Study Abroad in London

Classes start today. I’m excited. Went to a show of Fine Arts graduates from around the United Kingdom. It was really eye opening to see the global competition. Elvis Costello was playing in London Tower this weekend. As well as, the Tour De France is happening, Wimbleton, and the English Grand Prix. As our tour guide said, something is always happening in London. The locals have gotten used to it and there isn’t many personal car in sight. The street is crowded with double deckers, taxi’s, tours, motorcycle, and people. Public transportation is prevelent and makes it extremely easy to get around town w/o a car.

Waking up at six o’clock this morning, which is midnight where most of you are, was mind bending. I still don’t feel like I’m awake, and that I also lost a day somewhere. Maybe I’ll find it in a month. Being able to take in the scenery of King’s College is beautiful. There is a small magnolia tree in the center of the dorm’s which makes me feel at home. Although it never feels like night, because of the distance from the sun, England just turns a cobalt blue color at night, instead of black, and the sun is up by 5 o’clock, last night it didn’t go down till 10, these things I’m sure I’ll come to adore over time.
Breakfast was a palette of different flavors. Comparatively, it wasn’t as sweet, but the chocolate muffin was chocolate, not sugar. Afterward, we had another reception/meeting with all the professors to get to know the variety of classes being offered. As well as, the different field trips each class will be offering for the whole organization to participate in. We finally embarked on a full tour of the city with a wonderful tour guide Mark Bishop. Not only was he personable, but he was well educated also. Then we made a stop at St. Paul’s cathedral, and, after a few more points of intrest, we were released into the city. TO THE UNDERGROUND I WENT!!!! Although it’s extremely easy to get around London using the tunnel, it’s not half as pretty. So I picked the Piccadilly Circus stop, and started walking. Walking through the streets, the buildings aren’t as overwhelmingly large as New York, and the concentration of people doesn’t seem as dense, but the buildings are still huge. There is one that’s even constructed inside-out, with all the duct work, and elevator on the outside. The sculptors are unbelieveable, and everywhere. So, now it’s time to go shopping, and I’ve got some unique stores picked out hope I can find them.

The only three words I could allow to part from my weary, traveled soul. Yes, we made it in one piece. On the plane ride over I watched from my view out the window as the landscape changed from a growing, construction-filled Charlotte, NC to the dark blue, vastness of the Atlantic, peppered with white mountains of clouds. Then, amazingly, I was able to feast upon the beauty of the sun rising over the horizon, then the wing and finally blossoming into a spectrum of light trapped then released by a crystal. It looked as though the entire horizon had become a rainbow. After the seven hour flight we touched down in Gatwick, London I felt as though I would be able to relax, but I was wrong. After an hour plus in queue, (or line as we refer to it) I was allowed to gain my bags. We were then herded into the coach (bus) having only to stand ninety more minutes of a “behind bruising” journey.
During the ride to our dorms at Kingsbury, I had this overwhelming sense of remembrance seeing the cobble-stone roads, foliage growing over the street, the noticeable rise in number of European cars, specially the BMW. My family and I were located in Europe for a number of years, and it felt as though I’d come back to a home that I’d been missing. Like the jacket I had to wear today, at the start of July, it felt comfortable, warm, inviting. We arrived, got our room keys. Then, after lunch, we had a reception that was over rather quickly just a hi…bye gathering. A couple of friends and I went to YO!YO!YO!Sushi!, which has a conveyor belt of sushi that constantly rotates throughout the restaurant to choose from. Now the dawn ends, and I can finally sleep. After attempting a mild sleep during the plane ride (approx 2-3 hrs) and dozing on and off during the coach trip. I am ready to sleep finally after the end of what seems like 2 days without it.
I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.