It's been forever since I have written on here, but I have been pretty busy since the last note I wrote. Since New Year's Eve, it has been an interesting, stressful and time time here in London. The weather is finally starting to improve, a bit at least. The past few days it has been sunny and beautiful, and even warming up a little on some days. It's funny though, you can tell people in London value the few sunny days they get, especially after such a depressingly grey, cold and dull winter. Lately, as I watch people react to the new weather, I feel like I am watching the people who got off of Noah's Arc after the flood waters subsided. People file out of their buildings, with their eyes crinkled and their hands covering their faces until they have a chance to adjust to the bright, warm sun. I see why it's a big deal though, I have found myself running outside every chance I get. I think Doyle and I went to a park everyday this past weekend. You can't help it though, it's such a drastic change that you have to enjoy it while it still lasts. I understand that the weather isn't that great in April, so hopefully we will have some sunny days in March to make up for the what comes.
I had to submit a thesis proposal a couple of weeks ago. It was a tough decision I think. Maybe not so much the decision making part, but coming up with an idea. I feel like this will be the biggest project i have ever done in my life so it took a lot to come up with something that would be viable and interesting. In the end, I picked a topic that I like and something I think will be possible to do research on for a year. It's crazy though, I have to do all the research between now and next May, since that is when they are do. But, I guess it isn't that bad... some people have to turn theirs in this September! I don't know how they do it! But, it shouldn't be bad, the only thing I think will be challenging will be getting enough interviews in both Sweden and Finland, particularly Sweden since I won't be living there.
Doyle and I went to Finland a couple of weeks ago. If you get a chance, browse through the pictures I posted on here. It was so amazing there though! The weather was absolutely freezing! I can't honestly remember being in weather that cold! Also, I had never seen so much snow in my life! Where they had not touched it, the snow came up almost to my waist! Now, on the side of the roads where the snow had built up from the snow plows, it went way above my head!! It was crazy! Finnish culture is really interesting too. Everyone is very private, quiet and keeps to themselves when they are out about in the city, but everyone person I talked to was so friendly!!! It was so nice seeing our friends up there too, we had really missed them... I feel like I am learning a lot of Finnish too. I had been working on Finnish for about 5 months when we got there, and I knew a lot more Finnish than I had expected, I was able to perform some basic conversation, I was surprised!!!
Well anyway, I am soo tired now. And it isn't even that late, it's only 11! I feel like I am tired all of the time now, I could sleep all the time too! I find myself sleeping on the bus, the tube, the trains, in the library, just about anywhere!! haha...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Some Reflections on the Past Year
3 months 20 days
Merry belated Christmas everyone!! We had a great Christmas this year. Even though we didn't get to be home with out families or in Finland like we had planned, it was still great! We had our 2 friends YanYan and SingJay come over and spend Christmas with us and they had never really experienced a real Christmas celebration before... It was so fun because they were so interested in everything and loved the traditions that we follow every year. It was great! It was great because we didn't think we were going to have that great of a Christmas because we had some bad stuff happen before Christmas so we were pretty down. We didn't even get each other Christmas presents. But YanYan and SingJay were our Christmas presents! They were so nice and so excited about everything that we did to show them a traditional Christmas. We even woke up and they had left presents in front of our door. It was so sweet, I cant just imagine them giggling as they placed them there! The idea that they thought of us for Christmas was so great and the best Christmas present we could have asked for.
Its funny though, Christmas is a bigger deal here than I had thought. Not only do most people get Christmas day off, but they also have the next day off as Boxing Day. Then, this year since Christmas was on Friday, everyone had Sunday off and then, THEN!, this Monday (tomorrow) is Bank Holiday, so most people have that day off too! It's good though I think, it gives people time to spend with their families and to reflect on everything that has happened over this year, whether it be good or bad. Because as I believe, we learn from all of the events that take place, no matter if they were good or bad, we learn some sort of lesson. It's great though, because soon it is New Years! I always like New Years, Im not sure but I think it is fun to watch the year change over. And this year I think it is particularly significant. Not only is it the beginning of a new decade, but it is also an end to a year that was pretty difficult and hard for people to experience. With the economic recession and its overarching affects, the mood of this year hasn't always been the most uplifting. And plus!, we have seen the death of a lot of our (at least my) favorite celebrities. We had Michael Jackson, Natasha Richardson, Bea Arthur, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, Britney Murphy, and even Bill and Hillary Clinton's cat Socks... And that is just to name a few, I was looking at a list on CBS and they had 129 celebrity deaths listed. Yes, some of these people were obscure and I didn't really know who they were, but still thats a lot of people! And I know a lot of people will be critical of me, because I am talking about how sad it is that these people died when there are more tragic things going on in the world. And yes, I completely agree with them, there are a lot of tragic things going on in the world that attention needs to be be brought to. But, these people that I mentioned, it was their job to bring joy and entertainment to us all. I mean, some of these people I watched on tv or listened to their music as I was growing up. Particularly Bea Arthur and Michael Jackson, when they died I felt like part of my childhood died.
