The worst museum I ever loved.

This is terrifying to me.

This is the wonderful Natural History portion of the museum in Stoke on Trent. While I learned much in this museum visit and am happy that I spent a few hours there, the natural history portion was terrifying. Was it the low lighting? Was it the knock off taxidermy? or was it that I was completely alone with animals prepared to look alive and ready to attack? Who knows! All I know is that the combination of these factors made me very grateful to move upstairs to the pottery exhibit.

Above: Fiercest predators in England.

This is more like it! Stonke on Trent is a collection of five villages that use to be called "the potteries." They are named as such for their extensive history and contribution to the pottery industry in England. Above is pictured what is called "slip pottery" I liked this bit quite a lot on account of all the earth tones used in the decorating.

Apparently this owl jug was found on Antique Roadshow and is an ancient artifact and example of slip pottery at its finest. Well found BBC! You can read more about the Owl Jug here.

Now I am not one for geese, but this little plate captured me. adorable.

All in all, a great afternoon in Stoke. I do recommend the little cafe on the ground floor of the museum. Great cream filled donut-like pastry things and tea while sitting in front of big picture windows to watch the rain pour and the traffic go by is a nice way to spend the time. (that sounds like I am joking, but I'm not... really is lovely! and no fake animals anywhere!)

Wolverhampton- Lea Road Community Church

Last Summer I went to the Greenbelt Festival in southern England. At this weekend event I met the lovely lady photographed above. Jessica had recently arrived in England for a year of work and service in the Young Adults in Global Mission Program. Because I had also been a YAGM and lived in England, we had much to talk about. When it came to finding placements for j-term I emailed Jess and she connected me with the going ons in the beautiful suburb of Birmingham: Wolverhampton

Jess is a volunteer with Lea Road Community Church, this is where I spent my time while in the outskirts of Wolverhampton.

One of the activities they hold at the church is "Rainbows" Rainbows is a level of Girl guides which is similar to our the Girl Scouts in the United States. Although, in Rainbows, each participant picks a flower name in place of her given name. I must admit, I did like being called 'Tiger lily' all evening. ha!
They do arts and crafts and have a snack at the end, sing a little song. Today was a special day because two Rainbows made their rainbow promises (be good etc)
Pictured below is one of the little girls just after making her Rainbow promise. :)

Once a week a Jamaican Family support group meets at Lea Road. This was my favorite activity of the week where I basically had a chance to sit and listen to a small group of dear people talk about their lives with each other. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they were silent, but mostly everyone laughed.

There is a meal served each week and Jess helps to prepare it. Below is a picture of Jess doing the dishes at Lea Road. She told me that a lot of her volunteer post involves doing the dishes. I love that. Whether it is true or not, there is something about shared task like cleaning (in camp we used to call them work projects) which bring people together without them even knowing it. Sometimes you just have to role up your sleeves and address the practical tasks set before you. I am not a huge fan of doing the dishes (not many are I don't think) so when someone does the dishes for me it is like a hug, high five and kiss on the cheek all at once.

I'm really grateful for my time in Wolverhampton. I had a great host family and in the limit time I spent with Lea Road Community church I saw the gift that their church is to the members and to the greater community.

LONDON-All work and no play makes Rachel a dull girl

While in the UK working with churches in Leeds and Wolverhampton I thought it would be a shame to not make it to London to see some friends. I wasn't sure how it would pan out, but there was certainly a United States McDonald's French Fry amount of fun packed into those 48 hours! I stayed with Matt and Maddy, however I didn't actually take any photos of them. Not that they aren't lovely. I can actually attest to the fact that they are. But when we went out to dinner, they were sitting next to me at the table and these two gals were sitting across the way.

Above is the nice picture of Rebecca and Caroline, but really what they looked like most of the night is the one below. (on account of the laughter and not that they were in black and white.) I met these two lovely ladies through a mutual friend a few years ago. Through the magic of facebook we were able to stay in touch over all these miles and minutes and though we don't get a chance to meet up often, it is always a good talk and a good laugh.

This is the lovely Charlotte. Charlotte and I were lucky enough to be randomly put together as flatmates whilst studying at the University of Leeds in 2008-2009. Sharing an affinity for chocolate, Bridget Jones Diary, and International Politics we have been friends ever since.

I like to think of the place where we had lunch as kind of "our hang out" but we've only been their twice... just happens to be that we went there the two times I have seen Charlotte in the past six months. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant, but it is Belgian (so is Charlotte) and serves food like I would make it and eat it... see below:

I do like the traditional English fare as much as any west-coast American vegetarian... but sometimes it is nice to have a little hippy food to mix in the lot. Also... a BIG cup of hot chocolate.

As I mentioned before... somehow I managed to make it to London and spend two days with Matt and Maddy and not take one photo of them. Alas... the closest I have is a photo of Matt's place of employment where Maddy and I met him before going out to dinner.

Much was packed into those 48 hours in the city of London, even managed to sneak a breakfast/coffee date with my favorite Glaswegian, Jill, before hoping the train back north. I don't know if I could ever live in London for a prolonged period of time, but I certainly do love going to visit all the great friends that live there. :)

New City of David: "Fresh Start" Program

One of my placements during January was to work with the New City of David Parish in Leeds, UK. New City of David is a church community of roughly 30 people who work within various ministries in Leeds. One of this is the "Fresh Start" program. The Fresh Start program provides meals to homeless and underemployed people in Leeds. The range of need varies, but the compassion and humanity with which the volunteers treat those who enter for a meal is consistently abundant. While the focus of the program for the moment is on the Tuesday evening meal and conversation, building relationships within the homeless community, Pastor Nicholas has a vision of extending the program to include job assistance, housing assistance, and mentoring. I say they already do a wonderful job in offering the transient community a bit of compassion, food and a listening ear.

