The Dark Black Fence

Fence
Dark Black Fence
Rusting away
Its paint chipping away from age

Painter
Young Painter
Ambitious in the heart and mind
He is handsome
He is patient
He is quiet
His smile remains fixed, yet has a sense of awe
His golden eyes focused on his craft
Slowly and with delicacy he uses his brush to paint the Dark Black Fence

Rain
Each day it rains washing away some of the paint from that day
Yet with a sense of temperance, he returns the next day and paints what has washed away

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: The Roman Baths!

Ah the great country side of England, so vast open and green. Scattered across the fields of the country side are millions of sheep. I suppose one could start counting them to try and fall asleep, but there are too many to keep track of. Plus the area was so picturesque that it would be hard not to want to look out into the vast open land. We were driving along the country side for about 2.5 hours till we got to Bath.

What surprised me most about the Roman Baths was the size. I had imagined it to be far larger in scale.  I was expecting to see several large bath areas. Instead there was one main central bath, which led to a series of smaller rooms that one could go into. None the less it was still really neat to see how well it has been preserved over the years. I give props to the Roman Architects they knew how to build structures that would last for centuries. It was very interesting to learn about how the Roman Baths significance changed throughout time. It was a social gathering place as well as a medicinal area. The water was said to have healing qualities to it. Many people would venture from across Europe to Bath just to seek the supposed medical benefit of these waters

After walking around the Roman Baths for a small bit, I ventured into the city of Bath. It was a very classical English style city. There were pubs at every corner and a whole bunch of bakeries with various pastries.

The most impressive part of Bath was the monastery located near the Roman Baths. As you walked in there were three aisles to explore. On the far left and right aisles there were engraved stones with the names of people who were buried underneath the Abbey. Around 3,500 people are buried underneath that in itself made the church feel somewhat ominous. The center aisle lead to a beautiful stain glass window with various religious scenes being depicted. The most interesting part of the monastery however, is the outside architecture. On the front of the building there is two ladders that lead to heaven with Angels climbing up the ladders. I was most impressed by the amount of detail that was put into the exterior. It is really a shame that they do not make churches like they used to.

I then went to a homemade ice cream shop and had some of the best ice cream; I have had in quite a while.

Next I went on a walking tour of Bath. We got to see various historical sites in which the famous British writer Jane Austin refers to in her novels.

One of the highlights of the walking tour was seeing Putney Bridge, where Jevert from Les Misérables jumps off and commits suicide. Another interesting place to see was the Circus. This was a perfectly round center of buildings shaped to create a perfect circle. The number three is significant to these buildings as there are 3 buildings, columns and floors on each.  

Overall Bath is a very interesting city. If you ever get the chance I recommend going to go and have a look. Go not only for the Roman Baths, but also the amazing architecture that lies deeper within the city.

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Science Museum, Camden Market, Piccadilly Circus and more!!

Whether you are a young adult, child or parent the Science Museum has a wide array of exhibits for all ages and interests. There is everything from the history and development of aviation to the evolution of mass media. Whatever peaks a person’s interest this museum is bound to have it. In many ways I consider it to be more of a history-science museum as it focuses more on the evolution of a product or service.

Max and I went there as a part of his class project. We did not really sit around read all the displays, instead we pursued around for a bit. While there were a wide variety of rooms to explore I liked the Space Exhibition and History of Aviation room the best.  

What was really neat about the History of Aviation room was seeing all the different types of planes and how they evolved. There was everything from the Wright Brothers to WWII fighter planes. I was particularly interested in this one contraption this man made. He was so enthusiastic on figuring out how he could fly that he attached wings to himself. That is some dedication if you ask me.

There was also the Space Exhibition Room. This room was full of rockets and spaceships of all shapes and sizes. One of the highlights had to be the Apollo 10 landing pod.

