Enemy Territory

For the past 10 weeks, anything I have heard about London and have found to be false I have blamed on the French. It seems fitting since the British could not consider any society lower on the totem pole of cultures.

           

“British food is ordinary and bland.”	the Michelin-star-giving French
“It always rainy in London.”	Until 3 weeks ago, the French
“London’s public transportation is filthy.”	The French Actually, this might be truth or at least half-truth.
“The British have no sense of style.”	A blind Frenchmen (Have you not seen the sweater vests – particularly on the small British children?!?!?)

Why, you might ask, has this animosity formed? Well, the Battle of Dunkirk, William Blake & God is an Englishmen, the Grand Tour, Victor Hugo’s visit to England, Sarkozy & the 2012 Olympic Bid….and so much more.

A few weeks ago when reading the Evening Standard (one of the FREE newspapers given out every evening), there was an opinion piece about why England was the ideal home and why it will make a great venue for the Olympics. The author, a Brit, cited the single-best characteristic of England was that it was not France. Hold the phone, yes. This was printed by a respected newspaper.

So, it seems fitting that tomorrow morning, I will leave the safety of my London home for enemy ground – Paris. Let’s hope it goes better than the English say it will!

5 days until the Motherland [Kentucky] and the Mother! 

Traveling

Salzburg, Austria

Hampton Court

Barcelona, Spain

Brussels, Belgium 

Byproducts

McDonald’s golden arches and French fries have been taunting me since my arrival in London. In a weak moment, I relented. I ordered my delicious fries, paid 30 p for a single ketchup packet, and discovered that it is Monopoly season – sweet!  Looking over the board, it was even better than I expected – London Monopoly – and I now had the perfect playing piece for my London scrapbook. Obviously, my stooping to McDonalds was a great life choice.

Further inspection revealed that London Monopoly was not as great as I first imagined. Modeled after London neighborhoods, the property showcased on the board were London boroughs. From least expensive and desirable to most expensive and exclusive, London was ranked. White Chapel, a Muslim borough of London, was identified as purple (America’s Baltic Avenue) and Mayfair as navy (America’s Boardwalk).  I discovered that my home-base (Pentonville Rd/Euston Rd) was identified as light-blue superior only to White Chapel and Old Kent Road – who knew! (Note – White Chapel is one of my favorite areas of London. It is a Muslim borough, with a wonderful community park and a three-story community center and library. While admittedly, it is not the wealthiest part of London, the sense of community in this area is much stronger than in other parts of London and they sell the best scarves).

There is something about Monopoly that now makes me uncomfortable. Yes, I know that different areas of city will naturally have more resources, but I do not like the idea of ranking them on a board and calling it a game. I have to wonder how this game board changes one’s perceptions of an area.

“Oh, White Chapel, that is a really sketchy area.”

“Have you ever been there?”

“Oh, no. I have just heard that it is not an area I would travel.”

I wonder how many of these conversations and stereotypes have become unintentional byproducts of a carton of fries and packet of ketchup. 

The Motherland

It would appear that I failed at blogging for the past two weeks. With that said, the past 12 days have been spectacular! I have been to Belgium, Spain, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court, Matilda the Musical, and many other awesome things. For now, I am writing a list of things that require follow-up posts and pictures (by the weekend, I promise).

• Monopoly/Minimum wage
• Easter blessings
• Brussels
• Salzburg
• Barcelona – 27 kilometers, translating Spanish – ha!

Well, those are my goals for the next few days. Also, today we visited Kew Gardens and I was nostalgic for Kentucky. In these English gardens you could actually step on the grass (novel idea!), so I walked/skipped/laid on the grass for hours. Plus, I located this awesome cloud; even England was thinking of the motherland (Ky)!!!! It was such a sweet and much needed reminder of home.

Scotland

Birthday Blessings. Thank you!

