Short fiction

STUDYING IN BRITAIN

Table of Contents

1        Autobiographical

1.1     ‘You want to talk, ok let’s talk’ by Angelique Grondin      

1.2     British Nerd Version by Cathy Ramin      

1.3     Theatre of Dreams by Maria Ciurana Cataluna      

1.4     Negative/Positive by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo      

1.5     Hi Cris by Mar Benavent Marti      

1.6     Everything has surprised me by Mar Benavent Marti      

1.7     3 a.m. by Florence Robert      

1.8     This room is so hot by Lorena Levy Ballester      

1.9     My mobile phone by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez      

1.10     Surrealistic nights by David Ibanez Salinas      

1.11     Arturo’s Bus by David Ibanez Salinas      

1.12     Today is Saturday by Chad Mansoor      

1.13     Drunky nights by David Ibanez Salinas      

1.14     A new experience by Maria Ciurana Cataluna      

1.15     New habits by Anonymous      

1.16     Shiny skin head by Satsuki Ii      

1.17     A supermarket guy by Soyoung Park      

1.18     Parallel Life by Lucía Vega Granados      

1.19     Social Network Debut by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra      

1.20     Cultural Shock Vignettes by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra      

1.21     Beer before flowers by Satsuki Ii    

2        Rewriting Freshers (2003)

2.1     Freshers, Page 39-40 by Cathy Ramin      

2.2     How can I love such a jerk? by Florence Robert      

2.3     Rewriting of page 109-110 by Chad Mansoor      

2.4     ‘Know how they give themselves away?’ by Angelique Grondin      

2.5     Freshers (page 110) by Lucía Vega Granados      

3        Voicing the other

3.1     Taylor by Cathy Ramin      

3.2     Ladies, Bar One by Francy Diehl      

3.3     31 by Lucía Vega Granados      

3.4     The Journey by Bibiana Suarez Prendes      

3.5     Hey Holly! by Florence Robert      

3.6     Carlsberg by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo      

3.7     Victor by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo      

3.8     Like a terrorist by Lorena Levy Ballester      

3.9     Collecting berries or haunting ladybirds by Carla Fontela Gonzalez

3.10     Today is Monday by Chad Mansoor      

3.11     Erasmus party by Mar Benavent Marti      

3.12     A bad day by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez      

3.13     Surprise by Maria Ciurana Cataluna      

3.14     Dear Thomas by Soyoung Park      

3.15     Erasmus people by Anonymous      

3.16     'During the lecture' by Satsuki Ii      

3.17     Party night by Soyoung Park      

3.18     On Year Long Students by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra      

3.19     IC Story by Angelique Grondin      

3.20     Freaking cold and miniskirts by Satsuki Ii      

4        Saying goodbye

4.1     'My story' by David Ibanez Salinas      

4.2     Farewell to Lost Two Months by  Jiha Kim      

4.3     A pink ticket and a photo by Florence Robert      

4.4     And that was all! by Maria Ciurana Cataluna      

4.5     My daughter by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez      

4.6     Julia and Charlotte by Cathy Ramin      

4.7     Goodbye by Lucía Vega Granados      

4.8     Another Goodbye by Francy Diehl      

4.9     Saying Goodbye by Lorena Levy Ballester      

4.10     Thoughts by Anonymous      

4.11     No tattoos by Satsuki Il      

1                                  Autobiographical

Please write two paragraphs about Studying in Britain, inspired either by Freshers, or your own experiences (or both!).

You can talk about the social university (as Freshers does) or talk about the classroom.

1.1                               ‘You want to talk, ok let’s talk’ by Angelique Grondin

‘You want to talk, ok let’s talk’

‘I don’t understand your message, why you are so angry, so mad at me.’

‘Are you kidding me? You don’t understand! I’ve made it clear in the message: I’m sick and tired of you and your mess! I’ve lived in a pigsty during the first semester; I’ll not be able to bear that anymore. I’ve took on me to clean all people’s chit and it was the last time I’ve done it. From now on I’d like to live in descent shared rooms. What you do in your room is none of my business but for the shared rooms I’d like you to change your habits.

‘Oh my god! Are you serious? I’ve made an effort those few days I was here: I’ve cooked for everyone, washed up the dishes, cleaned… And you dare say to me that I have to change! I’ve changed and I’m really sad to see you didn’t noticed it. I thought we were friends!’

‘I’ve noticed you’ve changed a bit but when you left the mess behind you two weeks ago I was afraid that your bad habits will be back! And it’s not because we are friends that it means you have the right to do whatever you want.’

‘Oh, oh, oh do not shout at me!’

 ‘I’m not shouting at you! I’m just speaking!’

‘I know that you’re angry but so am I!’

‘You are angry about what? About the fact I told you what’s wrong with you?’

‘I can’t believe it! It’s the first time I have an argument in like two years!’

‘What are you talking about? What argument? This is not an argument! This is what I call an explanation!’

1.2                              British Nerd Version by Cathy Ramin

They think it is weird to not be like them. As if going out was a way to define yourself, to perform for the eyes of others. When I said ‘Yes, I am going out tonight’, she answers ‘Really! Cathy is going out tonight!’ As if just going out at the weekend was not enough. I thought that maybe, for them I was the ‘British nerd version’. I realized that I was nobody to them but I don’t want to conform to the student expectations and live the student life for them. Maybe it was so important or so normal that my behavior seems to be unusual. How can they go out every single night per week and then just wake up at 7am? The same pattern everyday. But I am not 18 anymore.

So we went out this night for my birthday. Starting to drink in my room, I didn’t really remember all the night. My friends told me I danced to metal music, it does not sound like me, I still can’t believe them. It’s the nightclub’s fault if I don’t remember. Because since I have left the house; I told everybody we passed that it was my birthday, and even the security guard gave me a glass. Now I had had one too many.

The following afternoon, I was a little bit tired, couldn’t eat anything. At some point, somebody knocked at my door. When I opened, all the guys of my corridors started to sing ‘happy birthday’. I was touched by these kind gestures. One of them said that it was normal, a tradition. Yes, maybe we could get on with each other.

1.3                              Theatre of Dreams by Maria Ciurana Cataluna

On December, I went to Manchester with some friends to watch a football match. Manchester United played against Valencia football team. We were exciting because we were going to watch a Champions League football match in the Theatre of Dreams. Moreover one of my Spanish friends, who I had not seen since last summer, was in Manchester too. All seemed to be perfect.

We visited Manchester during the day and in the evening we went to Old Trafford and we had the previous beers as local fans. We watched the match and enjoyed it. But when had to return to Sheffield we had a very big problem. We arrived at the coach station very early and we waited for the bus. But the bus never appeared. It was December, it was 7 degrees below zero and we were frozen! Finally we took a taxi and returned to Sheffield. But I think I had never been so cold as that day. It was a great and a terrible experience!

1.4                              Negative/Positive by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo

Negative

One day, maybe one week after fresher’s week, I was in the crosswalk waiting for the traffic lights to be green when suddenly an old men appeared behind me and pushed me strongly to the road and escaped running. I was paralyzed my friends could not believe what happened and the cars stopped suddenly blowing their horns and insulting the men. My friends helped me because I was scared. And that’s how my life in Sheffield started. I’m not scared but now when I have to wait for the traffic lights to change green, I look my back as a preventive measure.

Positive

A positive thing (almost for me) that I’ve been noticing in Sheffield is that at night when I go out to a disco or something, or even in the streets, I always find some money, I don’t know why, maybe because English people are a little bit absentminded but it is a curious thing that every night (more or less) I found 1 or 2 pounds (if it is no more). In Spain that thing, never happened to me, and here, now it’s like a tradition for me finding something every day. Maybe English students don’t care if a 2 pound coin falls to the floor, they don’t pick them up. So, more for me. I’m delighted with their attitude.

1.5                              Hi Cris by Mar Benavent Marti

                                                                                                           13 September 2010

Hi Cris!! I’m in Sheffield! We have been all the day walking and walking looking for our house and finally we got it! It has been a very hard day and at first I thought we weren’t going to find it. I’m going to tell you the whole story. Thanks to the university a landlord showed us three students flats in Broomhill, which a student neighborhood, very near to the uni. To start, we couldn’t pick up a word of what that woman said; we just nodded all the time to everything she said…that woman spoke so fast and with that strange accent that it sounded like Chinese! Well…the first flat was disgusting, that wasn’t a student flat! It had the dirtiest kitchen I have even seen, oh my god! Everything lying around, with that awful smell…in short, really really disgusting! Believe me! So, it was then when I thought that we couldn’t find a house and the only thing I wanted was to come back home to my beautiful and clean home…but little by little the situation was going better. The second house was nice but there was too many people in the same flat, seven people living together is too much! And it wasn’t as cheap as the last one we visited. This one is our lovely house! Although it is placed in the darkest street of Sheffield, it is very nice and cheap. In fact, when I found it I knew that I should live there. I really like it and I will miss my little “cache” next year.

Hope to hearing from you soon!

Love! Xxx

1.6                              Everything has surprised me by Mar Benavent Marti

I have been here in Sheffield for almost seven months as an Erasmus student and since the day I arrived everything has surprised me. It was a new and different experience in my life, in fact this is the first time I live far from home. I have had to face with situations different form my home country, I have get used to some of them, after these seven months. But with other things I will never get used to.

As an Erasmus student, this year could be defined as my “gap year”.  I am not studying and working as hard as I would do in Spain, I have only four days of seminars each week with very few hours, this is the reason why we have so many free time. But we know perfectly how to enjoy this free time. We go out, we get drunk, we travel, we meet new people,  we go shopping...in short we just have fun! For all these reason, I could say that this year is unique because I will never have a year like this one.

1.7                              3 a.m. by Florence Robert

I begin to hate my flatmate. Sleeping is sacred so what are they doing in front of my door at such an hour?! I’m not sure but they must be 4 or 5 and I can recognize the voice of John, he studies Laws, the only guy that seems so nice when I arrived in Carrysbrook. He is not nice anymore. They seem to be drunk, it’s strange because tomorrow it’s the start of the school year. I’m so tired, I can’t even move to open the door and tell them to shut up.

35 minutes… 35 minutes passed before they decide to go to their room and none of them opened a door close to mine! So why did they choose to be there?

Earlier they told me to come with them to knock at every door and meet everyone. But I say No! My only obsession was to talk with my family and my boyfriend. I think I’m not ready to be integrated and be part of their group.

Later on I realized that it was my only chance to be part of it. Refuse their first invitation and you’ll be labeled as the lonely strangers.