After we finished with the Museum we made our way to Camden Market. It was a very busy area. Camden Market itself was very narrow and crowded. It was filled with clothing and jewelry. Max and I did not spend much time there as there were far too many people in a small space. We tried hoping back on the Tube but it took nearly 20 minutes just to get into the station. There were far too many people for this small station to handle. So my word of advice is if you do go to Camden Market go on a week day as opposed to the weekend.

We then finished our night off at Piccadilly Circus. The best way to describe the area is a dumbed down time square. It has the feeling of the hustle and bustle of time square, but does not compare to the lights of time square in NY.

After walking for a small bit we walked through Chinatown. This one was far more larger than the one in Boston and was much more prettier. In the center of the square there were beautiful circular lights that lit up the town. There were two gates that led to different parts of Chinatown. One way took you down to the more traditional Chinese restaurants. The other gate had other Asian foods like Vietnamese.

The final stop on our journey was Planet Hollywood. The ambiance of the restaurant was very contagious. Everyone was having a jolly old time. This was partly due to the fact that they had cameras circulating around the restaurant showing various customers. Many of the children were very eager to get on the big screen and were jumping up in down to get noticed. After a while I was feeling left out and wanted to be on the screen. Eventually I was on the screen and my want was satisfied. There was also really great music playing, so overall I’d say it was a very enjoyable experience.

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Week 2 Impressions

With the first week of classes in the books, it is hard to imagine what will be coming in the near future. I am as excited as I am nervous to go and explore another country. I currently have booked a flight to Berlin in February; I will be going with my roommate Max who is German.  I am also in the research stage of planning some other trips.  I know for sure that I want to go to Italy and see Rome; more than likely I will do that trip sometime in the spring. Other places that I have considered going is to Spain, Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland or France.

As for my classes I am very happy with all of them. My professors are all very interesting individuals and I look forward to an interesting semester. One of the major differences with the UK educational system is that grades have to be double or even triple checked by other professors. This therefore makes getting an “A” not as easy. I will be interested to see how this plays out; however, I am fully confident in my ability as a student and know I will not have a problem.

As I have started to become more acquainted to the city of London and Richmond, I am noticing some major differences between the US and England.

Europeans smoke more than Americans. No matter where you go someone will be smoking a cigarette. Also most people roll their own cigarettes rather than buying a pack.

The city of London is very clean. There is little to no graffiti anywhere in the city of London. It has to be one of the cleanest cities I have ever been. In addition, there are little to no litter bins anywhere. One has to walk a considerable distance just to throw something away. I like to believe this has a direct correlation as to why the city is so clean.

The city of London is a very safe place to be. With security cameras almost everywhere you walk, one can walk in the streets of London with ease.

The service sector is fabulous. If you are ever lost in the city of London all you have to do is pop into a pub or a store and they will give you directions on where you need to go. Building off this Tube stations are everywhere, so it is easy to get from place to place.

Left side traffic takes a while to get used to. When I first got here I did not think that left side traffic would be so hard to get adjusted to, but it is harder than it looks. I have nearly gotten hit a few times, but I am getting much better at crossing.

Newspapers are everywhere. This is especially true on the Tube; most people riding are reading a newspaper.

London is a city of diversity. Whether you are taking a stroll down to Buckingham Palace or walking along the River Thames, diversity is everywhere. It is always interesting to hear 6 or 7 different languages being spoken in a matter of minutes.

As for Richmond it is a very quiet area. Most of the population is older folk, typically 50+. However, there is a growing population of people my age in the area.

Richmond gets pretty old, very fast. While it is relatively large area with 55 pubs and a nice walkway along the Thames, it feels very limited. There is the Richmond Park, which I have not really explored, quiet yet, so who knows.

Be wary of the foxes in Richmond. At night they come from everywhere, so one must travel with a step of caution.  

This weekend I am to see Camden Market and Abbey Road with Max. Then on Sunday we are going to go and see the Roman Baths!

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: What makes up your identity?

