So I'm not sure how it happened, but I managed to feel settled here. I know where I like to get groceries, where I can find cheap snacks, and who I can go talk to if I have had a bad day. It sort of crept up on me, but it feels nice.
The week was long, but went by quickly. You know how the days feel endless, but when stacked on top of one another, the week flies by? It was one of those. Classes are picking up and I have my first quiz this Wednesday. It should be pretty easy, but it feels odd as normally I'd be swamped with work right now. Gotta love periodic, cumulative testing.
This week's production for theatre was A Streetcar Named Desire. I wasn't anticipating a good time because I have heard countless renditions of the play in speech, but the performance was fantastic. The three hours flew by and I even enjoyed the now cliche yet classic lines. Something about Blanch dying from an unwashed grape out on the ocean seemed to mean more this time around.
I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of whale watching in Cork. The pier we need to leave from is about an hour outside the city, so the planning process is a little involved. I'm positive it will happen. I also have another trip in the works for Oct 22 - 25 to Tromso, Norway. It is WAY up north and someone here has a friend we can stay with. Basically, we will be very close to the Arctic Circle and should have the opportunity to see the northern lights. October is one of the best times to see them.
Today we went to see Stonehenge and the city of Salisbury. Stonehenge was really neat, but is also just one of those things you have to see. I'd equate it to the Space Needle. It was really cool and I am glad I went, but I don't necessarily need to do it again. Salisbury on the other hand, was fantastic. We went to Salisbury Cathedral and I was taken aback. It was so gorgeous and elaborate, just standing on it's own without other buildings in the background. I felt very small next to it, physically and emotionally. Seeing buildings with such great histories blows your world to grand proportions and you remember just how small you are.
It was a wonderful chance to get out of the city and that is also why I am excited for Norway. I feel like there is never time for a thought to myself when I have to constantly dodge people in the streets and tube. I'm not used to the big city and I need the solitude sometimes. This trip has been very humbling and has set some things in stone for me. I cannot live in a big city. Suburbs could work, but not directly in the city. I'd go crazy. But I am also reminded that I am seeing all of these fantastic places, but not with the people I care about most. Everyone on this trip with me is great, but sometimes I really just want my family with me. I ran into this when I moved to WA too, but it happens even more here. I rezlize that the world is much bigger than I can actually fathom and the comforts of home seem that much more important.
It's short and sideways...sorry. :P
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Monday, 21 September 2009
Wahoo!
Today has been wonderful. Up and down fantastic.
Long story short, I found a round trip ticket to Cork, Ireland for 30 pounds on October 16-18th. Ecstatic, I ran and told my friends. However, most of them already have travel plans for the beginning of the month so everyone was a bit iffy. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go but doing so by myself seemed like a bad idea. Fifteen minutes later, I stumble across reviews of Whale Watching off the coast of Cork and how it is absolutely amazing. Everyone gave it top notch ranks and I knew I was sold. So I call my mom, knowing full well she is going to give me a definite, "You are crazy for even asking, I won't let you go alone," or a "You have to go!" As I finish on the phone, there is a knock at my door. As I answer, two of my friends tell me they are coming with.
So there you have it everyone. Whale watching off the coast of Ireland next month. I couldn't be more excited.
Itinerary so far:
Sept 26: Daytrip to Stonehenge
Oct 9: Daytrip to Oxford
Oct 16-18: Trip to Cork, Ireland
Oct 30-31: Trip to Ieper, Belgium
Nov 13-15: Trip to Prague, Czech.
Nov 27-29: Tentative trip to Paris
Long story short, I found a round trip ticket to Cork, Ireland for 30 pounds on October 16-18th. Ecstatic, I ran and told my friends. However, most of them already have travel plans for the beginning of the month so everyone was a bit iffy. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go but doing so by myself seemed like a bad idea. Fifteen minutes later, I stumble across reviews of Whale Watching off the coast of Cork and how it is absolutely amazing. Everyone gave it top notch ranks and I knew I was sold. So I call my mom, knowing full well she is going to give me a definite, "You are crazy for even asking, I won't let you go alone," or a "You have to go!" As I finish on the phone, there is a knock at my door. As I answer, two of my friends tell me they are coming with.
