It was especially difficult and painful sitting through the entire 4 hours of the orientation lectures today but at least there's no more! Cheers -
The first lecture was actually interesting and I managed to stay awake throughout the entire hour (go me). Some things I learned:
- While US experienced thousands of deaths from shootings this past year, London only had 8 (crazy)
- England doesn't have a national day (betcha didn't know)
- "Britain invents things. US just markets them - they are very good at marketing" - Professor Michael
- Britain invented the television, computer (Alan Turning) and the internet (Sir Tim Berners-Lee)
- Longer life expectancy in England compared to America because of their awesome and widespread healthcare
I didn't do much city-touring today, but more local-touring. After the lectures, my roomie & I went to get her sim card and discovered a new part of the city (well, more like one street) which had all the stores including Zara, Urban, H&M, Topshop, etc.
Oh, and this café/bakery with these gorgeous, delicious-looking cakes:
For some reason being on that street made me nostalgic for Korea... there definitely is some resemblance.
On the walk back, we passed by an apartment that had a small sign written, "Sir Alfred Hitchcock 1899-1980 Film Director lived here 1926-1939" - I'm not really sure who he was but I've heard the name a lot so this is probably a big deal.
Anyways, still on the way back to our dorm, I decided to stop and take a picture of this as an example of what street signs look like here. The fact that there are no distinct street lines at the corner of every intersection/streets will throw me off for the rest of the semester. I mean, how is a person supposed to notice this and recognize that this is the name of the street?!
(The street name is on that white square board thing behind the bike. Ridiculous!)
After we got back, we ate pasta (been eating it every day) and chilled until around 5:30pm when two of my floormates and I decided to go out to check out some cafés near us (if you've read my previous post, you will have remembered my thought about wanting/needing to go to every café here... and yes, I am accomplishing that goal one café at a time hehe). The one we went to today is called Paul. They have the biggest macarons I've ever seen in my life :o along with other sweets.
I ordered a yummy Hazlenut cream + Almond Eclair and a cappuccino:
(total cost: 6.5 pounds... but the eclair was pretty amazing. I don't think I'll ever get it again though)
The atmosphere was nice and my friends (Sarah and Mythri) and I had a good talk. Loved everything about this down time cause I love coffee, dessert and talking with good company so yay!
On the way back to our dorm, we passed by this adorable, but super expensive (ofcourse), flower shop:
(I like flowers)
Around 8pm one of my roomies (the same one from before) and I went to this stand up comedy show that served wine and quiche. Some British humor can be funny and witty, while others can be disturbing and very not funny...
This is Peri - one of my roomies :)
(my plate just looks like salad but I promise there was a piece of chicken and potato salad)
Today's thoughts:
- For the first time I felt embarrassed to be from America
- Different parts of London remind me of these cities: New York, Boston, Seoul, Venice
- This abroad experience is a chance where I can finally make friends that are not Asian, which was my desire since freshman year of college
- Witnessing God's faithfulness to my prayers
- The list of cities I want to visit is only getting longer (eep! so excited)
- I don't enjoy wine
- Craving soondooboo so badly right now (drooling as I type this)
Good night and wish me luck on my first day of classes tomorrow!
-EDIT-
I had to come back and add this because I was going through this QT book called "Daily Office" and this one quote by Mother Theresa came up which says: "We all must take the time to be silent and to contemplate, especially those who live in big cities like London and New York, where everything moves so fast... I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence - we need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters. Prayer feeds the soul - as blood is to the body, prayer is to the soul - and it brings you closer to God. It also gives you a clean and pure heart. A clean heart can see God, can speak to God, and can see the love of God in others."
I hope to continue walking with Him as I intentionally spend time in silence to hear Him.
-EDIT-
I had to come back and add this because I was going through this QT book called "Daily Office" and this one quote by Mother Theresa came up which says: "We all must take the time to be silent and to contemplate, especially those who live in big cities like London and New York, where everything moves so fast... I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence - we need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters. Prayer feeds the soul - as blood is to the body, prayer is to the soul - and it brings you closer to God. It also gives you a clean and pure heart. A clean heart can see God, can speak to God, and can see the love of God in others."
I hope to continue walking with Him as I intentionally spend time in silence to hear Him.
xx
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