Sunday, January 30, 2011
Last Week of January
As week three (and January) comes to an end, I find myself falling more and more behind on my weekly updates. Beware this one is pretty long as it has almost two weeks in it. (Feel free to skim or skip it completely! Sorry Jess, no cliff notes). I keep putting off the updates because there are so many things that I want to write about that I feel like I never have enough time. I last wrote last Monday, before attending the conference on Haiti, which didn't live up to my expectations. While the panelists had very impressive backgrounds and accomplishments, they were poor public speakers and were not very engaging. Nevertheless, I thought the discussion about the humanitarian aide response in Haiti was interesting. On Tuesday, I got my first letter from my Melissa Owens! It made my day :) After a run to and around Regents Park in the early afternoon, our group attended Les Mis that evening. Until then, I have only seen Chicago, Lion King, and Wicked, so Les Mis was quite different (more emotional). I absolutely loved it, and even cried at the end. The singing was outstanding and the special effects were great.
After class on Wednesday, we went on our weekly field trip, which this time was a walking tour of the City of London (the square mile financial district). We are all really starting to love our tour guide, Angie, a short lady in her 70s who wears a fur coat every tour and is very witty. This tour was interesting, but not my favorite. It was the first time while in London that I have actually been very cold. I didn't realize that we were going to be outside for three hours straight, so I didn't prepare well enough. While in the financial district, Angie would show us buildings and explain their significance, but then say how it was bombed in World War II, so the new building isn't the same. Basically, we spent most of the time using our imagination. However, I absolutely loved how streets are named after the item that used to be sold there (Milk Street, Wood Street, Oat Lane, Bread Street, Fish Street Hill, and my favorite, Pudding Lane). After having dinner with out roommate's mom, we went out to a bar called Roadhouse, which was a blast. The bar looked like it was straight out of the 80s and the music was great. Plus, it was karaoke night, which is always entertaining.
Before class on Thursday, I went for a run (the same one I have been doing since I've been here--to Regents Park and around the outer circle and back, for a total of 6 miles). Thursday's class is definitely my favorite. The teacher, Justin, is hilarious and seems to know everything there is to know about music. Last week we talked about Jazz and the Blues, and got to listen to the earliest recordings and hear the progression over the years. After class, I packed for DUBLIN and tried to call it an early night because Friday morning we were up at 5am.
After an early start, eight of us (Me, Grayson, Sonya, Megan, Jamie, Stephanie, Matt and Adam) headed to the airport to catch our Ryanair flight to Dublin. If anyone has ever flown Ryanair before, they can assure you that it is the world's worst airline. I can honestly say that they try to charge you for everything. Even the bathroom on the plane costs money! Since checking a bag cost 20 pounds, I was forced to pack lightly and carry on my bag. Luckly, I made it through the strict weight and size limits (shocking, I know). We arrived in Dublin safely and got to our hotel, which turned out to be very nice for what we were paying. Turns out Grayson's parents were able to get a deal through their travel agent, so we were in luck! Since we got to Dublin around 10am, we had all day to explore on Friday. We decided to take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of the city, which took us to 20 different stops where we had the option of getting off the bus and walking around. Since the buses come every 15 minutes, it was a really great way to get to see the things that we wanted to see. For lunch, we stopped at O'Neils pub that had a sandwich and soup bar. I got tomato and onion soup which was more like french onion soup without all of the cheese. And, I tried my first pint of Guinness! It was better than I expected, but not my favorite. On the bus tour, we walked around the Trinity College campus (right by our hotel), the Molly Malone statue, the wonderful colored doors (as well as the most photographed and most famous door in Dublin), the Government buildings, the National Gallery (much of which was closed for renovation), and Dublin Castle. I absolutely loved seeing the seemingly endless rows of red brick houses with different colored doors. Dublin Castle was amazing as well, although we didn't get to walk around inside very much because it was pretty expensive. Walking around the streets Friday evening, I was amazed at the number of bands playing really good live music in the street. We stopped and watched a few different, very entertaining and talented groups. For dinner, we went to an Italian restaurant that turned out to be more expensive than we had thought. So, I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu (Margherita Pizza) and it was great! I have been loving pizza lately. Friday night we encountered more incredible music at a Pub in the Temple Bar area, where a woman and man were singing together and playing guitar. They played mostly cover songs, but they had the crowd electrified and the energy in the room was amazing. They played everything from Stevie Nicks to Journey to the Beatles, from "Cotton Eyed Joe" to "Eye of the Tiger" to traditional Irish songs. The woman had a fantastic voice and the guy was amazing on guitar, especially on his solos. They were so great that we we made sure to go back again Saturday night.
