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

We were asked to keep diaries if possible to let other 

upcoming Russian students know how it is like in here.

So, I resume my blog.

The updates won`t be regular (as usual) - just when there`s 

something to say or to show.

Hope it would be useful.

It`s our third day here already, but only the first day I finally managed to make first notes. You will have two weeks to explore the campus, they said. You will, but not more, so hurry up. From the very beggining you should have ears, eyes and maps ready to start to navigate easily here and resolve all organization issues during the first week (as some of the classes\modules has already begun and just a few start the next week)! 

It`s absolutely no problem to ask anybody about everything, everybody`s kind and quite helpful (with some exceptions). Some false directions can be given by mistake, the leaflets are almost useless - no specific information about almost anything. For example, we didn`t know about the existance of a dining hall in our... hall (Sherwood Hall) till the end of the second day, so we almost missed the pre-paid lunch. The leaflet about the meals had absolutely no info on the time and place where it is served.

How we got here: booked transfer tickets Moscow (Sheremetyevo) - Helsinki - London (Heatrow) (5+ hour flight, 13 000 rub approx.) Then coach by National Express from terminal 2 (we took a wild run to get there on time!) - funfare tickets with a discount from the University (don`t mind the line "tickets are not available to travel to\from airport" in "help" to the tickets - nonsence) - 3,5 hours ride. We got very thoughtful drivers, who kindly asked where we need to get to (gosh, we didn`t know ourselves for sure!) - so, they got us to Sherwood hall directly.

Customs problems: long queues mostly, approx. 1 hour. We were asked why we didn`t have return tickets. We said, that we were not aware of assessment schedule, so afraid to loose them if booked in advance. 

A short "to do" list when arrived:

- go to the accomodation firstly (keys, laundry card, directions, welcome pack)

- go to receive another welcome pack (info about where is in the booklets in the room`s welcome pack)

- register online (if not registered at home). REMEMBER THE PASSWORD - it`s the access to all of the online fascilities: the campus WiFi, the student portal, Moodle... well, everything. (I failed here:))

- register in person (again, booklets)

- go to get your University Card (having scraped through the novels, we learnt that they are in your "school" (CLAS, for example, in Trent building)). The card is your ID here, access to the meals in the hall, to the library, to the 1 pound bus ride (for specific routs). 

- attend the meetings in the given schedule ("Welcome information")

- try to choose modules by the end of the first week by speaking to people in the schools

Ok, here we are by now.

As for meeting other students, it`s the same as everywhere so far. Accidental striking up an acquaintance, pointless exchage of Facebook accounts (hate Facebook so much!), trying to remember the names... People are quite nice, of a huge variety of nationalities. There are so many beautiful people out here, really want to make friends, but I`m so bad at it, gosh! Well, we`ll see.

We get up at 8 am, go for the breakfast and then we are busy till it gets dark (5 pm). No way to do anything after except of eating again - so exhausted we are. We`ve been invited to clubs today - refused to go. 

No noise time - 10:30 pm (doesn`t include leaving the room, taking a shower - that`s quite quiet:)

Meals: breakfasts and dinners are prepaid (simply go to the dining hall with the University Card) + we have 5.30 pounds to get anything tasty from any cafe\bar\food court at the territory of the University. Yep, even at Starbucks:) (psss, the one at the library is the cheapest;))

Mon-Fr

Breakfast - 7:45-9:30, 

Tea & toastes availiable until 10:00

Dinner - 17:30 - 19:00

Sat-Sun

Brunch - 11:00-12:30

Dinner 17:30-18:30

Sherwood Hall photoes

Room facilities: double-sized bed, table lamp, book shelf, note board, table, fridge, wardrobe, sink, mirror. Showers & toilets are in the corridor, quite neat and cleaned regularly. Cattle, toaster, microwave oven & filtered water are availiable on the 1st and 2nd floor (2nd and 3d actually - that`s Britain).

The territory is huge, sort of a park with a pound, flower-beds, green loans, old trees and bushes nicely cut. We`re still getting lost sometimes, have to do a lot of walking. But that`s ok. The weather... well, it`s Brtitish. Sometimes it`s warm and sunny, but mostly it`s drizzling and gloomy, and wild is the wind... sorry. It`s comparatively warm, beautiful and it`s Britain - what else do you need when from Russia?