Well anyway, enough about my depressing comments about celebrity death! Plenty of good things happened this year. First, Barrack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. And all I can say is THANK GOD! It is about time that we have a president that has some sense and intelligence. I think even conservatives can agree with me that Bush was just a plain dummy! Also, I graduated from Florida State University. And I didn't just graduate, but I graduated with good grades! A feat that my freshman year I didn't think was going to happen. Also, I made the biggest leap in my life and moved to London England to do my Master's degree. That's another thing, I was accepted to University College London. I remember thinking when I got the acceptance letter, I was like "are they sure they have the right person?!?!?" I knew the reputation that UCL had so I didn't really think I was going to be able to come here. But I was accepted, I did get my student loans, I did get my visa and now I am here! And I couldn't be happier. This journey has been amazing... London is a beautiful place, and I feel like it is helping me grow as a person so much. I'm being so cheesy lol. But when I start reflection on the past year when it is time for a new one to start, I always think to myself how lucky I am to have everything that I have. I feel like a really lucky person.
I welcome what next year has to bring too. I will finish my studies here at University College London and continue on to University of Helsinki. I know that it will be just as big of an adventure as this. Not only will I be going to another country, but a country that is pretty different than anything I have experienced before. I mean, it is India or China or anything, but it is a pretty different culture and a completely different language. Good thing I have been working hard on my Finnish. I have to decide what I am going to write for my thesis too. That honestly will be one of the biggest decisions of my life I think, because the success of my thesis will determine whether I get a job on graduation or not. Plus, I think I am going to try and learn Swedish when I am in Finland. I have decided that I want to be a Nordic specialist when it comes to international affairs. Hopefully, I can get a nice paying job at the State Department working with the Nordic countries, it would be fun I think. So, next year is going to be a big year too and I think it will be as fun as this year.
Well, I hope everyone had as good of a year as I did. I know this segment wasn't as much about our life here in London as the previous ones, but I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about everything I have been thinking about over this past year. And yes, London is still has amazing and funny as ever. Just yesterday, I was put into another funny situation here. Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the entire year for England. And on this day where all of the big stores on Oxford Street have big sales, the Hither Green train station was closed! CLOSED!! I couldn't believe it!!! Its okay, because all we had to do was take a bus to Lewisham and then hop onto the train to Victoria. But still, it would be like the authorities deciding to close down all of the interstates and major roads on Black Friday! Anyway, this is enough for now. Hope you enjoy! And once again, Merry Christmas and Happy HAPPY New Year!!!
Merry belated Christmas everyone!! We had a great Christmas this year. Even though we didn't get to be home with out families or in Finland like we had planned, it was still great! We had our 2 friends YanYan and SingJay come over and spend Christmas with us and they had never really experienced a real Christmas celebration before... It was so fun because they were so interested in everything and loved the traditions that we follow every year. It was great! It was great because we didn't think we were going to have that great of a Christmas because we had some bad stuff happen before Christmas so we were pretty down. We didn't even get each other Christmas presents. But YanYan and SingJay were our Christmas presents! They were so nice and so excited about everything that we did to show them a traditional Christmas. We even woke up and they had left presents in front of our door. It was so sweet, I cant just imagine them giggling as they placed them there! The idea that they thought of us for Christmas was so great and the best Christmas present we could have asked for.