So there you have it everyone. Whale watching off the coast of Ireland next month. I couldn't be more excited.
Itinerary so far:
Sept 26: Daytrip to Stonehenge
Oct 9: Daytrip to Oxford
Oct 16-18: Trip to Cork, Ireland
Oct 30-31: Trip to Ieper, Belgium
Nov 13-15: Trip to Prague, Czech.
Nov 27-29: Tentative trip to Paris
Friday, 18 September 2009
Planning
I sat in bed the other night thinking about sending texts from my old phone and handling American money. I've only been here for a few weeks and these everyday occurrences already sound foreign to my mind. I can't immediately recall what button shifts on my Sprint phone and using $1 bills seems like a joke (even though I hate the 1 and 2 pound coin business). It's odd to think that the transition when I get back home will be much like the transition here. I apologize in advance if I get grumpy.
This has been a week of planning. Nearly everyone sat around with calendars laid out for the next three months filling in project due dates, mid-terms, and finals. Finding weekends to travel can be exceedingly difficult and part of me isn't nearly ambitious as everyone else. Yes I would like to see Ireland, Scotland, Paris, Prague, Rome, Venice etc, but I feel there are other things to focus on here. I think people forget to include "England" as one of the many great places they spent their time and get too wrapped up in traveling. Regardless, I am trying to figure out what I would like to do. Seeing Jordan in Prague (mid-November) is really the only trip I have definite in my mind. Other than that, I am going to Ieper, Belgium at the end of October with IES and would like to go see Paris in late November when it might snow. I'm thinking of putting a trip to Ireland or Scotland sometime in mid-October, but I can't decide. Any help on that decision would be great.
Classes are still going well. Interesting, engaging, though not terribly difficult. I have every Friday off and it is easy to forget that this does not happen back home.
Last night, I saw Mother Courage and her Children by Brecht. It was terribly long and more exciting than I figured it would be. Brecht has an interesting style that forces the audience to remember that it is a performance and not actually happening. He felt that if people became too emotionally invested, they could not consider the piece intellectually and would therefore miss the point entirely. There should be a lot to talk about in class.
This weekend is going to be a relaxing one. I am doing laundry now (about 4 pounds for one load, which is nearly $7). Tomorrow there is going to be a trip to the Science Museum, and Sunday we are going to the East End Market. At this point, low-key is what I am looking for.
This has been a week of planning. Nearly everyone sat around with calendars laid out for the next three months filling in project due dates, mid-terms, and finals. Finding weekends to travel can be exceedingly difficult and part of me isn't nearly ambitious as everyone else. Yes I would like to see Ireland, Scotland, Paris, Prague, Rome, Venice etc, but I feel there are other things to focus on here. I think people forget to include "England" as one of the many great places they spent their time and get too wrapped up in traveling. Regardless, I am trying to figure out what I would like to do. Seeing Jordan in Prague (mid-November) is really the only trip I have definite in my mind. Other than that, I am going to Ieper, Belgium at the end of October with IES and would like to go see Paris in late November when it might snow. I'm thinking of putting a trip to Ireland or Scotland sometime in mid-October, but I can't decide. Any help on that decision would be great.
Classes are still going well. Interesting, engaging, though not terribly difficult. I have every Friday off and it is easy to forget that this does not happen back home.
Last night, I saw Mother Courage and her Children by Brecht. It was terribly long and more exciting than I figured it would be. Brecht has an interesting style that forces the audience to remember that it is a performance and not actually happening. He felt that if people became too emotionally invested, they could not consider the piece intellectually and would therefore miss the point entirely. There should be a lot to talk about in class.
This weekend is going to be a relaxing one. I am doing laundry now (about 4 pounds for one load, which is nearly $7). Tomorrow there is going to be a trip to the Science Museum, and Sunday we are going to the East End Market. At this point, low-key is what I am looking for.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Pictoral Representations
I wanted to post some of my favorite pictures for people who don't have access to Facebook. These are from my weekend
in Bath.
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Settle Settle
What a week. I'm not sure where to even begin. I feel like my last post was months ago yet it has only been a few days.