Have you ever taken a moment to yourself and asked what makes up who you are? If not you will gain a lot from this experience, and it will help you gain not only a better understanding of yourself, but also the differences between you and others.

Today in my Intercultural Communications Class, we did a very interesting exercise. We were instructed to take out our identification cards from our respective countries. We then had a class discussion about our ID cards and what was on them. We came to learn that certain countries and even different cities do their ID cards differently. Some ID’s list the name of your parents; others list the region in which you are from. Some do not list where you were born and some list your blood type.

So you are probably sitting there and wondering why this matters…. Different countries place different emphasis on identifying information. The question then becomes why is one piece of information more important to one culture as opposed to the other? This is something very interesting to explore and understanding it will help you communicate more effectively with people of other cultures.  

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: First Day of Classes

1/18/2016

Hard to believe that today was the first day of classes… Where did winter break go??? It seems just like yesterday that I left Curry eager in anticipation for this very day, and it did not disappoint.

The morning started off with Politics with Professor Keating, he was bright and lively considering that it was 9:00 am. He was very energetic and passionate about Politics and I have a feeling he is going to be a really good Professor. 

He started off the class by going over the syllabus in great length. He made it clear that this class wasn’t about political ideology or theory. Instead it is about applying these theories to real government systems. He explained how he quote “wears a different hat when he is teaching the different styles of government.” Take for example we are learning about say a communist regime, he will teach in such a way that reflect that of a communist point of view. It sounds very interesting and I am looking forward to getting started.

He also told us a few stories.  My favorite was the one about him being a hippy in Australia. He told us this story about how he and other hippies were trying to prevent a logging company from cutting down a particular type of tree. The hippies would either chain themselves to a tree or climb up it to prevent the logging company from cutting the trees down. However, this was not very effective. Then someone suggested that they get a celebrity to climb a tree. As it turns out one of the hippies knew a famous football player. She called him up and lo behold he climbed up the tree. Media coverage of this event was wide spread and soon everyone wanted to save these trees. The coach of this football player even did a 30 minute documentary; about how passionate he was about saving the trees, and how he admired what his player did. Sure enough no more trees got cut down. Thus the day was saved This just goes to show you the power of publicity!

I then made my way to the Kensington Campus for my next class.  However, before class I met up with Professor Goldsworthy the head of the MA Public Relations program here at Richmond. He and I had an interesting discussion about the story above. He asked me whether or not I thought it was ethical for the hippies to chain themselves to the tree, because technically they were breaking the law. The hippies did not own the land, someone else did and they were trespassing. This changed my perception of this whole ordeal and made me think more critically about the ethics that are raised. None the less it was still, a very interesting conversation!

I made my way to grab a bite to eat and then headed off to my next class which was Travel Writing. Oh wait a minute… Travel Writing????!! Must be some coincidence or something, surely I must not have planned this all along… Or did I??? But I digress; our Professor Marcus Slease was an interesting guy. He told us about his passion for travel and all the places he had been to. He then opened the floor up to the students to ask us what interests’ people in traveling. Most people gave the same response that they wanted to experience a new culture and go outside their comfort zones.  

He then told us about the different assignments we will have throughout the semester. One of the final projects is to write our own guide book to where ever we want, whether it is our hometown, London or beyond, the skies  arethe limit! I am really pumped for this assignment and will surely share the completed version on my blog when it is finished!!!

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Winston Chruchill War Rooms

1/17/2016

My roommate and I went into Central today to tour the Winston Churchill War Rooms. The first stop on the tour was the Cabinet Room. It was in this room that Winston met with important cabinet members to talk about important war time strategy. It was a fairly small room with a bunch of tables and chairs. The walls were all made of concrete.

We then saw various rooms around the bunker.  We saw different rooms including the rooms of Winston Churchill, his wife’s room and other prominent cabinet members.  All of the hallways were very narrow, and most of the bed rooms were exactly the same. The only exception from this was Winston Churchill’s bedroom. In the center of the room there was a desk were he could sit and do work. From this desk he would record his speeches. These speeches would then be transmitted from a BBC Radio halfway point in the bunker.

