Today I went to Borough Market with Lizzie and Hannah Lee and roamed the food market (like Pike's Place, but very much a London market). We ordered pies and a pasty for lunch and ate in the courtyard of the church where Shakespeare worshiped, down the road from the Globe. We had a long conversation with the distinctly English man selling us fresh Turkish Delight, and we bought hot mulled wine from two men who told us their recipe and how they don't add sugar like other mulled wine makers. Lizzie and I took our last double-decker bus to Waterloo Station and then crossing the foot bridge, saying goodbye to Big Ben and the London Eye from our view above the Thames River. I went off on my own to the National Portrait Gallery, said hi to Henry VIII and William Morris and Queen Elizabeth II and Oscar Wilde. I visited the tea shop on the Strand, bought myself a tea tidy so I can make a proper cup of tea back in the States. Then, picking up a London Evening Standard, I descended into Charing Cross Underground Station and took the Tube back to Alice's house.
Farewell, London, my dear, dear friend. I will return.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Restlessness
I can't concentrate on anything.
Sleep doesn't come easily, and when it comes it's too long or too short.
I'm not worried about finals, and it's hard to force myself to study.
A large suitcase sits underneath my desk, a duffel bag next to my chair, and every so often I get the urge to add things to their half-empty bodies.
My shelves are half-filled, a large stack of books now transferred to my dresser where they await their return to the AHA building.
I'm constantly trying to think of things I can leave behind or use up so that my luggage will be lighter for travel.
I treat myself to drinks or scones or other British food, knowing that it might be my last chance to savour these things for a long time.
I tell my heart to be still, my mind to focus on homework, my restless body to settle down; it doesn't work.
I'm leaving my home.
I'm going home.
Sleep doesn't come easily, and when it comes it's too long or too short.
I'm not worried about finals, and it's hard to force myself to study.
A large suitcase sits underneath my desk, a duffel bag next to my chair, and every so often I get the urge to add things to their half-empty bodies.
My shelves are half-filled, a large stack of books now transferred to my dresser where they await their return to the AHA building.
I'm constantly trying to think of things I can leave behind or use up so that my luggage will be lighter for travel.
I treat myself to drinks or scones or other British food, knowing that it might be my last chance to savour these things for a long time.
I tell my heart to be still, my mind to focus on homework, my restless body to settle down; it doesn't work.
I'm leaving my home.
I'm going home.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Beatles, Cricket, a Punt, Fish, and a Box
So I'm currently in a rush to try and mark things off my "To Do Before I Leave London" list. Here's some of the highlights of this past week:
*Some friends and I went to Abbey Road.
*My history class visited Lord's Cricket Grounds, the center of cricket. I'm still pretty foggy on the rules of cricket, but I did sort of figure it out by the time we left the match.
*I saw the play Women Beware Women, the musical Billy Elliot, and Riverdance. The play was really twisted but in an odd way beautiful, the musical had incredible dancing and one of the best child actors I've ever seen, and Riverdance was way overpriced but beautiful and fun.
*I got to hang out with Jason's roommate from last year, Luke, and his friend from his study abroad program in Ireland. It was fun to catch up and show them around. I've missed Luke!
*Katy and our friend Corinne and I went back to Oxford on Friday. We tried a punt (those long boats with poles that you use to push it through the river) and utterly failed, so we ended up taking a pedal boat down the river. We went back to the Eagle and Child, and we bought university clothing. This time I got to go see the Magdalen College, where C. S. Lewis taught! It was incredible, I nearly cried. Everyone was so nice to us, too. The porter at Magdalen let us each get in for one pound "on account of the bad weather" (it's normally 3 pound fifty each). Afterward when we went to Merton College (the one where Tolkien taught), the porter let us in for free instead of the usual two pound fifty. The picture below is of Lewis's rooms at Magdalen.
