IT’S FINALLY HERE!! THE DAY OF THE ROYAL WEDDING! And what am I doing to celebrate?
Leaving the city and heading west. To Exeter. To stay with a host family. Not what you were thinking, were you?
At the beginning of my time in London, at Study Abroad Orientation, we were told that we could sign up to stay with a host family during our stay- for free. Those words have become to be holy here, so I signed up straight away. Forgetting it was the day of the wedding, I agreed to stay with a family for the weekend of the 29th. And guess what? Best. Decision. Ever.
My day started at 6am when I left my flat to catch a train to Exeter. And already, Waterloo was PACKED! People wearing the flag as an outfit littered the station.
2.5 hours I was out of central London and in Exeter! I met my host mom and sister, and they were so sweet! Carolyn is the mother, and Louise is the daughter. Carolyn is a housewife, but before that she ran a country home (aka mansion) in Derbyshire (I like to think it was Mr. Darcy’s home), and Louise is 10 years old interested in history and math. We drove to their house down some very narrow streets which were bordered by hedges. So narrow, that we were swiped by an oncoming van! Luckily no damage was done- all that happened was that their side mirror folded in. The van didn’t even stop, so we just continued on our way.
Upon arriving at their house, I met my host dad, Tim, and my host brother, Peter. Tim is the head of the Physics Department at the University of Exeter, and Peter is a 12 year old interested in Physics and planes. Sounds like one of my really good friends from home!
After sitting down and opening the gifts I had gotten them, we talked for a bit, and then parted ways. It was 10am, and the Royal Wedding had to be watched! Tim and Peter went off to go model airplane flying, and Louise, Carolyn, and I went to sit in front of the TV. TV isn’t big in this house- the only one is in Tim and Carolyn’s bedroom. At first I felt a bit awkward being in my host parents bedroom. This feeling was multiplied when Carolyn and Louise patted the bedspread and told me to sit down! However, it soon felt like a slumber party. Here we were, watching the wedding, freaking out with every new procession- ESPECIALLY when Kate came into view! OMG HER DRESS!!!! Let me tell you, I am a stereotypical girl when it comes to weddings. I already have mine planned. Even the dress. I have three dresses that I picked out LONG ago. My first choice is by Anne Barge. However, my two alternates are by different designers. And one of them is almost EXACTLY what Kate was wearing! WE ARE THE SAME PERSON!!!! Gahhhhh!!!!!!!! What can I say, we have good taste.
After the ceremony and balcony scene with TWO kisses, we had some lunch, which was interesting. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t know what to do. On the table was homemade bread, cheese, pickled garlic, marmite (GROSS!), ham, peppers, beetroot, butter, lettuce (called “leaves” here….) mackerel pate, jam, and various fruits. So. Many. Choices. So I lightly spread butter (really sunflower spread) on two slices of bread. On one I put ham, cheese, and leaves. On the other, I put beetroot and pepper. I folded each in half and ate them individually. It actually turned out to be good! Then I split some dragonfruit with Louise. Google that. It’s crazy looking. But delicious.
Upon finishing lunch (or “dinner”, as they say) I helped Carolyn clean up, and Louise went to take care of the rabbits. Yeah. They have bunnies. Carolyn saw how excited I was, and after having a laugh, told me to go help Louise. OMG I LOVE THEM. Two black bunnies, about 5 years old. We transported them from their cage to a pen in the yard. Allowing them to eat the grass and enjoy the sun, we cleaned their cage out, and then since the weather was nice, allowed the bunnies to stay in the pen until night fell.
After, we headed out to walk around Exeter Central. They live a half hour’s walk from it, and we spent the walk talking. I learned about Tim and Carolyn’s travels for Tim’s job. They have been everywhere! Including the US for their honeymoon! Really? Haha! It is so funny to me that people WANT to go to the US for their honeymoon! Apparently, this is because Carolyn did a semester abroad during University in Washington DC and loved the states. Cool, huh?