Other places in the bunker we saw included the kitchen, the dining room and the central communications HQ. The best room had to be the Map Room, there were massive maps laying out all of Europe. It was very impressive to see and I do not know how one could make sense of such a large map.

What astounded me was that Winston Churchill alongside those who worked in the war rooms lived there for 6 years. I could not imagine living there. It was far too cramped and narrow. It also smelt really old and moldy, but granted that could be expected considering how old it is.

My roommate and I then made our way to Hyde Park to take a short stroll around. However, by the time we got there it was pitch black so you couldn’t see anything. We went to go and hop on the tube, but the line we tried getting on was shut down for some reason. As a result we had to walk a mile or so to the next closest station.

Tomorrow is the first day of classes. I have Politics first thing and then Travel Writing later in the day at the Kensington campus. I look forward to getting started!!  

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: BBC Studio Tour

1/16/2016

This afternoon, I made my way to the BBC studios to tour the premises. The tour started off just outside of the newsroom from atop of a balcony. From this balcony we could see the different news studios, control rooms and the newsroom itself. The tour guide explained how the newsroom worked. It is split into two sections. The left side of the room focuses on all the World News that takes place. The right side focuses on the UK News. The center of the room is where all the news comes together. It is at this halfway point that the head producer decides whether or not to put a story on air. What was astounding to hear is that the journalist usually works 12 hour days! I could not imagine what that would be like!

We then made our way to a mock TV studio were a girl and I were news anchors.  In the first story we talked about was about King Charles visiting the London Underground for the 1^st time in 50 years. Then we talked about a flood that occurred a few months ago. We wrapped the show off by sending it to our weather girl. Overall it was a fun experience.

Next we went into a radio theater. What is special about the building that we were in was that it was one of the original BBC buildings that got bombed during WWII. Within the theater if you listen closely enough you can hear the Underground. A neat part about this theater is that various artist come and perform here. Admission is free, but based off a lottery system. Perhaps someday I will be lucky enough to be chosen, however, the odds of winning are very low.

To wrap up the tour we produced our own radio drama. In the center of the room there were four student actors standing around  microphones reading a script. Two other students were in the corner of the room making sound effects with various objects such as paper, coca nuts and rubber gloves. The story itself was about a group of friends’ car breaking down in the middle of nowhere. They find a house nearby to seek refuge. However, soon they come to realize that this was a horrible mistake!

Overall I’d say that the tour was okay. The best part was the radio drama, but other than that it wasn’t really anything all that special.

When the tour was over we had that option to either to stay in Central or go back to the uni. Most people decided to stay in Central. I decided to make my way back to uni. As it turned out I got on the wrong train. I eventually did make my way back to campus; it just took a lot longer than it should have. I took the long way back, when in fact there was a more direct shorter route I could’ve taken.

My roommate arrived today from Germany. After he settled in we went out to dinner and a pub. We discussed the possibility of visiting Berlin in a few weeks! Hopefully we will be able to go!

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: River Boat Cruise

1/15/2016

Well folks, it is official, I’ve been in the UK for a week now. It is hard to believe that a week has passed, seems just like yesterday that I landed. I did not do much during the day itself, it wasn’t till the night that I went into Central for a River Boat Cruise. It was by far one of the most memorable nights that I have ever had. We made our way down the Thames towards the Tower Bridge and Tower of London. This was the first time that I saw them lit up and they were truly magnificent.

The next location we passed by was the Shard, which is a large building shaped like a glass shard. Then we made our way past the O2 center which is a concert hall. It is a large dome like building; it reminds me a lot of a circus tent.  To finish the night off we passed Big Ben, Parliament and the London Eye.

On the boat itself we were all drinking beers and wines. There was a big dance floor in the center of the boat were we danced the night away.  This was by far the best event I have gone to for orientation, and it is one that I will remember for years to come.

