Hey guys,
So yesterday I got up early to go to a conference. I got to take the Tube into Liverpool Street Station, which is one of the main train stations in London. I got there early so I grabbed a newspaper and read it, which people watching. I was freezing. But eventually, I got to the conference and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about financial planning and blah blah blah.
Afterwards, I stopped at the Whitechappel Museum. It is a contemporary art museum, which means that it makes no complete sense besides... art. The first room was a tree, hollowed out and painted gold on the inside. Ok, reasonable. But the next room just had a bunch of televisions... like thirty, all playing the same video, at different time intervals, talking about sex. I don't know how that is art... but yeah. I did enjoy it though, and there were a lot of cute girls. None of which I talked to because the art was too mentally stimulating to even think about girls [sic].
Then I decided to walk home... and got lost. What I mean by getting lost is that I made a 45 minute walk a one hour forty five minute walk through all facets of London: The city part, the East End part, Islington, until finally I got somewhere that I recognized. I made it home and went to ULU to watch the Champions League. It was such a poorly officiated match, Fifa should be ashamed. So we left upset and that was my day. As I am writing this, I am getting ready to go exploring because my boss called in sick, which means I do not have to work. I am going to check out a few things and museums and by back by 7 to Manchester United!. I will tell you about my day (WITH PICTURES. I REALLY WILL THIS TIME) when I get home tonight.
Toodles!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
BES First Five Weeks #3
I have gathered something that both me and my peers find absolutely astonishing. Basically, anyone can do anything they want in London at any time. I have a few examples of how we have come to this theory.
1) My first example is life at the bar. Back at home, there are gender specific drinks. For example, men drink whiskey and women drink margaritas. However, here, it is completely okay for anyone to drink anything, and no one will bat an eye. At ULU, there are these drinks called Fishbowls. They are basically just ice, lemonade, flavoring, and a little alcohol. When we first saw it, we all joked about getting one. But after a few weeks of going to ULU, we noticed that some guys were drinking them. So, at the Superbowl Party at ULU, four of us decided to split one. We chose to do this to mitigate the price (they are pricey, probably because of the amount of ice). So we got the drink, put four straws in, and went to town on it. The best part about it was that it was so delicious, because it didn't taste like alcohol at all, just candy.
1) My first example is life at the bar. Back at home, there are gender specific drinks. For example, men drink whiskey and women drink margaritas. However, here, it is completely okay for anyone to drink anything, and no one will bat an eye. At ULU, there are these drinks called Fishbowls. They are basically just ice, lemonade, flavoring, and a little alcohol. When we first saw it, we all joked about getting one. But after a few weeks of going to ULU, we noticed that some guys were drinking them. So, at the Superbowl Party at ULU, four of us decided to split one. We chose to do this to mitigate the price (they are pricey, probably because of the amount of ice). So we got the drink, put four straws in, and went to town on it. The best part about it was that it was so delicious, because it didn't taste like alcohol at all, just candy.
2) My second example is style. People here literally wear whatever they want to and are completely comfortable with it. At home, people get weird looks for wearing clothes that are not the norm. Here, again, no one cares. I have seen people with outrageous shoes; men wearing pants tighter than Shakespearean tights; women with the most outrageous hats; facial piercings on all genders and ages; etc. Even our tutor for Religion class wears some outrageous clothes (he does pull them off so well). He had a wonderful jacket, with a pink vest and ascot, with silly socks and great boots. Professors at home would never be so boisterous with their clothes. The only thing I can think of is that Europeans are just fashionable people who are aware of other styles besides their own, and do not judge based upon your clothes.
Hopefully I can implement this attitude of "do whatever" into my life at home. Maybe, that will make me seem more relaxed as a person and I can then go home and do anything that will make me happy.
11/2
I know, I know, I have been quite terrible with my blog of late. I am sorry about that. Here is a rundown of what I have been up to of late.
