Almost Home

I'm almost home for the holidays! I am sitting in the Toronto airport and will be boarding in a few minutes. I know I've been terribly silent on this blog, but I've been trying to sort out the London situation. And while it isn't perfectly sorted, I am headed back after Christmas!

All the stress was just making it so difficult for me to spend energy on anything else than making that decision. So, now that it's made, let the posting commence. Maybe even this week!

In the meantime, Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving

Although I am working today, and England doesn't know it's supposed to be giving me a long weekend for turkey and shopping, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. 

I know times are hard for me, and for many.  Despite this, I give thanks to my family and friends who are always behind me, supporting me, and wishing me the best!  

The one in which I am still emotional over

It's been a little over two weeks since that little thing called our election happened.  My election night tale, from across the pond, included a lot of crying. Which should come as absolutely no shock to anyone who knows me.  After all, some claim, I once cried during a Sally Jesse Raphael show. To that I answer: I plead the Fifth.  

I cried a lot on this election day, finally out of happiness and not disappointment.  I cried because the beauty of all those very different looking people from across the country coming together in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and all those other places I didn't see, to celebrate what I can only describe as a Super Bowl win for the whole country.   I cried because the country made history in the best kind of way, by doing something that seemed impossible before this night.  I cried when I saw all those people waiting to vote and wanting to actually be part of something, and I cried when thinking about how important youth (which, according to who you ask, I may or may not still be part of) were, and how engaged they became. I especially cried when looking at those Kenyan people, who truly live in a different world than most of us in the so-called developed world do, and their jubilation at the role their country played in making this president, and I cried at the symbolism, because I always cry at symbolism, of those two countries, Kenya and U.S., working together to make a president. I cried when looking at that beautiful new first family, because what has always made America the "land of opportunity" is this idea that all can be American, despite background, wealth, or color,  and at least at this moment, that felt true. 

I cried because in 1998 one of my college professors asked how many of us thought a woman would be president in our lifetime, and about two of us (including me) raised our hands.  And while a woman didn't win this time, I believe it will happen in my lifetime. Because in the lifetime of my parents and grandparents, Black people were systematically kept from voting, and now a person who would have been kept from voting is president. And while racism is most certainly not dead, it did sustain a blow that will hopefully one day lead to its death. I hope that there are little kids out there from households in America that are a little different from our own, who believe they too can be president one day, even if they are Muslim, or gay, or marginalized in other ways. And I will know that racism, and its twin, intolerance, really are on death's doorstep when that little kid becomes president in 2048, and we can point to 2008 when things began to change. 

 I cried at John McCain's speech, which was gracious and humble, and I was reminded why I  once liked him.  And I cried during Obama's speech, especially at the part where he talked about humility, because we all could stand to be a bit more humble in our lives. 

I know there is much work to do in the country, and that one man can not fix it all. Expectations are exceedingly high, and I suspect it will take exactly one week from inauguration for the punditry to began in on all he is doing wrong, and I will know life is just where it should be. But right now, I'm focusing on the moment, and the joy of it.  

Here are two videos, the first is of the coverage on the BBC that I watched, calling the race (and I am sorry the video is so bad, but for some reason this is all I could find). I doubt I will ever be able to watch this clip without crying for the rest of my life. The second, from Obama's speech, reaching out to those that didn't vote for him.  It so markedly different from talk of political capital to spend, and I hope for all those that didn't vote for Obama, it helped assure them that he wants to work for you too, since, as he famously once said, there is not a Red America or a Blue America, just a United States of America. 

Video 1:

Video 2:

(my favorite part starts around 8 minutes in)

Hope

I am pretty speechless right now, at 4:07 am in the morning, in London.  But, I am crying and in a bit of disbelief, because I think part of me was always afraid that it would all go wrong.  But it didn't and there is something to be said that our country now has its first non-white president, when 50 years ago many non-white folks were actively kept from voting.  And I think wherever you fall on the ideological divide this is progress in the best kind of way.  

So, this is what I have now: Happiness, tears, and hope.  

My current mantras

The first, by way of my flat mate Nicole (who has been wonderful at encouraging me to stay positive and listening to me when I have bad days) who gave me a little bookmark with this on it; the second by way of my Mom (who has always been wonderful and supportive of me in many ways, including listening to me when I have bad days).

DON'T QUIT
By: Anonymous

When things go wrong

as they sometimes will,

When the road you're

trudging seems all up hill,

When the funds are low

and the debts are high

And you want to smile

but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure

turned inside out--

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--

It's when things seem worst you must not quit.

