Since the last time I’ve posted I've been various places. From a day trip to the country, seeing some musicals, museums and a weekend trip to Dublin, I've been staying busy.
Each week I have a lecture class on Tuesday evenings that has a guest lecturer who discusses different areas of British life and culture. The following Wednesday we go on a fieldtrip of sorts to somewhere either in London or the surrounding countryside that related to the previous evening’s lecture. As the pictures I’ve sent revealed, the second trip we took was to Stonehenge and Bath. It was about a 2 hour drive to Stonehenge and then another hour on to Bath. According to our tour guide we were driving cross country – a three hour drive is not what I would usually refer to as cross country, I have to constantly remind myself how size of the country.
The weather was perfect for taking pictures in the morning at Stonehenge, located on the Salisbury’s plains in Wiltshire. I knew we were going to look at this monumental circle of rocks, but was not ready for the enormity of it all. The 5,000 year old human made structure with boulders weighing up to 50 tons was less than 15 feet away – wow. The mystery of the rationale and motivation behind creating the structure was probably the most appealing feature. Why would individuals over 5,000 years ago, drag these massive rocks from all over the country and beyond to this one spot and then arrange them in such a fashion? Anyway, it was a sight to see.
From there we went on to the city of Bath. Nestled into and between seven rolling hills, Bath was a small, quaint city. It was a great change of pace from the busy London streets. The Roman Baths were neat and a little smelly. They gave everyone their own cellular phone of sorts; they looked similar to the first black, bagged car phones that were as big as a shoe. This was nice because you could walk at your own leisure through the baths listening to the British guide in your ear, muting him as you wanted. After the Baths, we walked along the river and up into the city a bit, checking out the local shops. We sat next to an elderly couple at the pub where we ate lunch. They told us they came into town every Wednesday for fish n’chips. They have lived in Bath their entire lives and were interested to hear about us. I think they were the first people I have met while abroad who did not ask me about Obama.
That evening we went to see Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre. It was absolutely fabulous. The music, the story, the acting was phenomenal. We were able to get cheap tickets in the dress circle on the first balcony, they were perfect. Just last night we went for a walk and wandered from Piccadilly to Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square and all over the West End. We ended up going and seeing Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre. It was on a whim, and was very enjoyable. At points it was hard to understand the lyrics and sometimes they were singing all at once and you couldn’t decipher one actor’s lines from the next. I’m still glad I saw it, either way.
Today I went to the National Portrait Gallery to see the Annie Leibovitz exhibit. It was phenomenal. It contained portraits that she has taken from 1990-2005. The images included a variety of portraits from Brad Pitt to President Bush and Queen Elizabeth to her personal photographs of her family and friends. If I had to choose one word to describe her work it would be "real". All of the images were so raw, no touch ups, no hiding. A lot of her work was a photo documentary of her best friend Susan who battled cancer for many years. It was a wonderful exhibit that I was so glad I had to opportunity to view.
Details on the Dublin trip to come! Missing everyone, love to all!
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Shopping
Well it has been exactly one week since I have arrived and it feels like everything has been a whirlwind. Not only physically going in every direction, but mentally as well. There’s so much that I want to share, but really no cohesive way that I could share it all and still have what I’m saying make sense. So, Em gave me the idea to just choose one topic and go from there. The topic I have chosen for this posting is, as the title reveals, shopping! Sorry to all you guys who just cringed, it may be more entertaining for you to skip over to espn.com now.
I have spent the last three days (not in their entirety) shopping, not necessarily buying, more like wandering aimlessly through the four story stores, wide eyed and amazed that one whole section of one floor can be dedicated to tights. I don’t know that I can describe the style of Londoners in a brief sentence because style is what you make it here. From conservative, to hip, to off-the-wall chic, everyone looks different but still the same. But even as I say that I feel like it’s obvious that I’m a tourist and don’t categorize into any category of style - although I’m sure no one even notices what I’m wearing so it doesn’t matter : ) However, this feeling gave me the want to refine my wardrobe, so I went shopping.
