Experience England

This week has been incredibly busy for me. I have visited the National Theatre, went to a rock concert, and toured Oxford. 

At the National Theatre

On Wednesday, I went to the National Theatre with my British Life and Culture class; We saw Timon of Athens, a Shakespeare play. This is the first play I've seen since being in London and I was thrilled with the performance. Timon, played by Simon Russell Beale, is a man who has spread his wealth too thin. He has given gifts of extreme wealth to all of his friends and upon discovering he is bankrupt, his friends abandon him. Timon takes a last vengeful sweep at his friends before casting himself away from society and suffering out of spite for humanity. I enjoyed the plot of the play, but it is still a Shakespeare play, which can take extra concentration to understand the spoken aspect. The actors were phenomenal, and my friends and i were quite excited to see Alfred Enoch, known to most of you as 'Dean' from Harry Potter. The show didn't begin until 7:30, so I was able to see Central London lit up at night. It was beautiful! I got a snapshot of the London Eye lit up; it was such a great view. 

London at night

Thursday this week, my friend Tonya got her first tattoo. I went with her to the parlor to get it done, and even though they didn't let me in with her, it was great to be there afterwards and admire her new ink. Tonya picked a great place to get her tattoo done, down on Old London Road. I'm a bit jealous. What a great way for her to always remember her time in England!

The next day I went to a concert in Kingston. My boyfriend actually looked up the show information online from home in Michigan. I'm so thankful that he thought of this because the concert was absolutely amazing. Friday night we went to 1939 The Peel, a rock bar in Kingston to see Anavae, Kyoto Drive, and There for Tomorrow play. A local band opened up, but I couldn't catch their band name. Next Anavae went on. This band, with a female singer, had so much energy it was contagious. The sound was beautifully unique, and I loved the singers edgy vocals with a sweet finish. Kyoto Drive took the stage next and I was impressed that their lead singer is also the bassist. That's not something I come across often; he is also one very talented singer. I bought their EP album, "The Approach" after the show and have been listening to it in all of my downtime today. The headlining band, There for Tomorrow, put on a great final act. The crowd swelled, and people started dancing and head-banging. Nothing very serious though. They were another very energetic band and humorous between songs. They really know how to put on a show and their music is great!

Outside Christ Church College

Today, Saturday, I visited and toured Oxford with my British Life and Culture class. It was a really chilly day, so our hour and half walking tour left us all a bit frozen. Nonetheless, it was a great tour. Our guide was quite funny and obviously excited about what he was telling us. He mostly told us about the university and how it works. Oxford university now consists of 38 independent colleges, each with its own chapel, library, dinning hall, and residence hall. Our guide was especially interested in the libraries and library facts. he often knew the number of books in each library or bookstore we passed, which I thought was great! After our tour, my friends and I went for lunch at a pub called the The Three Goats Head, and we were the only ones there. It was a bit strange at first, but our waitress was kind and the food was delicious. Next, we toured Christ Church College, one of the Oxford colleges. This is a famous college, known for its 13 prime minister alumni and also Charles Dodgson attended this college, though he is more commonly known as Lewis Carroll. This was what I looked forward to most on this visit, seeing the place where Caroll studied, as he is one of my favorite authors. It was so great seeing his portrait hanging in the dinning hall. The dinning hall was actually the one that inspired the great hall of the Harry Potter movies as well. Supposedly, the staircase leading to the dinning hall was also inspiration the Potter movies. The whole college was gorgeous; it was like being in another world. It felt surreal to be surrounded by the old stone and the delicate and grand architecture of the college. There was even a wedding taking place in Oxford today; it was so beautiful! 

The dinning hall

on the staircase

After Oxford, I was a bit exhausted, but my friends and I decided to have a "family" dinner. So we met at Tonyas for Spaghetti and bread. The cooked meal was so great and the best way to end my day. 

Now, I have no classes for a week due to Enrichment Activity Week, but the best part is that my mom, dad, and twin sister are coming to visit me for 8 days. I am picking them up from the airport tomorrow and I am beyond excited to see them after all this time of just seeing them squished in the frame of my laptop screen. Facetime just isn't the same as real time. I best get some rest, it's going to be a busy week!

Shop after Shop

Dress purchased from Republic. 

 In Kingston, there is a plethora of good shopping places. Just last week, I spent half the day in the Bentall Centre with some friends. I'm quite a fan of the fashion here. I especially love the collars on ladies dresses and tops, so I purchased a dress yesterday with an adorable collar on it. Other current fashions I have noticed are peplum tops, the color maroon, see-through tops, colored tights, and platformed shoes to name a few. Some new name brands I've come across are Super Dry and Jack Wills - quality clothing if you're shopping near London. If you're going to be spending some time in Kingston, I definitely recommend you try out some of the different fashions. I'm not really into fashion normally, but it's a great way to experience a new culture. The fashion choices are actually all very practical considering the amount of rain the people here deal with. 

