Have a Cup of Tea

One of my favorite things about the British culture is their love of tea. I've always been a tea drinker –– I grew up on English Breakfast with milk and sugar –– but now, I find I crave it every few hours.  Today, though, I realized why I love drinking tea here so much. It's not just me jonesing for a caffeine fix, but it's because of the social aspect. I drank 5 cups of tea today, and it's been one of my favorite days on record.

Cup 1: Who doesn't love the first cup of tea in the morning, after getting to sleep in (or having a lie in, as the British would say). Especially after falling asleep last night snuggled under my striped duvet to the sound of rain against the window panes, and waking up to a breezy, sunny morning.

Cup 2: Lunch with the roommate: left-over pasta (pronounced pah-sta here) and Digestives with my tea for dessert. Who knew such a yummy biscuit (cookie) could have such a strange-sounding name. Plus, this second cup of tea gave me the jolt of energy needed for our adventure with Hannah and Vicki, two of our new friends –– and seriously, the sweetest girls I've ever met. The four of us walked up towards Headingly (right outside of Leeds) and tramped through the woods behind where they used to live. Rain drizzled down green trees, making the dirt smell dark and delicious. Favorite moment: finding and trying out the rope swing they put up in the middle of the forest last term (a stick tied to a rope, tied to a tree branch).  Swinging made me feel about 7 years old again, in such a good way.

Cup 3: At the bakery/coffee shop in Headingly, where we ordered tea with scones and jam and clotted cream. There's nothing I'd rather do than chat the afternoon away –– with warm baked goods, comfy couches and soft acoustic music. And, of course, the best company. You've gotta love cute coffee shops and good ol' fashioned girl talk.

Cup 4: Served at Vicki and Hannah's house, an enchanting four-story with a garden, an attic, a 2nd kitchen in the basement, creaky staircases, and 10 rooms (most of which have fireplaces. I know, right?!). We sat around with their great set of housemates (out of 10, we've met 7 so far). When they were all talking and bantering, it was such a lovely homey feel (even though I have to say, I couldn't catch every word).  The girls made us a delicious traditional cottage pie and pudding (dessert), which was apple crisp.  Have you ever heard of anything sweeter than that? We had such good laughs that I got my ab workout for a month.

Cup 5: The last cup of tea, which is currently keeping me awake, was during a game of Articulate, which is essentially a board-game version of Catch Phrase. Loved it. I loved how it brought out the differences in our cultural expressions and explanations. Sara and I dominated, by the way. Then, we all watched the BBC sitcom, Miranda, which words can't explain. They just can't.

It's amazing how at home I felt in a place that's thousands of miles from my own, and how comfortable and loved I felt by dear friends I've only known days. After today, all I can say is that God is good, and so is tea.