Learning to Wear Stripes with Plaid: Not So Easy

A little self perspective:
"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy." - Albert Einstein

Not having too positive a day, a little sad, a little overwhelmed, but as long as I keep going and not think too much I can at least get done what needs to be done.

I've had kind of an incredible week, show-wise. Wednesday we all went to the Globe theater to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream". It. Was. Amazing. Mostly because I was watching it at the globe itself, and I even reveled in the sore bottom caused by 7-inch seats (lengthwise), telling myself it was the same irritating pain people experienced hundreds of years ago.

Last night, we went to the Playhouse theater to see "The Harder They Come", a Jamaican musical that was short on plot but thick in music. I would have probably enjoyed it much more if I did not have the presentation to give today hanging over my head - will be over in exactly three hours! Parts of it were especially hard to watch, such as when Ivan (the main Robin Hood-type character) was rejected by his mother for seemingly no reason (it made me sad), but mostly it gave me a full appreciation of reggae music that I did not have before.

I've been trying to keep a list of All Weird Things British, perhaps I'll post it when it becomes fuller.

On the subject of classes and teachers, they are all fine and dandy except my crazy theater prof, who is obviously not a Grinnellian prof and consequently says very un-Grinnellian, thoughtless things that are a little shocking. Especially when she's halfway into her gin during class.

Overall, I'm still constantly tired. Weekends looking up, though, especially if I manage to get some real sleep or semblence of rest.

Classes Finally Begin

Woke up this morning for an 8:45 am class, and my stomach was still a little queasy from the sub-par tomato pasta last night (still worth it, it was cheap).

Accomplished so far (in the seven days since I arrived in London):

+ Picadilly Circus (crowded, impressive architecture...and that's it really)
+ Soho (also crowded, cute shops and very fashionable people)
+ St. James Sq (we were actually looking for St. James Church, which may or may not exist)
+ Buckingham Palace (we pretty much stumbled upon it, then went 'oh how pretty'. Oh and Barbara was mistaken for a Frenchwoman.)
+ Camden Market (the anti-fashion district, and play-area of Amy Whinehouse)
+ ISH International Student House (cute, very college-y)
+ Assorted Pubs (like a cross between Chilis and college bars)
+ Coach tour (aka bus tour of London, given by the enthusiastic Vivian, to be quoted later)
+ London Philharmonic @ BBC Proms Concert (simply. beautiful.)
+ Notting Hill Carnival (unimpressed by the Bobbies - or police officers - knowledge of London. Later learned hardly any of them are from here, and have very little knowledge of the city. Ironic.)

Weekend in Camden

We decided this morning that we wanted to go thrift shopping, but I most of the stores we went to were strangely closed - maybe because Monday is a holiday? So we ended up walking north of our flat to Camden Market - punk capital! There were some really cute clothes, and fascinating people, but I didn't want to spend any my pounds quite yet. Though I must admit the cardigans tempted me - how much more British can you get?

Our first trip to the Underground, in Camden Market, was probably the most eventful it could be. While we were buying our new Oyster cards (travel tickets), a large man in a bright red t-shirt and dreds down to his ankles was escorted out of the station, by one policeman and one man in a collared shirt. Then when we were walking down the stairs to the train and there was a man lying unconcious on the stairs, in a small pool of vomit. Certainly about as many adventurous things as possible in one train ride.

Tonight, everyone is too tired to go out again, though we are telling ourselves it is because we have a 9am coach tour in the morning. Last night (Friday) everyone went to the ISH bar, then my flatmates and myself came back to the flat to play a rousing game of "never have I ever" which is a great way to get to know people.

The Cops Are Not From Hot Fuzz

Place: Westminster, London, England
Event: Coherent Arrival in London

Having arrived two days ago, I feel finally ready to write something - anything, really - about London that hopefully not will be colored by the exhaustion of jet lag.

When I first arrived after a nine hour flight, I thought I wasn’t tired, but fell asleep at only 7 pm London time. I woke up an hour and a half later, but I was so disoriented that I thought it was already 8 am the next morning, and it wasn’t until we were walking down the street to the grocery store that I realized it was dark outside and that I hadn’t actually managed to sleep a full 13 hours. I don’t remember too much of that night past that point.

In the last two days, I have managed to align myself mentally with a good idea of the local area, and how to walk pretty much wherever I want. Accidentally blew out my straightener this morning, so I went to purchase a new one along with a camera charger for my camera - so I can officially take photos now!

Places I’ve Visited:
-GiL Site
-Picadilly Square
-Buckingham Palace (outside only)
-Soho

Still, I am waiting for every cop in their bulletproof vest to actually be Simon Pegg.