On Saturday morning, we got crepes for breakfast. YUM. They were absolutely delicious. The place we went had so many choices of crepes, omelets, waffles, etc.. It may not have been a traditional Irish breakfast, but it hit the spot. We got back on the hop-on-hop-off tour to finish it off. We saw the Guinness Storehouse, the Dublin Zoo (where the lion "Steven" from the MGM films lives), St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, the Dublin Spire, and ended at the Jameson Distillery where we took a tour and tried a complimentary glass of Jameson. St. Patrick's Cathedral was by far my favorite. It was absolutely breathtaking inside. The photos I have are amazing, but still dont do it justice. I lit a candle for John and bought a card with our favorite Irish Blessing. I am not a fan of whiskey, but my Jameson and Ginger Ale was pretty good! Saturday night we went back to the Temple Bar area to a few places, and ended up at the place with the live music from the night before. Once again, we had a blast. We found that everyone in Dublin was SO nice. I love Dublin because it is a big city, but with a small town feel to it. The people are incredibly friendly and the live music on the streets was great.
On Sunday, we woke up early to catch a bus to Galway for the day. Along the way, it was very foggy, but I could still see beautiful green pastures and an old wooden fence that seemed to last for miles. However, when we got there, I asked the woman at the information desk where we should go for the day. The first thing she said was, "well, its a Sunday, so many things are closed, including the tourist information office." And, to our surprise, we found out that the bus tours to the Cliffs of Moher (the one place everyone said we HAD to go to), had left at 10 and 11:30 and unfortunately it was already 11:45 (since the bus took 2.5 hours to get to Galway from Dublin). Such a bummer. Despite the fog and the cold, we still had a great time. We met an older man walking his dog who insisted on showing us around Galway. We saw the Spanish arch, walked along the coast to Salthill, bought chocolate at Butler's Chocolates, and walked through a little market (selling art, leather goods, food, etc.) where I got a nutella crepe. We made it back to Dublin in time for me to get a chance to call my wonderful mother to wish her a happy birthday :) By Sunday night we were pretty exhausted, so we stayed in and played cards.
On Monday, we flew out in the morning, but not before grabbing one last crepe (three in three days...not bad). We made out with only one catastrophe, when the airline people made my friend pay 20 pounds to check her "oversized" carry-on (which was definitely small enough). Ryanair flights may be cheap, but they really try to find any way to charge you fees. We had class Monday evening, and then stayed in Monday night to get some rest after the long weekend.
On Tuesday, our class took a field trip to the BBC World Service Trust (where my professor works). The Bush House was a grand (and incredibly complicated) building, filled with people doing amazing things. It was interesting to hear all about the projects that people there are doing all over the world, using media as a means of creating social change, reducing poverty and promoting human rights. It was inspiring to say the least. After class, I ran to Regents park, went grocery shopping, and attempted to do some homework.
After class on Wednesday, we went on a group excursion to Westminster to see the Houses of Parliament (from the outside only--tours are on weekends, which we will definitely be doing in the near future) and Westminster Abbey. I loved Westminster Abbey, but who wouldn't? I had no idea that so many people were buried there. It was amazing to listen to Angie talk about the attacks it suffered in the 1600's, when the Puritans swept through and defaced statues and eliminated colors, and to be able to see the remnants of the damage that was done. There were two colorful medieval wall paintings that apparently the Puritans "missed," as they had a large statue in front of them at the time, so the paintings were not visible to the Puritans. I also enjoyed Poets corner, where many famous writers are buried (Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickens, Robert Browning) and where there are memorials to many others including Shakespeare, Keats, Shelley, T.S. Eliot, the Bronte's, and my favorite, Jane Austen. I am so excited for the royal wedding in April! I cant even imagine how gorgeous it will be. Wednesday night, I had dinner with Maggie and then we went back to one of our favorite spots called Roadhouse. Since Wednesday is karaoke night, and since I dont have class until 2pm on Thursday, I think "Roadhouse Wednesdays" is catching on.
On Thursday, I got my run in before class. On my way back, it started to snow!!! Just barely, but it definitely did. I must have looked like a little kid in a candy store, as I had a huge grin on my face. It was my first time running in the snow (although, it was so little that I doubt it really counts). Anyways, Thursday's class is fantastic. I love learning all about the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Jimi Henrix, etc., and getting to listen to and analyze music in class. It is such a great way to end the week. Thursday night, we attempted to go out to a bar called Boujis, which ended up being a really snooty place filled with rich people and expensive drinks. Needless to say, it was not our scene, and we were out of there in less than 10 minutes.
