I've always been a 'people-watcher.' It's not really staring so much as it is just observing. Perhaps that's just a euphemism, but I've never thought it was creepy or weird because I've always known that everyone does it. Admit it. You know you do too.
Recently on the Tube, I've noticed what people do to pass the time. While most are engrossed in some form of musical entertainment blasting into their ears via little white earbud speakers, there are still a select few who actually use their commutes to enjoy the written word. As a journalism major, London astounds me at its fairly decent selection of free newspapers that are handed out just outside the Tube stations. The LondonLite, in my opinion, is a rag and has very little substantive news value, but the London Paper and the Metro are actually fairly quality journalism. Because of the can't-be-beat price of the news in this town (um, it's free, hello!), I'm convinced that London is far better informed than DC, where there are only two major subscription papers (London has about 6) and only one free paper (London has about 3).
But even more striking than if someone is reading in general, is if they're reading a book. Today, I had the interesting experience of sitting next to two people who were not only reading, but reading self-help books. The first was a man reading about how to preserve his inner artist. It was going on and on about negative self-images and how that kills creativity and how you must counter-act the negative with a more positive statement... Repeat after me: I, (your name), am an excellent artist whose gift is a way to be closer to the highest form of understanding and being... not even kidding...
The second reader was a woman engrossed in a title that was something like, 'How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have...' Of course, being the Londoner, I started reading over their shoulders. Personally, I would not want some random busy-body like myself reading over my shoulder if I was reading something that was basically teaching me how to become my own personal cheerleader. There's something strangely ironic about someone who has enough self-confidence to read a self-help book on the subway. But to also be so unconfident as to actually feel like they need a self-help book in the first place.
I will forever be more conscious of what I read on the tube. I know that since I'm looking and reading over your shoulder, some day next week, you'll be looking and reading over mine.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
czech me out
Skipping back in time a little, I should probably talk about my birthday before spring break. I had a wonderful 20th birthday. The girls in my flat pulled out all the stops for me. I woke up to a bouquet of roses from Lily and Keiko and a pair of earings from Scotland from Mandy. I then promptly consumed Pop Tarts from my care package from Mom and then talked to both sets of parents. After that, we went to the London Eye. It was a beautiful, clear day. We could see for miles. It was perfect. My birthday was Red Nose Day - a Comic Relief Festival to help Africa and some English schools. It was really funny to see people walking around London in red clown noses. But I found out today that the festival raised 7 million pounds. I'm happy to share my birthday with such an excellent event. The night was spent at dinner at a noodle joint called Tuk Tuk and then at a few pubs. It was a good time.
This post really should just be full of photos, but it takes forever to load them. So I've uploaded them to another Web site. Here's the link so you can enjoy my pictures from Prague. Unfortunately, the pictures are in backwards order, so start from the end and work backwards if you can.
The trip was wonderful. The city has such amazing character and history. Prague has survived so much - it's one of the only European cities to have much of the original architecture from before the second world war. It was left basically unscathed and because of that, the whinding cobble stone streets are packed tight with beautifully ornate Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic buildings. It's an architectural wonderland, and I had a fabulous time wandering around with Olivia, getting lost and exploring a city that has seen hundreds of years of kings, the dark years of Communist rule and is now a modernized member of globalized Europe.
We didn't have as much trouble as we thought we would with the language. Both Olivia and I printed out little pocket guides to Czech. I can now say about 4 words (please, yes, no, beer, wine... that's about it) in Czech. Most everyone spoke English, so it wasn't a big deal.
It was great seeing my dad and staying in the hotel with him. We stayed at the InterContinental. It's a 5 star hotel and the room came complete with a hot tub, a sauna, tons of bath products which we pilfered, a queen size bed, slippers and a rubber duck. Yes, that's right. A rubber duck. He disappeared after the first night - not because we took him, we don't know where he went. We used the hot tub a few nights because it was so terribly cold outside. But despite the frigid temperatures, we had an amazing time.
The only bummer came when we tried to come back to London. Our flight was delayed about 6 hours. We were supposed to leave Prague at 8:50 pm. We didn't end up leaving until 4:15 am. That put us into London around 5:30 am. We got to our beds at 7:45. It was miserable. I was so tired yesterday, and I'm a little sick, so that didn't help the situation. Unfortunately, because we flew easyJet, it doesn't look like we're going to see any sort of compensation for our time or trouble. It's really too bad, because I would feel a whole lot better about their airline if they actually cared that I was a zombie all day yesterday. Oh well. We made it, and we made some good friends at the airport while we waited. We ended up talking to these two girls from Bristol and playing card games with them for the majority of the time. It passed quickly enough, so it wasn't so horrible, and if anything, it's a good story, right?