1.8                              This room is so hot by Lorena Levy Ballester

This room is so hot, what the hell happens in my head? Have a huge headache, I’ve just woken up. Right, my phone is here, fuck! Have four texts and two missed calls, what did I do last night? It’s 10.30am, very early. Still wearing last night clothes, went to bed with clothes, that’s not good! This headache is killing me, I need water, I really need water, my mouth is so dry… Last night was ace, but too much vodka in my glass; I’m not used to drink vodka. I’m a wine girl.

I should go downstairs, I’m very thirsty. Oh God! My contact lenses case is open on the floor, my bedroom is such a mess, why are my shoes here under the other pillow? How weird is that!

Gonna get up but can’t even walk without feeling sick, I’m still drunk, I can feel it. I’ll drink from the toilet sink, I look horrible on the mirror, my make-up is all over my face.

Back to bed, still wearing last night clothes, actually this is not comfy at all. Ok, let’s read the first text, I’m pretty sure I did something stupid at Kevin’s, four texts and two missed calls can’t mean anything good. The dinner was great, had a good laugh with everyone and it was for free.

No! The first text is David’s, how annoying is that guy! “Hey Rebecca, hope you feel better, text me when you get home. Xxx, David”, I never answer his texts. Next one is John’s: “Hi Rebecca, hope you enjoyed the dinner, at least I know you had a good time at the houseparty! Everybody liked that little Spanish girl ;)  John”.

I had enough, I’m gonna stop reading. Definitely I did very stupid things at the party, poor Anne and Matt had to bring me home. I really don’t wanna know what I did last night.

I can’t face the day, it’s gonna be horrible…

1.9                              My mobile phone by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez

It was a cold, damp night, and I was in a house drinking with my friends. Suddenly, I decided to leave the house to smoke, I know that smoking is bad but beers and cigarettes are a good combination for me! And there, I saw Mar, my flat mate. She was a little drunk, and we talked and laughed during an hour, then I left her my mobile phone and we separated.

After, my friend and I went to the disco; it was Friday, so Propaganda was waiting for us! Well, we arrived and it was full of people, like always! The night went on, and we drunk some beers, danced and sang some songs which we will forget next day until the party finished for me. I was in the smoking area and I started to look for my mobile phone, but it wasn’t. I remembered that I though, Stupid girl what have you done with your mobile! So, I decided to leave the disco, without saying nothing to my friends, I was very nervous and angry, and I only wanted to have my mobile phone!

Then, I took a taxi to go to my house, I love taking taxis, it is one of my hobbies in this country, since I live far, but suddenly, I had a crazy idea, I will go to my friends house to look for my mobile! The problem was that this guy was in the disco, so all of this had not sense!

However, I am a lucky girl, and when I arrived there I saw Jesus, my friend’s flat mate. I was a bit drunk and a bit desperate because I wanted my mobile, so I obliged him to help me with my mobile! We entered in his house, but the mobile wasn’t. As we had organized the party, the house was plenty of alcohol, so we decided to drink more, and we spoke about stupid things and until we cried! It was the alcohol!

Finally, I decided to go to Maria’s room, who was sleeping, and I decided that she had to help me with my mobile, I know that it wasn’t a good idea, but I am being selfish and I only wanted my mobile!

To finish, after everybody helped me with my mobile I went to my house. Next day, when I woke up, I was very sad and I told Mar that I had lost my mobile. But, how was my surprise when she answered me that she had just found it in her bag! It was happy news, but I didn’t know if I had to kill Mar, cause I had a bad night due to her, or kissing her because I had my mobile! The only thing that I know is that I will never leave my mobile!!

1.10                           Surrealistic nights by David Ibanez Salinas

That night we were all too drunk to go back home on foot. A friend of my flatmate even had a twisted ankle and he didn’t know why. So we took a taxi home. Everything went well until we arrived at Opal 2.

-How much is it? – I asked

-It’s six pounds – answered the driver.

The four of us realized that in the taximeter it was only 3,20.

-That’s not what the taximeter says – declared Kristel.

-Oh, no, that’s the hour (it wasn’t it was 4 o’clock in the morning, actually). I’ve forgotten to turn the taximeter on – replied the ‘funny’ driver.

-But that’s not my problem, it’s yours, we’re going to pay just 3,20, which is what the taximeter says – I said, starting to get annoyed.

-No, no, you have to pay me 6 pounds, alright? – he required, almost shouting.

-Are you fucking kidding us? – asked one of my friends, angrily.

Suddenly, the crazy taxi driver accelerated, shouting at us saying that he was gonna take us to the Police Station.

-You’re crazy, man! – I said.

-Let us out! – pointed Kristel.

-I’m gonna kill you, motherfucker! – shouted my friend.

He drove really fast along Sheffield streets, towards, supposedly, the Police Station. He stopped when he saw two policemen. We couldn’t get out the taxi, we were locked in by that asshole. Fortunately the policemen told him to let us out.

-Hey, this man’s crazy – my friend told the policemen, once he was in front of them.

-What happened? – asked one of them. One second later, when we all were out the taxi, the driver drove away sharply. We were astonished. We had been kidnapped by a mad man for ten minutes, and then he went away, with no money after twenty minutes of driving. What an idiot! He wanted to get the most of us, to cheat us, and he went with nothing.

One of the policemen called another taxi for us and we finally got home. That was, probably, one of the most surrealistic nights in Sheffield.

1.11                             Arturo’s Bus by David Ibanez Salinas

That night we went to Gloria’s place. She wanted to give a big party at home because two friends of her had come from Spain to see her here in Sheffield. As usual, we stayed drinking there for 2 or 3 hours. As far as I remember, we were a lot of people that night and we had a really good time, talking nonsense and laughing (we were helped by alcohol, of course).

However, the funniest thing of the night was still to come. When we left Gloria’s little house and started walking down Broom Hill towards the buzzing Sheffield night life, something amazing took place. Suddenly, I heard something like ‘hop’,  and it didn’t take long to me to realize who had said that. Arturo, in an act of madness, just after saying ‘hop’, ran into the middle of the road, performing some kind of acrobatics. That would have been alright if a bus hadn’t appeared 50 metres ahead, rushing towards him.

-Arturo, Arturo, Arturo! – I repeated, sounding more worried every time.

-No, no, Arturo, don’t do that! – said Amanda, in a very anxious tone.

He finally crossed the road and the bus didn’t ran over him just for seconds (and because the bus driver slowed down, I suppose). Then we all burst out laughing because we couldn’t believe what had happened. Well, all of us except for Gloria, who came in front of Arturo and told him:

-I’m gonna hit you death! Don’t do that again!

I even remember that a taxi driver passed along and beeped his horn, surely due to the shocking scene he had seen. As that happened and we started saying ‘hey, you’re crazy man!’, ‘what the hell’s wrong with you?’ and things like those, Kristel told me:

-I’ve recorded it.

We were going to have the chance of watching that unforgettable moment a thousand times! Thanks Arturo, thanks Kristel.

1.12                            Today is Saturday by Chad Mansoor

Today is Saturday.  I’ve just arrived 10 minutes ago, with my mates, Jared and Liam. That’s cool, it’s gonna be holidays soon, we are in December, it’s a bit cold but I’m getting used to it.  Here we are at the Ridge. We are watching a football match. It’s United against a crap team, I can’t remember which one... maybe Sunderland or West Bromwich, something like that. I hate United, but they won. Everyone likes Man U or Liverpool here… why not Arsenal? Fucking northerners...   But that’s not the point of this story. I am a bit thirsty, so I asked them “what do you wanna drink guys”. Nothing for Liam, a coke for Jared. He wants a coke, just like me. Everybody is drinking beer, I feel like an alien here sometimes, maybe because every good student should drink alcohol, I don’t know. So I went to the bar, called the barmaid, who was a pretty one by the way, and ordered. And that is the funny thing. Why? Because I didn’t ask for 2 pints of coke, but with my fucking accent I said “I’d like two pints of cock, please”.  She laughed, she almost choked.  Fuck, I’ve been here for 4 months and I made a mistake like that. I still pronounce some English words with a French accent, and that wasn’t the word to mispronounce. The worse is that I didn’t realize first. Jared who speaks basic French, which is quite surprising for an English guy but quite useful, explained me what I have said. Then when I did realize I felt like shit. Liam finished me with a “didn’t know you were puffter Chad”. I didn’t even know this word. Jared has to explain me again...  Yeah that was a fucking awkward moment.

1.13                            Drunky nights by David Ibanez Salinas

It was one of these drunky nights in Sheffield, going back home after spending 2 hours, maybe 3, kind of dancing in a pub, while having some probably stupid and inaudible conversations.

We made a stop, once again, in one of these ‘kebab, burger, pizza, chips’ night restaurants; we were hungry after all. My friends got what they wanted to eat and had a sit there, but I was rather undecided about what to have that night. Chips, burger? Hard decision to make. So, why not both?

-Hi, I’d like a cheese burger! – I said, louder than I expected, due to the alcohol thing, sure.

-Alright, would you like chips or something? – asked the man I was talking to, in this ‘Pakistani-Indian’ accent, so already familiar to us.

-Yes, why not? – I answered.

-That’ll be 3,80, Sir.

At that moment I realized I didn’t have so much money on me. I doubted for a while and then I said:

-OK, the burger will do. I don’t need the chips.

-What have you got there? – asked the man, who had noticed that I was short of money.

-Well, 3 pounds – I told him, a bit embarrassed.

-That’s OK, mate, it’s enough.

He took my 3 pounds and served both the burger and the chips with my favorite sauce.

I have to recognize that I felt like a real pig eating all that stuff, but at the same time I was thinking ‘what a nice dude, isn’t he?’

It was the first time in Sheffield that I got something for less money than it really cost. I just felt surprised, I didn’t expect something like that to happen anymore. Definitely, that was a better night than the one of the crazy taxi driver…

1.14                            A new experience by Maria Ciurana Cataluna

When I arrived I was worried of being here. I was in a different country, far from family in a university which was new for me and it was cold. When I arrived I thought I was crazy.

This thought was changing gradually. I adapted myself to my new home and new classes. Moreover, here there are parties everyday and it is easy to become accustomed to this.

I’ve have the opportunity to visit new places and meet a lot of people. I have known another university system which I like more than Spanish one. And I proof myself I have been to adapt myself to new conditions, even the cold although I hate English food. In general terms, I like this experience but I think that in my first university year when I was 18, it had been so hard for me.

1.15                            New habits by Anonymous

How difficult is to get used to new habits…! And how easy is to make a fool of oneself!!!

Kiss twice on the cheeks… so simple for me, but so strange for a lot of people… In Spain, we are used to kiss twice on the cheeks not only when you meet somebody for the first time, but also when you meet some friends you already know! Now, for me, it’s so difficult not to do it…

I spent my first days in Sheffield in a hostel. In there, I could have breakfast every morning for free, and there I met my first Erasmus friends. We were a lot of them, introducing each others. But I will always remember one reaction in particular.