Tuesday night we went to London's only ice bar. Clearly a tourist trap, but I have seen those ice hotels TV before and I was curious. The whole troop (imagine a group of twenty Americans trying to blend in and traveling in a herd) set out to get dinner and check out the ice bar. Apparently the theme of the bar is changed a few times a year to keep the ice fresh and we visited while it was in the "Industrial" theme. The floors were metal and the room is kept at -5 degree Celsius. You are provided with a parka and gloves before you enter. The walls, glasses, seats, and entire bar itself was made of ice blocks and they circulate people through the bar at 40 minute intervals. The whole thing was really neat and I did my best to get my money's worth by trying to eat my ice glass. Pictures are on facebook :)
I've now had all of my classes and I think I will enjoy most of them. My theatre in London class may be a joke though as I did not need a 20 minute explanation of a thrust stage, but I think seeing performances every week will be worth it. I saw a new play on Thursday called Punk Rock. It was written by one of London's up and coming playwrights and was about a school shooting. I think much of the audience felt uncomfortable because the show felt so raw and held so much tension. Hopefully discussion about it will be good.
My other classes are filled with information on British culture, both old and new. A few examples: Darwin is on the back of their 10 pound note, conservatives here would still be considered liberal by most Americans, religion is much a private matter here and the prevalence of God in our politics is seen as odd and often off-putting by most Brits.
I spent Friday and part of today in Bath, England. I went with a group of seven other kids and we took an hour and a half train ride to where Jane Austen once lived and where the Romans built their bath houses nearly 2,000 years ago. It was a gorgeous place and the Baths were beautiful. It felt nice to get out and explore a little bit. We spent the night in a hostel and explored the night life (which was surprisingly vibrant). I think it is safe to say everyone had a fantastic time.
Tonight I met up with Kaitlin Brown. It was wonderful to see a familiar face and I was glad to hear she was going through the same homesickness I am. Ask anyone who is back from being abroad and they get too excited about all their wonderful travels to tell you how lonely it can get when you are transitioning to the new place. I know all about culture shock, but this is like going through the first few weeks of freshman year all over again. I didn't expect it and I think we will both be able to help one another feel more at ease. Plus, we take classes about 5 minutes away from one another, so a quick cup of coffee is always within reach.
Tuesday night we went to London's only ice bar. Clearly a tourist trap, but I have seen those ice hotels TV before and I was curious. The whole troop (imagine a group of twenty Americans trying to blend in and traveling in a herd) set out to get dinner and check out the ice bar. Apparently the theme of the bar is changed a few times a year to keep the ice fresh and we visited while it was in the "Industrial" theme. The floors were metal and the room is kept at -5 degree Celsius. You are provided with a parka and gloves before you enter. The walls, glasses, seats, and entire bar itself was made of ice blocks and they circulate people through the bar at 40 minute intervals. The whole thing was really neat and I did my best to get my money's worth by trying to eat my ice glass. Pictures are on facebook :)
I've now had all of my classes and I think I will enjoy most of them. My theatre in London class may be a joke though as I did not need a 20 minute explanation of a thrust stage, but I think seeing performances every week will be worth it. I saw a new play on Thursday called Punk Rock. It was written by one of London's up and coming playwrights and was about a school shooting. I think much of the audience felt uncomfortable because the show felt so raw and held so much tension. Hopefully discussion about it will be good.
My other classes are filled with information on British culture, both old and new. A few examples: Darwin is on the back of their 10 pound note, conservatives here would still be considered liberal by most Americans, religion is much a private matter here and the prevalence of God in our politics is seen as odd and often off-putting by most Brits.
I spent Friday and part of today in Bath, England. I went with a group of seven other kids and we took an hour and a half train ride to where Jane Austen once lived and where the Romans built their bath houses nearly 2,000 years ago. It was a gorgeous place and the Baths were beautiful. It felt nice to get out and explore a little bit. We spent the night in a hostel and explored the night life (which was surprisingly vibrant). I think it is safe to say everyone had a fantastic time.