But now, the fun is over and it's back to real life. I started my internship back up today and class starts again tomorrow.
More soon.
B
This post really should just be full of photos, but it takes forever to load them. So I've uploaded them to another Web site. Here's the link so you can enjoy my pictures from Prague. Unfortunately, the pictures are in backwards order, so start from the end and work backwards if you can.
The trip was wonderful. The city has such amazing character and history. Prague has survived so much - it's one of the only European cities to have much of the original architecture from before the second world war. It was left basically unscathed and because of that, the whinding cobble stone streets are packed tight with beautifully ornate Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic buildings. It's an architectural wonderland, and I had a fabulous time wandering around with Olivia, getting lost and exploring a city that has seen hundreds of years of kings, the dark years of Communist rule and is now a modernized member of globalized Europe.
We didn't have as much trouble as we thought we would with the language. Both Olivia and I printed out little pocket guides to Czech. I can now say about 4 words (please, yes, no, beer, wine... that's about it) in Czech. Most everyone spoke English, so it wasn't a big deal.
It was great seeing my dad and staying in the hotel with him. We stayed at the InterContinental. It's a 5 star hotel and the room came complete with a hot tub, a sauna, tons of bath products which we pilfered, a queen size bed, slippers and a rubber duck. Yes, that's right. A rubber duck. He disappeared after the first night - not because we took him, we don't know where he went. We used the hot tub a few nights because it was so terribly cold outside. But despite the frigid temperatures, we had an amazing time.
The only bummer came when we tried to come back to London. Our flight was delayed about 6 hours. We were supposed to leave Prague at 8:50 pm. We didn't end up leaving until 4:15 am. That put us into London around 5:30 am. We got to our beds at 7:45. It was miserable. I was so tired yesterday, and I'm a little sick, so that didn't help the situation. Unfortunately, because we flew easyJet, it doesn't look like we're going to see any sort of compensation for our time or trouble. It's really too bad, because I would feel a whole lot better about their airline if they actually cared that I was a zombie all day yesterday. Oh well. We made it, and we made some good friends at the airport while we waited. We ended up talking to these two girls from Bristol and playing card games with them for the majority of the time. It passed quickly enough, so it wasn't so horrible, and if anything, it's a good story, right?
But now, the fun is over and it's back to real life. I started my internship back up today and class starts again tomorrow.
More soon.
B
Monday, March 12, 2007
a little kindness in the daffodils
They say that cities are cold. Not temperature cold, but emotionally distant and uncaring. For the most part in London I've found that that is true as with DC or New York or any other major metropolitan area. You don't say 'Bless you' when the man next to you sneezes. You don't pick up the lady's paper when she drops it. And under no circumstances should you look at people as you walk past them on the street.
Today was a warm day. In a city usually populated by black trench coats, black umbrellas and black clicky heels, there were sunny colorful skirts, ties and coatless backs. And with the rising outdoor temperature today came a warm spell of friendliness.
Today, sitting in the sun in Trafalgar Square at lunch time, I was taken aback by how many people were sitting on the low walls eating lunch with friends, chatting, talking about the school children who walked by and the lady in red who sings opera to a boom box. I was astonished when, as I was getting off the tube at Warwick Avenue, my home, a lady walked past me, head up, listening to her iPod smiling. She looked me right in the eye and grinned. I, slightly stunned, tilted my head and smiled back, meeting her gaze and sharing a moment with a complete stranger.
Spring brings a sense of life to this city that I have not yet experienced. The appreciation for the world that the woman and I shared today on Clifton Garden Road is something that I had not yet noticed could happen in a place where 7 million people run around each day with their own agenda.
It seems to me that with daffodils subtle kindness is not far behind.
Today was a warm day. In a city usually populated by black trench coats, black umbrellas and black clicky heels, there were sunny colorful skirts, ties and coatless backs. And with the rising outdoor temperature today came a warm spell of friendliness.