After arriving in the city, I got to see the Roman Walls and Gates (or those that survived), Hay’s Gardens (which had a giant TV screen playing the wedding ON REPEAT), murals of important people in Exeter’s history, the Cathedral from the outside, and then the underground tunnels, which we toured. I had to wear a hard-hat and crawl through tunnels only 3 feet high. IT WAS SO COOL! They used to hold lead pipes that carried water to the city centre in medieval times, but since the invention of modern plumbing, this has not been necessary. Very interesting tour though- the tunnels total almost a mile long!
Exeter Cathedral
Did I mention Carolyn was a history major in college, and taught British history before she had kids? Yeah. BEST. TOURGUIDE. EVER. She was truly amazing.
As it started to get late we had to head back for dinner since we were to go watch Peter’s cricket practice that evening. On the way, I was introduced to the show “Dr. Who”. Apparently we were watching it the next night, and since the episode to play was the second part of a 2-part episode, Louise filled me in. For 45 minutes. I couldn’t remember all the details, and was worried for the next night… I was gonna be lost!
Upon arriving at their home, we found Peter and Tim returned. Unfortunately, Peter had a rough landing with one of his models, causing them to come home early. Tim had therefore prepared dinner- Pasta, peas, and sausage. Minimalistic, but delicious! And perfect for us since we were rushing in order to get ready to bring Peter to practice. Still, we managed to have tea, and I got another history lesson from Carolyn, this time about British Revolutions (or Civil Wars, as they call them). DID I MENTION I LOVE THIS FAMILY?
O, and did I also mention the pasta had no sauce? Yeah, I know, side note. It was a weird concept to me, being Italian and all. However, Louise had a solution- ketchup. WHAT?! No. I couldn’t.
I did. And I am changed. Who knew this could be so delicious? Maybe it was due to the fact that I haven’t had pasta in 3 months, but whatever. It was good.
After dinner we drove down an even narrower road than before, and brought Peter to the cricket fields. For 2 hours I watched children ages 4 to 16 play cricket. And they all had British accents. Dream. Come. True.
We got back home late, so after the children had bread and Nutella with a glass of warm milk (a treat usually reserved for weekends, but allowed today due to the celebration of the Royal Wedding), and went to bed, Tim, Carolyn, and I enjoyed a cup of tea and talked about our plans for the next day. This was my 5th cup of tea today. I love Britain. I also love the book Carolyn gave me to read- “1066 And All That”, a satirical book about the history of England. Fricken. Hilarious. That is, if you appreciate British humour.
Tomorrow is going to be a full day. Carolyn left the sitting room to go make the batter for the mornings pancakes, and Tim and I discussed educational systems in the US and compared them to the UK. When this was done, it was about 10pm, so we said goodnight, and I went to bed.
My bedroom is usually Tim’s workshop. No, not for physics-related experiments. For model trains. Jackpot. Guess who played with trains till midnight? THIS GIRL. Ultimate win.
Saturday, April 30:
We were to rise at 7:30 to start our day. After an amazing night’s sleep, I got up and was dressed, washed, and ready to go at 7:45. The family was still in their pj’s. Wow, do I feel out of place. Plus, I am the only one even remotely awake!
So I helped Louise set the table and had a cup of tea. Carolyn was making the pancakes, which actually turned to be crepes. Yes, pancakes in the UK are what people in the US and France call crepes. When they were ready, the whole family sat down to eat our delicious breakfast. I had another cup of tea. When we were done, I helped clear the table and load a wash, and had another cup of tea. THREE CUPS OF TEA, AND IT ISN’T EVEN 9:30! I LOVE ENGLAND! AND I HAVE ENERGY!
After packing up for the day we set off to Branscome, a small village about 30 minutes away from Exeter, on the way to Lyme Regis. (aka my hometown’s namesake). On the drive we discussed “the elegance of algebra”. Yeah, apparently “maths” can be intelligent. And no, that is not a typo- they say “maths” instead of “math” when talking about the subject. Yet they say “sport” when Americans would say “sports”, like, “Rachael plays sports like tennis and volleyball”, they would say, “Rachael plays sport like tennis and volleyball”. Or, “Did you just come back from sport practice?” This can apparently be taken as a plural, when spelled and pronounced as a singular. So cool.
