Saturday, February 28, 2015

Cherbourg and Olaf Lingberg

27/2 - By now you've probably heard I went to France to stay in the home of a total stranger for a night. The trip was a massive success, and it was defined by unexpected surprises and a new friend in a far away land. But I still have no idea what anyone is saying in French.

Marie was waiting for me in the ferry terminal in Cherbourg. She recognized me straight away, which was great because I didn't have to wander around by myself. We walked back to her place in the city center. I found out she is 33 and studies literature at a school in Paris. She lives in Cherbourg during the weekends or weeks like this when she doesn't have school. She's also a language tutor, considering she speaks French, English, Polish, Portuguese and German, and she's a riding instructor. She has her own horse in a public stable west of Cherbourg.

Her house is a small flat with enough room for really only one person. The first floor has a tiny kitchen with two burners, a sink and one of those ovens you cook hotdogs in. There's also the bathroom and a closet on the floor, but the tightly spiraling stairs that lead to the second floor block part of it. The second floor is the living area with a bookcase, TV, desk and futon that transforms into a bed. The third floor is Marie's room. It's a very tight space, but it's just enough room for one person; it's basic and humble.

I brought her some red wine and dark chocolate as a thank you for opening her home to me. As it turns out, Marie reminds me a lot about my cousin Ivey. It's really easy to make her laugh and she's a bit clumsy by her own admission. She also has a thing for Disney characters.

She told me about Cherbourg, about how it's a city that is difficult to work in because of the economy and how it doesn't feel alive. Of course, I thought it was a great city, with hills rising up just a short distance away from the shore and the defensive forts that guard the harbor.

One of the favorite things that happened was our trip to the stables Thursday morning. I knew I'd meet Marie's horse; I did not expect to ride it. She told me the horse and I seemed like a good fit based on how we interacted while she was prepping to ride, and while riding, she said she was impressed by how I stayed calm and seemed in control when the horse got spooked or tripped on a rock in the sand. But riding, to me, is like riding a bicycle; you never forget how. And that's true as I was comfortable on the horse and it seemed natural. I like horses though; they're very gentle creatures. And I liked that stable too because there were several other horses and a great big shaggy dog that was way too excited to meet me.

But as we walked down the drive and across the road, dodging traffic along the way, I found myself in awe of the moment once again. Here I was, riding a horse along a road (and eventually the beach) in France. I didn't know I'd be doing this last Saturday! I began to smile while riding the horse just thinking about this. I couldn't believe my luck. It was another one of those spontaneous adventures that are always better than planning something in advance. Also, it was strange that being in France didn't seem that far away from home. The ferry ride was only three or four hours. Speaking of the ferry, it's only 15 minutes away from me on foot so that's another plus.

The other unexpected thing that happened to me was when I was visiting the aquarium before the ferry left for Poole. In an exhibit about the Titanic and emigration, I found the Declaration of Intention record for Olaf Lingberg when he emigrated to America from Sweden in 1912; he was 43 years old at the time. The record observed he was 5'9" and 144 pounds, had brown hair, and I believe it says he had tattoos on both arms. I got a thrill from this, and it's another reminder why knowing exactly where your name comes from is a good idea.

While going to France to stay with a complete stranger takes a lot of trust on both sides (and a bit of naivety) it was a great experience. I made a new friend and definitely will go back, though I'll have a better knowledge of French next time. It goes to show people around the world are generally similar, though with different accents.

27/2 - While I didn't worry about missing Wednesday's lecture about sport fan violence for my trip to France, I had to be back for today's visit to Littledown Centre, which is a giant sport and leisure center in Bournemouth. It has two swimming pools, a couple gyms, several playing fields, spas, cafeteria, sport hall and several other purposes. I'm learning in this class about sport venue management that venues are very complex, especially public swimming pools. There are so many moving parts. Looking at these places from a different perspective will make visiting a gym not quite the same ever again. How's the ventilation system? Can you smell chlorine in the poole? If so that means it's not safe to swim in. Is there condensation of pool water? If so, the that condensation is very corrosive. Where is a gym in relation to which floor it's on? Will it make noise? Will dropping weights damage the structure of the building? It all makes your head spin, but this is a useful class. And the lecturer, (tip-top) Gary, seems like he's done it all. He's got lots of connections it sounds like.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Swanage, Portsmouth, grades and going back to France

22/2 - I keep having strange dreams that leave me with the feeling I've forgotten something. But then I wake up and realize it's just Saturday or Sunday, so I feel relieved. I can't remember the dreams most of the time; they're just vague feelings. If I try to remember what it was, I end up with some undefined idea, kind of like when you're tying to think of a word you should know but it won't come to mind for some reason.