Wednesday 6/2
I had to leave work early to go to a Third Sector meeting, where they discussed some research that was compiled over the last two years. I didn't take away as much from this meeting but I did meet a guy who offered to show me around the city for a little bit. I actually just emailed him back as I am writing this, so I hope to hear from him soon. After, I went to work, and didn't do much, but I did get out right on time to make it to ULU for the game. However, the bus that I needed to take home drove past me, so I took a different bus and miscalculated where I got off, so I ended up walking about 25 minutes, and showing up to the game 20 minutes late (It is easy to tell how late you are in a soccer match because time goes up). But I did get there and it was a really good game between England and Brasil. That was pretty much it. Again, if you want to know more specifically what I am doing at my internship, read the internship notebook.
Thursday 7/2
Thursdays are terrible. First, I had to get up at 8:30 for class at 9:15. It is always so hard to get up for these classes. But I struggled through and made it there on time. We talked about television and how it differs from American television. The biggest difference is that there are fewer commercials, and after 9:00, there are no censors. Some shows I've watched used very coarse language and there was brief nudity, and that was on a channel that everyone gets. After that, Matt and I went to the market because why not. The food was amazing again, we got a pork sandwich with apple chutney and barbecue sauce.
After a brief nap, we went to the British Museum for religion class. We were learning Christianity this week and this coming week, so we looked at old artifacts. The first we saw was a mosaic that was broken and in a glass case. This mosaic is believe to have the oldest picture of Jesus Christ on it. After that, we looked at a bucket, which they are not sure what it truly was used for, but guessed that it was used for the washing of feet ritual. Basically, the Church 1000 years ago thought that Communion was reserved for Easter and the washing of the feet was done at mass. This is all speculation though too. Then we went on and saw some Communion materials. One of the materials was a strainer. What is funny about that was that it was considered a holy relic, but only out of necessity. What I mean is that they didn't have the most sophisticated wine making process back in the 800's, so they used the strainer to make the wine 'purer' (take out the seeds, stems, bugs, and anything else in the wine).
After that, I came home and a bunch of us went to Nando's for dinner. It was nice going out do dinner, and I got me some spicy chicken which was so tasty. We all hung out in the lounge afterwards, talking and having fun. That was about the end of my night.
Friday 8/2
We woke up early (10:00) to go up to Camden Market. We got on the bus, and it stopped literally 50 yards down the road to kick us all off because it was the end of the line. So I complained to TFL, and hopefully I will get my 1.40 back. I did have a doner kebab at the market once we finally got there, so that was completely worth it. I came back and took a quick nap because I didn't feel too well. Then I read a bit and went to the lounge. Around 11, we went and walked around a bit, stopped at ULU to say hi to Brian and grabbed some food. I think I went to bed around 2, so I consider that a successful night!
Saturday 9/2
Saturday was a day to write off. I didn't really do anything until about 2, when I went and walked over to Oxford Street, just for some fresh air. Then it started raining, so I came home. Around 5, we went to Callaghan's to watch Tottenham play. It was actually an exciting match, and someone broke their leg, so that was a little gross to see. Once we got back, a few of us went to the lounge and watched movies. So ends Saturday. Sorry for being disappointing.
Sunday 10/2
I woke up bright and early Sunday to look outside and see that it was completely miserable, so I rolled over and went to sleep. We went to Callaghan's to watch two football games in the afternoon, one of witch was Manchester United. They won. I have also made a friend at Callaghan's. He is an older gentleman who also supports Manchester. I talked to him briefly before leaving. After, Tayler and I went to Sainsbury's to get some groceries. I got a solid amount for the week... and it only cost me 10 pounds. I was very happy with that. We booked our trip to Paris, so that is all final. We will be taking a night bus there and staying two nights in a hostel. But we have the entire hostel room to ourselves. Should be a fantastic time. Then I talked to mom, and she is getting things ready for her visit. I bought tickets for us to go from London to Paris, so pretty much everything is in order except for the living arrangement. I'll deal with that later
Monday 11/2
To make up for being a lazy bum this weekend, I woke up extra early for a day full of exploring. Matt, Tayler and I left at 9:30 and headed towards the East End. We got off at Old Street and meandered through some neighborhoods around Shorditch. Eventually, we stumbled across a small cafe, so we went in to get a coffee. Then we wandered through Spittalfields Market, and realized that it is open Tuesday through Sunday. So we dropped the ball on that. Oh, did I tell you it was still miserable out? But it was snowing and cold instead of raining and cold. So they left to go home, but I was still on the move, so I headed towards the river. I finally went to Tower Bridge (the one that everyone knows), which was right next to the Tower of London. So I crossed that and proceeded up the South Bank, and realized that the South Bank is really cool and I must go back to explore it more in-depth.
