Girls' Night In by various authors. This book's mantra is why go out when you can stay in with the best women writers around.  To say this is a girly book is to say the least, cause that is exactly what this book is. Firstly, the book's concept was developed from the love of writing and secondly to help fund the 'War Child' charity. This charity supports a positive change in the lives of children who suffer from the lack of education, and other necessities because of war in African countries. Now you could feel better indulging in a lazy light night’s read and that bar of chocolates, slices of pizza or scoops of ice cream that you sit back and have with a good book. This book contains light-hearted short stories centred on love, telling of either the beginning, or ending, the hard times filled with betrayal or infidelity or the joyous times filled with lust, earning, and passion. For the young, old or in-between, for lovers, friends, enemies, or mothers this book has it all. The only downside is that it is so thick! But breezing through the pages is funny, saddening and shocking so as the cover says take the phone off the hook, and enjoy........ Stars 4 out of 5.





Sway is just off Holborn High St in Central London. Always packed on a Saturday night it has three rooms. One for strictly R&B, another trance, club and pop music and a thrid that plays a mix of the three and then some cheesy pop anthems. It's free before 10pm and £10 after if you're not on a guest list, on a guest list you pay £8. It’s great for a birthday night as you get to reserve a table and one free drink for each member of your party. The people here are good, mature, and friendly and the staff is very fast at the bar - so no long waiting - with a good knowledge of cocktails and wines. Even the bouncers are friendly and would order you a cab home if you're out of it at the end of the night. So in essential good music, people, space and staff! Great night out by all accounts .... Stars 5 out of 5! Check out the website for guest list info and other information http://www.swaybar.co.uk/ (Picture by Nina Simone)

I see your true colours

Dear Diary,

After a good night’s sleep I head into uni today for a full day of classes. I met up with Elana in all my classes during the day and am glad to have someone I know that is in most my classes. Plus she’s sweet in an innocence kinda way which I take to. My classes for the day is Economics (which I had such a hard time with before so much so that I am mentally scarred by it) that Academics Skills seminar and IT for Financial Services which was three hours. The last one isn’t as interesting as it sounds it just Excel, Word and some Web Design. I sit next to Elana in IT and we both sailed through the class and sometimes help other students as well. I liked her immediately when she didn’t ask if Trinidad was in Africa or Jamaica and knew the Caribbean was actually made up of different islands. Although she didn’t know where Trinidad is she understood when I said that it was off of South America.

After class I head home and sure enough as soon as I settle done Ny comes over. We head over to his room to watch a movie because I have no TV or computer or laptop. To tell you the true I don’t even have a radio, I just have a portable CD player that eats batteries like if it’s perpetually starved. We’re hanging out just chatting I’m in my usual place on the floor and honestly when he’s not hitting on me I really enjoy his company and he’s mad funny. I even allow him to hug me and it’s nice in his room But he starts again talking about us getting together, which I stop abruptly. I remember how it made this topic made me feel and I decide to stop it immediately. I say I wanna just be friends and he says he can’t be my friend. And I realise this is going nowhere. I decide to change the subject but he’s not budging. So I decide to come clean and just tell him that I am not ready to be in a relationship right, now. That in fact I hardly know him. He’s persistent and asks what I would like to know about him. I laugh at this ‘So I’m just suppose to take your word and whatever you say as true?’ Without a beat he says ‘Yes! ‘ I have nothing to hide.’ ‘Ok, hand over your phone.’ Which surprisingly he does, and I go through it. I do it half heartedly as I personally don’t feel comfortable doing this. I just look at his numbers but no texts. But I do look through his pictures and see a picture of this sexy woman’s top on a mannequin. ‘What’s this about?’ I ask. ‘That’s for my cousin’ he says ‘ I want to buy it for her and I took a picture to make sure she likes it.’ I watch him out of the corner of my eye not knowing whether to believe him or not. The next picture I saw made me stop .... it was of a stylish light skinned girl with long hair. She was posing sexily in the picture and looking straight at the camera. I turned the phone to him and asked who it was although I already knew. ‘That’s a friend from back home he said. I knew I would be out of my mind to believe him, but I thought about Devlin and the fact that I had a life before I came up to London. Maybe too I was starting to get accustom to having Ny around that I wanted to believe him. But in the end I did just that I believed him. I went to the toilet and when I came back, he was ready for bed because he had early morning training with the cricket team. ‘You’re welcome to stay over’ he said and smiled but I knew what that meant. I declined. So I headed back upstairs.

After a while of being in my room, I am restless with nothing to do, so I head down to the bar to see if anyone else is down there. I see Coby playing pool with some guys and he smiles when I walk in and asks if I could play pool. ‘A little‘I say and I join in. He helps me out making suggestion but after a few shots they start wondering if I was hustling them.’ Of course not’ I say with an innocent face ‘But sometimes I am very good at pool. One night I beat all my friends.’ Now this is somewhat true because you see sometimes I am brilliant in pool other times I am terrible. In the first round, I play fairly decent and taunt both Coby and the other that a small little girl is beating them at pool. However, Coby starts taunting back and leaning on my when it is my turn, putting bad mojo on my plays and as the taunting, gets the better of me I start losing. I then explain that sometimes I am bad as well but Coby says ‘Yeah, Yeah you just can’t handle the pressure.’ I am really glad I came down as this is a perfect Friday night lime for me. As I am sitting watching, the winners play the final round and I am laughing at their taunts I see two people walking into halls. It Ny and the light skinned girl from the picture on his phone. I must say I am in shock and I shake my head in disappointment, but honestly not totally surprised. A ‘friend’ huh... I think as I see them walk towards the halls entrance with Ny carrying a her overnight case.


