keen --> overused  

appreciate - understand

The Durham Wildcats - my team! - had a smashing win last Sunday!  We want to succeed as bad as we need to breath.  We will keep getting after it on the pitch, during fitness and in the weight room.  Here is an article from the Nothern Echo - the newspaper distributed in NE England prior to our match:  

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9282578.Wildcats_hope_for_FA_Cup_victory/

I have done a bit of traveling as well.  I took the train into the city of Newcastle to shop and have dinner with Hannah and Gemma - my two want to be Americans.  We had dinner on the water just a little ways past the Tyne Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.  Here was our view:

Millennium Bridge

Tyne Bridge

Preseason is through, the Wildcats have claimed our first FA cup victory, I have moved into my permanent accommodations, I have experienced 'Love Shack' or the other Durham's version of good old 'Shooters' [except this night life arena is lacking a mechanical bull and is packed with much more attractive accents ;) ], I have wandered into the city of Newcastle and officially started my masters programme.  Embracing a land of culture and opportunity.   

From across a pond

'Be yourself.  The world worships the original.' 

 - Ingrid Bergman

Upon request from a few special someone's I have decided to start a blog about my new chapter.  With that being said I would also like to provide forewarning that this blog will be written very naturally without any inhibitions.  In other words, it's going to be me.  Like my girls Ellen and Chelsea have done so famously - I want my blog, my words, to embody my personality traits, my humor, my intelligence, my beauty and my quirkyness if you will ;).  

As many of you know I have recently packed my bags and headed over a small pond to begin a new chapter.  Last Friday, September 9th, I hopped on a flight from JFK and ended my 13 hour journey in Durham, England.  I have been offered a scholarship from Durham University to pursue my masters in business management, be the assistant coach of their women's football (to my liking I have been banned from calling the game 'soccer' in this country) team, and to have one more year of playing the game I love.  I have been beyond excited to get the wheels rolling on this journey.  Better yet, my feet moving on and off the pitch (car-less accommodations).   

University sport in the UK is nothing like American athletes are used to in the states.  Durham university only has 4 full-time coaches in the entire athletics department [virtually unimaginable in the states], majority of the facilities are shared with the general student body and even the public [community bonding...] and gear, besides kits, is supplied on your own merit [you mean I am not getting hundreds/thousands of dollars of cool things?!?! unfortunately not this time], and our team is only allowed approximately 20 physio visits for the year [suck it up premadonnas!! no ice baths :) ].  Ignoring all the differences you do have one similarity, the only thing that really matters, a huge group of student- athletes that want to get better, work hard, learn, train and ultimately win championships.  The numbers on paper most would equate to a 'recipe for disaster'.  However, in my first few days of preseason I have witnessed a tight knit group (teams, teammates, coaches, weight/strength/speed coaches and staff) that are a determined family.  This is going to be a season unlike any other and I'm ecstatic to be part of - coaching and playing - an innovative type of program. 

As I mentioned earlier this chapter doesn't only involve sport.  I would like everyone to check out this link:  http://www.dur.ac.uk/study/sunday_times/ .  Holler at my new uni!  

My British mobile.

I have purchased a pay-as-you-go phone so I have a UK numbA.  I'm still working on a bank account and adapting to the food [puke].  Pictures of the city centre and university are imminent don't worry.  I have been rocking my manchester united top - feeling SUPA euro.  I think my style is perfect for Europe (even though Jackie would like to argue that my fashion sense is not appropriate for public in ANY country...love you too!).  

From Durham, New York to Durham, North Carolina to Durham, England.  'Isn't it ironic...don't you think...' - yes I just sang that :o

Translation dictionary: (dedicated to Mama Q)

Kit - uniform

football - soccer

physio - trainer

mobile - cell phone

footpath - sidewalk or trail 

lou or toilet - bathroom

tele - TV

bibs - pinnies (I had to coach a local team and one of the girls said 'I'll put it on once you start calling it a bib'....hahaha oh really! rude)

pitch - field 

boots - cleats

lay-in - sleeping late