Tonight I met up with Kaitlin Brown. It was wonderful to see a familiar face and I was glad to hear she was going through the same homesickness I am. Ask anyone who is back from being abroad and they get too excited about all their wonderful travels to tell you how lonely it can get when you are transitioning to the new place. I know all about culture shock, but this is like going through the first few weeks of freshman year all over again. I didn't expect it and I think we will both be able to help one another feel more at ease. Plus, we take classes about 5 minutes away from one another, so a quick cup of coffee is always within reach.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Here we go!
Sunshine was neatly nestled in bed with me this morning when I woke up. Despite having cooler days in the fifties last week, it managed to hit eighty today. Something about the sunshine adds a new dimension to the cityscape. Suddenly I can see the imperfections in old stone buildings and the chimneys that sweep the sky while in stark contrast, new steel buildings gleam with some sort of youth. I'm still grappling with the history of the place. Seeing the old black cabs and the double decker buses makes it extremely easy to pretend it is the 1930's and I am merely walking down the street. But London's history goes way beyond that. It presupposes all modern ideas while encapsulating the most upbeat and bustling environment I have ever been in. Part of me feels my thoughts are very overdone, but I think I have to deal with them before I can truly appreciate the city.
I went to the Globe Theatre last night and saw a performance of As You Like It. I stood the entire time as the groundlings did in the 16th century. The ground had been cemented over, but it was easy to imagine the upset of the crowd during a poor performance and the dirt floor filled with crushed peanut shells. Halfway through the show, a plane flew overhead and that is when I started thinking about how London really is an amalgamation of old and new. Here I am watching a performance of Shakespeare where the accents are not being forced and the understanding of the text is self-evident, and all of a sudden I am pulled back to the real world. All in all, the show was fantastic. I've never enjoyed Shakesspeare more.
Classes started on Monday. They only meet once a week and each class is 2.5 hours. Lots of the other kids are surprised by the small size of each class and aren't used to discussion based courses. They are basically like UPS ones, so I will be fine. There will be quite a bit of reading, but other than that they shouldn't be anything I can't handle.
Tonight, we are going on a trip to an Ice Bar (everything is made of ice, that whole bit). I figured I couldn't miss out on it since there is only one in London and it is IES sponsored.
I've made some travel plans for the month. On Friday I am going to visit Bath which is where the Roman Baths are and Jane Austen lived there for awhile. I am going by train and it should be a nice little jaunt. Later in the month is a trip to Stonehenge and I am very excited to see both places.
On a side note, if you ever come to London you must experience Ben's Cookies. There is one right next to South Kensignton Underground Station and it was probably the best cookie I have ever had (Milk Chocolate Orange, if you were wondering).
I went to the Globe Theatre last night and saw a performance of As You Like It. I stood the entire time as the groundlings did in the 16th century. The ground had been cemented over, but it was easy to imagine the upset of the crowd during a poor performance and the dirt floor filled with crushed peanut shells. Halfway through the show, a plane flew overhead and that is when I started thinking about how London really is an amalgamation of old and new. Here I am watching a performance of Shakespeare where the accents are not being forced and the understanding of the text is self-evident, and all of a sudden I am pulled back to the real world. All in all, the show was fantastic. I've never enjoyed Shakesspeare more.
Classes started on Monday. They only meet once a week and each class is 2.5 hours. Lots of the other kids are surprised by the small size of each class and aren't used to discussion based courses. They are basically like UPS ones, so I will be fine. There will be quite a bit of reading, but other than that they shouldn't be anything I can't handle.
Tonight, we are going on a trip to an Ice Bar (everything is made of ice, that whole bit). I figured I couldn't miss out on it since there is only one in London and it is IES sponsored.
I've made some travel plans for the month. On Friday I am going to visit Bath which is where the Roman Baths are and Jane Austen lived there for awhile. I am going by train and it should be a nice little jaunt. Later in the month is a trip to Stonehenge and I am very excited to see both places.
On a side note, if you ever come to London you must experience Ben's Cookies. There is one right next to South Kensignton Underground Station and it was probably the best cookie I have ever had (Milk Chocolate Orange, if you were wondering).
Sunday, 6 September 2009
A Foggy Day
I made it safe and sound. I have yet to experience the rain and fog that London is so famous for (and let me tell you, so far the rain has nothing on the Northwest). However, London itself is beautiful.