Today, sitting in the sun in Trafalgar Square at lunch time, I was taken aback by how many people were sitting on the low walls eating lunch with friends, chatting, talking about the school children who walked by and the lady in red who sings opera to a boom box. I was astonished when, as I was getting off the tube at Warwick Avenue, my home, a lady walked past me, head up, listening to her iPod smiling. She looked me right in the eye and grinned. I, slightly stunned, tilted my head and smiled back, meeting her gaze and sharing a moment with a complete stranger.
Spring brings a sense of life to this city that I have not yet experienced. The appreciation for the world that the woman and I shared today on Clifton Garden Road is something that I had not yet noticed could happen in a place where 7 million people run around each day with their own agenda.
It seems to me that with daffodils subtle kindness is not far behind.
Friday, March 9, 2007
crunch
It's been a crazy time since I've posted last. I know I've said so many times that I've been busy, but it's reached a new level. Before, it was a touristy busy, filled with running around from place to place to see the sites. Now, the real world has caught up with me, and work and school have taken over my life.
I have two papers due this coming week, before spring break starts on Friday. I've almost finished one, but haven't even finished the book that I need to review for the second one. Today, my day off, I'm going to spend typing and reading. Not really how I want to spend my free day during the week, but I've been putting it off and putting it off to have fun and see people, and it's time to actually do work.
This has been the week of visitors. Alex, Mandy and Olivia's friend from home, has been here all week and leaves Sunday. My friend John from home was here earlier in the week before heading to Paris on Wednesday. And now Olivia's boyfriend Sam is here for the next week until the 18th. It's been so good to have familiar faces. I've been a little homesick recently, so being able to have people from home come to me really helped.
We spent the morning in Greenwich yesterday for class. We didn't get to stay long, but it was so beautiful, I really have to go back. The Maritime Museum was really interesting, they have so much stuff. We hiked up the biggest hill ever to get to the Royal Observatory and took our campy pictures on the Prime Meridian. It was fun to be goofy and touristy - I stood in two hemispheres at once. It was pretty cool.
Earlier this week I had my first big even at my internship. I recently found out that my official position at the ENO is 'PR intern' which explains why I'm hardly interested in what I've been working on and why I don't really get to work with the press department. But I just keep plugging along, doing my best and keeping my eye out for a project that I might be able to assign myself. But on Monday we had the event for La boheme. I really got to take charge of it. I had to put together tickets and drink vouchers and then got to personally hand the packets to all the invited guests. That was neat, because I got to meet a bunch of MPs (Members of Parliament) and a few Lords and even a Baroness. I stayed for the show when my friend Canden and her friend Jonathan from home came and watched it with me. It was a long day, I didn't leave the block for like 13 hours, but I actually ended up having a lot of fun. I think I just need more days like that.
Tomorrow we're taking a big class trip to Bristol, Bath and Stonehenge. It's going to be a long day, starting at like 7.30 am, but it should be super fun. I'll be sure to post on that with lots of photos!
more soon, cheers,
b
I have two papers due this coming week, before spring break starts on Friday. I've almost finished one, but haven't even finished the book that I need to review for the second one. Today, my day off, I'm going to spend typing and reading. Not really how I want to spend my free day during the week, but I've been putting it off and putting it off to have fun and see people, and it's time to actually do work.
This has been the week of visitors. Alex, Mandy and Olivia's friend from home, has been here all week and leaves Sunday. My friend John from home was here earlier in the week before heading to Paris on Wednesday. And now Olivia's boyfriend Sam is here for the next week until the 18th. It's been so good to have familiar faces. I've been a little homesick recently, so being able to have people from home come to me really helped.
We spent the morning in Greenwich yesterday for class. We didn't get to stay long, but it was so beautiful, I really have to go back. The Maritime Museum was really interesting, they have so much stuff. We hiked up the biggest hill ever to get to the Royal Observatory and took our campy pictures on the Prime Meridian. It was fun to be goofy and touristy - I stood in two hemispheres at once. It was pretty cool.
Earlier this week I had my first big even at my internship. I recently found out that my official position at the ENO is 'PR intern' which explains why I'm hardly interested in what I've been working on and why I don't really get to work with the press department. But I just keep plugging along, doing my best and keeping my eye out for a project that I might be able to assign myself. But on Monday we had the event for La boheme. I really got to take charge of it. I had to put together tickets and drink vouchers and then got to personally hand the packets to all the invited guests. That was neat, because I got to meet a bunch of MPs (Members of Parliament) and a few Lords and even a Baroness. I stayed for the show when my friend Canden and her friend Jonathan from home came and watched it with me. It was a long day, I didn't leave the block for like 13 hours, but I actually ended up having a lot of fun. I think I just need more days like that.