Anyhoo, sorry for the tangent. Back to Branscombe. Which was on the way to a small town called Beer. Really. OK BRANSCOMBE! Haha, so distracted…. The village was full of houses with thatched roofs. Being members of The National Trust, we parked for free in a car park and were able to take part in many delights of the town. For example, we went to an iron forgery where they made marvellous works (which could be seen around the town), a small bakery and bakery museum, a mill, and many cow pastures. Which we were expected to walk through to get from site to site. And there were no fences separating you from the cows. Basically, I was thisclose to a baby cow, but chickened out on petting it since the mother was giving me a death glare. Given my bad luck with cows (when I was little, I might have caused a stampede at a neighbouring cow pasture to my house, causing the cows to escape… oops) I decided this was the smart way to go.
We then stopped in an information booth in order to get some good walking paths. And in the booth (which didn’t have an attendant, it was more like pamphlets in a shed) there was a bulletin board. Apparently, Branscombe had a Royal Wedding of its own on April 27- between two school children. That’s right. A school acted out the Royal Wedding before it even happened. And surrounded by the pictures of the festivities and copies of invitations sent out, the children wrote marriage promises on little hearts and decorated them. Here are some of my favourites:
After, we headed to Branscombe’s beach, and stayed there for 3 hours and had a picnic lunch. Right next to the beach was another open cow pasture. I am so fascinated by this, sorry. Anyhoo- Branscombe Beach. It was a rock beach surrounded by gorgeous cliffs, right on the English Channel. However, the cliffs on one side were red, and on the other they were right. According to Carolyn and Tim, England is on a tilt- the west part is rising, and the eastern side is sinking. This red rock used to be deep in the earth, but is slowly climbing. COOL!
Red Cliffs and the stream
From the part of the beach you enter on to where we decided to sit for lunch, there was a stream leading to the ocean. A 7 foot wide stream. We crossed it when we first got there, but all of us got our feet wet. Laying our socks and shoes out to dry, Peter, Louise, and I made a rock bridge. This took 2 hours. It was serious. While we worked, Carolyn looked on and Tim flew a kite of his own design. By the time we finished our pebble bridge, 30 people had used it to cross the stream, and even a few puppies! Finally, we were able to admire our work.
After eating a perfect picnic on the beach listening to Carolyn tell the stories of Bonny Prince Charlie, we packed up and headed back to the village, where we walked to the top of the valley and sat down for a snack of Weetbix Oat Crackers and tea. Yeah. We brought tea. I LOVE THE FAMILY! Consequently, the top of the valley was an open sheep pasture, so guess who got to have tea surrounded by baby lambs? THIS GIRL!
After 3 thunderstorms crossed over us without a drop of ran the sky finally opened up, so we headed back to the car and drove back home. Upon arriving, Carolyn started a lovely roast dinner while I watched Louise practice her music. She plays the accordion. Yes, really. After about a 20-minute recital, Tim, Louise, Peter, and I watched their favourite show, Dr. Who. It is messed up. I was totally lost, but it has been a series since the 1950’s or something, and I watched the second part of a 2-part episode. Still, it was enjoyable!
We then headed downstairs for “supper”. Roast chicken, roast potatoes, carrots, and some green veg with Indian spices on it, all covered in gravy. Apparently they usually have marmite gravy, but after finding out that I didn’t like marmite, they resisted. How nice.
Let me say, Carolyn did a GREAT job. So still, almost at the end of my trip, and no bad food. SUCK IT, AMERICA! During dinner, I found that my host family and I share a common love- Monty Python and the Holy Grail!!!!
Ok, so first, quick review: I love Monty Python. Too much. I am in England, the land of the comedians that made Monty Python. On my trip to Ireland, I rode a horse named Monty. On my highlands tour in Scotland, I saw the castle used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And now, a real British family that I am staying with for three days seems to be just as obsessed with this movie as me. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE WIN!
Also, Carolyn and Tim met because of Monty Python. They were both educated at Oxford and met in its “Arthurinian” club. Carolyn describes this as both “an academic and silly club”. It chronicles the tales of King Arthur, and the members dress as certain characters. Carolyn was Marianne, and Tim was Tim the Enchanter. (How appropriate!)
