Two boys from the north of England
My son has spent the past two and a half years playing soccer at a Junior College about an hour or so from our home. During that time he's become good friends with a couple of lads from England who crossed the Atlantic to play for a while on pitches in the Deep South. Last night, and with only a few hour's warning, all three boys (young men, really -- they're 20 or 21) showed up at the door. One of the Brits is from Sunderland, and the other is from Bradford. After a a flurry of greetings and a brief moment of full disclosure that I do have a history as a West Ham United fan (one never knows how important those distinctions might be), they bounded past me toward the kitchen where we had two large, hot chicken pot pies waiting. They managed to leave enough for Mrs. The_Riv and I to count as our supper as well, and we enjoyed dessert (a couple of seasonal ice creams) and another hour of fairly thickly accented good humor before they retired to the back off the house.
Today both boys flew back home for Christmas and New Year's Eve. After they've returned in January, I hope they'll pay us another visit sometime during the spring semester, and that we'll be better prepared to host them more properly! Maybe they'll need a place to spend Easter. Both of them have made our son promise he'll visit them in England which we'd be thrilled for him to do. They're talking about this coming summer, so we'll see. Anyway, a fun night! Ha'way the lads!
Today both boys flew back home for Christmas and New Year's Eve. After they've returned in January, I hope they'll pay us another visit sometime during the spring semester, and that we'll be better prepared to host them more properly! Maybe they'll need a place to spend Easter. Both of them have made our son promise he'll visit them in England which we'd be thrilled for him to do. They're talking about this coming summer, so we'll see. Anyway, a fun night! Ha'way the lads!
Comments
Bradford's version of the West Yorkshire accent isn't as strong as it was but it's still distinctive. Sunderland's 'Sand-dancer' accent is also distinctive and similar to Geordie (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) although both places would claim that the resemblance is superficial.
I miss the "international scene" I enjoyed in college in Detroit, too. My parents often welcomed unfamiliar guests for holdays. My daughter's college experience has lacked that.
Start prepping for Easter break now.
#stockthefridge
#pantryblitz
#operationlarder
#boyzneverfull
LOL. Being from the lands that straddle the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern US, of course I speak as the rest of the country *wishes they could.*
Yes, @Kendel -- all of that will be put into motion as soon as the Holidays pass! Thank you!
I'd love to return to GB, @Sarasa -- I was last there in 1992! And that was far too short a trip!
She did allow that her first reaction on arriving in Aberdeen was that if the lecturers spoke the same language as the taxi driver she would never survive the classes.