Sorry about the lack of posts, but it's been a crazy few weeks :D The saturday after we got back from break we had an excursion out into the country! We first stopped by the Petersborough church, which was beautiful! But we weren't allowed to take pictures inside so i only have a few outside shots. It was lovely, althought our tour guide was a little...*snoooore* but it's alright, the church was beautiful!
Then we headed over to Stamford! It's such a beautiful old town! We were given a few hours just to walk around and check out whatever we wanted. They gave us a map with a few important destinations and we were off! Sinead and i had SO much fun walking around.
It was a very overcast day, but it really made all the colours of the town stand out. We walked around for a bit and then found the cutest place for lunch, Sinead got the most delicious looking hot coco i may have ever seen!
yum!!
There was a church FULL of just xmas cards! It was really really cool! <3 Then we headed back to the bus and went to the Burley House! It was HUGE, there are 300 rooms and something like 800 paintings! It was our first real look at a large manor house, and i really loved it! They have SO much property, i just wanted to jump on a horse and fly across the land! We left the house just at sunset and it was so beautiful!
OHhhh it is fall!
Pride and Prejudice?
Here Richard is explain the Mistletoe hanging in the trees!
Then we got back into the bus and started our 2 1/2 hour journey home!
That sunday Sinead and I went to Regents park again, but this time we went to look at the gardens! It was really fun! Of course the moment we sat down to do work it got WICKED windy and chilly, but we withstood it and got lots of work done. I still can't believe how nice the weather has been lately. Thanks London!
There were so many Roses! We couldn't all the flowers still in bloom! <3
As promised here is the glorious picture of us LDA kids with Naomi Frederick. I stole this from Sabina's facebook and please just ignore how terrible i look. ;)
So i've decided to break the next few posts up because it was a very long weekend with lots of fun things going on. I should be...three parts i believe, maybe two. But i'll be doing it tonight in between doing work.
On a happier note, Sonnets went well today. I was so nervous, but i got it over with pretty much unscathed. :) I wish i could say, YAY It'S THE WEEKEND...but i've still got lots of work the next two days, but not too much.
Sinead have started our Tart Tuesday tradition a little early because after this week we decided we deserved some Tarts. So we went back to the little french restruant and had tarts. I just got that same mixed berry and she got the lemon one. And we also got the most glorious hot chocolate. It was fantastic.
Other than that it was a pretty normal day. Sinead and i had lots of fun going grocery shopping, i went in to get popcorn and left with like mountains of things. But it was wonderful.
The days are so long, and they are made longer knowing that we won't have a break this weekend. But, it's still lots of fun.
Historical dance was 'brilliant', but as we all know i'm not the most...well...graceful person so it will certainly be a challenge. :D
Sonnets. well. lets just say i'm going to be spending the next hour repeating my sonnet over and over and over.
The fun thing about today was we started the singing project. Basically we're having this "LDA OPENING PARTY" because LDA moved to a new building apart of the Heythrope college...so they're having this party were we are doing a bunch of different showings for a bunch of people (a reading from Henry the Fifth, a dance and some singing). So we started learning the Tradition English Folk songs today.
It was lots of fun singing with everyone, especially because not all of us are singers ;) But we're working through it.
Now, it's just more line memorizing. I can't wait until next week when we will get out before dark (aka about 6PM). It will be very nice.
Also we're seeing "As You Like It" on Tuesday at the Globe. SO PUMPED! <3
Wow. Today was so long. We had the novel project for 5 hours. BUT we did get a lot of good work done. I think it's going to turn out very nicely.
There's just lots of memorization. Egads. Which i should go do right now.
Ps. I miss all the Dischords so much. I keep getting messages from you and seriously, i am having trouble getting through the day knowing i don't have rehearsal in the evening. <3
We have historical dance tomorrow...which i'm wicked excited for. Physical Theatre was great today, we did a lot of warming up our muscles, which was very nice for us because most of us were DYING (wicked sore) from movement yesterday. Egads.
Off to memorize my sonnet, which i really like. It's number 65.
Cheers!
