Newcastle upon Tyne...

Well, that's what my Dopplr calls it at least. Having spent this past weekend with some more family members - from my mom's side of course, I now find myself on a train, somewhere in England, heading back towards King's Cross - London. I absolutely love that there is free WiFi, because instead of doing my reading, like any good and diligent student... I'm blogging? [=

Before I get into all the goodness that is the Northeastern coast of England, I just have to note that my interview with Ms. Petra Shepard from Travel Channel International was a success. Minus the chaos that was the Friday afternoon office, it all went smoothly. I start work on Tuesday, October 14th where I will be acting for the most part, as a production assistant. I'm a tad nervous seeing as this is my first ever television related job, BUT... I'm moreso excited because I am confident it will equip me with the necessary industry exposure of the television world. Plus, the focus is travel... It's a perfet fit!

After the interview, I hopped on a train to Newcastle, where upon arrival, I was met by my mom's cousin, Auntie Weng, her husband - my Uncle Derek, and their son - Thomas. Again, it's great to be able to connect with family members who I have not seen in so many years. In this case, 17. I feel like this has been a resounding theme in my travels in Europe. That is, connecting with people and realizing that my domestic sorroundings and familiar family faces don't just stop in California, or the US. I love being able to rediscover family ties, even if it can be a bit awkard at first. I absolutely loved this weekend! Cathing up on the happenings of life with my aunt, who truly is young at heart... It was like talking to an older sister. Then there's the very informative and much appreicated chats with Uncle Derek about all sorts of different subjects... I love talking to people who know the background of things, it makes you appreicated what you're actually seeing. Then there's Thomas, who's 8. We share the common bond of Harry Potter... I am reminded of how refreshing it is to be around younger kids... My sister would have been 8 this year... It was nice to connect with someone that age, and see what it could have been like. Thomas nicknamed me Ferrari, after I told him that my friends call me "Car". I must say, I rather liked it! [=

The majority of my weekend was spent doing a lot of exploring. Castles, castles, Hogwarts, oh and more castles... Driving on the coast, watching Newcastle's Millenium Bridge do it's pivoting rotation to let the boats pass through, coffee drinking, walking by the riverbanks, having your breath taken away by the beauty of older architechture, cathedrals, walking on the walls and catching breathtaking views of the modern town, coast, and greenery from a city's built up walls.... I loved it all. It was definitely a nice change, to be away from the main trouist attractions. I really do feel that one gets a sense of what being immersed into the culture is like. It's also a plus being guided around by locals, but nevertheless, I feel that there is an importance in not always seeing what the tourists see when you travel. It reminds me of Greece and talking about the differences between tourist and traveller. The main tourist attractions, which are GREAT, don't get me wrong, tend to some extent cater to the visiting world. And in a sense, a visitor isn't fully expiriencing the actual culture and immersion. Getting away from it all is good in that you really do get a taste of it, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

I thouroughly enjoyed this weekend, and [because I know they will read this at some point] thank my family in Newcastle once again for their hospitality and generousity. I'm sure I will be back again at some point when the door opens again!

Now, it's back to school mode... sort of... If I get around to it! [=

With love from somewhere in England,
Carla