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: "Wicked"

1/14/16

Today I took a stroll into town and familiarized myself with Richmond center. It is a quiet little area with very nice people. Strangers go up to one another and have conversations; it is very delightful of sorts. There are many little bakeries and cafes, as well as small stores. There are 55 pubs in the Richmond area alone and many other small little cultural restaurants. The area feels very safe and I am looking forward to spending the next four months here.

I had lunch with JR and Gonzalo. Then after JR met with his academic advisor we made our way down the Thames. There is a nice little walk way along the Thames, much like the one in Central but much more peaceful and relaxing.  We then made our way into town and walked around for a bit, until we eventually made our way back to the uni.

I then went into the west end to go and see the musical “Wicked”, it was very well done. I was really happy with our seats; we were 6 or 7 rows away from the front. The best part was we only paid 10 pounds for 70 pound seats; the uni covered most of the cost. All of the singers were very talented and it felt like I was back at Broadway in the states. What impressed me the most was the scene changes, there were massive set pieces and everything was very efficiently done. I would highly recommend seeing this production if you happen to be in London soon. After seeing the musical last night, I plan to go and see another sometime soon!   

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: The British Museum

1/13

After a quick library orientation this morning, I made my way into Central London to go and see the British Museum. I was delighted that there were signs everywhere to direct you to the museum, as once I got off from Russell Square Station; I wasn’t exactly sure how to get to the museum.

I made my way into the museum from a back entrance. I was eager to go and see the Egyptian Exhibit with all the mummies. However, I was somewhat disappointed that there weren’t any mummies on display. The mummies that they had were all wrapped in linen and you could see the outline of the figure ,but not the actual corpse like I had wanted to see. None the less the coffins for the mummies had very elaborate art work on them. It was also interesting to learn about how different object were placed with mummies, and how each object had its own meaning.

One of the more interesting exhibit halls I made my way through was the Ancient Roman and Greek exhibit. I have always been fascinated with the Roman empire. It was really cool to see gladiator helmets and swords. The most impressive works were the Roman sculptures. There was one head sculpture of a peasant that looked extremely realistic. Even the head sculptures of the different Roman Emperors were immensely detailed. Many of the head sculptures of the Roman Emperors were used as a forum of propaganda/ marketing, for the Emperors to garner support from the locals.

My favorite room that I saw was the Enlightenment room. As far as the eye could see there were books and various relics and sculptures. The ambiance of the room was very exciting and I spent a good part of my time in there.

I then made my way to go and see the Rosetta Stone and then the Elgin Marbles. I do not know exactly why but it was extremely cold I the Eglin Marbles room. My assumption is that it somehow helps preserve the marbles.

To finish off the night we had a drink reception hosted by the schools president. A few of the deans were there as well as some of the Professors.        

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Exploring Richmond

1/12/16

Today there was not much going on around campus so I decided to go an explore Richmond. I walked through the town center and in around the different neighborhoods. Richmond is a really nice area with very friendly individuals.

After walking around for a while I made my way to Richmond Park. I was surprised by the park. There wasn’t any cement walk ways as I thought there would be. Instead it was open grass lands with dirt trails. I did not go in to far into the park as I did not want to get lost because it is ginormous and because it was very muddy. The rest of the day I hung out until my advising appointment. Once that was done I went and grabbed some dinner.

A bunch of students guided by the RA’s and RD’s took us on a Pub Crawl. We went to 4 bars all around Richmond. My favorite was the “Old Ship” it had a nice sitting area upstairs, and the ambiance of the place was consuming.

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Move in Day

The day started off by grabbing an English muffin at a local muffin shop. Afterwards, we went a scouted out the Kensington campus. It was a very pretty area. We had some trouble locating the campus at first, but after walking around for a few minutes we were able to locate the buildings that were scattered throughout.