It has been a fantastic day full of wonderful blessings. From a four-mile stroll to Kensington Park and the Science Museum (where I saw awesome planes and adorable bubble-catching children), to receiving Pterrance the Pterodactyl, to eating a wonderful veggie-wrap dinner, I was once again reminded of the amazing opportunity to be in London with many new friends. Additionally, the three e-cards from Mom and signed-notes from church that she mailed were bright moments and great reminders of home. Now, Maddi and I are off to Scotland for my birthday weekend. I cannot wait! Love, Kate

Let's start at the very beginning...

Munich and Salzburg were wonderful get-a-ways! I’ll be uploading photos for the next couple of days and will write of my adventures after my mid-term tomorrow.

The English Gardens was so large and full of so many things – rivers, bridges, summits, dogs, and most importantly, stampeding children J 

The Viktualienmakt was a reminder of ‘home’ (London’s Borough Market). It was full of people, local produce, great artisan crafts, and fantastic smelling food!

I moved rocks all day and night....

Stonehenge at Sunset

Click picture to enlarge

Bath, England. The green steaming liquid is an original Roman baths. One of my professors suggested I feel the microbe-infested water (he did not include that part in his promotion of the idea), and I politely responded that he must not know me well. 
If you look at the pictures and think “Everything looks oddly familiar. Did Kate take several pictures of the same building?” then, you are doing well. Unlike London, Bath is designed so there is building continuity and all homes/stores/museums look eerily identical.

Click picture to enlarge 

The Queen was home!

During winter, the Changing of Guard takes places every odd-numbered date at eleven-thirty and lasts approximately thirty minutes. Maddi and I, on our weekly venture, took a leisurely three mile stroll to Green Park and the Palace. Punctual, we arrived at eleven twenty-five. This was a horrible terrible abysmal not-so-great idea as there were thousands of sharp-elbowed people tourists at the gates of Buckingham Palace who were crowding the barricades. Yes, there were real barricades and men on horses and guards in large puffy hats with horn-like obtrusions and trombones and closed down streets and the Queen was home, AND this happens every other day! What an interesting, fun spectacle. Maddi and I will be returning soon, but plan on going an hour early to secure the perfect spot for vertically-challenged tourists J

Tomorrow I am headed to Bath and Stonehenge – woohoo! Also, four days until SB 2012: Munich & Slazburg. London life is fantastic.

Europe's Kentucky

Sociologists have identified two ways in which people interact with one another – gemeinschaff and gesellschaft. Gemeinschaff is how people related to one another in rural places. This interaction is based on sameness and continuity, and defined by primary relationships. Contrasting this relationship is gesellschaft and defines how people interact with one another in large cities. In these interactions, there is significant visual stimulation that decreases primary relationships and leads to people having many secondary relationships.

London operates under the large-city mantra – gesellschaft. Before learning this, I assumed that the lack of interaction with one another was just London, but now, I am interested to see how cities like Munich and Paris compare. This week, Maddi and I traveled to Dublin, Maynooth, and Bray, Ireland where the refreshing gemeinschaff relationships and interactions reigned.

The city of London is composed of nine million people while the entire country of Ireland has a population of four million people. Therefore, even the ‘busy’ times of Dublin did not begin to compare to normal London traffic and movement. The pace of life in Dublin is very different from London, and I do believe it is Europe’s Kentucky. Although there were many people of the street, they were not as focused or determined to travel from point A to point B, rather, the Irish gave every indication that they were enjoying the journey. In London, enjoying the journey is silly and the enjoyment is found in reaching a destination quickly and without interruptions. When you bump into someone, you do not apologize because a) you move too quickly b) it was the other person’s fault for invading your path. In Dublin, it was refreshing to receive and give an apology when you bumped shoulders or to speak with someone as you waited in line.  On the ride to Maynooth, the Ireland vs. Scotland rugby game had just ended and people were piled on celebrating (loudly) with one another. Although we had no idea who won, we joined in on the conversations and enjoyed the nine little boys who sat behind us trying to fit into two seats (my favorite comment – May I put my elbow in your eye?). The boys also really enjoyed the passing man, kilted, who mooned the train. This was the loudest, most rambunctious train ride of my life, and it would not have been possible in London. (Firstly, the children would never consider being that loud. Secondly, the parents would have swiftly reprimanded the children and would not have joined the chaos. Thirdly, the passengers of the train would have been too consumed to watch a man outside the train moon them) J