Its funny though, Christmas is a bigger deal here than I had thought. Not only do most people get Christmas day off, but they also have the next day off as Boxing Day. Then, this year since Christmas was on Friday, everyone had Sunday off and then, THEN!, this Monday (tomorrow) is Bank Holiday, so most people have that day off too! It's good though I think, it gives people time to spend with their families and to reflect on everything that has happened over this year, whether it be good or bad. Because as I believe, we learn from all of the events that take place, no matter if they were good or bad, we learn some sort of lesson. It's great though, because soon it is New Years! I always like New Years, Im not sure but I think it is fun to watch the year change over. And this year I think it is particularly significant. Not only is it the beginning of a new decade, but it is also an end to a year that was pretty difficult and hard for people to experience. With the economic recession and its overarching affects, the mood of this year hasn't always been the most uplifting. And plus!, we have seen the death of a lot of our (at least my) favorite celebrities. We had Michael Jackson, Natasha Richardson, Bea Arthur, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, Britney Murphy, and even Bill and Hillary Clinton's cat Socks... And that is just to name a few, I was looking at a list on CBS and they had 129 celebrity deaths listed. Yes, some of these people were obscure and I didn't really know who they were, but still thats a lot of people! And I know a lot of people will be critical of me, because I am talking about how sad it is that these people died when there are more tragic things going on in the world. And yes, I completely agree with them, there are a lot of tragic things going on in the world that attention needs to be be brought to. But, these people that I mentioned, it was their job to bring joy and entertainment to us all. I mean, some of these people I watched on tv or listened to their music as I was growing up. Particularly Bea Arthur and Michael Jackson, when they died I felt like part of my childhood died.
Well anyway, enough about my depressing comments about celebrity death! Plenty of good things happened this year. First, Barrack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. And all I can say is THANK GOD! It is about time that we have a president that has some sense and intelligence. I think even conservatives can agree with me that Bush was just a plain dummy! Also, I graduated from Florida State University. And I didn't just graduate, but I graduated with good grades! A feat that my freshman year I didn't think was going to happen. Also, I made the biggest leap in my life and moved to London England to do my Master's degree. That's another thing, I was accepted to University College London. I remember thinking when I got the acceptance letter, I was like "are they sure they have the right person?!?!?" I knew the reputation that UCL had so I didn't really think I was going to be able to come here. But I was accepted, I did get my student loans, I did get my visa and now I am here! And I couldn't be happier. This journey has been amazing... London is a beautiful place, and I feel like it is helping me grow as a person so much. I'm being so cheesy lol. But when I start reflection on the past year when it is time for a new one to start, I always think to myself how lucky I am to have everything that I have. I feel like a really lucky person.
I welcome what next year has to bring too. I will finish my studies here at University College London and continue on to University of Helsinki. I know that it will be just as big of an adventure as this. Not only will I be going to another country, but a country that is pretty different than anything I have experienced before. I mean, it is India or China or anything, but it is a pretty different culture and a completely different language. Good thing I have been working hard on my Finnish. I have to decide what I am going to write for my thesis too. That honestly will be one of the biggest decisions of my life I think, because the success of my thesis will determine whether I get a job on graduation or not. Plus, I think I am going to try and learn Swedish when I am in Finland. I have decided that I want to be a Nordic specialist when it comes to international affairs. Hopefully, I can get a nice paying job at the State Department working with the Nordic countries, it would be fun I think. So, next year is going to be a big year too and I think it will be as fun as this year.
