Oliver!

Today I went to see the musical Oliver! at Cambridge Arts Theatre. My overall feeling is that I liked it. The children acting were very good, not to mention extremely cute, and most of the adult actors were good as well. I would actually say that the singing quality was a bit mixed to be honest, but I was pleased that they had a live orchestra playing. (OK so I didn't actually see the orchestra but I saw a conductor waving his or her hands so I assume there was an orchestra as well. It certainly sounded like it.) I also like that you can buy drinks in the bar and bring them in with you while you watch the play. For some reason you can't do that in Sweden. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a glass of wine while watching a play? 

There are a few theatres in Cambridge and I have now been to three of them. I saw Macbeth in the Corpus Playroom during my first few days here and I saw another play in the adc theatre a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the play. I had a really bad headache that day so I actually left in the middle. It had nothing to do with the play though. Next week I am going to visit the Corn Exchange to see Chicago. I try to make the most out of living here!

Why I love Cambridge

And that's all I have to say about that.

One month evaluation, part II

The things I really like about the UK tend to be things I like about Cambridge, since this is where I live. Therefore, the headline has to be:

Top 3 things I like about the UK/Cambridge so far

1. The surroundings. Oh my god, this place is so beautiful. I can't believe I actually live here. I love going into old university buildings so much I feel like crying. I love watching people punting, I love watching people rowing on my way to work, I love the swans, I love the cobbled streets, I love the pretty houses, I love the black classic taxis, I love the doors in blue green red, I love the beautiful churches, I love the red phone booths... I could go on for a while. Let's just say I love walking around in Cambridge because it is filled with history and everything is so pretty.

2. The British accent. I don't know where it comes from but I just love the British accent. I always have. The English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish – it's all so very charming! Of course here it's mostly English but I do live with a girl from Northern Ireland so I get to hear a bit of Irish accent as well. 

3. Culture/history/events. Things have happened here and things continue to happen. I can't believe that it takes five minutes for me to walk to the place "where Francis Crick interrupted patrons' lunchtime on 28 February 1953 to announce that he and James Watson had 'discovered the secret of life' after they had come up with their proposal for the structure of DNA" and that I keep walking past all the colleges where loads of brilliant people have studied. I also love the fact that I am in Shakespeare's country and that I can go and see his plays in the place where you are supposed to see them. That kind of historical culture is quite special. When I studied English some of us in the English department actually did A Midsummer Night's Dream. I played Puck. Puck is the funniest character ever to play, I think. I am looking forward to seeing that play here in the UK when the summer is approaching. Also, just the fact that London is really close makes me feel like I can go and see anything – concerts, plays, musicals.

I just really really like Britain. And Cambridge. 

Hello guy in shop, I love you

Today I went into a shop to top up the credit on my phone. The guy in the shop asked me "Are you English?" and of course I told him I was Swedish. "Oh. Well, your English is really really good!" he said. I was very flattered. I mean, I suppose he wouldn't have asked me if I was English if he actually thought I was, but I have decided to ignore that fact now and just feel flattered by the fact that he thought that perhaps I was English. I know it's probably difficult to erase the Swedish accent completely but I am trying... So, guy in shop – thank you! It made my day. 

One month evaluation

I've almost been here for a month now, it's actually four weeks tomorrow. So I have been thinking about the things that have struck me as weird or really cool and I thought I will share my top 3 with you. Only, I'll start with the weird things today and get to the good things later this week.

Top 3 things I find weird about the UK so far

1. People do not wear enough clothes. People told me about this when I arrived but I thought "How bad can it be?" Well. It's bad guys. It's really bad. I don't know if British people have extra thick skin that does not let the cold get to them, but I have a feeling that it isn't the case. So, can someone tell me why girls walk around in little dresses as if it were summer? Bare legs! No jackets! And no, it is not only the girls, the guys do it too. Perhaps not with dresses but I've seen guys in shorts and t-shirts and not much else. And it is like 7 degrees outside. I don't get it. It's weird.

2. The carpets in the bathroom. Seriously, what is up with that? I am not sure British people are aware of this but the rest of the world finds it kind of disgusting (rest of the world = at least a few people I've talked to from four different nationalities). I have not actually seen that many of the bathroom carpets in the flats where I've been but I've seen a few. In flats and pubs. I can just imagine all the drunk guys going in to the bathroom in the pub with a bad sense of aim. Oh, the germs.

3. Bad insulation. I suppose this is the reason for the carpets in the bathroom. The houses here are so pretty but oh so cold on the inside. So cold! I find it weird that insulation is such an unfamiliar thing here.

Now let's all sit in small groups of four and discuss this.