Ireland was magical, exhausting, easy traveling, and fun. On Saturday, we took Dublin by storm shopping on O’Connell Street, touring Trinity College, visiting the Archaeology Museum, stepping on the grass in Merrion Square and paying homage to Oscar Wilde, crossing the Leap Year bridge in St. Stephen’s Green Park, wandering the Temple Bar area where we ate lunch at an outdoor market, touring Christ Church Cathedral, sampling homemade desserts on mismatched plates, playing at Dublinia Museum (if only I was a teacher in Ireland, this would be a yearly field trip!), trekking up Michael’s Tower, exploring the Dublin Castle and eyed throne of King George III, crossing the dozens of bridges in Dublin, and learning from the Famine Ship and Memorial! When I bought a postcard at the end of the day, I had seen every site included on the front. It was a pretty good feeling. The day that began at 2:30 AM was fantastic.

There are oh so many bridges in Dublin, and I think we crossed most of them. We really did Dublin ‘right’ and we were able to see many of the Dublin classics, as well as, local favorites. Stopping at a local pastry shop, I ate THE best chocolate fudge cake with cream – WOW. Also, note that Dublin has real castles!

While we were in Dublin, the Ireland vs. Scotland rugby game was taking place. This meant that there were dozens of men in kilts; it was fantastic! Who knew you could were long socks and sneakers with a skirt?!? Needless to say, Maddi and I booked train tickets to Scotland the next morning!

The Dublin Castle was very large and has a great history. Inside one of the rooms was a throne that King George III used when he visited Ireland. All the grass is ridiculously green, and the castle’s church was breathtaking. 

Although I am not interested in painting my future door this bright, the Dublin doors were fun! 

Sunday was a very different day but rivaled our Dublin ventures as we traveled to Bray, Ireland. It was a stunning sea-side town that included a rocky coast, sand beaches, and a summit adorned with a cross. While here, I heard about people’s trips to Florida to visit family while waiting in a café’s line and the Irish spoke of how wonderful the states were. I was asked if I was on holiday, and I was able to talk about both of my homes – Centre and Alvaton! By the end of the day, we had enjoyed lunch on the beach – albeit chilly, saw the green rolling hills of the Irish countryside, touched our feet in the Irish sea, climbed the summit (which resulted in my needing new boots as my current ones have holes), talking to Irish hikers, and enjoying the view of Bray from a few miles above sea level. The day was so full of joy and it was relaxing. When we made it to the top of the summit, Maddi, Lane, and I sat on a rock, ate lemon digestives (cookies), and just watched.  There was something very beautiful and relaxing to just sit, enjoying the moment, and awesome landscape without technology or the noise of a large city with friends. 

Bray, a seaside town, was the perfect way to end a wonderful weekend. Everything was so awesome, and the sun was even out for a few hours in the morning!  

My Irish Syllogism

P₁: Kate loves Kentucky.

P₂: Kate leaves for Ireland at 3 AM.

P₃: Ireland is Europe’s Kentucky                     

C: Kate will find Ireland magical and amazing.

Opera and Sunsets

This evening I attended my first opera – Aida – at the Royal Albert Hall. Wow! It was an over-the-top, amazing spectacle. It was a three-hour opera, but I would have never known. The show was captivating, the orchestra magical, the stage-in-round kept the audience involved, the theatre was grandiose, and the English subtitles were not distracting! I am already looking for tickets to another. Attending the opera was a fantastic end to not my favorite day.

Also, this wonderful sunset greeted Jenn (my roommate who is showcased above) and me this evening. Fantastic. 

Snow Punting

Sitting in the audience for That Sunday Night Show, sampling cheese at Borough Market, turning a trip to Covenant Garden into a five-mile trek, visiting Cambridge, and punting on the Cam, I have so much to report. Until that report, pictures from Cambridge.

