Embankment and the Human Experience?

For my History Class this week, we walked around near Embankment. For those not in the know, Embankment is a Tube stop right near the Thames. In fact, the name "embankment" is because the area is an artificial bank over the Thames. In 1862, Embankment was built by architect Joseph Bazalgette. This was installed to create a sewer system for London, which in turn narrowed the Thames River. By shrinking the width of the river, the current became deeper and flowed quicker, which changed the topography of London from then on.
From the1608 to 1814, Frost Fairs were held occasionally on the frozen Thames during the winter. Because the water flowed so slowly, it was able to freeze and solidify enough for people to open a marketplace and hold celebrations. With the reconstruction of London Bridge and the development of Embankment, the Thames' current increased and was no longer likely to freeze over again. It's amazing to how our involvement and development can alter nature. Looking across the Thames, seeing London Eye and Westminster Palace and other iconic buildings of the skyline, it's breathtaking.
I never lived in a city before this semester; I lived in the countryside when I was young and suburbs more recently. The swell of people moving all around at all times of the day, having their own individual dreams and plans they are trying to fulfill is just amazing. I remember one of my first "epiphanies" was that everyone has their own story, and London is the best example I've found. I walked around Embankment with my class, appreciating the majestic buildings and old churches - but I was more appreciative of the experience in of itself.
We cut through the "Legal" District of London near Lincoln's Inn and was immediately transported back into a different world. Barristers and Solicitors walked around with their subfusc on, wigs in the windows. The park area was isolated from the city completely, it was almost silent. Old men walked in suits, putting their tattered briefcases in their extravagant cars. I felt completely out of my element - there was no way we blended in. I found myself wondering whether or not even they took their pomp and tradition seriously. Either way, it was an incredible experience to witness another component of a life I have never seen, nor will live.

Samuel Johnson on London

“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

Continuation of the Excursion (Might get heavier than expected?)

After Windsor Castle, we headed to Stonehenge. I'd been to Stonehenge years before, and surprisingly enough, it hadn't changed. The weather got dreary as soon as we arrived, rainy and cold. The area is quite flat, so standing on the top of the hill is quite windy. But we had a good time walking around talking with Tony about the possible theories of Stonehenge.
He mentioned Woodhenge (a henge made out of wood, easy enough to imagine) which was located nearby and its' significance.
Just how people are buried with a gravestone, and how in Jewish culture it's customary to leave stones at a burial site, stone has always been a symbol of death. It highlights the permanence of death, or rather the impermanence of life. (I'm all about permanence today, apparently). Likewise, wood is a living entity, which grows, feeds and can die. Between the two henges is a river. Reminiscent of the Ganges River in India, the River Styx in Greek mythology, Viking crematory practices (Ichabod Crane - Headless Horseman?) , water is a visible barrier between two worlds. Spirits/Undead?Evil forces cannot cross it. One interpretation of Stonehenges' existence is that it is a memorial to the dead. Woodhenge was a celebration of life, and where people may have the ceremony (funeral wake?) for the dead. The body would then be floated down the river and buried around Stonehenge.

I personally love that explanation. The symbolism of death is intrinsic to human nature - stone is a stark, desolate material that will outlast us all. While the fear, or at least thought, of death resides in everyone's mind, it is not necessarily faced daily. Instead of pushing the foreboding thoughts aside, we construct ceremonies and structures in our life to compartmentalize the fear. We have cemeteries, funeral homes and crematories. We have traditions of a wake, seeing the casket, offering condolences and sharing memories of those who have passed.
The idea that humans in 2000 BC had the same respect and reverence towards death really speaks volumes. Humanity has a collective consciousness, and there are universal principles that guide us. We may not have the same language, technology, or social constructs as people around the world or from different eras, but we are still mortal.
With such an overwhelming concern at the back of your mind, it's comforting to realize that no matter where you are, people are people. Grandly exaggerated and simplistic, sure, but it's still a good thought to hold on to. I may be thousands of miles away from my family, but I'm still surrounded by humanity.

Since it was raining heavily, we stayed for only twenty minutes before boarding the bus again. Once you see the group of rocks, you've seen them all.