The first girl I met was a Chinese girl, who was now living in China. We met the first morning. She came to introduce herself, and my first reaction was to stand up and kiss her twice on the cheeks. She was very shocked! “Why do you kiss me?” She could not understand it.

I don’t know who was more ashamed though.

1.16                            Shiny skin head by Satsuki Ii

Shiny skin head

A lot of tattoos on the arm

Massive pierced earrings

He was a staff in my accommodation.

A hairstyle like a cock

The colour was bright blue and green

Just like a chameleon

He was a guard of train.

L on the little finger

O on the ring finger

V on the middle finger

E on the fore finger

And heart on the thumb

On the contrary to these tattoos,

He was a big man like a beast.

He was a shop clerk at TESCO.

At first, they scared me.

But surprisingly, they all had cute smiles

And helped me kindly.

Not always people can be judged by their appearances.

That is what I deeply learned in Britain.

1.17                            A supermarket guy by Soyoung Park

This is a short conversation between me and a guy in a supermarket. It happened in sunny morning. Of course, I was quite messy at that time with my pajama. I bought some food. I went to the counter. There was a clerk. I think he is from Middle Asia, judging by his accent and appearance.

 “Hi, “

 “Ni ha-o”

 I stared at him, being little bit upset.

 “No ni ha-o! I am not Chinese. I am from Korea.”

 “No ni ha-o?”

 “No! Instead of ni ha-o, An nyoung ha se yo, got it?”

 I taught him some Korean.

From that day, he starts to say hello in poor Korean. I hope he learns some lessons. Some people make mistakes to Asian people like this guy. In Asia, there are lots of countries including China. Not every Asian is Chinese. When I arrived in UK, I realized that there lived various people from many different countries. I think I should learn how to respect their cultures to be friend.

1.18                            Parallel Life by Lucía Vega Granados

One of the first things I noticed when I arrived here at Sheffield is that weird sensation that I´m living a parallel life. It´s also strange and difficult to explain but it started since the very first moment I was alone in my room, in an empty flat in the middle of nowhere. It was two o´clock at night, I called my mum to say I ´d arrived safely and the feeling started. It was as if I´d been abroad for months, a mixture of positive and negative emotions. As time passed, I realized it wasn´t as bad as I´d thought; I was fine and living a great experience, but at the same time, it seemed as if I´d forgotten my past in my country. Of course, I hadn´t forgotten it but here I was changing my past routine and creating a new one.

The first three months before Christmas were great but now I think they were only a kind of introduction to something else; after Christmas at home, I have my particular routine, my people and my particular places; even my room seems different and full of all kind of stuff. When I was in Spain people were constantly asking me about Sheffield and I was most of the time talking about it, but the truth is that it was difficult for me to take my mind to England, so the same happened with Spain when I came back. It´s sad for me to think about the future and in fact, living in a ‘bubble’ is not so bad, at least for one year.

1.19                            Social Network Debut by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra

It’s been ages since I looked at my Facebook feed. Around 24 hours. And when I see the updates, I realise why sometimes I check them as if waiting to be hit in the face with a stick. Pictures from last week’s Propaganda. In them, I am the only one who is not having that English textbook sort of fun: half-closed eyes, looking at some undetermined place or just looking like Pete Doherty in his prime. I interview the documenter of the party. She says she “can’t get arsed to check the pictures, I just upload them all”. No rest for the wicked! I can still feel lucky after all: it could have been worse. And though, I am informed that some girl in Newcastle has seen them and “wants a bit of” me. In the future, we’ll be awfully beautiful for 15 people. Or at least one.

1.20                          Cultural Shock Vignettes by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra

She makes an L hand gesture on her heart. That means I’m a loser for going so early. She’s from Manchester and she prides herself on it. I don’t really know if things like ‘spaz’ or ‘brilliant’ come from there, but she looks quite northern. I shout the questions in her ear about her city, and she answers participating in my mythological narrative of her city. She’s seen New Order and Oasis, but when she was younger. In spite of her encyclopaedic knowledge on the pop of her city, she’s moved on now. She’s into Dubstep and Hip-Hop. She says The Libertines, one of my favourite bands, are meat for 14 year-olds. She says this and produces that I-just-broke-your-dinner-set-as-I-was-away smile of hers. She says I have an American accent, and after a couple of drinks she’s on how Americans sound stupid. I tell her that I play guitar. “That’s for douchebags”. When we’re tired of straining our voices we start dancing to the “Tunes”. I don’t know any. I say I’m going and she makes an L hand gesture on her heart.

We always find each other smoking in the patio. He’s from Newcastle and is in the army. He confirms that’s the “Geordie” city. I tell him about the “lass” term for girl and he seems surprised. He lives in my student residence and his crowd is an international salad that changes every night. Two English girls appear from the residence door and I finally take my chance to speak to one of them, who is working as a manager in the residence. She says that there’s a party going on in two weeks. Right between two assessments. I say that I will certainly try to go. The army guy seems to be acquainted with the girls and they have a short conversation about someone they know. When they go, I tell him that I had wanted to speak to her for a while. He simply says “I shagged the other one”. I arch my elbows to express my surprise at this sudden release of information. I think he feels I’m judging when he says “You gotta have something to do”. This exchange wouldn’t have happened this way in Spain.

I hear that our Translation teacher has been partying in our student residence

“In the actual flat?”

“Yeah, and then he came to Pop Tarts!”

Another day in class he arranges a meeting in Interval. I turn up at the hour and find other students who had gradually come by. He arrives late and tells us he comes from another meeting. At watching we have started without him, he says:

“Don’t worry, I have already had three!”

Maria, who had agree to come as well, comes and we make up our minds to confront him about the last exam, an impossible Spanish south-american text which made no sense on its own taken out of its context. Everybody agreed it was the most difficult thing they had had to translate, under the 50 minutes mark or not. He accepts the criticism with good humour and this leads me to ask him:

“This would be an impossible situation in Spain, discussing the exam with the teacher on a pub”

“Yeah, but you know, I can separate both. Serious academic complaints belong to the office. This is banter”

I find myself agreeing with me even more when I suggest that he should, at least, pay us some beers. He simply says “why not?” I say I was only joking, but when Maria and I come back from smoking, we have new pints in our places. Another one came on him. When I remember I had another appointment, I am already quite hammered.

But it was only the next day, under the innocent premise of a “beer tasting” reunion, when this teacher ascended to the ranks only reserved for the fictional Robbie William’s Dead Poet’s Society character. Four of us turned up, and as he went to pay the first round, the sidebar conversations between us rounded the subject of his generosity. This is simply not the way teachers go in Spain, any contact with teachers outside the university is seen as morbid – the assumption is that you can address the teacher less formally than before, but definitely not go out with them outside university unless there is a ‘serious’ academic interest behind it. Funnily enough, when I tell our translation teacher to add me on Facebook, he says I have to do it. “It wouldn’t look good if I sent you an invitation”. 

To sum it up, after an investment of four rounds of beer, we decided to grant him with the Spanish gift of acceptance from our tribe.   

“Eres el puto amo!”

1.21                           Beer before flowers by Satsuki Ii

     Flower petals fluttered to the ground. Oh finally, spring has come. Whenever I see blooming flowers, I cannot help thinking about cherry blossom viewing. Cherry blossom, it is the symbolic flower of Japan. The ephemeral beauty fascinates the people every spring. That is true. However, there is one more reason why Japanese people are eager for cherry blossom viewing. Can you guess what it is? The answer is simple; drinking under the cherry tree is amazing. The beautiful flowers make alcohol super. The proverb says ‘Cake before flowers, ’ but ‘BEER before flowers’ makes much more makes sense to me.

     Now I am in England. I have to give up with cherry blossom viewing this year, but it is okay. I can still have DRUNKEN PEOPLE VIEWING in Bar One, in West Street and even in my flat…everywhere. Brilliant. This is England, and I am sure I will miss the life here soon.

2                                 Rewriting Freshers (2003)

Choose a passage from the book and rewrite it from the perspective of another character.

2.1                              Freshers, Page 39-40 by Cathy Ramin

Mmmh. He was looking at me for a few minutes. It is like that I notice he was good looking even if he was scrutinizing me like that. A little bit small, but he is cute. I’m sure he will be too shy to come and speak with me right now. I’ll take this step; just try and see. While he was ordered his drinks I came near to him. I let me crush by the crowd touching his back to invite him in a conversation. He wasn’t letting on but finally turned to me. ‘Aren’t you going to offer me a drink, then?’ I asked then winked at him smiling. I thought the message was clear but he answered nothing. ‘I’ll pay for it, like! Just that you’re served now, innit?’ and I carried on ‘Don’t think they’ve quite grasped the concept of rounds yet.’ Maybe a joke could loosen him up. But no more reaction, he just looks at me. And I gave him a fiver to get me a drink. At last! He opened his mouth to answer ‘Don’t be daft. What d’you want?’ An Aftershock will be good for the moment. I smile, maybe there’s something to do with him. Watching him I perceive his stress and reflection as if he doesn’t know what to say and what to do. His shyness makes me want to titillate him. And I don’t wanna miss more time to do it. I said ‘I really like you. You won’t have to try that hard to get me into bed, you know.’ Yes, he is blushing and seems to feel embarrassed so I offer him my most beautiful smile to reassure him. He answered ‘Well. Better get back to my crew’ then added ‘Steady on the Aftershocks.’ He turned his back and walked away. What the hell with him? Is he kidding me?! … Maybe next time.

2.2                             How can I love such a jerk? by Florence Robert

Jin is going to Kit and she seems so angry but I can’t hear anything. She’s gonna tell him everything, it’s so humiliating. The truth should have been tell by myself even if I know I have no chance to be his girlfriend…  I’m right… He laughs at me now, it’s totally over.

How can I love such a jerk? Maybe he think he’s better than me just because he begins to have a “good” reputation in the campus. I really have to go now! I can’t bear such humiliation anymore and it’s not good to cry with so much witnesses.

He acted badly but I can’t change my feelings.

Maybe he’s not a jerk and indeed I’m the one who is stupid.

2.3                             Rewriting of page 109-110 by Chad Mansoor

‘Ok there, kit?’

‘Oh. Fine, thanks. Yeah.’

‘Ok.’ He doesn’t seem eager to talk, it’s not gona be easy. ‘Sure you’re OK there, buddy?’ Nothing getting you down?’

Well he suddenly seems to have a deep moment of concentration.  Why am I asking him that? I’m just his tutor. I’m paid to teach, I’m not his shrink. If he has some problems or if he doesn’t feel well it’s not my problem, really. But shit I’m like that, I need to ask. First I need to be nice I can’t do it in another way. Then Kit is a good lad. Fuckin hell , let’s do it.