P.S. Just realized, that a leaflet with PHOTOES OF THE BUILDINGS and THEIR NAMES would be VERY USEFUL, for the god`s sake! Yes, you can connect to wifi and google it (but I had hard time trying to do that, as it kept disconnecting). Come on, you printed so many happy students on the covers, IS IT REALLY THAT HARD to really make them a bit happier?

Let me think about... Labyrinth (1986)

Think I`m going to renew my blog for the upcoming long travel to the UK as we all were asked to keep notes on new vocabulary heard and anything interesting on our way. 
But first things first. And first things are movies!

R.I.P. David Bowie

It seems so meaningless to write about this now. So strange to mention that I'm crying now over a death of a rock and pop star whom I hardly knew anything about and barely interested in. About the one who died like my mother, but was lucky to live a way longer than her. I sound like a suddenly apeared new fan on a hype, but I don`t do this. I'm not his fan and have never been. I`ve always loved some of his songs even not knowing they were his: Ashes to Ashes, Golden Years, Starman, Sound and Vision and many others (surely didn`t know that The Man Who Sold The World was his). It is highly possible that soon I`ll become one, but that won`t be easy. It requies lots of listening and readng of the lyrics and biography of the artist. It`s just... It seems to me that if I was more attentive to what`s worthy in the world, I wouldn`t be in the stupid situation of discovering the artist for me just now, right after his death. I`ve already listened to a few albums, finding out that some songs are among my favorites, watched some movies, finding him immensly attractive and his acting so electric, watched some interviews, where he is very intelligent and funny sometimes. IPhone keeps offering me to listen to Blackstar, but it will take much time for me to get to it. I`m not ready to say goodbye, not yet. We`ve just met.

"Labyrinth" is frequently mentioned now as the first thing where people of about my age saw Bowie and loved him ever since. It was mentioned in a special late-night radio program, released on the day when everybody knew everything already . It was mentioned by the host of the program in the very end, and I decided to join the club - be the one, who saw Bowie there for the very first time. I could live happily ever after if I didn`t.

Created in 1986, the movie is described as the last one between the old and the new era of movie-making - the age of technological innovations. Puppets are now almost history. So is the director of the movie (and... the leading actor, sorry to say) - Jim Henson died a year after its release. The movie didn`t get positive reviews until the 90s, when people somehow managed to get tired of technological outburst and wanted something old-fashioned. So. here it is, with badly developped special effects, but so life-like puppet characters that  scenes with them will take your breath away! Mysterious settings, adventurous, but vague plot of a fantasy fairy-tale, great work over the details - there are just a few of "why you must watch the movie".

The main one is David Bowie. He rules the movie. Like Jareth the Goblin King he plays, who is a bit bored doing his Gogling-King job - just like the audience when David is not in the screen:) He is one of his many imagies of a performer there, different from Ziggy or Duke, just another one, but still sophisticated and unbarebly attractive. I guess, they changed the early script mainly for him to become one. (The change brought a love story to the fantasy, there was none before - the King was repulsively selfish and was turned into a little ugly gobling in the end. Who dared to do such things with David Bowie? Right.)

I should also mention the duet he created with young Jennifer Connely.  Actually, Jennifer here is like... you don`t know whether she acts badly or she plays a girl who acts all the time, but whoes acting is poor. Anyway, there wasn`t the movie without her lovely and brave Sarah.

Should I comment on the hair, the make up, the costume, the leggins, every single little moment of the presence of the Goblin, but so angel-like creature on screen? Right.

See, I had no chance. The fact, that the Goblin King was in love with the girl (perhaps in his own strange way) was killing me throughout the whole movie. The music Bowie wrote for the movie sounded strange to my ear - no wonder, I`m not a fan of Bowie. 

Let me think about... The Fall (2006)

Think I`m going to renew my blog for the upcoming long travel to the UK as we all were asked to keep notes on new vocabulary heard and anything interesting on our way. 
But first things first. And first things are movies!

The end of 2014 brought me a gift of the most striking movie since... I don`t know... Equilibrium or Sleuth (and they both were a shock!) It all started from a little GIF image of a handsome actor taking off his mask. And, gosh, you have to see what it covered! The image was of a Zorro-like bandit, but a bit away from the classical, a bit less... masculine, perhaps. It wasn`t the only me who asked "what was it??! where is it from??!" in the comments. And the answer was "The Fall".