Cambridge University consists of thirty colleges. For Cambridge, a college is for residence-life purposes and the university is where students learn. All the green spaces you see above can only be used by professors; students may only use/walk on the sidewalks.  

While in Cambridge, we punted on the Cambridge River. Punting is using a nine-foot poll to propel a small nine-person boat along a shallow body of water. Please do not let the pretty, edited photos deceive you, it was FREEZING! Actually, it was snowing. Please note the bottom right picture in which there is a snowflake on my camera lens.  

Photos from punting on Cambridge River. There are so many beautiful, historically-significant buildings in the city. Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, and A. Miller all called Cambridge home during their lifetimes! 

Lemon Tarts

Once a week, Maddi and I go on an adventure before our 1:30 PM class. We never plan where we are going but let London take us where she wants. This morning we ended up exploring the Victoria & Albert Museum. It was exquisite! Stunning glass, original Bernini pieces, wooden staircases – truly breathtaking. After the museum, we decided to walk to Borough Market for lemon tarts. These are TO DIE FOR, the best things that have ever touched my lips, God's gift to London, worth significantly more than 2.50 GBP wonderful. According to the map, it was only a couple of dozen streets over and across the Thames. How long could it take anyway?? The answer – After walking Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, and the Thames we quickly took the Westminster Tube to class for fear of being late. After Google-mapping it this evening, we found that our market venture would have been 4 miles meaning we made 2.3 miles of the trek before calling shenanigans. How deceitful maps can be!

The procession through Hyde Park 

It was a spectacular morning, and we were able to see so much of London. Between the Royal Guards, a horse procession in Hyde Park, and egg-hunting, it was fantastic. Today was one of the first times in which I successfully navigated using map (even if it was deceitful) and took the Tube out of convenience rather than out of necessity (i.e. ‘I am lost and do not know how to get back home without going back to Kings Cross.’). Therefore, today was a success, and I look forward to next week’s venture-to-be. 

V&A - Wonderful

Regent’s Canal is a few blocks from where I live and a nice place to take a walk.  We have Wednesdays off, and this is where I spent my day!

Seeing ‘Traveling Light’ at the Royal National Theatre was a great opportunity to see the South Bank at night. The South Bank includes sights such as Big Ben, the London Eye, Parliament, and many arts theatres. 

Is this real life?!?!?

Mom asked for a list of the places I'll be traveling in Europe. I feel completely obnoxious and blessed to write Cambridge, Dublin, Bath, Munich, Stonehenge, Brussels, and Paris! 

WOW!

Years-wise, adorable British women

It is interesting to see in what people place value. While on my way to Camden yesterday, our group spotted St. Pancras Church with a sign saying ‘Open. Please join us.’ When we entered the aging church, we were greeted by a pleasant older woman who encouraged us to look around. Later while we were admiring the wooden benches, gold-leafed Christ statues, and the mysteriously covered altar, she returned with black mittens saying ‘Would you like to see the real bit of history in the church?’ Startled by the woman’s kindness and warm interaction, we could not refuse. She lifted the altar’s covering to reveal a stone tablet with five crosses etched onto its surface. The women explained that the altar plate was with the church when it began in 1200 and has survived the Reformation and Cromwell’s Commonwealth because the church parishioners buried it for a few hundred years. To this woman and her church, the altar plate represented the perseverance of a lifestyle even against opposition and new ideas (i.e. the Roman Catholic Church), and she wanted to share this victory/piece of history with us. Later chatting, we learned of two more ‘claims to fame’ for this church: one of the Beatle’s album covers was photographed in the church’s garden, and the English-phone-booth shape, seen throughout London, was inspired by the mausoleum that the church housed. Overall, a spectacular find for an unplanned stop!

This experience was distinctly different than today’s viewing of creations by Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir and Caravaggio at The National Gallery. Very much planned, the visit was very nice but lacked the human connection that our church visit brought. The paintings were protected with glass coverings, ropes, invisible laser sensors, and a security guard - just for good measure. Although The National Gallery is willing to share their treasures with the public, it is sharing with a significant hint of hesitation. (Please note – I do realize this Gallery houses pieces of art that routinely auction for 3,000,000 GBP, individually) To see ideas and academics materialize before your eyes is magical. The art was stunning and warranted more time than I had, but my greatest desire was for the adorable British woman to appear.  I wanted her to tell us why these paintings are significant for her, her lifestyle, and the English culture.