‘I was just, erm- I’ve got a little touch of the flu, I think. Just felt a bit short of breath. No worries.’

‘Absolutely sure?’

‘Really.’

This dude is very talkative, damn it. He looks down as if he doesn’t want to face, as if he doesn’t want to talk to me. He looks young. Like a teenager, with his pretty face. He looks like the average guy, the one that everyone would ignore, the guy with a simple life, with no story. Dude speaks, open your fucking mouth.

‘Good-oh. I was going to ask if you fancy a pint, but maybe that’s the last thing you want if you’re coming down with the dread lurgy...’

‘Yeah, thanks. I’m just going to pick up some stuff, then I think I’ll consign myself to the bunk...’

Mmm, why is he so reticent? But well I knew he will say no. He is like that. Not very socialising. I did what I could, after all I’m just his tutor.

‘You look after yourself then, Kit. Good paper, by the way. Really good indeed.’

‘If you’re still feeling bad tomorrow, don’t drag yourself in, you know. You’re doing well. I’m not going to hit you on attendance if you’re not feeling well.’

‘Thanks, we’ll see.’

I thumbed up, and left him, and I had this feeling, as if I didn’t complete the job well. I did watch back, and he seemed lost in his dreams. He didn’t give a damn of this conversation. It was a useless and pointless one. I should have just avoided it. I gave him a hand, he didn’t take it. But well it’s Kit, a nice boy. He might have some troubles, but if he doesn’t want to talk about it that’s his problem, not mine. I’ve done my job.

2.4                             ‘Know how they give themselves away?’ by Angelique Grondin

‘Who?’

‘The twats who think there’s something mad and fucking wild about going for a drink.’

‘Go on.’ I said smiling. If only he knew that I’m not smiling about what he said but because I have butterflies in my stomach when I’m by his side.

‘They do this…’ He put on a dim-witted face that’s supposed to exude upper-class thickheadedness. He wiggled his eyebrows dangerously as he announced: ‘Just nipping out for a few beers!’

‘Oh, God, Kit darling. I swear you’re fucking horrible! You really are a very fucked-up, very nasty boy!’ I went silent and look at him in the eye. ‘Come here.’ At that moment I realised what I was about to do. We are friends, only friends. What am I doing? This prick even if he seems different, he’s like the others. For him I’m just the good friend, this tall girl who is funny. He sees me as a mat. That’s what I am and will always be: the fucking mate, this funny, unattractive big girl love by everybody and anybody at the same time.

So while turning my head and come closer to him I stopped for a second, just in time to avoid a big mistake, and instead of kissing him I friendly taped him on the shoulder.

‘Few more beers?’ he asked.

2.5                             Freshers (page 110) by Lucía Vega Granados

He behaves as if he was the maturer of the two. He smiles me, puts on his ridiculous raincoat and steps out towards the street unwillingly. I watch him go. I´m watching a guy who hates his life- a man who is not happy and who hasn´t discovered himself yet. I´m watching a guy who knows I´m older than him and doesn´t have the courage to ask for help at least I insist on it.

In fact, I also need a friend, someone to confide in. I´m not one of those people who can face up to things by themselves. Fucking Kit Hannah! What a strange guy!

3                                 Voicing the other

Write a page of creative writing in which you attempt to 'voice the other'. Try to base it on the themes of the course: studying in Britain and intercultural awareness. You can model it on one of your own experiences, but feel free to make something up or change things! You may experiment with form, character, style and plot. Think about the setting: in the home, in the classroom, in the town...

3.1                              Taylor by Cathy Ramin

A boy walked past the door A84 and saw a girl leaning on the wall. He found her nice. Indeed, she looks pretty, she is not in the fashion but she has her own style. He thought this detail makes her different and maybe if he has enough time the next time he sees her, he will try an approach.                                                                                                                                         

The girl is called Taylor. She was waiting at the entrance door of her seminar room. She had rings under her eyes - which has been rapidly recovered by foundation cream this morning - and smirked. She did not notice the boy who looked at her because she was reminding her last night. It was a fancy dress party called ‘Masquerade night’ and she was dressing up as a zebra. The sound of music still rang out in her head as well as the play of light of the nightclub. Indeed, it was a great night, firstly because everybody was on time, and secondly nobody was too drunk- because as Taylor does not drink, she was used to take care of her friends when they drink too much. Thirdly, they laughed a lot last night even when the guard threw them out. While she was watching her nails streaked with black and with, her eyes met her watch which was showing 10 am.                                                                                                

It was a forthright return to reality: her seminar will begin in a few minutes. And she had to do an oral presentation about black holes. It was a topic she knows pretty well because the studies of Karl Schwarzschild had interested her in the past. However, one thing she worried about was that she did not finish her presentation. Yesterday, Taylor fell in her flatmate’s little game - a really persuasive girl - and accepted to go out. This is the reason why she was now there with a quarter of her presentation to improvise. When she looked at the gloomy seminar room, she felt fear and loneliness. She sadly sighed thinking that if she had not left her home, this situation should never happen because she should have been more studious mainly because her parents should never let her go out the day before a presentation. Maybe she should have gone to the University of her Town and stayed at home.                                                                                                                                           ‘I wouldn't miss this opportunity for anything in the world,’ Taylor said smiling while she came into the seminar room.

3.2                             Ladies, Bar One by Francy Diehl

11 o’clock. The first lecture of my day was over. Now, there was quite a bit of time before the next one would start and exiting the building into a glorious day I knew exactly how to spend it. I turned around to Beth, Tom and Steffi. But before I could say something Tom swung his arms around me and Beth and exclaimed:

‘Ladies, Bar One!’

‘Good idea Tommy. This weather cries out for a break outside in the beer garden! It has been too long,’ said Beth, slipping her arm through his.

I looked at them with a big smile on my face and said, ‘Tom, you’re taking the words out of my mouth,’ then I looked at Steffi. Her face looked slightly confused and with her eyes wide open she raised the silent question ‘What’s going on’ like she always did when she couldn’t quite follow what was going on. I had to smile even more. She does make you laugh with her strange and innocent way.

‘Don’t look so puzzled. It’s going to be fun. We always do it when the sun is coming out and the days are getting warmer.’

‘No, no, I do love to go to zhe beer garden but Tom said somesing about Bar One and I just thought it is a bit early for Bar One.’

‘Oh don’t worry! We’re just going to go for a cheeky pint. We are not going to get wasted,’ I said trying to not convince her even more in her bad opinion about our drinking habits, and Beth hearing us joined in.

‘Ye, Steph, Emma’s right. It’s not about getting drunk. We’ll just have a cider or a shandy. But when the sun is out you got to have a drink- you got to make the most of it.’

‘It would be rude not to!’ Tom said and we all started laughing but I still thought Steffi looked a bit shocked although she tried her best to seem like she was agreeing with us.

And our entrance into the beer garden wasn’t particularly helping to change her view about this early consummation of alcohol either…- a girl spilled a drink over Steffi’s shoes without even noticing and just wandered off seeming slightly pissed. When we finally settled down and found a nice place outside I was happy. It was already starting to become busy and everybody was in a jolly good mood.

‘See, Steffi, that’s the atmosphere I was talking about. Isn’t this nice?’

‘Oh ja, it is indeed. I’ve really missed zhe nice weather, you know, and I’m glad it’s finally getting warmer, too.’

She smiled turning her head into the sunlight and really seemed to be enjoying herself. I smiled back and just before I could answer Beth and Tom returned with our drinks. They passed each of us a pint and we all said cheers: ‘On the beautiful weather!’

‘I can only see classes with alcohol on zhe tables… and zhere are already so many people. But I like it zhat everybody is happy. It is just a bit different from what I’m used to.’

‘Well, well, we’ll get you used to our way in no time,’ said Tom, laughing.

But looking around I couldn’t stop myself from thinking, ‘should she even get used to this?’ It did look quite bad and in fact it was still not twelve yet and I could tell some people were already quite drunk. But no, they won’t have any more classes, I’m sure… and even if what does it matter that one time, that one day….

3.3                             31 by Lucía Vega Granados

It is half past ten in the morning and I'm already here in Sheffield. It would've been better to arrive during the night, just to sleep and tomorrow would be a new day. I don't know what to do now, I've already found the house and the city is smaller than I had imagined. I'm 31 years old and I'm sure this is not my place. Why did I decide to study again? It's stupid in this moment, I've already worked for six years and I don't need more knowledge, so in what moment I decided to study law, to improve my English? I know it's necessary but this is not my place, it's full of teenagers with no other preoccupation that if they are going out tonight; in fact they must be sleeping now, it's too early for students. Anyway, I have to calm myself, I have to buy some stuff for my new house and everything will be better. Oh! Look at this lamp! It would be perfect for my desk. I'm going to pass a long time in that desk so I need this lamp, sure! Tomorrow I'll come again to the city centre and I'll buy it.

Seven o'clock. It's high time to go home and prepare everything for tomorrow, it is the first day of class and I have to face people. There are lots of people now in the street and they are not only teenagers, probably it's going to be good in the end!

Oh! I forgot tomorrow I have an appointment with my new tutor so I won't be able to buy the lamp, in fact it wasn't so beautiful.

3.4                             The Journey by Bibiana Suarez Prendes

The journey had been long and boring, he had had time enough to think about his decision, had it been the right one? Or maybe he had left everything they knew too fast, without weighing the consequences up? The answers of these questions did not matter anymore, now he was in front of his new house, the one that would work as a home for him, it was time to know his new flatmates, those who were supposed to share his experiences for a whole year. That was a really long period of time. He opened up the door and walked to the living room, there he found three boys and one girl, the three of them smiled when they saw him and started to introduce themselves. They were from Italy, France, England and Spain. At the beginning he felt shy, he had difficulties to speak English correctly, as he had not practised it for several months, but he felt that the rest of his flatmates did not mind, they were really interested in listening what he had to say, the important thing was not how he expressed himself, but what he was saying. He felt comfortable. For a night he completely forgot everything that he had left behind, his family and his friends were at home, they loved him, and for this reason he had to understand that now Sheffield was the place where he had to be. He had lots of exciting experiences right in front of him, and now he was looking forward to live them. He needed help to understand that, and his flatmates gave him just the push that he was waiting for.

3.5                             Hey Holly! by Florence Robert

What’s up? Let me guess you are enjoying the end of the Freshers week with some hot guys!! I wish I came earlier in London with you! I’m sure that you have better moments than me. I arrived on Sunday in Sheffield and you know after an entire year far away from home, parents are too happy to let you breath one second without them!!  Anyway I’ll be in London in two days and we will make up for lost time. But before let me tell you a little about Argentina.

