Time flying by!
A lot has been going on, which keeps me from writing in this so often, but hopefully when I do write all the activities help this become a lot more interesting. Well lets see last time I wrote in this was Tuesday of last week, so lets think what happened since then. It is crazy for me to think back that far, even though it really isn't that far back. Okay so last Wednesday I went to the Globe to see Merry Wives of Windsor, which I absolutely loved!! It was hilarious. The actresses who played Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page displayed such camaraderie and really did Shakespeare's play justice. I loved it! I bought two posters at the gift shop. One of each play that I have seen and will see, which are
A Midsummer Night's Dream and
Timon of Athens. I couldn't find a poster for
Merry Wives of Windsor, so I bought a postcard of it instead. I also got to take a tour of the Globe, and I really liked how in the recreation process (this is not the original theatre Shakespeare did his performance in because that one burnt down) they wanted to be as authentic as possible so they read up on the time period and looked Shakespeare's own plays for guidance on how the stage must have looked. As a lit major I love when others respect the author's point of view and attempt to be as authentic and true to the work as possible.
Anyways, I had classes on Thursday. I had to do a presentation on
Heart of Darkness (yuck!). In high school I managed to avoid reading it when it was assigned, but this time I couldn't since I had to give an opinion on it and I thought maybe I should give it more of a chance. Why do I hate this book so much? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Conrad's female characters are in serious need of a brain and some more depth. His women characters in the HOD come across as one-sided and unrealistic. Besides that I really admire his power to evoke an image from his words. However the plot and the story just are not my cup of tea, but I am glad that I at least read it this time to know that for sure.
On Friday my flatmates and I woke up early to go to Buckingham Palace. All I have to say is WOW!! We toured the Royal Mews (the stables and some of the Queen's cars), the Queen's Gallery (gorgeous paintings and artifacts), and select staterooms in the Palace (omgosh!!). In the Queen's Gallery I saw this beautiful painting of Queen Victoria as a little girl. I love the paintings of the Victorian era. The colors in them are so rich and bold, yet give off this sort of softness. As soon as I entered the palace I felt like a member of the royal family. I could only imagine how it would feel to walk down the plush staircases in a lovely ballgown. Each room possesses large amounts of paintings or the walls themselves could be considered works of art. The huge ballroom was all decked out as it would be for a banquet. It amazed me how so much detail goes into each area of the table. There has to be a certain number of glasses and each course is timed perfectly to the bringing out of the next course. I also got to take the tube for the first time that day. Though it is similiar to a New York subway it is different at the same time. Down where the tube pulls up is so hot! Also the tube itself made me a little bit claustrobic compared to a subway. The buses work better for me or just walking.
On Saturday I started off the morning by doing laundry. I had to drag all my clothes downstairs and then drag them back upstairs two minutes later because I realized that I had bought fabric softner instead of detergent. I dropped my clothes back at my room and then headed off to Sainsbury's to pick up some detergent. On the way there I passed this corner where I saw a bunch of people carrying this giant blue eyeball. Still have no idea what the heck they were doing, but it was so random and awesome lol. After I did my laundry, which had me running up and down 4 flights of steep staircases, I left with Lauren and Leondra (flatmates) to go shopping on Oxford Street. We all went into H&M, where I bought a blue hoodie (gorgeous color blue!), white floppy beret, plum belt dress, a sweater (or jumper as they say here), and tights. I think I will return the sweater though because I didn't really like the way it looked when I got home. I remember seeing this episode of Seinfeld where Elaine Benes (Julia Luis-Dreyfus) tries on this dress, but when she gets home she hates it and she sums it up to the store using some mirror that makes a person look better in the item then he/she actually might. That is exactly what happened to me. After that we went to a small store where they had crazy good deals to look for something to wear to a costume themed birthday party. We have to show up as people from Britain, so I decided to go as Mary Lennox or Sara Crewe. Technically they both come from India, but they are still British citizens so ha! lol I found a cute little jumper for 10 dollars and so that will work with the other stuff I already own.
