So, somehow before we left, Dasi found a UJS shabbaton. I hemmed a bit about it, but I one of the last things I did on Sunday before I packed was sign up online.
The shabbaton was in Bournemouth (pronounced, to the best of my understanding, as “born-myth”) but before I tell you about that, I have to tell you that Dasi and I have been making our own kosher kitchen for the semester. This has involved a lot of purchases, including a mini-oven, these flimsy plastic cups, three plates and bowls and a full set of cutlery, among other things. A bunch of these things had to be toveled. We were thinking about doing it in the Thames River, which would have been pretty cool, but it is cold and we and it was recommended that we just bring the stuff up to the mikvah in Golders Green or Hendon.
So on Friday morning I met Dasi at the train (long story, that is entirely Dasi’s, as to why we didn’t go together) with a suitcase full of plates and forks. We found the mikvah. (LEORA! The mikvah is on the same street as that fish and chips place we went to! But it was a much shorter walk from the Hendon Central station.)
We speed-toveled our stuff, Dasi dunking while I tore plastic and stickers off of everything. Then we repacked, discussing how we were going to get to the bus, which was loading by the Hillel student living. Luckily, another woman came by to tovel a knife, and when we asked her for directions, she offered to drive us. People here are so nice, I can’t even begin to tell you.
So that’s how we got to the bus, which drove us a few hours to the seaside town of Bournemouth. The shabbaton itself was a lot of fun. There was an epic pillow fight at midnight, and laser tag (called quasar here) on Saturday night. Food was wonderful, I met a bunch of people and practiced my British slang. I also got more connected with the Jewish events in the area, and was invited to Thursday night learning, which I want to look into.
Rav Gav, the rabbi for the London student community, drove Dasi and me back home, along with two other girls scattered around central London, which is unbelievably nice of him. We got back around 01:30 in the morning, and were out pretty quickly. Nothing scheduled for Sunday, so we slept in pretty late.
Of course, now I have to figure out what I’m doing this week…
Quasar sounds so much cooler than laser tag. 😀
I know, right!?
hey!! i love reading your blog!! quasar is super cool!! the place you went was it through a courtyard and up some steps? i went there for someone’s party and it was amazing! its like laser tag but the boards are so much huger!! i loved it because husband is great at it. i suck, but he is good. which mikva did you go to? was it a tiny little room on the side of a shul with a huge circular driveway and a big gate? and what was this fish and chip place? ray loves fish and chips. have you been to PIZZAZA or slice or white house? yum i miss that place. have fun!!
Yay! I hope it stays entertaining! I love reading your comments. 😀
The place we went to quasar was in Bournemouth, so probably not the same one? I’m also terrible at it, but some of the guys were Serious.
I think it might have been a different mikvah. We were literally there for less than ten minutes though. (SPEED TOVEL)
I want fish and chips sooooo baaaaadly! We haven’t gone out to eat at all yet, unless you count the Hillel house. Hendon/Golders Green is just too far away…