This year abroad was just freakin’ awesome! Mum was right it’s not so aweful to do voluntary work. Teaching English to these kids was rewarding, they are really endearing; it’s as if I left a family there. I serve my parents with this perfect version of my experience: their little and innocent girl who grow up and help people in such a wonderful world and they can be proud of her. Actually I must admit that it was really cool but it’s not the most important. What about the freakin’ awesome part now!? I met Alejandro, tall, tanned, light brown eyes, and a devastating smile. Only one word to characterize him: HOT!!! Best time ever of my life with him! We travelled a lot and I will tell you about the dirty things in private! You know I‘m kidding or maybe not XD ;)!

Anyway I miss the adventures and the weather!! And now I find my home town so boring. I am reduced to see the strangers who struggle in the street because they are not used to the British traffic and because they are dumbfounded by every building that they see. And you know that I live near the University so I can observe all these poor chaps totally lost and who can’t line two words in English to make a correct sentence and ask for informations. Okay maybe I’m too harsh and people must have thought the same about me in Argentina. Maybe I react like that because I met a group of French guys few hours ago and it was so difficult to understand them with their fuckin’ accent. But when I think about it was quite hilarious too, they look dazed and sometimes it was as if we were playing the mime /maim/ game, ah these French the only person with whom you can die laughing even if you don’t know them. It reminds me yesterday night, I went to Leadmill with Sam and Rachel (to escape from my oppressive parents!) and I met a cute French guy named Mickael. He gazed longingly at me during all the night and when he finally took courage (of course after few beers) to approach me I didn’t understand anything except his name! Nevermind. I must admit that I was a kind of drunk too: 2beers, 2shoots and I think 2 tequilaS but I’m not really sure anymore. You know that I prefer everything twice because it always tastes better the second time. For French I think I’m going to learn a bit about it or just find French friends this year it may lead to a lot of fun!

Well, I have to go. Dinner’s ready and I’m really hungry. One good point about being at home: mum always takes care of me and my stomach ^^. Hope that you mail me soon. By the way I’ve just realized that you’re not on my Facebook page! How is it possible !?! Too strange for me! Just find me on Amy Party ;).

See you soon

XOXO

Amy

3.6                             Carlsberg by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo

As almost every Friday we went to Propaganda, it’s like a tradition for us. We are in, people everywhere, loud music, a lad in a banana fancy dress, bright lights….definitely “party environment”.

Well, when my friend and I were approaching to the bar, guess what? I found one pound in the floor waiting for me to be picked up. The night looks promising for me- I thought-

All the barman where busy so I have to wait 5 minutes, I’m thirsty, impatient. When the girl comes, I smiled:

-Hi, a pint of the cheapest one please!

- Sorry?

- Yes, one pint of the cheapest beer please!

-Oh sorry, we don’t have Carlsberg beer tonight which is the cheapest one!

- Ohh ok, so a pint of the “second” cheapest one please!

-ok, its 2’75 please!

I pay and I take my beer, but when I was putting my purse inside of my bag I heard a boy, native speaker, saying something like:

- Carlsberg pint please!

When I turned around to watch the scene I could not believe what was happening, the girl, who one minute before was saying “NO CARLSBERG TONIGHT” was filling a pint of Carlsberg.

I feel sorry for the girl, poor girl, she was wrong, what she meant was that there was no Carlsberg for foreigners because we are all wealthy people and we don’t mind paying 2.75 instead of 1.90.

Conclusion: I have to learn from a native speaker how to ask for a pint with a perfect Sheffield accent.

3.7                             Victor by Kristel Laserna Manzanedo

Some days ago, one of my friends named Victor came to Sheffield, I wanted to show him part of the city and he wanted to go to the city centre to go shopping in Primark. When we were bored of using the visa, we decided to come back home and as we were tired, I told him to use the supertram to get home faster and he agreed. As we were talking, one tram stopped at the station and we run a little bit to go in.

-Victor, let’s sit there! There’s nobody in the supertram, what a strange thing! It is always crowded.

-Oh, maybe is because it’s Sunday! – said Victor

-Yes, maybe – I said not really convinced of my own words

The man working in the supertram, let’s call him, ‘ticket man’ was approaching so I took my purse out of my bag to pay.

-Hi there!

-Hi! We want two tickets to Sheffield university please.

-Girl, I think that’s impossible.

- Sorry, why? Why not?. At this moment I felt really nervous when he said these words because I thought I was in the wrong supertram and I felt lost and I then thought that maybe this tram was going to leave me in… I don’t know, Italy!

The man laughing and in a very calmed voice said to me:

-Darling, it’s impossible to give you tickets for Sheffield uni because the next station is cathedral which is the last one of this service. Sorry but I think you took the wrong tram.

-Oh, My, God- I thought.

I apologized to the ‘ticket man’ and my friend started laughing at me very very loud, a few seconds later I started laughing too, after my soul came back to my body. Next time I will read carefully before taking the first tram I see in the station.

3.8                             Like a terrorist by Lorena Levy Ballester

29th March, 2011

They always make me feel as a terrorist, doesn’t matter if I’m an engineer with experience, doing a Masters in Industrial Management, and a person, a normal guy at the end. My friends only need to show their ID from their own countries, they even don’t have a passport. I applied for my visa a month ago, and they approved it on Thursday, for God’s sake, I was travelling on Saturday! Had the flight tickets, had to book a hotel to prove that I had accommodation; even if I was staying at my friend’s, and I only knew I would be able to go to Nantes two days before taking the plane!

Getting into France was quite easy, I only showed the passport with the Visa, they didn’t ask me any question, but here in the UK, the examination started, and this time was one of the best, in London, they brought me inside a room with three policemen asking me a thousand questions, spent more than two hours to get outside Heathrow. At least, in East Midlands, it only took thirty minutes. I was queuing with my friends, getting to the UK boarder, where the policemen check your passport; they showed their ID and no questions, good for them, that are European.

For an Arab person, everything is much more complicated when you want to travel in Europe, and getting in the UK is even worse. Well... I showed my passport, with the French visa stuck on one of the last pages. “You have to go to the other desk”, said the policemen, he looked at me as if I was a poor devil, I went to the other desk, my friends were already inside ‘England’...

“Your British visa”, I gave it to the other policeman, “Good, now we need your fingerprints”, I went with him and another one to a room, they got my fingerprints. We went back to the desk, “What’s the reason of travelling?” “I’m student, I came back from France” “How long did you stay in France and for what reason?” “We stayed three nights, I went to visit my former housemate with my friends” I pointed Rebecca and Paula; they were waiting for me behind the boarder desks. “And what are you studying?” I know how these things work, so I told him everything he wanted to know “I’m doing a Masters in Industrial Management at Sheffield Hallam, I’ve been living in Sheffield since September, we come back from Nantes, but we stayed in Rennes since Saturday night, do you need my student card?”, “Yes, please”.

“Thank you, that’s all”, but I wanted to know something. “Are you going to take my fingerprints every time I travel? In London they did it, and I’m planning to go to Spain and Germany.” “This depends on the security laws of the airport, if you are travelling to East Midlands next time, we’ll have to do it again”.

“Thank you, have a nice day”, I’m in England again, “It’s always very tiring, thanks for waiting here” I told to my friends.

3.9                             Collecting berries or haunting ladybirds by Carla Fontela Gonzalez.

I have been living in Sheffield for nearly fifty years but in fact I was born in Scotland. I was brought up in a humble family that could hardly effort to send me and my sister to the village’s school, so when my father was offered a job in one of the Sheffield’s factories he did not doubt about leaving his country and going abroad in order to offer his girls a more optimistic future than the one that we would be forced to live if we had remained there.

We arrive in a city where, although sharing the same language, showed itself an alien for us. I was used to run up the hills, to spend my days next to the river collecting berries or haunting ladybirds. In other words, I was used to live surrounded by no noise apart from the song of the birds or the river’s current crashing with the stones. The case of my sister, Lucy, was completely opposite to mine as she saw the city as something fashionable and enjoyable. Lucy arrived at Sheffield being a townie who did not distinguish the camel colour from the beige one and, in less than three months, she became an elegant woman who would deny having ever been next to a cow. I did not understand what she found desirable in the city. For me, being only twelve, it supposed the total imprisonment of myself within the walls of an old and small apartment in the outskirts of the city.

As the time passed I was able to create a new life here. I made friends, I became used to streets and I started to love the smell of smoke coming from the factories. Honestly, I am now an old woman who cannot imagine a life out of the lines of this city. Every year I witness how thousands of students come and how another thousand leaves. I meet with them in the markets, I walk next to them along the paths in the parks and I wonder if also they are missing the smell of their homes as I used to do it when I was a child. I wonder if some of them would be, as me, enchanted by the steel city.

3.10                          Today is Monday by Chad Mansoor

Today is Monday. It is a good day.  It is sunny, the sky is blue, and all the girls are wearing skirts. Oh yeah it looks like a trailer. It gives you an idea of what summer is gonna be. These are Chad’s words, a friend of mine who lives in the same block. This dude is more dirty minded than he seems to be…  I slapped him behind the head and he said “I’m not dirty minded, I’m a boy”. I tried to slap him again but didn’t manage to do it, he’s taller than me this idiot. “You are such a pervert Chad”. “No I’m not!” We arrive at the international food court and take a table. I take rice and vegetable, Chad has noodles and chicken, burger and chips for Salma and a pizza for Liam. We are four today. The room is crowded. All the medics have just finished their lecture, that’s why, bloody medics. “So how have u been up to Chad?” Well I had a 2 hours seminar, actually 1 because I missed half it, since I forgot to change the clock yesterday. That was quite awkward. “Hahaha what a failure! Nobody told you? You don’t have friends man!” “Shut up bitch. I stayed in my room all day long on Sunday.”  “ So you missed have of your seminar, and you only have 5 hours a week.” “8 hours, please…” “Same thing, seriously you never work, 8 hours a week are you gona have a degree with that? Maybe a fake one!”  Everyone laughed at Chad.  “Well really funny guys, but I have 8 hours a week because I’m an Erasmus student that’s all.”  “Don’t try to justify yourself, you massive wanker.”  “ Haha you massive bender!”

3.11                            Erasmus party by Mar Benavent Marti

-Mary, You are not going to believe what have just happened to me!

-What?? What?? But it could be the strangest thing in the world…because…look!! Is this real? Are you seeing this? I had never before seen something like that.  That boy is now kissing that Chinese boy! But he was kissing that girl a minute ago!

We looked around us and we started to laugh because it was such an unreal situation, that we couldn’t believe it….

[Two hours before….]

