Earthquakes, family, music, and a place that I like to call home - by Rachel Neer

How I have neglected to mention the recent earthquake until just now is of complete shock to me…but I have. Allow me to elaborate.

I have learned since the earthquake early last Wednesday morning, 27 February, that contrary to popular belief (or maybe it’s not popular belief at all), earthquakes are not common in the United Kingdom. It’s not that they’re not common, even…earthquakes in the United Kingdom are, as a general rule, quite rare. Early last Wednesday morning, however, at or around 12:50 in the morning, we were a part of what has been said to be the most powerful earthquake in the United Kingdom in the past 25 years. It registered anywhere from a 4.8 to a 5.3 on the Richter scale, depending on which news source you look at. My roommates each thought that it was another roommate until they all realized that no one was doing anything at all. It was then that it was realized that there was an earthquake…one that lasted 10 seconds. I was slightly fearful of going to sleep that night, but I’ve since recovered.

This earthquake was at or around 12:50 in the morning. I was still awake, but others weren’t. I’m not sure who it rattled more: those who were awake and putting the finishing touches on papers, those who had fallen asleep long ago and were rudely awoken by violent shaking, or those who woke the next morning to discover that they had slept through the whole thing. The third reason may have me more worried than anything, although I fall under the first category. All of the damage that was done was contained to the Long Gallery, but was barely noticeable because the ceiling is in the process of being repaired. One of the little cherubs that sits above the door that leads out to the gardens fell over, but was promptly put back up.

Thursday night, at or about 12:30 that night, Rachealle and I came over to the manor to figure out a song on piano that we had first heard in choir a few weeks ago. We were over here for almost an hour, just playing music. It was amazing. There was no one around to hear, no one to criticize poor singing or playing. It was fun. The next night I installed a program on my computer that will allow me to put in music as notes on a page and then play it back to me. I have used the program quite a bit. Friday saw more of the same…more paper writing, more piano playing. After dinner we went to slide down the staircase just a few times. It took some work, but we figured out the best way to go about it. I suppose that everyone has their own way to go about it, though, and so I’ll let you figure out the easiest way to go about it for yourself.

Saturday, albeit windy, was a beautiful day otherwise. The skies were clear and blue for a majority of the day, which made it a beautiful day to spend in Stratford with Ralph and Judith, the two people who have “adopted” Crystal and I for the semester. We spent the morning looking at castles and landscapes and learning the difference between cottages and houses. I don’t remember the difference, I would have to show you…but there IS a difference. We visited Shakespeare’s birthplace, then ventured a few blocks away to his burial site, Holy Trinity Church.

From there we visited Royal Lemington Spa, where both Ralph and Judith grew up. We saw a statue there that had been moved an inch off its base when a bomb hit the town during WWII and the statue of Queen Victoria herself was never moved back. We saw the baths there as well, or what used to be the baths. We went back to their home for fish and chips, and then on to a concert of the Royal Air Force Philharmonic Orchestra. This was probably one of the better parts of the day for me, because I have missed music so. It is slowly creeping back into my life…

Which is why, on Sunday after lunch, I took the key to the grand piano from Reception and played for at least two hours. The only people to walk through were the Kingsleys, Bronwyn, and Alex, and that was fine by me. Maybe it’s the magic of the place, but the piano sounded so much better when no one was around in the Great Hall. It made it almost magical. Sunday afternoon was spent writing more papers, playing more music, and spending time with more friends. I don’t think I would have it any other way. That night Crystal and I joined Ralph and Judith for a pub quiz, which we probably didn’t help much with. Trivia is not often my strong point.

It has taken a while for Harlaxton to become a home to me, but I believe that it has, at last, become my home. It has become my place of refuge. I spoke in my previous blog about the reasons why Harlaxton was growing on me. It’s turning into my home now, with mother-like and sibling figures around every corner.

Monday afternoon everyone had a sheet of bright yellow paper in their mailbox that is due in SAO by the afternoon of 13 March. On this paper we are to let the people in SAO know how it is that we are planning on getting back to the States when the time comes. I plan on waiting as long as I can to turn in this paper. These people, this place…it has helped me to grow so much both by traveling and remaining on the campus grounds. I will be sad to leave the people and the place that I have grown so fond of over the past weeks. In seven more weeks I will be back in the States, back to a different language and culture, again a stranger in a foreign land. I will keep learning for quite a while because of my experiences here in England.

It’s back to the grindstone for me now. I have a test in the morning that needs to be studied for and that should probably happen sooner rather than later. I am loving my time here in England. The music that people hear on the piano sounds “lovely,” not “nice” or “pretty” or “beautiful.” The air feels “cool” or “a bit chilly,” not “cold.” People ask us to “have a think” about things rather than telling us to “think about it” and get back to them later.

I’m signing off for now…this weekend I will be in the Lake District, which can either be a restful or relaxing weekend, or one full of adventure. Whichever it turns out to be, it’s sure to be nothing but fun…after I take my test, of course.