Click Click

Nope that isn’t the sound of my camera, in fact I haven’t been taking any pictures at all, sad, I know. I don’t have time too, why? Because I’m always going somewhere and don’t have time to stop and see what’s around me. I’m sure if I did stop I would find something amazing to take pictures of, I always do. No the click click are people’s heels on the pavement. It sometimes amazing to me that women can wear these high heels when walking all day, why not tennis shoes like the rest of us? Because, really, who drives? Not a lot of people. Also it’s really expensive to own a car, cause you’re always paying for parking and gas, plus it’s really hard to find parking spots and streets are crazy they’re really narrow.

Ok enough of my ranting, I was worried that I wouldn’t get enough exercise when I got to London. Being a poor student I can’t afford a gym. Instead I walk everywhere I can, except when I need to catch the tube. I wish I could walk to school, but from where I am it’s about 35 minutes, by tube, who knows what it would be walking distance, I don’t want to try. I have found that I like walking around the city, however slow people, ex. old people, tourists, and people who don’t know where they’re going (that’s me half the time, however I stand off to the side) are slow, and they block your path. Particularly when you need to get somewhere, there is always a slow person; same goes for the tunnels in the tube. I need to get to my train, why are you lollygagging? So with people going to and from it’s fun watching them, it’s also fun watching people on the tube, however make sure you don’t stare off into space while looking at a person, it’s weird and uncomfortable, I’ve done that to people without realizing it. The ride makes you tired, not sure why but it does and people watching is the best, especially in the morning when you get the random women putting on their makeup. Do they not have time to do it at home? Isn’t it a little harder to do it on the tube car? Depending on the day and time people are smushed into those things like sardines, it’s hot and it smells. Oh, while I’m on that subject, and I’m not ranting, it’s an observation, what is with the people who stand right in front of you? There are other places in the carriage to stand, why do you insist on putting your crotch near my face? While I like the tube, I like to walk and see what’s around me, either going to my destination, going somewhere and getting lost or just simply take a wrong turn. 

Living the Life....sort of

It’s crazy to think that I’ve lived in London a little over a month now, and boy it has been a crazy month. I started Sotheby’s Institute of Art last week, the week before we had orientation, that was a crazy fun time. I have met so many interesting people and made some friends there as well. I have found people who have the same interest as me, have the same personality/humor as I do and people who I want to get to know more. The only thing is with the way classes are it’s hard to say hi to people, b/c I either have a day off or in class when everyone else is generally busy. Speaking of which my schedule is light but heavy at the same time, this is what my schedule looks like:

Monday: Research/Study Day

Tuesday: Lecture, Seminar, Lunch/office hours, Lecture and maybe a seminar

Wednesday: Class, Seminar, lunchtime lecture and whatever else they like

Thursday: Lecture, Seminar, a visit?

Friday: Visits to galleries where I have now idea where they are :/

Classes start at 10 end around 3 or 4 depending on the day, yeah it sounds like a short day but really it isn’t. By the end of the day you’re tired. I’m not bitching I actually love it. I have such interesting professors and classes and I’m learning so much more than I initially thought I would.  My day starts with a 30 minute tube ride from where my tube stop is to where I have to get off for my school. It’s awesome just as long as I’m not going home during rush hour, then there’s nowhere to sit until 2 or 3 stops before my tube stop. Oh the joys of commuting, but I like it, except when it’s muggy in the stations, then I just feel like I need a shower.

Aside from the crazy schedule I have 3-day weekends, now I’m just rubbing it in. My roommates, Drew, Emily, and I have moved into our lovely little flat. Just enough space where we won’t bump into each other all the time, and big enough rooms to get away from everything and study/do yoga if I wanted to. Speaking of which I miss yoga and I miss going to the gym, the gym I can live without because I’m walking every day and when I come home there’s a small hill that I have to walk up. So with all the walking and not eating as much I have probably lost a bunch of weight. I want to find somewhere to start running, I need to check if there’s a park nearby. The area of town I live in is North Finchley, and the flat is just down the street from a grocery store, there’s a bunch of little clothing stores, cleaners, books stores, discount stores and restaurants. The only thing though that I would harp about is that we have a washer but no dryer, no laundry mats near us. So we have to let everything air dry, the old fashioned way, takes forever. The other thing is that internet takes a long time to be set up here. Being a student we need internet all the time, so until then an internet stick does the trick. If the internet stick runs out then just go to the local coffee shop with “free internet” or lug my lap top to school, which is what I’ll probably end up doing.  Oh another thing I love is that the museums and galleries are mostly free, so if I do have any free time I’ll go to a museum and check everything out, especially if they have a photo exhibit going on.

Well I think that’s all for now, just enjoying my living in London on a budget going to school, isn’t that that life?