Since Kate left the apartment, the whole feel has changed. It feels smaller, like it's just Tim and I. I would go so far as to say there's a sense of loss here.

Franky and I took the bus to Studland and went to see Old Harry Rocks. The size of those cliffs is a little intimidating. It makes you wonder how those cliffs get to be so high and vertical. What exactly caused the land to end so abruptly? Why are there individual columns of earth and rock still standing in the ocean? Why are there archways? What caused all of this? But the good thing for Franky is it reminds her of her home in Eastbourne, which is a good thing.

We hiked over the hill, down the other side while dodging mud puddles and gingerly navigating wet and uneven steps, and walked along the beach towards Swanage. The Swanage High Street is really interesting with many different kinds of shops; something the Poole Quay could use. We found a pub to take a rest at and restaurant/hotel shaped like a castle that offered a three-course meal for £13.

And while getting generally lost in town while searching for the bus stop, we were against the clock; Franky had to be at work at 8 p.m. But we were distracted by yet another church with ornate details and tall spires that had its doors open to the public. Franky is like me in that she likes being in a church, not necessarily going to church. We walked through the doors, and like in my adventure in Gillingham, this church was completely empty besides the two of us. It completely blocked out all noise from outside and made anything we did amplified. It's a little unnerving to hear how loud your footsteps are in a place so silent all you can hear is the buzzing in your ears. And there's something about a church that forces you to be completely silent. Perhaps it's respect for the area.

23/2 - I would normally think playing football in the rain and mud is great fun. Not today. That was one of the coldest and wettest I was this season. We were just screwing around, running simple plays while wearing costumes. We called it the Pro Bowl. But the rain was freezing. I fingers were so cold they were stiff. It just wasn't that fun as a result. And I rode the bus back home cold, wet and dirty. I feel sorry for whoever had to use that seat after me.

25/2 - My grades have come out for my business class last semester and I passed. This is the last time I'll have to think about easily the worst class I've ever taken. It was poorly designed and unhelpful. Why would any course need three lecturers to teach? If you say grades are coming out on a date, have them ready by that date. Don't set them back by more than two weeks. Why have a class with more than 150 people in it? And to top off the embarrassment of this course for administration, a spreadsheet was emailed to everyone which had every person's name attached to their actual grade. It's so bad it was comical. But with all that said, I was super excited to pass and had a massive surge of adrenaline.

That was an excellent start to the day. The day was finished off with a class field trip to see Portsmouth FC play Tranmere Rovers at Fratton Park. Portsmouth is my lecturer's club, and he turned into a completely different person at the game. It was quite funny to see him clapping and chanting as loud as he could. (As a side note, I ordered a cheeseburger from a food truck outside the stadium before the game. What I got was a single patty with graded mozzarella thrown unceremoniously on top at the last second. I'll say with confidence that was the worst excuse for a cheeseburger I've ever come across in my life. But this is England, so I shouldn't be that surprised.)

It was an excellent game, no thanks to the referee. Alex, our Greek friend, said that was the worst referee he's ever seen. I agreed. At one point, he didn't see a Tranmere player jump in the air with his arm extended and literally punch the ball towards the goal with his hand, which in turn resulted in an own goal for Portsmouth. It was exactly like Diego Maradona's Hand of God. Portsmouth was down 2-0 late in the second half, but they came back and scored three goals in the space of 20 minutes to steal the game. At that point the Portsmouth fans unleashed a "you fucked up two-nil up" chant directed at the 200 Tranmere fans on the other side of the pitch who had traveled all the way from Liverpool to see the game. It was a great experience for my first League 2 game. That's three divisions below the Premier League and two below Bournemouth in the Championship. That was another great time which will lead to something I'm truly excited for.

