Jet-Lagging (January 31, 2010)

Hey folks,
First of all, most of you are receiving this email because you requested to be on my mailing list. A couple of you didn't request, but I just figured you'd like to be in the know anyway. At least one of you was volunteered by another person, although I'm not naming any names...
As I am now able to access the internet on my own computer, I can provide an actual account of what I've been up to over the past three days: After some rushed last-minute packing on Wednesday morning, I drove to the airport with my girlfriend and met up with the rest of the Calvin group. After dropping off our checked luggage and going over some final details, we said our goodbyes to friends and families and proceeded through airport security without incident. This left us with about an hour to wait before boarding, which I passed by conversing with another student on the trip. Then we embarked on the first leg of the trip, a quick jaunt over to O'Hare in Chicago, starting out our trip the northeast by heading southwest. We arrived in Chicago and moved in a mass to our connecting gate, with a four hour layover ahead of us. Attempts to connect to the airport wireless internet proved fruitless, and I would have fallen fast asleep had it not been for a couple rounds of "telephone pictionary". As boarding time neared, I made sure I had everything prepared for the flight, gave Karin a final goodbye call, and finally got on the Boeing 757 which was to be home for the next six and a half hours.
We departed from O'Hare at 5:30, just as it was getting dark in Chicago; I found myself occupying a seat between two fellow Calvin students. Nothing interesting occurred during this flight; dinner consisted of the customary choice between chicken or beef, and wasn't that bad. A kids' movie was playing on LCD panels mounted through the fuselage (although I don't think I noticed a single child on the flight) which I ignored in favor of some jazz on the in-flight radio. Thankfully, I was able to sleep for an hour or two, while somehow we lost five hours somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
After breakfasting and filling out an immigration card, we found ourselves approaching Manchester. The stark blackness was broken by mosaics of yellow lights indicating towns and cities across the English countryside; quite beautiful. I made it through immigration no problem. There was a bit of anxiety when I thought that I had lost my luggage, but it turned out that it had been grabbed off the conveyor belt by some Calvin students who had preceded me through immigration. With our baggage collected, we then exited the terminal and met with Professor Ward, our supervisor/liason/go-to guy for the trip. We rolled out of Manchester by bus shortly after 8:00, just as it was getting light outside. I remained half-awake for the beginning of the trip...then sleep overtook me.
I was in the midst of an engrossing dream when I was shaken awake by one of my fellows; we had reached the apartment complex which was to be home for me and about half the group for the semester. We wrested our luggage from the bowels of the bus, turned in a housing form, and were directed to our flats. I was welcomed to 2 Cruse House by a fellow student from the next apartment over, and he in turn introduced me to one of my flatmates. They seemed pleased to have an American in their midst, describing how they had previously hosted students of different nationalities. Evidently the two apartments hang out together a lot, and my flat had been the site of a party the night before, as was evidenced by the untidy kitchen, which still has not improved. My room was nice and clean, however, and so were the shower and toilet rooms. I had my luggage unpacked in barely any time and spent a few minutes attempting to connect my laptop to the internet. I sought help at the next apartment over, where my new aquaintances were unable to assist me. However, one of them volunteered to show me to campus, where I could take my computer to the IT department. We walked over to the York St. John's University and I got my computer taken care of in a matter of minutes; my new neighbor pointed out a couple buildings, then we parted ways and I returned to the flat.
I spent the next couple hours organizing and situating my stuff, then met with the rest of the Calvin students in the apartment complex to walk over to campus for an orientation session. This was just our final enrollment in our classes and into the YSJ computer system. A mundane PowerPoint followed, during which it was a painful effort to stay awake, but afterward I wandered around the campus library a bit and made a quick run to and from my flat to retrieve some documents I had previously forgotten. After a quick trip to pick up some basic groceries, it was back to campus for a reception for all the international students--a dragging, unstructured gathering during which I kind of brooded off to one side, munching peanuts and potato chips rather than attempt to socialize in my fatigued state. Thankfully the reception adjourned early and it was back to the flat, where I video-chatted with Karin, became thoroughly bewildered at the duvet that came in my bedding pack, and finally dropped into a much-needed sleep.
Friday began at 9:00; I flopped out of bed, checked my email, and fiddled unsuccessfully with the shower knob for five minutes before resigning myself to a quick rinsing of my face in the washstand in my room. More orientation sessions and lunch at the campus dining hall kept me busy from 10:00 until 12:30. At 2:00 I struck out on my own into the city center, which is the portion of York enclosed by old stone walls. I'll describe the city center in more detail later; for this outing, I managed to pick up some basic supplies like paper and towels and soap, and got into a brief conversation with a cashier who fulfilled all sorts of wonderful stereotypes regarding matronly British ladies. In my wandering I ran into a pair of fellow Calvin students, one of whom I joined up with to continue looking around. I bought a secondhand clock radio at sprawling antiques shop, and we ducked into a couple bookstores before coming back.
After depositing my finds at the aparment, I joined the rest of the group and we headed to the house our professor inhabits for the semester, which Calvin rents from the university, evidently. There we enjoyed a couple hours of conversation and snacks before departing; most of the students headed to a nearby pub; I was tired, so I returned to my flat and contented myself with Ramen noodles instead. Lights off at 12:30, right when I heard the sounds of a guitar and a chorus of male voices strike up from one of the rooms beneath mine.
With nothing previously scheduled this morning, I remained in bed until 10:00. Thankfully I was able to figure out the shower this morning, after making some inquiries of others living in the apartments last night, and felt like a new man afterward. Having the entire day ahead of me, I quickly consulted a couple maps and struck out around noon. My first two destinations were a Sainsbury's and a Morrison's, shops that resemble a Scott's/Kroger and Wal-Mart, respectively. I obtained more basic supplies there and then headed back to the city center, walking atop the old walls for part of the way. In the city center, I retraced some of my paths from yesterday, as well as investigated some new parts of the city. I made a second stop in a cool little model and hobby shop, and now I'm tempted to assemble a model kit or two during my stay here, something I haven't done in years. Throughout my wanderings, I saw a magician, a Punch and Judy show, and a pianist performing in the streets, which are restricted to pedestrian traffic in the heart of town. The high points of the afternoon were stumbling upon an old church nestled along the waterfront and hearing the bells of York Minster Cathedral toll 4:00. Again, more details on the city center in subsequent emails.
Back to the apartment by 5:00, where I instant-messaged with friends from back home for a bit. Then I returned to our professor's house for another social evening. The group was smaller, but we still had a good time playing games and eating refreshments for a couple hours. I returned to the apatment by 10:30, and composed this email in the time being.
That should give you all at least an overview of my activities for the past couple days. Tomorrow our entire group is doing a day trip to Whitby, which is the coastal town where much of Bram Stoker's Dracula takes place. I'll be sure to inform you all about that in my next dispatch. For now, I had better call it a night, so accept this hasty farewell, and I hope you take encouragement from the fact that I wrote out a prayer card for all my friends and family back home during my brief visit in the church this afternoon.
So long for now!
-John Morton