(no subject)
*chu~chu~chu~*
Home briefly from London for a total of two days before going back on Tuesday~ So far my interviews have gone... somewhat positive, I hope. I feel as though most of my sleeping hours these past few days have been spent on some form of transportation~ T^T I was glad to lay in bed till late today after getting home late last night.
The 28th I traveled down with zappin via megabus and arrived in London for around 2:30. Then had the GLORIOUS task of tackling the underground to Covent Garden with my hand bag, suit case, A2 Portfolio, A3 folder and a large tube containing life drawings. Somehow we managed it and made our way to Mike and Daz's flat (Mike is zappin's uncle). Daz was there to greet us and instantly attacked my portfolio to browse through. Daz has been a successful artist for several years now, currently working in theatre. He's so amusing to me~ Such a character and a semi-drama queen at the same time~ drinking wine every hour of the day and forever chatting! He gave us a set of keys and we settled into the guest room after tackling the 4 flights of stairs to the top room T^T; We then went out for a walk to shop about Soho/China Town. When Mike got home from work, he took myself and zappin out for dinner at an Italian place were I had ravioli~ =33 Yum yum~ After wards when we got home, I went straight for bed as it was an early start for me~
Was up at 4am in order to make my 5:27 train from Paddington Station to Hereford. Made my train in time to grab some breakfast and a coffee in preparation for a 3 hours and a half journey. Although I admit I must have slept through most of it. My ticket was also stamped with a cute star stamp =3. Woke up occasionally to watch the progression of the moon setting and a lovely sunrise commencing~
Randomly woke up to find myself in Chippenham and texted miiol with PHOTOPROOF and remained awake to watch the journey out of said town and see one of the most beautiful looking towns ever! It reminded me a lot of those hill top towns in Italy~ I want to visit it some day~
Arrived at Newport and made my connecting train although I was running late and was joined by a most beautiful husky! He was so large and often got in the way of people trying to pass him, but I enjoyed his company sitting next to me~ If I ever get a dog and it is not a chihuahua, I have always said I want a large dog with a enormous nose~ This dog had the most perfect nose ever~ X3
Finally arrived in Hereford and tackled an uphill walk making my way to the Art College for 9:30.
Hereford was... not very impressive. They don't have a refectory, just a very small cafe. They also don't have room for student accommodation. It just seemed so small. About a quarter of the size of my college. It wasn't only the size that nerved me, but the studios as well. The illustration students shared a small room with the graphic design students and they weren't studios to say, more like an office. They had those silly cubicle walls which divided a small space off for each student. And all they seemed to show off was the many many computer and apple mac facilities they had upstairs. They did have a decent print room and several other facilities such as textiles rooms and metal craft shops. But, they seemed to be a college running for the 'modern' concept of illustration. The students seemed to only work in 2-D, and the tour guide kept emphasising on how everything is mostly digital, and how even the photography students no longer use the dark rooms. Sure, digital media has revolutionised the face of art, but really. It was frightening. I just couldn't see myself at Hereford. I enjoy traditional media, working in large scale and in several different forms; not just stuck at a computer. I'm old fashioned.
My interview on the other hand went very well. The guy who interviewed me was from Wigan so he was all to familiar with Liverpool and St Helens. He was really impressed with my portfolio and at the end, offered me an un-conditional place. He emphasised however, that with my sort of portfolio, I would be able to get in anywhere; I only hope so! He said that I myself was an interesting character, and someone that the college and other course applicants could benefit from~ Which made me shine~! I revealed to him my dark secrets of paroling around my art studios back in St Helens, singing the world away~ XD
So after my interview had finished around 1pm, I had the worry of getting home. My ticket was booked for 6:29 pm. I was thinking of venturing in to the city centre and browsing. But, with all of my portfolio stuff, and getting out at a handy time, I went about trying to get home earlier. I explained my story to the staff at the station and they gave me the thumbs up to getting on the next train home. I got on the train shortly after 2:00 and the conductor happily stamped my ticket. Then I arrived in Newport to catch my connecting train. Got on it around 3:00 and settled myself down. Around 4pm, the conductor came by asking for tickets. I gave him mine to be stamped in which he laughed in the face of. I explained my story to him and how the staff at Hereford said I wouldn't have a problem. But, although I tried, he told me I either pay up £50 or get of the train at the next stop. So I found myself stuck in Swindon for 4 hours and a half to catch the train I was scheduled to catch. Have to say, it was a horrible emotional experience. After waiting 2 hours, a member of staff on the platform noticed I had been there for some time and asked if I was okay. I explained to him what had happened and he told me how after 3, it was the rush hour and so the train managers are somewhat cynical about ticket circumstances. When it got to around 8pm, 30 mins before the train I was supposed to get, he came back saying that I could get on the 8:10 train instead of the 8:30 train. Now, I know that he was only being kind and I should be grateful for being allowed to get an earlier train. But, did going 20 minutes earlier really make that difference? Did it take away that 4 hours of boredom, hunger, upset and just plain annoyance? I believe it only made it worse. I was so pissed off at this time. Finally got in to Paddington Station for around 9:30pm and then had to tackle the tube to Covent Garden alone with all my things. Got home shortly after 10pm and went straight to bed. I was just so annoyed that I didn't even think of eating, and I had to be up early again the next day for my Kent interview.
