Laura Ball, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Hi, I’m Laura, not a born-and-bred Geordie, but I’ve been in Newcastle for nearly five years now, and it’s beginning to feel very much like home. Like a lot of people, I originally moved here to study and have stuck around ever since! After completing a research master’s degree in German, I worked in various language-related roles before setting up as a self-employed, freelance translator and language trainer. I work from German into English (and teach German and English), and most of my work involves business and financial texts, although I also have some music clients and vary my workload with some transcription work for a news agency. I joined the ITI as an associate in 2011 and the CIoL as a member in 2012. I am hoping to sit the MITI exam in June this year.
What I like about Newcastle…
One of the reasons I stayed here was the opportunity that Newcastle offers for getting involved in local arts - music, drama, art installations, folk music and much more. The city’s regeneration has seen a lot of the old industrial spaces being turned into creative spaces for artists of all types. This generates a lively feel to the city, and there is always something going on. An example of this is given in the free Crack magazine, which details listings of all the events happening each month. It’s well worth checking out the online version if you’re ever heading up to Newcastle: http://www.thecrackmagazine.com.
My three favourite places:
There are so many to choose from, but one of them must surely be the Quayside. There is no better way to spend a Sunday morning than strolling along the quayside, enjoying both the market and the genuine German Bratwürste that are sold there! The Millennium Bridge is a favourite sight, and I enjoy crossing it to have a look round the latest exhibition in the (free) Baltic art gallery.
Another favourite locale is Bar Loco, on Leazes Park road (http://www.barloconewcastle.com). It features a Bohemian mix of art deco furnishings, some European beers on tap and an eclectic, artsy crowd to pass the time with. There’s a cafe/bar area downstairs, a large lounge area upstairs and even an art gallery on the third floor that exhibits works by local artists. Not to mention the incredible Italian food - did I say that the place is still owned by the Italian family that originally opened it? It’s generally just a great place to hang out in, as there will always be a couple of interesting people to talk to, but it doesn’t get overcrowded with drunken idiots who might spoil the atmosphere.
A third place I like is the Holy Jesus Hospital on City Road in the town centre. I volunteered there giving guided tours before it was largely shut to the public (some visits possible by appointment). The 100-year-old facade looks a little incongruous amid all the modern buildings, but inside it is full of unlikely history. Originally an Augustinian friary, it became essentially a retirement home for freemen in the seventeenth century and then an industrial-sized soup kitchen was added to it in the Victorian era. It’s just one of the hidden historical treasures that Newcastle - unexpectedly - has to offer.
My favourite Geordie word…
… is “hoy” as in “Hoy it here, will you?”, which means “throw”, like throwing something across the room.