Tomorrow we're taking a big class trip to Bristol, Bath and Stonehenge. It's going to be a long day, starting at like 7.30 am, but it should be super fun. I'll be sure to post on that with lots of photos!
more soon, cheers,
b
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
“It’s that you each, to shorten the long journey shall tell two tales on the way to Canterbury..." -- Chaucer
Last Saturday was spent in Canterbury and Dover with Canden. I decided that since Mandy and a few of the other girls would be in Scotland, and Olivia had to work, I should take a little day trip somewhere. Canden, always up for an adventure, agreed to come with me. She'd befriended this guy who went to the University of Kent, which is in Canterbury, and he agreed to take us around the town and then drive us to Dover so we could see the white cliffs.
It turned out to be an awesome day. I got up early and met Canden at Charing Cross station for a 10:00 train to Canterbury. We made there at 11:30 and met Adam on the other side. After the slightly awkward introductions - he and Canden had never really met officially - we walked down into town for fish and chips and then a jaunt through a cute, be it, campy, wax museum that told Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. After that, we ventured into the cathedral. Adam had graduated from university in the cathedral and hadn't been in it since then. It was really neat walking around with him, remembering his graduation day. It was so interesting to finally really hang out with an Englishman. He had so many questions about our culture "Do you guys really love peanut butter as much as I've heard...? What is it about sororities...?" And it was so nice to finally have a guide who could answer our burning questions "...What are those white jaggedy lines on the road...? What's up with those guys who wear track suits and Burberry hats...?" It was a great cross-cultural experience, and plus he was just a really neat guy.
After the cathedral, we got in his little green Peugot and drove 20 minutes to the cliffs of Dover. It was incredible. They really are white. The chalk in the stone is all over the bottoms of my shoes and stained the knees of my pants after I kneeled down. It was very windy and cold. But then, we were walking around on the side of a big cliff. It was too hazy to see France on the horizon, but Adam claims that on a clear night, you can see the lights of Calais and Bologne. I've posted some pictures below.
This is the inside of the cathedral, in the nave. It was so incredible. I always hear about how the gothic style is so verticle, how it has so much light and draws your eye straight up. It's no lie. I could not stop looking at the cieling.
The image below is of one of the stained glass windows. The whole place was full of them, but this one was especially beautiful, the colors were so incredible. I loved the crimson reds and the ultramarine blues. Absolutely amazing, but yet again, my meager attempts at capturing them on film does not even begin to do them justice:
Then here are the cliffs!
On our walk on the ledge that runs along the rim of the cliffs, we came to a nice resting spot... don't worry there's another ledge about 5 feet below me!
The rest of the weekend was fairly uneventful. I spent Sunday night out with Canden and Olivia at a Hurricane Katrina fund-raising night at this bar/restaurant called the Big Chill House. Olivia and Canden met doing relief work there last spring break, so it seemed fitting that we should partake in their event.
This week's been pretty hum-drum. It's hard to believe I've been here for a month already. My internship really improved yesterday. I got to work with about 4 new people (as opposed to my usual group of 3) and I think I've finally really made some friends. I love the three I work with on a regular basis, but they're a lot older and not really interested in socializing with me. I think I may have finally broken into the main office area crowd. Sitting in the corner has really been hard. I haven't been able to meet people because the only time they see me is when I walk into the kitchenette to get more tea. I've started spear-heading some projects as well. Mags, my boss, has put me in charge of organizing an event in April with the new musical director. It's my responsibility to set up the whole event. Not too journalistic, but I get to write the invitations, so at least I get to use my skills there. I would really like to work more closely with the press team. I want to talk to my boss about maybe letting me work under them for a day or two, so I can see how it works to send out press releases and answer inquiries, etc. I'm still working up the courage, but I figure I should just ask, where's the harm? This trip is all about experiencing new things, doing things I've never done before or dreamed of doing. It's about branching out.
Anyway, this has gotten quite long. Promise to post more soon!
b
It turned out to be an awesome day. I got up early and met Canden at Charing Cross station for a 10:00 train to Canterbury. We made there at 11:30 and met Adam on the other side. After the slightly awkward introductions - he and Canden had never really met officially - we walked down into town for fish and chips and then a jaunt through a cute, be it, campy, wax museum that told Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. After that, we ventured into the cathedral. Adam had graduated from university in the cathedral and hadn't been in it since then. It was really neat walking around with him, remembering his graduation day. It was so interesting to finally really hang out with an Englishman. He had so many questions about our culture "Do you guys really love peanut butter as much as I've heard...? What is it about sororities...?" And it was so nice to finally have a guide who could answer our burning questions "...What are those white jaggedy lines on the road...? What's up with those guys who wear track suits and Burberry hats...?" It was a great cross-cultural experience, and plus he was just a really neat guy.