Well, I hope everyone had as good of a year as I did. I know this segment wasn't as much about our life here in London as the previous ones, but I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about everything I have been thinking about over this past year. And yes, London is still has amazing and funny as ever. Just yesterday, I was put into another funny situation here. Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the entire year for England. And on this day where all of the big stores on Oxford Street have big sales, the Hither Green train station was closed! CLOSED!! I couldn't believe it!!! Its okay, because all we had to do was take a bus to Lewisham and then hop onto the train to Victoria. But still, it would be like the authorities deciding to close down all of the interstates and major roads on Black Friday! Anyway, this is enough for now. Hope you enjoy! And once again, Merry Christmas and Happy HAPPY New Year!!!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The London Life
3 months 12 days
So, the snow is still outside here in Hither Green! I was so surprised, I honestly had expected it to melt by now. I really don't mind though, I love the snow... It's absolutely beautiful! I am just afraid to walk out in it though because on the side walks it has turned into ice, so it is really slippery to walk around. Well, the feeling of homesick is starting to hit Doyle and me. I guess with everything else going on we had so many distractions that we didn't really realize how much we missed the people we are apart from. We've been planning for some time to go to Finland for Christmas. But, basically, our parade got rained on and we found out some crappy news from our apartment lease managers. Basically, when I went in and signed the lease for this apartment, I thought I was paying 3 months rent, part of which was the deposit. They explained to me that the that deposit would go towards the next month's rent so I did not have to pay again until December. Then, we went in November to pay what we though was December's rent so that we were paid up until January. Well, then I get a phone call the other day and apparently I, and my parents, misunderstood them and the deposit did not go towards any of the months rent so we owed them money for December's rent. So basically, we are broke! We spent most of the money we had left paying off the rent I thought was already paid for. I mean, it isn't really a big deal because we were going to have to pay it one way or another, I just don't feel like it is fair because this was a misunderstanding on their end, not ours. But basically, this boils down to us being alone for Christmas. And, I don't know, it's not terrible, but it is disappointing. We're going to be sad :(... But, we're going to go to make the best of it. We are going to go to the grocery store, get a nice little feast for ourselves and buy some mulled one, a classic English Christmas tradition. So don't think I am being depressing, I am just disappointed. Finland at Christmas is supposed to be gorgeous! After all, it is the mythical home of Santa Clause! But, we will be there next year after all! So, we will be able to enjoy the magic of Finnish Christmas next year. And who knows, I believe everything happens for a reason, so it shall be okay, we even have a Christmas tree to put us in the festive mood :).
But anyway, enough about me complaining!!! London during Christmas really is a beautiful place! They started putting up decorations in mid-November, and it has really brought a festive mood to the city. Maybe I am just in a better mood because of the festive season, but I think people in London have been in a better mood too. And, the weather has been worse since I first got here so Christmas has got to be the reason for the good moods. I have noticed less shoving on the escalators and less pushing on the trains and tube. I think even the bus drivers have been in a better mood! And that is a big feat! That is the power of Christmas though. It brings people together, and no matter what background or what may be going on in their private lives, it gives people on day to relax and reflect on what is really important in life. A time to cherish and value all of the people who have had a positive impact on our lives and help enrich each, daily experience. I know, this sounds so sappy and hallmarky, but I can't help it. Christmas is really the best time of the year, I just wish we had family to spend time with. But, like I said, it will be fine! :)
You know, I notice that every year the White House always has a lot of Christmas decorations, I mean they go alll out. They decorate the White House Lawn, the exterior of the House, and the interior with pretty Christmas trees and wreaths and stuff. But, Doyle and I went to Buckingham Palace yesterday expecting to see beautiful, extravagant Christmas decorations. WRONG!!!! There were 2 Christmas trees with just lights. 2 CHRISTMAS TREES?!?!? Seriously, the house that is the symbol of the British Monarchy only had 2 Christmas trees outside. I was so surprised, I know they can do better. They are one of the most famous families in the world! I guess this recession has hit everyone, even the royals. lol, I don't mean to be too hard on them, I was just expecting a bit more. But, I guess we should go to Windsor. Windsor Castle is supposed to be beautiful during Christmas. Not only do they have wreaths and Christmas trees, but they even have a sled that was owned by Queen Victoria! It is supposed to be gorgeous! Well, I am done for now, I will write more later...
So, the snow is still outside here in Hither Green! I was so surprised, I honestly had expected it to melt by now. I really don't mind though, I love the snow... It's absolutely beautiful! I am just afraid to walk out in it though because on the side walks it has turned into ice, so it is really slippery to walk around. Well, the feeling of homesick is starting to hit Doyle and me. I guess with everything else going on we had so many distractions that we didn't really realize how much we missed the people we are apart from. We've been planning for some time to go to Finland for Christmas. But, basically, our parade got rained on and we found out some crappy news from our apartment lease managers. Basically, when I went in and signed the lease for this apartment, I thought I was paying 3 months rent, part of which was the deposit. They explained to me that the that deposit would go towards the next month's rent so I did not have to pay again until December. Then, we went in November to pay what we though was December's rent so that we were paid up until January. Well, then I get a phone call the other day and apparently I, and my parents, misunderstood them and the deposit did not go towards any of the months rent so we owed them money for December's rent. So basically, we are broke! We spent most of the money we had left paying off the rent I thought was already paid for. I mean, it isn't really a big deal because we were going to have to pay it one way or another, I just don't feel like it is fair because this was a misunderstanding on their end, not ours. But basically, this boils down to us being alone for Christmas. And, I don't know, it's not terrible, but it is disappointing. We're going to be sad :(... But, we're going to go to make the best of it. We are going to go to the grocery store, get a nice little feast for ourselves and buy some mulled one, a classic English Christmas tradition. So don't think I am being depressing, I am just disappointed. Finland at Christmas is supposed to be gorgeous! After all, it is the mythical home of Santa Clause! But, we will be there next year after all! So, we will be able to enjoy the magic of Finnish Christmas next year. And who knows, I believe everything happens for a reason, so it shall be okay, we even have a Christmas tree to put us in the festive mood :).