On Sunday I went to Hillsong Church. The service was amazing! I can't say enough about the worship. It is just such a great way to begin the week and get things started on a good note. The sermon really spoke to me because it was all on personal condemnation and how as people we can get stuck in this cycle of personal punishment that hinders our relationship with God. It gave me a lot to think about it because I know I have a problem with hating on myself and I really felt God calling me to just give that up because it was not from Him at all. A lot of things I was holding onto as truths needed to be recognized for the lies they were, so I went for a walk around one of the many squares and just had some alone time to think about everything. After that I went back to the flat to eat and to do some work before heading off to the Thames festival. It was so awesome!! I really need another word besides awesome, but that is exactly what it was! They had all these venders and merchants selling clothes, food, and art. You name it they probably had it there. Over one of the bridges a parade went by and my flatmates and I went over to see it closer. There was a dragon looking things, flowers (which were a little scary looking), and various dancers. Then we walked over to the London eye to get some pictures before the fireworks started. It was so incredible to stand besides the Thames and see these fireworks go off. It just reminded me that I actually was in London.
Then on Monday I went to Brighton! The drive was really beautiful, and though I love London it was nice to get away for the day to get some fresh air. The bus dropped us off at the pier and we walked a short distance to the Royal Pavillion. John Nash, who helped in the design of Buckingham Palace, also designed the Royal Pavillion. The only way I can describe it is as a piece of India in Britain. On the inside it is all decked out with an oriental theme and furniture that fits that. One chandelier is held up by this giant dragon. It is beautiful, but in a gaudy sort of way. Personally I couldn't imagine living there just because I like things a little bit more simple, but that is just me. I bought two postcards to remember the building and the visit by. Then I went to meet my cousin Kevin by the pier entrance. It was nice to get the chance to hang out with him for the day. We went to eat fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's, where I got to eat the traditional mushy peas for the first time. I loved them! The food here tastes great, so all those that say it sucks are a bunch of liars or just have different tastes than I do. After that we walked around to The Lanes, which are series of older stores, and we went into this old bookstore. It had a spiral staircase to get to the lower level. I am one of those weird people that love staircases that have the potential to break your neck, not because of that, but because they just look so awesome. During lunch I commented on how I love Jane Austen and her works, so Kevin got me a 1950's hardback of both
Northanger Abbey and
Persuasion, which I think is completely awesome! Though
Persuasion is one of the lesser known of her works it is my personal favorite. Then we continued our walk around the area toward Hove. The designs of the buildings are breathtakingly beautiful. It is amazing to see things built to be both functional and masterpieces in their own right. After that we walked over toward the pier, where we departed because I had to go catch my bus. I found my friends in some dessert place, where I promptly ordered hot chocolate and carrotcake because I had been craving those and it tasted like a piece of heaven. Then we all headed back to the centre, where I discovered on the busride home that I caught a cold. NO!! It is all in my head literally.
Anyways to continue on my journey of this past week, on tuesday I had classes. That was pretty much it except for the past week I have been craving a burger. I haven't been getting a lot of protein, so my body wanted meat so badly. So for dinner yesterday my flatmates, Lauren and Rel, went with me to the Rising Sun to get some food. I had the best tasting burger ever!! The meat was so tender and the flour bun tasted so fresh. It makes me hungry just to write about it.
Then today I went to the National Portrait Gallery again with my classmates. We went on Thursday for our Bloomsbury class, but today we went for the general lit program. They have so many portraits, such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Beatrix Potter, Queen Elizabeth I and II, and so on. It is amazing. My favorite though has to be one of this actress, Dame Alice Ellen Terry. She is enveloped in smelling flowers and it looks just so beautiful. I love paintings that show the intimate moments of being a woman. Then I went to the National Gallery, where I saw some painting by Van Gogh. I saw actual painting by Van Gogh! The one of the Sunflowers is amazing. The way the paint looks on the canvas makes it actually look as if the flowers will poke out at any second. Knowing a little about Van Gogh's life and then seeing his work moved me. It is so sad how this man was tortured by his own genius. His works take such simple objects and transform them into the extraordinary. What an amazing gift!
The friends I am making here are so great. I love my flatmates as well as the people in my classes. To say I am having the time of my life would be an understatement. In so many ways I feel so content and complete. This trip is even better than I imagined it would be. Thanks be to God for that and all that He does!
Also to update you on the Herbert the mouse situation. He seems to like me best because he has come out the most for me. Two nights ago he made three appearances in one night and each time he got closer and closer. I had to snap my fingers to remind him I was here. At one point he went under the kitchen table and I snapped my fingers and he ran under this cupboard only to poke his head out and just look at me. At that point I snapped louder and I was like "Dude we are cool if you stay over there away from me." Craziness! lol
P.S. I will post pictures to my shutterfly account as soon as I can! Promise!
