Travel report: The UK - Nottingham - Studying in the University of Nottingham (24.01.16 - 17.06.16)

Chapter 5

Weeks 5 and 6:

- When will I start the essays? Never?

- Additional homework from Moscow has arrived... =(
- We`ve got a little cold...=((

- Nottingham University Russian-speaking Society party

- Oscars` night

- Food in catered halls

Yep, on Friday night (!) we went to a URSS (!!) home party (!!!) and then went to a club (!!!!). So, we did exactly everything that we were told NOT to do. And we`re alive! The party was actually good, a lot of something to drink (but I didn`t - have to look after my liitle girl), many people to talk to, just the music was bad. The owner of the place said it was even comparatively calm and decent (nobody`s dead or injured,the house is not ruined - yep, it was). We arrived early in the morning, then slept all Satuday, nearly missed the dinner.
Funny fact: the occasion of the party was Defender of the Fatherland Day celebration, but all of the participants were hardly even defenders-to-be:) Ok, that`s not funny, that`s the usual case.

The Oscars` night was celebrated in the group of four of us - me, the Blonde, a former-Russian guy and an (omg... so much attractive, so tall, help me... ok, I`m ok) Estonian guy. I wasn`t really ready to spend the whole evening listening to discussions over comic books and Marvel movies (so I barely spoke at all), but could I really resist the coallition of three? (now I think, I don`t like fantasy as well... too many characters, you know?) So, I was just sitting and following the nominations. 

And later happened something like that:

(ok, just kidding: nobody actually burnt a teddy bear...)

Then for some reason they decided to watch Goblin-translated Lord of the Rings... =\

I mean, why not to watch: a) a movie with Leo starring, b) one of the Oscars` nomenees, c) any another one bloody movie???

Ok. Not my house, not my rules.

We arrived in the morning, missing breakfast and first classes at 11 am (but I caught up mine the next day - just attended the same with the other group). And then we were sleeping through the whole week.

Actually, I do feel guilty for not letting the owner of the room sleep properly and alone those nights. And for guy who had to spend money for drinks. And for being socially-awkward. Can`t help it. Sorry.

Also went to Mooch on Wednesday (week 6) (UoN, Portland Building, -1 floor). Didn`t impress at all. The music is poor. Just a proper place to meet friends after classes. Drinks: 4, 5, 7 £.

But: met a Welsh guy there, who decided to learn Russian after he volunteered to look after children still effected by Chernobyl disaster. Just... wow.

* * *

Catered halls. Food.

Pros

Generally, the food is fine. They provide a wide variety of dishes (as you can combine your own), changing every day. Every week they have a kind of International cuisine day - a foreign country`s traditional meal is ordered. Also they always have a choise for vegetarians - special soya-made sausages, for example. 

You can have 2 items of fruit each time, there`re vegetables available to combine your own salad (not every day, unfortunatelly), also yougurts; coffee machine and juice machine provide unlimited amount of drinks. To make a toast you simply (wait in a queue, then) put a loaf on the railing of the automatic toaster and wait untill it falls out from under the railing (the speed is adjustable). 

+ sauces, ketchup and mayonnaise
+ marmalades and honey, Nutella and Philadelphia, sugar\salt, cereals and crisps (for breakfast only)

Cons

1) I stopped liking local soups. They are just 80% VERY spicey! If not the amout of pepper, I could have them each time, but for now that`s enough! I have just one stomach for the rest of my life.

2) The juices are terrible. They are always too watery, all of them. I mean, why would anyone add water to apple juice? There is no juice anyway!

3) Marmite. Just don`t taste it. Just don`t. DO NOT. Understand?

Rules: 
- always have your ID when having a breakfast\dinner (we had to run back to the hall for one)
- it`s not allowed to return to the serving room for more (unless you`re a vegetarian who was accidentally given meat and want to change it =P)
(but you can come up to the table with drinks\snacks for more)
- don`t arrive a minute before the breakfast\dinner ends (but can arrive a few minutes before it starts)

But don`t hesitate to ask for more if they`ve run out of something: spoons, cups, items of food etc.