Thoughts: I didn't want to come back.
Someone read LOOKING FOR ALASKA and decided to start a blog entry with an obscure reference to said text that no one will get.
Waiting for pictures to load up so I can edit then upload them, I will start chronologically.
PRE
Going to England for a university interview for Warwick. Not compulsory. But it helps. And truth be told, I wanted to go to go. I'd had the shittiest week ever and decided that galavanting off the week after sounded fabulous. And it was.
Luckily, having relatives and friends in england came in very handy here. My dear aunt took a week off work, (she had 5 days to use anyway,) and my engaged cousin also came along.
DAY ONE
Half a day really. Got on the plane. Got shitty seats.
I fell asleep and missed my meal.
(I had it in the morning instead.......)
We sat at the very front and there was no leg room - miscalculation on our part - and there was a man on the aisle seat and it was cold and uncomfortable and we had stupid fold out tables that gave me a headache and I didn't even watch a movie because I just wasn't bothered.
Completed approximately 1 pokémon game.
Arrived, changed currency. The pounds are really high now.
Found my aunt. Drove 2 hours to my grandma's house, which is near Warwick uni.
Arrived at 7am and it was maybe 7 degrees. I was delighted and excited and so so glad I'd decided to come just so I could not be at school for 3 days and on a scale of 1 to 10 I was maybe at a 17.
I can't even remember what we did this day now.
My cousin arrived around half 3 so we went off to look around and buy my sister - who wasn't on the trip but managed to spend the most money - some bits and pieces. I called one of my oldest friends and arranged to meet.
Met at a cute coffee shop I would soon become very familiar with as I would come to see it everywhere the next few days. (Costa Coffee, for your reference.)
Arranged dinner the next day. Went home. Slept.
DAY TWO
Woke at 4. My mom went for a run about half six whilst I just sat there and breathed. Got up.
Since my cousin's getting married next year, I, who dress up nicely maybe ... once a year, gets to be bridesmaid. We try on dresses for the next 4 hours. When I say "we," I mean "I"
So I get to try on almost 30 dresses which are too big for me and I have to twirl and hold up awkward bits and be fussed over like a doll.
My mother found this all hilarious.
I go to my friend Portia's house. We walk all the way out to a massive field. We make a Blair Witch esque documentary. It features giggles and doesn't make much sense.
We realise we have no idea what the time is and no way to contact anyone and we're meant to meet for dinner so we sprint home and we have 10 minutes before we leave.
We talk, eat, and say goodbye.
DAY THREE
University day. Drive up to Warwick and I fall in love with the campus. We're lost but we're early so I don't mind. A very awkward, shy and stuttering math student offers to show us the way. There are a lot of people there and I quietly judge them all and compare them.
1 and a half hour presentation, my mother is falling asleep but I try to look attentive and interested. I am afraid that I look as sycophantic as Caroline sometimes does. He gives an example lecture and I refrain from shooting my hand in the air in imitation of Hermione several times. The head of department is hosting my interview and I get to go first time because I come from so far away. I feel special until I find out another girl in my tour group came from Dubai.
Tour the university. I am about ready to move in.
No pictures because I'm too excited and I don't want to look like a total tourist/prat.
Instead, I go for my interview. I'm chatty and awkward and I don't think before I speak. I later get annoyed when people ask how it went. It's difficult to say. I don't know the standards of other people.
He asked the following:
- Why Warwick?
- In your personal statement, you mention a lot of practical experience. How do you feel about the course being purely theoretical?
- Tell me about a movie you've seen recently which you really enjoyed.
- In your essay, you mention how Miyazaki is an outspoken feminist. Has he actually stated that or is it a label often applied to him?
- Miyazaki often deals with - as you mentioned - dynamic characters. Do you find it harder to analyse these characters?
- Do you have any questions?
(Also included: Have you really come all the way from Hong Kong? Did you write your essay from scratch? Have you seen the American remake?)
I answered:
- Warwick is the best for film. I'm passionate about film. I tend to excel in what I'm passionate at.
- I'm creative but academic. I won't stop making movies. I know you need theoretical experience.
- Let the right one in. Beautiful/flawless/stunning etc.
- Never outwardly stated but heavily implied. He aims to promote very pro-feminist messages in his films, and generally does.
- Miyazaki includes a lot of hidden messages in his films. The dynamics of which are often why I love his films.
(Also included: Yes, yes, no.)
Obviously in a lot more detail since I have a tendency to ramble on. We fell into almost general conversation. He agreed with a lot of the points I made with Let the right one in and Miyazaki's films. I made a few stupid statements. I managed to ask a question (always hard, but it shows you are interested.)
I am terrified for the result. (Should be updated within one week.)
Drove 3 hours or so to my aunt's house. Party of 11 or so. Met the fiance, the brother of the fiance, the mother of the fiance.
The girlfriend of the male cousin.
The dog.
I was same as ever; awkward and desperately shy but trying not to be. I tried very hard to be funny and witty and I was tired but trying hard to stay up and I babbled and accidentally took a pepperoni pizza but I didn't eat it so it was fine.
Everyone left and I went to sleep and I thought about the interview a million times and all the things I should/shouldn't have said and thought about my future and the past and everything else and then I finally started dreaming of flowers and sushi and there were people but they never spoke to me and I still don't know who they were.
DAY FOUR
Went to see Amy & Mike (engaged cousin + fiance) and the flat they were planning to buy. I want to buy a flat. I want to decorate my own flat.
Went to Stevenage, a "rough area" for last minute shopping. Exploded with excitement and the cheapness of Primark and spent ages in HMV but didn't actually buy anything but I went to the bookstore and stayed until I was dragged out.
Picked up bits and pieces for people. Mainly English chocolate.
Went back.
Packed the rest of our stuff.
Drove to the airport.
Got better seats. I ate my meal. I watched tangled and read magazines I'd bought for my sister.
Landed in Hong Kong. Hot, stuffy, humid. My walls are sweating and the floor is wet, which brings us back to now.
TODAY
I have made a to do list of things to do.
I have school work to do.
I have revision to start.
I found england so peaceful. Obviously I didn't have school so that probably removed a shitload of usual stress. It was quiet but not boring and the weather was brilliant and it's really ugly here and I was so happy and such a goddamn tourist but it was all so wonderful.
I'm so anxious but I'm so happy. I really really hope i get to go back next year.
Even if not, I hope I can still be in england.
2 weeks or so to go.