I'll be going on an excellent adventure in the morning. I'll take the ferry from Poole to Cherbourg, France and stay overnight. I found a woman who usually hosts guests for a short time on her couch for no charge. I found her on a website called, appropriately, Couchsurfing. She's had some good reviews and we spoke over email and Facebook. While she studies for school tests she has to take after her week of vacation, she said she'll lend me a bicycle so I can explore the coast. There are also some hiking trails around where she lives. But I'm nervous going off by myself because I know only three words in French. It should be great, though. A little spontaneity never hurt anyone, and this person sounds like a genuinely nice person. We'll see.

It takes a lot of trust in total strangers and a bit of naivety to try something like this. But I'm excited to do this. It'll be a great thrill to take a ferry over the channel again. I remember, four years ago, how it felt to see land at the end of the ferry ride and realize it's France. I was so excited. That time I was traveling with a large group of Americans. This time I'm by myself putting faith in a French woman I've never met. This is the thrill of the unknown.

And hopefully she likes the Spanish red wine and 72 percent dark chocolate I got for her for opening her house to me.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

From football to rugby we go

17/2 - As it turns out, the game against Solent was broadcast live over the Internet. Here's the link to the game, complete with graphics, commentary and score. I think my pass deflection while on a blitz is between 50 minutes and 55 minutes. In hindsight, I thought I got my arms up pretty early, but on the film I flung them up right at the last second. My fingers were stinging for the rest of the half from that tip.

I'm No. 31. The starter at my position is Gideon, No. 27. Coach Charlie has a halftime interview. You'll be able to see the kind of athlete one of the team captains, Charlie Sweet, is. He's a receiver with some serious wheels. My American teammate, Justice, is the quarterback. He had his worst game at the worst time. I felt bad for him.

And another thing: my teammate Justin usually passes around caffeine tablets before games. I took one. Never again. I was so jittery and I couldn't speak!

18/2 - Yesterday's weather was absolutely fantastic, not a cloud in the sky and relatively warm. I took the opportunity to wander around Poole and explore more. I found a church crammed into a small square of a neighborhood where one-lane streets snake throughout. I also found a microbrewery which I took Tim to and he loved it.

I went to another Poole Town game, and this time I was able to interview one of the defenders for about 15 minutes. He's a former captain before he left for another club for a year. It's fun getting to know this club, and it's easier since I know how from my time with the paper.

I played rugby for the first time ever this morning. We were just learning the basics, but it's completely different from football. And getting up early to go play a game with teammates is the perfect way to wake up and start the day. I'm also partly playing so family can see me in action when they come here.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Done with football

2/14 – Kate has moved to the floor below us because we are too noisy. Essentially I feel backstabbed. I've never known someone I considered a friend who is just able to walk out like that and probably never speak to me again. But I’ve talked about it enough so I’ll leave it at that.

We had our final football practice on Friday. It was raining the entire time and we were forced to squelch through mud. But it wasn’t that cold and it was incredibly enjoyable. There’s something very refreshing about getting splattered with mud. But that day was all about perspective. I may not feel like I’m good at something or don’t like something, but someone else will feel completely opposite. For example, Coach Charlie came up to me after practice and told me I’m a good tackler from what he’s seen on tape. It’s little comments like that which make you realize you need to take a step back and rethink things.

I’ve written about how I think my classes are too easy before. But I’m bringing it up again because Bill confirmed to me over a pint of beer that the masters programs are either much easier than the undergraduate programs, like mine, or incredibly unrealistic, like the journalism program. The university only has masters programs as a way to bring in revenue. And because the university targets international students, particularly from Asia, and admits them even though some aren’t particularly strong with the English language, it has to drag down standards so they’ll be able to handle it. If they have the money to pay, that’s all the school is looking for, high chance of failing be damned. Additionally, I believe the school holds people whose first language is English to a higher standard than those with a different mother language. That double standard is ridiculous.


So I would be much angrier than I am if I came to this country specifically for school. I’ll have a master’s degree, but I won’t feel like I accomplished anything. There’s very little value for money here, and it’s super disappointing. To me, the only selling point BU has is its location.  

16/2 - Football season is over. We were creamed at Solent in Southampton yesterday, but it was a very positive day. The Redhawks' artificial turf was excellent, it wasn't windy or cold and I just had fun. I played a lot at strongside linebacker, and I recorded a tackle, tipped a pass while blitzing the quarterback and recovered a fumble. I have another giant bruise and the charlie horse I got while getting cut at the goal line is still there. I got the full experience yesterday, so I'm happy. 