Well I am off for now....... to think this over .... I should not be shocked should I. I mean I always knew he was a player right? So why am I shocked by it?

split levels uno dos tres

 The Absolut IceBar. Straight out of a James Bond movie..... the whole bar is made of ice - the walls, chairs, tables, glasses - it is super cold and you need to put on Eskimo wear to go in. And the best part it is only £13.50 during the week and £16 on weekends! The staff is friendly and you get a complimentry vodka drink on entering, other drinks are £6 and champagne is £8. Music wise I didn't really hear as I was so excited about the decor but I am guessing it was good. This place is hot so you need to book in advance. You session lasts 40 minutes - but I assure you it is long enough if you're a hot weather person like me. Besides the bar, there is a restaurant (Below Zero) and lounge both room temp to further enjoy your night. Excellent night out! Check out the site for more details http://www.belowzerolondon.com/. (Picture by Nina S.)

Getting into the routine

Dear Diary,

Waking up Sunday morning was hard, my body ached and my eyes felt dry. I decided that going to church was the only thing that would make me feel better so I pulled myself of the bed and into the shared showers. No one was up and the halls were eerily quite as I left with a Collins Street Atlas.

I walk down the streets to the nearest street on the map that had a church street hoping it was a Roman Catholic Church. But it was closed, as in under construction, boarded up and blocked off. I sighed and started turning pages to see where the next church would be but saw none. I contemplated going back to halls, but there was nothing there for me, so I pressed on. As I continued walking, it started drizzling and being in a blue mood I welcomed the fact that nature seemed to share my depression. I often love walking in thr rain when sad, as I dream it is a manifestation of my own tears. It lifts my mood and I slowly start smiling as I realise this feeling like the rain will soon pass. I walk out to the high street and head towards Archway. The first church I reach is Anglican, and I ask one of the parishioners walking in if there is a Catholic Church nearby. She directs me further up the road. As I walk in, I realise it is the ending of Mass and the next one is in an hour and half. I am glad because the quiet time praying and listening will lift my dark mood. I stay on for Mass and once it is over I feel better and inspired and not alone anymore. The main passage is I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13. It reminds me of God’s presence in my life, his providence, and guidance. I return home via bus ready for the day and my first week at university, with new friends and challenges. The rest of my Sunday is like any other quiet and filled with good food.

Monday, is similarly a quiet day as luckily I have Mondays and Tuesdays off university so I just head in to apply for jobs online and check out the guys on campus. I head back home late on both days. On Tuesday night, Del poops over to tell me about a party at the same club on Wednesday night. I am up for it, I mean what else am I going to do. Wednesday is my first class it’s an early start – it’s Introduction to Financial Instruments it's pretty interesting and most of the things the professor is talking about I know from working at the bank so it is pretty easy to follow. And then he gives us chapters to read before class like three chapters! Since it’s the first week we have no seminar so I head over to the other campus for my next class. I have a two hour wait, so I decide to check out the library and these chapters I have to read. Yes, I know it’s nerdy but there is nothing else I could do. Although there are many people around I don’t know any of them. I sit with the book and take notes as I read and quite soon my alarm goes off for my next class. This class seems even easier than the last, it Academics Skills for Financial Services – it’s basically teaching us to write professionally, research methods, and referencing skills. When I left university, it was late about 6pm and dark – long day I am thinking and although the work was not especially hard I am feeling slightly worn. I perk up cause I am heading out to the bar tonight and a good drink and dancing to some music will set me right. This time I am better prepared I put on a nice top, tight jeans and some make up. Not too much to make it seem like its a big deal, but enough that I look cute. Just like the previous time as I enter Del’s room the picture taking starts and I feel a little better posing for them. Big smile, hands on hips and hugging my new girlfriends. The night is good, I see Ny but just nod as tonite is girls’ night. I have no thoughts as tomorrow class is at 12pm for only one hour! So the night is young, I don’t have to worry about classes in the morning and I wanna have some innocent fun.

Although I have slept in late, I feel a little druggy as I head for class. It’s just about to start and I take a sit close to the front against the wall. I see some of the girls from my first days at uni I smile, and wave. My lecturer is very boring and she talks in a monotone voice for the entire class. It reminds me of that boring teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and sure enough, I fall asleep during the class. I jerk up and see one of the girls, the Chinese one looking at me and smiling I think shit! I hope I wasn’t snoring, but when I look at the teacher she seems none the wiser. After class the Chinese girl comes over and says ‘She majorly boring’ ‘Oh yes I say I couldn’t help but fall asleep.’ She laughs ‘Yeah I noticed’ as I looked worried she read my thoughts and said ‘ Don’t worry you were not snoring .........or dribbling’. ‘Ha Ha, you were so far how would you know.’ 'Next time sit close to me I’ll nudge when you drop off and you could do the same for me’ she says. We both laugh and promise to do just that. I ask her name, its Elana. We both head out of uni both homeward bound me to sleep, and she to – hummmm I did not ask. Next time I think as I get on the underground back home.

