Monday evenings (generally every week) everyone studying abroad in London is required to take this class with a really long title - Issues in Contemporary British Politics and Culture. Yes it sounds daunting, but after attending the first session this evening I can assure you it's not. We have guest lecturers every week who speak on a topic relevant to the current situation in Britain, whether it be political, economic, social, etc. As these topics are certainly not my strong suit, I am actually looking forward to learning about such topics from such esteemed speakers. It could certainly prove to be a useful class, if for nothing more than making me feel a bit more intellectual.
On Tuesday afternoons I have Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Stage, which is exactly what you'd think it is. We are learning about, reading, discussing, and viewing (!) many of Shakespeare's masterpieces. First up was As You Like It, which we will be seeing tomorrow night at the Globe Theatre - no big deal. I am pumped! Overall we will be seeing five Shakespearean productions throughout the semester.
Every Wednesday evening I go to see a more modern London production with my Thursday afternoon class entitled Modern Drama in Performance. This week we will be seeing War Horse - a show I have wanted to see since it came to New York, but never had the financial means of doing so. With this class I will be seeing thirteen productions throughout the semester, ranging from West End to performance art! How cool is that?
And my final class is on Thursday mornings - Ethics. No, I am not minoring in philosophy. No, I have never taken a philosophy class before. I do, however, consider myself to be a rather philosophical person (at times) and this class sounded extremely interesting. I think it'll certainly test my thinking in a way it hasn't been tested before, and I welcome the challenge.
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Freedom is an interesting word. It's usually associated with civil rights or breaking away from some type of reign. When asked, before I came to London, what I was looking forward to most while studying abroad this semester, I would answer with one word: freedom. I don't know if many people understood to the full extent what I meant by this. In no way was I implying that I didn't have freedom before or that I felt oppressed, for it was actually quite the opposite. Things are great in New York. I am attending my dream school, pursuing my dream job, and living in my dream city. I have a great support system and I truly feel at home in New York - both on the island and upstate. It was that I anticipated a different kind of freedom to happen while studying abroad. It wasn't so much an escaping from, but rather a seeking out. Shaking things up. Trying something new.
New York City can gobble you up if you don't play your cards right. I think it's important to know when you need a break, or when you need a change of pace - just for a little while. What I have experienced in this last week is something I have never experienced before. I don't know how to describe it other than 'weightlessness'. Something about the excitement of a new city and meeting new people, new opportunities for new experiences, all contributed to this overwhelming sense of joy. For once, in a very long time, I had time. Crazy right? Who has time anymore? For anything? We rush around getting as much as we can done in 24 hours - and that doesn't always include sleep - hoping to push ahead and get better. It's a vicious cycle, and one that is increasingly difficult to hop off.
There's something you automatically pick up when you travel abroad by yourself - the power to say 'yes'. Yes, I'll introduce myself to this person. Yes, I'll go there. Yes, I'll hang out tonight. Yes, I'll try that food. Yes, I'll walk around aimlessly for a couple hours. I think we are often told (because it is often true) that freedom lies in saying 'no'. No, I can't join that club. No, I can't meet you for lunch. No, I don't have time to do that. We are told, and rightfully so, to cut things out of our schedule so that we can make time for ourselves.
Now obviously these situations are very different. One could say this semester abroad for me is like a suspension of real life, or a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience, and in saying that one would be right. In no way is this semester indicative of exactly how my life will be or should be when I get home. However, I am positive that there are things God is teaching me over these next three months that He does want me take back home with me. A sense of calmness, confidence, and spontaneity, an attitude of 'yes', and a sort of worldly perspective - to name a few.
One of the best things that could've happened to me while over here was going to Hillsong London - a branch of the church I go to in NYC (actually NYC is a branch of it because Hillsong London was here first, but anyway). They hold service in the Dominion Theatre, home to the West End musical, We Will Rock You. It's in an actual theatre - how cool is that! I immediately felt at home. I entered the theatre alone and was astonished by the swarm of people surrounding me on all sides. I hadn't even been sitting down for two minutes when a woman around my age came up to me and invited me to sit with her and the other young adults in the front section of the theatre. What do you think I said? Uh...YES! Immediately I met some of the nicest people. We hung out the whole day and went back to the evening service. I felt such a strong connection with these people immediately and could feel God smiling for me.
When coming abroad I was worried I was going to be alone, and that has certainly not been the case - at all. God has surrounded me with a wonderful, fun-loving, genuine community of people, both at Hillsong and at NYU London. I am enjoying every person I meet and loving every experience I have. Every day is full of surprises and I wouldn't change a thing. I can actually feel myself living life to the fullest and it is truly exciting.
~~~
Here are some pictures from the past week:
One of my first breakfasts - scrambled eggs on brown toast
(he looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for 'wheat')
This is also when I first started hearing "Cheers!" a lot. Part of the challenge over the past week has been mastering when to say "cheers" at the appropriate time and not making it sound too American. It's surprisingly difficult.
View of the Tower Bridge (many people think this is the London Bridge, but I was told on this bus tour that that was not the case...huh!) with the Paralympic banner.
Happy as can be
Buckingham Palace! I could totally live here if I had too I guess. I don't know, it's a bit small... ;)
I plan to come back here and get a tour of the inside soon - unfortunately I won't be able to take pictures.
London Eye in the background
Big Ben during the day
Big Ben at night
Huge pan of Paella on sidewalks of Brunswick Centre. I've never seen so much Paella!
It was delicious!
See for yourself...
This was my first Sunday here, after a fun-filled day with the Hillsong Young Adults crew. I had just met them that all day and was already having such a fun time. This particular photo was taken after having a dance party to the crazy techno music in Snog - a frozen yogurt place downtown - with the Snog employee (in blue)...because why not? Lucas (far left) and Michael (to my right) are two of the first people I met that Sunday. I immediately formed a friendship with both of them. They're great guys and so much fun to hang out with! Taylor (in plaid) met up with us as well and I introduced her to the gang. It was a wonderful ending to a wonderful day.
Taylor and I just chillin' in a really cool bathroom at a pretty historic pub.
London Eye at night. How gorgeous is that?
Yes, that's a swing ride thingymabobber. Yes, I rode it. And yes, it is probably the best view of the city at night ever!
One the NYUL RAs knew someone with an extra ticket to the Lady Gaga concert at Twickenham Stadium just outside London last Saturday night. So of course I said YES! Rekha and I had lots of fun admiring the costumes of those around us and dancing along to the music. Yes, the crowd of 55,000 people was slightly overwhelming, but it was all a part of the experience.
It was a production to say the least, and I enjoyed every minute of it! Gaga is really quite incredible. (That's a castle on stage by the way.)
This was taken last night at the fireworks show for the Mayor Thames' Festival. These stood in as my labor day fireworks since I missed them this year :) Fireworks over the river with some pretty cool people on a gorgeous evening - not bad.
Speaking of which, the weather here has been absolutely incredible! Hot and sunny. That also could be part of the reason it was such a great week, but it's certainly not the only reason.
Also, I apologize for the freaky, what seems to be "demon-possesed" (as Michael would put it), eyes I have in this photo, I assure you that is not the case. It's just my light eyes not wanting to show up in photographs, as they do.
~~~
And that's it for now. Let's just say I am falling in love with the city of London very quickly and I don't mind it one bit.
Cheers!
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