I thinking about putting my name down to play in a rugby tournament in May, both as a new experience and to have something to do now that football has ended. 

Saturday I went to my first Bournemouth AFC game with the sports editor of the student newspaper: Ross. I like that stadium as 10,000 people make for a very cozy environment with not one bad seat. And afterwards we went to the postgame press conference with the manager. Surprisingly, you don't need press credentials to get in!

But I need to find a way to fix my computer, considering there's some sort of virus on it that is making it run slowly. I'm not complaining though, as I acknowledge I didn't have virus protection until this morning.

And here are some photos from my trip to Brownsea Island. I finally got the pictures from Naomi.




Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Writing gig with Poole Town

5/2 - Sometimes, the best adventures are ones you go on alone and on short notice. I took the bus to Studland today with the intention of seeing Old Harry Rocks. What unfolded was a hike that took me up the coastline, over the hill in the distance and through small villages, sometimes getting a bit lost.

And I found my favorite place in the United Kingdom. This has replaced Central London:



Remember that scene in The Shawshank Redemption where Red goes to Buxton and finds Andy's letter to him under that oak tree along the stone wall? He was completely alone there. It was silent. That's how it was lying in the grass on the hill overlooking Swanage. The only sound was the occasional gust of wind across my face. It was surreal, looking over a completely silent city under an iron-gray sky, through which rays of sun poked through the floating clouds like a child touching a surface with a curious finger. The city sat next to the pale turquoise ocean, which was like a smooth ice skating rink that extended into infinity. And there were moments when the sun, like a defender shedding a block in football, was able to peek out from behind a pesky cloud and warm my face just a fraction.

There I ate my lunch and then took a short nap. It's the kind of thing I imagine Huckleberry Finn would do, with not a care in the world. And that's the thing; nothing else mattered then on the side of that hill. My mind was completely free of everything that wasn't related to that space in the present. Essentially, that hill was like a drug, wiping everything from your mind and body. And there, another line from the movie came to mind:

Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'.

As for Old Harry Rocks, I had a similar feeling of ecstasy as I did when I saw Shell Bay or when I went to Central London in November. I was like a little kid, running around and warily peering over cliff edges. You feel so small when stepping out onto a narrow outcrop to see more of the lower parts of the cliff.



7/2 - Josh, Naomi and I visited Brownsea Island today; it's another one of those places I can see from my window. It's definitely a place I'd like to explore more, but considering I caught a glimpse of one of just 200 red squirrels on the island, I'd say this short visit was a success. There are eight miles of trail on the island, so you can spend a long time there.

I had to leave early because I wanted to see Poole Town take on Weymouth in what is known as the "Jurassico," which refers to the fact the two clubs are from the Jurassic coast. PTFC won the game 4-0 in front of more than 1,200 fans, which is four times as many people I've seen there before. But it turns out football fans of either side aren't too particularly bright when it comes to creative songs or originality, or even singing ability.

8/2 - Negativity is useless. It benefits no one and serves only to drag a person down. So I'm going to choose to be positive; it makes days so much better. And instead of being resentful of teammates who are playing well, I'm going to (already started) be happy for them. I'll revel in their success. It makes games and training that much better. My goal is to be the best teammate I can be. And speaking of practice, the weather today was fantastic. It felt like Spring in that it was sunny with not a cloud in the sky or a gust of wind. Team attendance over the past two days has been pathetic, so I got a lot of run today at weakside linebacker and strong safety. I think I like strong safety more.

10/2 - Since I'm studying sport management, I thought I'd do it right and take matters into my own hands. I emailed Poole Town to see if they do temporary placements. After a bit of convincing, saying I thought the club's situation was interesting to look at from my point of view, they invited me to tonight's game where I met some players, the manager, the commercial director and the vice chairman.

I learned a lot about the club from Mark, the commercial director, as we watched the second half of the game, such as how the team was forced to relocate from Poole Stadium after 60 years because the racing track was widened. And a few years ago the club sold a player named Charlie Austin for about £2 million, which helped the club develop its current home at Tatnam Ground, which has been its base for about 14 years (Tatnam Grond is on the property of the local middle school). I also learned the club is looking to move and build a new pitch somewhere on the outskirts of the city, but it will be difficult because the price tag is said to be between £2 million to £3.2 million. I learned about how gate ticket sales can't completely pay for player wages and that's why advertising, donations, player funds, merchandise sales and other fundraisers are used to supplement that.