-Here it is…Broad lane number 3…

-Ok, there we go! Our first Erasmus party and in Halloween day!

The corridor was full of people, drinking beer, cider, vodka or whatever that had alcohol. We had our 2 liters of Lambrini, and we just did like all the people: we sat down on the floor and we started to drink.

-Sara , I thought that our fancy dress was going to be one of the best in the party, but we are just two sweet little cats in front of these people… look at that boy, he really scares me! And he is looking at me in that strange way…

-Jajaja, don’t be silly! They are used to fancy dresses and we are new in this…don’t worry, just drink faster! Everybody is dancing and talking to each other and we are here, alone…no! We have to meet new people.

-You are right!

[After two bottles of Lambrini…]

-What did you say? I can’t hear you! The music is too loud…

-I like this party! I’m having fun!

-do you want to play with us?( A Russian girl dressed as a gladiator asked me)

-Play? Which game?

- The game of the ice! The one we always play…it is very funny and you can meet very interesting people…

-no, no….I don’t play….

Then, everybody sat down in a circle, they took an ice and the ice began to be passed from mouth to mouth….but, to my surprise, when the ice felt down, they didn’t stop, on the contrary, they kept kissing…long and long kisses….

And there we were, in the corner…looking at that people but without saying a word.

The game finished, the people started again to dance, we danced with them…and then…we saw how the leader of the party, the gladiator girl kissed a boy. They were hugging and kissing, but then we realized that that wasn’t love, because after him, she danced with a pirate girl and also kissed her in the same way. After the pirate, it was the turn of Edward scissors hands, and it happened the same.  It can be said that it was the gladiator’s day…

I went to the toilet, well…it wasn’t  a toilet…but also a kissing room, I managed to go in and when I went out, the gladiator girl was there, in front of me, I was really scared…

-Hi!!!!!

-hello…

- are you straight or homosexual?

-What? Can you repeat the question please?- I thought I hadn’t heard well….

-If you are straight or homosexual?

-Oooh…mmm… I am, I am….straight, straight…

-Oooh…what a pity, my friend was very interesting in you…

I looked at her friend and I smiled, like if I was used to that kind of crazy parties and situations.

After that uncomfortable situation, I came back to the main room, the party was going on, people very very drunk, a boy dancing as a striper, lot of kisses…so, I left the party.

That was my first experience in an Erasmus party. It shocked me, but after three months I went to another party like that one and nothing impressed me.

3.12                           A bad day by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez

It was a cold morning and I was with my Spanish friends in my house. It was 8am and we had to be in the train station at 9am since they returned to Spain. So, I tried to wake Eva up “five minutes please, I’m tired”, she said. After speaking with Eva, I went to see Laura who was so sleepy “no, I hate my life! I cannot move! I need to stay in the bed”. Finally, we can leave my house, but we would have more problems that day.

Then, we took a bus to go to the train station, but suddenly, I realized that the bus was changing its route and I decided to ask the bus driver “ there is a problem in Lane street, so the bus is doing a different route, sorry love” he told me. Next, we went down the bus, we were very angry because we didn’t know where we were.

Later, after walking a lot, I decided to ask someone because it was 8.30am and the train left at 9am. Therefore, I asked a man that I saw in the street “ the train station is near, you go to straight on, then you have to turn right, well, if you want, you can follow me” he answered me. My friends and I decided to follow him. He was a very strange man but he seemed nice.

To finish, we arrived to the station, but our problems went on. In the station, a man told us that some trains were cancelled and people had to use the bus. “We are unlucky girls” Eva told.

Finally, we arrived to the bus station which was full of people. The bus arrived and people started to go up, almost I had to hit some boys since they were trying to jump the queue, the bus was full and I was afraid if my friends could not get home.

3.13                           Surprise by Maria Ciurana Cataluna

It was Tuesday. It was foggy. I hate these days. But that day was different I was exciting because one friend of mine from Spain was coming to visit me. When he arrived he said “I’m so tired! Why are not you crying?!” He had had a very long travel, but this isn’t the point. My friend is going to study at the University of Nottingham as an Erasmus student the next year and we had planned to visit Nottingham at the weekend. When we arrived to my flat I said “Vic, we should look for a bus to go to Nottingham and we should buy the tickets” and he said “Sure, but we can do it tomorrow”. I agreed. On Wednesday, I thought about the tickets but it was a crazy day. I had classes in the morning and after class we wanted to do a lot of things and Vic said “we can buy the tickets tomorrow”, that night we went to a party.

On Thursday, we went to the city centre for have lunch and I said “we can buy the tickets after lunch, because we go near to the coach station”, “Oh no! I prefer to buy it tomorrow”, I was a bit angry because I thought “if he doesn’t want to go to Nottingham, why doesn’t he say it to me? I’ve already been in Nottingham!” We had lunch and return to my flat, and I said “we should see the coach timetables” and he said “OK! But we will buy it tomorrow”. I couldn’t understand anything!

Finally, we were in the kitchen when suddenly someone opened the door and there, in my kitchen, were two of my cousins! “Oh my god, I can’t believe it!” They gave me a very big surprise. When I recovered myself from the shock Vic said “because of that I don’t want to buy the tickets for Nottingham”, “oh! now I understand everything”.

3.14                           Dear Thomas by Soyoung Park

 Finally! I arrived in the United Kingdom, where I desperately wanted to stay. You couldn’t imagine what I experienced for few days. After I arrived at Manchester Airport, everything looked cool at first. You know, the typical cloudy weather and very tidy British accent. After I spent some time at baggage claim area, I realized I was near the hell! Only one of us got her own baggage. Three of us couldn’t get anything. We left information about our baggage and received a contact number. I didn’t expect that my baggage would be lost in somewhere. Anyway, we managed to arrive at the hotel safely. We unpacked some stuff in room. And we went out to find out a telephone booth to ring the airport to inform the address of hotel to the Airport. Everything was strange. So I stopped by one store. There were two old women about to close the door. I wanted to ask the location of a telephone booth. They were upset when I entered. So I was almost kicked out of the damn store. It was almost 6 o’clock in the evening. We decided to ring the airport the next day. People on the street in city centre looked charged up. It made me more lonely at that night. We went right to the hotel. And I fell asleep right away. It was totally long day.

In the morning, I went to the telephone booth. But I realized that it was quite expensive line. For fuck sake, I was cut up before I tell the staff in the airport! So we couldn’t do that. I blamed the airport to connect the fucking expensive line to customer who suffer from lost baggage!

 As time went by, I accepted the truth that I might not get my baggage. I contacted with my brother with my phone from Korea. He told me all family were worried about me. I told him about my recent news. I cried soundlessly. I know it sounds silly. That day was the last day to stay in the hotel. So we were very busy to pack up all the stuff. After we checked in our things in hotel, we went out to buy mobile phone. I bought lovely pink Nokia mobile phone. It is really gorgeous pink! And then, I realized that I didn’t bring my mobile phone from Korea from hotel! I rushed into the hotel. And I explained about my phone. I couldn’t find it in my room. I couldn’t believe it. Every pictures, messages, and memos!!!!!!!!!!!! I sat down desperately in sofa on ground floor. There was a warehouse opened. I saw our lost luggage in it! I was surprised and then furious. How dare the damn staffs never told us about delivery? I said them just few minutes ago about the delivery service from the airport, informing my new mobile phone number. It makes me pissed off! I complained why they didn’t inform us about delivery service with poor English. One staff told me indifferently, “Maybe the other staff didn’t tell others.” What the hell! What they are doing there? I can’t understand their rules in hotel still now.

3.15                           Erasmus people by Anonymous

“HELP!!! I cannot understand anything!!! What is he talking about?”

Those were the words I heard the most during my cousin’s visit to Sheffield. She cannot speak English, so she was kind of desperate among so many Erasmus people. We went to Dublin to visit one of my friends who is living there, and it was easy for her because if she wasn’t speaking with me (in Catalan), she could speak with my friend (in Catalan too).

But… What about Sheffield? Sheffield was so difficult for her…! We went everywhere with my friends… But the funniest situations were when we were partying, of course… 

“Help! What is he trying to say to me?”

“Help! What does he want?”

“Help! What I am supposed to say to him?”

I could not stop laughing at her frightened face. But honestly, I wouldn’t like to be in her situation… Although we all know that at the end of the night, beers use to help us, so… she could surprisingly have some words with everybody!

3.16                           'During the lecture' by Satsuki Ii

During the lecture, he felt something strange to him. The professor gives a lecture and the students listen to it and sometimes speak in the class. Of course, except for the fact everyone speaks English, the rest things should be the same to his home university. But still something is strange to him. At the time, one student raised her hand for a question. Oh, yes. He finally found the cause of the incongruity. That is a lot of students here seemed to be eager for knowledge. Listening carefully to the lecture, making notes and asking a question. These things were probably natural as a university student, and he knew, of course, he should be so too. But he hadn’t seen such students at his university very much.

‘What makes the difference of the attitudes toward study?’ He was thinking about that and came up with an idea. One of the most distinctive differences is who pays the tuition fee. In his country, including him, most students went to university by their parents’ money. But here, in England, there are lots of university students who pay their tuition fee by their own. One of his British friends had worked for several years to his tuition fee and he was 30 years old. Another friend got student loans to help with study costs. This difference can change the students’ attitudes toward their studies.

When He found something like conclusion, someone said in a very loud voice, ‘Hey, hey, HEY! Good morning!!’ He jumped when someone tapped him on the shoulder. There was a man who was short, black-haired and wearing glasses in front of him. The man was a professor. He realised he was not in Sheffield anymore and he was in the lecture at his home university. There were still 5, 6 students who were sleeping on the back of the room. ‘I’ve been back,’ looking at those students, he felt that strongly.

3.17                           Party night by Soyoung Park

Dear diary,

I went to the club friends to celebrate my birthday. Yay~!!!

Before we went to club, I had dinner with some drinking. My friend cooked some dishes for us. It was really tasty. Around 12, we headed to the club. I was little bit drunk at that time. But I had great time in the club, dancing and drinking. I was out of mind at that time. Suddenly I realized that some people kissed and hugged each other. Oops~!!! That made me embarrassed. I don’t know what to do. At that moment, some guy grabbed my butt. I was so surprised, so I looked back. A man stood there, staring at me with smile. It was annoying and little bit terrifying. I gave him the finger and ran away from the club.

 It is really unforgettable birthday.

