Across the Pond: Batman, spikes and junderwear, duck

Having recently celebrated my month-iversary with Nottingham, it seems appropriate to reflect on both its charms and, well, more bizarre qualities. As for its charms, Nottingham has a lively city center with all kinds of shops dedicated to any product one might need, especially clothing. Oh, fashion in Nottingham. We have all been interested, nay, shocked to behold the trend that is jean shorts over black tights. Really, some girls’s jorts could be more appropriately termed “junderwear” (copyright Marissa Schuh).

Watch out, America – it could be coming for you soon. A rise in spikes on clothing has also been noticed, especially in key places like the shoulders of a sweater, the breast cups of a tight dress, or the toes of flats. It seems that British designers have either collectively decided to provide women with the means to be their own walking anti-rape weapon, or the coy Brits feel that appearing to be too cuddly would make them too American.

Spikes aside, Nottingham is rich in history and boasts a very charming piece of castle. Sure, there’s only one remaining hunk but it’s still nice to see. And if you want to see a whole building, there’s always Wollaton Hall, or Batman’s Wayne Manor if that makes more sense, which is filled with taxidermied animals, including a giraffe. Luckily the impressive display of taxidermy is balanced by a lively deer population that lives on the grounds of Wollaton. They are rivaled only by the gaggle of geese that run rampant on the Uni campus, not unlike Luther’s squirrels.

As for the people of Nottingham, they are lovely. We have enjoyed the company of many people who have seen the Nottingham program progress through the years. Notable of these people are Margaret and Sharon who run the fruit and veg stand, Ye Olde Potato Island. They provide us with scrumptious produce and celebrity gossip magazines. They are two of many people who readily call us “love” or Nottingham’s colloquial term of endearment, “duck.” Yes, “duck”.

I could write about this for days, so I’ll end with a laundry list of reasons why to love Nottingham: minimal customer service (that means no one stalking you through the racks of clothes), Shakeaway (they make milk shakes, enough said), amazing foods from all ethnicities, CIDER, watching “Downton Abbey” live (the same goes for “Doctor Who”), living a two hour train ride from really any other city in England and living in a flat with seven hilarious people.