When you live in the same town, in the same house, within a radius of 100 miles for 20 years, which just happens to be the age you are; you feel like there’s nothing you could possibly be taking advantage of. You say to yourself, what is there here that I couldn’t find anywhere else? Let me answer that for you now.

There’s a tobacco field hidden at the end of my road that has given me more peace and relaxation than any cigarette has ever given anyone… There’s a corn field that has managed to restore my love for a food that brings me so much pain when I consume it… There’s a dog lying in my bed that has more personality than most of the people I’ve met… There’s a beach house that holds more good memories inside it than my actual house has… There’s the funniest couple you’ll ever meet waiting for me to fill their house with laughter and messes again… There’s an ice cream and a donut shop that literally has an entire town revolving around them… There are best friends who would follow me to the end of the world… There’s a big screen TV with the Boston Red Sox playing on it, with a take out meal ready and waiting… There’s family never too far away, in case you need them, or they need you… There’s my own personal prince waiting patiently to take me into his arms… What do I have there that I can’t find anywhere else? How about everything. Everything that I’ve ever loved.

I’ve been saying that if I could only take my friends and family from home and transplant them in England, then life would be perfect… But that’s wrong. Nothing would be the same here. I know too many people who are still searching for a constant, who are still trying to cement things to be in their life for more than a year. There are too many people still searching for a place to call home, who would love to be able to look back 20 years and see the same loving faces and special places. There are dreams that I’ve had too but I think maybe I’m lucky enough already.

I love you England, I do.  As much as I knew I would.

But this will have to be just a passionate love affair…

We’re getting to almost a year since I last posted a poem on this blog and I’m really sad that I can’t share new ones with you anymore. The ones from these past months have had new topics and new vibes, I wish you could all see the progress I’ve made. Unfortunately I just don’t feel right about publishing them here anymore, especially after I found out people were using them. And not just poems, my thoughts as well – which disturbed me more than the poems. You can’t steal thoughts people! Anyway, I hope someday I can share these with you, in whatever form I have to, but for now I’ll stick with posting travel stuff, photographs, and music only. Thanks for sticking with me :)

The novelty of being in LONDON has worn off and it’s amazing how content I am to spend my days in my little southeast part of central London. I think I’ve fallen in love with it. Forget Oxford Street and South Kensington, London Bridge is my home (not literally, I’m not homeless). I continue to explore, I recently got lost in both Chelsea and the City. I think I’m almost done with the places I can get lost; I’ve been to them all. Classes are done and this month I’ll be traveling across the UK and Ireland. It’s surreal that in that time I’m going to have to register for classes back home, and apply to internships for next semester. Being back in Western Massachusetts will be an interesting transition… Can’t you all just move over here??

London – specific

• • Climb the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • Ride the London Eye
  • Be in the audience of a BBC show
  • Go to a football match (England v Ghana, so sick!)
  • Beach comb the Thames River (Plenty of glass and bones)
  • Sit in on a criminal trial at Old Bailey’s
  • Visit Platform 9 3/4 [The photo op was actually on platform 8 :( ]
  • Stalk Chris Martin (He found me!)
  • Visit Sherlock Holmes House (Kind of by accident)
  • Get an Abbey Road zebra crossing picture
  • See Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre
  • Ride in a black cab
  • Find the place where Jimi Hendrix died
  • Experience London club life (All I can say is, Fabric…)
  • See a part of the Royal Wedding party (So amazing!!!)
    