But anyway, enough about me complaining!!! London during Christmas really is a beautiful place! They started putting up decorations in mid-November, and it has really brought a festive mood to the city. Maybe I am just in a better mood because of the festive season, but I think people in London have been in a better mood too. And, the weather has been worse since I first got here so Christmas has got to be the reason for the good moods. I have noticed less shoving on the escalators and less pushing on the trains and tube. I think even the bus drivers have been in a better mood! And that is a big feat! That is the power of Christmas though. It brings people together, and no matter what background or what may be going on in their private lives, it gives people on day to relax and reflect on what is really important in life. A time to cherish and value all of the people who have had a positive impact on our lives and help enrich each, daily experience. I know, this sounds so sappy and hallmarky, but I can't help it. Christmas is really the best time of the year, I just wish we had family to spend time with. But, like I said, it will be fine! :)
You know, I notice that every year the White House always has a lot of Christmas decorations, I mean they go alll out. They decorate the White House Lawn, the exterior of the House, and the interior with pretty Christmas trees and wreaths and stuff. But, Doyle and I went to Buckingham Palace yesterday expecting to see beautiful, extravagant Christmas decorations. WRONG!!!! There were 2 Christmas trees with just lights. 2 CHRISTMAS TREES?!?!? Seriously, the house that is the symbol of the British Monarchy only had 2 Christmas trees outside. I was so surprised, I know they can do better. They are one of the most famous families in the world! I guess this recession has hit everyone, even the royals. lol, I don't mean to be too hard on them, I was just expecting a bit more. But, I guess we should go to Windsor. Windsor Castle is supposed to be beautiful during Christmas. Not only do they have wreaths and Christmas trees, but they even have a sled that was owned by Queen Victoria! It is supposed to be gorgeous! Well, I am done for now, I will write more later...
Friday, December 18, 2009
The London Life
3 months, 11 days
Well, it snowed here again! All night last night, it started after we left the movie theatre until sometime this morning. It even stuck, the snow actually laid on the ground and didn't melt by sunrise. In fact, it is still out there now! I thought I was excited when I saw it snow the other day, when it sprinkled snow throughout the city and then melted when it hit the ground; but when I saw this I was so excited! I couldn't help but make snowballs and throw them at Doyle and even the ground, it was so exhilarating! And not only did it snow, but it snowed after I watched one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. I know this may be somewhat of a dramatic statement, but Avatar was really one of the best movies I have ever seen. Not only did it have fantastic special effects, that were wonderfully enhanced by watching in 3-D, but it had one of the best stories in a movie I have seen in awhile. It really hit on the fact that humans can't just run around doing whatever they please, that there are actual, real consequences of what we do as human beings.
Well enough about me ranting about my taste in movies. The snow here in London made me realize something interesting about London. When it snows, rains too much or is just a little too windy, people absolutely freak out! I have noticed that if any of these weather events occur, the buse, train and tube system essentially break down! Just this morning, Doyle and I were trying to go into the city to see all of the snow downtown but had a trip getting there! When we reached the station, we looked at the notice board and saw about 5-6 different trains that were "severely delayed due to severe weather conditions." Severe weather conditions???? It snowed a couple of inches and you call this severe weather conditions?? I would expect this maybe if it had snowed like a foot overnight or something, but not a couple of inches that were already beginning to melt. It was really quite funny actually, but I was very relieved to see that the trains were even working at all. From what everyone says, when it snows in London the entire city shuts down! So I was glad to see that there were only a few delays, and not a complete shut down. But!, Gatwick and Luton airport were completely shut down. WHAT??? 2 busy airports, one of which is one of the busiest in the world, were shut down because of a couple of inches of snow!!! I thought these airport were supposed to have de-icers to take care of situations like this, I mean hell even Tallahassee's airport has proper de-icing procedures, though I don't think they have ever had to use them. Even rain and wind cause delays on the trains too. If there is too much rain, they shut the trains down in fear that the slippery conditions will cause an accident. Wouldn't you think of the rainiest cities in the world would have proper ways of dealing with this? The best one I have heard though, was when a train was delayed because of leaves on the track... Leaves on the track!?!? Really?? What are leaves going to do?? Anyway, I'm not trying to be too critical, I just think it is funny. I will say this though, last night when it was snowing pretty hard, we were able to get home on the buses without too many delays, it was great... I am glad to see that they weren't too overly concerned.