3.18                           On Year Long Students by Jesus Herreros Lapiedra

Oh, you Europeans! You come with your flamenco guitars and your soft broken Spanish accents and just have it so easy! No need to get into the nitty-gritty of displaying a sensibility, resourcefulness and a sense of humour all at once! A triple summer-bloody-sault in the air! No you don’t. You arrive with gusto and your sentences snatched from middle-brow American series, creating ripples of recognition wherever you go! Eclipse us in our Xbox milieu, usher us into the realms of resignation by taking our best cattle away, turning the decent ones into adulterers! You were enticing my first love in a whim at the IC while I was breaking my soul for the powers-that-be, my skin embroidered-CV, volunteering in the Golgotha festival to raise funds for the retarded in Leeds. Damn YOU Europeans! The unsustainable rover elite toasting to youth and sex in ecstasy! I loathe your trip! It’s hard enough when you belong here!

Published by Thelongblondes at 4:47                                                 0 Commentaries

3.19                          IC Story by Angelique Grondin

I was at the IC since about fifteen minutes chilling out with friends. We were sitting next to the windows where we can have sight on the street, just in front of Jessop West. I like this place, I can watch people coming and going, I can watch people in there cars, sometime you are amaze to see what people are doing when they think nobody’s watching them. I needed to use MOLE but it was unavailable since this morning. Fortunately I wasn’t alone because to be alone at the IC it’s unimaginable for me. Can you imagine fifteen minutes alone doing nothing just desperate to connect to MOLE? I can’t. As they are with me we are talking about this party tonight and as usual when we are together we are laughing a lot. It’s so cool to be here together and having a good time. It could have been a perfect morning and then this girl arrived. She really pissed me off. But at the end it was funny. Who does she think she is? Yes I’m talking with my friends, yes I’m laughing and having a good time. She arrived last and the noise bothers her! The one who’s feeling uncomfortable have to leave, it’s as simple as that. Hey girl wakes up you’re at the IC not at the church. People come here to chill out, chat, to meet friends. If the noise annoys you so go home or there are silent rooms in case you don’t know. You can sigh as much as you want, I’ll not waste my morning with my girls because of you bitch. Do you know what? I’m going to piss you off a bit much. So I talked to Emily, there was a computer next to the cheeky cow, so I suggested she should go there and that we could have fun speaking together with her in the middle and I’m sure we will have fun. Ho my god it was so hilarious, the girl started to sigh louder and when she typed on the keyboard, we would have thought she was using a hammer so it was violent. After ten minutes like that the poor girl left her place and I’m sure she also left the IC. It was so funny. God we are such bitches but I won and I’m thrilled!

3.20                         Freaking cold and miniskirts by Satsuki Ii

Oh my goodness, it’s freaking cold! But the girls in miniskirts and high heels are walking in West Street. They don’t really seem to care about the cold. Why are they wearing such clothes at the chilly night? Is that because they are smashed? But still, it’s cold, it’s too cold, it’s too darn cold outside!! Look at me! I’m wearing all my layers of coat and stuff! I don’t understand them at all. Oh no, wait. Wait, wait, wait. I remembered that I said exactly the same thing when I was in high school. At that time, I was always wearing the miniskirt of my school uniform. No matter how cold the winter, I didn’t really care about that. Yeah, now I know how you feel, love! What the important thing for girls is not the cold, but their appearance. The miniskirt is mightier than the cold.

4                                 Saying goodbye

The theme is goodbye, parting, the future, taking stock, taking account. Looking back. It can be fictional or real but be imaginative and write something you would like to be published!

4.1                              'My story' by David Ibanez Salinas

My story with Aitziber started nine months ago. We both are Pedro’s friends, a guy who lived in my town when we were children and then moved to Pamplona due to his father’s job. We met in July, in Pedro’s bungalow in Murcia, because he invited both people from his class at Uni and old friends. What a coincidence, isn’t it? At first I didn’t know, of course, to what extent those holidays would be so important for me. From the very beginning, Aitziber and me felt really comfortable with each other, there was a kind of connection. We were joking all the time and we felt really well having a talk together. As you may suppose, it ended up as a romantic adventure and, honestly, I must admit, those ten days were probably the most wonderful ones I’ve ever had with a girl. However, the final day arrived, and we had to say goodbye. How terrible that moment was, God! We were conscious about the fact that more than 400 miles were between us, and that I was also going to Sheffield in September, so we had that feeling of... that’s all? Is this over? At first I guess we both had that sensation, but something inside of me told myself that that story couldn’t end up as a common summer affair. I didn’t like that idea because I really liked that girl with big, beautiful green eyes. It seems she thought the same as me. We decided to go on with that story that got us fully dosed. Yes, dosed. Now I’m writing this listening to a RHCP’s song, Dosed, and I can’t do anything but thinking of her. I had never imagined something like this, this ‘love story’ thing, happening to me. I can just be happy, thankful to Pedro, who unconsciously brought us together. I thought our story was not going to survive due to my year abroad in Sheffield, but I’m so happy we’re still together, sure of one idea. To be with her forever. I’m having fun in Sheffield, that’s all right, it’s being a great year here, partying, meeting new people, but I’m just looking forward to finish this year and go to Spain, to stay with her. She’s the most amazing girl I’ve ever met and she’s my goal now. Why? Because nobody fancies the idea of saying goodbye to the person they love. It’s being a hard year for both of us but it’s almost over and probably the greatest feeling someone can ever have is the one of knowing that that person will be there for you, by your side, also looking forward to share her life with you. So, I’m right if I say that I absolutely love my life right now.

4.2                             Farewell to Lost Two Months by  Jiha Kim

I have no sense of direction. All the roads here, in London, look alike to me. The National Gallery, Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. That is all I have visited so far, though it is already afternoon on the third day of my trip from Sheffield. I think it usually takes about three times longer than others do to get to where I want to go. This might has a lot in common with my current situation. Without irritation, it is totally fine. That’s why came here cold, without a plan. It was like a challenge to myself.  

Left few minutes at Abbey behind, I headed towards The British Museum, which I was looking forward to seeing. Of course an hour to get there. Looking around on the main floor, a Greek and Rome cultural statue, of which I could feel somewhat an air of familiarity, came in my sight. It was “Discobolos” by Myron that I have seen a year ago. I had stood at right in front of it for a while, stuck in thoughts. The pale complexion and expressionless face of the statue, which is common feature of Greek art, recalled my passion getting stiff. Though, the man in a peak moment of motion, who is about to throw a discus, presented dynamic image.

I could feel like being revitalized only a moment, as thinking his continuous movement, which would come after that position. Actually the man looked like saying to me, “You better go for it.” But I had no idea what “it” refers to at that time.

While mesmerised by the man, a fierce-looking woman came up and talked to me.

I was a bit nervous.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

We had short greetings. Her face and hair showed that she is Japanese. Her English was excellent though, just like an English one. Fortunately, I could understand Japanese better than English; there were no difficulties between us. I guessed she was living in London or other area, but she wasn’t. She had studied at fashion school in London 2 years ago, and came back here just for diversion. We were sitting in a café for a long time, and from being Asian, we seemed to be on the same wavelength. During our talk, I could speak out my mind, such as confusion, difficulty in using English, and losing morale. As I keep talking to her, I was really surprised that I was telling so vague and hazy ideas of me. It was like a stray lamb. But thankfully, she seemed to understand my meaning, and talked her painful days at school. I could imagine how it was competitive and stressful to survive as a designer and difficulty of English she went through as well. Yes, I know it is natural to get confused while experiencing other cultures, but the problem is, it has negatively influenced on my difficulties of keeping up with my language learning. After she listened to me, she left only a word. Do what you want.

Basically I love learning new things, but I am dreadful of realizing I am a frog in the well. That’s the reason I feel I am lost. No purpose, no passion. But what she said brought another chance to think differently. The ultimate reason for learning, the reason why I came to England. These all comes from what I want to be. I won’t be a traveler anymore, rather explorer. Even I get lost, even if I have no sense of direction, now I believe I can definitely find it at last however long it takes, as I found a way to go to in London.

4.3                             A pink ticket and a photo by Florence Robert

Today I’ve found an old wallet and I was surprised because it contained a pink ticket and a photo. Lots of memories appeared and nostalgia invaded me. The picture was taken at my arrival at UK? I was with my French ERASMUS friends and we were brandishing proudly the banner of the University of Sheffield. At that time, the group was really bound together and over-excited to begin this new adventure. Unfortunately we didn’t remain friends during this year. Anyway it doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy my life in Sheffield. Here student life was perfect!! Independence, lots of international friends, discovery of this strange but lovely British culture and most of all only 10 hours of seminar per week which imply lots of free time for parties and all kind of trips.

By the way, the pink ticket that I also found was for a journey in London organized by Give It A Go. It was the most wonderful town that I’ve ever visited and I wish one day I could go back there. Even if life was not always easy far away from home, it was a rewarding experience, helpful to become more mature, improve my bad English. But I must admit that maturity was not part of the student’s everyday life but it’s normal to enjoy when you don’t have any real responsibilities. And unfortunately it’s not my case anymore.

4years have passed since this episode. You may wonder if my dream became true and if this ERASMUS year was useful on my CV. Not really, in fact not at all. I wish I could tell you that I won to the lottery and that I’m now taking easy on a heavenly island but I would be a liar. Indeed I worked during one year in Mac Donald’s and now I’m a simple shop assistant in a shoes shop. I can remember this Spanish girl who was in my class in Sheffield. She said that it would be ridiculous to do so much studies if it’s just to work in a shop. She’s right but we don’t always become what we expected and I really hope that I’ll never meet her in this stupid place because I would be too ashamed. But despite that I must not complain, I have a job even if it’s not the one that I wanted, and I have a roof above my head. I just have get back on my feet,   to find another dream, try to fulfill it and hope that I will have more chance this time. Life doesn’t always do favours…

4.4                             And that was all! by Maria Ciurana Cataluna

And that was all! One day I came back to Spain, to my home, with my family and friends who I had missed a lot during those eight months. I was happy and sad at the same time. I was happy for get my pre-erasmus life back, but I was sad because the English experience was over forever, I couldn’t come back to it.

When I arrived to Valencia I knew very well where I was but everything seemed to be different: streets, people, my home, even my bed! Probably I had changed myself. After eight months far from family and friends, and far from my university and also my work, at least in my case.

It’s curious that those things I didn’t like when I was there are the same now, in certain moments I miss. For example, the silence of my room, I hated it a lot when I was in my room alone, because I’m used to live in a house where there are people always. I can’t put up with silence, but know back to my noisily house I miss it.

And now I’m here, back to my life doing the same things I did before to leave to Sheffield. I have a feeling that all has been a dream that it only has happened in my imagination. It’s a very strange situation.

Now, I’m going to my job, to be a waitress for some weekend hours, to talk with people and smile, and I remember when I was in Sheffield and I missed everything, even my job and I can’t understand it! I suppose human beings always miss those things we haven’t or we can do. I’m in Spain only some weeks and it seems years, it’s crazy!

