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Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: England (page 9 of 9)

English Pub Life: Something for Everybody

October 29, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Whether you’re looking for some great English food, a satisfying drink, a place to watch football games or a few friendly faces to have a casual conversation with, English pubs are the place to go. Over the course of the past two months I’ve visited countless pubs in England and have enjoyed every one of my experiences. The people are always friendly and despite my friends and I being foreigners, we are always made to feel welcome – even the ones who know next to nothing about football. Pubs are a place people come to simply enjoy a drink and socialize with other locals or strangers from other places, like myself.

For a guy like me, there isn’t much better than watching football at the pubs in England. And for a guy like me, I was able to realize that during the first day I arrived in this country. In the United States, I had to wake up as early as 6:00 a.m., even 4:00 a.m. on one occasion, to watch my favorite football team play. Restaurants and bars are certainly not open at this time, although even if they were it wouldn’t make much of a difference for me. Most of the time I was forced to watch matches on the internet through live streaming as the English Premier League is rarely televised in North America. In other words, I was alone in my room celebrating whenever my team scored a goal. Apologies once again to all my past roommates!

Thankfully in Kenya the time difference ensured I only stayed up as late as 1:00 a.m. to watch a football match. And thankfully, more often than not I was able to watch most of the matches at a crowded restaurant or bar surrounded by other avid football fans. It was always a weekend tradition for my family. Whenever Saturday or Sunday afternoon arrived, my Dad and I would drive to a restaurant thirty minutes before kick-off in order to get a seat for the match. Occasionally we even managed to convince my Mom to come along. Regardless of who was playing, it was always destined to be an enjoyable time and capable of being the highlight of any weekend.

Several hours after arriving in Cambridge back in August I strolled down to a pub called Sir Isaac Newton’s which was located just two blocks away from my house. It was there that I watched my first football match in England and it was there that I received my first taste of English culture. The match on TV wasn’t even one I really cared too much about and more than anything it was just a chance to experience the pub life in England. I was not to be let down. Everyone in the pub had nothing but football coming from their lips and it was a warm welcoming to a brand new country to be able to talk to complete strangers about everything and anything pertaining to football. It was an easy common ground and it provided a platform to meet new people and served as an early indication of how friendly people in England are.

On some occasions and depending on the importance of the match, the pub can be filled with all types of people. Young, old, men, women, even children. A few nights ago I watched a Carling Cup match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton and sat next beside a table where an elderly couple who appeared to be in their 70’s was sitting. When it comes to people’s passion for football in this country, age really is just a number!

A few weeks ago I watched an England National team match at Sir Isaac Newton’s where the entire pub was packed from wall to wall. My odds of finding a seat that night were as good as my chances of winning the National Lottery. The atmosphere inside the place was incredible, however. Dozens of fans crowded around the TV’s in each corner of the room while people at the bar stood conversing and offering their two cents’ worth on the big match. And after England ended the match victorious, instead of filtering out of the pub and heading in separate directions, the majority of the people stayed to socialize and alternate buying rounds of drinks for each other.

Even if you’re not into football, pubs in England offer provide something for everybody. In fact, there are numerous pubs in the country that don’t televise football. In fact, many don’t even have TV’s. You can’t go wrong if you’re looking for a tasty plate of food that will fill your stomach. Fish n’ Chips are a favorite about anywhere and a lot of pubs pride themselves over their wide selection of drinks available.

So if you love football or if you can’t stand it, English pubs offer something for everyone and are one of many enjoyable aspects of English culture. Well, that is as long as you’re looking to eat delicious food, drink great beverages and converse with all sorts of friendly people.

Old Trafford: The Theatre of Dreams

October 26, 2010 / / 0 Comments

12 years is a long wait for anything. But for me, waiting 12 years to go to my first Manchester United match at Old Trafford felt like eternity. When you wait so long for something you wonder if it will be meet the expectations that have been built up over the last decade or so. But for me, there was no question that seeing my favorite football club in their famous stadium would not only meet my expectations, but surpass them.

Indeed it did.

I remember watching Manchester United when I was young. I remember my fascination and my immediate love for the club and all its players and most of all, I remember wishing that I would one day be able to witness them play. The years went by and my love for the club only intensified with every season and with every match, but my wish remained the same.