Then I crossed over and wound up on Fleet Street. It's exciting because I am beginning to know my way around the streets of London pretty well. So I knew that Fleet Street runs semi-parallel to High Holburn, so I knew it was only about a 15 minute walk home. I was hungry so I wandered into this Irish pub to get some food. I got some Sausage and Mash, which was delicious. I ate it and then talked to the bartender and this other guy. They were both friendly blokes and they educated me a little on British ways (self-depreciating humour, government). The walk home there was quick because I was ready for a nap, which I promptly took when I got home. It was only for an hour, so when I woke, I decided to do homework. Hahaha no I am kidding. I made a quick sandwich and left. I ended up going to a show in the West End. It was called Let It Be and it was based on the music of The Beatles. Somehow, I got extremely lucky, because I only paid 20 Pounds for my ticket... but the ticket was for the fourth row. Like literally, I sat four rows back from the front. Those seats are usually around 75 to 90 Quid, and I paid 20. I was pumped. The show was good to. So now I am going to write up some homework and go to bed, because I must work again tomorrow. Goodnight!
Ps. I didn't bring my camera like at all the past few days. Mainly because I forget my disk in my computer instead of putting it in my camera. My mistake. I will put in pictures soon, once I explore more. Especailly after this weekend in Bath.
Wednesday 6/2
I had to leave work early to go to a Third Sector meeting, where they discussed some research that was compiled over the last two years. I didn't take away as much from this meeting but I did meet a guy who offered to show me around the city for a little bit. I actually just emailed him back as I am writing this, so I hope to hear from him soon. After, I went to work, and didn't do much, but I did get out right on time to make it to ULU for the game. However, the bus that I needed to take home drove past me, so I took a different bus and miscalculated where I got off, so I ended up walking about 25 minutes, and showing up to the game 20 minutes late (It is easy to tell how late you are in a soccer match because time goes up). But I did get there and it was a really good game between England and Brasil. That was pretty much it. Again, if you want to know more specifically what I am doing at my internship, read the internship notebook.
Thursday 7/2
Thursdays are terrible. First, I had to get up at 8:30 for class at 9:15. It is always so hard to get up for these classes. But I struggled through and made it there on time. We talked about television and how it differs from American television. The biggest difference is that there are fewer commercials, and after 9:00, there are no censors. Some shows I've watched used very coarse language and there was brief nudity, and that was on a channel that everyone gets. After that, Matt and I went to the market because why not. The food was amazing again, we got a pork sandwich with apple chutney and barbecue sauce.
After a brief nap, we went to the British Museum for religion class. We were learning Christianity this week and this coming week, so we looked at old artifacts. The first we saw was a mosaic that was broken and in a glass case. This mosaic is believe to have the oldest picture of Jesus Christ on it. After that, we looked at a bucket, which they are not sure what it truly was used for, but guessed that it was used for the washing of feet ritual. Basically, the Church 1000 years ago thought that Communion was reserved for Easter and the washing of the feet was done at mass. This is all speculation though too. Then we went on and saw some Communion materials. One of the materials was a strainer. What is funny about that was that it was considered a holy relic, but only out of necessity. What I mean is that they didn't have the most sophisticated wine making process back in the 800's, so they used the strainer to make the wine 'purer' (take out the seeds, stems, bugs, and anything else in the wine).
After that, I came home and a bunch of us went to Nando's for dinner. It was nice going out do dinner, and I got me some spicy chicken which was so tasty. We all hung out in the lounge afterwards, talking and having fun. That was about the end of my night.
Friday 8/2
We woke up early (10:00) to go up to Camden Market. We got on the bus, and it stopped literally 50 yards down the road to kick us all off because it was the end of the line. So I complained to TFL, and hopefully I will get my 1.40 back. I did have a doner kebab at the market once we finally got there, so that was completely worth it. I came back and took a quick nap because I didn't feel too well. Then I read a bit and went to the lounge. Around 11, we went and walked around a bit, stopped at ULU to say hi to Brian and grabbed some food. I think I went to bed around 2, so I consider that a successful night!
