Partying, hills and a lot of happiness (October)

Maybe it is me, maybe it is the lemonade, maybe it is the hot bath I just had or maybe it is this place. I can’t tell you what exactly it is but I have never been happier and I have never felt more like myself than I do right now. It might be the fact that I for once in my life I am not surrounded by my peers.

It took me a while the beginning was difficult I am not going to lie, it was. It is upsetting being away from home it is difficult to settle but once I did. It has been so great. Work doesn’t feel like working at all. It might be the fact that I don’t have to work a weekend job or that I don’t have to think too much about things I should do instead of what I want to do. I am so grateful that I am able to do this and that I have the full support of my family. I do get waves of missing people. Missing my parents on the weekends, my brother when I am watching a movie and my friends when I want to hang out and maybe even more importantly eat out. I noticed that I miss strange things from home. From missing paprika flavoured crisps to hugging friends and family. It’s great being here though and I wouldn’t want to change it for the world.

SCHOOL

My work is amazing I learn new things every single day and no I am not saying that. I have changed my views a bit on uniforms, authority and teaching. I love working with children. Children are amazing. They are great all over the world but the children I work with now are so well behaved so nice and so amazing. It is something to get used to because the teachers do actually raise their voice quite a bit at the children when they are misbehaving for example not doing homework and not taking the changes they had to do it. But again good behaviour doesn’t happen by chance.

FASHION

Working in an English school brings a few of rules to the fashion table. I don’t mind it. It is good for the fashionista in me. Throughout the week  I am wearing mascara and dresses and on the weekends I wear eyeliner and ripped jeans. The people are so amazingly dressed here. I have seen the craziest hairstyles and the weirdest heels but I love it, It’s a city full of inspiration.

THE CITY

New Castle is amazing it isn’t only fun it is also breath-taking. I don’t like hills much (because it takes much longer to get somewhere) and everything is a hill to me but it makes the view gorgeous. I enjoy it every single time I go out. And then the bridges. Oh my goodness the bridges are incredible. This city is horrible for my wallet but I adore it. If you ever visit New Castle go to the metro centre, the town centre and just generally walk around. You can be in the middle of the centre and in the country side away from everything and everyone in under 20 min. But the best of the city… I love old buildings and history and this city has all of that.

THE NIGHTLIFE

New Castle is one of the most interesting wonderful and crazy places I have ever been to. You can drink absolutely everything from fancy cocktails to cheap shots. You can basically sit on sofa’s in a lot of bars. The floors are cleanish like for real I was impressed and it’s not that busy because there are so many places to go. Honestly walking around at two am is amazing because you see all these people going places or going home and all these food places completely lid up and open. I can’t explain how much I enjoyed it if one place wasn’t fun we went to another place simple as that. I went with a group of people that know the area very well so it was so much fun! I normally get bored when I am going out the place gets boring or whatever else and it’s great to have the freedom to go wherever you want and just find a new place to go to. For the first time in a long time, I have actually liked going out. Also most people go by taxi and they are not that expensive besides it is for sure the safest way to get home when you have been drinking. Having said this, at home we usually cycle so it’s a bit different for me.

THE HOUSE

I live in such a amazing place. I live with the sweetest host family. They are very lovely and really English which is very fun. They tried to teach me Geordie but I must admit I am terrible. I have been eating quite a bit of English dishes and although I love a lot of them some are just… interesting. Some amazingly interesting, others not-for-me interesting.

ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS

• Cycling in this country is terrifying at some points but feels so rewarding especially with the hills because when you are done you think: “yes I did it!”
• I like watching people and you can do that so much here I have seen so many interesting people.
• Pubs are everywhere and that is so cool, you could just sit down to have a drink every couple of meters.
• My host mum made me do gel nails and I am in love.
• Tesco is my favourite supermarket ever
• I never knew how important a pound land could be
• Baths are life.
• It made me release how much I love to travel, where I want to go and that if I want I could just go alone.
• I like candy that I do not know, a lot
• I am so blessed for this incredible journey.

Lots of love,
Melissa

This blogpost originally had photo’s but they converted badly and are therefor lost.