Then we made our way to Richmond for move in day. My room is massive in size and I cannot complain. After setting up my room, we went down and had some lunch. My family and I explored the Richmond campus and then went on a walking tour of Richmond. Along the way we saw a beautiful view of the Thames upon the country side!

Along the tour my mom and dad parted ways. I made a new friend on the tour her name is Elise, who is from the Bahamas. I also made friends with a girl from Southborough, MA named Amy. At dinner I had a meal with a guy named Aiden who is originally from South Africa. When dinner was finished there was a meeting for the resident students to go over safety and different procedures. Once that was done we had an ice cream social. I sat down with Elisa, Aiden and this girl named Natalia from Brazil.

To finish off the night the RA’s and RD’s brought us to a local pub. I spent a few hours with my newly made friends, including JR who was from the Philippines. Tomorrow’s plan is to go to the British Museum and see Cannon Street with Elisa.

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: Buckingham Palace, Traflgar Square and Harrods

1/10/2016

Today we took a double decker tour of London. We saw everything from Buckingham Palace to Harrods. Overall it was a very informational day and I learned quite a lot about the city of London.

First stop was Trafalgar Square. It was massive in size. In the entrance of the square there is a large monument that stood erect. On the top of the monument there was a golden angel. Surrounding the base of the monument there were several different figures that were made of marble. Protecting the monument were bronze lions.

We grabbed a bite to eat and then made our way to Buckingham Palace. There was someone leaving the palace as we were getting closer. A police officer with an M16, told everyone to clear the way as he opened up the gate. When we got to palace I was surprised by how far away a person was from the palace. There were armed guards everywhere. It was definitely a very secure area that is for sure.

Finally we made our way through the Retail Mega Store Harrods. This place was a mansion with six floors and everything you ever wanted you could get. Everything was overly priced. While at Harrods: "Hey Matt lets go and check to see how much the towels are..." my Mom said.” Mom they will be really expensive..." I said. "Let us go and see... 115 pounds???!" she exclaimed. We then had dinner at an Italian Restaurant and then made our way back to the hotel.

Tomorrow I move into Richmond! I cannot wait to be there and start orientation!!

When in Europe the UK and Beyond: First Impressions

1/9/16   

The morning started by a quick meal at McDonalds with my mother. After we finished breakfast we walked around Kensington for a bit. I set up a phone for the UK.  Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel to join my Dad as we ventured into Central London.

We started the day off by touring the Tower of London. My first impression as we walked in was that it was a musty and old castle, but as I got deeper into the castle, I became more interested in the history that took place. It was particularly interesting looking at the Kings Royal Armor. I was amazed that the armor has been able to be preserved for so long. We eventually made our way to the Crown Jewels. There were several crowns from different kings and queens in protective glass casing. I wish that you were able to take pictures of the crowns but it was forbidden. Each crown was special in its own design. Every crown had its own large diamonds lining the top of the crown. Some of the crowns had different types of stones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. My favorite crown had a purple lining as the exterior of crown. In the center of the crown there was a ruby.  Medium sized diamonds lined the sides of the crown in a cross like formation. Sitting atop the crown was a larger diamond that topped the whole crown off.

After we finished at the Tower of London, we walked across the Tower Bridge. We then made our way down the River Thames. Eventually we made it to the Shakespearean Globe, although we did not tour we poked our head in to check it out. Next we had lunch at a small pizzeria along the Thames. Following lunch we continued our walk along the river till we reached Westminster Abby, sadly though it had closed at 1 and we were too late. We then hopped back onto the tube and made our way back to the hotel. We hung out for a half hour or so then, my Mom and I went to the store to get towels.

When we got back we headed out to a pub called the Prince of Wales. With my chicken which tasted excellent I had some kind of German beer. It wasn’t the most horrible tasting beer, but wasn’t good either. My mother parted ways from my Dad and I as we went in search of another pub to drink at.