After saying all of our favourite quotes (so basically we recited the movie), it was time for dessert. Carolyn had made Pudding and Custard. (Cake covered in custard). It was supposedly ginger pudding that was supposed to by syrupy. O MY GOD IT WAS AMAZING. Seriously drooling thinking about it right now. GAHHH! Must. Make. Anyhoo, by the time we finished, it was time for the children to go to bed.
My host parents and me stayed up and talked for a bit. And by “a bit” a mean 2 more hours of amazing conversation. We talked about global warming, Tim’s travels as an astrophysicist (he has been to the top of a volcano in Hawaii, which has an observatory on it!), and some of the theories he has invented for astrophysics. Yeah. Fricken brilliant. It is called “Tau Squared”. Google it. It’s amazing! And I got to hear about it from the man that invented it. We also talked about the BSE crisis (haha, just wrote two papers on that- but really interesting hearing a Brit’s opinion, and showing it backed up my theses in my papers), the “jab” (vaccine) crisis, and poverty in the UK. It was so eye-opening, and I really enjoyed it!
Finally it was time for bed after helping Carolyn and Tim clean up. I want them to adopt me. They are so wonderful, so funny, so kind, and so intelligent! They have opened my eyes to so many things! I know my program head and boyfriend and parents were worried about me staying in another person’s home for a weekend (they were worried I would get someone who would lock me in a basement or ignore me), but this was the best decision I made on my time here. How else could I have had an experience like this? AND FOR FREE?
Sunday, May 1:
My last day with my host family… I’m so sad! But only one week till I return to the States! Although I am excited, it’s bittersweet.
Anyway, today the day started off with a breakfast of homemade brioche, the family’s Sunday treat. It is basically a “cake”, but really, it’s like white bread. We spread jam on it and that was that. Two cups of tea later, we were ready to be off.
While Louise went to Stage Coach, where she learns to sing, dance, and act, Tim and Peter went an worked on the tree house extension, and Carolyn and I went into Exeter to explore the city further than we did the other day.
We first headed to the “Quay”, which is pronounced “key”. Don’t ask me why, I thought the Brits had this pronunciation thing down… It is basically a port centre, where ships carrying light cargo went to unload. We then walked along the River Exe, saw a medieval bridge that used to span the Exe, but now is in some grassy area since the canal system on the river made it considerably thinner. I then got to see “The House that moved”. Apparently this house used to stand in a part of Exeter that was going to be modernized. So, in the early 1900’s, the town made an effort to keep this medieval house standing. They were turned down, so what did they do? Raise the house, set it on some wheels, and move it across the city.
After lunch, we headed to Dartmoor, a 45-minute drive from Exeter. This is basically a VERY hilly area with large piles of granite on the hills. Surrounded by wild cows, sheep, and ponies (Yes, really. There are no fences- they roam free!!!!!) we climbed the moors, specifically Boneshill (named for the fact that hangings took place here, and no one removed the bodies from the scaffolds, so they soon turned to skeletons and their bones rattled in the wind, warning others not to follow the dead men’s ways), and went Letterboxing, one of the children’s favourite hobbies. I found 2 (basically because I was more interested in taking pictures and climbing), Louise found 2, one of which I pointed out for her, and Peter, the little monkey, clambered over boulders and ventured where no one dared. He found 9. But to be fair, 6 boxes where in the same spot. So if we counted spots, he would have found 3.
Soon we were at the station, and after saying thank you 3974539742398 times, I said goodbye to my host dad and headed to the train.
I cannot express my gratitude to this family enough for bringing me into their home for a weekend. I had the most amazing time! They did so much for me, and made me feel truly welcome. The children were wonderful, and I loved observing REAL Brits at home. It was truly an eye-opening experience. I would recommend everyone try to stay with a host family no matter where they travel. Not only do you get to see how other people live, but it is a true learning experience. I only wish I could do it all again.
But now it is back to the real world- with two more papers to finalize (and I have yet to write one of those two) it is back to the daily grind. And then, in what I am sure will seem like a minute, I will be boarding a plane back to the US. My time here has passed so quickly!
…and yes, I realize that all my spellings of words in this post are the British spellings. No, I have not changed my ways of spelling things, don’t worry. My computer is in British mode for these papers, and I was too lazy to turn it back to American English. But still, at least you get a “flavour” for the way real English is spelled! Ha!
Cheers!
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