Well I am off for now....... tomorrow is another full day from early morning till late in the afternoon full of classes! So tonight I need a full night sleep, plus I need to make up for the lack of sleep I had from Wednesday. Chat soon.x

Brick Lane by Monica Ali is about the life of a Muslim woman from childhood through marriage and then independence. This book is most known for the film of the same name and as part of Oprah's book club. It is set in London's Brick Lane, which is near Whitechapel in the east of London, for those of you looking on a map. It doesn't look at the glamorous city of London that one sees on TV but shows life as an immigrant in the city and how separated, lonely and different it is from native Londoners. This story explores life for Muslim women from a more traditional way (she leaves Bangladesh and her sister for an loveless arranged marriage in London) of life and how she comes to understand herself as a girl, sister, woman, mother and eventually person that has and is entitled to have their own dreams and desires. For me it removed the veil that often obscures Muslim women from the world and I identified with the woman beneath. Although the book goes deeply into the character, which slows the pace for the reader, one should continue to the end, as there is a real treat for those that do. I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Saturday Mornings


Dear Diary,

It’s my first Saturday morning away from home, and I must say it is different. First of all I am still in bed at nine, back home I would have already finished either cleaning the kitchen or been almost done with Saturday lunch just so I could have the day to myself I would have been up hours ago. Here there is none of that.

Here, I could sit watching Saturday morning cartoons – but ophs thinking of it I don’t have a TV ... SHIT! I know I could go downstairs to the common room/bar and watch some cartoons. Out my bed, I jump and head downstairs in my track pants and tee-shirt. As I head down a guy comes puffing up the stairs, slightly red in the face. ‘That’s the last time I log my suitcases and stuff up the stairs.’ I am thinking WHAT is his problem why didn’t he use the elevator? But as I look at him I see he is actually kinda cute, light brown cinnamon like, and nicely built huuummmm this could be interesting. I just smile sweetly and say ‘ Up to the fourth floor hum, impressive but next time use the elevator I’m sure it won’t mind’ (I know not original or even flirtatious but come on my mind was on cartoons). I punch the elevator button and wait for it to come up. He introduces himself as Coby and he’s in room 426. Oh my gosh he’s my neighbour! – ‘I’m in room 427’ I say. ‘Hey we’re neighbours ... cool, so you’re the mystery person going and coming that I’ve heard and not seen he says and smiles. ‘I guess so, do you know everyone else on our section ‘. ‘Yeah and I am the only guy’ he says and smiles mischievous. I laugh and say ‘Lucky you then’ and step into the elevator down to start watching cartoons. He seems nice, I guess I’ll definitely be getting to know him better I think with a smile. As I get down to the common room I hear shouting, cracking the door open I see a room full of guys watch a football match. Crap! I think no cartoons for me then and wander back to upstairs. As I pass the notice broad, I see a day trip for international students to the Greenwich Maritime and decide to go. It’ll be a nice day out I think and hurry on upstairs to get ready as it leaves shortly.

The trip is absolutely great we get to Greenwich Maritime via boat passing, the Palace of Westminster (Big Ben), London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge. It is almost as if I’m in a movie about a small town girl hitting New York city and all the shots are spinning with excitment and its all smiles. When we arrive at Greenwich Maritime the vast European architecture and the sprawling green lawns surrounding it take me unexpectedly. As I come off the boat I go aside find a space and write in my diary (not this one another). I spend most of the day alone, as I don’t know anyone in the group and they have all formed their groups. But I don’t mind as I love the space and it gives me time to think and breathe it all in. This place is beautiful and to engage in small chit chat will ruin it.

I reach back on halls around seven and although the day is warmish, my feet are slightly frozen as I wore sandals, but before there is any time to settle down Caribbean guy is knocking. As I open the door and say HI, I am thinking this guy is really persistent. He says it seems I’m never home, that even before yesterday most of the time he knocks on my door I’m not there. I smile, ‘Well there’s a lot of London to see and I have a lot of stuff to prepare for. ‘ He asks, if I’m free now and we head down to the bar for a bit, as it gets later we head to his room. Oh btw way his name is Nyoka, no wonder I couldn’t remember it. I tried the old repeating after he said the name thing to get it but I just couldn’t get, I asked if I could call him Ny and he was ok with it. While we’re in his room, he starts saying how he thinks I’m special. ‘Special like retarded ’ I say but I know what he is trying at. He disregards my attempt at a joke and laughs and pulls me in for a hug. ‘Nah, you’re cute, confident, smart and unlike any of the other girls here.’ How so' I ask .....’ ‘But he doesn’t answer, he just asks if I wanna get together with him, as be his girlfriend. I am like ‘WAT, I have only known you for a few days and I only now know you name today. Plus they are many cute guys on halls and I won’t want to go through the whole breaking up thing.’ I was thinking I only now broke up with my boyfriend back home, whom I still miss and am into. He say’s ‘That’s fine I could wait’. I feel very claustrophobia and decide to call it a night. When I go up to my room I am feeling sick and thoughts of Devlin are going through my mind. I miss him so much and being so close to Ny hearing those things brings it to mind and makes it worst. I decide to go to sleep well at least try to but the tears come and I start missing home, my mom, brothers, Devlin and all my friends back home. Suddenly this dosen’t feel like an adventure anymore but a mistake.

Well I am off for now .... I am sure you don't want to hear about my sleepless night. And you can surely guess it was not fun. Hopefully after a good night's sleep there'd be some sunshine literally and fugitively tomorrow.

N

10 Ways to eat a Malteaser.


If like me you love or are addicted these little balls of chocolate and malt goodness, this will be loads of fun for a night in with a movie or book.

1. Pop in your mouth one at a time.

2. Eat two at a time on either side of side of your mouth

3. Nibble off the chocolate then eat the honeycomb centre

4. Nibble off the chocolate and suck the honeycomb centre until it is gone.

5. Bite the Malteaser in half, then the half in half.

6. Suck the whole Malteaser until melted. (requires patience)

7. Pop the entire contains of the small bag into your mouth (sugar rush!) or see how many you can fit in your mouth.

8. Eat one at a time with chopsticks.

9. Eat off all the chocolate and leave all the honeycomb centres to eat at the end.

10. Melt down the whole pack (microwave or over boiling water) then put it in the freezer you can eat it as a Popsicle or a bar of chocolate.



