Hello from London!
Sorry it took me so long to update you all...(it's really only been two weeks but it has felt like forever). Classes and seeing shows have taken up 90% of my time so far but I've tried to stuff in as many must-do-while-in-London things in the time I've had free. I went to the Thames Festival, a few farmers markets, and TONS of plays...and now it's on to week 3.
While I'm living in the UK I'm staying in a lovely flat in an area affectionately called "Little Lebanon". I don't think I'll ever have want of a good Hookah or some yummy Falafel because there are literally 500 Middle Eastern restaurants on the same street outside my flat. My roomates (people you will hear me refer to often: Maya, Isabelle, Lizzy, and Brooke) and I will have probably tried them all before we leave (or so we hope)
"Where So Many Roam To, We'll Call It Home Too..."
My parents didn't head back to the States until the Monday I started school and had planned to go see Wicked at the Victoria Apollo Theatre on Saturday. The travel agent accidentally booked a third ticket and I wasn't complaining. I finally got to go see a show I have been singing songs from for years. The show was amazing, I don't know why it didn't occur to me that the actors would be British but it completely changed the humor of the show. Being able to see that kind of talent is nothing short of awe inspiring. I can't think of a better way to get myself ready to start classes
"When you find yourself in the thick of it, Help yourself to a bit of what's all around you, silly girl..."
Classes started on the 7th and I have never known such intense physical and emotional exhaustion from school. Classes start at 9:00 a.m. but it's at least a 40 minute walk (if you aren't limping from all the blisters or perhaps a sprained ankle you obtained by falling down the stairs) so I'm usually up in the mornings by about 7:00 and headed to school. One of my favorite things about London is the endless amounts of cafes on every street. I have to keep myself from buying every freshly baked pastry when I stop for my coffee in the morning on the way to school. The walk to school is beautiful and great warm up for classes which are incredibly physical. On a day to day basis I have some combination of Movement, Voice, High Comedy Acting, Shakespeare, Dramatic Criticism, Theatre History, Modern Physical, and Stage Combat. Every Mondays after classes end (somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30) we go see shows around London. So far we've seen Lolita and Mother Courage and Her Children at The National Theatre, and Troilus and Cressida at The Globe. The most incredible part of seeing Theatre in London is that it is so accessible (for example, I just went and saw Streetcar Named Desire with Rachel Weiss as Blanche...for 7.50 pounds). I'm going to miss being able to pick out a different show for every night when I get back to the States.
Speaking of which...I hope you are all having great semesters wherever you are. I have so much more I could tell you about (which is why I should probably update this regularly...oops) but I just don't think I can write any more. I will do my best to make this happen more often but the amount of work I have nightly makes that a little difficult. I miss you all so much, I can't wait to be back in the states with you.
2 weeks and 30 cups of tea down- 13 to go....
"A Foggy Day" Frank Sinatra
"One Short Day" Wicked
"Martha My Dear" The Beatles
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