The plane ride went very smoothly and despite previous warnings, I managed to keep myself calm. I flew Northwest and it was the largest plane I had ever been on. Each seat had its own touch screen and I got to pick from movies, music, tv shows, and games to keep myself entertained. Eight hours later I landed and I found the process very easy. Customs didn't care about me, though I heard some people were questioned for quite some time and the Tube is by far the easiest and best public transportation I've ever taken.
The first few days were basically orientation stuff. My room mate is this really nice guy from Philly named Tom. We get along really well, so I am pleased with that. Everyone is excited for the pub and clubbing scene and I will admit that it appeals to me in some ways too. I let this weekend be a tourist weekend so I went out with everyone. Though drinking and public transportation at night scares me. I'm glad to say that everyone could recognize this and took it easy. I had a great time dancing and meeting people but I don't think clubs are on my radar for the immediate future.
London itself is divided into Boroughs and I live in Chelsea. Chelsea is generally considered to be the "posh" part of the city and I have been told that Hugh Grant lives a few streets away. I will start classes tomorrow in a Borough called Bloomsbury. Both areas are filled with places to explore. The British History Museum is literally three blocks from where I take classes and is one of the largest museums in the world (free too!). I'm very excited for all of it.
We also took a trip to Windsor to see the Castle. I learned that it is the largest inhabitable and occupied Castle in all of Europe (the Queen likes to take her weekends there and the Royal Family often stays). The Queen also owns every swan on the Thames. They herd them annually and they all get tagged. I had a hard time taking in the castle though. To imagine that it was built almost 1000 years ago and had seen so much history was nearly unfathomable. It was much easier to pretend Disney came in and built it all as an attraction. All in all, it was gorgeous though and pictures are on Facebook.
I'm hoping that everything will start to feel like home soon. I really do like it here, but I am in vacation mode. I think classes will provide needed structure and I can focus on everything else. I realized the other day that everything had been so rushed to this point that I've missed a lot. It took me three days to appreciate the beauty of the buildings just around my residence hall. It will all soak in eventually and be grand.
The plane ride went very smoothly and despite previous warnings, I managed to keep myself calm. I flew Northwest and it was the largest plane I had ever been on. Each seat had its own touch screen and I got to pick from movies, music, tv shows, and games to keep myself entertained. Eight hours later I landed and I found the process very easy. Customs didn't care about me, though I heard some people were questioned for quite some time and the Tube is by far the easiest and best public transportation I've ever taken.
The first few days were basically orientation stuff. My room mate is this really nice guy from Philly named Tom. We get along really well, so I am pleased with that. Everyone is excited for the pub and clubbing scene and I will admit that it appeals to me in some ways too. I let this weekend be a tourist weekend so I went out with everyone. Though drinking and public transportation at night scares me. I'm glad to say that everyone could recognize this and took it easy. I had a great time dancing and meeting people but I don't think clubs are on my radar for the immediate future.
London itself is divided into Boroughs and I live in Chelsea. Chelsea is generally considered to be the "posh" part of the city and I have been told that Hugh Grant lives a few streets away. I will start classes tomorrow in a Borough called Bloomsbury. Both areas are filled with places to explore. The British History Museum is literally three blocks from where I take classes and is one of the largest museums in the world (free too!). I'm very excited for all of it.
We also took a trip to Windsor to see the Castle. I learned that it is the largest inhabitable and occupied Castle in all of Europe (the Queen likes to take her weekends there and the Royal Family often stays). The Queen also owns every swan on the Thames. They herd them annually and they all get tagged. I had a hard time taking in the castle though. To imagine that it was built almost 1000 years ago and had seen so much history was nearly unfathomable. It was much easier to pretend Disney came in and built it all as an attraction. All in all, it was gorgeous though and pictures are on Facebook.
I'm hoping that everything will start to feel like home soon. I really do like it here, but I am in vacation mode. I think classes will provide needed structure and I can focus on everything else. I realized the other day that everything had been so rushed to this point that I've missed a lot. It took me three days to appreciate the beauty of the buildings just around my residence hall. It will all soak in eventually and be grand.
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