On Friday, we woke up early and went on our first day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. The drive to both places was amazing. We are finally getting to see more of the countryside, which I love. Green pastures, old wooden and stone fences, sheep grazing, etc. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the window. Stonehenge was absolutely freezing and windy...definitely the coldest I've been yet. The wind was blowing so hard that my face was red and cold, and the fact that I forgot my gloves on the coldest day yet made it really hard to take pictures. Not to worry, I took plenty. Stonehenge was really cool. Im still amazed that people in that time were able to move the massive rocks, and that it has stayed relatively in tact since 2500 BC. I loved how the clouds would move slightly and suddenly streams of sunlight would shine down on the pastures behind the site. It made for some amazing photographs. After Stonehenge, we headed to Bath, which was just as terrific. We toured the Museum and the Roman Baths and listened to an audio tour. A fun fact that I learned on the audio tour was about a skeleton of a man, whom coroners were able to tell was rich because of a certain mineral left in his teeth that indicated that he ate a lot of honey, which only wealthy people could afford to eat. After the Baths tour, we had free time to explore the town. We went to lunch and saw the Bath Abbey, the magnificent Royal Crescent, the Jane Austen Center, the Pulteney Bridge (regarded as one of the world's most beautiful bridges), and the River Avon. My favorite experience of the day was going to a chocolatier and asking the man for one piece of chocolate with hazelnuts and one piece of chocolate with almonds. Imagine two pieces of chocolate about 3x3 inches each. He rang me up and said "that will be 8 pounds," and I almost choked. I had him put back one of the pieces, but felt too guilty to not buy something, so I sucked it up and paid 4 pounds for a piece of chocolate that was good, but not 7 pounds worth. From now on I will make sure to ask how much things are before I get rung up. On the drive back from Bath, the sun was setting beyond the pastures of sheep and cows. Words cannot describe its beauty. I was anxious to get off the bus and take pictures, but we were pressed for time, so we didn't. I decided that Bath is one of my most favorite European cities (along with Toledo). I will definitely be going back before the trip is over.
Yesterday (Saturday), Maggie, Grayson, and I got coffee and walked around Hyde Park (another huge park near us). We then went to Primark on Oxford Street to do a little shopping. I would describe it as the London version of Target, but better. I bought a pair of shoes for 6 pounds! So exciting. We then took the tube to Portobello Market (the weekly Saturday market) at Notting Hill. We all decided that we are coming back as often as possible. They have SO many great things to look at and buy. Grayson bought a fur head wrap (Portobello Market is famous for its fur stalls), Maggie bought a canvas reusable Notting Hill bag, and I bought a small wallet for myself and a birthday present for my Mom. Just outside the market, but still in Notting Hill, we came across Paul Rhodes Bakery (http://www.rhodesbakery.co.uk). Yet another model for my future bakery and the perfect photo opportunity. I dont often see places with Rhodes in the name. We took the tube back to our place and I cooked an Indian dinner for me and Maggie and we all watched a movie. Although today was a relatively simple and relaxing day, I had a blast. My friends here are amazing.
Today, we plan on attended an afternoon service at Westminster Abbey. It was an amazing experience. I have never heard anything quite like the choir before. This coming weekend, Maggie, Grayson, Megan and I head to AMSTERDAM to visit Alex, Michelle, and Laura. I am SO EXCITED to spend a weekend with my best friends :) I hope that all is well with everyone at home. Please let me know what you have been up to. I got to Skype with Jake and Megan (and Alexa, too!), which was so much fun. If anyone else has Skype, please let me know! I hope you all are enjoying reading about my travels. Sorry the updates are so long, but this is also my way of keeping a journal as I travel, so I don't want to leave anything out. Until next week... xoxox
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Week Two
As week two begins, I find it hard to believe that time here is flying by so fast. Last time I wrote was last Monday, the first day of class. As I said in the last email, I have Lisa for my Monday evening and Tuesday morning classes, which is great. She has lived all over the world and currently lives in London, where she teaches and works for the BBC. Today, instead of class, we are going to watch a panel discussion called "Communicating with Haiti: Where the Response Failed, Where it Succeeded, and How we Move Forward," which I am really excited about.
Last Tuesday morning, I had my second class with Lisa: "Designing Media and Communication Projects for Social Change," where we will be designing our own project for some sort of social change in a country outside of the United States. After class, we went to "Ben's Cookies," a cookie shop recommended to us by former students from this program. I was in heaven. I have to admit, they may have surpassed me in the art of perfecting the chocolate chip cookie. They even have a deal called a "Ben's Box," where you buy 5 cookies and the last 2 are free. Naturally, I bought one. How could I pass up a deal like that? I wish I could send boxes home to you all to try. YUM. And the little shop is so cute. I want to take the idea and turn it into "Jane's Cookies" one day. Tuesday evening, a group of us went to a place called The Rock and Sole Place, which is supposedly one of the best places to eat fish and chips in London. To be honest, we all thought it was mediocre. Afterwords, we went to see the musical, Chicago, and sat in the front row. I absolutely loved it. Keep in mind, Chicago is a very risqué musical, so the front row was a little shocking at times, but nevertheless entertaining. We are seeing Les Miserables tomorrow, which I am so excited about. I will let you know how it measures up to Chicago.