But anyway, once again I have gotten carried on about the weather. It's funny though, it is a big topic of conversation here. It seems everyone always talks about the weather over lunch, dinner or coffee. Its good though in a sense, everyone has something to talk about to each other. It never leads to an awkward, silent moment I guess. Well I guess this is all for now, I am enjoying writing these little notes about living here in London, it is a beautiful city and offers new adventures everyday!
Well, it snowed here again! All night last night, it started after we left the movie theatre until sometime this morning. It even stuck, the snow actually laid on the ground and didn't melt by sunrise. In fact, it is still out there now! I thought I was excited when I saw it snow the other day, when it sprinkled snow throughout the city and then melted when it hit the ground; but when I saw this I was so excited! I couldn't help but make snowballs and throw them at Doyle and even the ground, it was so exhilarating! And not only did it snow, but it snowed after I watched one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. I know this may be somewhat of a dramatic statement, but Avatar was really one of the best movies I have ever seen. Not only did it have fantastic special effects, that were wonderfully enhanced by watching in 3-D, but it had one of the best stories in a movie I have seen in awhile. It really hit on the fact that humans can't just run around doing whatever they please, that there are actual, real consequences of what we do as human beings.
Well enough about me ranting about my taste in movies. The snow here in London made me realize something interesting about London. When it snows, rains too much or is just a little too windy, people absolutely freak out! I have noticed that if any of these weather events occur, the buse, train and tube system essentially break down! Just this morning, Doyle and I were trying to go into the city to see all of the snow downtown but had a trip getting there! When we reached the station, we looked at the notice board and saw about 5-6 different trains that were "severely delayed due to severe weather conditions." Severe weather conditions???? It snowed a couple of inches and you call this severe weather conditions?? I would expect this maybe if it had snowed like a foot overnight or something, but not a couple of inches that were already beginning to melt. It was really quite funny actually, but I was very relieved to see that the trains were even working at all. From what everyone says, when it snows in London the entire city shuts down! So I was glad to see that there were only a few delays, and not a complete shut down. But!, Gatwick and Luton airport were completely shut down. WHAT??? 2 busy airports, one of which is one of the busiest in the world, were shut down because of a couple of inches of snow!!! I thought these airport were supposed to have de-icers to take care of situations like this, I mean hell even Tallahassee's airport has proper de-icing procedures, though I don't think they have ever had to use them. Even rain and wind cause delays on the trains too. If there is too much rain, they shut the trains down in fear that the slippery conditions will cause an accident. Wouldn't you think of the rainiest cities in the world would have proper ways of dealing with this? The best one I have heard though, was when a train was delayed because of leaves on the track... Leaves on the track!?!? Really?? What are leaves going to do?? Anyway, I'm not trying to be too critical, I just think it is funny. I will say this though, last night when it was snowing pretty hard, we were able to get home on the buses without too many delays, it was great... I am glad to see that they weren't too overly concerned.
But anyway, once again I have gotten carried on about the weather. It's funny though, it is a big topic of conversation here. It seems everyone always talks about the weather over lunch, dinner or coffee. Its good though in a sense, everyone has something to talk about to each other. It never leads to an awkward, silent moment I guess. Well I guess this is all for now, I am enjoying writing these little notes about living here in London, it is a beautiful city and offers new adventures everyday!
Some thought about London culture.
Today it actually snowed! Real snow! Not just one or two snowflakes falling out of the sky, but full on, real snow. It has been 12 years since I saw snow, when I used to live in Kentucky. It wasn't much, and it didn't last very long, but I still saw it. London weather changes so fast though, its raining now... though I would much prefer the snow again! Oh how the topic of London weather excites me so! I swear, I think it is bi-polar or something. Ill wake up in the morning and there wont be a cloud in the sky and it appears to be as clear as possible, but then I go and take a shower, when I look out the window again it is pouring down raining. Then I get dressed and walk out the door and its clear and sunny again!!! AAAH!!!! I can't take it!!! Just pick a damn weather pattern already!!!!
