A whole new woooooorrrld

a hundred thousand things to see

I liked Aladdin, but I was more of a Little Mermaid kinda girl. Actually, my favorite movie as a child was Mrs Doubtfire...but this is besides the point. The point is I am now in Bristol, my home for the next year! Right now everything is exciting and new, and it feels like there are so many things to do and see. I've been here for a week now, and I am actually really liking it so far.

The city's population is around 433,000, and if you include the outlying zones, it has a little over 1 million. Now I don't know if you're actually aware, but entire the population of Humboldt County (which, mind you, is twice the size of Delaware) is around 130,000. So this is a big change for me, being in an area with lots of people.

Bristol is a city, but it doesn't really feel like a city. It doesn't have the same vibe as the Bay Area, and it definitely doesn't have the vibe of NYC.   It's a really nice little-big place.

Last Monday I helped organize sheet music and check ~30 cornets for any repair needs (I can't seem to get away from it, after doing it for Byker for six years!) for Jo as she taught. Then, as we figured out how I could get to band, she drove me to my accommodation. After getting though some gates we didn't actually have keys for and asking my flatmates how to check in, we met the lady in the downstairs office. I got my keys and signed my name in blood on some forms. Jo was awesome enough to take me grocery shopping even though we were both pretty exhausted, which, of course, took far too long. She drove me back to my new room, and we said goodbye. (This is not forever by the way, I will be playing with the band still! :)

Then my room exploded.

Not literally of course, but after living out of my suitcase for 2 weeks, I was pretty eager to unpack and set up all of my stuff.

My room looks like a dorm room. And my bathroom...well, it looks like a closet, and also smells like something died in it. We're not allowed to have candles or incense because of the fire hazard, so I need to buy one of those reed diffuser things...I hope it works. If not, I am buying a candle and risking it. It smells horrific.

my abode.

There is a brochure for the Avenue of the Giants...a reminder of home.

My favorite things - geography, Giants baseball, Paul McCartney, and sleeping.

The shower is on the left - on top of the toilet - which is right under the sink.

The building is for postgraduates only, which is nice - we are all here for a serious purpose and we're all very aware of that. There are a total of six people in my flat - a guy from Jordan, a guy from Brazil, a girl and a guy - both from China, and a girl from Mexico (mexican food omg!!!!!) They are all polite and respectful, and I have made friends with the Chinese girl (Shanshan) and the Mexican girl (Dianna). Dianna loves the Beatles, so we get along especially well. Shanshan is really nice and really funny. She made spaghetti the other night and used ketchup instead of pasta sauce. I asked her why she was using ketchup, and she said the pasta sauce tasted weird. I wasn't going to argue with that...if it tastes weird, then it tastes weird...
The Brazillian guy seems like a total Debbie Downer - he's constantly complaining at the amount of Chinese students in the building and about people who eat vegetables - but that's his own problem. Being positive makes life a hell of a lot nicer, so I've been disregarding his negativity. The guy from Jordan is nice enough, but is a little stand-offish. I think he may think that my major in in music is useless, but I think his major in accounting is boring. (We're even, right?)

I am located very near the university, next to Park Street. There are lots of shops and stores - some chain stores and some independent quirky little stores. It's busy. There are areas that make Bristol seem not so much like a city; there's the harborside on the River Avon, the Bristol Cathedral, and College Green, and there's also lots of history everywhere you look. At the same time, there are major shopping areas like Cabot Circus, nightclubs/bars, and a tonsssss of live music (rock, pop, AND classical). Personally, I prefer the less lively things, but it's really awesome knowing that I actually have options for things to do for once. (Now I just need some actual friends to do things with...)

I did some exploring this week. I went to the Students Union building a few times, the Arts faculty building, Willis Memorial building, St Nicholas Market, Cabot Circus, and to Gloucester Road to find Harvest, a natural foods store. I was jonesing for a Eureka Natural Foods-type place, and although Harvest is a tenth of the size, I'll take it. I bought some organic pesto, tofu, tamari, and lots of quinoa, which is already running low. I thought about avocados...but I can't stomach the price - 1.20 GBP, which is about $1.80 US - for an avocado. They must be special treats. I miss Californian produce already.

The Avon River or River Avon or whatever you want to call it.

St Nicholas Market 'slow food' stalls. This place smelled heavenly!

Bristol is famous for it's graffiti, and it is not that lame n00b graffiti that looks like weird angular scribble, this graffiti is art. They actually have graffiti festivals, and there are areas that are designated for it specifically.
Let me tell you, it makes walking places a million times more enjoyable and interesting,

SOUSAPHONE PLAYING GORILLA!

My first Banksy. He's probably the most famous graffiti artist in the world, and is from Bristol.

this one is super rad.

I met a girl from Maine. She has the WEIRDEST accent. It seems to flow between sounding northeastern, to British, to Californian and everywhere in between...and it sounds strange, but I have an easier time understanding ShanShan, who has been speaking English for 6 months, than this girl from Maine. She's the only other American I've met so far, and we had breakfast the other day. This was our view.

I could get used to this.

That's the Willis Memorial Building, which houses the Law and Natural Sciences faculty. It has a Great Hall (like Harry Potter!!) and I get to go in it on Wednesday for the International Welcome Party AND on Friday for the Welcome to Grad School Party. so.awesome.

I've been trying to get my hands on a tuba. MSN&RSB have an extra E flat that I can use, and the school has one as well. I can only use it if I am in either the Chamber Orchestra or Symphony Orchestra - both are auditioned groups. I am not terribly worried about the audition, but I am definitely nervous. I am in a totally new place and I want to make good impressions. My solo piece is just fine and dandy, but as always, I am worried about the sight reading because I suuuuuuuuck at sight reading. It's my least favorite thing to do.
I'll just have to blow them away with the solo piece...
I just want to do HSU proud, y'know?

Tomorrow is an important day. I will be introduced to my masters program and I'll get to meet my dissertation tutor. I already kinda met him I think. I was in the music building and he came into the foyer, smiled and said hi. I said hi, but I was too shy and nervous to actually introduce myself to him. Silly!