Saturday 9/2
Saturday was a day to write off. I didn't really do anything until about 2, when I went and walked over to Oxford Street, just for some fresh air. Then it started raining, so I came home. Around 5, we went to Callaghan's to watch Tottenham play. It was actually an exciting match, and someone broke their leg, so that was a little gross to see. Once we got back, a few of us went to the lounge and watched movies. So ends Saturday. Sorry for being disappointing.
Sunday 10/2
I woke up bright and early Sunday to look outside and see that it was completely miserable, so I rolled over and went to sleep. We went to Callaghan's to watch two football games in the afternoon, one of witch was Manchester United. They won. I have also made a friend at Callaghan's. He is an older gentleman who also supports Manchester. I talked to him briefly before leaving. After, Tayler and I went to Sainsbury's to get some groceries. I got a solid amount for the week... and it only cost me 10 pounds. I was very happy with that. We booked our trip to Paris, so that is all final. We will be taking a night bus there and staying two nights in a hostel. But we have the entire hostel room to ourselves. Should be a fantastic time. Then I talked to mom, and she is getting things ready for her visit. I bought tickets for us to go from London to Paris, so pretty much everything is in order except for the living arrangement. I'll deal with that later
Monday 11/2
To make up for being a lazy bum this weekend, I woke up extra early for a day full of exploring. Matt, Tayler and I left at 9:30 and headed towards the East End. We got off at Old Street and meandered through some neighborhoods around Shorditch. Eventually, we stumbled across a small cafe, so we went in to get a coffee. Then we wandered through Spittalfields Market, and realized that it is open Tuesday through Sunday. So we dropped the ball on that. Oh, did I tell you it was still miserable out? But it was snowing and cold instead of raining and cold. So they left to go home, but I was still on the move, so I headed towards the river. I finally went to Tower Bridge (the one that everyone knows), which was right next to the Tower of London. So I crossed that and proceeded up the South Bank, and realized that the South Bank is really cool and I must go back to explore it more in-depth.
Then I crossed over and wound up on Fleet Street. It's exciting because I am beginning to know my way around the streets of London pretty well. So I knew that Fleet Street runs semi-parallel to High Holburn, so I knew it was only about a 15 minute walk home. I was hungry so I wandered into this Irish pub to get some food. I got some Sausage and Mash, which was delicious. I ate it and then talked to the bartender and this other guy. They were both friendly blokes and they educated me a little on British ways (self-depreciating humour, government). The walk home there was quick because I was ready for a nap, which I promptly took when I got home. It was only for an hour, so when I woke, I decided to do homework. Hahaha no I am kidding. I made a quick sandwich and left. I ended up going to a show in the West End. It was called Let It Be and it was based on the music of The Beatles. Somehow, I got extremely lucky, because I only paid 20 Pounds for my ticket... but the ticket was for the fourth row. Like literally, I sat four rows back from the front. Those seats are usually around 75 to 90 Quid, and I paid 20. I was pumped. The show was good to. So now I am going to write up some homework and go to bed, because I must work again tomorrow. Goodnight!
Ps. I didn't bring my camera like at all the past few days. Mainly because I forget my disk in my computer instead of putting it in my camera. My mistake. I will put in pictures soon, once I explore more. Especailly after this weekend in Bath.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Internship Journal Week 3
The longer that I work at the Hoxton Trust, the more I realize that I am glad that I decided to go into business. It has made me realize that I may not go into small businesses right away, but business things to interest me, and the practicality of work as opposed to the monotony school is much more appealing.
On Tuesday, I got to show up to work a little later because Karina had to go to the bank, so I arrived at 10:45. After exchanging pleasantries and talking about our weekends, Karina sent me to the accountant's office to get some boxes. I got to take a cab. It has been a hard adjustment to feel safe in a car in London. This cab driver was flying around other cars, nearly tipping the vehicle we were in. But I made it in one piece there and back. The accounting offices were in a refurbished factory, so that was interesting see because, to me, it showed how London is transforming/ has transformed from the industrial powerhouse of the 19th and 20th century to a service orientated economy. Afterwards, I worked on the budget for a while, which was interesting because it combined projecting numbers, researching NIC for employers, reading current balance sheets and reports, and I did a little extra research just to learn a little more about tax law in the UK. Karina and I left work early (17:15) to meet another coworker and her son across the street at the pub. It was very interesting because we talked a lot about the compassion between the UK and USA, British politics, and hidden gems in London. I got home around 9:15.
