First Day :)

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!

Miss you all!
Cheers! T

Orientation Day 2 and 3

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.

Cheers!
-T

The internet is for...NOTHING.

The internet here stinks. We have to go through this service and recently it has been DOWN all the time. I get on for 4 seconds and then it decides to die. It is so extremely annoying.

SO, please forgive me if you send me a message and i don't get back to you. It might be because i haven't gotten online in a day. Urg.

More later, i'm just running off to a few individual meetings today and then a walking tour of some grand places. I've got lots of pictures from yesterday and i cannot wait to talk about seeing Troilus and Cressida again.

Cheers,
T

Orientation Day 1

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.

I really live here!

Today was my first real day. I think it went pretty well :D

For some reason, when i set an alarm, i always wake up multiple times before it goes off. If i don't i'll sleep until whenever. strange? yes.

So, woke up and hopped on the tube to see Dad. We decided to have breakfast before he left, and i had to head into school early anyways so it worked out nicely. We ate breakfast and then headed out together, he took one line and i took another. That was extremely hard for me i must say. It was very comforting having him so close by and (as i hope you can see) we had such a wonderful vacation together, i do miss him a lot (Yes mom, i miss you too very very much <3).

Anyway then i headed down to school to have a chat about this whole immigration thing. Good lord, i got freaked out at first...we thought maybe i'd have to leave the COUNTRY or something silly. But after chatting about it for a while we all realized that i was perfectly legal and that i really didn't have to worry about it right away. So we're just tabling it for now, and over the next few days/weeks we shall work something ok. *sigh*

Then i met my roommate (Aylia) and her friend from school Sienna (who is also so wonderful) and we found some lunch and did some important flat shopping (such as much needed toilet paper and dish soap).

I also did my first grocery shopping! Simple, but i think my mother would be proud. I bought some pasta, apples, peaches, healthy special k cereal...milk, orange juice and English Breakfast tea. Oh, and butter. I couldn't find any sugar...so...i'll have to hunt for that. But all and all i'm pretty proud ;) Is there any type of sugar you SHOULDN'T get? Because they had all these labels that i didn't understand. I must have looked crazy because i was walking around for like 10 minutes. Oh well.

Then we lazed around the flat for a bit. It was really nice and i had a great chat with Aylia. We're very similar and love a lot of the same things :D I'm so lucky! Eventually we (sienna came over for dinner too! :D) made some dinner and watched some BBC (we get 5-ish channels). And then decided to check out the local pub. It was nice, and we're hoping that it becomes a regular thing. The do have a quiz night ;) Then the three of us took a nice walk around the neighbourhood.

And now i'm back getting ready for bed. Orientation (and thus all the craziness) starts tomorrow. Egads! Hopefully all goes well, i'm excited but extremely nervous for everything that lies ahead. This week has gone by very slowly (which is great) and it makes it feel like i've been here for months. So it's strange to think i'm just starting school. It's odd.

Alright, sorry this was lots of rambling. I guess I'm off to do more reading. I promise more pictures soon, i thought pictures of my apples might not be as interesting ;)

Cheers!
T

Ps. I still can't believe i actually live here.

Home Sweet Home!

Hiya,

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.

Alright, Caesar calls. Sleep well!
Love, T

Moved In!

I'm here! I'm going to do a full post with pictures later but i just wanted to say i'm finally here. My flatmate is lovely and we have lots of room! :D I have my own room (sadly no bookshelf...but i'm making due). We're at the top floor so i have a lovely view, and i really love our kitchen/living room. It's a really great flat, and i'm so happy to be here :D

I did get a phone (hem, i mean Mobile), so i should be able to receive calls from home and i have 100 minutes to call home. So let me know if you want the number.

Alright, until later tonight...
-T

Ps. I did want to mention that i finally found a B&N like bookstore. It's awesome. Dad and i went to Piccadilly Circus yesterday and found the Waterstones bookstore. It was HUGE. 5 floors. But i'm very happy. ALTHOUGH, they were completely sold out of Troilus & Cressida. Lame. Which, funnily enough is the show LDA is going to see friday night. WHICH i am super excited about seeing it again. I really really loved it so much.

More to come later <3