Extraordinary miracle and jukebox sunshine.
Door: Martina Diehl
Blijf op de hoogte en volg martina
03 Februari 2013 | Verenigd Koninkrijk, York
Hello all,
where to start... it's not been that long since my last travel update but so much has happened since then!
Let's do a quick story of Laphroaig first. Laphroaig is my 2 year old colt, my pride and my extraordinary miracle, and has been since day 1. On the 23rd of January he fell over backwards while playing (or this is what we think happened) and that caused a skullfracture near his organ of balance. There was blood coming out of his nose and left ear and he couldn't eat or walk properly. Having said that, he tried his best not to get on the horse float, and so they had to keep him at the stables overnight and try again the next day, he needed to go to the clinic/ horse hospital. So the next day he got there, and yes he had a skullfracture, yes there was a very very small chance of him pulling through but the chance was not nil, and did I want to have him put down or start treatment. They wouldn't have given me the option 'treatment' if it wasn't possible, so... although it's costing me an arm and a leg, I went with treating him. and now, on the 3rd of February he is still alive! He is not in any real pain, and the only suffering he has to endure is frustration and loneliness for the time being, but I hope that this will go away in time.
Since yesterday afternoon some complications have come up: there is old blood and dirt coming out of his ear, which would hint an infection, so they're going to treat that with antibiotics. And although he had started eating, he's been eating less over the past few days, so this is a bit worrying too. They cleaned out his mouth, and found nothing but his back babyteeth having some gaps in between the 1st and 2nd row, and between the 3rd and 4th row. This is not strange for a 2 year old, and so they have cleaned this properly hoping to have resolved the issue.
It's been nerve-wracking, difficult, and hectic times so far... I'm asking everyone who reads this blog to send him love, strength and to hope for his health. He is a truly amazing horse and the son of my mare, so he means a great deal to me! Thanks!
While we're hoping for a healthy horse, other things have been going on as well, as they do when you've just moved to a 'new' country to study for a semester.
I have met people from all over the world: Sweden, Kiwiland, the U.S.A., Germany, Norway, Austria, Spain, Thailand, Seychelles, Ghana, and of course some British people too! ;)
We've seen a few pubs, some OK and some terrible bars, had some laughs and a generally good time so far.
I was so upset with my horse that I went to see my dad in the peak district during my first weekend here, this was a lovely little getaway which made me feel a bit better. I spent time playing with Doedel, their new puppy, walked around in the snow a bit, did some reading for uni, had lovely dinners made by my stepmum and played a bit of music. I headed back north on Sunday and went out with my roomies for a drink which was really nice! We went to a cocktail bar in town and tried out a couple of cocktails. I went back a bit earlier cos I was pretty tired and hadn't had dinner yet. Anyway...
Then my first week at uni began! WHOO! and the kickoff was a lecture on American Literature in Space and Place on captivity narratives in the U.S., with the first narrative by Mary Rowlandson, a puritan settler who was captured by the Native Americans. Very biblical and not at all what I enjoy reading, but then again it is quite interesting to see what they went through and in how the puritans got through lots of terrible things (killing of parts of their family etc). Still, I'm an atheist and I can't relate to someone who refers to God and the bible every 2nd sentence. The next narrative is by Zitkala Sa, a native American writing about her experiences in the form of short stories. Very interesting indeed... How a lot of Native Americans were captured and taught to live up to what they Bible said, went back to their tribe and weren't accepted. They weren't accepted anywhere.. I'd like to describe it as a sort of 'inbetween' not a Native American anymore because of their upbringing, yet not a 'paleface' because of the way they look. hmm..
Other classes that week were: Language and mind, which is interesting too.. mainly about psycholinguistics and how to set up a data analysis on an 'idea'. and TESOL which is funnnn, teaching English to speakers of Other languages. We had lots of discussions during class about how to teach. Is it OK if the learners speak in their own language while learning English? Is English best taught by native speakers of English? etc.