Released in 2006, directed by Tarsem Singh, starring Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, Leo Bill and many other actors whom you`ve hardly ever seen or heard of before. Lee Pace wasn`t known as Thranduil in The Hobbit then, but the role contributed into him becoming one - the Hobbit director Peter Jackson chose him for the part exactly after he watched The Fall. However the most challenging,I guess, part he played in his career so on was a transgender Calpernia Addams in "Soldier's Girl" (2003). Lee Pace is also described as a very talented theater performer; and certainly my dream will always be to see him on stage.

The story takes place in a hospital, a stunt actor is in bed after an accidental fall from a horse while doing one of the tricks. But that`s not the only trauma he has - a broken heart also. The actress he fell for chose another man, a leading star of a movie they all were making together. For his money and beauty, surely, as what money a crippled stunt man can make? So, he, a man without any desire to live further, meets a running-around the hospital little girl (who, as it turned out, also didn`t have an easy life at all). The two worlds collapse, the man starts his fairy-tale story for the bored little girl, and then an idea comes to him - why not use the story (and the girl) to help him finish his life?



(beware: spoilers)
To say the story is tremendously heartbreaking is to say nothing. Nobody said it is "based on a true story", but you can`t help believing such situation could have happened! And what a life the girl could have if everything ended badly! That`s what left me crying at the end - together with the girl I begged Roy to stay alive! And how beautifuly the worlds of the fictional character and the real one are combined! 

(spolers free area)
And Roy... Oh, I fell in love with Roy, I fell in love with Lee Pace, I started to watch everything he worked for - almost all movies, Wonderfalls, Pushing Daisies (gosh, he is so adorable there!), now Halt and Catch Fire - and just loved every role of those that he took! The movie discovered him for me, and I`m so greatful.

Such a dramatic storyline goes together with an immensly magical picture created by Tarsem. I can`t imagine how much effort it took him to find such beautiful places to shoot all over the world, but it DID worth it! I would really want to rewatch it in a movie theatre now! And I`m really surprised about that none of my friends and relatives loved it (yes, I forced them to watch:)), so it keeps me wondering whether I see a bit more in the movie than some others.



You also probably should know that it was quite hard to work with Catinka - there is even a "spoiled" scene in the final cut, that she refused to remake, but anyway her acting is quite good and believable. Perhaps because she didn`t know that Roy (she didn`t know the real name of the actor) could walk in real life.

I don`t just recommend the movie. The movie is an obligatory MUST WATCH!

New York City tips for travelers and tourists

It is just some notes, not a guide book:)

1. If you haven`t been in cities with so many skyscrapers and straight streets before, be ready - it`s a shock! (No, nothing of Moscow or London is anything like that)

2. Don`t ask for Cola if you want some Coca Cola - they`ll frown in lack of understanding. Ask for Coke.

3. Check your metro trip twice. The metro is European style (single tube), and some stations don`t have an underground switching-line passageway, so if mistaken you`ll have to go outside and ask to let you in without double payment. It`s easy to take the wrong entrance outside - it took us a week to learn to exit near our school. They are like magic portals, really:))

4. Ferry to Staten Island is FREE. There`s nothing to see on Staten Island, but a) you`ll see what a ferry is, b) you`ll see Statue of Liberty a bit closer.

5. Statue of Liberty is so small! Did you also think that it looks huge from Manhattan? Wrong! It is huge only if you`re standing just beside it on the small island it stands on, but you`ll have to take a trip there. It`s more expensive to go to the head of it surely, and you`d better book the excursion long before your trip.

6. No, a day is not enough to walk through the Central Park. Also enjoy free clean cool water there - no need to buy bottled one.

7. Check for free or low pay admission in NYC museums. Sometimes they are not stated on the official page. For example, admission to the National History Museum is recommended - "suggested donation" (15-25$), but actually you can donate only 1 or 2$ - actually the amount is up to you!

8. There is free WiFi in the middle of Times Square on the red stairs. And 50% off tickets to Broadway musicals under the stairs (beware the long queue).

9. It`s bitterly cold due to condition system in transport and buildings in summer - it`s highly advisable to have a jamper, a cardigan or a shawl with you.

10. Cheap umbrellas live till the first shower & wind - don`t waste your money. Enjoy the rain!

11. McDonalds. The service is different: you make an order, pay, take a receipt with your number, then wait for your order until your number is on panel, take it. (Russia: make an order, pay, wait right there in the queue without a number, receive).  The only fast-food chain I know, where the restrooms are for customers, but there`s no system to trace it.
In Burger King, Starbucks and many others restrooms are for customers only! You won`t get access to restrooms without a receipt (there`s a code for the lock in it)!