From other Malteasers fans:
......... balance one on the end of a straw, get someone to blow in the other end and the malteser floats [if you're good at it] then eat the floating malteser....tricky but hilarious
......... make yourself a a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate and empty a packet of maltesers in to the cup. DELICIOUS
......... I try to peel the chocolate off while it is in my mouth, and then let the malt dissolve. Tea is a great way to wash it down! Yum!

I've Graduated now What!

At this time of year all over the world students are graduating from primary school, secondary schools, and universities both undergraduate and postgraduate and entering into a new experience that could be either frightening or exhilarating. Graduation ceremonies will highlight successes and reminisce about what was learnt and look forward to the future trying to inspire and challenge the ex-students to preserve and strive for greatness. The next steps they take influence their future whether it is for the next nine months or years into the future.

Unfortunately when the flash of cameras, well wishes and pats on the backs have finished these students young or mature face a world that many times they are not totally prepared for. A world of disappointment as letters of rejections are recieved or CV’s are sent off into an unknown voids, where experience is needed and sharks promising guaranteed jobs if you just purchase a book, CD or go to a seminar. Now it is not all dark a number of graduates receive genuine offers quickly out of university and move into the world of work with relatively little hiccups. However, even these still have the hurdles of office politics, and highly competitive jobs and co-workers willing to do anything to get ahead to deal with. At this time, graduates need to draw on their resilience, excitement, and love of their field and persistence in order to get into the job market, and tap into genuine advice centres and hotlines that are available to them. Additionally in this new global village, a very important tool in getting a job is networking.

Going to seminars held by companies is very important and get connected to people already working in the industry. It is vital that a graduate understand the skills, personality type and day-to-day lifestyle of their job choice. The first step is perfecting your CV with you school’s career advisor or with a professional (someone is the HR field is the best choice but an older relative or professional neighbour is good too). Using online recruitment agencies like Reed, Milkround, Monster and Jobsite is very good for keeping a daily check on available jobs. It also helps to go out in person to agencies to hand in CVs, this gives them an opportunity to see you in person, it is important to present yourself as professional and smile. Once you register with an agency keep calling them once a week, in order that you are fresh in the mind of the consultant. Research companies you may be interested in and definitely research those you are going to an interview for. If you are becoming down take some time out, relax, enjoy time with family or friends, and then get back at it. Additionally now is the time to start projects that you may have put off when you were studying – reading, starting a blog, learning to swim, do charity work in your community or within a charity or learn a new language. These all build new skills that will help you in your future job life and may even influence your career choice. Have fun with the time you have now, because when you start working it will be a like the beginning of school all over again. You would be on a new learning curve!


Some hotlines that offer advice

http://www.connexions-direct.com/

http://www.ucas.co.uk/students/nextsteps/advice

http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/

Hidden by Nina S.



You have hidden yourself from me
Your face is but a shadow to my eyes
Your presence felt no longer

I feel broken without you.
Long gone are the days of a joyful heart
You have abandoned me and left me for the wind
Battered on every side I call out for you daily
There is no answer
Crushed without energy my murmurs are uttered
Even with a bent back and rounded shoulders I am turned away

Every soft thing I touch is hardened
Every venture made to be endless
No fruits for the seeds I plant
No harvest for me to rejoice in
Hard toil repaid with stones

Still my love for you is eternal
Because I have seen your works in my youth
I will call to you always, because it is all I know
You cannot forsake me forever
You are my God!



Copyrighted 2010.

Paradise by Toni Morrison is a book that looks at a town called Ruby just after the end of slavery when Afro-Americans started taking hold of their freedom. It looks at the separation within the black community that is based on colour with issues of self doubt, pride and revenge. The story takes the form of a narrative, where eight women tell the story of Ruby, but from different point of views. This strategy highlights the past of all characters and show the difference between their actions and words, and how individuals change over time because of their social environments. Morrison handles the issues with her usual wisdom and insight, shows how pride over the top, and a closed-minded attitude is a recipe for discrimination. This book is a 'heavy' read and makes one think how one's actions affect others in ways you may not realise. For this books' ability to make you think I give it a 3.8 out of 5 stars.

Bar Sequence is hidden away between Highbury and Islington and Angel. It’s easy to get to on Essex main road close to other night spots ... so if you're in the roaming mood it is a good place to start off. On a Friday this bar/pub transforms from a Shisha smoking, sports displaying relaxing pub in the day to a hip night spot with a small but lovely dance floor. The staff are friendly and very accommodating and happy hour... £7 for two drinks so it's good for the wallet as well. The crowd is lovely and friendly, with an age range of 25 to 33yrs! In addition, for no add charge your pictures can be displayed around the dance floor via projectors as an added birthday treat. Unfortunately, my night ended early here so it will only be rated 3 out of 5 stars. (photo by Irfan Qureshi http://www.flickr.com/photos/iq).

So what about Fridays' Orientation .....

Dear Diary


Today was another orientation class, and Shanty was there. I decided to sit closer to the front of the class to avoid her. Only one of my mad professor types showed today and we broke up into groups to do a presentation on what we thought the degree entailed.