On Friday Anja, a friend of mine from Uni in Amsterdam, showed up for her last day in the UK after spending her first semester in Sheffield. We hobbled around town and checked out some books (ah the joy of being a literature student)... Then in the evening I went in search of a bar with a kiwi. We found some nice places and some ehhhh not so nice places? All the stereotypes Northern English people were there, in short dresses and high heels with waaaay too much makeup on, and then the lads dressed as hipsters and such. We had some laughs looking at these people, which is SOOO much fun sometimes. finished our drink and went on to the next place. Also had some cocktails, I ordered a 'penicillin' (which had Laphroaig in it, obviously), but got a strawberry Martini. Which doesn't sound anything like the other drink... obviously the girl wasn't enjoying her job. hah.
We however, had a better time than she did. Finished our drink and then went to another bar... which was pretty much alright. Music I could listen to, and people who were kind of normal. and an outside area.
Oh, we also found a pub that sells 'D'Achouffe' and a beer called 'Tempest' which was really nice! and contained more than 3,4% alcohol. Whoo!
After all these bars and pubs (OK, not that many but a few) we thought we'd seen most of it and headed back. Definitely a fun first night out in toon.
On Saturday I had a Sushi/Twilight night with my roomies and an old roomie (used to have my room). I sort of learnt how to make sushi, and it was soooo tasty mmm <3 Really love sushiii!!!
Then we watched Twilight and made fun of all the bad acting, Kirsten Stewart's open mouth and how they could do the acting so seriously. Anyway, fun times. Then watched some TOWIE and Wallace and Gromit. Then all really tired and went to bed. before 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. amazing.
And today, I got my Laphroaig update which isn't too positive at the moment but there is still hope, never give up!
If you want to do more than send love and strength (which is obviously all I'm really asking for)... He is costing me an arm and a leg and donations are very welcome. message me for details if so. He's amazing, and he'll always be amazing, whatever happens. Give him love <3
I'll be back with more soon! Thank you all for supporting me and my horsie, he really needs it and I'm sure it's helping. I can't tell you all enough times how grateful I am with all you've done so far.
XX
where to start... it's not been that long since my last travel update but so much has happened since then!
Let's do a quick story of Laphroaig first. Laphroaig is my 2 year old colt, my pride and my extraordinary miracle, and has been since day 1. On the 23rd of January he fell over backwards while playing (or this is what we think happened) and that caused a skullfracture near his organ of balance. There was blood coming out of his nose and left ear and he couldn't eat or walk properly. Having said that, he tried his best not to get on the horse float, and so they had to keep him at the stables overnight and try again the next day, he needed to go to the clinic/ horse hospital. So the next day he got there, and yes he had a skullfracture, yes there was a very very small chance of him pulling through but the chance was not nil, and did I want to have him put down or start treatment. They wouldn't have given me the option 'treatment' if it wasn't possible, so... although it's costing me an arm and a leg, I went with treating him. and now, on the 3rd of February he is still alive! He is not in any real pain, and the only suffering he has to endure is frustration and loneliness for the time being, but I hope that this will go away in time.
Since yesterday afternoon some complications have come up: there is old blood and dirt coming out of his ear, which would hint an infection, so they're going to treat that with antibiotics. And although he had started eating, he's been eating less over the past few days, so this is a bit worrying too. They cleaned out his mouth, and found nothing but his back babyteeth having some gaps in between the 1st and 2nd row, and between the 3rd and 4th row. This is not strange for a 2 year old, and so they have cleaned this properly hoping to have resolved the issue.
It's been nerve-wracking, difficult, and hectic times so far... I'm asking everyone who reads this blog to send him love, strength and to hope for his health. He is a truly amazing horse and the son of my mare, so he means a great deal to me! Thanks!
While we're hoping for a healthy horse, other things have been going on as well, as they do when you've just moved to a 'new' country to study for a semester.