I walked out of the tube onto the corner of Oxford Circus and was frozen (which isn’t a good idea considering Londoners are always in a hurry and are not afraid to slam into you if you get in their way, but I’ll have to save that topic for another posting). The store fronts rose up around me, huge and all showcasing SALE and HUGE SAVINGS – heaven! I spent the first 15 minutes in the first store, Top Shop, a young, trendy, four-story expanse, just walking and taking it all in. Once I was a little more comfortable, I started picking things up – big step I know. Soon after that I became quite confused when I realized that the sizing was different from the U.S. You can imagine my horror when they told me they didn’t carry shoes above size 8, “what do women with big feet do??” I soon realized that size 8 U.K. = Size 10 U.S. wooo! Embarrassed as I was I finally braved the dressing rooms and came out with a few items. My favorite purchase thus far has been a pair of gray boots. It seems that boots and tights are what “everyone” wears. No jeans or tennis shoes and definitely no t-shirts or hoodies, yikes, so basically my entire wardrobe.
On Saturday we went shopping in Covent Garden. This area was bustling with small boutiques overflowing with people. Not as overwhelming as the previous days adventure. I didn’t buy anything but do want to go back to this area on a weekday when the shops aren’t so crowded. There were many street vendors displaying and selling their crafts. A lot of local families were out spending their day here, wandering from shop to shop, grabbing food at one of the many café’s lining the cobblestone street, and enjoying the street entertainers. Yesterday when we wandered through, there were crowds gathered everywhere admiring a juggler, magician, some mimes and many other entertainers showcasing their “talent”. One man was crouched under a table with his head sticking out through a dog kennel, definitely a little bizarre.
So all in all shopping proved to be quite the adventure. Definitely a flight of stairs up from Battlefield Mall! Love to all!
I have spent the last three days (not in their entirety) shopping, not necessarily buying, more like wandering aimlessly through the four story stores, wide eyed and amazed that one whole section of one floor can be dedicated to tights. I don’t know that I can describe the style of Londoners in a brief sentence because style is what you make it here. From conservative, to hip, to off-the-wall chic, everyone looks different but still the same. But even as I say that I feel like it’s obvious that I’m a tourist and don’t categorize into any category of style - although I’m sure no one even notices what I’m wearing so it doesn’t matter : ) However, this feeling gave me the want to refine my wardrobe, so I went shopping.
I walked out of the tube onto the corner of Oxford Circus and was frozen (which isn’t a good idea considering Londoners are always in a hurry and are not afraid to slam into you if you get in their way, but I’ll have to save that topic for another posting). The store fronts rose up around me, huge and all showcasing SALE and HUGE SAVINGS – heaven! I spent the first 15 minutes in the first store, Top Shop, a young, trendy, four-story expanse, just walking and taking it all in. Once I was a little more comfortable, I started picking things up – big step I know. Soon after that I became quite confused when I realized that the sizing was different from the U.S. You can imagine my horror when they told me they didn’t carry shoes above size 8, “what do women with big feet do??” I soon realized that size 8 U.K. = Size 10 U.S. wooo! Embarrassed as I was I finally braved the dressing rooms and came out with a few items. My favorite purchase thus far has been a pair of gray boots. It seems that boots and tights are what “everyone” wears. No jeans or tennis shoes and definitely no t-shirts or hoodies, yikes, so basically my entire wardrobe.
On Saturday we went shopping in Covent Garden. This area was bustling with small boutiques overflowing with people. Not as overwhelming as the previous days adventure. I didn’t buy anything but do want to go back to this area on a weekday when the shops aren’t so crowded. There were many street vendors displaying and selling their crafts. A lot of local families were out spending their day here, wandering from shop to shop, grabbing food at one of the many café’s lining the cobblestone street, and enjoying the street entertainers. Yesterday when we wandered through, there were crowds gathered everywhere admiring a juggler, magician, some mimes and many other entertainers showcasing their “talent”. One man was crouched under a table with his head sticking out through a dog kennel, definitely a little bizarre.
So all in all shopping proved to be quite the adventure. Definitely a flight of stairs up from Battlefield Mall! Love to all!
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Finally setting in...
Hope everyone is doing well!
I thought I may have been having my first bout of homesickness yesterday, nothing brutal- don’t worry mama- but more along the lines that I finally had my first opportunity to sit back and take a breath. They had us going so fast before now that there was no time to be scared or anxious or nervous. The more I thought about it I realized that it wasn’t necessarily homesickness that I was feeling but more of an immense culture shock (probably because I was finally fully awake and caught up on sleep for the first time since I left home).
