Yesterday was the first day of classes. Mostly, it was the traditional “Hi, I’m Mr/Ms/Dr/Professor So-and-So, and here’s what we will be doing this semester,” but it was still fun to get to know the teachers. My day looked a bit like this:
9:30 – 10:30 à Traveling Along the Thames
Dr Delpish, the Elon Professor who came with us, teaches this course. Basically, it is a study of how the River Thames has impacted the history and present life of Britons. There is LOTS of walking, as we go on field trips every Thursday, and also are required to do walks on our own time with group members. No definite impressions about the class yet, other than that I must be sure to wear tennis shoes and bring a water bottle.
Dr Delpish, the Elon Professor who came with us, teaches this course. Basically, it is a study of how the River Thames has impacted the history and present life of Britons. There is LOTS of walking, as we go on field trips every Thursday, and also are required to do walks on our own time with group members. No definite impressions about the class yet, other than that I must be sure to wear tennis shoes and bring a water bottle.
10:45 – 12:15 à London Theatre
I KNOW I will love this course. Signs from the theatre gods: 1) We will be going to see As You Like It, my absolute favorite Shakespeare play, in the Rose Theatre; 2) We are also going to see Blithe Spirit, a farce I have read but never seen, and which I adore as well; 3) We are going to see at least 6 other shows I don’t know but am still excited about; and last but not least 4) We are starting the course by watching Shakespeare in Love.
I KNOW I will love this course. Signs from the theatre gods: 1) We will be going to see As You Like It, my absolute favorite Shakespeare play, in the Rose Theatre; 2) We are also going to see Blithe Spirit, a farce I have read but never seen, and which I adore as well; 3) We are going to see at least 6 other shows I don’t know but am still excited about; and last but not least 4) We are starting the course by watching Shakespeare in Love.
12:16 – 2:55 à Lunch Break
We have an incredibly long time between classes, but still don’t really see the point of going back to the flat. Therefore, I nipped into a paper store to buy folders (FUN FACT: British standard paper is not 8 ½”x11”; it is about 1 inch longer, and so I had to buy folders to fit the handouts from class), grabbed a sandwich for lunch (I had forgotten to pack one), and then a whole troupe of us invaded Starbucks to use the free wifi. Actually, the wifi isn’t free, you have to have a Starbucks rewards card and buy a coffee to log on, but the rewards card is really just like buying yourself a gift card that gets benefits, so we all happily signed up and plan to make our Starbucks coffee/wifi break a weekly tradition.
We have an incredibly long time between classes, but still don’t really see the point of going back to the flat. Therefore, I nipped into a paper store to buy folders (FUN FACT: British standard paper is not 8 ½”x11”; it is about 1 inch longer, and so I had to buy folders to fit the handouts from class), grabbed a sandwich for lunch (I had forgotten to pack one), and then a whole troupe of us invaded Starbucks to use the free wifi. Actually, the wifi isn’t free, you have to have a Starbucks rewards card and buy a coffee to log on, but the rewards card is really just like buying yourself a gift card that gets benefits, so we all happily signed up and plan to make our Starbucks coffee/wifi break a weekly tradition.
3:00 – 5:00 à British History
Never have I laughed so hard in connection with Nazis and Charles Manson. Our professor is great, even if he does drop the f-bomb more than a German during a Blitzkrieg. He had many golden moments, but my personal favorite may have been “A ventriloquist on the radio? What the f*ck is that?” For a list of the hilarity, go here. Emily was taking notes. He also showed us a clip of War of the Worlds to use it as an analog for comparing the feelings of the human population under the tyranny of the Martians in the movie to the circumstances of the indigenous cultures displaced by the British Empire.
Never have I laughed so hard in connection with Nazis and Charles Manson. Our professor is great, even if he does drop the f-bomb more than a German during a Blitzkrieg. He had many golden moments, but my personal favorite may have been “A ventriloquist on the radio? What the f*ck is that?” For a list of the hilarity, go here. Emily was taking notes. He also showed us a clip of War of the Worlds to use it as an analog for comparing the feelings of the human population under the tyranny of the Martians in the movie to the circumstances of the indigenous cultures displaced by the British Empire.
5:00 – 7:00
Rush home and desperately try to get ready and be at swing dancing on time, maybe even a bit early. Fail at goal by 10 minutes.
Rush home and desperately try to get ready and be at swing dancing on time, maybe even a bit early. Fail at goal by 10 minutes.
7:30 – 11:30 à SWING DANCING
My first swing dance in London! I went to the beginner lesson first, to remind myself exactly how Lindy Hop works, and then to the open dance. I got to meet Billy face to face after Facebooking it for a while. I think I held my own fairly well, thanks to my East Coast swing experience. The place was ridiculously crowded, but I got to dance plenty of times (which is always a comfort when you don’t know anybody), and made it home Cinderella style: by midnight with my heels in my purse.
My first swing dance in London! I went to the beginner lesson first, to remind myself exactly how Lindy Hop works, and then to the open dance. I got to meet Billy face to face after Facebooking it for a while. I think I held my own fairly well, thanks to my East Coast swing experience. The place was ridiculously crowded, but I got to dance plenty of times (which is always a comfort when you don’t know anybody), and made it home Cinderella style: by midnight with my heels in my purse.
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