I also landed a writing gig for the team website where I'll be asked to write game previews, team news stories and anything else I come up with. It's unpaid, but I expect I'll get fed at least. After the game I was invited into the boardroom where board members of both teams and the referee team eat a post-game meal of a sausage, overcooked peas and unseasoned chips along with a drink. But I appreciated getting fed all the same. And it turns out one of the players from Poole Town, Max, came from Oakland, CA where he went to school at Cal Berkeley. The strange thing about him is the fact he's British but has an American accent.

But as I sat there in that shabby boardroom at a scratched wooden table with mismatched chairs, surrounded by faded newspaper clippings, club pennants and unpolished trophies from past victories, I once again marveled at the fact I was there. I somehow found myself, an American student in a very British setting, in the middle of a room with high-ranking members of both football clubs. I want to say it was a bit wacky, though I was of course a bit shy since I hardly knew any of these people. But this all stemmed from the fact I sent out an exploratory email asking a simple question. And like I told Tim earlier today when I was helping him find DJ work, the worst they can say is no.

So if this were high school, I'd be tempted to ask for extra credit for a better grade. But now it's for my own gain; being a student just gives me a good reason and excuse to get in contact with these organizations.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Snow at sea level

31/1 - I have another injury.

During Friday's practice, we were practicing tackling. I was up against James, a guy who has a background in rugby, and when he wrapped up my legs I felt and heard my left knee crack. So now my knee is a little stiff.

Playing football has made me look at myself a little deeper. It's difficult to put into words, but I feel like I need to confront the fear I have while playing. It's really affecting the way I play and definitely murdering my confidence, especially in terms of tackling. Some of my teammates are so good at it, but I have to remind myself they have a background in rugby, so they've been doing it for years. It's just been a few months for me.

I was looking forward to going hiking today, but I woke up after 1 p.m. because I had such a good time at our karaoke party last night. So we didn't go because it was too late. Just imagine how upset and disappointed I was, considering I had been looking forward to that all week.

3/2 - We lost at Portsmouth 25-0 on Sunday. It was another bad day for me, as I didn't play very much due to a combination of me having lost all confidence in my ability to tackle, a lost mouth guard on a kickoff after getting annihilated from behind (these British refs are comically bad) and my bulky knee (which felt good enough to play and is almost better, though I can still feel it going up and down stairs).

It was another bad Sunday for me. It all stems from the fact I just want to feel like I contributed to the game result. Sure, I stayed involved on the sideline, cheering teammates on and being loud in general, and playing special teams, but I want more. But when I take a step back and write in hindsight, it's just a game. It's supposed to be fun and I'm keeping myself from having fun because I'm being so hard on myself. There are other more important things. And if I'm honest with myself, I just wish my family could see a game.

But on a positive note, a professional photographer was at the game and got this shot:


I finally started my second term at school and realized it's going to be incredibly easy. Stupid easy. Open-the-door-and-get-admitted-to-the-university easy. There are just four of us in the class now, as the two Germans finished their course and have gone back home. And I ran my rough idea for my 15,000-word dissertation past my professor and he really seemed to be intrigued by the thought.

3/2 - It snowed last night. There is less than an inch of snow on the ground, but there is plenty of it. So I went to wake up Stella shortly after 8 a.m. because she's never seen snow before. I woke her up and told her to open the window. She didn't believe me, but when she opened the curtain and saw the white stuff she gasped. She instantly became fully awake. It was really cool to see her reaction to the first time seeing snow.

I got her on video when we first walked outside and touched it. And for the next hour or so we walked to the park by the harbor and made snowballs and snow angels. Snow is another one of those things some of us take for granted. It seems so simple but it's incredibly beautiful at the same time. Can you remember the first time you saw snow? How did it make you feel?

4/2 - The Spanish conversation club started up again today and it went incredibly well. I'm getting more and more comfortable speaking Spanish, and I'm understanding more when I listen.

And an update on my knee; it's feeling much better. I only feel it if I'm going down a steep hill or something like that. And since our final game is in two weeks, I'm going to be mentally tough and do the best I possibly can in practice. What's the point of dwelling on past performances if they just drag you down. Friday and Sunday are more opportunities to get better.