Reflection - One Month In

I've been in London for just over a month now (Since Jan 18th), and it's incredible how fast the time has flown by.
When I first landed, I was staying in a hostel with a multitude of international travelers. Every night, I would hang out in the lounge area and chat with people from Australia and Brazil and all over the world. We could bond over the fact that we were all out of our element, and could ask "stupid" questions about the area. I remember that one Australian I met was looking for a job, and was wondering if I had any input about where and how to look. I had been in the country for a total of 18 hours, and I was "more experienced" than he was. The impermanence travel brings makes people much more open and willing to talk.
Later in the week, after everyone else in the Maryland program flew in, I was glad to have people I knew, or at least had a stronger connection to, to talk to. I could bond about the specific difference of American and English culture. There was a sense of familiarity, and we all huddled together to face the strange, unknown world of London.
At this point, I long for more. I enjoy being with Maryland friends, and I can tell that after this trip is over, those friendships will carry on. However, I haven't done enough exploration on my own yet. In my classes, they are predominantly Maryland students, so I struggle to find people of my age to branch out to.

My excursion last week was precisely what I needed. The night before, I was anticipating a horrible time, the weather forecast called for rain, and the departure time seemed so early for a Saturday morning. But as I continued to think about it, I realized that I was aching to move about. When I move about on weekends in London, I primarily hit the highlights -museums, and tourist attractions. I love seeing them, but it's not the true culture of London. (Ironic - I avoided it this weekend by going on a tour.)
Being able to take a bus around the countryside of England with tourists from other parts of the world was exciting. The locations were gorgeous, and I even imagined coming back to live in Bath (if only I had the money and flexibility!) later. But the real thrill for me was sitting next to an mid-20s Australian guy. He was working in London at PWC, and had his own experiences in the city. I could talk to him both about what his home in Australia was like, what he did in the London, and what he wanted to do.
In comparison, with my Maryland friends, I know where they're from, what they do - they're with me when they do it, and we make plans for the future together as well.

I can't wait for this weekend, I'm going on my first official trip with the Hiking Club from UCL to Waltham Abbey for a nice 7 mile stroll on Sunday. The last two weekends have really opened my eyes to how much country-exploring and culture-embracing I want need to do.

Saturday Excursion to Windsor Castle

Today I had my excursion trip to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. We had to meet at 8:30 outside of ISH, so needless to say, it was a dreadful morning. Kidding.
Our tour guide/driver was Tony, who was originally Irish but had lived in Connecticut and San Diego for most of his childhood. He was great, because he both had experience and knowledge of the US, but still was much more of an insider than we were. He also mentioned that he had his Masters in History, and he clearly knew his stuff.

Our first stop was at Windsor Castle, arriving precisely when it opened to the public at 9:45am (random time, right?). The Queen was residence, which could be seen by the Royal Standard being flown. Windsor Castle is her "weekend" home, and she stays in her private quarters while tourists wander throughout the more public exhibits. Any attempt to describe this place would fall short, but I'll try anyway.
I had been to Windsor when I was much younger, so I recognized the layout of the keep and where the guardhouse was. However, the most impressive part were the State Apartments. Aka, the extravagant places that the King and Queen would host banquets, dinners, and other fancy soirees. There were rooms decorated in homage to the "art of war", with busts of famous generals (the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and his predecessor John Churchill, etc.) and were covered in weapons taken from rulers the British Empire had conquered.

There were rooms for the Queen to grant audiences to people who would petition for her help, and the rooms were completely gilded in gold and paintings. The dining room had paintings on the ceiling and a frieze depicting Greek Gods surrounded by food. Every piece of furniture was either commissioned by master artisans of the time period, or were historical in another context. Every single room had a different theme and purpose, and it was incredible to realize that almost any object you saw was among the most valuable things in the world.

After walking through the State Apartments, we luckily caught the Changing of the Guard. The guards marched in while playing drums and flutes, and was very serious business. Although I have to add, the guard playing the bugle wasn't very good. Alas.
Right before we left to catch the bus away from Windsor, we popped into St. George's Chapel. It was also heavily ornate with high arched ceilings. The seats were roped off in most sections, which indicated how prestigious the people who were allowed to sit there must have been. Around the chapel were tombs to previous Kings and Queens. I also noticed that there were some markers on the walls and floor that were to commemorate people who were "benevolent and dutiful" to the monarchy in some way or another. As we entered the more private-looking sanctum in the front of the church, I remarked that I wondered where King Henry VII was buried. Without moving my feet, I looked down and realized that I was standing over him. The marker was part of the floor, like other "lesser" nobles had been. His grave/tomb/burial site also contained the remains of his wife Jane Seymour and Charles I.  How interested that someone as famous and notoriously egotistical wound up being buried in a (relatively, of course, it was still in a chapel inside of a castle) such non-descriptive way, and not even with his most recent wife.  There's definitely some good back story that I haven't heard yet that may explain this.