On Tuesday nights the cafe quickly moves from the numbers above,
to the full house pictured below.Volunteers take turns doing dishes, but tonight Shepherd has taken over the responsibility which allows for the other volunteers to have conversations with the guests in order to build relationships within the community.

Every week they serve a hot meal. This week, Mercy is in charge and making chicken curry with rice.

This is a group shot at the end of the night. Some of the volunteers have already left, but from those remaining you can get the idea of the playful, and dare I say, joyful attitude with which this community approaches service to others.

It was a joy to work with Pastor Nicolas and the rest of the New City of David Community. Pastor Nicolas told me that he feels that England and Leeds in particular have given a lot to his community and it is their goal to give back as much as they can.

I love that the posture of gratitude toward the gifts that God has given them that seems to inform all the service, outreach and preaching that New City of David does in the Leeds community. It is contagious. They take hospitality seriously. I know this not only because I benefited from their kindness, but observed the gracious manner of the volunteers during the Fresh Start program. My thoughts and prayers are with them as their ministry continues to develop and grow.

New City of David- The Cafe

One of my favorite aspects of English life is eating in a cafe. Pretty simple idea really, good simple food (ie full english breakfast, beans on toast, soup and bread, toasted sandwich or perhaps a teacake) and a hot drink (or cold drink if you fancy it.) Ideally, it would be a low cost meal in a clean environment. In January I volunteered with this great group from the New City of David Ministries in Leeds, UK

Sebastian organizes the cafe and Tracey (left) and Marion (right) are two of the volunteers from the church community that work in the cafe. Run mostly by unpaid staff from the church community, the proceeds from the cafe help to fund their other ministries.

Tracey and Marion pose in front of the menu. The cafe can be really busy (it certainly was when I was helping out!) but there is time for fun as well (or at least there is time made for it.)

Sebastian works tirelessly to improve the menu and bring the best quality food to the people who patronize the cafe. Sebastian models the kind of leadership to which people respond well, he is patient, diligent, and never asks anyone to do a job he isn't willing to do himself.

If you happen by Leeds, I would recommend the Trinity Cafe. They serve more than good food, they serve love and care into the community in which they live and serve. I feel very lucky to have joined them for a brief time and the experience of being with them will not quickly leave me.

English Muffins

During my placement at New City of David in Leeds I had the chance to stay with my friend, Fiona and her housemate Heather (and Heather's cat, Ralph).

There are many benefits to staying with Fi and Heather and aside from their great hospitality there were the following perks: plenty of bathroom products, baking together, lots of tea, painting nails, delicious vegetarian food, impromptu meals out, watching Benedict Cumberbatch act as Sherlock Holmes, and long conversations about the difference between American and British words. In the states I have always enjoyed a fork-split English muffin, turns out there is no such thing and that the branding was simply a marketing tool used against anglophiles like myself. It is like the banoffee pie scandal in reverse. My fellow Americans, English people eat many bread products, but what we have come to know as the English muffin is not one of them. I submit the following evidence:

Here is what Tesco sells as a "muffin" looks similar to the English muffins we have come to know and love and nothing like the muffins which we Americans eat for breakfast (you know the ones: cupcakes without frosting)

But then when you open it up there are no crumpet like caverns, there is the density, but no place for the butter to seep in, one of my favorite parts of English muffins.

For emphasis, here is an English person holding a muffin. This is the closest one shall get to what we, in America, brand as "English muffins."

and this is what Fiona would look like if she were a dinosaur. Also what happens when both of us are laughing and I am trying to take a photo. Another benefit of time with friends, laughter... and lots of it.

Lake District 2012- Happy New Year!

2012 is off to a great start! Beginning in this little village near Appleby in the Lake District we stayed in a holiday let called Harry's Barn. My2012, thus far, is filled with friends, laughter, board games, and delicious food.... not too shabby!

Though there were great plans to go hill walking and exploring the countryside, the short daylight hours, rain and wind storms (not to mention the jet-lag) made for a much more relaxed in-door and less outdoorsy trip. Which was fine with me because I enjoy curling up with a good book next to a wood-burning stove as much as the next person. I was given a stove top coffee maker for Christmas and put it to full use in this little converted barn made into a snuggly cottage.

Did manage a little walk to the neighboring town where we saw loads of ducks! Of course, I thought of my niece who loves ducks very much. The picture of teeny tiny ducks is for you Bea! xx

Everything in this little village was quaint and cozy. It is an ideal place to raise kids (little kids.) Mostly because I would put them in waterproofs and wellies and send them running around through the forest until dinner time. Let's be honest, I would probably put on my wellies and run with them. :)

1953 is not old for English standards, but I liked it anyway.

On our last day in the lake district we had incredible sunshine! It was a glorious day, So we took the long way around Lake Windermere and explored Coniston Water.

Coniston is surrounded by these fells that are any outdoor enthusiast's dream. Definitely put Coniston on your must visit list next you are in the Lake District. :)

Coniston is surrounded by these fells that are any outdoor enthusiast's dream. Definitely put Coniston on your must visit list next you are in the Lake District. :) Caught some beautiful views and sunshine as my last memory on the way home. All in all, a pretty nice way to start out the New Year. Happy 2012 everyone!