To me, I take this as some comfort in these hard times for me. This endless struggle to find gainful employment in something that is at least somewhat enjoyable to me is taking its toll, financially and emotionally. This poem, with its assurances that something just might be around the corner is helpful. My sense of quitting, in the current situation, is just giving up because it has gotten a little hard. So, I'm giving it the old college try, and if it doesn't fall into place the way I want it to, it won't be for a lack of trying. And at that point, it won't be failure, it will be a growing experience. An experience in the worth of trying when it gets hard, and being open to other paths that one doesn't realize exist. Maybe my way is in London, or maybe it is someplace else. I know that right now, I want it in London, and I need to know at the end of the day, I did my best at trying. I've never done so well at trying at things that are hard for me, so it's about doing that. But it is also about learning to recognize failure that comes from lack of trying, and a different kind of "failure." And that's where the second "mantra" comes in.


THE SUCCESS OF FAILURE
By: Joan Chittister (a really cool nun who always has such great and calming things to say)
If there is anything that strikes terror into the soul of the sincere it is fear of failure. To be a success in something marks the measure of our worth. It gives us honor on the street corners of the world. It gives us stature among our peers. It gives us a sense of invincibility. But one of the central questions of life may well be how to tell success from failure.

It’s not so simple a task as we are inclined to think, perhaps, at the first toss of the question. Failure, we know, is unacceptable. We do a great deal to avoid it. We do even more to hide it. But the real truth is that there is a great deal of failure in all success: Winning pitchers lose a good many baseball games. Scientists can spend their entire lives mixing the wrong compounds, writing the wrong formulas, testing the wrong hypotheses.

The problem is that there are two faces of failure, one of them life-giving, the other one deadly. I have seen them both.

The first face of failure I saw in the life of an internationally recognized writer who, first intent on being an English professor, studied at Oxford but failed. I gasped at the very thought of it. But she spoke about the loss of those years and that degree with a laugh and a toss of her head: “Luckiest thing that ever happened to me,” she said. “Otherwise I’d be in a small college someplace teaching writing. As it is, I’m doing just what I’m supposed to be doing.” I thought about the remark for days. Here was a woman who knew the place of failure in our eternal quest to be ourselves.

The second face of failure I saw in a woman with great musical talent who, discouraged by the difficulty of her early studies, dropped out of music school and never studied another thing in her life. She died disgruntled, underdeveloped, and trapped within the boundaries of the self.

Clearly, failure may, in the long run, be the only real key to success. The first step to becoming what we most seek may well be indifference to dashed hope and perpetual disappointment and the depression that comes with reaching for guinea gold and grasping only dust.

But if that is the case, then we must develop the capacity for failure in a society that glorifies success but gives short shrift to the forging of it. We must learn to recognize, to value, to prize all the endless attempts it takes to do what we want to do but which for us is still undoable.

So, I'm taking both of these writings with me each day, not quitting, and also learning to "recognize that prize of endless attempts at trying," without feeling like if it doesn't work the way I want, I did something wrong. Not that this is easy nor have I perfected this quest that amounts to a peace within myself that I've done what I can do. But I am getting there and feeling more confident each day, even within many moments of doubt, that it will work out, somehow, in the end.

[if you want to read more of Sister Joan's stuff, go to http://www.benetvision.org/]

I have my degree!!

I recently found out that I was successful in my dissertation attempt and therefore have officially completed and obtained my Master's Degree!  While I don't officially graduate until March, they can't take it away from me now.  

The past year has been such an experience for me as I've chronicled as much as I could here on this blog.  And as excited as I am, I am also sad because it is officially over. Somehow I think I would be more excited if I could just find a job in the non-profit sector and felt like I was really getting myself some skills to help me get to the next level. 

Anyway, I have many thoughts running through my head, and I can't seem to get the thoughts to align into a coherent piece of writing--I've tried several times since my last blog post.  I'll keep trying and hopefully something soon will emerge!

Ocho Rios

Here are some pictures of Ocho Rios in Jamaica, which marked the first of many trips around the island I took while in Jamaica last year.  It's been a little over a year since I moved to Jamaica and that fact combined with me finishing my dissertation centered around Jamaica, I have been missing it very much lately. 

And because of that, you get a Jamaica picture. 

These particular pictures are at Dunn's 

River Falls, a "must-see" in Jamaica.  Yes it is touristy and cheesy, but it is also very cool and pretty. We climbed up the falls (and I didn't even hurt myself) and then walked down and played and lay on the beach, before heading home to Kingston. If I recall (and I do) our driver was late and there was a lot of traffic, but even that did not ruin the trip. 

 If you want to see more of beautiful Jamaica, as captured by me, click here.  

