a good morning

Thursday morning I woke up naturally to bright, morning sunshine streaming across my white, fluffy comforter and the pale wooden floors. There have been many days in my life, and I'm sure they'll be many more, when I wake up and know exactly what I'll be doing that day.  The monotonous rhythm of a planned schedule can make your whole day seem like a chore. Knowing you'll be walking to the same places, going to the same classes, talking with the same people, and sitting in the same places, makes  all those things uninteresting.

But waking up in London, especially on a sunny day without the buzz of an alarm, feels like waking up to possibilities. On Thursday I woke up knowing I'd go to class for a few hours, but having no clue what else I would do, where else I would go, who I might meet. Maybe that's something that comes with moving to any city, but it's enjoyable all the same.

down time guilt

Wednesday evening was the first time that all five roommates were home together with no intentions of going out. It was a decently long day for all of us with classes and working out, so retiring to the Dream Flat was homey and welcoming. Peter and Jess got groceries and Colleen baked a cake. We all just watched TV and hung out. Later, we made a fort by flipping over the leather couches and pushing the seats together. A blogworthy night? Maybe not. 

A big pang of guilt comes along with not raging every night, with not touring and discovering every second. But being a student in London still means being a student: going to class, working out, doing homework, making dinner. I'm having trouble coming to terms with that because I didn't realize before that on occasion, I'm going to sit home, watch TV, and go to bed early.  Four months is just too long not to have some relaxation.

directions

Yesterday morning someone asked me for directions. For a minute, I thought maybe I look like I fit in here. Then he walked away (unhelped) and I remembered that I too, was lost.

the dream flat

This is an article published in The Daily Orange, Syracuse University's student-run newspaper, on Friday September 11th. Though it's for a student audience, it gives a good description of my housing situation in London. 

If you're a sophomore in Syracuse looking to escape that cramped four-person "suite" you call home, then September marks the beginning of your off-campus housing search. Having now done the process and lived for some time in both SU and London, I can tell you this: your future "home sweet home" sucks. 

I thought I lucked out with my junior year living arrangement. A front porch, fully furnished and utilities included tricked me into believing I had a great place. I moved in this June to find mice droppings, mold, leaking ceilings, cracked walls and dirty mismatched furniture. A Band-Aid was stuck to the yellowed sides of my shower, water wasn't included in my rent, and I needed quarters for the cobweb-covered washing machine in the basement. This was my reward for weeks of apartment hunting.

In London, you're given a list of recommended landlords and sent on your own if you opt not to do the pre-arranged housing. There are no restrictions to where you can live or whom you live with, though most students don't stray too far from central London. Duncan McGlashan from McGlashans Property Service comes highly recommended by former SU London students, so Jess Solomon, Peter Themistocles, Colleen Brawley, Matt Sisk and I decided to go through him. At noon he showed us three flats, and by 2 p.m. we were already having a celebratory lunch.

No offense to Ben Tupper, who boasts his record as The Daily Orange's highest rated landlord, but he's got nothing on Duncan. Monday, McGlashan invited all his tenants to a local pub for a free dinner and drinks. He passed out shots and even bought a couple bottles of champagne before sending us home.

The Dream Flat, as we affectionately refer to it, is a five-person, two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with a washer and dryer, dishwasher, and garbage compacter. Here, the term fully-furnished means beautiful leather couches, all pots and dishes stocked, bedding provided, and a new TV and DVD player. They even provide an iron, outlet converters, and toilet paper. Utilities-included not only means gas and electric, but also wireless Internet, cable, and a maid service. That's right, once a week someone comes in to clean the whole flat, scrub the toilets, make our beds, and give us fresh towels. With stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors throughout, this place is nicer than my house, as are most student apartments here (the flat we turned down had a balcony, fireplace and indoor hot tub). Since SU London gives all the students a housing stipend, I only pay nine pounds a week out-of-pocket, a lot better than my $540/month rent at Syracuse.

The moral of all this bragging is don't stress about your housing search at SU because no matter what you do, it's not going to be perfect. But go ahead and camp out in front of Campus Hill Apartments anyways, just remember to go through McGlashan if you ever decide to go to London. 

For the article online on The Daily Orange's web site, click here

a stepping stone

London is a great starter city. Before I left for London, when people asked where I wanted to move after college I would say that I definitely didn't want to be in a city. I didn't think I could handle it. Growing up on a farm means having a lot of space and knowing almost every person you see. My town at home doesn't have streetlights or sidewalks.

