My North East Story: A Geordie Abroad(ie)

Welcome back to my new feature for 2015, "My North East Story" where I ask a different local blogger to share their stories of the North East each month.

This month is the turn of Katie from Geordie Abroad(ie).   Katie contacted me after realising that we have a location connection.  I am a Norfolk girl living in the North East, and she is a Northumbrian living in Norfolk!   Katie is currently studying in Spain and, although having a wonderful time, is missing her homeland.  

1.  What is your North East Story?

I’m a born and bred Northumbrian! But I tell uni pals I’m from Newcastle because nobody knows where Northumberland is.  I live in a smallish town called Cramlington around ten miles north of Newcastle and always have done, other than four years of childhood spent right next to the beach in Blyth.

Having now left to do my degree in Norwich, and my Erasmus year abroad in Alicante, Spain, coming home to the North East is even more special. I can’t even explain the joy seeing the bridges from the train gives me, it’s like everything goes all warm and mushy inside. I’m normally that annoying person who doesn’t get out of the way because they’re trying to get a decent photo.

2. Why do you love living in the North East?

Obviously us Geordies are incredibly proud of our region but I didn’t realise that sense of pride was rare until I left. When I went to uni, so much of my identity was that I’m “from Newcastle” and that’s why my blog ended up ‘A Geordie Abroad(ie)’. Everyone here is lovely and friendly and I feel like life is just better here.

3. Where's your favourite place in the North East to relax?

I’m a sucker for the Northumbrian coastline. Even though I now live on the Costa Blanca, nothing beats a wander along Blyth beach. When my uni housemate came up to visit me we walked the 8 mile round trip from Blyth to Seaton Sluice and back again and it was tiring and cold because it was January but such a lovely day to show off the North to my southern pal!

 

4. Recommend some yummy food places in the North East

Akbar’s Indian restaurant in Newcastle is incredible and they serve naan breads bigger than your face. Seriously. Once when I was there, Alan Pardew was too and I tapped him on the shoulder, what a claim to fame!

 

For those of you on a student budget like me, try the Italian Sambuca chain; we usually go to the one in North Shields. I swear one day a week you can get a normal size pizza for £1!

I can’t recommend northern food without talking about a chip shop so when you’re down at Blyth beach, get yourself a bag of chips from Coastline. I’ve never seen the place quiet and the portion sizes are insane, you could probably feed two with one bag of chips so great value for money! Or if you’re crazy like my stepdad, feed the seagulls and risk your life…

 

5. Describe your perfect day in the North East

Oh wow. I feel like it would start somewhere else so I could have that coming home feeling and spot the Angel from the car.

 

I’d have a wander along the quayside, head into the Baltic to see what they have on and then maybe catch a film at Tyneside Cinema. They normally show foreign language films which helps me as a Spanish student! It would end on a tour of all the Gregg’s * and then seeing Robbie Williams at the Metro Radio Arena because I saw him there twice last summer and he was perfect as ever, but seeing him in your hometown is the best feeling!

Writing this in Spain makes me super homesick for the North East but knowing I’m home in summer makes it all okay. Thanks so much to Chloe to inviting me to her little corner of the internet, I’ve had a great time!

 

*Chloe's note .. a little North East fact that you may not know!  Greggs originated in the North East, and Newcastle pretty much has one on every street.