It took us several minutes to locate a pub as it seemed that there were none around, as ironic as that was. My father ordered a Pale Ale and I got a local favorite called “London Glory”, it was far better than the German beer which I had earlier. We then went back to hotel were we spent the rest of the night.

As for the day itself, it was misting off and on. I have been told that this is typical for England this time of the year. However, on the flipside it was warm! It was in the 50’s! (I never thought I’d hear myself say that, but after leaving 30 degree weather, I am very happy to settle with the 50’s.) It was quite funny really you could tell the tourist from the local just by what they were wearing. The locals were all bundled up in winter coats, while I along with the other tourist happily strode around in light spring coats.

My initial impressions of London thus far are as follows:

The drivers are aggressive. This is not a joke, if you do not use the cross walk you very well might be ran over or injured.

It is a very quiet city. Compared to other cites I’ve been to it is far more quiet in London. One could best describe it as people using their inside voices. The subway systems are far much quieter than the MBTA and it is actually quiet enjoyable.

Mind the Gap. This is a local saying that I’ve taken great humor in. On the tube, most of the station platforms have a gap between the train and the platforms.

Look left. Look right. In the more touristy areas written on the cross walks before your cross these phrases are written.

London is a runner’s city. No matter where you seem to go runners are everywhere. This is something I plan to take advantage of.

London’s bars are a social experience. Everyone at the bar is having lively conversations, and no one seems to be in any hurry to get out of the pub or bar. One enjoys the ambiance as well as the social aspect.

The red double decker buses are everywhere. They get in the way of the pictures you are trying to take.

The pigeons are vicious and they will come from any direction.

As for tomorrow’s plans, we are more than likely going to go on a double decker tour of London. We are going to check out Buckingham Palace and see if we can get into Westminster Abby.

When in Europe the U.K and Beyond: Arrival

The morning started around 4:30 am as we made our way to the airport. Once we got there we checked our bags and got through security in about 15 minutes or so. Our flight wasn't boarding until 7:20 so we had a solid two hours to kill. It seemed like eternity till we finally got to board the plane. Once we did to my pleasant surprise there was a wide array of activities to do on the plane. One could choose to play video games, watch movies, watch TV or even follow the flight path of the plane. I found following the flight path of the plane particularly entertaining. We were served an English Breakfast and by far it was one of the most tasty foods that I have ever had! There was a wide variety of movies to choose from, I watched the movies "Bridge of Spies" and "Ted 2". We were also served a vegetable sandwich with provolone cheese, it was delicious. Overall I'd say that the flight exceeded my expectations.



When we got to London, it took awhile to get to the hotel. Once we got to the High Street Kensington stop, we had to go and locate our hotel. After some directions from some locals we made it to the hotel. We were exhausted and tired from the days travels.



After we checked into the hotel we went out for a late dinner at a small pub called "Bill's". I ordered an Estrella Barcelona, it tasted good and so far my favorite beer I’ve had. After we finished eating at “Bill’s” we headed back to the hotel. My father and I went to the bar within the hotel and got two “Tigers”. We struck up a conversation with the Bartender, he was originally from India but he moved here six months ago. He was a very nice individual and he was able to give us some tips on where to go and what to see. Tomorrow we explore the city, I can’t wait to see it!

Predepature to England

On Friday I embark on a journey of a lifetime, a journey that will change me as a person.
I will be in an unfamiliar territory as I venture around England and beyond.
I have never been the best at navigation to be honest, but this soon will change.
I am excited as I am nervous.
I am eager to go yet, I am uncertain of what adventures lie ahead of me or what I will get out of them.
The most important thing for me to get out this experience is to have a more global mindset.
I feel so isolated by the American culture and by the ways that we do things, that I am blindsided to see anything else.
By going abroad I will gain valuable knowledge about different cultures and religions, which in the long run is going to be crucial as we have evolved into an ever globalized economy.
The adventure is just beginning, so stay tuned and follow me as a take a journey across England and beyond!