Big city life

Being in Leeds, I had the most fun I've had in such a long time. Lisa lives on the university campus, which is within walking distance from the city centre. Not only seeing Lisa, but also being in a city again was the best ever. My god, I'd missed that soooo much!! The thrill, the buzz, the people, the bustle, the hustle, the life.. Everything was thriving and everything was buzzing. And I was able to be a part of it.. finally!! I've always loved cities, but for so long they would scare me. I'd imagine myself to be so overwhelmed that I'd need to curl up in a corner and wish for the people to instantly disappear leaving me to be all alone. I never thought I'd be able to feel that feeling that I get whenever I'm in a city. But I felt it for the first time on Wednesday afternoon and who better a person to experience it with, than Lisa.

The whole set-up that I found myself surrounded by, throughout my stay, which lasted until Saturday morning, was crazy. I'd never ever have been able to deal with it, 6 weeks ago. Lisa lives on campus, in a small dorm room. She shares the bathroom with 10 or 12 other students. Her meals are provided for in the canteen, all the time. So there's no chance to cook, there's no peace and there's no space. Her whole life revolves around students, study and university. I know that's normal when you're a student living on campus. When I was at college, I went home on the weekends. That was an escape-route, to be able to breathe now and then and that makes you appreciate both home-life and student-life. But for Lisa, it's all student-life. Sometimes it can get too much for her and for me, it would have normally been far far too much. The fact that she has only got a single bed, which we had to share, usually wouldn't have made me even more out-of-place. But not anymore. Nothing phased me, nothing was a problem and nothing felt like it was too much. I didn't worry about eating in the canteen..even though I hadn't a clue how the food was prepared. I didn't restrict in order for me to able to deal with the whole set-up. I didn't count calories, I didn't feel uncomfortable eating around strangers. I didn't have a party-food-plan.. I wasn't exhausted, I wasn't anxious. I was nothing of the kind. I was just ready and willing for everything and so so excited!

The 3 days were action packed. We hung out with her college mates. We went to maybe a thousand different cafes in the city and had around 100 cups of tea. I even went to a lecture with her, on Thursday afternoon. That was so cool. Not that it was interesting or anything, but it was just great to be in college again. (I've always said I'd love to go back to college for a year or two..). I went to the library afterwards, when Lisa was doing some homework. I just wanted to be around books. So I went to the Spanish section, picked up a book that was written in 1842 by a woman who was moving to Mexico. It wasn't interesting at all, but just the format of the book itself and the fact that had been done with a typewriter was soo cool. So I sat there for a while, just by myself being happy with this Spanish book.. What an insane person I am. After that we went shopping, I had a power nap and then we went clubbing on Thursday night with a group of her mates and it was all well and wonderful. I got a little tipsy but it didn't effect me the next morning. There was no guilt, no restricting, just excitement. I had a hard time keeping up with her eating though.. Lisa has 4 proper meals a day.. I was like.. "Sorry, but I simply cannot eat as much as you!!" But that wasn't for restricting. That was simply because I cannot fit in 4 meals a day (including snacks!!).

Anyhow, It was her birthday on Friday and it was the best day ever. All we did was stroll around the city, going from one cafe to the next, as I hopped, skipped and jumped through the city. The weather was glorious too, like proper Spring.. We went out again in the evening to the pub. We weren't really planning on going out for long, but it was just so much fun. All we did was chat, with a small group of us. And me and Lisa just didn't want the night to end..because we'd have to say goodbye early the following morning. It was one of those night when all you want to do, is for the clock to stop ticking.. But of course time stops for no-one.. So the night did draw to an end and before we knew what was happening we were sitting in the taxi at 7 o'clock on Saturday morning as she was being dropped off at the train station and I was being dropped off at the bus station.. From which her journey back to Berlin for the Easter holidays began and from which my journey back to Arklow began. What a crazy few days, that I wouldn't have wanted to miss for anything!