I think this culture shock stemmed from the fact that one of my expectations upon coming here was to see Londoners. Kensington is one of the richest boroughs of London and therefore inhabits many wealthy out-of-towners, who either have a second residence in Kensington, are there for a shorter length of time, like me, or have just moved or immigrated to London. On a daily basis the variety of people crowding the sidewalks and streets are not people with a British accent or those who follow along the basic pictures I had for what the British look like (basically there are no people who vaguely resemble any of the characters in Love Actually). Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the streets are lined with tourists, but more so with immigrants from middle-eastern and eastern Europe. Anyway, not what I expected but really interesting. All the more reason to wander and explore the other boroughs and streets of the city.
My classes have continued to be really interesting, well all except “A History of Photography”- seems a little dull so far, hopefully that improves. Today my class went to the Museum of London, which showcased the History of London from the beginning to present. It was interesting and interactive. I really enjoyed their newest edition which showcased art, poems and the lives of present day homeless individuals in London. This was something I did not at all expect to be present or recorded.
I’m finished with classes for the week and am now hoping to use my free time to explore and start booking some trips to take later in the semester. This weekend my goal is to go to the theatre. Les Miserables and the Phantom of the Opera are on the top of my list, hopefully I can get my hands on some cheap student tickets!
I thought I may have been having my first bout of homesickness yesterday, nothing brutal- don’t worry mama- but more along the lines that I finally had my first opportunity to sit back and take a breath. They had us going so fast before now that there was no time to be scared or anxious or nervous. The more I thought about it I realized that it wasn’t necessarily homesickness that I was feeling but more of an immense culture shock (probably because I was finally fully awake and caught up on sleep for the first time since I left home).
I think this culture shock stemmed from the fact that one of my expectations upon coming here was to see Londoners. Kensington is one of the richest boroughs of London and therefore inhabits many wealthy out-of-towners, who either have a second residence in Kensington, are there for a shorter length of time, like me, or have just moved or immigrated to London. On a daily basis the variety of people crowding the sidewalks and streets are not people with a British accent or those who follow along the basic pictures I had for what the British look like (basically there are no people who vaguely resemble any of the characters in Love Actually). Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the streets are lined with tourists, but more so with immigrants from middle-eastern and eastern Europe. Anyway, not what I expected but really interesting. All the more reason to wander and explore the other boroughs and streets of the city.
My classes have continued to be really interesting, well all except “A History of Photography”- seems a little dull so far, hopefully that improves. Today my class went to the Museum of London, which showcased the History of London from the beginning to present. It was interesting and interactive. I really enjoyed their newest edition which showcased art, poems and the lives of present day homeless individuals in London. This was something I did not at all expect to be present or recorded.
I’m finished with classes for the week and am now hoping to use my free time to explore and start booking some trips to take later in the semester. This weekend my goal is to go to the theatre. Les Miserables and the Phantom of the Opera are on the top of my list, hopefully I can get my hands on some cheap student tickets!
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Only 3 days? Feels more like 3 weeks!
I live at 6 Knaresborough Place, flat 8 in West Kensington, London, England (I had to type it all out because I still don't believe it). Number 6 is tucked in around a corner street, looking quite small from the front making it barely believable that so many people live here. The buildings of course all run together, changing color and architectural style at random. From pristine white to a dull, old, paint-chipping gray, they are all wonderful in their own way. It's hard to believe that I'm living in one of these beautiful buildings for the next four months! The inside on number 6 is much like the outside - old and dirty - but very charming as well. Flat 8 is located up 6 flights of stairs (the last one of which is narrow and winding). I would be lying if I said that the accommodations are ok, or even fine, they are really rather frustrating. I share number 8 with three other girls and the space we share is tiny. Our bunk beds are positioned in a small alcove in the back of the room (that's right, one room that serves as a 4-person bedroom, common area, dining room and pretty much everything else) because it is the darkest area. When walking between the beds my shoulders touch each top bunk, you can do the math. I embraced this dump of a room with open arms upon arrival, however, after getting the opportunity to look at everyone else's room it became obvious that number 8 is not up to par. While the other rooms have staircases, hard wood floors, floor to ceiling windows, multiple bathrooms and actual separate rooms, my lovely flat has nothing of the sort, but enough complaining right?! I'm going to love my crappy little flat because it's mine : )
Once we arrived off the plane, tired, dirty, and jet lagged we were immediately carted off to Imperial for a brief orientation and a free meal, woo! Fish and chips of course, how appropriate and much more appetizing than the airplane food. That evening we went on a pub crawl around Kensington. The stereotype that American's are loud and slightly obnoxious was quite evident when compared to the London natives at the pubs. We ended up at the Student Union basement pub (much cheaper -£2.50 a pint rather than the £3.90 at other places, thank goodness college kids are broke everywhere!) I met a few British boys who attend "university" in Nottingham there. They were very welcoming and fun to talk to and hang out with. Of the various pints I tried, Fruli's Strawberry Beer is my favorite thus far.
