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On my way to the Trafford Centre, on a Saturday afternoon, there were kids playing soccer (football)
everywhere: on actual playing fields, parks, concrete parks, and even in the street when none of the other
options seemed available. Some played with a whole lot of friends (mates) while others would just kicked
the ball between two and still others on their own, kicking a ball against a wall.

This is the Trafford Centre, an American-type shopping mall (although they would never use the word
'mall', and think it hillarious whenever I do use the word. They always respond with a drawn out "maaall"
emphasizing drawl of the 'a' sound and the overall sensed laziness of American English.) Many of my
students like to go there to simply "hang out" which is consistent with American students of the same
age. I am still attempting to understand their fascination with the Trafford Centre as it only understands
one principle: consumerism. So unless you have to buy something I cannot understand why there is a
need to be there, but the kids love it. My students were anxious to get my reaction to the Trafford Centre's
cafe court (though they do not refer to it as such). Again, it seemed to have been designed based on
American counterparts so I was less than impressed when I saw it. And in turn my students were
disappointed when I returned to tell them I was less than amazed.

The shopping centre is three stories. The first two are full of shops while the third story is reserved for
the cinemas. It is always quite illuminated inside with natural light flooding in through the glass roof. As
you can see with the imagse above and below that it is quite lavish, even for American standards; with
palm trees and fountains it seems to have a Las Vegas flair.