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