Anyway, lol, enough rambling on my amusement over London's weather patterns. After living here in London for 3 months, I feel like I am assimilating into this culture. I have begun to realize that there are many things about London culture that everyone needs to know, especially if they are considering moving here. First off, every Londoner needs to remember to stand on the right hand side of escalators, especially when in train or tube stations!!! I have realized that people are in such a rush to get anywhere 2 minutes faster than everyone else that they have no issue pushing people out of their way, or even flat out pushing them down, on escalators. I have seen so many tourists that did not realize this rule and were pushed, shoved and even sometimes cussed out! People can be vicious here in London, particularly when it comes to escalator etiquette! Secondly, always always remember to mind the gap. I don't know how anyone could forget this rule though. Not only is this message painted every 3 feet on train and tube platforms, but they also run an announcement over the intercoms at every station stop! Despite these constant reminders, people still forget! There have been plenty of times where I have seen people listening to their ipods or reading a newspaper not paying attention and stumble off the tube carriages, as if they expected there not to be a step or a gap! This leads to my second point about London culture, they really seem to care about your well being here! At almost every building or attracting here in London, you are bound to find a sign telling you to mind something! At the stations you are informed to mind the gaps. At restaurants and bars you are asked to mind the step or mind your head. It's everywhere! I am waiting for a sign that says mind the drunks, or mind your business! I am not sure if they are just overly concerned with every resident or tourist's safety and health, or if they simply are an attempt to prevent people from doing stupid things that the National Health Service will undoubtedly have to pay for! Thirdly, always avoid reading your neighbor's newspaper, magazine, or cell phone while on the train, tube, or busses. It seems like every time I am standing on the platform or sitting on the train or tube and have a newspaper, someone is bound to be reading along with me over my shoulder! I hate that too, there is nothing worse than having an unwanted nosey reading buddy. People here get pissy about it too. More than once, when someone has realized that someone is peeking at their newspaper or whatever, the person reading along has gotten a telling off... People here really value their privacy, though I think everyone secretly is an unwanted reading at some point in their commuting life. Commuting, that's another thing about London culture that took me time to get used to. It's not that Im bothered about not having a car, it's not that at all. In fact, I prefer not having a car because it is one less thing to worry about maintaining and whether it will have all its parts still attached when I wake up. No, I actually enjoy taking the trains and tube in the morning. But, people in this city get vicious when it comes to getting on the trains in the morning! If you are standing on the platform and the train is arriving, you better get ready to get cosey with 20 different Londoners. No matter whether there is another train or tube or bus coming in 2 or 3 minutes, everyone HAS to cram onto the very first one that is available. This means pulling people who are trying to get off out of the way and sometimes pushing everyone else that has already gotten on just to make sure they have squished themselves in. Also, commuters LOVE pulling the emergency handle! There have been several trains I have been on that have been delayed or halted because some idiot forgot to get off at the station he needed so he decided it was necessary to pull the emergency stop handle. Not only does this halt the train, but then, THEN!!, the station officials have to perform an investigation to find out why the handle was pulled. And these aren't just simple investigations that take 2 or 3 minutes and then the train can go on it's way, no... They bring 3 or 4 people with note pads who interrogate the driver and all of the remaining passengers to figure out what happened. What they fail to realize is that the idiot who pulled it has obviously already ran off to get to wherever he is going 2 or 3 minutes quicker.
Ok, time to move onto another subject. British television is... well.... interesting. I have realized that British people looovvvveee game shows. I could name 5 or 6 that come on on a daily basis right off the top of my head. Also, I know, no matter what time of the day it is, I will always find one of 4 show on t.v. You have Friends, Frasier, Star Trek, and Top Gear. One of these shows will AALLLWAAYYSS be on, no matter what! Good thing I like all of these shows or British television would certainly be a blast from hell's past! Well anyway, London is fun. I love it here!! The snow today has been absolutely amazing! Well it is time for me to go and enjoy my episodes of Friends, Frasier, Star Trek and Top Gear ;-). What does everyone think... I am thinking about turning this into a blog to write about my experiences here in London and then in Helsinki next year.