Recently I was finally able to accomplish my dream and make that wish come true. As soon as tickets had gone on sale for the Manchester United vs. West Bromwich Albion match on October 16th I purchased tickets and on day before the match I made the much-anticipated journey to Manchester, England. Less than an hour after arriving at the train station I arrived at Old Trafford – a Mecca for all United supporters. I stopped and admired the stadium I had seen hundreds of times on TV and for a moment, I even had to pinch myself. Being there simply seemed too good to be true.

Indeed it was.

Before I knew it, I was standing next to the pitch my heroes play on every week as part of a guided tour of the entire stadium. Minutes later I found myself sitting in the players’ dressing room where famous names such as George Best, Bryan Robson and David Beckham have sat… the same room where Sir Alex Ferguson gives his team talks and where the champagne is popped after a cup triumph. Some of the most famous athletes in the world occupied the same room on a frequent basis.

Following the tour of the stadium I walked through every room inside the museum, admiring all of the trophies and awards on display. With over 100 years of rich, unmatched history on show, I found it hard to make myself leave. Finally, after more than two hours inside the museum and an additional hour in the stadium’s Mega Store, I forced myself to move on. I suppose it helped that I would be back inside the stadium the following day as Manchester United hosted West Brom.

If I thought touring the stadium and its museum was something special, I was in for the experience of a lifetime on the day of the match. After bumping into a group of United fans who had made the journey down from Ireland, we hung out a supporters’ pub before the match as we counted down the hours until kick-off. We arrived at Bishops Plaize at 11:00, four and a half hours before kick-off, and astonishingly by this time the pub was already packed with supporters socializing and belting out chant after chant about their beloved club. It didn’t take long for me to join in.

The time for the match finally arrived and by then I was already hoarse. My voice would suffer further impairment as I spent the entire 90 minutes of the match participating in the numerous chants that rang around the stadium. Never before in my life had I experienced such a remarkable atmosphere at a sporting event. This was an experience of a lifetime, not just for me, but for most of the 75,023 fans inside the stadium. Despite the match ending in a 2-2 draw, I was still incredibly satisfied with the experience of being at my first Manchester United match. More than anything though, I was already plotting my return to Manchester for another taste of one of the most incredible experiences the world has to offer me.

Footage of the pre-match traditions: Bishops Plaize Pub

Excitement, danger, or something more?

October 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Police coups and terror threats have comprised my international newsfeed this past week.

Last week, Ecuador underwent a violent police rebellion, which was ultimately suppressed by the incumbent government. Looting was rampant and American students—like my girlfriend—were confined to their homes for safety reasons. I worried about her safety, naturally, and I monitored the news carefully.

A few days later, the tables have turned slightly; the American government has issued a travel alert to all American citizens in Europe. According to intelligence, al-Qaeda has threatened to carry out “commando-style” attacks in several European cities, primarily in the UK, France, and Germany.

But somewhere between reading headlines about police coups, and worrying for the safety of my girlfriend, I found myself a bit jealous of my girlfriend’s plight. How could I wish to be in a country under siege of a police rebellion?

It probably has to do with the adolescent dream I once had of being an embedded journalist in a war-torn country. It’s not so much the danger and the resulting adrenaline that excites me, but instead the idealistic notion of witnessing the drama of human history as it unfolds right before my eyes.

To be clear, I would never wish for a crisis or catastrophe to occur just to feed my picaresque tendencies. But when history happens in the world, I want be there to record it and maybe one day take part.

British airmen laying a wreath of tribute at the Cambridge American Cemetary.


Premiership Football: The Experience of a Lifetime

September 26, 2010 / / 2 Comments

Everyone has that one experience they’ve always dreamt of and waited what seems like their whole life for. No matter what I’ve seen or done, there has always been that one experience missing from my life. On Saturday I finally realized that dream: watching a live English Premier League match.

Being such an avid English football fan, it would be the world’s biggest crime if I went the entire semester in England without witnessing a live match. Thankfully I made sure that wouldn’t happen by attending the Fulham vs. Everton match at Craven Cottage in south London on Saturday, which, in all honesty, was nothing short of a dream come true.

The day started off with an hour train ride to London before proceeding to head to the city’s Underground. The tube, as it is known by most locals, can appear somewhat terrifying. With so many routes, so many trains, and so little knowledge of where anything in London is, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly nervous about reaching my destination. Thankfully the Tube is not nearly as complicated as it appears and in fact, traveling to south London was much easier than I anticipated.

