London Life

24 January 2008

........Hello from London. So I’m starting to “get the hang of London.” I’m looking right before I look left when I cross the street. I’m remembering street names more and more. And I’m realizing that I need to save money if I’m going to survive in this city! Everything is so expensive. As I sit in the laundry room at school and wait for my 2.5 pounds or five dollar laundry to dry, I realize that unless I want to be like the many, many homeless young people I see all around London, then I need to watch what I spend. Luckily, I don’t have to spend much on food because the meal plan that Regents College offers is fantastic. I have had fish every dinner since I have been here! The food is practically gourmet (no Point Park cheese quesadillas for me) and the prices are actually reasonable in comparison to my spending limit on the meal plan.
........To help compensate for all the money spent, Nicole, Ashley, Eric and I have been walking everywhere! We have walked from Regent’s Park all the way to the River Thames, and then back! The Tube is great, and not too expensive but by walking we’re experiencing the side streets of London with the neighborhood pubs and chic boutiques. There are so many people walking the streets and it’s great just to people watch and listen to them speak. I can walk one block in London and hear about 5 different languages being spoken! It’s incredible how many people there are here from all over the world! I love that it’s such an eclectic mix of people and food and fashion!
........ To finally fulfill our tourist roles, this past weekend we saw Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben. The buildings themselves were breathtaking but the fact that I was seeing them made me feel like a true traveler of the world. It’s the same feeling I had when I saw the Eiffel Tower. I appreciate the skill that went into the building and it's beauty and the fact that millions of other people have seen these sights. It makes me feel like a part of a true global community.

........Classes started on Monday here at Regents. I am in love with each and every one of my classes. Monday I start out with Media Ethics and then move onto my English class. This English class is what I have been looking forward to most. It is called Modernism and the Novel: Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, DH Lawrence, and Henry James. Right now we are reading Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. What’s incredible is the fact that this novel was written about one day in London. I have been on the streets and seen the monuments that are described in the book! Virginia Woolf has one of her characters go to Regents Park…right where we are! My other classes are great too! I have a theater class and Contemporary London Music. In both of the classes we get to go on trips. I get to see 8 plays and go to 6 gigs in London…for FREE! It can’t get any better than that :)

........Almost every night this week Eric, Ashley, Nicole and I have gone out to a pub! It is so amazing that there is nightlife on a weekday…certainly very different than Pittsburgh! Nicole turned 21 on Monday so we celebrated at a few different pubs with her! Then last night was my favorite…we went to a blues club in SoHo! It was full of locals, and when I say full, I mean full! We could barely move and there was even a line outside just to get into this little hole in the wall! Luckily we didn’t have to wait in line but I definitely would have waited to get in…it was so cool! My new favorite drink is Strongbow (I hope you’re happy Jack) and even though it’s only hard cider, I look like I can handle a beer, haha. Tomorrow night we are going to Fabric. Apparently it’s suppose to be the 2nd best club in Europe! It should be fun!! This weekend we are all traveling to Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born, and Warwick Castle! It’s certainly going to be a packed weekend but that’s what I like…it makes me less and less homesick! I’m still missing everyone and hope you keep the emails coming! Cheers from London!