#stuckinLondon

"I'm dreaming, of a white Christmas"...

We all know the words to that classic Christmas tune, even if we have never experienced a truly white Christmas. It just goes to show that the whole world wishes they lived in Canada even if this desire only expresses itself subconsciously through a song once a year.

However, as much as the whole world might wish, hope and dream for the legendary white Christmases of a pre-global warming Canada, are they truly prepared for the reality that is..... snow?

I have learned, over the past few days, that the resounding answer to this question is NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST.

After a 2 hour-delayed flight to London - of the United Kingdom variety - because of some gusty snow breezes, I spent a lovely weekend in the gorgeous city of red telephone boxes and double-decker buses. I was escorted around by two Canadians: one of whom was born in London and holds a somewhat concerning obsession with the city because of her radical first two years of life therein, and the other who currently resides there in the process of studying law school and who was kind enough to host us. I do believe both of my companions held a certain level of appalled horror at my seemingly aloof approach to exploring the city, but I would like to argue that I was merely deferring to their greater knowledge and experience with its hidden mysteries.

Along with the glorious lights covering every surface of every major store, its intricately congested tube system, and its towering peaks of smooth stone bursting straight out of every British Narnia-fantasy you've ever conceived... London brought a little something else. An essence that I had not realized I had grown accustomed to living without...

The English Language.

I suddenly found myself besieged and bombarded by limitless outlets of the language I had left in my past like a forgotten toy. Now this is not to say that I have become suddenly fluent in Dutch, despite how often I like to claim so. However, I had quickly latched onto the technique of absorbing the world around me through images, rather than through text. When 90% of advertisements around you are in a foreign language it becomes incredibly easier to zone them out. If the subconscious elimination of all advertisements was a talent I could teach I should surely take it upon myself to teach it to the whole world! Never had I been so aware of just how large a quantity of information we have grown accustomed to comprehending, particularly when in a big city! They say you never appreciate something fully until it is gone, and I believe it is equally true that you never fully appreciate the levels of hogwash you are used to until you are re-submerged into its nonsense. It is like looking back at an addiction which you rid yourself of and realizing the absurdity of it; scoffing at your own foolish inability to escape it for so long.

Anyhow. As much as I love the English language and being able to fully understand the world around me without merely basing my actions on assumptions and educated guesses, I must say that stepping into London was overwhelming in a homey sort of way.

Yet this was only the beginning of my problems here.

And when I say here, I truly mean, here.

For I am still here.

Currently I am sitting in a small airport in London Southend, about an hours train ride from the big city. For what was intended as a weekend stay here quickly, or rather at the slow pace of concern metamorphosing into panic, turned into five days with no escape.

Why this panic you might ask?

Why, because of the horror that a few flakes of that endearing white "fluffy-stuff" can lend to a nation utterly unequipped for its sudden arrival.

Cutting to the chase, London (and much of the rest of Europe) was doused with less than 1mm of snow over the weekend and consequently all flights out of the city, including my one hour flight back to Amsterdam, were cancelled!

So here I am. Still.

My Sunday night flight was changed to a Tuesday afternoon flight and our bunking-down in the small (but extremely homey and lovely!) room of a friend turned into an all-expenses-paid two-night stay in a hotel room with a dinner buffet, restaurant-style breakfasts, and of course, a hot bath and movie.

Naturally I am extremely put-out at missing biking through the snow which covered holland as well and working in my regular office until the school was closed early and students and interns alike sent home early because of those same alarming white flakes from the heavens...

Quite put out indeed.

Luckily I had my laptop with me, and made my peace with working from a small British cafe by the coast of Southend-On-Sea. Truly I'm not sure I would have made it without the support of the cafe's server who kept my spirits up with her casual references to me as "luv". It is amazing what a friendly face amidst the flurries of frightening snowflakes will do to uplift one's soul!

So here I am. T-minus 40 minutes to take-off.

Blue (ish) skies and sunshine beckoning me back to Holland and the less-than-2-weeks that I have remaining there.

It is unthinkable to imagine that my four months here has almost come to an end and so I will push past the comprehending of this reality by focusing my attention on my looming deadlines for final reports and presentations.

***EDIT:

As I finished writing that last sentence, delicately placing the period at the end of the sentence, the announcement was made for the boarding of my flight back to Amsterdam! And so, although they were worryingly hesitant to do so, the Dutch authorities have let me back into the country and I now sit upon the all-too-familiar seats of a train headed toward my dear snow-covered Middelburg. Before I know it I will be back in my little house on Domburgs Schuitvlot and even more quickly I will be waking up to attempt the bike to work on the snowy pathways.

Another chapter of my adventures here has come to a close and thus I grow ever nearer to that final and concluding chapter of my Return to Canada.

Until then

#stuckinLondon

#rakeintheamenities

LOL - lots of love

Briar