My first day on campus

Today was a somewhat better day for me. Well i got up feeling much better and also i decided to sort out my financial affairs at school. That went smoothly.

After that i was hungry and decided that i have to buy my own food and cook my darn self because it was the food that made me sick yesterday nothing else.

So i took a trip to tescos, after i shopped i had a trolly full and then had to take a taxi back and it was ridiculous for me to take all of those things on the bus. Anyway took the taxi and thought that the man would have dropped me at the dorm door, eh eh basically, him seh him cannot go down deh so. what made me upset though is after mi struggling with the bags i saw other taxis dropping persons at their door

anyway mi come out of the car with about 8 bags and a mop. lo and behold the lord provided two young black guys to the rescue. I stopped them and asked in my nicest voice if i could trouble them to go out of their way to help me to south courts. Well i found out they lived in south towers so it wasnt that far off, but was a good walk. well i never want them to come to mi room so mi tell them leave it down stairs. Anyway, mi look on the four flight of stairs and said mama mia.

I took the two heaviest to the top and then came back down for the rest. The lord then provided another girl, who asked if i needed help and i took the rest up without having to make another trip. But for that i have to go try out fi them hockey team so itnuh look too bad on sunday. may like it and will help with exercise too.

well. all in all cannot complain about today. the lord is continuing to bless me.

added pics of my room and view of my campus from kitchen

goodbye enfield, hello colchester

So september 28, two car load of jamaicans made there way from enfield, london to colchester in essex to assist me in moving to school. I now i am blessed and as Omar reminded me, the Lord doesnt give me more than i can bear. Another friend reminded me that good friend better than pocket money, and this was proven true to me on sunday.

Firstly God bless CArla-Anne because she provided me with several pounds worth of essential items for my sojourn and i am eternally indebted to her for her kindness. My mother had loaded me up too with my warm clothes and medicine and thus i had 3 suitcases and then 2 big bags from carla, a big box with my cutlery and my laptop which we tired to fit in a honda station wagon. Lo and behold that was not a possible feat. My other friend realise this and volunteered to share some of her load in her car, a much smaller car to the wagon, but the Lord is always good.

Well we fitted the stuff in both cars and made out journey, it wasnt that bad, it was sunny and nice, as GAbby said London's weather is indeed biolar, i think the same goes for the whole of england, as the last 3 days were gloomy and then yesterday was sunny.

Anyway when i reach school, i must say i felt overwhelmed, the campus is massive and we lost like 3 times to find the place where i should collect the key for the room. BUt they had persons in green and signs at different points to help us, but you we JAmaicans we a try find the thing we self. Well i found my block and lo and behold there is no lift for me to go into. THen i am on the top floor, 4 flights of stairs. The ladies we smarter and we drove right up to the door of the flat. The men (that is the station wagon) them park and made a 10 mins walk with all the luggage. Well i am still grateful although they left a bag and i had to trek back to their car for it and walk with it, this lady felt sorry for me and found a young man to assist me.

Well i was in my room now trying to sort out, i finished like 3 hours after with a pounding headache and ayone who knows luciana can guess what happened through to the remainder of the night, i was SICK. Well is either gas sick me or the food i wenton campus and had when i felt hungry, bought some tasteless sick, some fresh rice and potatoes. Well about 8pm i strated to puke. I was frigthened as i am alone, no friends or relatives and i was at my friend who is a nurse for 2 weeks and was good good good.

Earlier in the day i met two flat mates, one from iran one from mozambique. The one from mozambique's english is a tad better than the one from iran. I was helping her to set up her internet and showing her the flat and stuff since i was the first to arrive. Well i had to run to her for help, as i have not gone shopping yet and only have cornflakes and crackers. i had bought some tea from before and was trying to reuse the teabag, but it tasted bad so she volunteered to buy a box for me, but lo and behold the shop was closed and she had to buy a tea, it never tasted good but i drank it for the warmthin my stomach and still grateful for her assistance.