I saw the same girls from yesterday and as I thought, they were more willing to invite me into their group without Shanty attached. I say hi and introduce myself. The group had five girls and one guy. The guy was kinda cute but kinda young I think maybe 22. Everyone starts talking about the other orientation classes they attended and start putting together a presentation. Because this is basically my first class I don’t have much to add and I begin to feel like I am wasting space. When the 10 minutes are up everyone then turns to me, I am guessing this is where I am gonna contribute to the group ... their idea is for me to do the presentation. I am thinking in my head HELL NO am I getting up in front of a group of strangers on my second day and presenting on something I have very little knowledge on. I decide to put on my strongest Trini accent with broken English and Trini slang, ‘Meh nah know nuthin bout de course yet, Ah go mess up, allyuh do it.’ I know they would not understand and no way would they send me up talking like that. I know it is devious but a girl has to do what a girl has to do to get by right? In the end we didn’t have to present because everyone was shy,  did not want to present so we ended class early.

The girls in the group decided to head to the other city campus so we could pick up some discount cards (NUS, Met cards and travel cards) and I fell into the group on the way. I talked with two of the them, Alisa an Asian girl with long black hair and the biggest puppy dog eyes I have ever seen, and Sharkya a pretty light skinned South African. (In London Asians refers to Indians, Pakistans, Bengalese and so on and Africans are what we Trinis would call blacks)They were nice, and were both British. I have to get accustom to characterising people since I am up here, cause that is one of the first things people ask you..... ‘Where are you from?’ This is a little strange to me since everyone in Trinidad whether white, black, Chinese or Indian is a Trini ... and where you from means where you living. So when they ask where I am from I resist the urge to say I am staying on halls of residence. Sharkya says she thought I was Jamaican. It is the usually response most of the world thinks the Caribbean is only Jamaica some know about Barbados. I say no and give my best fake smile thinking she should know better since she is of African heritage. We all chat, I even chat with Leo the guy from class but he turns out to be so vain, and loves the sound of his voice that I decide to chat with Alisa. After a while, I realise that our five-minute walk to the campus has been fifteen minutes! I ask ‘Does anyone know where we are going?’ Then we realise we’ve been following each other... here I was thinking I was following them. But it turns out that no one in our group is from London. We are all tourists! ‘No one gets really lost in London’ I say. 'I mean it is somewhat big, but it is like a large circular maze you get where you’re going eventually.' We reach fifteen minutes later and get all our cards – which will be sent to our addresses but we get the Met card, which is the university’s (uni) discount card for parties and such.

I decide no more getting lost and wandering around London, so I get on the tube, a straight forward ride home. I get some groceries on the way home, prepare dinner and in the middle of it, I hear a knock on my door. Like Biggie I think – who the £$%^ calling me at ... well its only 830pm at night. When I open the door I see the guy I met at the bar a few days ago. He gives me his best player smile, but I am not impressed. He says he's been trying to get me to last few days, but I seem never to be home. ‘Hi’ I say wondering why he’s here.' I've just been settling in' I say.  'What you doing' he asks, with his Caribbean accent, and ask if I wanna head down to the bar that is in our hall to lime (this is a Caribbean word for hanging out). Hummmm he knows I am Trini I think cause only really Trinis use this slang or people who hang out with Trinis and I still can’t place his accent. I am just in the middle of eating, I say how bout I meet you at your room and when I am finished and we can head down. He says ok gives me his room number and goes.

When I knock on his door a little later, he tells me that it too late and the bar is closed. He’s watching a movie and asks if I wanna stay to watch. I think that’s cool and I turn looking for somewhere to sit. There is only the bed. I stand thinking it’s way too soon to be sharing a bed with this guy. Plus I don’t even remember his name. He laughs and asks if I’m afraid. He looks like a wolf in for the kill but I decide to show no fear saying ‘NO, afraid of what!’ I say but stay at the far end of the bed. ‘You’re a small guy and I could take you’ we both smile ‘Plus’ I say ‘I have an action plan if you try anything.’ Don’t mind that my plan has never been put into action, he does not need to know this. But looking at him he’s only a few inches taller than me, dark and honestly he’s skinny and I have always had boyfriends much bigger than me ... so I think I could really take him. As we watch the movie and it gets later, it gets chilly and I tug the duvet away from him and snuggle up on the bed. He moves over and ask if he could hug me through the duvet cause he’s kind of chilly too. Lame move player I say and we both laugh. When the movie finished, I head back to my room and as I leave he holds my hand as if asking me to stay. I look at him like please... and then look at his hand like if it’s gonna break if it stays where it is. He lets go and asks what I’m up to the next evening. It’s Saturday, I have nothing to do and I wanna be sociable, so I agree to met up.

Well I am off for now. catch yuh tomorrow.... I must say although Caribbean boy isn't my type .... hearing his accent reminds me of home and makes me feel comfortable. At least he gets me and those smiles and eye contact is kinda nice. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

N

What Happens with Litter

Today I saw something abnormal as I was walking home. I was quietly enjoying the damp, grey, rainy day and there was a lady walking some distance in front of me. She was white, had waist length blonde hair high in a ponytail that was greying at the roots, all I remember of her clothes was that it was a blue jacket. As she was walking along she bent down in a sweep and picked up a discarded sandwich cardboard wrapping and then a Coke Cola bottle emptying it contents into the drain in the same sweep. The wrapping and bottle were left in some roots at the bottom of a tree, something which annoys me regularly on my way home. Walking further still she then straightens up some garage bags lower down the road near a lamppost. She did it with the ease of someone walking through their living room picking up dirty clothes. She didn’t seem to be a mad or deluded person wondering the street without something better to do, her movement seemed normal.

