One thing I've learned from observation is that there is one overwhelming theme throughout all of Britain: space consciousness. :) Anyone who has been to the UK can understand what I'm talking about-- small rooms, even smaller hallways, tiny roads, strategically placed gardens, steep stairs... In many restaurants, don't be surprised if you get seated at a table with other people!! Any open space is free game!
My house in Swansea... to start-- our neighborhood uses up every inch of free space. It is a "terraced house" meaning that even though it is considered a house, it is attached to the houses on both sides so that basically our entire block is just one long building.
We've got three floors and let me tell ya, the stairs are steep! My room is the "shoebox," kindly nicknamed because of being the smallest in the house. It's about 8 by 10 feet... yes, tiny tiny. Good thing I was only allowed to bring two suitcases with me for this year because there wouldn't be room for more than that! In order to fit in a desk and a bed, the door to my wardrobe doesn't even open all the way. I also have a sink in my room- which comes in handy when someone is in the bathroom, but is also kind of funny when I really stop to think about it. I've had friends over before to watch movies or hang out-- maneuvering in the small enclosure is a bit like doing a dance.
My favorite part of my house is the bathroom. Keeping in mind that my house was most likely built in the early 1800s, I am content to be satisfied with not understanding the original architect's thoughts when designing... For starters, the light switch is not only outside of the bathroom, but above the door. I am not the tallest, so yes, this means I have to jump to turn on the lights every time I need to relieve myself. Not only is the light outside the room but it is also motion sensored- in theory. In reality it just pretty much has a mind of its own. 9 out of 10 times, while relieving oneself, the lights go off and you're forced to flail your arms around until they come back on. You may ask why, if the light is motion sensored, we don't just leave the switch on. Well, because it also has a mind of its own, that means it also switches on on its own as well. It gets better. The shower... aside from being tiny (which makes shaving ones legs incredibly difficult), has a switch to turn on the water. I don't really know if this is normal or not throughout homes in Britain, as I haven't seen it in anyone else's homes, but we have it. And just like the awkward light switch, the water switch is equally awkwardly placed-- out in the hallway. For those of you who have devious minds-- yes, that means that in theory you could turn the water AND the lights off while someone was inside. Luckily, none of us housemates have gotten to be close enough friends to feel comfortable playing any practical jokes!
This last bit is unrelated to the inherent architecture of our house, but has still been something I've had to cope with. One of my housemates is on the university surfing team. While this is super cool, it means that he's got a wet suit that needs to be hung to dry from time to time. Wales is a wet climate, eliminating the effectiveness of hanging something to dry outside, so the best place in the house to hang a damp wetsuit is in the shower. I cannot even count the times I have stepped into the bathroom, sometimes half asleep in the middle of the night-- and seen the dark outline of a person in the shower. My heart stops each time!!
I learned recently that they don't make "big" refrigderators in Britain. While this may not be entirely true, there is definitely less of them. Which explains why instead of having one big fridge, we have two small fridges. This gets complicated sharing between five, but usually just ends up meaning having less in the house and more frequent visits to the grocery store. It also brings up a few grocery discrepancies I have come across-- namely, eggs and milk. In the UK, they do not keep their eggs in the fridge. That is one habit I have had a hard time changing, but there have been times that the space in the fridge doesn't allow for my carton of eggs. I have not gotten food poisoning or anything, so it must be OK. The other thing is they have milk that doesn't need to be in the fridge. It does once its opened, but it allows for my housemate who likes to buy his food in bulk to store bunches of milk in the cupboard until he's ready to use them. I can't bend on this one, it is just too weird to me, so I continue to buy fresh milk. When I was staying at Juliette's in Bordeaux, I learned that they don't even have a fresh milk option in France. Weird.
Living in a house with 4 other people, sharing a tiny bathroom, and strategizing how to organize the "shoebox," have all been learning experiences. Lots of laughs and lots of memories. I think that its going to make me appreciate the day that I have my own bathroom and kitchen utensils that much more.
Today marks six weeks until I head back to the States for good. I cannot believe how fast things have gone... but I'll save that mushy stuff for another blog later. Spring is one of my favorite times of year in Iowa, and let me tell ya, I miss a good thunderstorm. So, the next thunder-boomer that rolls through, take a moment and enjoy it on my behalf :) Miss you all!
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i'm so proud of you for being able to cope with tight spaces and lack of lots of your own personal space in public. this one would be a tough one. glad that you've made due.
ReplyDeletei like the sound of only 6 weeks. :)
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