On Wednesday, I had to get up and leave early to be at St. Luke's Community Center at 9:30 for the London Third Sector Premises Forum which people from across London came to meet and hear the research presented by a women and provide a place for national and local government officials to discuss issues with members of the third sector, instead of representatives or lobbyists. At one point, we split into groups and I had to participate as much as I could with other people. It was difficult because they were dealing with special acts which were passed last year. Overall, it was a positive experience though because I did get to work on my networking skills, something that I need to do badly. We then walked back to work, where she had me take apart some files, so we could recycle the folders. Then she taught me how to use QuickBooks, which will be good because I can help input transactions into the system, and more importantly, I will be able to put on my CV that I am able to use them, expanding my accounting software knowledge to two. I left around 19:00, so I could make it to watch England vs. Brazil.
At the forum, I really enjoyed the break and lunch that we were provided with. I mean yes, the food was good, but more importantly, it seemed that everyone wanted to talk to someone, either about the presentations or really, anything else. I recognized a few people from last week, so I got a chance to build that relationship more. I found that most people were very welcoming and warm in a situation where they are forced to talk to people, as opposed to on the streets or in the tube. I hope I continue to go to these meetings because they are helping build my interpersonal relationships and I really love sandwiches and tea (both of which I get multiples of and they are free).
On Tuesday, I got to show up to work a little later because Karina had to go to the bank, so I arrived at 10:45. After exchanging pleasantries and talking about our weekends, Karina sent me to the accountant's office to get some boxes. I got to take a cab. It has been a hard adjustment to feel safe in a car in London. This cab driver was flying around other cars, nearly tipping the vehicle we were in. But I made it in one piece there and back. The accounting offices were in a refurbished factory, so that was interesting see because, to me, it showed how London is transforming/ has transformed from the industrial powerhouse of the 19th and 20th century to a service orientated economy. Afterwards, I worked on the budget for a while, which was interesting because it combined projecting numbers, researching NIC for employers, reading current balance sheets and reports, and I did a little extra research just to learn a little more about tax law in the UK. Karina and I left work early (17:15) to meet another coworker and her son across the street at the pub. It was very interesting because we talked a lot about the compassion between the UK and USA, British politics, and hidden gems in London. I got home around 9:15.
On Wednesday, I had to get up and leave early to be at St. Luke's Community Center at 9:30 for the London Third Sector Premises Forum which people from across London came to meet and hear the research presented by a women and provide a place for national and local government officials to discuss issues with members of the third sector, instead of representatives or lobbyists. At one point, we split into groups and I had to participate as much as I could with other people. It was difficult because they were dealing with special acts which were passed last year. Overall, it was a positive experience though because I did get to work on my networking skills, something that I need to do badly. We then walked back to work, where she had me take apart some files, so we could recycle the folders. Then she taught me how to use QuickBooks, which will be good because I can help input transactions into the system, and more importantly, I will be able to put on my CV that I am able to use them, expanding my accounting software knowledge to two. I left around 19:00, so I could make it to watch England vs. Brazil.
At the forum, I really enjoyed the break and lunch that we were provided with. I mean yes, the food was good, but more importantly, it seemed that everyone wanted to talk to someone, either about the presentations or really, anything else. I recognized a few people from last week, so I got a chance to build that relationship more. I found that most people were very welcoming and warm in a situation where they are forced to talk to people, as opposed to on the streets or in the tube. I hope I continue to go to these meetings because they are helping build my interpersonal relationships and I really love sandwiches and tea (both of which I get multiples of and they are free).
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| This is a picture from the kitchen, overlooking the garden. The students do a lot of work in this garden, and it is open to the public during the day. Also, to the right is our sign. |
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
5/2/13
Working has really put into perspective the kind of life that the next 50 years. I got to work at 10.45 because Karina had to go to the bank. So I got to sit around for an extra ten minutes. I got on the bus and fell asleep. That made me nervous because I woke up two stops before my stop. Anyways, I got the honor of making tea, a feat in which I did not screw up. So now my record is 1 good and 1 bad. I had to go to the accountants to pick up some files, so I got to ride in a taxi.
