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| me in Mosely (south Birmingham) |
So Ta Luv is back…at least for a bit, I am not sure if I’ll be able to update my blog on a regular basis, as this time life is going to be busy busy, as I start teaching and also have to do lots of course work for the GTP course. For those who don’t know it yet, I am officially back in the UK, doing a work-based course in teacher training. Which means that instead of working for one year in Austria, to do my UP (Unterrichtspraktikum), I’ve decided to do it in the UK and thus also gain the status of a qualified teacher in the UK. It’s for sure going to be an exciting, stressful year in which I’ll have to go beyond my boundaries…
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| Moseley cool area in Brum |
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| my new school |
So far so good. First news from the city of Brum. What is new? What is going on? I have been in lovely chubby Birmingham since Thursday …time is flying by. I’ve walked a lot, seen many parts of the city, gotten to know many new people, seen the rough side of Birmingham, but also met many nice and helpful bus drivers who helped me find my way, landlords or tenants who welcomed me in their houses, etc.
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| sunny main square in Birmingham |
Well, every time when you start in a new city it is exciting but also a bit annoying. Those who’ve experience in it will know what I mean. It’s just this sense of being kind of lost, everything is new and strange…it always takes some time to get used to the new environment, to learn how the city works and to find one’s way. There are some things that I noticed straight away – the buses stop in general even without indicating, you have to have the exact amount of money to pay and you don’t say “ta or thank you” when you get off…verdict from this trivia: Brum is much less friendly than Leeds. It’s common knowledge that Birmingham, cradle of the Industrial Revolution, is a bit rough. Normally people react to the news that I’m in B’ham with “oh…be careful that you don’t pick up that horrible accent…you better watch out, people are a bit rough…” Birmingham’s reputation is not the best to be honest, and also when you ask people in the hostel I am staying in, “Why Birmingham?”, they don’t really know why….Well to defend the city a bit it also has its nice spots, a gorgeous main square, a huge shopping centre, interesting architecture where new meets old, some cool suburbs and a good life music and art scene (which yet has to be discovered by me).
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| old meets new_Bullring |
Even so this all fluffy warm feeling of “it is so good to be abroad” has not yet entered my body… maybe it’s due to the fact that I’ve been running around frantically looking for a place. I think in the end, it will be alright, I am sure that the city will grow on me.
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| the Selfridge, what a funky building |
The hostel I am staying in is amazing. I’ve already stayed here once a couple of years ago when I was travelling with Judith throughout the UK. It is a great place that feels almost like home. The owners are Hungarians and super friendly. When you come home from flat hunting there is always someone there who asks you about your day. There is a big screen where films are shown, food is served for breakfast and dinner and there is coffee and tea as much as you want. What else would you wish for …
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| Birmingham Backpackers_isn't that cool?! |
Flat hunting is more difficult than I thought it would be.
I’ve seen sooooo many places. Either the place was strange, really far away or the people were weird and unsociable. So under the top three of “no thank you” are the following: Place three a house with three Indian guys of whom two were sharing one room (mind out of economical, not sexual reasons), they were all nice and friendly, but it would be a bit weird to live there, considering that the room was super tiny and the windows darkened with cardboard. Number two was a house where a bunch of Estonian guys and an old Brummie were living…bit dirty and strange. And the first place goes to the house above a snack shop, where I would not be allowed to cook pork (not a prob because I’m not a big pork fan anyway), where the walls and the windows had holes.
But then again there were cool houses with faked grass instead of a carpet and a beach as a garden….The best viewing I had was about ½ hrs away from where I am going to work. Dan, at the moment the sole tenant of the property welcomed me with coffee and cake in his house. What a great viewing. Right now I am almost sure that I’ll take this place, if it is still available…I’ve a couple of more viewings tomorrow which I’d like to do and then we’ll see…so fingers crossed I’ve a place to live by Friday as I want to head to Leeds to see everyone up there…
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| having coffee |
Good enough rambling. All in all, I am well, I took some time today to do some sightseeing, I had some lovely coffee and cake in a funky café in King’s Heith – “Cherry Red” (might even become one of my favourite spots), I met a friend for a drink, I walked around town, checked out my school and sun bathed, … now I am knackered and soon off to bed.
Ta-ra
Michi