After the cathedral, we got in his little green Peugot and drove 20 minutes to the cliffs of Dover. It was incredible. They really are white. The chalk in the stone is all over the bottoms of my shoes and stained the knees of my pants after I kneeled down. It was very windy and cold. But then, we were walking around on the side of a big cliff. It was too hazy to see France on the horizon, but Adam claims that on a clear night, you can see the lights of Calais and Bologne. I've posted some pictures below.
This is the inside of the cathedral, in the nave. It was so incredible. I always hear about how the gothic style is so verticle, how it has so much light and draws your eye straight up. It's no lie. I could not stop looking at the cieling.The image below is of one of the stained glass windows. The whole place was full of them, but this one was especially beautiful, the colors were so incredible. I loved the crimson reds and the ultramarine blues. Absolutely amazing, but yet again, my meager attempts at capturing them on film does not even begin to do them justice:
Then here are the cliffs!
On our walk on the ledge that runs along the rim of the cliffs, we came to a nice resting spot... don't worry there's another ledge about 5 feet below me!
The rest of the weekend was fairly uneventful. I spent Sunday night out with Canden and Olivia at a Hurricane Katrina fund-raising night at this bar/restaurant called the Big Chill House. Olivia and Canden met doing relief work there last spring break, so it seemed fitting that we should partake in their event.
This week's been pretty hum-drum. It's hard to believe I've been here for a month already. My internship really improved yesterday. I got to work with about 4 new people (as opposed to my usual group of 3) and I think I've finally really made some friends. I love the three I work with on a regular basis, but they're a lot older and not really interested in socializing with me. I think I may have finally broken into the main office area crowd. Sitting in the corner has really been hard. I haven't been able to meet people because the only time they see me is when I walk into the kitchenette to get more tea. I've started spear-heading some projects as well. Mags, my boss, has put me in charge of organizing an event in April with the new musical director. It's my responsibility to set up the whole event. Not too journalistic, but I get to write the invitations, so at least I get to use my skills there. I would really like to work more closely with the press team. I want to talk to my boss about maybe letting me work under them for a day or two, so I can see how it works to send out press releases and answer inquiries, etc. I'm still working up the courage, but I figure I should just ask, where's the harm? This trip is all about experiencing new things, doing things I've never done before or dreamed of doing. It's about branching out.
Anyway, this has gotten quite long. Promise to post more soon!
b
Thursday, February 22, 2007
moving right along
It's so easy to get caught up in this city. The days fly by, and pretty soon the week is over. I've taken up a nice routine: Work all day Monday, class and work on Tuesday, class on Wednesday, class and work on Thursday, exploring on Friday.
I'm really impressed how in the chaos of life, you naturally fall into a sort of rhythm. I've been here for about 4 weeks now, and it's beginning to feel like I've been here all along. At my internship I finally found my niche - my supervisor seems to know that I can actually do things other than data entry. And at school we're finally sort of doing work. It's hard to go to school here. We're only in class for a total of about 4 hours a week. I find it hard to concentrate on getting reading done and writing papers. But so far so good.
I love my Art and Architecture class. My professor is crazy - well, maybe crazy is the wrong word. She's eccentric. She seems to know absolutely everything about every painting, altar piece and sculpture we've seen in the National Gallery - where I could literally spend hours if my feet would hold out. After our gallery visit yesterday she took me and a few girls down the block to an art supply store where we spent 45 minutes looking at paint sets, paper, inks and brushes. It sounds totally boring, but if you're an art nerd like me, it was super fun.
We've been filling our time really well here. Like home, there is always something going on. Some sort of festival or new art gallery exhibition to go see. I love the movement of the city. I love the speed and the sudden stops. Olivia talked in her blog about how the city's movement is full of rushing speed and then lulls of silence and calm. I take solace in the 20 minutes of solitude when I ride the Tube to work and school. There's something very meditative about sitting in forced silence in a crowd of people.