Pictures
Finally I have uploaded some pictures for all of you to look at. All you have to do is go to
http://whereintheworldissarah.shutterfly.com/ and there they will be. It has been a busy few days. My life in Tallahassee seems so boring compared to here. I barely ever get a chance to sit still for long periods of time, and when I do I don't really feel like writing. Anyways I will try to catch you up on what I have been up to. On Friday night I went to this awesome bar called The Ice bar. It was below 5 degrees in there! Insane!! There are only 4 of them in the world. You are only allowed to stay in for 45 minutes. They gave me a parka and gloves, and one drink is included in the cover charge. I had my first drink with vodka in it, and I have to say that I.....didn't really care for it. The first sip made me feel like I just tasted something that usually comes along with a flu. All my flatmates told me that a person usually tastes just vodka in the first sip, and all I have to say is vodka tastes like crap. Every other sip tasted okay, and I was not going to throw it out because I paid for it. So 9 days in London and still holding my record of never being drunk. I preferred the wine at the wine bar, but the atmosphere of the Ice Bar was pretty awesome.
Then on Saturday I woke up early and went to Greenwich on a planned excursion with FSU people. I got to go on a ferry. It looked more like a train or a plane on the inside. Once in Greenwich everyone made their way toward the maritime museum. The group I was with didn't stay there very long because none of us were really interested in the history of the navy (no offense to the British navy). We then walked up to go to the Royal observatory, where we could straddle the prime meridan line (the line that divides the eastern and western hemispheres). I know I have some pictures of that, and I plan on posting them...eventually. I know I really need to get better about posting things.
On Sunday I went to Hillsong United Church, and I have to say it was one of the most amazing church experiences I have ever had. It was so awesome to see so many Londoners giving it up for God and just letting all their cares go and realize that He can handle all the problems of our lives. The music. The music. No words. Just completely unreal. The pastor really made me think further about some stuff that God has already laid on my hearts. The main part of the service that I really zeroed in on was that we all need to find something that requires all our passion and motivates us to get up each day. God is definitely that for me, but I know He wants me to find a passion within the zeal I have for Him. It is something I really struggle with, but besides all that I went to the bookstore here called Blackwells and picked up a book. Actually I picked up the wrong book and when I went back to get the one I needed for class they didn't have it so then I had to order it. Go me! lol
Yesterday I had photography class and I think that it will be very interesting. I definitely need a lot of work lol. It will be fun to see how it all turns out. Yesterday night I went to the Globe to see Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it was AMAZING!!!! The actor playing Puck, who is a crucial character, was sick so they had this guy reading out of a book during the play, but he was so good that I forgot about the book. He moved about and interacted with the other characters so well that it made it so easy to just imagine the book away. It was so funny. The only part that wasn't so funny was the standing for 3 hours, but I am glad we did it. It just seems so much more of an experience to be a groundling then to sit throughout the whole play. Tomorrow I go back to see
Merry Wives of Windsor, and get a tour of the theatre. I am so excited!!
Today has been pretty regular. I have 3 classes on Tuesday and Thursday. In my Readings in Dramtic Literature I had to give a presentation, but I think it went pretty well. Bloomsbury was fun. My professor has us write down our philosophies. I know what I believe, but it can be so hard to write down exactly how to describe it. I liked that he had us do that because it made me really think about what I believe.
We had two fire drills today, and they both were in the rain. Annoying! It happened right in the middle of me trying to ask for an absentee ballot. However, it turned out to be a good thing cause I saw my roommate Rel, who told me that the office had opened up the trip for Ireland. I am going on a trip to Ireland in November with FSU people. I am going to see the blarney stone and other things located in the southern region. I am glad I will get to see all that, however I still might plan a trip to Dublin and then head over for a day to Leitrim. Still deciding what I should do. That is all for now, if I think of anything brilliant or really exciting I will post it. Otherwise, cheers!
Hampstead
Hello All!
Yesterday I started classes and everything is going well them. I was taking 4 English classes, but now I have decided that I can't handle all that reading and writing, while trying to explore London and Europe. Now I am taking 3 English classes and a photography class. All my professors are nice, and the classes are very different from Tallahassee. They are more intimate here and less about taking notes and more about letting everything around us soak in.
Today I woke up to a beautiful sunny morning and was off to Hampstead Heath with my fellow English Lit students. I got to take my first doubledecker! We all went up to the top of the bus and sat up there. The city has so many sights to see that 3 1/2 months seems inadequate. I can't imagine only coming here for a few days and leaving so much of the city unexplored. I feel so fortunate that I have this opportunity. Anyways Hampstead Heath is absolutely beautiful . On top of Parliment Hill you can see the entire landscape of the city. Don't worry I took pictures, so now all I have to do is post them. I will hopefully post my pictures by Saturday. We walked a nice amount, but it was really enjoyable. One moment was more enjoyable than the rest. On the way down the hill there was a wet spot and me being the natural klutz managed to find it while everyone else managed to avoid it. I lost my footing and fell on my knee, leaving a nice grass stain on my jeans lol. It made me feel like I was ten years old all over again.