More on the rest of my trip later!

Walking around the Tower of London - History Class

For my History of London class, we went walking around the City of London. We met up at the Tower Hill Underground Station and walked from there to other monuments and buildings in the area. We stopped by the monument to the Merchant Marines who died in WWI and WWII. It was right next to the Tower of London, which has an interesting historical context. The tower was built in 1066 by William the Conquerer, and the areas around it were known for both public executions and being a "free" area of the city. People who would run to certain areas of the city to avoid being arrested or to avoid debts. Near the water was known for ruffians and other scandalous sorts of people. Interesting enough.

The memorial to the Merchant Marines was impressive, as there were wreaths of poppies (a tribute from the Battle of the Somme and later Armistice Day) everywhere. At the Vietnam Memorial, I haven't noticed such a prevalent presence of people paying tribute, merely tourists.

We then went to the Church of St. Olave - a Norwegian church that had an integral position in organizing the Norwegian rebel underground during WWII. It was amazing to walk in, realize that all of the statues to ships in the church was because Norwegian shippers were part of the rebel underground. During the Great Fire of London in 1666, there were so many people who died that the cemetery was overpacked with people. There were steps from the church up to accomodate for the number of bodies buried there.

It's incredible to me so walk around the City and realize that almost every building has its' history. Anything that was built before, and is still standing 1666 (Fire) was related to something that shaped London's future. We also went to the first synagogue in London, and the Guildhall. The synagogue provided refuge for immigrants during the 20th century. The guildhall allowed for different craftsmen to unite and provide support for each other. Later, the different guilds gained enough power to challenge the monarchy.

Unlike my personal history of the churches in America, the churches in England all have their unique and influential history. They can be tied to different pieces of European history. While the churches in US can be styled off of traditional Victorian or Tudor architecture, the English churches are the original.

There are ruins of Roman walls that surround the original City. I love Roman ruins and history, and seeing actual evidence of them juxtaposed with the modern buildings like the Gherkin and Lloyds was incredible. Overall, the depth of history in London is mind-blowing and I can't wait to explore more.

First Encounters at London Met

On Monday, I went to my first class at London Met. My campus is City, which means that it's based in the official "City" of London, not Greater London where my flat is. Moorgate is surrounded by business offices, and it's a really interesting dynamic. Instead of the more casual people I've seen walking around Regent's Park, everyone is in suits and look quite official.
Only 4 other people showed up to the seminar for my class (Industrial Economics), out of an expected 16. My professor was a little miffed about that, but carried on with the discussion at 12:00 promptly. I can't place her accent. She ran over the syllabus, and I'm really excited for the semester. We have a big coursework project where we have to analyze the market concentration of Hollywood, and the competitiveness of the market. (Yes, it's nerdy. It's also awesome.) My grade is determined by only two grades, the coursework and a final. I'm leaving early, so I'm going to have to take an alternative assessment for the final. I'll talk to her about that next week.

The hour between the seminar and the lecture, I walked around the City. I was amazed to look at the people going to lunch. Compared with my personal experience of the "Business World", it was so low-key. I noticed that a lot of people were walking in pairs and absolutely no one was on their phones. It seemed that when they take a break for lunch, they aren't still tied to the office. They can actually take a break. It's amazing. I wish that I could have done that last summer, even as an intern.

Lecture was filled with people who knew each other (three years in an Economics program would do that to you), so I didn't have many people to talk to except for one guy from my seminar. My prof went over the syllabus again, and added that the coursework was an optional group project. This seems to be an amazing opportunity - I can meet with other people in my class, and also get a better feel for how work is done here. I am a little worried about how to write papers here, as the standards definitely seem to be different than in America.

She also added "You are all adults, you can decide how you want to approach the coursework, and who to work with." This was also amazing to me. In America, I feel like all of my projects were either individual or group - no exceptions. Having the ability to choose how you wanted to is awesome. Related is the reading list. They give you a list of books to browse, not specific chapters to read. It places the responsibility of working and how to study on the student, not the teachers' instructions. I love the responsibility that's been placed on me.

The rest of the lecture was pretty consistent with what I was familiar with, but I'm still so psyched about the chance to work in a class that I'm fully excited for. Also, I have the chance to meet British students in my class. How great could is this!?