  • Give accurate directions to a foreigner (How do I get to London Bridge? I know that one!!)
  • Drink a pint (Lots of cider AND I managed one IPA haha)
  • Shop on Oxford Street (Primark – the UK’s Forever 21)
  • Go on a Jack the Ripper tour
  • Tour the Tower of London (again)
  • Go to the London Zoo
  • Go to Buckingham Palace (again)
  • Pick up British terminology (Queue, hob, stone, toilet, pavement, top-up, etc.)
  • Become a regular somewhere (Café Nero Waterloo Bridge every Monday @ 12, please don’t stalk me.)
  • Shop in Portabella Market (Need to go again, loved it!)
  • Shop in Camden Market
  • Frequent Borough Market (every week, because it’s amazing)
  • See a live band

England – specific

• • Go to the coast
  • Climb to the Seven Sisters
  • Tour Windsor Castle
    
  • Go in a proper medieval castle
  • Go to a proper country estate
    
  • Tour Hampton Court Palace
  • Visit Bath
  • See Stonehenge
  • Visit Oxford
  • Visit Cambridge
  • Experience the beauty of the Peak District
  • Visit York
  • Visit Edinburgh and the Highlands
  • Experience the beauty of the Lake District
  • Experience the beauty of the Cotswolds
  • Visit Wales
  • Visit Ireland
  • See the Beatles hometown of Liverpool
  • SEE SOME SHEEP, MY FAVORITE ANIMALS

Europe – Specific

• • Get off this island!
  • Spend some time with my best friend somewhere in Europe!
  • Spend a weekend in Paris <3

Personal Goals

• • Remain Vegetarian
  • Live alone (unless someone is living in my cupboard I think this is a done-deal)
  • Know Central London like the back of my hand
  • Spend money wisely (‘tis a tricky one!)
  • Really learn something useful from each of my courses (As for if this will reflect in my grades, I do not know)
  • If I’m going to watch TV then only British shows
  • Learn the difference between Londoners and the rest of the English people
    

That’s all for now, come back for updates!

When I first arrived in Southwark from Southwick, Ma, USA, I wasn’t impressed. First impressions were not anything I had hoped for; to be sure it wasn’t anything close to Notting Hill. It’s taken about a week of exploring and returning to my new home to really appreciate the area. This Saturday we walked down to Borough Market and were completely taken off guard by how amazing the local scene was. There were smiling vendors selling everything: meats, wheels of cheeses, spices, vegetables, wine, granola, breads. It was a wonderland of local products. From there we explored the winding streets near the Thames and discovered hidden restaurants and pubs, our very own Cathedral, and a docked pirate ship. Walking under bridges became magical when we realized the ceilings sparkled and danced with webs of little lights that stretched from end to end.

There’s also a video of one particularly fancy show: http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=16309695&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

Clink Street LED Mesh Installation from Halo Lighting on Vimeo.

Because very occasionally I am lucky, I happen to live in a part of Southwark called “The Borough”, and for anyone who reads Harry Potter, that really is a treat. If you’d like to learn more about my area follow this link: Southwark Council

And maybe the next time you visit London, after you visit the tourist attractions and the upscale neighborhoods, maybe you’ll venture down to Bankside and see our old London retreat.

Although I have London Calling stuck in my head at the moment, the song that portrays today and this entire week isn’t as cliche, and (thankfully) it isn’t the pop songs we heard 6 months ago in the US that every store in London is currently playing. It’s Coldplay’s Life in Technicolor II. It fits because obviously- it’s Coldplay, it’s one of my favorites, it’s upbeat, and it’s ironic – because my feet have never touched the ground as much as they have this one week. We’ve walked in fog, and rain, and one time sun, day and night, in company and alone. Walking, walking, walking, feet on the ground. Plus, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in London, the Brits are even funnier than I thought, and this video is quite amusing:

Today is the last day before I embark on an adventure to a land that I have dreamt of for most of my life. I know I will grow up fast, change my views, and live a way I have never had the opportunity to live before- but I also know that I will stay the same. I’ll always be the same little girl with big ideas and big dreams; and that is why I don’t say good-bye… I know I’ll see ya later.

Very soon I will be departing to spend five exciting months in the city of London! I’ll be splitting time between classes at King’s College, exploring every crevice in the city, and travelling to the other European countries and English cities.