Taxis are incredibly scary and stressful!
I went a total of .5 miles, and I could have sworn we were going to get in about 6 accidents. We also did a three point turn in the middle of on coming traffic. The accountant's office was in an old refurbished factory. I really need to explore the East End soon. Maybe this weekend, who knows? After getting back and doing work, I took lunch at 3. I got some soup from the cafe down the street. I like where I work because the food is actually quite cheap.
Around quitting time- 6.15 tonight, Karina asked if I wanted to go to the pub with her and a co-worker and her son. I said sure. They were very nice people and Karina and I got to have some quality conversations after they left. I ended up getting home around 9.00..So a solid 11 hour day.
The rest of the night was just spent hanging around with people, either in my room, their room, or the kitchen (I was a little hungry). Now I am hurrying up and getting to bed because I have another conference tomorrow, like I did last week only different, that starts at 9.30. I will be the only representative there from 9.30 until 10.30, so I have to make sure I do well.
Also, to keep up with my quest to find horse heads in London, may I present the one from Camden Market.
Monday, February 4, 2013
4/2/13
Something that I have learned about being on my own is how I classify days as a waste. What I intended to do, once I found out that I have Mondays free, is to explore a different part of London. However, today I woke up at 10:45... said no way and snoozed until 11:15. Then I got on my trusty computer and watched an hour of Superbowl commercials. After skyping with Jen, I went to work on my homework.You can see that below this post. If you notice on the right, there are numbers (which represent the date, in case that wasn't obvious) and then there are words. The words are assignments that I have to do for classes. So feel free to skip those if you don't feel like reading the boring school stuff.
Anyways, back to my story, after I finished homework, I skyped Grandma Connie and Pa. I was glad that they got it to work, and hopefully I will call back again soon. Then after a shower, I tried going to Store Street to pay for my HOST visit. So Megan and I went into the bookstore down the street, which, come to find out, is a very prominent pagan bookstore. It was very interesting.
So I came back to my house and sat on the computer a while more, figuring out things for when mom comes. I ended up buying tickets for us to see Les Miserables. So that should be a lot of fun. I also bought a student card for the train system, so that should save me money when I travel to other places in England. I then decided I needed to do something, so I left and went for a walk.
I tried walking just to Oxford Circus and Piccadilly, but I got lost and ended up walking around for about two hours. It was an interesting walk, being that I ended up in Berkeley. Why this is important is that I saw some vehicles in shops, and they were some of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen. I passed a Porsche, Audi, Lotus, Bentley, and Rolls Royce dealership.
On my way back, I went through Piccadilly Circus, and I am not sure if I showed Poppy this, but hey-- Here is a quick photo of Piccadilly Circus, which is about a fifteen minute walk from my room. I'll be sure to have mom take lots of photos to show you home.
Then I went back home after my two hour walk, to find everyone in the lounge. So I went over with Joey, Alyssa, and Tayler, who are working on planning our trip to Paris. So I helped with that as little as I could, but was there for support. I think most of it is all planned, so that will be super exciting. Then I made dinner and here I am, getting ready to shave then go to sleep.
Now, back to the part where I was discussing wasted days. It is hard to think that I am in London, like the capital Europe. I could go see anything I wanted to. Honestly, I could have had lunch in Brussels, dinner in Paris and made it here to write home. That would have been a full day. But I don't think I wasted a day sitting here, doing research, taking a short walk and planning a trip with friends. It is difficult though because I wanted to do more. I usually go to bed with the anticipation of 1) sleep and 2) [more importantly] being able to wake up in this marvelous city to honestly see what happens. I don't know, besides work, what I will do tomorrow. I may see the queen. Who knows? All that is certain though is that I have decided that days are no longer wasted just because I sat for most of it, doing things on my computer. They are even necessary for planning ever better trips!
Anyways, back to my story, after I finished homework, I skyped Grandma Connie and Pa. I was glad that they got it to work, and hopefully I will call back again soon. Then after a shower, I tried going to Store Street to pay for my HOST visit. So Megan and I went into the bookstore down the street, which, come to find out, is a very prominent pagan bookstore. It was very interesting.