My Wednesday morning class is called The Rhetoric of London, and is linked with a three hour afternoon lab, where we tour different sites in London. Last Wednesday, our tour guide Angie (who seems to know everything about everything), took us to the Tower of London, where we saw the Crown Jewels, which was my favorite part of the tour. They were exquisite to say the least. I will never forget the story that Angie told us about the princes in the tower--after the death of Edward IV, the eldest of his two young sons (Edward V) was not old enough to rule. Edward IV's uncle, Richard Duke of Gloucester ruled until Edward V was old enough. The princes (Edward V and his brother) disappeared and were last seen in 1483. In 1674, their bones were discovered in a box at the foot of a staircase in the tower. Apparently, Richard had killed the princes so that he would remain King. What a great uncle he was.
Wednesday evening, my roommates (Grayson, Sonya, Patrice) and I met Maggie and Megan for dinner at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese for dinner. It is a famous old pub/restaurant where Charles Dickens was known to write and spend time. The pub is alluded to in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Other writers associated with the pub are Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The pub even has the original (stuffed) "Polly" from the phrase "Polly want a cracker?" It was cool but also creepy that she stares at you while you order a drink at the bar. They served traditional English dishes in the small, warm dining room with no more than six tables. As soon as I spotted "Bangers and Mash" on the menu, I knew I had to order it, because Jake always talks about how good it is. He was right...it was surprisingly great. I honestly didn't really know what to expect, but it turned out to be sausages and mashed potatoes with gravy. Simple and delicious. After, we ordered some sort of a sticky toffee pudding/custard for dessert, which was pretty weird. After dinner, the six of us went out to a local bar, a popular place for college students in London. Cheap drinks, good music, and a great time.
I am one of the few without Thursday morning class, so I woke up and went for a run around the neighborhood in the morning. Class in the afternoon ("Interpreting Popular Culture") was great. We are going to learn all about the interplay between music, fashion, gender, race, drugs, and various subcultures in London today and throughout history. Lots of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Our teacher Justin seems like a lot of fun, and the class will be a nice way to end the week.
On Friday, we all went to Borough Market, one of the largest food markets in London. The first thing I noticed when we got there was how good it smelled. They had everything you could imagine, from meats, fish, and cheeses, to fruits, vegetables, and pastries. They had massive pots of stew and Indian food, as well as hot cider that I tried for the first time. Perfect for a cold day. After the market, Maggie, Megan, Grayson and I walked to the Tate Modern Art museum, where we visited exhibits of Dali, Picasso, Monet and Andy Worhol. Worhol was definitely my favorite. The Worhol room had pink wallpaper with yellow cows on it (very wacky) and a few paintings that I really enjoyed. One was of a dollar sign, and the blurb beside it talked about the automatic associations between the sign and money, and wondered whether the sign could be appreciated for its beauty alone, without being associated with money and power.
Anyways, after the Tate we looked for a cafe to grab something to eat before going home. As we were looking for a place, it started to rain. Just as it really started to pour, we hopped into the nearest place, a wine-bar across the street from St. Paul's Cathedral. As we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine and leek and potato soup, we watched gusts of wind and rain throughout the streets and people scattering for shelter. In a matter of minutes, the storm was over and the sun was setting behind the cathedral. What a sight. That night, we all went out to a club called Cargo which was a lot of fun.
After sleeping in Saturday morning, a bunch of us took the tube over to Notting Hill, where we went to Portabello Market, which was even more fun than Borough Market. They had antiques, vintage clothes, leather goods, fur goods, food, etc. It was absolutely massive, I've never seen anything like it! Later that night, we watched Notting Hill (the movie with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant), which was only appropriate after our amazing day in Notting Hill!
Yesterday, I went on a run in the morning to Regents park, a huge park in London with gardens, sports fields, etc. I brought a piece of paper with directions with me so I didn't get lost. It was a wonderful way to start the day. Later that day, Grayson, Sonya and I went shopping (well, browsing) at some shops in London and went to a sports bar last night to watch the Seahawks v. Bears game. We also booked our trip to Amsterdam for the beginning of February! Two of my best friends are studying abroad there, so we will be able to stay with them. And, I video chatted with my parents last night as well. I am so proud of them for learning how to do it. It made my day to be able to talk to them and see their faces :)
This coming weekend, we are going to DUBLIN!!! Eight of us are going together, leaving Friday morning and coming back Sunday morning. On the books so far is going to the Jameson distillery, to Galway for the day, exploring castles, and trying Guinness for the first time. I cant wait to tell you guys all about it.
