Diary of the trip to York 15-29 May
Sunday the 15th May
Today is the big day. We are going to York, not the new one but the old historical one in Britain. I turned up early in Kaastrup Airport full of excitement and a backpack full of cloth and money. Unfortunately the aeroplane was late so we were first in the air an hour later than expected. This meant that even though we were gifted an hour in time difference we first arrived at York University by bus at nine pm. We were handed over to our host family which only lived 10 minutes of walk from the university. When stepping into their house we dropped our backs in the rooms after deciding who stayed where. Then we was introduced to the residents of the house while our hostmother cooked a traditional English breakfast for us; 2 dogs, Helga and Lulu and Lulu´s 8 puppies which was only a few days old. We had a nice chat while eating with Robin and Jeanette and even though we were tired after the trip we stayed up talking to learn these two now persons to know.
Monday the 16th May
After having breakfast Robin walked us to the university while functioning as a guide telling us about the area. 15 minutes later we stood in the reception of the Derwent college one out of nine in totals waiting for the rest to arrive. The leader of our program at the university Tudor quickly showed up taking us to the nearby college Vanbrugh where we was supposed to have the most of our lectures. We had a presentation of the program for our stay followed of a tour around the entire university. At last we were introduced to the project we should start on tomorrow and we went home full of new impressions. We had dinner at our host family before going into the city center of York to start exploring the city on our own.
Tuesday the 17th May
Today was the birthday of Nadja and me and we had planned to go out celebrating them by eating together all of us after today’s lectures. We started out in class by forming groups for our upcoming project about cultural differences between Denmark and Britain. Here I got together with Johan, Lasse and Mikkel we decide to make a questionnaire about “Fan culture”. The questionnaires were supposed be brought tomorrow to the international tea party at the university. After lunch we had a guest lecture about finance by an economist named Ian Money how use to teach at the university. We walked together to the city center and went for pizzas at Pizza Hut before taking the bus home to call it for a day.
Wednesday the 18th May
The day started with a bus trip to the newer part of the university Heslington East where the Law and management department of the University of York are placed. Here we had a lecture about “Big data” and how enterprises, the government and many others constantly are looking over our shoulders watching our tiniest steps. After this we had a tour by two students of this department showing us this new part of the university. We were dropped off at a lecture room where a more detailed presentation of the University of York and the subjects offering was giving. We took the bus back to Derwent College where the international tea party would take place. Here we had prepared a short presentation of Denmark and our traditions which functioned as an icebreaker to start a conversation with the other students. Here people from all over the world were gathered and we handed out our questionnaires. Anton and I went directly home where Robin’s oldest daughter Amy and her three children would join us for dinner. We took of early going to the city center looking for a pup to watch the Europa League final between Liverpool and Seville at. We got in ordered cokes and enjoy an intensive football match unfortunately with a Liverpool defeat.
Thursday the 19th May
Thursday was the first day which was lecture free and we went together with our teachers to see the Railway museum next to the station. Here we used the most of an hour before taking a “bustrain” to the city center. Here we enjoyed even more of the city of York by going shopping and just walking through the streets. I meet with Anton at the Picadelly bus station and we followed home, where we was supposed to go eating the traditional Yorkshire dish roast beef and Yorkshire pudding to celebrate my birthday. Our host family invited my twin Nadja and her roommate Kristina with us and we had a nice evening full of hygge. On the way home we stopped by Morrisons to do the grocery shopping and had tea and biscuits when returning home.
Friday the 20th May
Today was booked for a visit at the York Minister and what an experience wow! We even topped it up by going to the very top of the middle tower for a fantastic view of the surrounding areas of York. Here some of the guys had a bit of fears for heights but luckily all of us returned to the ground in safe condition. After a quick lunch at McDonalds Anton and I went home taking a short nap to charge the batteries before going out eating again today. We drove for almost an hour to arrive in Beverly a small town near Hull where Robin’s parents is living. Here we went for grill night at a local pub together with Robin’s parents, his sister and her husband. After eating we went for pudding and ice-cream at Robin’s parents to explore their very comfortable house. We first arrived back home late that night heading straight for bed.
Saturday the 21th May
Anton and I slept late and just enjoyed that it was weekend, without any plans at all. After breakfast, which almost was at lunch time we went to the York Sport Village which we was handed a free trail to when arriving at the University. Here we meet Lasse, Mikkel, Joshua and Hjalte and we worked out for more than two hours, and it was really nice. We took the bus home and arrived just in time to help Robin and Jeanette with the dinner preparation even though they had done the most of it before we arrived. After a quick shower and lunch we went to our room making homework before going to the sitting room where the FA Cup final was played at BBC 1. We saw it on television and shortly into the second half Jeanette’s oldest son and his girlfriend arrived for dinner. We had chicken curry with naan bread and rice and we enjoyed it. After dinner Mike and I did the dishes while the other prepared a quiz game which had us entertained for hours. The guests order a taxi home at 11 pm and Anton and I went for bed after a quick movie.
Sunday the 22th May
Today we had guest yet again. Jeanette’s mother came to see the puppies and we had a short talk with her before going to the city center. Here we had planned to meet our classmates and go all the way around the center of York on the foreign walls which very hormonal have been kept as a distinctive mark of the city. It was quite a trip but the view was incredible, with the busy city at the one hand and the country side at the other. After the walls we went shopping looking for shoes and cloth for the most of us. Not everybody was as successful in this attempt but we all had fun. After shopping Anton and I took the bus home and started to pack our stuff so we can be ready to move to Franklin House where we will be staying until Friday. We had salmon for dinner which was a perfect way to end a perfect visit at our host family.
Monday the 23th May:
We woke up and then we was doing all the normal morning routines. Then our host parents was droving us to Vanbrugh College, where our package was needed to stay until 16:00 PM. After that, we have lessons with Ian money and Helena. Then 16:00 o`clock were we going to the Franklin house, where we have to stay until Friday.
Tuesday the 24th May:
We woke up after the first day at Franklin house. Then was the trip going to, a harbour town called Whitby. to explore all the old Viking attractions and try to eat fish and chips at a very famous restaurant called “magpie café”, when we come home, we was allowed to do what we want, then we just relaxing at home.
Wednesday the 25th May:
Today we woke up and was going to the school, where we should presentation a project we have working on the two weeks. After the presentation, we should ask a few questions about the host family and the lessons we have had over the 2 weeks.
Thursday the 26th May:
Today we was going to see the York castle museum and after that was we allowed to do what we want, so we was going to the York city to shop. After shopping, we went home to the Franklin house. Then 18:00 pm we were going to a farewell meeting, where all the staff people and the host families were invited.
Friday the 27th May:
Today was the last day at Franklin house, because now were we going to Manchester for the last 3 days. We woke up and was going down to eat breakfast, then 11:00 am we were going to Manchester. The journey took 1:30 hours. We arrived to Manchester at the “Stay inn hotel” near the city centre. We could not get our room before 15:00 pm. Therefore, we was going out to explore the city.
Saturday the 28th May:
Today we were going to see the national football museum and the science museum in Manchester. After we had seen the museums, we were allowed to do what we want to do. Most of us was going to the city to shop some of us went home. At night, we were going out to eat, at a Chinese restaurant in china town.
Sunday the 29th May:
Today was the last day in England, so we were allowed to sleep longer and not have any specific plans. So about 12:00 o`clock we was going to the city the last time before we was heading home. The taxis come to pick us up 15:00 pm to drive us to the airport. There was a very long queue to the security check in the airport. After the security check, was we going to get something to eat and wait to the screen told us which gate we should go to.