Got up at 6:30 thinking my train leaving from Victoria to Kent was at 8:30, turns out it was at 7:50. So I had to be dressed for around 7 in order to catch the tube up to Victoria and make my train. Got there on time but didn't think about getting any breakfast. The train ride was only an hour long but I slept some more on the way to Maidstone East. Once I arrived at Kent, I took a taxi up to the art college getting myself there for 9:15. I was directed to where the refectory was and bought myself a sausage on toast with a muffin. Only when eating it did I realise it had almost been 24 hours since I had last ate~! Went to go sit in reception shortly after wards where I met a lovely girl who was also there for interview, named Michelle! She reminded me a lot of phoenixshards and we got on so well! During the day we went to the refectory for a coffee and we got really talking; turns out she hates drinking also and is in love with Artemis Fowl! We talked forever about books until I had to go up for my interview at 11:15.
Everything up until now had gone just fine, and I was loving the college! It felt honestly like a art college and the students seemed very friendly smiling as I went by! However, my interview which was supposed to be at 11:15 didn't start until around 11:45~ The guy was taking far too long with each applicant. When I finally got my turn, I set up all my stuff and we took off. Five minutes in to the interview, he stopped me as he had to meet an ex-student to help set up a presentation. I was just blank about this~ But I let it pass and he left to help set up the presentation. He then came back 10 minutes after to invite me to sit through the talk, so I went through to sit myself down. Then, the fire alarm went off. We all had to evacuate the building (leaving all of my portfolio still out on the table). Outside I found Michelle and another girl who was here for interview and we stood about talking for some time. Half an hour later, we got let back into the building. We all went up for the ex-student talk which was quite interesting. He studied illustration and had settled himself in with a job for story-board illustrating and had worked with the likes of Nickelodeon and worked on the opening scene and a few sets on An American Haunting. It's interesting to see how other people make it into their careers. Once it was over, I was able to resume my interview, or so I assumed. I went back in to the room and my interviewer shortly came through with the ex-student presentation guy where they stood chatting for some time. A current student also came in to the room which then my interviewer introduced her to the ex-student. So while they were talking, my interviewer decided to take out his camera and take photos of the two. All the while I'm sitting there with my portfolio out on display just thinking "What sort of an interview is this?". Eventually, TWO HOURS after being interrupted in the first place, I was able to resume my interview. Which lasted a total of 15 minutes. This really pissed me off. He had spent around 40 minutes on the other applicants, and now it appeared he couldn't be bothered with interviewing anymore. He flicked through my portfolio as though it was nothing and hardly asked any questions. After my interview, I was given a very un-enthuasiastic tour of the college which was also interupted further more. Although, I was very impressed with their print room... they had such an antique printing press!
After the tour, we were free to go. I needed to phone a taxi but first needed a cash point for some money. He got me a map from reception and directed me to the nearest cashpoint. However, by the time I had walked to the cashpoint, the station was only another 10 minutes away. So I decided to walk the whole 30 minutes back to the station and walked through the city centre. Kent is a really beautiful city! They have such lovely buildings~ I wish I could have spent more time browsing about. I got to the station for around 3 with my ticket booked for 6. After the previous day's luck, I risked my luck again and inquired about my ticket. The man at the booth ensured that I wouldn't have a problem with traveling home now. And indeed I didn't! My ticket was stamped by the conductor with a cute teddy bear stamp and I was heading home! A woman came by with a survey about the train company, asking if I would like to fill it in. I was in such a nice mood with an hour to kill that I agreed to! XD I got back in to Victoria Station for 4:30 where zappin came to meet me~ =3
We headed back to Mike's flat and settled down to get something to eat. A while late, Daz came home followed by Mike and we spent the evening sitting in the living room together watching the tv. Daz shortly got bored and insisted that we watched some old Australian soap drama from the 70s called "Number 96". His auntie works on the production of Neighbors, and as she has apparently promised him a role in the show, he has been watching and researching old soaps he used to watch on TV back when he was young and living in Melbourne. So indeed for 2 hours, we watched it~ XD It was amusing at times and quite shocking at the content! A lot of sex scenes with rape including and the display of homosexual relationships. I mean, today that is what we expect of a soap. But this was in the 1970s and apparently played at 8:30 in the evening XD; Around 11pm, I was extremely tired and headed for bed~
Around 10, myself and zappin got up and packed. We went for a small walk around the Covent Garden market and looking at the wonderful street entertainment before heading back for 2 to head out for our megabus leaving for 3. While on our journey, we witnessed a rainbow of which we saw THE END OF.
You can see the rainbow ending in the second photo there~ XD; First time I've ever witnissed that~ And I'm sure that's not ACTUALLY meant to happen~ XD
Got back in to Liverpool shortly after 8 where zappin's mum picked us up and took me home where I slept slept slept!
So I'll be re-packing tomorrow and heading out again on tuesday where I will be visiting Camberwell, Portsmouth and Westminister! Also hoping to do something entertaining like visiting the National History Museum or Camden~ =3 The next trip will not be so stressful I believe! (And hope!)