On Sunday we went on a coach tour around the city. We went to various places including St. Paul's Cathedral, London and Tower Bridges, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and many other historic landmarks and more modern popular areas of the city. At the end of the tour the coaches dropped us off in Piccadilly Circus. We ate lunch and then wandered around the area for a bit before taking the tube back. As my first experience riding the underground or subway it was quite pleasant. Yesterday evening we went to a local pub just around the corner called the King's Head, it was small and local and a lot of fun. We are planning to go there from now on on Monday nights, for Quiz night, doubt we ever know any of the answers to the British lide and sport questions but it should be fun. We met some more locals (a 41 year old birthday boy named Jeremy and his bachelor friends, Dane and Paul) who we went on to another pub with before ending the evening. Not bad for a Sunday night.
Today was my first day of classes. I had a taste of History of Photography and A Tale of Two Cities with brief classes with the professors. They have planned more field trip and out of class activities than in-class lectures, which I'm very excited about. This evening I have my Musical Theatre class and then British Life and Culture, as well as the first two repeated again. I have reading homework already, but I'm really excited about getting into the school routine again. The weather was freezing and snowy on Saturday when we arrived, all of the natives were extremely annoyed, I thought it felt a lot like Chicago, so there wasn't much of a shock for me. It has become progressively warmer over the past two days though. Today it is rainy and in the 40's. I considered buying an umbrella, but it never really downpours, mostly just a constant hazy drizzle, definitely bearable. No one else carries an umbrella either, so I'm not going to do anything that attracts extra attention.
All of the Londoners are helpful and friendly. The ones I have met and had conversations with have seemed surprised with me/us though. I have been told 3 times now in my last 2.5 days that these individuals can't believe how nice we are for being American. Makes me wonder how extensive the stereotypes are - also makes me feel slightly bad for all of my bad teeth and hygiene remarks. They all seem to have lovely teeth and smell normal enough : )
Monday, 12 January 2009
First Flight
Hi Everyone!
I'm going to make my first attempt at blogging to help me stay in touch and up to date while I'm abroad. Hopefully I can keep up with updating it, but bear with me these first weeks!
I'm going to make my first attempt at blogging to help me stay in touch and up to date while I'm abroad. Hopefully I can keep up with updating it, but bear with me these first weeks!
Well my first experience flying was good overall. The plane didn't take off right at 9:05 because they had to de-ice the windows and wings (yikes, you can imagine my anxious nerves at this point). I was luckily seated next to a large group of individuals that I had met in the airport and had an encouraging and supportive crowd watching and reassuring me that I would survive (oh great, all of these people who I have to see for the next four moths are going to remember me as the girl who barfed on the plane). Despite my fears, the worst part, believe it or not, was just getting used to the plane moving while it was on the ground, my head started spinning and I of course held my breath in fear - not the best idea. I paced my breathing on the take-off and managed to be just fine after a few minutes. There were various bouts of turbulence throughout the flight but they didn't bother me at all! The seats were cramped, the food was so-so, and the movie selection was pretty good, I made it through half of Eagle Eye before I feel asleep. I slept off and on for the rest of the plane ride, so I think I probably managed to get 3-4 hours. The landing was much smoother than take-off for me, I somehow managed to fall asleep and then all of a sudden we were on the ground and in LONDON!
Going through Border control was a whole new adventure in and of itself. A long, intimidating line of important looking officers who don't smile, at all. I luckily had all of my paperwork ready and after a five minute question and answer session where every question was basically a rephrasing of "why are you here and what do you want?", my passport was stamped and I practically ran the rest of the way.
Going through Border control was a whole new adventure in and of itself. A long, intimidating line of important looking officers who don't smile, at all. I luckily had all of my paperwork ready and after a five minute question and answer session where every question was basically a rephrasing of "why are you here and what do you want?", my passport was stamped and I practically ran the rest of the way.
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