That's all for now. In honor of Martin Luther King day, "Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others." - MLK. Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend. Love and miss you all so much. Cheers! xoxox
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Settled in London
I am finally getting settled in London. :) Everything is great so far. I'm sorry it took me so long to write, but we have been so busy!
After getting barely any sleep on the plane, we arrived in London pretty tired. I accidentally left my LSAT book on the plane and haven't been able to track it down. Bummer. Looks like I wont be studying while I'm here, which is probably a good thing. It was funny to see who traveled lightly and who packed as much as possible. I was definitely the latter, with a 30 pound backpack on my back, in addition to my two suitcases. However, I managed to not be "that girl," who ended up being the diva who paid $150 to have a third suitcase, and needed a cart to stack all of her stuff. Too funny.
I am living with Grayson, Emily, Patrice and Sonya. I am in a triple with Grayson and Emily and the other two are in the double in our flat. We are all getting along great and having a lot of fun so far. The day we arrived, we unpacked and met the whole group and staff for a quick tour of the neighborhood and went to a pub for some food. The food was next to awful, as most of it was deep fried, cold, and we didn't know what it was. I had a girl-scout bite of each thing, but it was pretty bad. Not to worry, I've had really good food since then :)
The next day (Friday) we had a lengthy orientation covering transportation, food, safety, etc. The area we are living in is quite nice and relatively safe, which is great. We then went on a walking tour of the West End, where we toured the local neighborhoods. This is when it set in that I am going to have an absolutely amazing time here. There is absolutely so much to do and I am already stressed out about how I am going to squeeze it all in to the four months I have here. That night we had a group dinner at Zizzi's, an Italian pizzeria, where I had butternut squash risotto which was delish! (And reminded me a lot of home). For dessert, I indulged in a chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream. Whoever said the food here sucks has clearly never been to Zizzi's. Apparently the best way to avoid bad-tasting food is to avoid the authentic English cuisine. Friday night a bunch of us went out to a bar and had a blast. We met up with some other kids from USC who are in different programs. There are so many USC students studying here this semester, so we see each other everywhere.
On Saturday, Grayson and I went to Waitrose, a local grocery store known for fresh produce. It was huge, and comparable to a Safeway or Ralphs at home. The produce was reasonably fresh (especially in comparison to other places we've stopped into). First off, I noticed how much more expensive food is here, especially when beginning to do the pounds-dollars conversions in my head. Then I noticed how the expiration dates on many things were a lot sooner than in the United States, which I was told was because people in London go to the grocery store every two or three days and get a few things, rather than stocking up. I guess Costco wouldn't do so well here. Soon after filling three reusable bags with groceries I realized I had to carry them all home. I think I need to adopt the London grocery shopping style to avoid having to carry so much, but it was definitely a workout. Saturday night we grabbed some ice cream and stayed in and began watching the Tudors series, a show about Henry VIII. It's both entertaining and informative, and helping to refresh my memory of all the English history I've learned and forgotten over the years. We are also taking note of places they show in the episodes that we will eventually go and visit.
On Sunday we went on a bus tour of London, where we saw most of the tourist sites from the bus (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Tower of London, the National Gallery, the Thames, Hyde park, St. Paul's Cathedral, etc.). However, we saw most things from the bus and only stopped at Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral, both of which were breathtaking. I can't wait to go back. A few of us stepped inside St. Paul's Cathedral for a minute, and were amazed by its grandeur. It definitely rivaled the cathedrals I saw in Spain. The tour was mainly to get us acquainted with the city and the main sites, which really helped us so we can plan days in the future to go back. Saturday afternoon, we ran a few errands for household things like extension cords, extra drawers, hangers, etc. We went to this place called Argos (where everyone said to go) and found that you have to flip through a massive catalogue, write down the item number, see whether they are in stock or not, and if they are, pay first and then receive your items. What a joke. It really made me miss and appreciate Costco. The catalogue took forever to find what you were looking for and after I did, I soon learned that most of what I got was out of stock. I ended up buying a set of drawers that were way smaller than I intended, because you pay before you actually see the item. So, those are going to be returned. Sunday night we went out to dinner at a place called Maxwell's, which seemed like a restaurant out of California. It was nothing special. We had some happy hour drinks, and then went out to a few bars after, only to find that Sunday night is definitely not a popular night to go out in London (clearly) so we called it a night pretty early. It was nice to hang out and get to know more people in our group.
