Southampton Rocks.

Today, I took an hour and a half train ride to Southampton to visit my good friend Wes. I was anticipating this trip greatly for I had only been to Bath, which is another touristy town. This was going to be my first trip to a non-touristy destination. I arrived at the station and was shocked. When I stepped out of the station to meet him, there was a Toys R' US, a Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a McDonald's in sight. It seemed rather strange to me to see these in Rural England. Now granted, Southampton is a decent sized city but I had no clue what to expect. I jokingly then made the remark to my friend that " I was going to take pictures but this place looks too much like the USA." We had a good laugh over it. He had stayed with me in the states twice before and had warned me that it wasn't all that different.

Southampton is an old town with a substantial amount of classic British Architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries. A castle sits in the center of town but most of it has been removed in order to allow traffic to move effectively throughout the city. The castles walls stretch for miles and are still in existence. However, there are large holes where streets pass through them. Southampton is also a city famous for sailing. It is on the southern coast of England and the around the world sailing race starts and finishes in Ocean Village. There are a plethora of parks and open public spaces for people to enjoy themselves.

Let me explain some of the cultural differences of Southampton. There is a large gay community in Southampton. Not that there is not a large gay community in Boston, it's just the way people accept it is a bit different. It was not uncommon to see two men kissing or holding hands. I think it is a good thing when people can not be afraid to do what is a natural thing. I know it's arguable whether it is natural but I've always taken the position that no one wakes up one day and says " I'm going to choose a life of persecution and discrimination." I don't think some of the homosexuals in Great Britain realize how good they have it. If these people lived in the South of the United States it would be quite the different story.

The people were also very laid back and slower paced. I guess anything would seem to be a slower pace than London but it seemed a bit slower than normal. Everyone I met was extremely friendly and greeted you with a smile (well almost everyone). I think this had an effect on me because I am so used to the London syndrome of putting your head down and keeping to yourself. Not that this is much different from Boston.

I got a chance to hang out with Wes's 8 roommates and hung out. I got a chance to talk a lot with his roommates about their professions and university experiences. The college experience in Great Britain seems to be a lot different than that of the US. One of them was a meter maid. It was insightful to hear him talk about his profession. In Britain, meter maids have to take self-defense classes before they begin the job! This really surprised me. I mean he is just doing his job.

Wes and his roommates cooked me up a traditional English All Day Breakfast, which consisted of Beans, Stewed Tomatoes, Hashbrowns, Toast, Sausage, and Tea. Let me say, it was fabulous. The idea of creating a meal that you can enjoy at any point of the day is great. I think I could eat that meal all day everyday. The English experience in Southampton was fantastic and I was glad I got to meet up with my friend in a new country. It felt very weird to see him on his home turf. Establishing a group of friends in another country is not a luxury that many people in the world and I don't think I could be any luckier. It is exciting to know that if I came back to Britain I could visit people in Southampton, Manchester, Brighton, Bedford, Sheffield, and more.

Signing off.