After Parliment Hill we walked towards Kenwood House, which is the giant house Notting Hill used to make the movie that featured Julia Roberts' character. The house contains a numerous amount of artwork. Dr. Crooks (professor of both Readings in Dramatic Literature and Modern Literature) handed out some copies of a few paintings kept within the manor, and each of us had to find the ones given to us. I got 4 paintings: one of a little girl holding out her skirt full of flowers, a little girl holding a kitty, a picture of a royal monarch, and a picture of what looked like a brother and a sister sitting down for their portrait with their dog at their feet. By the way I didn't pick out those pictures for myself, so I got pretty lucky that they matched my taste. My favorite had to be the painting of Miss Murray. It was the first painting I described. I loved how she looked directly at the artist painting her with these enormous bright eyes. She reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara and what she must have been like as a little girl. You could just tell that she loved being a little girl. I absolutely love that!
After that we went to Spaniard's Inn where we all ate some lunch. I got a ginger beer, honey roast ham sandwich with dijon sauce, and a mixed salad. The ginger beer tastes good, but it leaves a tingly feeling in the middle of your throat that can catch you by surprise. The sandwich filled me up nicely.
Then we all went for another walk in quest of John Keat's House, where a few of us read a passage from one of his works. Then we hopped on the bus homewards. I had a security meeting to attend, where basically they repeated information to me that luckily I know. Hopefully everyone follows the advice given, and avoids trouble.
So far I am loving London and loving the people in my program. Everyone is really nice and down to earth. My flatmates are absolutely amazing! I feel like I hit the lottery with them. Most of them are Lit majors and one is a freshman and another is theatre. We all bring something to the table and I am so glad that we all ended up together in one flat. I will put up some pictures of us sometime soon. I know I need to get better at posting pictures. For now I put up two pictures of us all on the first day. One is outside the British Museum and another is all of us at Grape Street wine bar. Be on the look out for I will write soon! Ta ta for now!
The mouse and claustrobic girl locked in kitchen together
Okay I finally decided to come back on here. Classes start tomorrow. CRAZY!! I am so not ready for summer to end. Anyways, I will try to continue where I left off. Airport was good and the past few days have gone by pretty fast. I have been on a couple tours, and one of them was a walking tour of my neighborhood, Bloomsbury. There is so much to do in this neighborhood. I saw a house that the Pre-Ralphite Brotherhood met in, which made me happy that I took Victorian British Literature before I left. RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) is in this neighborhood, which is the acting school where actors like Sir Anthony Hopkins and Albert Finney went. When the season starts I definitely plan to take in a show, so I can see the up-and-coming generation of performers. So cool!!
Random story time now. Turns out there is a mouse in my flat. First my flatmates told me it was a rat and I freaked out!! Rats and me don't get along. However (thank God) it is not a rat. It is just a mouse. EWWW!!! I still don't like mice, but at least it isn't as ugly as a rat. Then this morning all my flatmates left to go to class. "Lucky" me has classes only on Tuesday and Thursday, so I went into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast and do some reading. After that I tried to get out to go brush my teeth and my door jammed on me. I couldn't get out!!! I pulled and pulled and only made my hands extremely red. I had to call the front desk to come rescue me because I was locked in the room with mouse! It made me laugh, but what made me stop is when the guy seemed like it would be a while before I would be out. My laughter turned to fear. I am a little claustrobic, which didn't help the situation at all. Luckily, he got me out.
I don't know if I told this story, but I don't care lol so on my first night here I went to Boots (UK version of CVS pharmacy) to pick up some necessities. While waiting in line, a lady approached me and asked me if I was in the queque, and after a few seconds I realized that she meant was I in line. I felt so smart that I got that! Yea! In contrast, last night went I went out to get pizza I felt a little retarded because I couldn't fully understand what the guy was telling me. I just smiled a lot and he smiled back which helped. Pizza here is okay, not great, but all that matters is is that it's cheap. If you want awesome food, the fish and chips are out of this world and I am not even a seafood person. I am so glad I didn't let that stop me because I would have been missing out.
Well I am off to read for classes. Cherrio! lol
