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