*On Saturday some friends and I went to Brighton, a hippie town by the sea. It was beautiful, much like a colder British version of a South California beach town. We rode a carousel, went to a pub, went shopping, relaxed on the rocky shore. Oh, and I ate fish and chips for the first time in England. I know, I know, how could I spend 3 months in England and not eat fish and chips? Well, I don't like fish, so this was a breakthrough for me. I made it through, but I think that I've had enough breakthrough in this area to last me awhile. I'll stick to steak and ale pie. ;)
I'm having a great time, and I'm loving London more and more. Yet, the best part of this week came Thursday night, when I got home late and found a package waiting for me on my bed. Whitney had brought it back for me (she had class and so got to the mail when I didn't), and she had placed an airmail sticker on the customs form to cover up what was inside the box. I waited until I had finished up my other tasks for the night. I crawled into bed, exhausted, kind of grumpy, frustrated over plans; I picked up the box. Opening it, all I did was read the introduction letter from Jason before I started crying. Jason had asked my friends to write letters and notes of encouragement to me, and he had sent them all to me via ridiculously expensive and slow air mail. As I read the notes one by one, I was overcome by how much I am loved- by Jason, by my friends, by God! The words were right on, and the encouragement was exactly what I needed at that moment.
I love London, but I can't wait to see my amazing friends in person. The box is helping me last until May 15th. :)
*Some friends and I went to Abbey Road.
*My history class visited Lord's Cricket Grounds, the center of cricket. I'm still pretty foggy on the rules of cricket, but I did sort of figure it out by the time we left the match.
*I saw the play Women Beware Women, the musical Billy Elliot, and Riverdance. The play was really twisted but in an odd way beautiful, the musical had incredible dancing and one of the best child actors I've ever seen, and Riverdance was way overpriced but beautiful and fun.
*I got to hang out with Jason's roommate from last year, Luke, and his friend from his study abroad program in Ireland. It was fun to catch up and show them around. I've missed Luke!
*Katy and our friend Corinne and I went back to Oxford on Friday. We tried a punt (those long boats with poles that you use to push it through the river) and utterly failed, so we ended up taking a pedal boat down the river. We went back to the Eagle and Child, and we bought university clothing. This time I got to go see the Magdalen College, where C. S. Lewis taught! It was incredible, I nearly cried. Everyone was so nice to us, too. The porter at Magdalen let us each get in for one pound "on account of the bad weather" (it's normally 3 pound fifty each). Afterward when we went to Merton College (the one where Tolkien taught), the porter let us in for free instead of the usual two pound fifty. The picture below is of Lewis's rooms at Magdalen.
*On Saturday some friends and I went to Brighton, a hippie town by the sea. It was beautiful, much like a colder British version of a South California beach town. We rode a carousel, went to a pub, went shopping, relaxed on the rocky shore. Oh, and I ate fish and chips for the first time in England. I know, I know, how could I spend 3 months in England and not eat fish and chips? Well, I don't like fish, so this was a breakthrough for me. I made it through, but I think that I've had enough breakthrough in this area to last me awhile. I'll stick to steak and ale pie. ;)
I'm having a great time, and I'm loving London more and more. Yet, the best part of this week came Thursday night, when I got home late and found a package waiting for me on my bed. Whitney had brought it back for me (she had class and so got to the mail when I didn't), and she had placed an airmail sticker on the customs form to cover up what was inside the box. I waited until I had finished up my other tasks for the night. I crawled into bed, exhausted, kind of grumpy, frustrated over plans; I picked up the box. Opening it, all I did was read the introduction letter from Jason before I started crying. Jason had asked my friends to write letters and notes of encouragement to me, and he had sent them all to me via ridiculously expensive and slow air mail. As I read the notes one by one, I was overcome by how much I am loved- by Jason, by my friends, by God! The words were right on, and the encouragement was exactly what I needed at that moment.
I love London, but I can't wait to see my amazing friends in person. The box is helping me last until May 15th. :)
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