Today (Monday) was the first day of class. In the morning, I woke up and went for a run in the neighborhood where we live. I started at Russell Square and ran down various streets and back. I didn't turn so I wouldn't get lost. I just picked streets that stemmed off of the square and ran down until it hit a dead end or until I felt like turning around, and did so. It was a great way to get myself oriented. I plan to do that the next few times that I run and then eventually go run in nearby parks. We also have a gym membership to the YMCA, which is a really nice gym just a few blocks away. After, Grayson and I went to the British Museum, which is just two blocks from our flat! After walking inside and looking at a map, I realized how huge it was (more than 7 million objects) and decided that I would have to go back multiple times in order to see everything. The collections in the museum are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world. We viewed the ancient Egypt and Middle East sections. Walking to the first exhibit, I noticed a large crowd standing around and taking photos of something, which I approached and saw was the Rosetta stone. My amazement was soon jolted as I was shoved in the side by others trying to get their photo of the stone. It was nevertheless very impressive. We then moved into Ancient Egypt. The collection's highlights included the many tombs and mummies of everything from humans to bulls to dogs and cats. There were a few actual human skeletons shown as well. One exhibit showed the inside of a tomb to see the positioning of the body, which was so well preserved (apparently by the dryness of the climate) that you could still see the skin. In a way, it felt like we were violating these people by looking at them (and some even taking photos), but it was truly moving. We only had a few hours to spend in the museum since I had class at 5, so we only got to see a few collections. We will definitely be back in the future.
My first class (Communication and Global Organization with Lisa Robinson on Mondays from 5-8pm) was great. She has lived and worked all over the world, and currently lives in London and works for the BBC. I chose this class because a friend of mine who studied here last Spring told me that I HAD to take her, and that Lisa was the whole reason that she (my friend) wanted to go into non-profit work after College. My class tomorrow is also with Lisa. Today was mostly just an introduction day. We introduced ourselves, talked about our experiences thus far, went over the syllabus, and learned about her life. I am really looking forward to taking this class. Although I have to admit it was kind of a shock to realize that I will actually have to go to class and learn something while I am here, instead of sightseeing all day, every day. ;) Tonight I made a salad for dinner and we stayed in again, since tomorrow is our first morning class. After, we plan on going to another museum and maybe checking out Harrods (without buying anything, of course). Then, a bunch of us bought tickets to see Chicago, which I am really excited about.
So far, the weather has been fairly mild and less cold than I expected. Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky. The first few days we were here it was cloudy and rainy on and off, but nothing extreme. I think I can handle it! As I write this letter, I hear rain drops outside. Eek!
My best friend Maggie just got in to London today, so I can't wait to see her soon. She is studying here with another program, so it will be great to have a close buddy here in addition to my friends in my group.
When I talk to people in my group about studying in Madrid in the summer, many ask me similar questions like if I think my London experience will compare to Madrid, which city I like better, etc. I am never quite sure how to answer them because I can already tell that my experiences at both will be quite different, but nevertheless both will be two amazing times in my life that I will never forget. While in Spain, I lived alone with my senora, spoke a different language, our group was smaller, didn't know anyone at the beginning and came out of the trip with two of my really good friends, ate ice cream everyday, went on runs in the heat and humidity. Here, I live with four other girls, speak English (although some words are new), our group is much bigger, I know a lot of people from class, I don't eat ice cream every day because it is too cold (coffee and tea instead), and I bundle up to run in the bitter cold. I can already say, even though carrying groceries might be a pain in the butt, it is really nice to be able to cook for myself this time. If I had to survive a whole semester of my senora's cooking, I would come out 100 pounds heavier and a chronic case of heartburn from all of the fried food.
Well, time to sign off for now. It's getting late and I have class in the morning. Sorry for the long email. I will try to be better about keeping up with my emails, but it's been hard since we have been doing things all the time and haven't had much down time. Please let me know what you all are up to! Love you all and miss you tons!!! xoxoxox
After getting barely any sleep on the plane, we arrived in London pretty tired. I accidentally left my LSAT book on the plane and haven't been able to track it down. Bummer. Looks like I wont be studying while I'm here, which is probably a good thing. It was funny to see who traveled lightly and who packed as much as possible. I was definitely the latter, with a 30 pound backpack on my back, in addition to my two suitcases. However, I managed to not be "that girl," who ended up being the diva who paid $150 to have a third suitcase, and needed a cart to stack all of her stuff. Too funny.
I am living with Grayson, Emily, Patrice and Sonya. I am in a triple with Grayson and Emily and the other two are in the double in our flat. We are all getting along great and having a lot of fun so far. The day we arrived, we unpacked and met the whole group and staff for a quick tour of the neighborhood and went to a pub for some food. The food was next to awful, as most of it was deep fried, cold, and we didn't know what it was. I had a girl-scout bite of each thing, but it was pretty bad. Not to worry, I've had really good food since then :)
The next day (Friday) we had a lengthy orientation covering transportation, food, safety, etc. The area we are living in is quite nice and relatively safe, which is great. We then went on a walking tour of the West End, where we toured the local neighborhoods. This is when it set in that I am going to have an absolutely amazing time here. There is absolutely so much to do and I am already stressed out about how I am going to squeeze it all in to the four months I have here. That night we had a group dinner at Zizzi's, an Italian pizzeria, where I had butternut squash risotto which was delish! (And reminded me a lot of home). For dessert, I indulged in a chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream. Whoever said the food here sucks has clearly never been to Zizzi's. Apparently the best way to avoid bad-tasting food is to avoid the authentic English cuisine. Friday night a bunch of us went out to a bar and had a blast. We met up with some other kids from USC who are in different programs. There are so many USC students studying here this semester, so we see each other everywhere.