Cities are crowded and nosy and dirty and you need to use a map or public transport and it is confusing. Syracuse is a city, yes, but being a student at Syracuse University does not mean living in a city. At school, everything is made simple for you. A school bus brings you to class if you live too far away from campus. Everyone is going to the same places and SU cops can always give you a lift. There's no need to navigate or find your way around.

Being a student at SU London means living in a city. It means looking at a map and finding your way around. These are things I didn't think I could handle, but coming to London has been easier than going to NYC. In New York, I am a foreigner to the city, but no one knows that. I'm uncomfortable with the subway and the street signs and the traffic, but my discomfort is unexpected by others. In London, no one expects me to already know the tube or the streets, so I have the chance to learn these things- free of judgement- and challenge myself to find my own way around.

I've been here for a week and a day. In NYC, Boston, or even Syracuse, I would never have the confidence to go from one part of the city to the other alone once it's dark; but last night I took the tube home after a meeting around 8:30, and I was completely fine. I knew when I decided to come here that this semester would mean trying new things, but I never expected to learn so much from the little stuff. Being here now, I realize that for me- a small town, country girl- just making my own way around a city is a new, important, valuable lesson.

a new favorite thing

Sunday was move-in day, which means I finally have a new stomping ground. My flat (more on it later) is in Marylebone, which is in between Regents and Hyde Parks. After unpacking, I finally got to go for my first London run. I think I studied my map for a half-hour before I worked up the courage to try and find the park on my own. Turns out it's really only a 10 minute walk away.

Regents Park has a lot to offer: tennis courts, football (soccer) fields, a track, little cafe's, the Queen's rose garden, the London Zoo, an outdoor theatre with occasional live music/shows, little ponds, and paddle boats for rent. Running through it was cleansing. London is a beautiful, classy city, and it's not as crowded as NYC, but it sometimes makes me feel too suffocated. After living in the country my whole life, one thing I've learned about myself is that I need space- and Regents Park has plenty to offer.

I didn't bring my iPod because I wanted to get the full experience. I saw a lot of new couples with babies, elderly people going for a late-afternoon stroll, and dogs roaming around without a leash. I followed the sound of music playing to the outdoor arena, and caught a few glimpses of a live show. The kind of people who walk in a park on a Sunday afternoon are exactly the kind of people I wanted to see- families and friendly passerby's, all with a smile or a cheerful nod.

Midway through my run, I passed a pretty young, 20-something woman on her mobile trying to pinpoint the location of a friend. As I kept jogging I saw her and the friend (also on the phone trying to describe her location) run into each other, drop down their phones without hanging up, and laugh. They had been right next to each other the whole time. Immediately there were shrieks of, "How are you?" and "You look great!" I smiled to myself knowing that me and my friends would have done the same exact thing. My bought of homesickness ended with the realization that no matter where you go, people are the same.

a little bit of culture

One of the greatest assets of London is all the culture and historical sights the city has to offer. In just one city, in a country smaller than many U.S. states, you can see a dozen tourist attractions in a single (although very busy) day. For most of the week, it seems I haven't been doing much more than running errands, finding a flat, getting lost, and exploring pubs- so when Saturday had no itinerary, the flatmates and I decided to venture out. Within 30 minutes of walking and taking the tube, we were by the River Thames and all the beautiful landmarks the Westminster area has to offer.

Our first stop was to visit the Queen, who as luck would have it, was home (the British flag flies over Buckingham Palace while she's in.) The Palace puts our White House to shame. There are elaborate statues and impeccable gardens throughout the area, which oddly enough has a cobblestone street running right through the front of the castle. From the Palace you can see Big Ben and the London Eye. We walked to these sites through St. James's Park, which was unbelievably picturesque, with swans swimming and Londoners sunning themselves on the grass. The nice thing for me about being in this area was being able to be a tourist without shame. Everyone there has come to see sights, so ogling a map or asking for directions is common.

Big Ben and Westminster Abbey were my favorite of the things we saw. The buildings look so classic and appear magical even on a busy afternoon. The House of Parliament , Guards' Museum, London Eye, and Thames River were all interesting sites and I was happy to see in person the things I've only ever seen pictures of, but I didn't really tour anything or stop at any one place too long (SU puts on cheap tours to these sites, so I'm saving my pounds to go see them thoroughly then.)

The afternoon ended with us getting lost trying to take the bus- a red, double decker- back to the hotel. Despite that minor set-back, I came away feeling accomplished for seeing so much, and grateful because you just don't see all that beauty and history so close together in the States.