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!