Intrigued by her actions and my reaction to what was done I walked up to her as she deposited the wrapping and bottle into the bin nearby. Cocking my head to one side I said ‘Why did you do that?’ She looked surprised at my bold question, smiled from her mouth to her blue eyes showing her laughing lines, and said ‘I am a cleaner’. What she said after I believed instantly because I felt it in my heart, it is what I feel every time I see garbage on the road especially close to where I maybe living at the point in time. Or the anger I feel when I see someone lazily drop paper or wrappings when a bin is clearly in site. ‘I am a cleaner and it bothers me when I see litter so I do something about’ – a clear answer one as simple as you have a problem you do something to solve it instead of just grumbling. She had the same sense of wanting the area in which she lived to be clean and by extension beautiful. ‘I do it when I am waiting on the bus or not in a hurry, if I see garbage and a bin is in view’. ‘I get various reactions’ she goes on a friendly voice, ‘Older ladies watch me with distaste’ I stopped her ‘It’s admirable’ I said. She smiled again ‘Someone riding by on a bike said that once to me, he was black too like you, a black guy he said it was admirable. Hum says something’ she said looking off as though remembering, even seeing the moment. I was a little uncomfortable with this interjection of race as I am with any unknown person, as I have become wary. I am never sure what they mean or are referring to. I am never sure if to feel offended, if I have missed something in my innocence of being new to a different culture. But this is going off point.

Her reaction seems like the logical thing someone would do if something really annoyed them. This leads me to wonder ‘How annoyed am I at the garbage I see in the street?’ ‘What am I willing to do about it?’ ‘And why she feels so empowered doing this logical response and I would feel taken advantage of?’ As I walked on praising her good deeds with good thoughts, doubts and excuses quickly came to my mind. I think ‘Oh it is totally insanitary’, I think this comes from the constant mantra of ‘Don’t touch, you don’t know where it’s been’ we all hear as children. I see it on the tube; someone sneezes and then holds on to the rail. But won’t the easiest thing be not to throw litter around keep it in your bag because you know where it has been. Another excuse I hear is ‘But you’d be making someone lose a job.’ But honestly I think this is a lazy cop out, firstly the person has not even made an attempt to make a proper excuse and secondly it shows a little into their mindset ‘why should it be someone else’s job to pick up after you?’ It’s the same as saying I should kill someone so police officers have a job.

It is amazing the little things one can do to change life around you, to change your area. And why would you not want to. Your community is an extension of your home. I am not saying we should all go around picking up others litter, but let’s get at the source and not throw it there in the first place, giving the responsibility to someone else to make it better. It is so simple throw your litter in the bin or, keep it in your bag until you see one. In the meantime little heroes like my friend will have to keep her unpaid job and try to make it into something positive.



Some Facts about litter


 Litter is expensive – nationally it costs around £370 million a year to remove litter from our streets, waterways and open spaces and a further £5 million to remove shopping trolleys dumped in rivers and ponds.”


 The most commonly-found litter is cigarette ends, followed by sweet and food wrappers.


 Litter endangers wildlife Exmaples include Yoghurt cartons that trap hedgehogs, plastic loops that catch and kill diving birds in waterways and the sea and floating plastic bags that appear as food to marine life but kill if swallowed by them.


 An estimated 122 tons of cigarette butts and cigarette-related litter is dropped every day across the UK.

 Littering" is a criminal offence. You can be fined up to £2,500, though not jailed. The average fine is around £90, plus court costs. Cases are tried in magistrates' courts.

 If every smoker dropped one cigarette end a week in the UK, we would be knee deep in 624 million dog ends within a year

 This fast food litter helped swell the rat population in Britain to 60 million in 2002

 Litter takes a long time to degrade here is a short list:

Plastic bottles – indefinitely
Aluminium cans 80–100 years
Tin cans 50 years
Glass indefinitely
Plastic bags 10–20 years
Cigarette butts up to 2 years
Orange peel/banana skins up to 2 years

References


http://www.fusionweb.co.uk/tidycheltenham/pages/fact.html

© 2010 Perth & Kinross Council http://www.pkc.gov.uk/Planning+and+the+environment/Waste+and+recycling/Litter+and+flytipping/Litter/Litter.htm

Confession of an Ugly Stepsister is another book from Gregory Maguire. He goes back to his stronghold of weaving a beautiful tale from a well known and loved fairy tale i.e. Cinderella. As with his previous novel Wicked you fall for and empathise with the character that was original the 'bad person' as you realise they were misunderstood. It is told from the point of view of one of the ugly stepsisters and I would say explains what really happen ...’what if the fairy tale told only half the story?....' the summary states. This book is wonderfully written and he incorporates the original fairytale expertly into this grown up fantasy free tale. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Orientation ...

Dear Diary,
The first thing you should know about London is that you have to hit the ground running. There is no time for dilly dallying and taking your time. If you do, you miss out on deadlines and getting your stuff done and accomplished. And there ain’t no sweet talking or smiling with de guy or girl ‘to get a little pass’. So even though I went out last night this morning I was out the dorm bright and early. I had to get enrolled, pay my tuition, attend an orientation class (I had missed a few already since I was last minute in coming up) get my bedding duvet covers and pillows and visit my uncle and aunt for dinner. And travelling on the tube is like an hour to get everywhere so that was going to take up most of my day. Oh and by the way I was not hung over those girls soft and the alcohol is nothing compared to Trini rum.

