Today is the 26th of April, and now, I have a little less than two months left in my term in Bristol. The last time I updated my life on here is now almost a month ago. Where has all my time gone? It seems so strange to think that I’ve already been here for 3 months when it feels like it’s just been a few weeks.
I’ve been trying so hard to live life to the fullest, grasping every opportunity that flits my way – as I wrote on March 22. I mean, only in the past week, I’ve made choices in life that had I thought about and brooded on long enough, it would have never happened. I’d been thinking of getting my scaffold pierced for years, and on Monday night, when Megan, Ji and I were at Oceana, we decided that on Friday, that is 2 days ago, we would get something pierced. Granted, I ended up not getting my scaffold pierced because it was 55 quid and I didn’t have 55 quid to spare. Instead, I got my helix pierced. Split decision made when we had alcohol in our systems because I had been talking about it. But it was wonderful, and I couldn’t be happier with it. Also, going to the boat race, Bristol v. UWE yesterday. I had originally been impartial to it because I wasn’t sure about how I felt about crew or regattas anymore. Yet, it was lovely. Kyle’s teammates were hilarious, and it felt so good to be cheering for “your” team. Yeah, it was cold and it was wet, but that just made everything more interesting. Although, I have yelled so much that my voice is shot, but hey, all part of the fun.
It’s slightly insane how quickly and intensely I’ve grown to love this city. To be completely honest, I haven’t felt this way about anywhere in such a long time. I definitely cannot say that I feel the same way about South Hadley..rather, quite the opposite. Perhaps, since I thought that England was going to be just like being in the States and really didn’t “look forward” much to it. Just the thought of being in the city elsewhere was nice. So, I think that I received quite a pleasant shock and fell in love. Having been through years of my life being told by my parents and the older generations about how the British mistreated Cantonese racially when they were in Hong Kong, especially in the early 1900s, I hadn’t expected much from them when coming here. But times have changed, and although I am fully aware that I am a person of color, it’s exactly the same in the U.S.
Hey, at least people here know that Hong Kong is not part of Japan.
As much as I miss my friends back at Mount Holyoke or in the States in general, I want to see them so badly, but I know that I’ll be miserable when I get back. This city, which has killed my feet with the amount of walking that I do. This city, that already makes me feel nostalgic when I walk down Whiteladies to the Uni and from the Uni to Cabot Circus. This country with the weather that is so unpredictable that it sometimes makes you want to pull your hair out. I’m going to miss it so damn much. And in a sense, I already do.
I can’t say that I’ve seen much of the UK, as I’ve only been living in Bristol for a few months, spent a few days in London and a day in Bath, Cardiff, Salisbury and Glastonbury. But I feel like I belong, and this feeling I haven’t got since Hong Kong, since leaving Taipei.
Maybe I’m only getting this feeling because I’m abroad and having so much fun, but I have fun at MHC as well, with friends that understand you. Ones that you share one look and they know what you’re thinking, what you’re feeling. But it’s so sad for me to say that I really don’t feel like I belong in the States.
I’ve decided. I want to come back to England for post-grad studies. Maybe Bristol, maybe elsewhere. Only the future knows what will happen.
and…I will update on my spring break travels soon. well, sooner or later.