That's all for today, but I'll be back soon.  

Endings and Beginnings

I have come upon yet another time of change in my life, and frankly I've had quite enough for the past year. Since January 2007, I had three jobs in the U.S., got accepted to and began graduate school, lived in Jamaica, lived in London, worked another job in London, interned at two different non-profit agencies, finished graduate school, completed my dissertation, moved into yet another place, and said good-bye to (too many) people. Whew.

Really, it has been a bit much of late. Seriously though, the past year has provided me some wonderful opportunity for growth, both through good times and the not-so-good times. I've struggled to find my place as an intern in agencies when I was used to being integral in the daily decision making of the Service-Learning Center (oh geez, I almost wrote Centre). I've had to re-evaluate who I am as a student adjusting to not only new grading scales, but how I have changed (or not changed) since the last time, many long years ago. I've had to face the realities of a tight job market for the first time ever, and swallow my pride and be willing to take positions I feel I am over-qualified for. And then swallow it some more upon finding out I'm not even being considered for those, and ask lots of questions and make lots of phone calls to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I've celebrated reacting less emotionally in certain situations, but realized that on this front, I still have a long way to go. Duh. Most recently I have had to tell most, and soon all, of my newest friends, (my counterparts, my partners in this past year: my fellow classmates) good-bye as they left London to start their own new paths. I have struggled with the realities of living someplace where I literally have no support system anywhere near me and what that actually means, and wondering if I have the will to create a new support system. (I do, don't worry). But, I've also marveled at the opportunity and excitement that living in a new place, completely on my own, can bring.

I suppose all of this musing is to say good-bye to my year of graduate school, and hello to what comes next. I'm not entirely sure what this holds, but I know that for awhile, it is London. As is often the case with me, and I've written about this before, endings are sad for me. Even as I look forward to forging new relationships and building a new career, I am nostalgic for the past year. Part of this is of course the good times and people I met along the way; part of it surely is because at least then and there, I had map telling me where to go. I feel quite unsure about where I'm headed, although I feel like it is in the right direction. And writing all of this here is, I guess sort of "internet therapy," or not having to say it out loud all the time but still let you know, or maybe it is just because I enjoy writing, and they say write about what you know, and right now this is what I know.

Actually, it's probably just about me seeing how many commas and semicolons I can use in one post. I'm too tired to count, but if the goal was to use a lot I surely succeeded. Hmm, I think that is a byproduct of too much dissertation writing lately. But, actually, it is very indicative of what goes on in my head. People who know me well, know that my brain runs faster than my mouth, but my mouth runs pretty fast, and sometimes when it all comes out I wish I had the benefit of visual commas, semicolons, and parentheses to help me out.

Anyway, practically speaking, this blog may change a bit now that it isn't solely about my graduate school journey (since I started it as I was leaving). I'm still going to keep posting, but it may not always be so directly related to my life, as I presume that will become very boring in the upcoming months. (Which is, assuming it ever was not boring, which may be a fallacy of thinking on my part.) I will still keep up the picture of the week as I still have a ton of pictures and hope to keep traveling, once I get some money again. I'd also like to have more comments so if you're reading out there, let me know what you think!

So, now, onto my next challenge, and on that I will obviously keep you posted.

I will break radio silence soon...

well, I guess technically I just did. But only to tell you I will be breaking radio silence, not to actually break it. Note the difference, and also note how totally like Team Darlton of Lost I am. (If you get the reference you know what a total geek I am and roll your eyes. If you don't, just know it is one of my insane tv references and roll your eyes.) Anyway, the dissertation must be done on Monday and when that is done, then hilarity on this blog will ensue once more. maybe even intentionally.

wish me luck. please!

London

Here is a great picture of the London skyline, taken from Primose Hill, which is in the Belsize Park/Chalk Farm area.  This area is where a bunch of the more famous live, and apparently many stars walk in this park, or something like that.  It's quite a hill, let me tell you! Anyway, Trudy and I had lunch here one beautiful London day. 

I don't have much else to write, and I also have to say "oops!" I really did intend to update the picture last week, and I didn't get around to it.  I was preoccupied with UK Visa issues (which are for the most part worked out). I may not do a Picture of the Week the new few weeks, because I have three weeks until my dissertation is due and I have a lot of work to do!  I'll just have to see how it goes.

So, to hold you over I updated some pictures on my photo site, and my friend Jen and I started a new blog, centered all around our shared love--television.  Of course, neither blog will get the proper attention for a few weeks, but after that watch out!  Anyway, that blog is Two Girls in Love, with TV... and the address is twogirlsinlovewithtv.blogspot.com. 

