Hopping the Pond

Good night, Maida Vale. As I sit at our pale wooden dining room table, I love staring out the window with the full-length sheer curtains parted and held on either side by silver bolts. I can see a circle of rain haloing the streetlight across the way, and can hear it hit our balcony and black iron railings. This is my favorite spot in the flat, even more so than the comfortable red couches just a few feet away. I love staring out the window that’s at least twice my height so I can get a full view of the double deckers driving by and our neighbors’ silhouettes through their own windows. This place has a magical feeling to it. The moment I step outside the flat, the air is crisp and whimsical. Besides the rain, the weather has been marvelous. I love the palette of pashminas around the city. No matter what, a pashmina is necessary to look truly British. I must get on that asap.

Despite how exhausted we all have been since we arrived, I feel like I don’t want to sit still. There’s so much to see and so little time to do it! These three months feel nearly over although they haven’t even begun. Sleeping can’t be that necessary when you’re in a city like this. Last night was a perfect example. My roommates and I stayed up past midnight London-time just chatting about London and other British things, eating Frosties (British Frosted Flakes) and enjoying the silence of the neighborhood save the occasional drawn out swoosh of the pavement that buses make driving on the rain-soaked road.

Yesterday we went on a walking tour of our neighborhood, Maida Vaile. The area is also called Little Venice because of the charming canals with their quaint and colorful narrow boats lining either side. Some are homes, some are restaurants, some are covered in flowers and some take trips to Camden Town on the weekends. That’s one of the many things on the to do list.

After the walking tour, we hopped on a coach and toured the city. I blew a kiss to the Thames for Bethany, as promised, and smiled at Big Ben. I can’t wait to see him again and to actually tour parliament with my class next week. The queen was not in Buckingham Palace, but I know that my flatmates and I will be soon before the tours close at the end of the month. The queen will be back in October, though, so perhaps the ever-gorgeous princes will accompany her. For now, we plan to go clubbing at their favorite spot in London. We’ll close our eyes at how much it probably costs to get in to William’s club of choice, but I suppose it will be worth it. I’ve promised a few friends to pass along their numbers to him. Though we all know I’m not interested in either of those princes. I just have to find mine around here somewhere.

Today was a very low-key day where we traveled to our classroom building at Bloomsbury Square and learned more about living in London and got details about our internships. Afterward, we had our first semi-official grocery shopping trip, which was especially an adventure for Stacey and me when an older British man approached us and asked if all that food was just for me. I laughed and said that I was sharing and that we were stocking up. He must have taken that as we were “bulking up” for the boys and suggested we buy wine and beer as well. We decided to pass on that and when we ran into him at the queue, he shook his head and commented again at the amount of food we were buying. Note to us: Apparently we should go grocery shopping nearly every day rather than “stock up.”

For now, we are happy with our lunch meats, fruit, rice, pasta and sauces on reserve for the next several days’ meals. We have to pack lunches for our excursion tomorrow to Stonehenge, Avebury and Salisbury, a trip I’m really looking forward to. So until then, I’m going to enjoy the pattering off of the rain and the hours of laughs that I’m sure are in store among the flatmates until we finally drift off in mid-conversation, surrender and go to bed.