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1. Если вы никогда не были в подобных городах с громадными небоскребами и прямыми улицами, готовьтесь к шоку! (Нет, ни в одном месте в таких городах, как Лондон, ни тем более Москва вы не испытаете подобного)

2. Если вы хотите Кока Колу, не спрашивайте Колу - сделают непонимающее лицо с тонкой ноткой удивления. Просите "Коук" (Coke). (Да, логика.)

3.  Как следует проверьте свой маршрут в метро, запомните названия конечных станций на направлениях, на которые собираетесь пересаживаться. Метро там не как у нас, с одной трубой и двумя платформами по бокам, а на некоторых станциях нет подземного пути пересадки, придется выходить на улицу и объяснять охраннику\билетеру, что вы ошиблись направлением, и билет не работает (не прошли 15-30 мин (не помню) с первого прохода).
Наверху в свою очередь (в некоторых местах) легко запутаться во входах и выходах из метро. За отведенную нам неделю мы еле научились выходить рядом с курсами, а не на соседней улице.

4. Пассажирский паром до Стейтен Айленд бесплатный. На Стейтен Айленд вроде толком нечего смотреть, но а) вы покатаетесь на таком пароме, б) поближе увидите Статую Свободы.

5. Кстати, о статуе. Она вообще не такая, какой мы ее представляем. Она гораздо меньше! Даже с самой близкой точки на Манхэттене! Чтобы она показалась действительно большой, нужно подъехать к островку, на котором она стоит. Подняться на ее голову выйдет еще дороже, и записываться нужно заранее, иначе не попадете.

6. Нет, дня вам не хватит, чтобы обойти Центральный Парк. И не ходите по велосипедным и выделенным беговым дорожкам. Зато можете пополнить запас воды из фонтанчиков.

7. В некоторые музеи можно попасть бесплатно или почти бесплатно, причем это не всегда указывается на сайтах музеев. Например, те 15-25$, которые просят в музее Естественной истории - "рекомендованные". По факту вы можете на кассе попросить билет за 1$, и вам дадут! (как вспомню, как это называется, скажу - это деньги, которые идут на поддержку музея). Вот один из многих сайтов о подобных акциях в музеях: http://jaa.su/kak-sekonomit-na-dostoprimechatelnostyah-v-nyu-yorke/ (А в МОМА я сошла за ребенка 14 лет - им бесплатно (мне было 20))

8. Посреди Таймс Сквер в районе красной лестницы есть бесплатный WiFi. А под лестницей можно купить билеты на бродвейские мюзиклы, проходящие в этот день, с большой скидкой.

9. Снова общая информация для больших американских городов. Летом в транспорте и помещениях жутко холодно из-за кондиционеров - носите с собой какую-нибудь кофту или платок, чтобы не простудиться.

10. Дешевые зонтики, которые продаются на каждом углу, живут до первого ливня с порывистым ветром. Если очень надо, купите по факту (небольшой дождь, надо оставаться сухим), чтобы потом быть готовым выбросить со спокойным сердцем.

11. Макдональдс. Система обслуживания немного другая: после оплаты вы получите номер, когда его назовут (или высветится на табло), вы получите заказ. Не толпитесь в очереди у кассы после оплаты.

В сетях быстрого питания и кофейнях туалет только для клиентов! Если в Макдаке еще не особо следят (и то не во всех), то в Бургер Кинг или Старбаксе вы просто не попадете в туалет без кода к замку на двери туалета, который либо напечатан на чеке, либо можно узнать на кассе. (Да, жмоты еще те.)

12. Специально для русских. Цены в США в супермаркетах "неполные" - в них нет нашего НДС. Поэтому сумма на кассе окажется чуть выше от той, к которой вы приготовились. Не пугайтесь и не скандальте! Лучше сходите потом в музей за бесплатно:) (см. п. 7)



With

,

Alina.

Let me think about... Penny Dreadful

Usually rather popular things are thought to have no hidden meaning or rather good things are not popular enough.  I`m going to take sometimes some of them for a discussion.

The Nineteenth - "Do you believe in god?". Review on the "Penny Dreadful" series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Penny Dreadful seems to be some sort of a reply to American Horror Story of rather a high quality. The action takes place in London, 1890. People in England of Victorian age were full of beliefs and superstitions, which inspired many writers. The darkest ones merge into single entity here. Dark tones, gothic violin, black robes, bloody red drapes, flesh and mud, pain and screams, sex and blood – all of those genuinely recreated atmosphere, perfect for a horror series.

