Wednesday, January 12, 2011

ENGLAND!

Hello Everyone,

Finally- the long awaited blog.  I'm sorry this took so long.  It is in part due to the fact that I have no knowledge of computers and apparently entered the wrong number into the database for our wireless and then was too lazy to figure out how to get internet while I was exploring my new home for the next couple of months.  But finally- here I am (and I think my roommate Andy is really happy that I don't have to use his computer every morning- anyways thanks Andy, you're a champ.)

Well, I'm here.  I arrived after a very smooth flight where I met a new friend Ross, a kind British chap who was leaving his fiancee in New York City for the last time before his wedding in May, when he moves to the USA permanently.  We connected when I saw he was reading an article about the Red Sox owners who were buying the Liverpool "football" team.  So we got to talking and it seems there is now one more Red Sox fan in the world and one more Liverpool fan in the world.  Anyways, one of my goals was to find a favorite football team while I was here and it seems that was accomplished before I even got to England.  Ross and I spent the entire flight talking, I did sleep for one hour and did watch an episode of Modern Family, which he said was a must see.  Once the plane landed we parted ways and he left me his name so that we could become facebook friends.  He lives on the other side of England, on the coast all the way on the tip. 

Eventually we got to the flats and moved in.  I'm living with Andy and Dennis.  Andy is a political science/communications major so we have a lot in common.  Dennis is simply the man.  He is probably about twice my height, twice my weight and African American, but he is one big teddy bear.  We've gotten along really well.  Two days ago we went for a walk around near were we live Islington.  We found a lot of great stuff and had fun talking to some locals in a park we found.  Anyways, we are going on another adventure to figure out the tube tonight and see Big Ben at night. 

The school at FSU is on the Museum Mile.  I go to class literally two minutes from the British Museum.  I walk by it everyday I walk there!  It is amazing!!!  I start class on Friday.  I'll let you all know how it went.

I had my first day with London Citizens today.  We got up in our ties and all at 7 to depart at 8 (by the way, I'm getting pretty good at English breakfests, also...I discovered greek yogurt with honey.).  Once we got there we met a very enthusiastic team and we had a day long training.  Basically what I'll be working on is their "Living Wage Campaign" against the Tescos' in London.  I'm being assigned a district in London soon where I will go to Tescos and try to talk to cleaners and other workers about their wages with the intent of scheduling a meeting with them at a cafe or on a bus about getting involved with our campaign against Tescos to get them to pay their workers the Living Wage in London (7.85).  We are hoping to get them to publically testify on our behalf to get Tescos to sign a pledge to pay the Living Wage.   I'll explain more as the internship starts.  I'm really excited to get started though.  It seems like a really passionate group of people with a huge interest in helping people out.    

Oh and of course!  I had my first pub visit.  I ordered some cider and then some Guiness. The pub was called the Three Kings, it was a great atmosphere.  The pub is right in Clerkenwell about five minutes from my flat.  

So far I've only really been lost twice. 

OH!  Also, I went to see "War Horse" at Drury Lane.  It was amazing!  The puppetry they used for the horses was unbelievable.  See it if you get a chance!!!!!

I miss you all.  But for now I'm doing really really well here in London.  I'm making a lot of new friends and I'm having a great time. 

I'll talk to you all soon.  I love you America and don't consider it cheating when I say that I'm falling in love with Europe.

CHEERS America! 
 

5 comments:

  1. I thoroughly appreciate the fact that you called Andy a champ. I also appreciate the fact that you blog.

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  2. Hi Stephen -

    Sounds like you're having a great time !! We miss you here, but envy the fact that you're having the experience you are. We got 20+ inches of snow today, so things aren't moving very well. Keep ordering the full pints !

    Tom M.

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  3. Hi Stephen,
    GREAT stuff! Glad to hear and see (!) that you are having fun and meeting some wonderful people! Enjoy the moment, keep laughing and learning.
    Love Dad

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  4. Hi Stephen
    I`ll keep a look out for you when I fly in on Thurs am.! Will be in London next Sunday eve at my brother`s house in Ealing, if there is anything you need me to bring back to US let me know!or anything I can bring you.

    mixing guiness and cider is a first!!!how did that feel?

    have you had any marmite yet?

    love Rosalind

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  5. Marmite is the biz! Glad to hear you're discovering the UK and the US are indeed divided by a common language but still have much in common! Simon (Rosalind's brother) aka The URL of Ealing

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