Learning to Marvel

So, its been a while since I have checked in here but that is because there has been so much going on in the past couple weeks.

Last weekend we went into London and just walked around, explored this place that I now call home.  It is such a diverse place to live and there is so much going on.  We went to Covent Gardens and the market that is there, saw some street performers and just walked around the town because there is so much shopping and so many cool buildings to see (like the blue walled club that is in my facebook album).   Then we ventured over to Trafalgar Square because I had the sudden urge to go and see it.  While there we also visited the National Gallery for a couple of minutes.  You could probably spend all day in the National Gallery, it is huge and it was here that it hit me.  I am in London and there I was, taking in some of the greatest art of all time.  I think it was here that I realized that for the past couple weeks I have been walking around with my mouth open, just amazed by everything that is, London.  I am learning to just appreciate things for what they are, people for who they are and to take everything in stride because it is the only way in which to really appreciate and enjoy something.

While in London we also saw some buildings that I couldn't tell you the names of, but of course all of them were beautiful.  It has been such a fantastic experience being here and having friends and roommates that are willing to just stroll along in the city and see where the wind brings us.  It is from this experience that I have learned so much about the city and learning a lot about myself.  For instance, I have learned that I constantly doubt myself this is especially true when it comes to the buses and the tubes.  It is because you don't want to end up going in the right direction so I am always worried that we are going the wrong way.  Not that this has happened yet, so I don't really know what I am so worried about.

Then of course after the weekend of fun it was back to school and working.  Three days a week is not too bad and the time flies.  Classes are good and easy for me, I find it hard to be motivated to go because they are all mostly review for me, but I go because I know I have to in order to do well in the long run.  I am finding that the teachers here are a lot more chill about everything than the teachers back in the States though.  Or at least the teachers that I have.  At the beginning of the program everyone said that the teachers would be really strict about stuff and that they did not really interact with the students like they do in the states.  I have found this to be completely false, and I actually feel like I know my professors here better than I have gotten to know any of the professors at home because they are so approachable and many of them teach by sitting among the students, not standing in front of us and talking at us.

Friday was one of my favorite days here so far, we went to the Globe Theatre and Parliament.  Had a little walk around Parliament and stood behind the chairs that the House of Lords and the House of Commons sit in on a regular basis.  I got to walk around places that not even the Queen gets to access, it was no big deal.  I got to see Big Ben from the only angle I have not seen him yet as well.  Then of course it was time to go to Shakespeare's Globe.  A beautiful and quaint little building in the center of the hustle and bustle of London.  Everything about it was so old feeling, yet the building was rebuilt only a couple of years ago.  It was a fun experience, especially since I am taking a Shakespeare class right now and am really interested in stuff like that.

After going to the touristy places one of my friends decided to hook up with one of her friends that is also staying in London.  So, we hopped on the tube like champs and found our way to the other side of the city.  We found ourselves on Bank Street which was where all the Sherlock Holmes stories took place.  I actually got to see where Sherlock Holmes was said to have lived, that was pretty cool.  So we walked around London for a bit and went pub hopping (that is all they do here).  It was such a good experience, but after Friday I found that I was starting to feel sick.

That, however, did not stop me from going out on Saturday and having the time of my life..... I should have stayed in and taken care of my throat though... But it will be okay because that is what I plan to do all week so that I am ready for the weekend again.

Sunday I met with some of my family that I have yet to see yet since being here.  Some of them I have never met before.  But we had a traditional English roast at the King's Tun and just enjoyed each others company and began to get to know one another.  I had a good time, despite the horrible weather and I cannot wait to see them again!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and it was by far one of the best Valentine's Days I have ever had.  My roommates and I just hung out, but it was really something special.  We got cupcakes for all of the girls in the house and we made chicken parm for dinner.  It was some of the best chicken I have ever eaten and the dinner was just fantastic.  These girls that I live with are something else, we all get along really well and it is just fun to be around them.

As for the rest of the week, I have to read and write an essay for one of my classes and start to work on a presentation that I have to make next week in one of the classes that was supposed to be easy, but is turning out to be one of the classes that I have the most work for.  O well, you do what you have to I guess.

This weekend I think we might try to make our way to Windsor to hang out and see the castle, or something along those lines.  You never know here, the world is my oyster.

O and as for spring break, I am going to ROME.  Yes, me!  I never thought that I would ever get the chance to do any of this, but I am going to be going on a tour of Italy for about two weeks before coming back for the Royal Wedding.

So I think that is it for now, but I cannot wait for this weekend and of course next week when Nanny gets here and I get to meet more family and just hang out with the people that call themselves my family here!

Cheers!

Classes Begin...

So classes began for me on Tuesday and I have to say that the education system here is quite different than the education system at home.  It is true what they say that the classes are shorter and easier, but that a lot of the studying has to be done on your own, outside of the classroom.

What happens at Kingston is that you have an hour or two of lecture and then sometimes for some classes you have an hour of seminar.  That is a maximum of three hours spent in any single class during the week. It also means that most of your classes only meet once a week and the rest of the studying and research has to be done on one's own.

So Tuesday I went to American Literature and it was interesting, my teacher talked a lot about American history and how awful America is right now, it was interesting and kind of off putting to hear the British perspective on American's right now.  Regardless. this class is likely to be a breeze for me because all the required readings I have already completed in school.

Next on Wednesday I went to Shakespeare and American Lit Seminar and my British Life and Culture Class.  Shakespeare is going to be interesting for me because it is a drama class and I am going to have to get up and act out parts of plays.  It will be an experience I think.  American Lit was easy, we just talked about ourselves and our feelings and British Life and Culture was easy but incredibly boring because, unfortunately, the teacher is quite boring.

Lastly on Thursday I had Abnormal Psych and I think this is my favourite class of all.  Again, it is all going to be review because I have already studied all of this in high school but it makes me a little more confident in being able to pass the class.  My teacher is really nice and let me change my seminar from Friday to Thursday which makes my schedule absolutely incredible and will allow me to travel as much or as little as I please.

That is all for now, I don't really have much else to say about classes other than right now they are going well and I like the way that classes are taught here.....

Cheers!