Well i am up now. feeling a tad bit better, eating some crackers and recycled the tea bad. Going to get ready and sort out my business soon.

look out for more soon.

my 27th

So the Lord has blessed me yet again, by enabling me to live to see another year and to celebrate getting older and wiser even though the day was not fun filled as i had expected.

My plans for the day didnt materialize but i was not too sad as i was just grateful for being alive. When i got up the day was gloomy and i felt like just staying in, But elad had to pick up keleisha via the bus and he had not taken the bus before so i indulged him and followed him. Well we took the bus part way and then walked the next 15 mins which was not bad because i have been slacking off my exercise regime for quite sometime now.

It was interesting at first when we went they said ok you are her for keleisha and the lady is like ok i saw you yesterday (meaning Dale). Anyway by the time we were about to go away another lady stopped us and asked us our names. She looked on a paper and said hold on i do not see your name on the list as pick up. We told her the password and she looked on us and then said hold. I dont mean to hold you guys up but i have check this out. I was happy because the first lady just said ok take her without confirming anything.

But the second lady she called kels mother for confirmation and told her that she had to do this as no one informed her that we were coming. I felt better knowing that the second lady ensured that we were allowed to pic her up by the parents and notjust from seeing dale from the day before. Well we went outside and took pictures. trying to upload them but this pc doesnt allow for that...oh well

We did the 15 min walk again and lo and behold the rain started, thank the Lord i was prepared with my umbrella...ella...ella, a. a. a.

We then took more pics whe we reach the bus stop.........we frighten ehh?

The rest of the bday was spent at home watching dvd with andrew and ingrid and then i got a card and wine from keisha....gonna buss the wine sat night before i go to school.

Plan to stay home for the rest of the week expect for fri when i am going to go to the ja high comm for a function.

My first drizzle in the uk

Yeah from the heading it may seem that i have never seen a drizzle before ehh. But i must tell you i am more of a sunshine person than a rain one. That is going to be a struggle for me here since everywhere i go people tell me 'ohh it is always wet in the UK, rain always falling, no sunshine'.

Well after three lovely days of sunshine it was soo horrid to see that i woke up to a very cold, wet and gloomy day. Well i spent all of it in doors between emailing my school to try and sort out stuff and talking to friends. Felt good when KAy called me and we chatted.

I then ate, took pictures of Elad who is obssessed with pictures more than i am. Then i went for a little nap. Bad idea because now i will be up all night. Tomorrow is my bday. It will be my first bday out of jamica since 2001. I am looking forward to it. I am trying to plan a night out with Thals, it is now after 9pm and i havent confirmed with her i am sure she cussing me.

Anyway looking forward to all the calls from my peeps. and even a little card in the mail when i reach school.

my trip to central london, and imperial wharf

Well i decided to meet a friend of mine who has been here let me call her T.H. so she tells me to get a train to lancaster gate and go on the victoria line. eh eh when mi reach victoria line close for the weekend. i didnt panic i looked on my map and tried to figure out how to get on another line to lancaster gate.

While doing that i saw some les....i mean women who love each other which is obvious through publioc display of affection that they were doing. ohh well. got to get use to those things soon as well as other freaky things i have been seeing or will see.

Found my friend we went to imperial wharf to this free jazz concert. they had a jamaican band playing jazz from 830pm to 10pm. it was fun, listening to them and watching these people saying that they dancing/whinning.....it was a sight to behold. the rhthym going one way they dancing the other way.....hmmmmm

anyway on our way though to the jazz thing we got lost meet two nice white men one took us in his porche to the destination. i hope my mummy dont see this because she will get worried that mi hitch hiking in a strange land. but u know there is no robot taxi here and everywhere far to walk worse we got lost to go to the wharf. anyway took pics. look out for them on facebook entitled my trip to central london.

my trip to the mall

So now i decided to visit argos which is 3 mins drive from where i am staying to buy my b'day present which was an arm and a leg camera but worth it to capture all my moments here in the uk.