So I came back to my house and sat on the computer a while more, figuring out things for when mom comes. I ended up buying tickets for us to see Les Miserables. So that should be a lot of fun. I also bought a student card for the train system, so that should save me money when I travel to other places in England. I then decided I needed to do something, so I left and went for a walk.
I tried walking just to Oxford Circus and Piccadilly, but I got lost and ended up walking around for about two hours. It was an interesting walk, being that I ended up in Berkeley. Why this is important is that I saw some vehicles in shops, and they were some of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen. I passed a Porsche, Audi, Lotus, Bentley, and Rolls Royce dealership.
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| This car costs 400,000 Pounds (including VAT taxes) |
Then I went back home after my two hour walk, to find everyone in the lounge. So I went over with Joey, Alyssa, and Tayler, who are working on planning our trip to Paris. So I helped with that as little as I could, but was there for support. I think most of it is all planned, so that will be super exciting. Then I made dinner and here I am, getting ready to shave then go to sleep.
Now, back to the part where I was discussing wasted days. It is hard to think that I am in London, like the capital Europe. I could go see anything I wanted to. Honestly, I could have had lunch in Brussels, dinner in Paris and made it here to write home. That would have been a full day. But I don't think I wasted a day sitting here, doing research, taking a short walk and planning a trip with friends. It is difficult though because I wanted to do more. I usually go to bed with the anticipation of 1) sleep and 2) [more importantly] being able to wake up in this marvelous city to honestly see what happens. I don't know, besides work, what I will do tomorrow. I may see the queen. Who knows? All that is certain though is that I have decided that days are no longer wasted just because I sat for most of it, doing things on my computer. They are even necessary for planning ever better trips!
BES First Five Weeks: #2
Things are getting a lot easier here. To keep with the assimilation point I brought up in week 1, things are going well. Something that I have found, at least to my advantage, is that I have a unique accent. When I talk to people, most of the time they ask where I am from because they can never quite place it. I was out with Megan walking in Leicester, and we were stopped by a guy from the World Wildlife Foundation. He asked where I was from and I said New York, and he commented that my accent was not from New York, but it was "Spicy." I think this helps because at least at first, people I meet will not automatically classify me as an American, but rather focus on how I am talking.
I have realized that in a city, it is very obvious who the tourists are, who the locals are, and what they are trying to do. For example, on the bus at 9.00, there will be people in suits, fellow students and young people, all looking exhausted without a smile or a word uttered the entire trip. Then on the way home, it is more or less the same, except on my bus, there are usually students who are chatty in the back. Weekends though the bus is buzzing with languages, people look happier, and the stop button is pressed every five minutes (annoying). I have noticed that I am able to fit into both groups, depending on my mood, who I am with and what is expected of me.
Another thing that I have noticed that I will have to do by the end of this month presumably, is buy a pair of shoes. Everyone in London seems to have wonderful looking shoes that are subtle yet complement their outfits in ways an American wouldn't think of. I expect I will go either to Camden Market or Spitalfields to get a pair of cheap, chic shoes.
Other than that, I am quite happy with my progress in London. I have made friends with both locals and the people in the program, which I was nervous about. We are planning a few trips and really getting settled into life as a Londoner.
I have realized that in a city, it is very obvious who the tourists are, who the locals are, and what they are trying to do. For example, on the bus at 9.00, there will be people in suits, fellow students and young people, all looking exhausted without a smile or a word uttered the entire trip. Then on the way home, it is more or less the same, except on my bus, there are usually students who are chatty in the back. Weekends though the bus is buzzing with languages, people look happier, and the stop button is pressed every five minutes (annoying). I have noticed that I am able to fit into both groups, depending on my mood, who I am with and what is expected of me.
Another thing that I have noticed that I will have to do by the end of this month presumably, is buy a pair of shoes. Everyone in London seems to have wonderful looking shoes that are subtle yet complement their outfits in ways an American wouldn't think of. I expect I will go either to Camden Market or Spitalfields to get a pair of cheap, chic shoes.
Other than that, I am quite happy with my progress in London. I have made friends with both locals and the people in the program, which I was nervous about. We are planning a few trips and really getting settled into life as a Londoner.
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