So, here is to wishing for more years-wise, adorable British women.

-Kate

After exploring Camden, we went for a stroll in Regent’s Park. This is the Royal Park that is less than two miles from where we are living. It was so large, fantastic, and contained a wonderful wooden playground J

Trafalgar Square was incredibly busy on Sunday afternoon due to a Russian concert. Still, it was a fantastic afternoon that included the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Plus, Twigs and I were able to find a few of eggs in London’s ‘Big Egg Hunt’!

Shouting from Street Corners

London is home to over eight million people, an intricate Tube and Bus system, and thousands of businesses - making it an incredibly loud place. During one of my classes, the phrase ‘seen but not heard’ was used to describe Londonites, and I dismissed this obviously erroneous phrase.

As the ‘newness’ of London has faded, I have been able to separate the white noise of London from person-manifested noise. For my purposes, traffic and machinery composes a majority of London’s white noise, while people interacting with one another constitute person-manifested noise. Making this distinction provides me the opportunity to place merit in Londonites as ‘seen but not heard’.

When shuffling the streets of London one does not run into a neighbor or the family pediatrician. Instead, you leave Point A hurriedly to arrive at Point B with no sidewalk conversations, head nodding, or passing smiles. Traveling via the Tube or Bus, one picks up a free newspaper to read or pulls out a phone to manipulate. In the couple of dozen Tube/Bus trips I've made, I have yet to hear a phone ring or vibrate, and I have learned that conversations on the Tube identify you as American. Grocery shopping consists of bagging your own groceries into your own bag and swiping your debit/credit card all with little-to-no contact with the representative behind the counter. Asking directions from individuals who are obviously British (there is a ‘British’ look) will not produce the results you desire, either. It seems as if the streets of London having a muting effect on its people. These muting streets have created a culture. Roger Scruton describes the culture in England, An Elugy saying,

“To come home [England] was to rediscover order, moderation and reality, to reassume the habits of people who muddle along in private, taking things as they come.”

Being here only a week, I have stopped asking the employees at Waitrose how they are doing, I refrain from smiling at pedestrians or street vendors, I quickly cross streets in between speeding taxis (I have yet to see a speed limit sign) even when time is in my favor, and I have started reading the Camden Chronicle on the Tube. When the Tube announces that the route I needed is closed, I no longer ask the people around me but collect myself and read a map [novel idea]. This is not to say that I am not pleasant, but I am pleasant in a manner that is consistent with the Brit's sense of reserve and individualism.

Acting as a pleasant Brit, I know that I could not be a Brit forever and have realized that I have never before placed any part of my identity in my geographic home. Now, eight days in a new country, I have a great desire to shout "I AM FROM KENTUCKY. IT’S A WONDERFUL PLACE. I AM GOING TO TALK TO YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO INVEST IN THE MOMENT WE ARE SHARING!!!" Yes, I want to know about your aunt’s rodent problem or your cousin’s fiancés’ decision to attend culinary school! 

Tell me [in English], London. Feed me, London. Smile at me, London. 

A Week - Madness!

It seems mad that I have been a London resident for only a week. Group excursions are at bay since classes have begun, giving me the opportunity to explore the city with friends. Since I last posted, I have been to Liverpool Street, toured the Museum of London, had a Sunday roast at Ye Old Red Cow, explored the Natural History Museum and took a picture with Dippy the T-Rex, attended an Evensong Service at St. Bartholomew’s (where Shakespeare in Love was filmed), ventured to Noting Hill, saw Occupy London, watched a fantastically modern version of A Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Lyre, learned that the Tube closes at midnight and night buses are VERY confusing, worshiped with Hillsong United, celebrated National Pancake Day – all while I have supposedly been ‘studying’ abroad. It seems that in the seven days I have been in London, I have learned more about myself, the world, and London than the past two-and-a-half years at Centre (this says a lot, as I have changed and learned incredible amounts at the old Centre C). This week has been exhausting, but spectacular. I cannot wait for the next eleven.

