Finals, Goodbyes and Mom Arrives

Finals week went by surprisingly smoothly.  I finished one paper on Monday, a second on Tuesday, and the third on Wednesday after my Art Final.  Art was by far the most strenuous because I had to basically memorize the artist, title, method and year of over 100 works of art only to be tested over 20.  We had a very enjoyable study session for that test.

On Thursday morning my Mom arrived.  I was supposed to pick her up around 6AM to help her navigate the tubes but her flight was delayed and I had to get to a few finals, so I wrote her an e-mail so she and her friend Lee could navigate the system themselves.  However, at the bottom of the instructions I clearly stated that it would be easier to take a taxi, but they didn't read that part.  The two boarded the tube in rush hour traffic with big suitcases for an hour and twenty minute ride.  Now there are a few things everyone should know about the tube.  First is that tube etiquette is very similar to elevator etiquette, you don't talk to anyone and you don't take up much space.  Along with this knowledge everyone should know that the tube gets very congested and hot in weather over 60 degrees.  So my mom and her friend stood out like a sore thumb with there big luggage and semi-constant chatter.  She loves to tell the story, so if you see her, you should ask her to tell it.

While this is happening I was taking my Contemporary Britain final and my BES exit survey.  Neither were too strenuous, but they did leave me with a hand cramp.  As it was a Thursday, a whole group of us went for our last burrito at Tortilla.  Absolutely delicious!  It was a great sort of ending for our group.

I checked in on my Mom to make sure she made it and then went for my exit interview.  That was really our time to gripe and praise the program.  My group was the last and consequently, the longest.  I'm sure our Program and assistant director loved us after that.  I then met my Mom and Lee for a quick drink in their hotel.  I then showed them where I lived and pointed them in the direction of Buckingham palace because I had to leave for our exit party at Vandon.  There were contests for journals and pictures.  To my surprise this blog got me the award for best journal.  Woot!

While all this was going on my Mom managed to see Prince William through a car window exiting Buckingham Palace.  I had been there four months and never seen a member of the royal family, she is there 10 hours and sees a prince.  Where is the fairness?

I met my Mom and Lee for a pub dinner at the Albert.  That's where Mum fell in love with Fish 'N Chips.  I can't blame her though, that stuff is delicious.  We had a big day planned for Friday so we made it an early night and I had to pack still.  That was a chore and a half.

Stay tuned for the rest of Mom's London Visit.

Pip Pip Cheerio!

Ice Cream and Soccer

I didn't sleep well Sunday night.  I think I got on a bad sleep schedule with my lazy weekend.  I trotted off to work feeling pretty chipper because I finally brought my bright red umbrella with me somewhere when it was raining outside (Go me!).  That meant no frizzy hair at work.  Another obvious plus.  Two out of the four of us were sick, so it was pretty quite in our little room of an office.  I caught up on my Marketing Week, Marketing Weekly, Design Weekly, and Grocer readings.  I picked out my favorite articles to be tweeted out over the week.  PS - beware of the shameless plug to occur in 5...4...3...2...1...
All you twitter people out there should follow www.twitter.com/brand_magnetism.  They tweet about a lot of unique and fun design stuff, so get on that.

One of the articles I read had a very interesting title about someone sticking up two fingers to google.  I was like "Woah buddy!"  I thought I knew what it meant because I had watched British television shows at home like Red Dwarf, but I felt compelled to ask about it.  I call it a reverse peace sign, where the back of your hand is facing your insultee and you give a peace sign, but it doesn't mean peace.  I asked if it was the same as the middle finger in America and he said basically it means "F*** you!"  So I followed up with, "Well then what about when rap artists throw up the reverse peace?"  Patrick responded that it wasn't the same because it was out of context.  Everything needs to be in context, and specifically the gesture needs to be straight up and down for it to have the full effect.  So basically, I can now flip you the bird correctly in two different cultures, but I would never do that.  This conversation lead to a more humorous one about what a “thumbs up” hand gesture means in some Middle Eastern countries.  It does not mean, "it's all good", but we will leave it there.  I digress... moving on.

