So far the biggest things I’ve been noticing are the accents – duh – and the weather – also duh. We landed on a freezing cold day. Coming from Charleston, a town where you will sometimes have to take your sweater off in January, it’s safe to say I suffered.
The accents, of course, are fun to hear. This is my third week here and I’m still amused by them! It’s especially fun to listen to the British students make fun of each other’s accents. And they aren’t shy to ask how attractive the British accent is to Americans. I’ve already been asked several times if it’s true Americans have a thing for British guys because of the accent alone. I’m like “well, yes, it’s a little exotic, even to Americans.” But thinking inside “YES. YES. KEEP SPEAKING, PLEASE.”
I didn’t expect people to be that excited that I was American. And for the most part, to be honest, they aren’t really that excited. But that makes it even more fun when I do get someone who goes “OH YOU’RE AMERICAN!” And then asks all about America, sororities, Disney, food, and also more than once I’ve been asked to say the word “AWESOME.” People do love to try out their American accents here. It inevitably comes up in every conversation with someone new. My British accent is horrible, but I still have managed to convince some people in clubs that I’m British, just for fun.
I have done some classic Nottingham things so far like visiting the castle and the Robin Hood statue, exploring the City Center, and getting myself lost on the bus system. I also toured the underground caves below Nottingham Castle which are supposedly haunted by Queen Isabelle, whose lover was tortured there – you don’t want to know how…
I am so excited for the rest of the year here – so far my time in Nottingham has been very pleasant. Even the graffiti and litter that I see are just so British!
Edited by Luisa Parnell