At the Bentall Centre with my friends last week, we visited unique shops such as Republic, H&M (which is actually a large chain, but not located near my hometown), New Look, Gilly Hicks, Yumi, and Oliver Bonas. It was a great activity for a rainy day! There are even plenty of restaurants located inside the shoppings centre, so you really can spend an entire day there. 

After the Bentall Centre, my friends stopped into Primark to buy some Christmas sweaters. Primark is always a busy shop, but it is a great place to find the latest fashions at the cheapest prices. I especially love buying my sweaters (or jumpers) from here. 

At the end of our shopping, we went to Pizza Hut for a hot meal. I always have friendly service here and  we got free side salads with our meals. It was such a great day, and socializing over a meal is my favorite way to end a day with friends!

Tuesday is Steak Night

I can't believe I haven't discovered this sooner. Tuesday is steak night at the Kings Tun. The best part of it though is that at Fresher's Fayre, I received a coupon booklet to Whetherspoons (which Kings Tun is a branch of). One of the coupons was four steak meals for 20 pounds. So, naturally, my friends and I went to the Kings Tun, our favorite social setting, and all had a nice steak dinner for only five pounds each. The meal comes with a sirloin steak, a side of vegetables, a potato, and a drink. It's the best meal deal I've gotten yet! If you're ever in Kingston, make sure you head to the Kings Tun for Tuesday steak night. You will not be disappointed. Also, my friends and I received the absolute best service ever there. One of the barmaids was so helpful; she helped me decide on what drink to get, discussed her shared love of Harry Potter with us, and was full of energy. Everything combined made for one great night! 

After a hearty meal, I headed back to Penrhyn Road campus to get some books from the library. The library is open late during most of the semester, which is incredibly useful for my unpredictable schedule. I picked up a bit of research on Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and on Iris Murdoch. I'll let you know what I learned from it soon! Now, I've developed quite a nice stack of books in my room. The library here is so easy to use. The self checkout stations are very modern and easy to use, books have no limit on renewals, and I've always been able to find exactly what i'm looking for. Now I just need to buckle down and do my homework before my family gets here.

Oh yeah, did I mention my family is visiting me in less than a week!!! During enrichment week, my family will spend a week in Central London with me. My mom, my dad, and my twin sister anyway. I am unbelievably excited for them to get here. It's almost too difficult to focus on my studies.  

Parliament and Shakespeare

Yesterday I toured the houses of Parliament and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre with my British Life and Culture class. I took the train from Surbiton Station to Waterloo with my good friend Tonya, and there we met up with our friends Kelly and Kelsey and proceeded to take the Tube towards the houses of Parliament. I am incredibly proud of myself for learning the ins and outs of public transportation so quickly. Trains and the underground are much less scary than they were my first time riding them! 

A guide was ready for us when we got into the Parliament building. He took us on a lengthy tour through the procession room, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords. I've seen the House of Commons and the House of Lords in videos and photographs, so it was really great to be there in person. They really are small rooms! They are very grand though, the House of Lords especially is beautifully designed. I really enjoyed the neo-gothic architecture and design throughout the building. 

Center view of the stage. Standing in the Yard

What used to be one of the best views of the play

After our meal at Pizza Express, we rejoined our classmates outside Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. This was certainly my favorite part of the day! I've studied quite a bit of Shakespeare's works and read about the Globe. Of course, the particular building I toured isn't the actual Globe theatre; it is just an incredibly detailed replica of the original. Also, it is very very near to the place of the original Globe theatre. On our tour, we got to see the "yard" where commoners would stand to watch the original plays in the Globe's open-air theatre - just hope it doesn't rain! There is also seating available that is protected from rain and harsh sun, but all the benches are wooden, so sitting for a three hour play can get uncomfortable no matter if you are sitting on the benches or standing in the yard. Our guide showed us the special boxes that the rich would sit in directly above the stage. They're not the best for viewing the play, but they are the best for hearing it. Nowadays, seeing is more important, so center seating actually costs the most. Can you believe that in only cost one penny for people to stand in the yard, two pence to sit on the benches, and six whole pence to have a seat above the stage? Now, it costs five pounds to stand in the yard, around 22 pounds for outer bench seats, and close to 35 pounds for center seats. The whole theatre tour was a stunning experience for me. Unfortunately  the plays are done showing due to the open theatre, weather must be permitting. It was still a wonderful experience to stand in the yard and imagine one of Shakespeare's interactive plays taking place just in front of me. Perhaps with a swarm of people around me. The Globe is certainly a place I would like to revisit. In the meantime though, I picked up a few souvenirs to commemorate my experience there. 