Ok, back to work for me! Talk to you soon. 

Well, my Mac is pretty (and the sun is too)

So, sorry folks, I know I was meant to post a few days ago. But, I have a great excuse, really do: I've been working on the dissertation. So, in honor (or is that honour), my picture this week is my Mac, and one of my two typing hands. 

[hears outcry that a picture of a computer is all there is]

Oh, all right, I'll throw you a real picture too. I've been thinking about Jamaica a lot lately, probably partially because my    dissertation relates to Jamaica, and partially because it has almost been a year since I left for Jamaica, and partially because it has been almost exactly six months since I lived in Jamaica.  One of the things I miss most about Jamaica was the traveling we were able to do. I literally went all around the island, up a mountain, stayed at a nice hotel and an African hut, and of course saw the beautiful sun set over the ocean.  For our very last trip, we went to Treasure Beach, someplace we almost missed.  We decided, very last minute, to go ahead and make the journey on mini bus, and thankfully, it was totally worth it.  Treasure Beach is quite unlike other places in Jamaica in that it is not tourist-y at all.  In fact, if you don't like quiet or don't bring along your own fun, you may find it boring.  But, we found it a great place to spend one last weekend together before we all left for our various holiday destinations. We had fun on the beach riding some of the biggest waves we'd seen on the island, and just enjoying each other's company.

Anyway, here's to Treasure Beach and my fellow Jamaican IPSL kids: I really miss you guys! (well, not Jerome. But that's just because he lives 3 doors and 20 feet away from me) This sunset picture, possibly taken from a camera other than mine, is for you. 

Morocco

I have to apologize for this post being a day late.  I worked all weekend, and then went to a concert last night.  It was an iTunes Live concert; all of July iTunes has been hosting free concerts every day with various types of acts. Some, like last night's jazz groups are lesser known, and others have been more main stream, like Death Cab for Cutie.  Anyway, it was a lot of fun and a nice mellow way to end the weekend.  

So, to my pictures.  On the trip to Spain, as I think I've said, we went to Morocco.  We took a ferry from a port city in Spain to Tangier, Morocco.  The ferry was only about an hour, and it was somewhere, in luxury, between the ferry I took to Zanzibar and the ferry I took back from Zanzibar.  My sister, Alexis, will know exactly what I mean, but basically it was nice and comfortable if not overly luxurious.  And, there was no 'first class' with a big ol' spider in it!

Once we arrived in Tangier we had about six hours before we needed to be back.  We ended up hiring a guide to take us around on foot. We were very leery of doing this and being 'taken', but realized

 that there were no "Welcome to Morocco" tourist places, so we would need someone to help us nav

igate the winding streets.  We found out that most of the people off the ferry do this, and that it is just how it is done in Tangier.

We had a lovely day, and it was nice to get another Africa stamp in my passport; I had to get a new passport for this program (ugh, you know those things are good for 10 years, so um, yeah, I'm old) so I've been slowly re-filling it.     

We walked around and saw a carpet shop, a apothecary, had some traditional Moroccan tea, and ate hummus and falafel. We also found out that many movies that are set in some sort of African or desert-esq city are being filmed in Morocco.  The scene in upper picture, taken from the roof of the carpet shop, should look familiar to those who have seen the Bourne Ultimatum. Our friend, Jason Bourne, went running across the various roofs in this picture.  Blackhawk Down (a movie that I, inexplicably, love) was also shot here.

We really didn't have enough time to explore, but it was definitely enough time to 'wet our whistle' so to speak.  I'd love to go back and explore more of not only Tangier, but Northern Africa. I'd like to see how different it is from Malawi and Tanzania.  It did remind me of Stone Town in Zanzibar, probably because both cities have strong Arabic and Muslim influences.  The second picture shows how close the buildings are.  

One other thing: many of the guide books will tell you how 'dangerous' Tangier is.  We never really felt that way, and I think it goes to show that you really shouldn't put too much stock in avoiding 'dangerous' places. You just need to be careful and make smart decisions (like paying for a guide).  If we'd listened we wouldn't have been able to see how beautiful Tangier is!

Have a nice week. 

Me and Holmes

I love detective novels, especially British detective novels.  Give me a good Agatha Christie novel and a rainy London evening and I'm all set. And a dork. I also love Sherlock Holmes, despite the fact that I haven't read that many Sherlock Holmes books.  What I really love the most, though, are Sherlock Holmes statues.  Yes, I am weird.