I lived in London before; I remembered the tube system so it was very easy for me to get around. My first stop was paying my tuition and registering for university. All went smooth except I thought I would be bright and use a picture I already had. You see in my hurry I had once again wore no make up and pulled my hair back in one. When it came out it looked like I had a wad of Vaseline spread all over my forehead. It was so shiny there was a white blinding spot, making the rest of my face faint and a little distorted. The guy actually looked at it and said with a straight face ‘ Aw that’s alright’ I was shocked and pleaded to take another or even one of me now. The bastard refused and said the card was already printed and if I wanted another I would have to pay £10. That’s a $100 TTD, I mean I am vain but not that vain, so I’ll just have to settle with a horrid picture for the next four years I guess.... SOB.
Off to class with my crappy ID card I attend my first orientation lesson and my professor looks like a mad professor type. He has wild curly hair, strangely skinny with a visible but not big potbelly, wild eyes, and a slightly disturbing smile. I swear that if his hair was white, I could never take him seriously and I would be laughing uncontrollable. Cause I would be thinking of the scientist from Back to the Future and expect Michael J Fox to jump out of thin air at any point. Another professor joins him and honestly, he looks like a caricature with spiky hair, and a forehead that falls into a straight, small nose and small lips. While waiting for the class to fill, one of my classmates says hi. She is Asian and I soon find out she is from Pakistan. Cool, I think and start asking her about cricket. She looks at me blank almost like she’s never heard of the sport. I think, ok Nina bad start, the West Indies probably Trinidad is the only place where cricket is still cool. I just decide to remind quiet and to be honest it is just really uncomfortable now. She eventually asks me where I’m from. ‘Trinidad and Tobago’ I say ... I get the same blank stare.....’It’s in the West Indies’ ...blank stare....’Part of the Caribbean’ I explain... same blank stare. OMG is this her face or is it me I am thinking at this point. ‘Oh well’ she says and starts telling me about herself. Her name is Shanty, she tells me about her village and her family, she seems excited, but the conversation is pretty much one way at this point unless she asks me some very personal questions. If I’m British ... I remind her I’m from Trinidad (the same blank look reappears) or how am I paying for university. At this point I just wanna run away this is too much at this point. I decide to ignore her and inch towards some girls I see clustered a few chairs away. I smile and they smile back, but they make no moves o include me in their conversation. I think Shanty is scaring them off I try to distance myself but she persist talking and asking inappropriate questions, and I am thinking I’m stuck with this girl and why do I speak to the weird ones. The class is still empty so the two professors decide to start the class. Firstly, they tell us that it is a reading degree. Classes are about three hours in length so the majority of our learning will be through spending time in the library reading texts on our subjects. Also they field that we are going into requires a lot of research, group work and presentations.

After class, we all leave and I head out leaving Shanty behind without a good bye. I finish off the day shopping for bedding and going by my uncle for dinner. I reached home about 11 and head straight to bed knackered.

Well I am off for now. catch yuh tommorrow..... for hummm not sure yet but I'm sure it'll be fun.

N

At the bar....

Dear Diary
Although I said yes to going to this local bar, I suddenly find myself not wanting to go. I am very nervous I cannot eat, I want to leave early and get it started, but part of me is stuck; and does not want to leave the security of my room. But I have to put that aside and get ready. OK since it is only a local bar I decide not to fuss over my hair; I just put it in a bun wore no make (ok well mascara so I look natural), but wore my red Chinese top and fitted blue jeans. Red is a good colour on me :) and it will help with the nerves of meeting so many people at once. I decide to be fashionable late and as I enter Del’s room I want to run straight back out.

Everyone is dressed all sparkly, hair straighten make up tight and dressed sexy boobs out, and under corsets on waist. There are four girls Del, Lise Fay and Jocelyn all decked out. And it got even worst even worst as we met up more girls in the bar downstairs of the hall of residence and headed out. I got evil looks and but some were friendly others just couldn’t get my accent. So I kinda felt out of place but like a good little solider I rallied on and stuck it out. The little local bar turned out to be the university’s bar! It was packed and I was sadly underdressed.... I just wanted to blend into the wall, but these girls were taking pictures as if we were on a fashion run way! Moreover, I hate pictures. I tried sneaking out of most of the pictures but unfortunately, I got caught in some. As I thought the music was OK until they started playing ‘Dirty Wine’ I was so excited to hear Caribbean music I forgot all my nerves and started dancing up a storm; hitting the floor with my foot, cocking out my back and doing the dirty wine. Then all the attention came from both the girls and guys. The girls started cheering me on and the guys staring ... I guess they were just unaccustomed to dancing like this in the club. Plus it’s a secret with my reserved exterior but I could put down a good wine like any true Trini. I started get asked to dance by numerous guys and I could see the look of disbelief in these girls eyes. Why is the dressed down girl getting more attention than us. . Lise even said it exasperated at one point, but I just laughed because honestly not one guy there was worth fussing over. It was funny for me but I know from back home as Bunji says sometimes it’s not face only waist with some guys.

It was at this moment I felt him staring at me, you girls know what I am talking about. When a guy from across the room gives you an intense stare, this is what this guy was doing. Not my type so the effect didn’t last for long and it was too long so I knew from the start, saw the words written across his shades and all over his jacket and jeans that were 2x too big that he was a player. He made a few passes before he came over to chat, and honestly it was fun flirting without thinking, knowing that nothing would happen or come of it and I won’t see him again ... London is too big. As I chatted I heard he had an accent not English but Caribbean, once again a name was given and other information but honestly I just don’t remember. I know I gave him my room number and my name but I was more interested in having a good dance than chatting. The rest of the night passed pretty much the same and sadly, I met no other Trinis. We got a taxi home and as I hit the bed I fall asleep with a small smile.

Well I am off for now. catch yuh tommorrow..... for my first classes

My last day at work and leaving my beloved Trinidad

Dear Diary,
Today was my last day at work, didn’t do much, got off at 12pm. And Devlin took the day off so we could spend it till I leave for the airport. He just helped my pack and we lay quietly thinking our own thoughts. Me wondering if this was right to leave not knowing the road ahead and Devlin.... well I am not sure what he was thinking he was just quiet more so than usual. He left, when my brother came to pick me up to go to the airport. I didn’t really want anyone there too many confused emotions and plus all the family seeing one girl off to university abroad is so cliché. Talking about cliché that is just what I did. I, yes me who decided, planned, and click my heels over going to London to study stood crying, with tears rolling down my cheeks at the departure gates at Piarco International Airport. It was uncontrollable the sudden rush of conflicting emotion.