Maybe it was only a dream…

4.5                             My daughter by Gloria Garcia Gonzalez

My little daughter is thinking about asking for an Erasmus grant, she is very nervous since she doesn’t know what place will be better for her and if she may live without her family.

What an amusing experience was my Erasmus! I gonna tell you some funny stories and you will be more confident! Listen to your mum, honey.

Erasmus was the best experience of my life! I spent a year in Sheffield, a city in England, since as you know, love, I studied English in the uni and I thought that I was a great opportunity to improve the language.

First days were horrible!  Mar and I didn’t find an adequate house, the weather was so cold and your grandpa was very angry cos I was spending a lot of money! But after a couple of weeks, everything change!

I met some people from different nationalities! It was so rewarding! I could speak in English with people from England, Germany, China, France … and learn about their culture. Sometimes, it was a bit problematic, since I committed some mistakes and they didn’t understand me! I remembered one time that I was in a café and I asked for a cappuccino and the waiter gave me a cup of tea! He didn’t understand my pronunciation!

Besides, I lived alone, without my parents, and sometimes I had problems in my house! I didn’t know cooking, using the washing machine or ironing. Once time, I burned a t-shirt that Aunt Eva had given me! I was very angry!

To finish, I had to control my money! Sheffield was expensive and I only wanted to have fun and bought things, however I had to be responsible and it didn’t like me. One day, my landlord came to my house to collect the rent and I had no money! She was furious!

In conclusion, darling, Erasmus can be a great choice for you! Dad and I can pay you this experience and I believe that you enjoy a lot! So, we gonna fill in the application, ok? Now, my daughter was more relaxed and excited. Nevertheless, she had to make a decision yet!

4.6                             Julia and Charlotte by Cathy Ramin

Julia and Charlotte were waiting in the queue to check-in their suitcases. They both struggled to bring their two heavy luggages to the airport. Julia was wondering how one year in Sheffield could contain in these ordinary bags. Indeed, she had a lot of memories in this city. Charlotte asked her when they would meet again and it made her think of their first meeting. It was at the Starbuck Coffee next to the Winter Garden. Charlotte made a good first impression upon Julia’s mind. She was nice and helpful. It was hard for a foreign person who had just arrived to make her understood. And the cashier who seemed to be blasé made no efforts with Julia. And the situation was really frustrating for her until Charlotte played the role of translator. As Julia, Charlotte came from a foreign country and they instantaneously got on well. Charlotte briefed Julia and introduced her to her neighbors. They often went out on Wednesday night; it became their tradition with time. After a few weeks, Sheffield had become a playground for them and each day was pure discovery. One year passed as an eyelash fluttering. They had done a last party two days ago. Julia and the group got together in her flat and had a great night. They laughed a lot but at the end, she was sad because she will miss them.

Julia and Charlotte went to the waiting room. Charlotte was calling her boyfriend while Julia’s mind was drifting. She remembered the first time she saw the beautiful paved streets of Sheffield; the nice women working at the Edge; the jokes of the supermarket’s cashier, Meadowhall; the trees burgeoning during the spring; the literature seminars; the lines of people who waited to buy clubbing’s tickets in Student Union; the nights in her room and pre-drinking with her friends; and even the incomprehension of people when she tried to pronounce some word. All this moments thronged in her head.

Now it was the time to say goodbye. Charlotte was going to board and she took Julia in her arms. Julia with a smile told Charlotte it was certain they will meet again. And she went back to wait, still one hour before her boarding.

Julia looked around her. She came several times in Manchester Airport. She knew well this place because she had been forced to stay there three days in December because it was snowing too much. She remembered she did not bear the sight of these walls because of this unbearable waiting. And yet, she felt sad when she thought she will leave the airport. When she came before, she knew she will come back again to Sheffield. But this time was different. It could be the last time she was waiting there.

4.7                             Goodbye by Lucía Vega Granados

I´ve just said goodbye to one of my best friends here and I feel a hole in my stomach. Easter is approaching and everybody has plans. It´s so strange and fast how time passes and how our heart is seized by feelings.

Six months and a half and I am still here. The leaves´ smell of September became snow, and the snow became the flowers of the spring. I look at the window and I see the same as every day, the guy dancing in his room as if nobody could see him, the man from reception cleaning the floor and that group of people smoking in front of block J, one of them barefoot as always, (I cannot understand why). I don´t smoke but I can imagine how difficult has to be here if you are a smoker and you cannot do it in your own room; although I know several people who smoke inside, it is forbidden and I always hear the fragrant spray of one of my flat mates when someone from reception is coming.

I usually think about what I´ve left behind, at home, and I´m also looking forward to come back and to spend the summer with my friends, my boyfriend and my family. But on the contrary, here I have friends, I´ve found people so different from me and at the same time so similar that I don´t want to lose them, I want to continue the adventure.

What are you going to do first when you come back home? I´d like to look through a hole, the same hole I have in my stomach now, and see who is going to be in my room, in my park, but not with my friends.

4.8                             Another Goodbye by Francy Diehl

Only a few hours and she would get into the train to the airport and fly home. A few hours and everything would be the same as it was before she came. Everything would be the same again- everything. A whole year and it is over now. It is over and with it everything good is over. ‘Back to the same old shit,’ I couldn’t help but thinking. I can’t believe how fast it went and how fast it will be back to normal. It is already starting to feel like before again. This year will not even matter at all. It already doesn’t matter anymore because we both know it is over now- and all the old worries are back. Back already and stronger than ever before as if this year didn’t exist at all. Just seeing her face hurts me. It hurts me because I know there is nothing I can do to wash these concerns away that are written all over her forehead; this sadness that shows in her beautiful eyes. It will all be the same and there is nothing we can do about it. I wish I could just come with her- but there is no way. I wish she could just stay with me- but there is no way. ‘There is never a way and there is always another Goodbye.’ I hate this. I hate Goodbyes. I hate that it can’t be different. I hate that there is not more time. I hate this waiting- waiting for something good I already struggle to stand but waiting for something bad that is already slowly arriving- I want to go. Why was it over so fast? It felt so good when she finally was here. I remember thinking, ‘this is how it could always be.’ We were so good together and everything was so easy. Everything felt so natural as if it had never been different- Going out with her for nice meals, she being there on Monday’s poker nights in my local pub normally sitting next to the fireplace with a book, us playing badminton every Saturday with our friends, and every Sunday she would be at the table for a nice Sunday Roast with my family. It was so easy and it felt so good, so normal. But I knew it was not normal. I knew it would be over one day, sooner or later, sooner, soon. I can’t do it. I can’t do it anymore. It is simply too hard for me. She will know. She knows. She will understand. I have to go. I opened the door and went. ‘No more Goodbyes.’

4.9                             Saying Goodbye by Lorena Levy Ballester

I though this day would never come, but here I am, packing all the things I have in my bedroom, more than nine months living in England have gone extremely fast, too fast for me. My wardrobe and drawers are already empty and there aren’t any sheets on the bed, my bedroom was very cosy, and now it looks sad. I’ll be back to Spain this evening, and won’t come back to this house anymore. It’s time to remove the photos and posters from the walls, I do feel I’ve made the most of my time here, the Erasmus society, organising parties for international students, the Spanish assistant classes, helping English students to learn Spanish, all the trips I’ve made, Oxford, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, etc... We even went to France to visit Olivia. I have postcards from all the places I’ve been. Those things seem too far, the pin Cuts Are Nuts! My mom was scared when I told her I was going to a demonstration in London on my own, and when she watched the news in Spain, she called me immediately.

I have to put all these things in my bag and leave, have to take the train to go to the airport. I don’t like leaving places when I’m used to them. It was very hard to say goodbye to my friends here, when you’re not living in your country, and your family is not here, the relations with your friends become stronger, they become your family for some months, and it’s difficult to say goodbye. At least, I’ll see two of them in August; we’ve planned to attend a music festival in Portugal, bought the tickets months ago!! And if we are lucky, we’ll go to Edinburgh right after Portugal, if we’re chosen as volunteers in a festival over there. It will be a good summer, but it will never be the same as here.

Everything is packed, so I’m off to the station; don’t think I’ll be able to live with my parents again. Coming downstairs, don’t want to believe I won’t come back to Sheffield. It’s been such an amazing experience. 

4.10                          Thoughts by Anonymous

Why is it so easy to get fond of somebody? Why is it so difficult to say “bye” to people?

Even if we know that it won’t take that long to see us again, these days are kind of depressive here, in Sheffield. Everybody is going somewhere during the break, even some of us are going home, but… why is it so difficult to leave now? Why are we looking at these days as if they were a goodbye?

I have stopped to think about it a lot of times, and I cannot even imagine the last days here in June. We just arrived here two months ago, maybe less than this, and I feel if I am living within a huge family, spread all over the streets in Sheffield, and taking into account every single people and situation here… But… do we really know each other? Do we really know who we are? I am feeling as if I was starting a new life here, without giving importance to my “old” life and without wondering who the others are in their own country.

But… would I feel the same if I knew that I should stay here forever? I am enjoying it as much as I can, although I know I will be backing home in 4 months. I just wonder how different would it be if we all knew that Sheffield (and the people here) would be our next definitive stop in life…

4.11                           No tattoos by Satsuki Il

     “No Tattoos!” She found the notice near the entrance of a public bath. In her country, the people with tattoos are rejected to enter most of the public bathes, hot springs and swimming pools. That’s because tattoos are still associated with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. If you’ve got a tiny butterfly tattoo on your shoulder, you’ll probably get kicked out from there. It seems old-fashioned, but it is a deep-rooted idea in her country.

     Whilst taking a bath, she was recalling her first few days in England. Just after she arrived at her new accommodation in Sheffield, the first thing what caught her eyes was tattoos. Since she got a new key but she couldn’t open the door of her room, she went to the reception for help. She got surprised when she saw the staff. He had tattooed strong arms and looked scary, also he had a strong Sheffield accent. She could hardly understand what he was talking but he seemed to help her and it turned out to be right. She couldn’t still understand his speaking, but anyway, she thanked him. ‘No problem,’ he said with a big smile. This is the only word what she could catch then. She thought he was kind inspite of his appearance. Several days later, she met the staff again when she came to the reception to collect her parcel. She was actually still afraid of him. She passed her U-card to him and she was identified with a nervous expression on her face. Then he said to her, ‘Smiiiile!’ with a funny voice and gentle eyes. She relaxed her features thanks to him and started laughing. It made him laugh too. After laughing together for a while, she felt happy. That was definitely not only because of the parcel from her mother, but also because of the pleasant man.

     She started feeling dizzy since she had been soaking in the bath for too long a time. Then she got out of the bath and saw that notice which said “No Tattoos!”