rats of the sea © Lilly Schwartz 2011
It is always strange when you get the feeling that you’re leaving a place for good. I have lived in Brighton for about 3 1/2 years on and off and I have to say that I didn’t particularly enjoy it. The quality of the houses is bad, it’s too expensive and there is an extensive drinking culture that is really not my thing at all. However, you can get used to just about anything and of course Brighton has also many good aspects. I can have fantastic gluten free cake here, they know how to make crisps and bacon, there is free wifi in many cafés and of course I still have friends here. However, leaving generally feels like another step into a better life. And one of the best things about leaving Brighton is that I won’t be bothered by seagulls anymore. I seriously dislike these beasts, they’re really the rats of the sea …
Today I will be travelling back to Germany, but before going back to Berlin I will first travel to Düsseldorf to visit my dad. I have lived there for many years and – contrary to my experience in Brighton – I tend to get sad that I don’t live there anymore. I still feel at home there somehow, although it’s more a vague feeling that is connected with a certain time in my life rather than with the place itself.
These days also everyone seems to ask me what my plans for the future are. Seriously, I just handed in my dissertation, all my plans ended right there! Now I just want to relax and not have plans and due dates in my near future at all, so I say with pleasure: I have no clue whatsoever! However, one important part of the future will be to finally have a home again. And it will neither be Brighton, nor Düsseldorf, that’s for certain.
Lilly, I think you have got the measure of Brighton very well! Its so refreshing to hear it described so wonderfully realistically!
Good luck in your future travels my friend!
Thanks 🙂 Well, I think normally English people aren’t really realistic about these things in general. If you go into a really crappy run down pub with some English friends they will say “This place is not so bad …” while it really is just crap and they know it! I think it’s overdoing the whole “Be happy with what you have” attitude. Doesn’t give any incentive to change things.
Hahaha… ‘rats of the sea’ – very funny! For a bird you dislike so much you sure were able to get a wonderful photo, though… so much movement… in the birds, the flag, your camera angle… very, very nicely done!
🙂
Thanks 🙂 Funny bit of background for this: The seagulls were flying up because some boys were throwing stones at them. They were right behind me, so the camera angle was due to my half turned position.