We enjoyed a fajita burrito for lunch and that about sums up Monday.  Tuesday I didn't have to go into the office directly because just after lunch Patrick and I were heading to Uxbridge to meet with someone from Haagen Dazs for a networking type of thing.  It was good that I didn't have to go in early because today I had to dress "smart" or as Patrick put it "suited and booted".  This was my first potential client experience/interaction, so I was nervous and excited.  It was a 40-minute tube ride from central London, so I read Dear John by Nickolas Sparks while Patrick read e-mails.  When we got there we enjoyed a cup of coffee to get into the zone before going in for the presentation.  London has a much greater cafe culture than we do in the states.  If you want a to-go cup you have to specify, otherwise you will get a mug.  Even at a Starbucks.  There is a lot more seating available and people spend tons of time in cafes.  Patrick and I discussed what exactly we would be doing, and what I would be doing.  Since this was my first time I wouldn't be expected to present anything (relief) but I would take notes of reactions and questions.  I was very glad to do it.

The meeting went very well.  The lady from Haagen Dazs was a delight and very spirited.  Patrick presented very well, and I took excellent notes, if I do say so myself.  On the ride back Patrick and I talked about the meeting and what would come from it over our sample size ice cream cups before I fell back into my book, and he into his e-mails.  We parted at Baker Street tube stop, but it was a good day.

Me and Bailey with the Charlton mascot.

That night was our program scheduled soccer match, Brighton vs Charlton.  On the train ride over, rowdy brighton fans boarded and sang merry (out of) tunes for their team.  I thought they were very entertaining.  The girls across from me and the man who smuggle a beer onboard next to me, did not think the spectacle was so entertaining.  The soccer, or as it's called over here football, match was a lot of fun.  We were right on the ground row A and right next to the Brighton section.  It was so easy to root for "Brighton from the south" when they were so spirited.  They ended up beating Charlton 2-1.  Let me tell you, professional footballers a hotties.  Trust me, I was right there.  I would love to go to another match any day of the week.

Brighton fans after they scored their first goal.  "Seagulls! Seagulls! Seagulls!"

Up close and personal to the action.

This is my man.  Hey Painter!

We had so fun (sarcasm) coming back.  Apparently we skipped a gate somewhere on the tube and had to pay extra just to wait a long long time.  Lesson learned: never forget to tap out on the tube.  When we got back, I enjoyed a delicious pickle from my stash and hit the hay.


Today was a day of classes, so besides booking some trips, nothing really interesting happened.  But a lot of interesting stuff will happen this weekend, so stay tuned.


Pip Pip Cheerio!

1st Tube Ride

Yesterday was your basic introduction day.  They took everyone in the program to a room in the chapel across the street and talked to us for about 3 hours.  We heard from our program director and the head of Westminster Police on safety.  It surprises me how safe London really is.  There biggest crime is theft of handbags, which as a female isn't too awesome because I carry a handbag, but as a student it's nice to know that that's basically my biggest worry.

After lunch we went on a walking tour.  It started at Tower Hill and ended back at the Vandon House.  We took the tube from St. James to Tower Hill where the Tower of London and Tower bridge are located.  We didn't actually go inside but the castle looks pretty awesome.  We went to some notable places.  One being the London Bridge.  I was disappointed that's no longer extravagant like it was in Shakespeare's time, but it was fun to know that I was walking in a place that both Shakespeare and Charles Dickens and other great minds had once traversed.

The Tower of London Castle keep.

The Tower Bridge is not the same as London Bridge.

The United States purchased the ground under the George Washington Statue outside the National Gallery so that he wouldn't have to stand on British soil.  Lol we're snobs.

After our walking tour we had meetings about internships and house rules.  Those were not so much fun.  Vandon House has a ton of freaking rules.  Some of the more stupid rules being that I have to be dressed for the day to eat breakfast (that means no PJs and no sweatpants) and no food in the rooms.  I like to eat and I don't want to walk all the way down stairs to grab the bread I bought the night before, that to me just seems silly.

Everyone has a really great attitude and I can't wait to get to know them better.  I had my advising meeting today and found out where geographically my internship is at.  It's about 40 minutes by tube.  While Bailey is in class next week I will do a try run and find out where the building is.  We are still figuring out what to do today, but It will be great I'm sure.

Pip Pip Cheerio!