And I'm off again!!
I took a non-stop flight from Chicago to Manchester, got a on train from Manchester Airport to Leeds Train Station, then took a cab to my dorm. Unfortunately, I missed my stop to transfer on the train and had to backtrack a little. It never fails that I get lost the first time I try a new public transit system. The train system here is enormous - I can't even find a systems map because there so many trains going to so many different cities. Slowly, slowly I will learn.
I had arranged a meet & greet at Leeds Train Station with the university welcome team. It worked out perfectly. They had a little booth set up and I walked right over after getting off the train. I received a welcome packet (which I have not looked through yet), and they arrange for a taxi to take me to my dorm for a fair price. After I got to my dorm, I met a few of my flatmates and promptly passed out for a 2-hour nap.
I didn't want to sleep all day (since it was noon when I started my nap) - I decided to go walking around for a bit. I took a wrong turn somewhere and never found the supermarket that near the dorm. Instead, I walked all the way down the main road (called Commercial Road) and found another supermarket. It was kind of small (compared to US grocery stores) but I picked up some fruit, cookies, soup and sandwich for dinner. Other than the supermarket, there is really nothing else around. It's very residential and virtually no restaurants or shops nearby. (But I've seen a map and there's plenty of cafes on campus.)
The weather here is WINDY!!! It was cloudy and rainy this morning, now it's cleared up. Temperatures are in the 50's, so it's not too bad, but the wind is crazy.
Now I've got a massive stack of welcome letters, university events, maps and brochures to sort out. And I need to figure out my walking route to school tomorrow.
I took a non-stop flight from Chicago to Manchester, got a on train from Manchester Airport to Leeds Train Station, then took a cab to my dorm. Unfortunately, I missed my stop to transfer on the train and had to backtrack a little. It never fails that I get lost the first time I try a new public transit system. The train system here is enormous - I can't even find a systems map because there so many trains going to so many different cities. Slowly, slowly I will learn.
I had arranged a meet & greet at Leeds Train Station with the university welcome team. It worked out perfectly. They had a little booth set up and I walked right over after getting off the train. I received a welcome packet (which I have not looked through yet), and they arrange for a taxi to take me to my dorm for a fair price. After I got to my dorm, I met a few of my flatmates and promptly passed out for a 2-hour nap.
I didn't want to sleep all day (since it was noon when I started my nap) - I decided to go walking around for a bit. I took a wrong turn somewhere and never found the supermarket that near the dorm. Instead, I walked all the way down the main road (called Commercial Road) and found another supermarket. It was kind of small (compared to US grocery stores) but I picked up some fruit, cookies, soup and sandwich for dinner. Other than the supermarket, there is really nothing else around. It's very residential and virtually no restaurants or shops nearby. (But I've seen a map and there's plenty of cafes on campus.)
The weather here is WINDY!!! It was cloudy and rainy this morning, now it's cleared up. Temperatures are in the 50's, so it's not too bad, but the wind is crazy.
Now I've got a massive stack of welcome letters, university events, maps and brochures to sort out. And I need to figure out my walking route to school tomorrow.
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteWe're so glad you made it safely to England and your travels went relatively smoothly. It was fun having you home for 7 weeks, but now it's time for you to start your next adventure! Good luck to you as you start your graduate program -- I know you'll have a lot to contribute to the group. Talk to you soon.
Love, Mom
Hi Laura!
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting new adventure for you! I'm so happy to hear you've landed safely in Leeds. Wishing you big success and much happiness there!
With Love,
Aunt Barb