The beginning of my Life in London
Well, it has been 2 months since I have moved to London. I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I am now understanding what people mean when they say time flies when you are having fun. I have been here for 2 months, and it feels more like 2 weeks! But, I guess you can't help but feel that way when every day, every second you are experiencing something brand new! In these 2 months, I have done so many wondering, exciting things, it is hard to believe that I have done them all! The reason I came to London is for school, I am doing my Master's degree in the International Master's in Economy, State and Society program at University College London. If you don't already know, I will be here in London for a year and then next year I move to Helsinki, Finland, which Im sure will be another amazing adventure. Basically, for such a long name Im studying international politics, which focuses on central and eastern Europe, or in my case Finland. I am learning Finnish, which is not an easy task at all. In fact, Finnish is listed as one of the hardest languages in the world to learn. But, I think when you are actually learning it, it is so different that it becomes fun like a puzzle, I really enjoy it.
Anyway, life in London is pretty different than life in the states. I think the biggest adjustment has been life without a car. Before, I could just hop into my car and go anywhere and not worry about when I had to come back. Now, I rely on buses, trains, and an underground system which essentially shuts down at midnight! Bah, so now if I want to go out with my friends, I have to scramble to get to the train station by 12:56, or face a dreaded £40 taxi ride... no thanks! Thought don't let me fool you too much, I really enjoy my commute to London. It gives me time to relax and focus on everything that I am experience in London, it is somewhat like therapy. Another difference has been the slight cultural contrasts. For instance, during orientation week I was speaking to one of my professors and he looked at me with a look of stark confusion when I was talking about gas and parking garages, only to correct me and say petrol and multi-story car park. Also, go to any store here in London and try to hand them an American style swipe only credit card and they look at you as if you have just handed them bags of salt as payment. Honestly, they act as if I am handing them a prehistoric, ancient artifact that modern technology simply can't cope with. Honestly people, it is a credit card! Haven't you heard of the slogan: "Visa, its everywhere you want to be." Well I want to be here in London, and I want them to take my damn card! Its more annoying than you may think though. Try going to a grocery store, having picked out everything I need for an entire week, and walking up to the cash register to have the cashier freak out and yell at me for trying to use this type of credit card, it was not only embarrassing, but it was just plain wrong. London only switched to the chip and pin system 2 years ago, so these people used to own and use the same cards I am trying to use today! BAH! Also, is it just me, or are British landlords inept??? I have been living in my apartment for 2 months now, which was messy and unkempt when I moved into it. I complained and have had no results so far! I call just about every week and nothing has been done to satisfy any of my needs, oh boy!! They should try this in the States, I would have already taken them to court there. And don't get me started on train etiquette! I have to take the train, an overground train, from Hither Green to London every morning for school, a journey which takes about 15 minutes. I have been pushed, squished, poked prodded, and all around suffocated on these trains because people pack in them in a rush not to have to wait 2 minutes for the next one. People are crazy about the trains here, they will push and shove their way into the most crowded car just so they can get to work 2 minutes early. And in fact, they aren't really saving anytime because they are still going to have to wait for the tube once they get to the train station. Another thing that gets me, why does everything shut down so early?!? I have never seen a city that basically dies off at 5pm. When the clock strikes 5, everyone stops what they're doing and makes a mad dash to the train station, to squish onto yet another train that will get you home only 2 minutes faster than the next. And pubs and bars, why do they close so early?!? 11pm and you better be done drinking your beer because they will come and take it out of your hands!
Now, It sounds like I have a lot of complaints about living here. I have a few, but it is so worth it. This culture and history of this amazing city never ceases to amaze me. No matter where I am, all I have to do is turn a corner and I see something that takes my breath away. This city is full history, culture and beautiful sights. I love it. I really am immersing into British culture. I drink my tea with milk every morning while watching the BBC. I have been wearing a poppy for the past month for Remembrance. And, I even went to the Remembrance Sunday parade in an attempt to see the Queen, though all of my efforts so far have been in vain. I went to the Christmas light turning on ceremony at both Harrods and Oxford St, where I saw both Dannii Minogue and Jim Carrey! This is an amazing country with amazing people, you just have to get through the city's and the people's hard exterior and you will value everything you are experiences, which is truly amazing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