Upon arrival, I immediately stumbled upon a pub called Eight Bells. I walked in hoping to get a much needed bite to eat and to be able to converse with locals about the big match. To my surprise, the pub offered very little to eat and was filled with supporters from Everton who had traveled down from Liverpool to cheer on their beloved club. The countless stares I received because of my jersey encouraged me to search for another pub with more options for food… and more importantly, more Fulham supporters. Wearing a Clint Dempsey jersey in these parts is very much a common site. Wearing a USA Clint Dempsey shirt? Not so much. After all, he is the one who scored against England in the World Cup!

I walked along the Thames River looking for a pub when I found something else I never expected to see: Six Americans who flew in from Dallas that morning just for the game. Talk about dedication. It was nice to meet some other American Fulham fans, as well as some people who were as clueless as me about where anything in the area was. With the help of a few locals, however, we made our way to the King’s Arms Pub. The sign on the door said: Fulham and foreign supporters ONLY. We were definitely in the right place.

With just under three hours until kick-off, I was amazed at how packed the pub was. Everywhere I looked I saw people wearing Fulham jerseys, both men, women and children, all talking football and drinking pints of beer (except the kids of course). I talked to a handful of die-hard Fulham fans, some of who had only missed five home matches in the last 36 years. Now that’s really dedication.

As it neared closer to kick-off, the pub slowly began to empty out as everyone, including me and my fellow American fans, made our way down the street to Craven Cottage. There was no need for directions anymore. All we had to was follow the thousands of people heading for the stadium. And if that wasn’t enough, we could even hear the noise from the supporters who were already in the stadium. I looked at my watch and there was still 30 minutes until kick-off! Not too long later, I was inside the Cottage and walking down to my seat in the third row in Hammersmith End – the northernmost stand in the stadium and the home of the more vocal Fulham fans. Definitely the ideal place to sit for one’s first Premiership match!

Anyone who saw me could probably tell it was my first match. After all, if my eagerness to snap away at anything and everything with my camera didn’t make it obvious, the star-struck look in my eyes certainly did. In my defense though, Clint Dempsey, who is one of my all-time heroes, plays as a striker for Fulham, and is adored by their supporters as much as he is by me. I even heard several chants about him during the match, confirming my beliefs. Seeing all the players who I watch play on TV every weekend and being less than twenty feet away from some of them was absolutely surreal.

Once the match got underway, the noise only amplified and the excitement of being there only increased with every minute of play. The noise level created by the fans may have fluctuated throughout the match, but the passion of both sets of fans was there for all to see. And despite the match ending scoreless it was still a fantastic match and a phenomenal experience, every bit as amazing as I had hoped it would be. It’s an experience of a lifetime, especially when you’re a die-hard football fan.

After getting my first taste of English football, I already can’t wait to go to another match. With that in mind, I guess it’s a good thing I bought tickets for the West Ham vs. Fulham match this coming Saturday! If I’m in England, the birthplace of football, I might as well make the most of this opportunity and experience as much as I can of the sport most people in this country love more than anything.

Football: More Than Just a Sport

September 9, 2010 / / 2 Comments

“And its Cambridge United, Cambridge United FC, we’re by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen…”

As I walked into Abbey Stadium in Cambridge, England I didn’t expect to hear too much noise in the 9,000 capacity stadium. Instead, the above song was being sung by a large portion of the fans and the atmosphere was absolutely fantastic. By the sound of it, you would think this was one of England’s middle sized clubs. Not even close. Cambridge United is a non-league team and currently plays in the Blue Square Premier League, the fifth tier of English football. If this was Baseball, they wouldn’t even be Single A.

Regardless of the team’s lack of stature and just 2,637 people in attendance, it was still a cracking atmosphere and a great match. Standing in the East side of the stadium, my friend Bryan and I were surrounded by the home support. We heard various chants sung throughout the game and countless insults hurled at the opposing team, some even unsuitable for this blog.

If there’s one thing I’ve always known, it’s that England football fans don’t lack passion. It could be two of the biggest clubs in all of England playing each other or unknown Cambridge United vs. the even more anonymous Gateshead, yet the enthusiasm and fervor of the fans is always on full display. After all, football is more than just a game over here. It’s a religion. I’ve only been here two weeks and that’s already became very clear!

Despite missing an early penalty kick, Cambridge United romped to a 5-0 win – much to the delight of the home side’s fans. For having less than three-thousand fans in attendance, I was amazed by the atmosphere created by the Cambridge United faithful. If this is how the atmosphere is for a non-league team, I can only imagine how spectacular the atmosphere would be attending a Premiership match (England’s top football league). I guess I’ll just have to find out!

Cheers!

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