Just a few souvenirs. Love Macbeth!

Yo Quiero Taco Bell

Borrowing a classic phrase from the Taco Bell advertisements, I'd like to demonstrate my complete cravings for American food I've come to know and love. I miss Jimmy Johns. I miss Penn Station. I miss Mennas Joint. I miss Buffalo Wild Wings, and I also really miss spinach at Subway. I want the  grilled steak my dad makes, or the breakfast casserole my mom makes, or a cooked ham. I'm having a phenomenal time in England, and it's not that I dislike the food here, it's just that its starting to really hit me that I'm not at home. Food has been the most consistent reminder of that. At my home here, I've been living off of bread, peanut butter, jam, cheese, cereal, milk, apples, and granola bars. I can go grocery shopping in under ten minutes now because I know exactly what to get; I always get the food I recognize. Not really an ideal diet, huh? 

Please don't think I'm shallow. It's much more than food that I miss. Food just happens to be the one constant reminder that I am quite a ways from home. I miss my family immensely and my boyfriend. Luckily though my parents and twin sister will be visiting me during Enrichment Activity Week here, which is a week given to students for study purposes but most everyone just travels anyway. I'll be very happy to see them in person and show them all the great and beautiful sites of London. 

A beautiful surprise from home

I've had some excellent support from home. Of course I miss home, and it's great to hear from my friends and family so I can tell them all the great things I've been up to. I am so incredibly thankful for Skype and Facetime. Without those, I wouldn't be able to see my family or say hi to my boyfriend, and that would be terrible. A couple of days ago, I got the best surprise ever! My boyfriend had sent me an enormous bouquet of roses and lilies. It was such a sweet gesture, and it was so great to get his kind regards and support in such a surprising way. Thanks babe! I needed it. 

Besides missing loads of things and people from home this week, I've kept quite busy. I made some new friends who have already agreed to show myself and my friends their favorite places around the area. I've already tried a new restaurant (Nandos) and played some football in the park! One thing that was incredibly disappointing this week was the discovery that I'm not allowed to volunteer on my particular visa. The Kingston volunteering scheme was one of the main reasons I decided to come here. When I found out I wasn't eligible to volunteer I was devastated. I still am really. I'll just have to find new ways to keep myself busy and doing good. 

I can't believe I've already been in the UK for over a month. Where has the time gone? Where??

Chaos and Early Mornings

Okay, don't get freaked out by the title just yet. It'll make sense soon, I promise.

Let's see.. where did I end my last post? Oh yes, I was telling you all about how I'm getting involved with the University. I told you I'm involved with Ladies Football, right? Well, this Wednesday was the enormous sporting social event, Cougar Chaos. The night started out with all of the campus sports (Football, Rugby, Skating, Sailing, Netball, etc etc.) met up at the Space Bar. This is a bar located directly on the University's campus. Yes, there is a bar located on the University campus. I think it is safe to say that this would never happen in Michigan. Anyway, the theme for the event was "New Recruits" so it was required that everyone come decked out in his or her army garb. There were hundreds of students packed in this bar, each with paint smeared on his/her face, a water gun, or some other camouflage or otherwise army-looking clothing. It was a riot! In a good way of course. It was so great to interact and mingle with other Kingston students and also other student athletes. We all came together, despite our different tastes in athletics, to celebrate (read: party) a new and competitive semester. I was certainly feeling some Cougar pride. Afterwards, we all slowly made our way to Oceana, one of the local clubs in Kingston. It was almost overwhelming to see all the army-clad students dancing, shouting, and generally just enjoying themselves on the crowded dance floor. Cougar Chaos was an amazing event, which brought Kingston athletes together to take pride in not only each students' athletic ability, but to pride each other on being Cougars! I find this event fascinating because it differs greatly from my home university in Michigan. At Central, students will often celebrate when the university's football team (American football that is) has a home game. Students come adorned in Central's Maroon and Gold and flash poms and ribbons into the air. However, I can't recall an event that really celebrated each athletic group and just general pride for being part of one's chosen university. I just love spotting these similarities and differences in University customs. 


Thursday and Friday were quite ordinary. There's really nothing to say there. Except that it rained most of Friday evening, and I was unfortunate enough to have left my umbrella at home. 

A beautiful morning at Stonehenge

Today, however, I had the unique opportunity to visit Stonehenge and Bath as part of my British Life and Culture class! There was only one catch to the whole thing - our coach departed at 8:30 this morning. Luckily I consider myself a morning person! After the hour bus ride, my class arrived at Stonehenge in the wee hours of the morning. Well, actually, it was around 10am. The site was beautiful though. We were all blessed with sunny weather and the sun was certainly shining! My friends and I walked around the structure and took a million photos each. As our instructor told us, "it's not going to be just a screen saver anymore!" After viewing the stones we stopped for a quick snack. I got a chocolate brownie, but became instantly jealous of my friend's rock cake, which is basically a biscuit flavored like a oatmeal raisin cookie. Yum! 