I have met people from all over the world: Sweden, Kiwiland, the U.S.A., Germany, Norway, Austria, Spain, Thailand, Seychelles, Ghana, and of course some British people too! ;)
We've seen a few pubs, some OK and some terrible bars, had some laughs and a generally good time so far.
I was so upset with my horse that I went to see my dad in the peak district during my first weekend here, this was a lovely little getaway which made me feel a bit better. I spent time playing with Doedel, their new puppy, walked around in the snow a bit, did some reading for uni, had lovely dinners made by my stepmum and played a bit of music. I headed back north on Sunday and went out with my roomies for a drink which was really nice! We went to a cocktail bar in town and tried out a couple of cocktails. I went back a bit earlier cos I was pretty tired and hadn't had dinner yet. Anyway...
Then my first week at uni began! WHOO! and the kickoff was a lecture on American Literature in Space and Place on captivity narratives in the U.S., with the first narrative by Mary Rowlandson, a puritan settler who was captured by the Native Americans. Very biblical and not at all what I enjoy reading, but then again it is quite interesting to see what they went through and in how the puritans got through lots of terrible things (killing of parts of their family etc). Still, I'm an atheist and I can't relate to someone who refers to God and the bible every 2nd sentence. The next narrative is by Zitkala Sa, a native American writing about her experiences in the form of short stories. Very interesting indeed... How a lot of Native Americans were captured and taught to live up to what they Bible said, went back to their tribe and weren't accepted. They weren't accepted anywhere.. I'd like to describe it as a sort of 'inbetween' not a Native American anymore because of their upbringing, yet not a 'paleface' because of the way they look. hmm..
Other classes that week were: Language and mind, which is interesting too.. mainly about psycholinguistics and how to set up a data analysis on an 'idea'. and TESOL which is funnnn, teaching English to speakers of Other languages. We had lots of discussions during class about how to teach. Is it OK if the learners speak in their own language while learning English? Is English best taught by native speakers of English? etc.
On Friday Anja, a friend of mine from Uni in Amsterdam, showed up for her last day in the UK after spending her first semester in Sheffield. We hobbled around town and checked out some books (ah the joy of being a literature student)... Then in the evening I went in search of a bar with a kiwi. We found some nice places and some ehhhh not so nice places? All the stereotypes Northern English people were there, in short dresses and high heels with waaaay too much makeup on, and then the lads dressed as hipsters and such. We had some laughs looking at these people, which is SOOO much fun sometimes. finished our drink and went on to the next place. Also had some cocktails, I ordered a 'penicillin' (which had Laphroaig in it, obviously), but got a strawberry Martini. Which doesn't sound anything like the other drink... obviously the girl wasn't enjoying her job. hah.
We however, had a better time than she did. Finished our drink and then went to another bar... which was pretty much alright. Music I could listen to, and people who were kind of normal. and an outside area.
Oh, we also found a pub that sells 'D'Achouffe' and a beer called 'Tempest' which was really nice! and contained more than 3,4% alcohol. Whoo!
After all these bars and pubs (OK, not that many but a few) we thought we'd seen most of it and headed back. Definitely a fun first night out in toon.
On Saturday I had a Sushi/Twilight night with my roomies and an old roomie (used to have my room). I sort of learnt how to make sushi, and it was soooo tasty mmm <3 Really love sushiii!!!
Then we watched Twilight and made fun of all the bad acting, Kirsten Stewart's open mouth and how they could do the acting so seriously. Anyway, fun times. Then watched some TOWIE and Wallace and Gromit. Then all really tired and went to bed. before 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. amazing.
And today, I got my Laphroaig update which isn't too positive at the moment but there is still hope, never give up!
If you want to do more than send love and strength (which is obviously all I'm really asking for)... He is costing me an arm and a leg and donations are very welcome. message me for details if so. He's amazing, and he'll always be amazing, whatever happens. Give him love <3
I'll be back with more soon! Thank you all for supporting me and my horsie, he really needs it and I'm sure it's helping. I can't tell you all enough times how grateful I am with all you've done so far.
XX
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
