Somewhat homesick
I've been in a weird mood the past couple of days, and I think it may be quasi-homesickness. I'm quite reluctant to admit this, because when I was planning to come over here I totally disregarded any and all advice relating to homesickness or culture shock because I was of the mindset "oh I'm only going to the UK, it's not that different from Australia anyway except for the weather".
Like for example, at one of our pre departure meetings, they were going on about not liking the food in your host country. I basically ignored this, thinking it was more for people who were going to far flung and exotic places, not the old mother country. But I don't know what it is, but I am really hating British food. Today I went to the supermarket and I walked around for ages looking but couldn't find anything I wanted to eat. In the end, I bought an apple, a wholegrain bagel and a can of coke. The apple was crap and floury, the bagel was bordering on stale... and well coke is coke no matter where you are in the world. There is good food available in the UK, but it is not cheap. I wanted to cook a stirfry the other night, and a bottle of oyster sauce that was tiny cost me nearly $5 Aussie. At home a bottle three times the size would have been two bucks. Asian vegetables are also pricey. Then today I noticed that half the bottle has gone and someone else has used it. I have been trying to eat healthy, not too many carbs and all of that, but the fact is that junk food is the cheapest of all foods here, and also everything comes pre packaged or in a can. All I wanted in life the other day were some mushrooms, but do you think I could buy them loose? No, they only had this big punnet of them that was overpackaged and overpriced. Everything is shrink wrapped or canned. The "fruit juice" is all made from concentrate rather than actual fruit. Nice fruit is expensive... the meat is gross and expensive so I am basically being vegetarian. The national foods are all fatty with pastry and shit. Someone made me try a pork pie, I've never eaten anything so disgusting in my life... yuck.
I don't even know what I miss from home... of course I miss all my friends etc but the people here are pretty nice and friendly to me, especially the people involved with radio at the university and I have made friends here so it's not as if I am moping around lonely. Maybe it's the cold weather depressing me? Maybe it's the ever dwindling amount in my bank account? Maybe it's the weeks going by with my list of "things to do while I am here" not having as many things crossed off as I would like? Maybe it's because I'm not used to having so much free time... this seriously is the first time since finishing school that I haven't worked (and worked a substantial amount) while studying. I want to find a bit of work, but because I am here for such a short time I can't set up a bank account or anything which limits my possibilities to the rather dodgy professions such as flyering (in the freezing weather... hmm). Maybe it's because I'm in the suburbs...
I don't miss my hometown or family really simply because this is similar to when I live in Sydney for uni. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I have been in Sydney? I did leave Sydney in mid November.
It's really bothering me. I'm homesick and I can't figure out why. If I knew why, I'd be able to try and solve it. It's not as if I am not liking the experience here, I've just been feeling melancholy this week and I can't figure out why.
Hmm also they want me to talk to people who want to come on exchange to UTS and I don't know what to say... I think the course here is better in many respects (not all aspects) and the campus life is also much better, so hmm. Don't want to be super negetive, but also want to be truthful with my opinions.
Like for example, at one of our pre departure meetings, they were going on about not liking the food in your host country. I basically ignored this, thinking it was more for people who were going to far flung and exotic places, not the old mother country. But I don't know what it is, but I am really hating British food. Today I went to the supermarket and I walked around for ages looking but couldn't find anything I wanted to eat. In the end, I bought an apple, a wholegrain bagel and a can of coke. The apple was crap and floury, the bagel was bordering on stale... and well coke is coke no matter where you are in the world. There is good food available in the UK, but it is not cheap. I wanted to cook a stirfry the other night, and a bottle of oyster sauce that was tiny cost me nearly $5 Aussie. At home a bottle three times the size would have been two bucks. Asian vegetables are also pricey. Then today I noticed that half the bottle has gone and someone else has used it. I have been trying to eat healthy, not too many carbs and all of that, but the fact is that junk food is the cheapest of all foods here, and also everything comes pre packaged or in a can. All I wanted in life the other day were some mushrooms, but do you think I could buy them loose? No, they only had this big punnet of them that was overpackaged and overpriced. Everything is shrink wrapped or canned. The "fruit juice" is all made from concentrate rather than actual fruit. Nice fruit is expensive... the meat is gross and expensive so I am basically being vegetarian. The national foods are all fatty with pastry and shit. Someone made me try a pork pie, I've never eaten anything so disgusting in my life... yuck.
I don't even know what I miss from home... of course I miss all my friends etc but the people here are pretty nice and friendly to me, especially the people involved with radio at the university and I have made friends here so it's not as if I am moping around lonely. Maybe it's the cold weather depressing me? Maybe it's the ever dwindling amount in my bank account? Maybe it's the weeks going by with my list of "things to do while I am here" not having as many things crossed off as I would like? Maybe it's because I'm not used to having so much free time... this seriously is the first time since finishing school that I haven't worked (and worked a substantial amount) while studying. I want to find a bit of work, but because I am here for such a short time I can't set up a bank account or anything which limits my possibilities to the rather dodgy professions such as flyering (in the freezing weather... hmm). Maybe it's because I'm in the suburbs...
I don't miss my hometown or family really simply because this is similar to when I live in Sydney for uni. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I have been in Sydney? I did leave Sydney in mid November.
It's really bothering me. I'm homesick and I can't figure out why. If I knew why, I'd be able to try and solve it. It's not as if I am not liking the experience here, I've just been feeling melancholy this week and I can't figure out why.
Hmm also they want me to talk to people who want to come on exchange to UTS and I don't know what to say... I think the course here is better in many respects (not all aspects) and the campus life is also much better, so hmm. Don't want to be super negetive, but also want to be truthful with my opinions.
posted by Ashlee at 5:56:00 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home