A great view of Stonehenge

The Roman Baths

After Stonehenge, my class had another hour bus ride to Bath (pronounced Baaaath). Bath was an incredibly charming city. I especially loved the number of talented street performers in the Square and in the shopping area. We went on a brief tour of Bath and saw a lot of old buildings in the same color stone. It really was interesting. I mostly enjoyed the pillars and carvings on most all of the architecture. Also, windows had been filled in many years ago to prevent taxation. After our tour, we arrived at the Roman Baths. Most of the site was underground and a bit crowded, so I busied myself through that museum a bit quickly. I still saw some great sites of the ancient baths. After the Roman Baths, my friends and I decided to use our free time to get a cone of real italian ice cream and sit in the square watching street performers. It was amazing. The ice cream had to be the best I've ever had, and the performers were incredibly talented. Overall, it was a magnificent, if not slightly tiring, day. And, after our two and a half hour bus trip home, I'm ready to pop in a movie and call it a night. But not before I say that I love chaos and early mornings (that is, I love Cougar chaos and early mornings in a beautiful England). Good Night!

Putting the "Study" in Study Abroad

So, as I'm sitting in the LRC (that's the library), I recognized how busy I've been this week and that I ought to share it with my readers. Also, I had to fight to get this spot in the LRC, so get ready, it's going to be a long post. I'm not moving from this spot.

Starting September 24th I had my first week of classes. Whew! Week one is finished. I actually can't believe how fast it went. My classes are great. I really do enjoy them. There is a lot of independent work involved whereas I'm much more used to taking home assignments and studying for quizzes. My classes here at Kingston University have revolved around my personal studies of the subject. I've already got a wonderful stack of library books on my desk. The strangest thing about my classes though, is that I don't meet every week. At my home university, I would meet with my class two to three times a week, but here, some of my lectures only meet twice a month. Don't worry, I'm still learning loads. For one of my classes, English Literature at Work, I am scheduled to work 22 hours this semester transcribing the letters of Iris Murdoch as well as meet twice a month with a personal tutor and a peer advising group. Another one of my classes, British Life and Culture, consists of a two-hour weekly lecture and a seminar every other week to talk about what we've gone over in class. I'm very excited for this module because we will be talking about everything from the monarchy to British film. Also, and this is the best part, this class involves several field trips around Europe. Next up is Bath and Stonehenge! What better way to discover England than to explore it! My last class this week was The Editors Craft. This is probably the main reason I chose to study at Kingston University. I saw that this class was offered and decided that I needed to be here for it. This class meets at 9am every Friday. While I'm not excited about the early hour, I have already been enjoying the class. We did a short writing exercise and a participation exercise. Also, my reading for the course involves, The Penguin Writers Manual and Revising Prose. Is it strange that I'm excited about this? I have my first Spanish class today as well. I'm a bit nervous about this one. Studying Spanish in Britain? I wonder how it will be different.

Besides going to classes I have kept myself insanely busy. I have joined the ladies football club, the dance club, the cinema appreciation society, and Kingston's Volunteering. 

Football has been such a blast! I've only gone to two training sessions, but I love the team and I mostly just missed playing. It's been way too long. Of course, now my body is completely out of shape for the sport. No worries though, I plan on conditioning myself back into it. I just have to wait a day for the feeling to get back to my legs. Last night's training was a lot of sprinting. Another club I joined is the dance team. It's been a while since I've danced as well, and I certainly made a fool of myself at the first session. While doing a pirouette across the floor, I didn't spot myself and tumbled to the floor. It was pretty embarrassing, but my instructor was so lively and nice that I was having too much fun to care. I'm definitely going back. It's another great way to stay in shape too, and meet new people. Football is on Mondays, jazz is on Thursday's, so Friday I take it easy with the Cinema Appreciation Society. Really all we do is show up and watch a movie, but I love film and I definitely want to experience some British film while I'm here. We watched Human Traffic last Friday,and I have to say I really liked it. This week, we're watching a Wes Anderson film. I am ecstatic. I love Wes Anderson!! Finally, I'm signed up to do some volunteering. I will probably be working at a couple of marathon's and other sporting events just helping out. I miss volunteering with Zeta Theta Pi, the local service sorority at Central Michigan University. I figured I should support them and volunteer in England.

As you can see, I've kept quite busy this week. When I'm not in class, studying, or playing sports, I'm usually out shopping with the girls, getting a cold drink at the pub, or a nice tea or coffee at the cafe. There is always something to do in Kingston! Sometimes I forget that I don't really live here. Has it only been three weeks?

(sorry, no pictures this time)