-T
PS. I've decided that listening to "You Make My Dreams" Hall & Oates is the best thing to listen to while you're on the tube. It makes watching people so funny because it's such a great happy, upbeat song and it's like sharing in your own little private joke. It always makes me smile, and want to start dancing. it's really wonderful. Try it sometime. <3
Today was our real first day. And it wasn't as insane as i thought it would be, but it was still pretty crazy. :D
Left the flats at 8:45 AM and class started at 9:30. So we all got there a little early and had some time to chill before class.
First up (9:30-11) was Movement: It was so much fun! Our tutor is wonderful, so fun and silly but i feel like we're all really going to be challenged. In the first 10 minutes we were all panting and ready to die. After a bit of warming up and really playing with our bodies she told us we had 3 minutes to think of something unique to show her. Some kind of talent, so she could associate us with something. Erg. great. So i just decided to sing Disneyland. Of course she calls my name first. Great. And of course my voice cracks half way through had i dunno it was pretty horrifying. So basically i sat back down while everyone else was wonderful and got up and did their talent. At least three other singers. All i could think was "great, i can't even do my talent right and had to make a fool of myself in front of everyone." But, i guess it's good to just get it out of the way right? Then we did a bit more movement and talked about future classes and such.
Then we had a little break and at 11:15 we had Sonnets. I feel very lucky because my sonnet professor is Richard Digby Day (he runs the entire program and is such a wonderful person to be learning from). And ususally he doesn't teach the sonnets so it's like double the luck. ;) Anyways the sonnet class made me feel a lot better. It was really fun and it's nice to start working through things.
At 1 we got a nice lunch break. And I'm really starting to feel that we're all meshing more. It's great :D
Then at 2 we started The Novel Project. Most of us were worried because we thought we'd have this huge test on the book we were reading, but it wasn't that bad. :) It was more of a chat about the book, where she asked us specific questions. The difficult part is that this project is basically taking 8 pages out of the book and putting it onstage. Without missing a word. So we spent the first two hours chatting about the book and together reading through the text. Then we broke up into two groups and each group has about 7-8 pages that we're putting together. The last hour we worked together and started splitting up the text. But we have about 5 hours tomorrow (the whole thing goes up on sunday) so it's going to work out.
Then that was over at 5, so we now had an hour for dinner. ( At 6 we had stage combat but he broke us up into two groups so the first group went at 6 and i was in the second group, so i did some shopping and came back at 7).
Finally at 7 i had stage combat. Wicked great class, the professor is so wonderful. We haven't started with the rapiers yet--we're just using our pointer fingers to practice the movements but i think i'm really going to love it.
AND then at 8 i got on the tube to come home. The end. :D
Now, i'm very tired and i have a bit to memorize...so i'll head off to bed. But i think you get it. Thats basically the rest of my week with a few different changes here and there. But it's going to be very long (especially because we don't get sat/sun off). I'm sorry this was not very exciting...but it was lots of fun!
I don't know how long the internet will hold, it's been really bad lately but i'll get as much as i can in!
Alright well Day two of orientation was great. We went on a walking tour with our Tutor, Michael Winter, through Kensington (which is where the LDA is). The picture above is from one of the apartment complexes around Kensington Square. They are gorgeous. Another thing I’ve notices (and you may have too) is that the sky looks BRILLIANT in all these pictures. It's amazing. It's so blue. Anyway we learned a lot about all the different architecture of these buildings and about different statues along the way. Like this one of King...Albert I believe? It's gorgeous, and surrounding him are figures of painters, sculptors, artists and writers. I took a close-up pictures of Shakespeare (of course) and Homer.
(this is the Royal Academy of Music)
We walked around for a bit longer and then had a nice lunch break where Sienna, Sinead, Aylia and i found this fantastic little French cafe right near the school. It was delicious, and Sinead and i shared the most wonderful tart. I seriously cannot stop thinking about it--i want another one RIGHT NOW.
And then we had a few different meetings about some of our upcoming academics. And to finish the night off we got to see Troilus and Cressida at the Globe.
(another view from Millennium Bridge)
Later, our professors apologized and said that not everything we would see would be that terrible. Which surprised me because I really loved it. But thinking about it, I probably loved it because a.) we were at the globe, standing beside the stage (actually leaning on the stage). B.) Troilus was quite handsome. C.) I love the show. D.) The magic of being there.
