First Week in the UK

It was a home-made-dinner of a weird combination of pasta and bread that had made me feel settled down in my new home in UK, after quite a few shocks–culturally or non-culturally.

The first thing is the London underground–apart from the fact that it is 20-plus times more expensive than Beijing metro, it is indeed very old. The old train shakes its way through the century-year-old tunnels, making a loud sound that echoes back and force with the relentless reminding of “mind the gap”. Though it is one of the world most well-known Underground,it was nothing that I had imagined. In China, most metros are new and constantly full, one can almost never open a piece of tabloid-sized newspaper without sticking it onto other’s face. Plastic seats are stingily installed along the inner wall so that most space could be left out for standing. But on London Underground, unless it is peak hour, one can often, if not always, find a room to sit down and unfold a newspaper.

The second shock is about the weather–it is indeed cold. Weather in England has been talked about and complained by both English and foreigners, but none of those descriptions persuaded me to bring enough warm clothes–I end up putting on all of my December clothes on a September night, hiding in my room, looking out of the window and watching groups of girls heading out to their colorful nightlife in colorful mini skirt, bare arm, bare leg, the scene shivered me.

Last week I went to see Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre: it was a incredible performance that I could enjoy deeply without much comprehension to it. We also visited a strip club called “SophistiCat”, in which the beauty and professionalism of the young women fascinated me. If I am looking for one word for all, “kaleidoscope” would be it, so far…and I love it