Three Week Mark

Three weeks down in this amazing city, and I am still in awe that I am here!  Much has been accomplished since my last post, so I figured I'd catch all of you watching at home up.  

The weekend of January 17th was one for the books.  Friday night, my roommate, Athena, and I met up with two of my friends from school, Rachel and Katie, in SOHO for dinner.  We found a fun-looking bar, ordered our fish and chips and some drinks, and sat and chatted for hours.  After a very eventful tube ride back to my dorm, we decided to go out to the University of London Union (ULU) which is the "place to be" on a Friday night since it turns into a club-like pub.  The University of London is the umbrella to many universities in London, including University College London, Queen Mary's, King's College, etc.  After seeing the (no joke) mile long line, we decided to head to our usual spot instead, our University College London Union (UCLU) pub. 

Me, Athena, Rachel and Katie at UCLU

Best friends reunited in London!

Saturday the 18th was my friend Haley's 21st birthday, so we had to do something special!  The day was filled with shopping at Primark (only the fanciest), Starbucks, and cheap pizza for dinner.  That night though, our friend who lives on Haley's floor took us and some others to the Paramount Sky Bar that overlooks all of London.  The sights were absolutely breathtaking.  Athena and I practically had to continue to pinch ourselves to make sure it was real life.  After the Sky Bar, we cabbed it across the River Thames to a club called Lightbox.  Owning up to it's name, the walls and ceiling were covered in tiny lights that flashed, created patterns, and changed colors to the electronic music the DJ was playing.  It was unlike anything I had every experienced before.  We danced the night away until our feet were sore!  

London from 35 stories up 

Athena and me at Paramount

The group at Paramount

Lightbox

Week two of classes were more comfortable than the first, even though lectures are pretty much the same as they are at Illinois.  Getting used to having only one final exam or one final essay will take awhile for me.  After class and readings were finished, I still had time to do more London exploring!  Wednesday, I went to the British Museum which I was impressed with considering the amount of history in one place.  For my Renaissance Art in London class, we go to a museum almost every week.  Last Thursday, we went to the National Museum right on Trafalgar Square.  Art museums are my favorite.  With my very, very limited artistic abilities, I cannot imagine creating these masterpieces that are all hundreds and hundreds of years old.  With my class, we walked around and learned about many different paintings: what they're made of, who painted it, the significance, etc.  We learned about the use of perspective and foreshortening since it was being "discovered" during this time period.  

British Museum

Trafalgar Square

National Gallery

This weekend, my friend from home, Karly, and her friend, Bailey, who are both studying in Coventry, England this semester, came to London!  After attempting to track each other down, with no way to communicate and in the rain, by the train station, we dried off and again attempted Friday night ULU.  With the rain continuing to fall and the mile long line not even budging to half a mile, we splashed back to the UCLU instead.  (I think we may have a new tradition.)  It was great to be able to show Karly and Bailey my school, though!  Saturday, Karly and Bailey had their own tourist itinerary to get done, so Athena, another guy in our group, and I went to Kensington Palace for a free tour through their museum!  Before you ask, we did not see the royal family... But we saw the outside of where they actually live, so that was pretty exciting!  The other part of the palace was turned into a big museum about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Queen Anne, King George, and the more modern royals.  The whole exhibit on Queen Victoria was absolutely fascinating.  We learned about Victoria and Albert's love, children, and lives.  The displays were very creatively set up and informative.  There was a gallery that had dozens of dresses that the Queen, Princess Diana, and other royal fashionistas had worn.  I absolutely loved Kensington Palace, and it was a perfect day outside, which was a plus! After the palace, we got lunch, and headed towards Harrod's and Hyde Park, which were both beautiful, yet overwhelming.  We also got the chance to see St. Paul's Cathedral that night before heading to a pub for some needed dinner! 

Me, Karly, and Bailey at UCLU

Athena and me at Kensington Palace

Queen Victoria's Dancing Shoes!

The King's Gallery

Queen Victoria's Wedding Dress

Diana's Dresses

Hyde Park

Hyde Park

St. Paul's Cathedral

As we see more and more of London, our group is preparing to journey off the island, or around the island, and plan some exciting trips!  It has been wonderful getting settled into a new school and city without getting right up and leaving, though.  I feel really blessed for the experience I am getting this semester because I am an actual UCL student, taking courses and living with British and International students.  I'm looking forward to coming back to the US with some new slang words and an accent ;)