The Lens of Energy & Sustainability

They said, Newcastle is “home away from home,”

“I miss Newcastle already,” as some friends said when I was still in my home country. Last autumn, arriving safe after too much life drama before departure to the UK, I stepped into a shared house in a residential area and spent for my first fourteen days of self isolation. I took a chance of capturing some views nearby – a cemetery and bike garden. Cemetery? Yes, far from being spooky, grounds here are beautiful, and of course some old tombs represent 19th century state of the art. The garden? Oh, I live in a big city, the capital of my home country, skyscraper, malls everywhere, no sidewalk that I couldn’t easily walk along or commuting unless I’m ready to fight some bikers taking over the pedestrian, and the pollution! Having a big park surrounding me, breathe the fresh air, able to walk from my place to get to every place I want in this city, the nature I can realy enjoy, is a privilege. In Newcastle, I “own” that privilege, making me feel super rich with park everywhere. It was autumn, not only did the colour give me a memorable view, but many thing, yes, many good things happened beyond my expectation.

Back in those days last year. When I was on flight – the first long flight with a face mask on, I didn’t even think of getting help upon my arrival in the pandemic situation, but prepared for sorting everything out like Céline Dion’s “All By Myself”.My first day in Newcastle, started from the arrival at the airport scene – the campus team were ready with their support: a transport to get me to my accommodation, continued with a mental health programme, where they gave me biweekly calls to ensure my being during my self isolation. I started to have a good and super helpful friend that day, and many more each day. The food? I can chose anything I want, super easy to get halal and tasty food; the fruits, veggies, the groceries are super cheap (well, I heard from those who had returned to our home country, just realised how expensive the grocery in Jakarta.. OK, I won’t think further about it).

Now it’s been 4 months, I enjoy the course, yeah the online course due to multiple lockdown, except need more time and energy for courseworks and essays, and patient when the network issue or technical glitch occured.

The lecturers are super helpful that I always get feedback and advice, the university also provides many programmes outside compulsory and optional modules, and last December shared a winter-break grocery package to students. Despite the lockdown, I get along with some coursemates too, and they are super nice.

Yesterday, when I almost got crazy during technical issue with my laptop, my lecturer also advised me to use a campus laptop during the course. . So, how many words of #super in this piece of writing? If I continue, the space might not be enough for more, because my first 4 months here are super amazing. Hope to have more time and chance for sightseeing in Newcastle, after the situation back to normal. For now, let me continue being grateful, for this super beauty, a serenity of Newcastle….

So when they said, Newcastle is “home away from home,” I couldn’t agree more.