Sooo cool! Three hours was not enough time. I could have easily spent entire days in this museum. Housed in beautiful building, it has hundreds of exhibits. The dinosaur exhibit was so realistic and huge! By far, the Natural History Museum is the best museum I have ever seen.  

While exploring with a friend, we stumbled upon the 2012 Occupy London movement. At ten in the morning, there were hundreds of people still asleep in their tents. 

Notting Hill was a very colorful, small community. My favorite part of this visit was the clothing store that displayed hundreds of antique sewing machine in its entry way – so neat! 

When in London….

In case you ever take a bus that is 'incorrectly labeled' resulting in its termination in West London and you only speak English and none of the iconic-red-phone booths take pence and you are twenty minutes late for a class outing, you should ALWAYS have a map of London!

Just in case you’re wondering…..

How to be British…..

1. Always stand on the right side of the escalator and allow runners/shufflers the left side.

2. Never, never wear a color that is not black, brown, or grey.

3. Understand that you buy food at the grocery store, homemaking items (i.e. bath mats, coat hangers) at the hardware store, and hardware at an infamous, yet-to-be-discovered third store.  

4. Don’t respond when asked ‘Good afternoon. How are you?”

5. Bring your own alcohol to a restaurant.

6. Wear a Tube pin that reads ‘Baby on board’ when pregnant to ensure that people will give you their seat.

7. Ignore the daily rain and do not use the umbrella that is in your hand.  

8. When hurling an insult, make an allusion to the Queen without specially naming her. (i.e. “You think that’s old? I once touched Charles’ Mother’s hand.”)

9. Smile at no one.

10. Know that lunch is served no earlier than one and dinner, seven.

The Borough Market is a fantastic combination of excellent food and an exciting environment. 

The Tate Modern Art Museum is a very, very unique place with pieces from Calder to Picasso to Warhol, to giant red beach balls hanging from the ceiling, to enormous mounds of bee max propped in corners. 

Cheers,

Kate 

Home > Luggage + Fire Alarms + Aggressive Driving

This evening I find myself safe and sound in the most magical place in the world – London. In the midst of setting off a fire alarm due to ‘excessive steam’, losing all my luggage, and navigating aggressive London drivers, only the victories of the day remain: grocery shopping on a budget, photographing the view from our room (see below), seeing iconic London landmarks (again, see below), curling my hair without blowing a fuse, and conquering public transportation. The magic of London has transformed this place into a home I already love. 

A New Type of List

Preparing for London has led to the creation of dozens of lists: packing lists, traveling lists, London lists, email lists, and lists to prioritize the lists. With the changes that life abroad will bring, I have decided to create a new type of list. This list will not be one defined by the size of my paper or the number of pen colors. For my London list, the joy will be found in the actual experiences and not in the scratching off of tasks. This list is a compilation of blessings and opportunities to explore a new world.  It is a list that will not dictate but guide. So, here is to a new type of list.

Gallery hop on a First Thursday

Stand in The Globe’s yard while play-watching

Watch the changing of the guard

Discover a pterodactyl at the Natural History Museum 02/22/12

Sit in the audience of a British Television Show

Worship with Hillsong United - London 02/19/2012

Explore the entire British Museum

Run the Shakespeare Half/Full Marathon

Find the perfect people watching reading café

Visit London primary schools

Eat in a pub 02/19/2012

Be in two hemispheres simultaneously 02/18/2012

Take a picture of Twigs next to London Zoo giraffes

Hear Big Ben chime  02/16/2012

See artwork from Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Monet, Renoir……. 02/19/2012

Nap in a Royal Park

Celebrate my 21^st

Bargain with a street vendor

Listen to Evensong at Westminster Abby 02/19/2012

Shop at a Charity Store

Serve at a soup kitchen

Understand the O₂

Cheer for Deena Kastor in the London Marathon

Until London,

Kate