I slept like a baby during the plane trip and just ate and watched the in-flight movie.... no cute travellers to report. Tamesis picked me up from the airport and we took the cab to the Hall of residence. I was lucky I got a big room (which by my standards was small). Imagine sharing bathrooms and toilets with ten to 15 people and doing your laundry downstairs in public!! At least there was a fridge in my room. First things first I have to clean down the whole room not that I am a clean freak but you just don’t know who was there before you. Having no cleaning agents, cloths or anything, I head to the kitchen seeing two girls who look settled in. ‘Is there like general cleaning supplies or detergents the halls provide?’ making sure to speak slowly they still look at me for a minute before realising what I said. No the black haired one says but I’ll lend you some of mine, I am not using all of it anyway. Wow that is kind I think, she must be really nice. ‘Come I’ll give you now’ and we head over. ‘Now moving in’ she asks conversationally, ‘Yeah’ I reply ‘I just need to clean the room down its dirty.’ We exchange room numbers and names but with my brain, I forget both by the time I reach my room and start cleaning. I feel tired but the room is clean and most of my stuff is put away. I follow the corridor and knock on a random door hoping it is the correct one. It is Horrah! The same dark haired girl opens the door, after returning the items she invites me out to a party that night just to the local bar (btw her name is Odele Del for short). Cool I think I have no duvet for covers so might as well be totally out when having to go to sleep. Party tonite, my first night in London...nniiiice!

Well I am off for now. catch yuh tommorrow..... if I'm not too hung over....

N

The following is a mix of truth and fiction – you will decide what you choose to believe. It is the story of university life for a foreign student, how she deals with an unknown culture, new friends, and realising her dream. Please note any characters that may seem to resemble real life persons is purely coincide. I would love you to join me on a past journey of laughs, tears, learning, disappointments, love, challenges, and wins.

Standing here thinking over the last few years I can’t believe it was my life. It was such a big risk a leap off the cliff...... Something I never thought I would do. But for it to remain in my memory I thought I would write it down.....So here goes hope you enjoy and feel free to leave comments.

Dear Diary

Today is the day before. Saying ‘Bye’ to Trini, something I never thought I would do to go abroad and study. Not a fun subject for most but I love it – Banking and Finance. I worked and clawed to get the funds and get the grades to reach here, yet I have not packed. I mean this is no two or three week vacation, this is going away for four years and it’s the night before my flight and I haven’t pack. Typical really, I only just got the tickets three days ago, and actually found out I qualified to go the day before that. I quit my job at the bank four days ago too but I wanted to do it for ages. At one point I thought it was not going happen. For the last year I worked seven days a week to get the money for tuition. Sometimes eight in the morning to eight at night for the whole week stamping vouchers to a rhythm to increase speed, auditing and correcting the cashier's work. I was dedicated to my job which is why I think they were shocked when I quit not giving a month’s notice.

At that time I had to keep a few things to myself in order to get my goal. It was almost out in the open before I gave my notice when I got my results. I had gotten the minimum required grade in Economics but not in Maths. I remember I was holding on for a cashier that day when I got a call from the university. I started panicking when the Leanne from admissions said that I needed the grade for Maths. Without it I could not start the course. I saw my dream evaporate in that five minute phone call. She said the only thing 'Was there extenuating circumstances?' Yes I thought the Maths was too hard and they don't even allow you to use a calculator, but out loud I said that I did study, that it was an extremely hard test, that that I froze up for the exam and the fact they didn't allow you to use a calculator but needed you to calculate the square root of two!. She said she couldn't give me an answer would take everything into consideration and they would get back to me. I immediately called my sister in the States and as I started relaying the conversation I started crying, I had to leave my station cause my co-workers started staring at me. I was so upset and emotional, she told me not to worry she was praying, I was praying and she knew without a doubt I would get though. She had a dream seeing it. She's been having them since we were young, they were usually right and this calmed me and gave me some hope.

So I accepted I did all I could do, I prayed and left it in God's hands. I headed back to my station, I passed Delvin on the way and he started apologizing because we were in the middle of yet another argument. He didn't even realise I was upset but it fine. I just accepted it and told him it was ok. It's not all bad though my girls nicknamed Murderer and Lover were there for me for the pass week we were celebrating with small 3 o clock cocktails everyday and our little secret was really the reason for the smiles and good afternoon cheer we all had. I smiled at Lover signalling the time was near and she smiled back and winked. A few days later I got an email saying I was accepted and the whirlwind started. Buying tickets, quitting job, telling folks I am leaving, organising a leaving do and packing. That's what I am doing now well partly cause I am also doing my usual no sleep before travelling. (being dead to the world is better when travelling on a plane for 9 hours). I start packing what comes to mind and Devlin calls, he always calls late, sometimes wakes me up but I don’t care once. I love talking until the morning with him even if it means going to work tired. I know I will miss this, I won't miss the arguing tho. We don’t talk about anything important, definitely not about me leaving he’s been so moody about it, sometimes realising what little time we have and being wonderful and other times wasting it quarrelling over nothing. But, I am definite about ending us, I know from experience long distant does not work. He’s never asked me to stay cause he knows what this means and I love him for it but I can’t say those words cause I know he’d freak.

Well I’m off for now. Catch yuh tomorrow, I should get one hour before work at least come on it’s my last day.

N.