On Saturday, Grayson and I went to Waitrose, a local grocery store known for fresh produce. It was huge, and comparable to a Safeway or Ralphs at home. The produce was reasonably fresh (especially in comparison to other places we've stopped into). First off, I noticed how much more expensive food is here, especially when beginning to do the pounds-dollars conversions in my head. Then I noticed how the expiration dates on many things were a lot sooner than in the United States, which I was told was because people in London go to the grocery store every two or three days and get a few things, rather than stocking up. I guess Costco wouldn't do so well here. Soon after filling three reusable bags with groceries I realized I had to carry them all home. I think I need to adopt the London grocery shopping style to avoid having to carry so much, but it was definitely a workout. Saturday night we grabbed some ice cream and stayed in and began watching the Tudors series, a show about Henry VIII. It's both entertaining and informative, and helping to refresh my memory of all the English history I've learned and forgotten over the years. We are also taking note of places they show in the episodes that we will eventually go and visit.
On Sunday we went on a bus tour of London, where we saw most of the tourist sites from the bus (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Tower of London, the National Gallery, the Thames, Hyde park, St. Paul's Cathedral, etc.). However, we saw most things from the bus and only stopped at Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral, both of which were breathtaking. I can't wait to go back. A few of us stepped inside St. Paul's Cathedral for a minute, and were amazed by its grandeur. It definitely rivaled the cathedrals I saw in Spain. The tour was mainly to get us acquainted with the city and the main sites, which really helped us so we can plan days in the future to go back. Saturday afternoon, we ran a few errands for household things like extension cords, extra drawers, hangers, etc. We went to this place called Argos (where everyone said to go) and found that you have to flip through a massive catalogue, write down the item number, see whether they are in stock or not, and if they are, pay first and then receive your items. What a joke. It really made me miss and appreciate Costco. The catalogue took forever to find what you were looking for and after I did, I soon learned that most of what I got was out of stock. I ended up buying a set of drawers that were way smaller than I intended, because you pay before you actually see the item. So, those are going to be returned. Sunday night we went out to dinner at a place called Maxwell's, which seemed like a restaurant out of California. It was nothing special. We had some happy hour drinks, and then went out to a few bars after, only to find that Sunday night is definitely not a popular night to go out in London (clearly) so we called it a night pretty early. It was nice to hang out and get to know more people in our group.
Today (Monday) was the first day of class. In the morning, I woke up and went for a run in the neighborhood where we live. I started at Russell Square and ran down various streets and back. I didn't turn so I wouldn't get lost. I just picked streets that stemmed off of the square and ran down until it hit a dead end or until I felt like turning around, and did so. It was a great way to get myself oriented. I plan to do that the next few times that I run and then eventually go run in nearby parks. We also have a gym membership to the YMCA, which is a really nice gym just a few blocks away. After, Grayson and I went to the British Museum, which is just two blocks from our flat! After walking inside and looking at a map, I realized how huge it was (more than 7 million objects) and decided that I would have to go back multiple times in order to see everything. The collections in the museum are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world. We viewed the ancient Egypt and Middle East sections. Walking to the first exhibit, I noticed a large crowd standing around and taking photos of something, which I approached and saw was the Rosetta stone. My amazement was soon jolted as I was shoved in the side by others trying to get their photo of the stone. It was nevertheless very impressive. We then moved into Ancient Egypt. The collection's highlights included the many tombs and mummies of everything from humans to bulls to dogs and cats. There were a few actual human skeletons shown as well. One exhibit showed the inside of a tomb to see the positioning of the body, which was so well preserved (apparently by the dryness of the climate) that you could still see the skin. In a way, it felt like we were violating these people by looking at them (and some even taking photos), but it was truly moving. We only had a few hours to spend in the museum since I had class at 5, so we only got to see a few collections. We will definitely be back in the future.
My first class (Communication and Global Organization with Lisa Robinson on Mondays from 5-8pm) was great. She has lived and worked all over the world, and currently lives in London and works for the BBC. I chose this class because a friend of mine who studied here last Spring told me that I HAD to take her, and that Lisa was the whole reason that she (my friend) wanted to go into non-profit work after College. My class tomorrow is also with Lisa. Today was mostly just an introduction day. We introduced ourselves, talked about our experiences thus far, went over the syllabus, and learned about her life. I am really looking forward to taking this class. Although I have to admit it was kind of a shock to realize that I will actually have to go to class and learn something while I am here, instead of sightseeing all day, every day. ;) Tonight I made a salad for dinner and we stayed in again, since tomorrow is our first morning class. After, we plan on going to another museum and maybe checking out Harrods (without buying anything, of course). Then, a bunch of us bought tickets to see Chicago, which I am really excited about.
