Everyone met at the airport at 1:30 p.m.. While the chaperones got everyone checked in, we huddled in one big group, introducing ourselves and talking. As soon as all the bags were checked and we had our boarding passes, we went down to the basement level and took a group picture. After the group picture, the group scattered as we went through security and got food before finally meeting at the gate. We didn’t have much time left before boarding so we quickly ate.
When we got on the flight, everyone in our group played trivia, which Ian won. After take off, some people slept while others watched movies and played games. After the long flight, some of the guys got to go into the cockpit and see all the flight controls before we made our way to customs. After customs, we got our luggage and went looking for coffee and food before getting on the bus. Stepping into the cool, misty London air for the first time was a shock, since we had been so used to the 100+ degree Texas heat.
The bus ride to York was a long one, one characterized by us trying to get some sleep while surrounded by the constant downpours typical of the UK. Along the way, we took a break at a lovely little stop to take a stroll and recover our legs a bit. While we were there, we ran into some bikers wearing Route 66 shirts. We had a great time talking to them, and gained some great insight into some of the cultural differences between the U.S. and the U.K. We experienced these differences first hand when we are at Burger King and discovered that both the menu and the food was different than in the U.S., with much more healthy options.
When we finally arrived at York, it was as if we had stepped into a completely different dimension. The architecture around us made us feel as if we were at the scene of a medieval movie. I was still in awe at the majestic castle walls and picturesque architecture as we headed through the rain and into our dorms.
After getting oriented with our dorms and having some brilliant grilled chicken and chips for dinner, we decided to head out as a group to bumble our way through the streets of York. After getting lost in some alleys, we decided to stop at a British supermarket to buy some essentials: baked beans and tea. In order to buy some authentic beans, we asked some British shoppers to give their opinions on the best brand of canned beans. The overwhelming winner: Heinz.
Our next adventure: a tour around York given to us by a friendly group of teenagers we ran into. They showed us some rather interesting places, including an area that’s supposedly haunted, and a huge market that’s open in the morning. To cap off the day, the lads and I played a bit of footy outside to really get immersed in the culture of our temporary new home. While there was a bit of controversy about a couple of goals, unfortunately my team took the loss for today.
Cheers, Jaden Behringer & Aashikha Basappa
Leave a Reply