Ok, so technically this was the 2nd weekend I've spent here, but it was the 1st weekend after classes started and after I finally settled in a bit and the 1st weekend I didn't have planned orientation activities to go to most of the time. For all real purposes, this weekend was my first weekend in London. Since I don't have work or ESA or Daily Colonial and my last classes is on Thursday, I have a long free weekend.
I'll give you some highlights of places I went. Places I recommend we must go when you come visit me (as I hope many of you will).
(1) The Rocket- its a bar near campus which sounds boring enough but they play 90s rock and hip hop with music videos and everything and they have mini pool tables. I love the 90s. Enough about that.
(2) La Perla- I finally found good food in London. And mexican none the less. Its not the most authentic mexican food in the world, but it tastes like the kind of mexican food you find in Georgia, which is good enough for me. Another bonus- its within easy walking distance of my flat.
(3) Brick Lane- this is the street/area known for its Indian and Bengali food but during the weekends (at least) they also have a market with a bunch of different ethnic food vendors and other weird odds and ends. This place also has a ton of thrift and vintage stores. Needless to say, I'll be making my way back when I have more time to shop.
The gate to Brick Lane...
And this is just the restaurant part of it. The market part was about 24X more awesome.
And I vaguely remember I would tell you the weird things I notice about this place culturally since I already had my list about the quirks of the school. So here are some:
(1) These people eat dinner so late. 10 PM dinner? no thank, unless you want my stomach growling for 3 hours beforehand.
(2) They go out early. Which doesn't make since given the above statement. In the rare event that I actually go out in DC rather than watching movies with friends or knitting or doing whatever lame thing my 85 year old soul desires, we usually leave about 12 or 1am. Here things start closing then.
(3) I have yet to meet many british students. I have met a ton of Americans here for the semester or the year and people from lots of other countries like Germany, Jamaica, Italy, Greece, Canada, etc but barely any Brits. Why? I'm not sure. I think it has something to do with the fact that affiliate (study abroad) students seem to stick together and something to do with the fact that a lot of British students live an hour or so away from campus but besides that I don't know.
(4) As I briefly mentioned, the food is not so great. Not a big surprise.
(5) Everything costs the same as it does in the US except instead of a $ you have the GBP in front. Which makes everything about 1.5 times more expensive here :(
(6) I am a slob compared to these people. Everyone is always dressed up. I need to go shopping...
And if you haven't noticed, I am a big fan of lists.
Oh, also I went on a bus tour of London which rather than making me feel like I knew the city better, actually made me realize how much I didn't know/hadn't seen. I have so much to do over the next 5 months...
That is all.
Much love,
Erica
1. The first three places sound like a dream come true to me. All The Rocket needs is an air hockey table and you’re set for life.
ReplyDelete2. As for you not meeting any British boys…er, students: For the sake of me living vicariously through you, this needs to change. (Don’t worry. You still have time.)
3. I am a huge fan of lists as well. Keep it up.
In other news, I’m missing you during restaurant week! Spotted(/smelled): Indian food truck makes its way onto Foggy Bottom campus. More on that later. In the meantime, I’ll leave you to your 10 p.m. dinners and inauthentic Mexican food. Enjoy…
Love,
Kels
haha (1) you are so right about the rocket (2) I will try to speed up the pace and (3) you know I will
ReplyDeletePlease keep me informed on the Indian food truck. Thats going to have to be the 1st thing we do next year
I agree. We'll eat it in The Fishbowl.
ReplyDelete