Being Entertained, British Style

Last weekend was a very fun weekend for me. In the midst of bouts of homesickness I found fun ways to keep myself occupied.

Friday night after finishing up at the Charis House I went over to Lisa’s flat for the English premiere of Disney’s High School Musical 2. I had never been a fan of HSM until coming to England and watching the first one a few weeks ago. I think I’m more taken with it given it takes place in Albuquerque. The second installment of the tween movie was set at a country club in Disney’s Albuquerque. Although it wasn’t an exact replica of “real” Albuquerque, it was close enough for me to really miss the desert. My friends were asking me if the sky was really that blue in NM saying it looked fake. Then they laughed that I was stuck in Buxton where the sky is gray most the time.

Sunday morning while preparing tea and coffee before worship, one young teenage girl was asking me if American high schools were really like that. I was entertained of the idealism that young teenagers have and their impressions of the U.S. based on TV and movies.

Saturday afternoon I went to my first Buxton Christians football (soccer) game. I’ve only been to a handful of football (soccer) games back home. Although I’m not a huge fan, it is something I’m hoping to develop over the year. I went to the game with some WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) of the team. Before heading to the game we went to Sarah’s house (Queen WAG) for tea and cake. Tammy explained to me that there are some women in Britain that aspire to be a WAG—for a professional footballer. It is an interesting sub-culture I’m hoping to learn more about. Tammy said that it might be possible for me to become an honary WAG since I won’t be dating one of the footballers.

Saturday night, Amy and I went to the Buxton Opera House to see a production on Annie. It has been several years since I’ve seen the story of Little Orphan Annie and I was impressed to see all the historical references contained in the musical. I am interested in knowing what other Brits thought of the musical since it is so “American”. There was a joke made about Babe Ruth and I was the only one in the entire theater to laugh. It’s funny that some things don’t translate, even in the “same language”. This weekend Amy and I are hoping to see the ballet Coppelia at the Opera House.

Sunday night we were offered tickets to see a movie in the Old Hall Hotel Pauper’s Pit Theater. They have a very intimate theater where they show movies every Sunday. A couple from church had the bought the tickets and weren’t able to go that night and gave them to us. This week they showed “The Last King of Scotland”. It was a very powerful and heavy movie. I recommend it for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Walking home from the theater I had a thought. Why is it that the British are able to criticize every mistake that the US’s foreign policy makes when they have made the same mistakes in their history. It really frustrates me and makes me a little angry. I’m not saying that our government and foreign policy is perfect or faultless, but the Bible verse from Matthew 7:4-5, “How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” comes to mind.

I have also become very interested in a British soap opera called HollyOaks that is on weeknights at 6:30pm.