(Aylia! Haha, we were very excited!)
(This is Sienna and Me)
But I honestly do believe that it was a good production. Troilus and Cressida were a little too modern, and if you read my earlier post you’ll know what I think about Cressida. I still really didn’t like (nor did I agree with) her performance. It was so wonderful being right against the stage. It was such a different prospective. I really loved it. We were on the side, so some of our view was obstructed (which was ok with me because I had see it) and it was so great. The actors were right there; I could reach out and steal a sword. It’s hard to control the longing to just jump up and join them. And I must say it gets difficult to stand that long once you reach the fifth act…but it’s so worth it.
(our view right along the stage. We literally leaned there the entire time.)
Orientation Day three. Had some individual meetings with Voice and Alexander teachers. Then we had another tour of the Banquet House and the Houses of Parliament. It was really really interesting and lots of fun!
(That's Michael Winter, our Shakespeare Tutor :D)
(Paintings in the Ceiling of the Banquet House)
(Houses of Parliament)
(Sinead and Big Ben!)
We got out at 5 and had the rest of the evening to ourselves. I decided to finally go see (500) Days of Summer. WHICH I LOVED. Of course. I loved the dance sequence. Come on, you have to admit you’ve had that moment when you’re walking down the street, so happy you could just break into a huge dance number. I think it’s brilliant. Life should so be like this…where everyone just joins in. Seriously.
And today i just spent walking around. I really wanted to find some reliable internet which failed miserably. It's been off and on today. I bought the 500 days of summer soundtrack and a scarf. AND I FINALLY FOUND TROILUS AND CRESSIDA at the 3rd bookstore i tried (in Notting Hill). And now i'm just back home doing lots of work getting ready for the crazy week ahead. We have class like 12 hours day. It's going to be so much work but lots of fun i hope <3
Hopefully (if internet and time allows) i'll get back to you all sometime this week. Let you know i'm alive and all.
Today felt long. We got lots of information on living in London and met a bunch of the professors. It was a nice start, and tomorrow i think is going to be even more exciting. I really cannot wait to see Troilus and Cressida again. I really did love it.
I'm just worried. And i have to keep reminding myself it's ok to be worried, everyone else is. I just think, i expected it to be different. I mean, when you're a freshman in college, everyone is in the same boat because no one knows each other. I was expecting this experience to be the same...but actually most students came here with other kids from their school. A group of 5 came here together. So i'm finding it difficult to feel...apart of the group. But, i know once we start classes and get to know each other things will change. I just don't like this shy and uncomfortable feeling right now. But i'm sure it will evolve eventually. I do really like the people i've gotten to know though, and i think i'm going to get along well with everyone...it just takes time.
I'm also obviously worried about classes, and the level i'm at compared to everyone else. But i'm always worried about that. I just have to continually remind myself that we're learning. It's a learning experience. Dad reminded me that i really just have to do the best that i can, i mean what else can i do, right? But again, we'll see.
Right now i'm going to do some reading. I'm sure tomorrow is going to be lots more exciting. This time instead of being high up, we're going to be standing in the middle part of the Globe theatre. I'll literally be leaning on the stage watching them. I'm so excited. We're going to have to get there early.
Good night,
Love T
ps. Isn't that a great picture. While we were all leaving LDA someone noticed this on one of the flats we passed. It's right on the corner of Kensington square. Such a beautiful vine.
Alright so here are many pictures of the flat. It's about 10 here, and i'm settling in. I think i'll do some reading (Julius Caesar) and then head to bed because i've got an early morning (breakfast with Dad and then figuring out the immigration stuff at LDA). But so far so good. Although, we may have a little mouse friend upstairs (kitchen/living room).
(Please note my makeshift bookself)
(view from my room)
And then if you go up our little staircase you get to the Kitchen and Living room :D
SO, there you have it. I think everything is really homey and wonderful. I love being on the top floor because i have a great view, but we're also away from everything. My flatmate (Aylia)is lovely, i think we're going to get along very well! So, all in all everything is going well.
I'm studying abroad in London for the fall semester. Hopefully this blog will chronicle my interesting adventures...that way my friends and family can have some idea what's going on across the pond :)
