Life update: Classes start, fun does not end. When to study?

The Nouvello Theatre where I saw Spring Awakening.

So, when I last left this blog, I had hopped on at Platform 9 3/4 for Hogwarts. It was lovely.

(Actually, sorry to spoil it for you, but it's sort of hidden near platform 6 in King's Cross next to some Dumpsters. But it's the thought that counts.)

That was last Wednesday (wow, was it that long ago? Weird.) On that day, some of the girls and I went tube-hopping until we got to a Mexican restaurant called "Tortilla," which is basically the British version of Chipotle, only there's not a million of them everywhere. It was delicious, and a nice change from my soup or cheese sandwich diet.

That night, the study abroad people had paid for all of us to see Spring Awakening. It. Was. AMAZING.


It had been so long since I saw a real, professional theatre performance. It made me remember why I loved it so much in the first place.

(But, friends, if you catch me talking about doing any plays... stop me, please.)

Anyway, the music was amazing, set and costumes gorgeous, actors were outstanding, plus it was neat to hear everything with British accents. The one male lead with all of the really rocking songs sounded like Morrisey, kinda. Well, not really, but he LOOKED like Eraserhead, which was hilarious.

Thursday: Classes start. Still fun to be had.


Thursday I had my first British Life and Culture class. It was an hour in the classroom going over syllabus, assignments, tests, etc. One class a week is in the classroom, the other is a Friday field trip.

Then we hopped on the tube and went to Parliament! We took a tour with this nice little old woman.

It was all quite interesting, learning how Parliament works and all that. We even saw a couple of MPs! Well, people in suits. But she said they were MPs.

That afternoon I also had my other class, the elective Media in Britain. There are only five people in that class, including myself, but it's not a difficult class work-wise; it's mostly discussion about newspapers, TV, documentary, etc. Right up my alley. And as the only journalism major in the class I pretty much always have something to say or contribute. Fun fact: there comes a time when you realize you're very involved in your major. That time is when you speak using industry jargon, and the teacher has to tell the rest of the class what you mean. Ah, being on a trip with non-J-school students... how strange!

So, yeah, I think I'm really going to enjoy that class. We get to take field trips, too, and we're going to a TV studio and a newsroom. So cool!

Friday: Canary Wharf business-y stuff. Also, I party.

That big iron circular structure in the middle of the picture is the 2012 Olympic stadium!

Bright and early Friday morning we had our first field trip. We started off at the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). They had just moved into a new building, and everything was super-modern and futuristic-looking. Ridiculously clean. It reminded me of The Devil Wears Prada.

A man there told us all about futures trading, which is exactly as exciting as it sounds. Maybe less so. But, I paid attention as best I could for the early hour, then we toiled on.

Our next stop was in Canary Wharf, which is an emerging financial center of London. We went to the Barclay's bank headquarters. It was huge! Six thousand people work in that building alone. It's like a city. Another guy talked to us all about Barclay's banking industry, credit crisis, bailout, etc. That was WAY more interesting than futures trading. I was quite intrigued, actually.

Then, we took the elevator up to the 30th floor of Barclay's and looked out to this great view of the wharf and the city. We could see where the 2012 Olympic Games stadium is being built. Everyone in London is already excited about the Olympics, from what I've heard from various people with accents. It's all pretty cool.

We also went to the Canary Wharf Group headquarters. To be honest, I have no idea why we were there, only that it's the tallest building in the city and there were fancily-suited men and women everywhere. We also sat in this giant boardroom.

After all that field-trippin' in our Business Casual (or b-caj, as I might like to say.), two other girls and I took the tube to this ridiculously big mall (again, another city. I've never seen a mall this big, except when I was 8 or so and we went to the Mall of America.) I bought tights, that's all, because I had washed-and-worn the same pair three times that week, so I figured buying another pair wouldn't be outrageous. My roommate Liz bought an entire outfit. Girl can shoppppp.

We came home, ate, and four of us got ready to "go out." Now, I never really go "out," so to speak. I'm much more indoorsy. A homebody, if you will. But I decided to be bold because, hey, I'm young, I'm in Europe, and if I have a crappy time at least I tried it and I don't have to go again.

So after many unsuccessful tube stops in places with expensive dance clubs and promoters trying to corral girls inside, we finally ended up at a pub full of football (soccer) fans who were drunkenly cheering about their team that had just won (I guess. They seemed too happy to have lost.) After the first hour, in which we were hit on probably 6 times by every bloke in the place, it had finally settled down.

Nancy saw a boy she thought was cute, so she got him and his (basically mute) friend to come over. Turns out they were French, in London for a few days. So it turned into a night of repeating sentences over and over, doing hand gestures, and them using my trusty reporter's notebook to illustrate what they were trying to say. I think Nancy and her dude had a looooove connection.

Oh! And! I drank a beer! Mom, don't be angry with me. I (again) thought I should try it, at least once, because I'm young, in Europe, and it was legal for me. So I had a Fuller's Organic Honeydew. It was... not entirely repulsive. Still, I think I'd rather have a milkshake, but pat on the back to me for trying something new.

Anyway, a fun night. I may go again, but I'm definitely not up for going out every night of the week like some (read as: most) of the people on this trip.

Saturday: Did not see Hugh Grant


Saturday was an odd day. Woke up and went to the travel agency with the girls to buy train tickets to Paris for the following weekend. I have a class on Monday, so I would have to leave Sunday night, leaving me (theoretically) almost two entire days in Paris. BUT my train ticket was going to be almost $300 American, and we would arrive 1pm Saturday and I would have to take the 3pm train Sunday, so I said no thanks, and the girls are going without me. But, that is alright since MY MOM IS COMING TO VISIT IN JULY! Yaaaaay! We're doing London stuff for a bit, then she had suggested Paris in her original e-mail, but I had said Rome instead because of the trip we were planning, but now it's Paris with my mom!!

After the debacle in the morning, I went walking about High Street Kensington until I was waaaaay far away. Found a tube station and went home, then went to Notting Hill, which has this huuuuuuuge street market on Portabello Road on Saturdays. It's a beautiful, picaresque little area of town. The market must have been at least two miles long. I got a pretty blouse in the vintage clothing area, though I don't believe it's vintage. But I like it anyhow, and it was cheap.

Sunday: Brighton Beach memoirs.


On Sunday, Allison, Kelsi and I took the train to Brighton. It was really fun, and a beautiful sunny day. We walked about the beach and the pier (which had carnival games and rides.)


I also finally got my fish and chips! And on the seashore! That, strangely enough, was one of my to-do things in England: go to Brighton and eat fish and chips on the pier. So I haven't eaten them before Sunday in preparation for this momentous event.


The beach at Brighton was packed! Also, it has no sand, just rocks! Weird. But a very fun day.

Today (Monday): To be, or not to be. That is the quest(ion).

Gators at the Globe.

Today we had a field trip to the Globe theatre (not the original, obviously. That burnt down.) for BLC. Learned tons about Shakespeare. The man who showed us around is a director in the company, and was hilarious.


Also bought a ticket to see Romeo and Juliet next Wednesday. £5 for a standing-room ticket, just like a peasant. I'm excited!

After that, had my media class, where a documentary filmmaker came and spoke to us about his work. Very, very interesting. I think I love this class. My homework last week was to watch TV.

Tomorrow is devoted to studying for my three tests this week. And I'm seeing Avenue Q tomorrow night!

Cheers!

Love,
AMY