Anyway lugging wid some other things i bought to catch the bus and deciding to form a queue cause me a learn, this woman from nowhere a try push in front of me.....a caucasian woman to be precise. True she never heard of me.......me come from the land weh we nuh form queue, mi just give her a dutty look and move mi body to the left to block her from coming in front of me.......'Brite'!!

anyway got home good and decided to test out the camera wid elad and keleisha. it was fun. going on the road later to london to some jazz thing. Trying to acquire some culture and class.

sun again and british linguistics

Today was a bright and sunny day. in fact i hand wash some stuff and put it on the line to dry hmmmmmmmmmm we will see howlong it takes.But mi nah lie it did hot i had to leave the coat and wore a merina and a long warm top wid mi jeans and boot.

anyway went to currys and comet electronic stores to get my webcam and my converter so i can soon hook up my laptop and my peeps can see me live and direct.

anyway found out that the british accent is very funny and i soon have to buy one. imagine went on a bus and ask aman if he knows where oakhurts road is and the driver and no one seems to understand what mi saying. i went to the store and had to almost be signing stuff. anyway....emmmm . but the slangs are different. e.g. emmmmm (that is one slang) like emmm mi trousers as opposed to jeans. Mi pants as opposed to mi underwear. Mi fizzy drink as opposed to soda. A flat as opposed to an apartment. (now watch mi looking real close when my friend said ohh that is my flat i use to live in.....emmm i am like huh. i expect to see a flat looking house not an apartment.

any how i am still learning. emmm like pullover as opposed to a bloody shirt. emmmm a tele as opposed a emmm a tv. anyway cheerios folks gonna check some email and watch as the clock ticks away. mi soon nuh have some much time on my hands. anway planning atrip to switzerland as soon as i settle in and visit mybatch mate who is there.

the sun

well i woke up to day to elad singing in my ears 'rise and shine and give God the glory' imagine mi still jet lagged and still trying to recoup and still pain up and this dude is singing in mi ears. anyway i got up. i called my mum and o and spoke with them.

then lo and behold i saw the sun. yes it was nice to see the sun after 3 days, hmmmmm imagine when it gets later in the year. anyway gonna go on the road shortly see yah guys later

'De plane land'

Well folks i finally landed. It was a very interesting experience and a half.

First i had to reach airport from 1130am for a 3:30pm flight because virgin seh fi reach 4 hours before and worst with my overwight and all.... Well i reach and worse mi think seh mi alone going to be there. Lo and behold a long line of other persons....were waiting to be checked in.

Anyway mi check in and i waited. and waited the flight was on time. made my way to the security check point. all and sundry was checked. well i hear them seh all virgin passengers go there. One feisty man seh what u seh 'all virgins stand here a dat them seh? this line a fi the virgin them? anyway i ignored him.i got searched went on the plane

When mi go pon the plane i felt like i was in pleasantville. some perky white flight attendants. the women have on nuff makeup and thing and you know the british accent witha pinch of perkiness. anyway flight delayed for one hour. all this time them just a look pon me and mi a look pon them. anyway they finally said 'ground staff ready for take off.' one lady say 'yes unu move from the plane.

and then the 9 boring hours began. i watched tv (with virgin u get ur own tv set) i played game, i slept and still this was hour number 4.......5 more to go. i slept some more and had a dream. when mi jump up mi heart a beat fast, mi start wonder where mi is and then slowly i calmed down.

anyway finally we reach gatwick. lo and behold. they said passengers remain seated. then i see some 50's comeon and look around. go to anice looking young man, hand cuff him and tek him off. i was in shock. anyway sametime mi see the doctor beenie wid some croonies.

anyway now we proceed to immigration...that was boring in itself. this lady start ask mi one bag a question at immigration why mi come uk to study who paying for it and why british council paying for me.
anyway mi answer politely because mi friend ElaD came up last week and shared his experience with them:

'Hey guys jus so you all know I am in England... had the worst time at immigration...the officer thought I was giving her an attitude, but thats because I thought she was giving me an attitude...she told me in her stinkin british accent...YOUNG MAN YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR TONE...yes the bitch was shouting at me...I responded and she asked me...ARE YOU BEING RUDE?...ofcourse I shut my damn mouth after that...she sent me to go sit in the holding area and that she will call me 2 when I am settled down and when she is ready to look over my passport...that white bitch...you guys see why I dont like white people? And to top it off Andrew was at the North Terminal, I came through the South Terminal...yes I waited over two hours for him and thats after a nine 9 hr flight, a flight that was delayed for two hrs in Jamaica because of no bloody reason...then the drive to Andrew's London Town house was another two hrs...So yes I was having a shitty day up until now...but I am good now...Write back all...

Ps. Please excuse my use of the word BITCH...but that bitch sure ot on my nerves...Put a smile on your faces...'


anyway i got out and i saw my cousin who was laughing. yes and after my experience with her i realise why she laughed. we had to take 3 trains with 4, 50lb luggages and a 12 pound pully. yes and that is after a 9hour flight. mi tired all a nuh because after that we had to go back on the 3 trains to get her hand me downs and then come back to where i left the luggage initially. all in all it was good experience and a lesson learnt. look out for my second day which is lunch with the lovely ladys from the british high commission

my winning weekend

Well after the party "the surprise one" i was still in awe. Grateful for all the kind words and the support. MY little daughter cried and then I cried.

Now Friday was my day to do all i could have done as i said in the previous blog. Saturday however was special. Went to church for my brigade girls and boys to say hi and bye., only to buck up on a surprise party planned by two boys ages 14 and 14plus. It was special to know that hey run up and down begged sponsorship and tried their best to keep it as a surprise. It was touching, the thought and the kind words said by the girls. I hope to have the pictures posted soon. In the night i still went to Port Royal as i wanted some fish and festival which i hadn't had in a while.

I sent out an invitation but only a small group of 9 turned up. It was fab. we chatted, we laughed we chatted some more and laughed. IT was good to see KAmal and Gutzy and TRacey again after my tenure as an ambassador ended last year. After that we all parted I got some nice gifts.

I know i sound dry in this one but i guess my tears are all dried up now. i cried last night. and then when i was talking to my second daddy i felt he sniffles. But man a go be thugs now. I would like Omar to come to he airport, but when i think Omar dont come to the airport because we know u gonna bawl bad bad.

so peace out luv and look out for the next blog

My "surprise party"

I planned a prayer meeting and i invited my peeps who i know would appreciate the power of prayer. all in all it was nice. dwayne did a good novice job.

But my mother she planned a little extra something for me. she invited my peeps from infant school days who i havent seen in a while. she got a cake (although my name was not spelled correctly...urghhhhhhhhhhhhhh) and we had a pre-bday cele for me. it was a sweet and kind thing to do.

well after i tol dmy self i wasnt gonna cry, my little pari mal mal started to cry she told me not to leave her and i was like please mal dont cry u gonna make me cry too. and then and there i started to bawl like woooiii. I am gonna miss her very much. she is like a little taliban but she is a nice little taliban.

On friday my other run up and down were completed. and mi not even a talk about RGD. but all i know is that it has been confirmed in my mind that if u know people in JAmaica even if u reach a place two mins after it close u not gonna go in unless you know someone who can get you in.

Well saturday is creeping up my .....and that too will be interesting. cant wait to blog about it.

my days ahead

Now all along i was soooooooooooo ready to get up and go. I applied for schools, scholarships, researched my subject area and felt prepared in my spirit and in my heart about this move..............an LLM.

At home now relaxing and sleeping and then reality hits..........in 3 more days i will be on an 8 hour flight to a country i have only read about. I barely know anyone there what am i thinking?

Well i recall starting a blog couple months ago on livejournal that depicted by journey from researching to applying for schools. this blog is different. Like my friend DAve in Japan i will try and document my activities 3 days prior to leaving and my one year sojourn to "civilisation"