Every chance I get I’m going to update with a picture, a song, and some kind of reflection or news. Hopefully it’ll keep everyone entertained and in touch :)

Follow the links, take a listen–

And add them to your playlists -

Bon Iver:

Flume

Skinny Love

The Wolves (Act I And II)

Blood Bank

 

Florence + the Machine: 

Cosmic Love

I’m Not Calling You a Liar

Drumming Song

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpLXQorSQe8]

Heavy In Your Arms

Dog Days Are Over

A Fine Frenzy:

Near to You

The Beacon

Almost Lover

Ashes and Wine

Smashing Pumpkins:

Zero

Tonight, Tonight

Disarm

Neil Young:

Old Man

Needle And The Damage Done

My My Hey Hey

Schuyler Fisk:

Hello

Who Am I To You

Fall Apart Today

Paperweight (with Joshua Radin)

Rachael Yamagata:

Over and Over

I’ll Find A Way

Worn Me Down

The Reason Why

Duet (with Ray LaMontagne)

Fleet Foxes:

White Winter Hymnal

Ragged Wood

Your Protector

Blue Ridge Mountains*

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tbX_NJn98]

Led Zeppelin:

All of My Love

Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You

I Can’t Quit You Baby

Ten Years Gone

When The Levee Breaks

Band of Horses:

The Funeral

No One’s Gonna Love You

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuZo7pLnL7c]

Is There A Ghost

The Black Keys:

I Got Mine

Psychotic Girl

All You Ever Wanted

Lies

Bowerbirds:

Hooves

In Our Talons

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RCFswPhyY0]

Human Hands

Dark Horse

City and Colour:

Day Old Hate

Hello I’m in Delaware

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XVj01RKDDc]

Casey’s Song

Comin’ Home

The Dear Hunter:

What It Means To Be Alone

Life and Death

The Tank

Red Hands

The Bitter Suite 1 and 2: Meeting Ms. Leading and Through The Dime

Mustard Gas

Mumford And Sons:

Awake My Soul

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N45Ni375US0]

The Banjolin Song

The Cave

Horse Feathers:

Curs In The Weeds*

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0RsyF5oEzI]

Working Poor

Heathen’s Kiss

Lydia:

Smile, You’ve Won

Hospital

This Is Twice Now

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA_oPIU83GY]

Stay Awake

Ingrid Michaelson:

Glass*

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9btJOnrBsI]

Corner Of Your Heart

Winter Song (with Sara Bareilles)

Ray Charles:

Drown In My Own Tears

Georgia On My Mind

Hit The Road Jack

You Don’t Know Me*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-5LwRinkJ0]

Snow Patrol:

You Could Be Happy*

Run

Make This Go On Forever

The Maine:

This Is The End

Into Your Arms

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKrndtqKtWE]

Coldplay:

Life in Technicolor ii

Strawberry Swing  

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMLUyUfcij8]

We Never Change

Rainy Day

Good Old War:

Just Another Day

Looking For Shelter

I’m Not For You

The Temper Trap:

Sweet Disposition

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vkqx4nRLdc]

Science of Fear

Love Lost

Fools

Wolfmother:

Where Eagles Have Been

Vagabond

Pleased To Meet You

Joker and the Thief

Saosin:

Follow And Feel

It’s Far Better To Learn

I Never Wanted To

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeSlBejOm1A]

Thomas Newman:

Revolutionary Road

American Beauty

Shawshank Redemption

Hans Zimmer:

Why So Serious? – The Dark Knight

Discombobulate – Sherlock Holmes*

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vML70Tf8ZpA]

And Then I Kissed Him – Pearl Harbor

The Legend Spreads – Braveheart

Dario Marianelli:

Liz On Top Of The World – Pride And Prejudice

End Credits – Pride And Prejudice

You’re Hands Are Cold – Pride And Prejudice

A few more original scores:

James Horner:

A Kaleidoscope of Mathematics – A Beautiful Mind

Danny Elfman:

Alice’s Theme – Alice In Wonderland