Darlo's World

To read the original entry, please click here( http://www.darlosworld.co.uk/2011/07/14/its-all-over-and-yet-its-just-beginning/ )

So, let’s get this blog going. Yesterday I bought, started and completed (finally) Portal. As the end song kinda fits the theme of this entry, I thought I’d use it as a little background music. The animation accompanying it is by Scott Ramsoomair with the actual song being written by Jonathan Coulton and sung by Ellen McLain.

So I am now back in Telford and have just over two weeks left until I head to Japan. Last week was the London Orientation for the JET Programme where we were told moer about the programme itself, met the other UK participants, and had some Japanese language classes. It was really good to meet the other guys, especially those who will be joining me in Yamaguchi Prefecture. I now know more specifically where in Yamauchi I’ll be, the village of Takibe.

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Monday marked my official graduation from Leeds University. Though I already knew my marks beforehand, I still didn’t want to believe it until I had the paper in my hand. Some marks were close to failing, especially my Japanese written module which could have held a lot of problems had I failed, but thanks to some higher marks in other modules I was able to finish with an Upper Second Class with Honours degree (aka a 2:1). If you’d like to watch my ceremony online, click here. Don’t be shocked though, for reasons unknown (and yes I did ask many staff members and google’d it) Leeds University graduates (first degree that is) don’t wear the hat!

So what now for me? Well as I say I’m back in Telford now, after having to say “see you later” to a lot of good friends, reminding them we can still stay in touch through Twitter and the like. Since I’ll be heading to Japan and not taking all of my belongings with me, I’m on a bit of a mission to try and sell as much of my stuff as I possibly can. I’ve already sold a few things, but if you’d like to have a look and what I’m flogging, have a look at this list, and please share it with your friends. Besides that, guess who’ll be doing a carboot sale this weekend!

Like the constipated man who has taken a dozen fast-acting laxatives, I have finally moved again.

For those doubters of my ability to get a house closer than my previous one (which, traffic pending, would have me on campus within 20 seconds) I say … well, can’t really be bothered to think of a clever and witty reply but I have done just that. My new house is right on campus, mere seconds from the Student Union Building, and my room itself is pretty damn awesome. I’ll be honest, I’m in the basement so I’m not sure how it’ll do come winter (especially if there’s heavy snowfall), so I’ll update you on that when the time comes. It’s a 10 bed house (somewhat’s larger than … anything I’ve had before, bar the dorm in Japan), but the housemates I’ve met so far seem pretty cool.

A very quick update on the bear from the last entry. It didn’t sell.

Last weekend I had the privilege of having two of my Japanese friends come down to Telford. As well as having a couple of trips to the pub (including a not so bland time at the Cross Keys thanks to a couple of awesome dancers), we had a look around just a few (time wasn’t really with us) of the things Telford has to offer.

We started off with a trip to the Blists Hill Museum, a living museum set in Victorian Ironbridge. Surprisingly I actually learned quite a bit, despite having gone there numerous times as a kid; like the origins of the terms ‘Come a Cropper’ and ‘Mind Your Ps and Qs’. Oh you crazy printer. SilverTiger has many pictures and explanations of what goes on at Blists Hill, so feel free to pop over and have a gander. By the way, their bread is unrivalled – Up yours Kingmill!

Before heading over to the Shopping Center, we also have a look at some of the other museums (having bought the passport ticket we thought we’d get our moneys worth), and of course the world famous Ironbridge itself. I’d not been to Enginuity before due to it being relatively new. Something told me it seemed to be more aimed at kids, possibly the 300 little buggers running around, but it was quite an enjoyable museum with some very frustrating quizzes.

　At the Telford Town Center, we marvelled at the Telford Time Machine (don’t get excited sci-fi fans, it’s just a big clock with a frog on it) as well as looking around the Maxell Cherry Gardens; unfortunately the sakura (Japanese cherry blossoms) were not blossoming, ney mind.

On the Sunday we headed to Birmingham to enjoy something sweet at Cadbury World. Again somewhere I’d been numerous times as a child, but this is a place that always changes. Somethings were missing, like the spicy drink you get at the start, but some new features have been added, like a room explaining the chocolate process in a manner similar to the Room of Living Dolls, though less terrifying. But somethings stay the same and you are given chocolate at various stages and arrive at a cheap chocolate shop at the end (misshapes, yes!).

We then headed over to Selfridges and the Bull Ring shopping center. Unfortunately I had completely forgot about Sunday trading hours, and we were left with just a few minutes to nose around before shutters started coming down. We then went for a wander around the city before making our way back to the car, and eventually Leeds.

Before I head off and continue unpacking (go get a pizza and then come back and contemplate unpacking) there is one thing that has bothered me during my time back in Telford.

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I’ve been living in Telford all of my life (when not buggering off here and there) and in that time I’ve always lived in Leegomery. Apply was always a small area just past the hospital where Maxell was, however now it seems like the area I grew up in is being rubbed out like an unwanted smarmy comment on an eBay seller feedback. Signage for Leegomery has gone down and been replaced by (very dull, if really must pick fault) Apley signage. Driving around I was unable to find any ‘Entering Leegomery’ signs.

But why has this happened? Officially I don’t know, as I haven’t been in the area due to Uni I’ve not seen any notices in the news etc. After chatting with a couple of friends (who also didn’t recall being told about it), we’ve come to one pretty unpleasant theory. The houses nearer to the hospital are without a doubt nicer than those further towards Hadley, and ‘problems’ normally are less associated with the hospital area. It was our theory that the nicer area is trying to seperate from the riff-raff in an “I’m better than thou” fashion. Of course this is just a theory, but still. I wonder if it’s this easy to get a divorce.