I'm taking a day trip to Canterbury with my friend Canden. I haven't been out of the city since we got here. I'm curious as to what the rest of this country looks like.
more soon
b
I'm really impressed how in the chaos of life, you naturally fall into a sort of rhythm. I've been here for about 4 weeks now, and it's beginning to feel like I've been here all along. At my internship I finally found my niche - my supervisor seems to know that I can actually do things other than data entry. And at school we're finally sort of doing work. It's hard to go to school here. We're only in class for a total of about 4 hours a week. I find it hard to concentrate on getting reading done and writing papers. But so far so good.
I love my Art and Architecture class. My professor is crazy - well, maybe crazy is the wrong word. She's eccentric. She seems to know absolutely everything about every painting, altar piece and sculpture we've seen in the National Gallery - where I could literally spend hours if my feet would hold out. After our gallery visit yesterday she took me and a few girls down the block to an art supply store where we spent 45 minutes looking at paint sets, paper, inks and brushes. It sounds totally boring, but if you're an art nerd like me, it was super fun.
We've been filling our time really well here. Like home, there is always something going on. Some sort of festival or new art gallery exhibition to go see. I love the movement of the city. I love the speed and the sudden stops. Olivia talked in her blog about how the city's movement is full of rushing speed and then lulls of silence and calm. I take solace in the 20 minutes of solitude when I ride the Tube to work and school. There's something very meditative about sitting in forced silence in a crowd of people.
I'm taking a day trip to Canterbury with my friend Canden. I haven't been out of the city since we got here. I'm curious as to what the rest of this country looks like.
more soon
b
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
you can't stop me now
I feel like I haven't stopped moving since I got here; and today, it finally caught up with me. I haven't felt fully awake all day. I think it's going to be early to bed tonight.
We had another busy weekend. Our friend Ryan came into town. He's studying in Dublin and caught a flight over for the weekend. It was so good to see him again, and it gave us an excuse to go and do more touristy things we'd been wanting to do... not that we really needed an excuse... We went to Harrod's, Hamley's toy store, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, back to Burough Market... I can't even remember the rest. No wonder I'm exhausted.
This week's been nice so far, just as busy. Our student Oyster cards have finally come - which means that I get a discount on tube passes, which will save me a lot of money. I've spent so much already. It's just a very expensive city to live in. But it's nice to know that the money isn't going to be flying out of my wallet as quickly. Our mission recently has been to do anything and everything that's free. Olivia and I scored free tickets to "Love Song" last night with the theater class. We're not in it, but they had extra tickets, so we went along. It is an amazing show with an all star cast (Cillian Murphy, Kristen Johnson, Michael McKean and Neve Campbell) that left me so thoughtful and really inspired.
We officially passed the "vacation" mark. It's been almost two weeks now that we've been here - it's starting to feel less and less like a holiday and more and more like I am here for the long haul. I'm beginning to feel like one of the crowd in the Tube and on the streets. I still feel like I stick out a little, but it's becoming less and less the longer I'm here.
I haven't had time to load my pictures onto my computer recently, but when I do, I'll be sure to add photos to some of my posts.
more soon,
b
We had another busy weekend. Our friend Ryan came into town. He's studying in Dublin and caught a flight over for the weekend. It was so good to see him again, and it gave us an excuse to go and do more touristy things we'd been wanting to do... not that we really needed an excuse... We went to Harrod's, Hamley's toy store, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, back to Burough Market... I can't even remember the rest. No wonder I'm exhausted.
This week's been nice so far, just as busy. Our student Oyster cards have finally come - which means that I get a discount on tube passes, which will save me a lot of money. I've spent so much already. It's just a very expensive city to live in. But it's nice to know that the money isn't going to be flying out of my wallet as quickly. Our mission recently has been to do anything and everything that's free. Olivia and I scored free tickets to "Love Song" last night with the theater class. We're not in it, but they had extra tickets, so we went along. It is an amazing show with an all star cast (Cillian Murphy, Kristen Johnson, Michael McKean and Neve Campbell) that left me so thoughtful and really inspired.
We officially passed the "vacation" mark. It's been almost two weeks now that we've been here - it's starting to feel less and less like a holiday and more and more like I am here for the long haul. I'm beginning to feel like one of the crowd in the Tube and on the streets. I still feel like I stick out a little, but it's becoming less and less the longer I'm here.
I haven't had time to load my pictures onto my computer recently, but when I do, I'll be sure to add photos to some of my posts.
more soon,
b
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