So far, the weather has been fairly mild and less cold than I expected. Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky. The first few days we were here it was cloudy and rainy on and off, but nothing extreme. I think I can handle it! As I write this letter, I hear rain drops outside. Eek!
My best friend Maggie just got in to London today, so I can't wait to see her soon. She is studying here with another program, so it will be great to have a close buddy here in addition to my friends in my group.
When I talk to people in my group about studying in Madrid in the summer, many ask me similar questions like if I think my London experience will compare to Madrid, which city I like better, etc. I am never quite sure how to answer them because I can already tell that my experiences at both will be quite different, but nevertheless both will be two amazing times in my life that I will never forget. While in Spain, I lived alone with my senora, spoke a different language, our group was smaller, didn't know anyone at the beginning and came out of the trip with two of my really good friends, ate ice cream everyday, went on runs in the heat and humidity. Here, I live with four other girls, speak English (although some words are new), our group is much bigger, I know a lot of people from class, I don't eat ice cream every day because it is too cold (coffee and tea instead), and I bundle up to run in the bitter cold. I can already say, even though carrying groceries might be a pain in the butt, it is really nice to be able to cook for myself this time. If I had to survive a whole semester of my senora's cooking, I would come out 100 pounds heavier and a chronic case of heartburn from all of the fried food.
Well, time to sign off for now. It's getting late and I have class in the morning. Sorry for the long email. I will try to be better about keeping up with my emails, but it's been hard since we have been doing things all the time and haven't had much down time. Please let me know what you all are up to! Love you all and miss you tons!!! xoxoxox
Monday, January 10, 2011
Ready for London!
Hi Everyone!
As I sit in the San Francisco Airport awaiting my flight to LA and then London, I am eagerly anticipating all of the adventures to come in the next few months. I know that I am going to have the time of my life this semester, and I cant wait to get there and let it all begin. My experiences in Spain this summer have made me a much more confident traveler--I finally know how to use public transportation, I can calculate currency conversions in my head, I am much more cautious of my purse (after my wallet was stolen in Barcelona), I can speak a foreign language relatively fluently, I can navigate airports like a professional, and I am overall much more independent. Something that I still haven't learned, however, is how to pack lightly, as I managed to bring two 50lb suitcases and one 25lb carry-on backpack. I was able to convince the guy at the security check point that my backpack would fit in the overhead bins even though it had trouble fitting in the carry-on sizer. Fingers crossed it will actually fit. While on the plane, I plan on working on my applications for my summer internships, catching up on "Always Sunny in Philadelphia," reading my England travel book, and sleeping as much as possible. I am so excited that I dont think sleep is much of an option for me.
Email will be my primary source of communication until May 1. I will also be using Skype (jrhodes25). I am starting a blog (that I haven't finished yet) and I will update you as soon as its up and running. That way, you can look at my travels whenever you feel like it (rather than me flooding your inbox).
My mailing address is as follows:
Jane Rhodes
c/o ACCENT
99-103 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3LA
ENGLAND
Cheers for now :)
As I sit in the San Francisco Airport awaiting my flight to LA and then London, I am eagerly anticipating all of the adventures to come in the next few months. I know that I am going to have the time of my life this semester, and I cant wait to get there and let it all begin. My experiences in Spain this summer have made me a much more confident traveler--I finally know how to use public transportation, I can calculate currency conversions in my head, I am much more cautious of my purse (after my wallet was stolen in Barcelona), I can speak a foreign language relatively fluently, I can navigate airports like a professional, and I am overall much more independent. Something that I still haven't learned, however, is how to pack lightly, as I managed to bring two 50lb suitcases and one 25lb carry-on backpack. I was able to convince the guy at the security check point that my backpack would fit in the overhead bins even though it had trouble fitting in the carry-on sizer. Fingers crossed it will actually fit. While on the plane, I plan on working on my applications for my summer internships, catching up on "Always Sunny in Philadelphia," reading my England travel book, and sleeping as much as possible. I am so excited that I dont think sleep is much of an option for me.
Email will be my primary source of communication until May 1. I will also be using Skype (jrhodes25). I am starting a blog (that I haven't finished yet) and I will update you as soon as its up and running. That way, you can look at my travels whenever you feel like it (rather than me flooding your inbox).
My mailing address is as follows:
Jane Rhodes
c/o ACCENT
99-103 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3LA
ENGLAND
Cheers for now :)
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