The first episode begins with demons, vampires (here is when many want to stop watching, I guess), Jack the Ripper, then – surprise, surprise – Frankenstein. Those who are aware of the history of British literature, know, that the novel was written a bit earlier (1818), but like AHS, time doesn`t predominate here. The story is changed a bit – it`s a sequel, I can say – but so beautifully conveyed, mostly the tragedy of the Creature and the nature of Dr. Frankenstein, with allusions to Wordsworth and Shakespeare.

 Then comes Dorian Grey, seeking pleasure at the edge between life and death. The actor was well chosen well – a true beauty of sin. Well, generally, actors here make the most of the picture. Eva Green is a gothic princess, who seems to be born for such parts, but you can`t tell for sure whom she plays: a fortuneteller, a sinner, a witch, a sufferer, an obsessed with the devil. Perhaps, the scriptwriters are ready to make her everything that fits. However, Vanessa (Eva Green) and Dorian together convey the tempting devilish beauty of the series.

  



Unlike AHS, that gave many new and old faces a chance to uncover themselves, in Penny Dreadful actors is a mean of attracting the audience. That`s why here are Eva Green, and Josh Hartnett, whom I haven`t seen for a long time, as long as Timothy Dalton and Billy Piper for those, who wants something more serious and dark than Doctor Who. Unlike AHS, where there are no particular characters of literature – they are more like collective images of characters from horror stories of the past. Unlike AHS, there are no breathtaking soundtracks, and the introductive titles include scenes with the characters, which I don`t like (why show me the faces I don`t know yet?). I don`t know what`s become of the characters, but I don`t see the perspective of them changing their roles each season, like in AHS. Finally, when AHS works with the feeling of utter disgust, PD works with the feeling of temptation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Penny Dreadful” was a type of British fiction publication in the 19th century that usually featured lurid serial stories appearing in parts over a number of weeks, each part costing one (old) penny. The penny dreadfuls, named for both their cheap nature, and poor, sensational quality, erupted into existence and met the desires of the poor class. The tricky thing is the Showtime`s “penny dreadfuls” seem to be as cheap (surely I don`t mean money), meaningless and transient, that the series won`t last long. However, isn`t any series nowadays just another penny dreadful`s entertainment for our post-industrial information society?

Travel report: US - Miami

Place: Miami, Miami Beach (they are 2 different cities)
Time:  August 2013
Hotel: Double Tree - Hilton ***** (Bloody yeah!!!)
Company: a group of Russian teachers and students and me

Practising English, flirting with strangers, being scared while riding buses and metro, relaxing in jacuzzi and swimming pool - that`s what Miami was:) All that for 2 great weeks!


The thing is we didn`t expect the appartments at all! I mean, we expected sharing a small room with strangers somewhere near the ocean and things like that. Nobody told us we`re given this! Five stars appartments in Hilton!!! With a jacuzzi inside the room!!! With a swimming pool and a jacuzzi one floor below!!! For students! Yeah!!!

Alligators like eating cans:)

I was seriously amazed by these automatic cash desks!

View from the upper floors: the closer one is our pool, the farther is of the neighbouring one.

These ones belong to our neighbours, I guess:) 

View from our appartment: the magnificient Miami storm sky!

Here we used to take our bus to Miami Beach every morning to be in time for classes.

Miami Beach

Yeah, I love Miami sky!

Lincoln Road Gallery Walk

Art Deco. Remember this. The style is called Art Deco.

Jerry`s Famous Deli - a nice place to have a dinner in. Cheap and tasty! Warning: big portions!

Ocean Drive in the evening

Other localities

At the front of the bus you (hardly) can see transportable holders for 2 bikes!

And here under the seats are special fastening for wheelchairs. The seats can be removed and a chair can be promptly fasten. By the way, this is the bus driver who does it. 

First time at Shake Shack waiting for my first for so many years burger! The buzzing device was a surprize! "I scream. You scream. We All Scream For... Frozen Custard!" 

EC Miami School

Amazing EC staff! Special thanks to Mark and Allie!

 Fake cameras in the coridor will keep you safe:))

Welcome sign 

That was a bad idea to walk in Miami in the evening, we were really scared of the absence of... somebody in the streets and quickly decided to come back...

Trip to Dadeland Shopping center for my Lenovo tablet:) People, where are you??) (Saturday, 12 am)

The Camera tree. 

Miami Beach