On my first trip to London, in 2004, it was important for me to head over to Baker Street (where Holmes' office was). The tube station (on the Hammersmith & City, Metropolitian, Jubilee and Bakerloo lines) is all Sherlock.  There are little tiles with his profile and everything. (The statue is technically on Maryleborn Street).  Since living in London I even spent one evening with Jerome and Javier, in search of Holmes.  Since we so brilliantly went into London without our trusty A to Z's, we wandered around for about 2 hours until we finally found Sherlock.  Around midnight.  In January. Alas, he was all covered in scaffolding, but it didn't stop me from getting a picture.  But, he was all fixed when I went back with Kymberly and Justin. Plus it was light out, and much warmer.  Then, when we headed to Edinburgh we found a statue of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who I am sure you know, created Sherlock Holmes. The statue looks eerily like Sherlock, so I think it counts as a Sherlock statue.  Anyway, I've put up the three pictures of Sherlock I have, all taken this year.  If anyone can tell me where there is a Dr.Watson statue, please do, then I can have a complete set.

Ok, have happy weeks everyone! Enjoy the nice American summer if you are there!

Game, Set, Match

Well, I had an interesting, eventful week. I began the week camping, queuing, and attending Wimbledon, and ended the week, not celebrating our independence, but sick in bed. Yuck. Obviously, Wimbledon is the more happy of the two occasions, and that is what I choose to document here!

Wimbledon is one of the few sporting events the general public has the opportunity toget good seats, the day of the event. All you have to do is queue! Yes, folks, we camped out at Wimbledon Park from 4:30 pm on Monday in order to get good seats for Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Here is how it went:

We put up our tents around 4:30 pm. At 6:00 official Wimbledon employees, called Stewards, handed us queue cards. These cards are numbered, and indicate when you can claim a wristband for the court of your choice. I was number #28, which guaranteed I would get the court of my choice. We then hung out all night, got around three hours of sleep, and were woken up by an Honorary Steward (a Steward of an advanced age) at 5:30 am. I will say if I could an alarm clock of an old English man whispering politely each morning, I would!

After that it was many more hours of queuing, before we got to purchase our Centre Court tickets! Then it was more waiting for a match to actually begin. FINALLY, around 1 pm, the first match on Centre Court began. We were only seven rows back!

It was a quarterfinal match between Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova. It was actually a great match, with Dementieva having match point in the second set, but Petrova forcing a new game, and winning the set. In the end Dementieva prevailed.

Our second game was Serena Williams! She totally dominated her opponent Agnieszka Radwanska winning 6-4, 6-0. It was amazing to see her, she looks even stronger in person.

Centre Court looks much smaller in person, than on television, but you can really feel the tradition. From the way the ball boys and girls have to give the players tennis balls, to the way we marched in the queue, everything felt very old and English. So, to fit right in, after a long day in the sun, we capped off our day with two Wimbledon traditions: Pimm’s and Lemonade and Strawberries and Creme. (see me, tired and happy, left)

Wimbledon was a great, long, exhaustive experience! I might even do it again next year! The two pictures in this post are of Serena Williams in the middle of a serve, and me with my Pimm's and Strawberries. But, I have updated my photo page with many more Wimbledon pictures. If you'd like to see more, just click here. Don't forget you can always get to my photos from the link to the left, about 5 sections down.

As always, until next week.

Solid as a Rock

On my recent trip to Spain, my friends and I actually covered three countries and two continents in three days.  We flew into Spain, and then spent a day each in Spain, Gibraltar (which is an English territory), and Morocco.  It was good times, I say, good times.

Gibraltar is home of the Southern most point of Europe, and you can see Africa from its tip.  There is also the famous Rock of Gibraltar, and the equally famous monkeys.  The picture is of me and Mr. Monkey chilling out on the rock.  We had some drinks and talked politics (like how Spain wants Gibraltar to be Spanish, but the people of Gibraltar want it to stay English) before we posed for this picture. He's pretty smart; I believe he got his PhD from Oxford. Or maybe it was Cambridge.  I can never remember.

I was hoping that since we were in an English territory the cars would have to be driven on the left side of the road. Since in Spain they drive on the right side, I wanted the cars to have to switch sides at the border (a la "Wee Britian"--those of you A.D. fans get this joke).  Alas, Gibraltar is one of the few English territories, commonwealth countries, or former colonies that don't drive on the left side of the road.  [The only other two I know of are Canada and the U.S.).  Oh well, it is probably safer that way. All in all it was a great trip.  

Until next week.

Shakespeare Rules

When Kymberly and Justin were in London for a visit, we took a day trip to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon.  As you probably know, Shakespeare was born and lived in Stratford, and while there we were able to see his birth home.  The city is full of Shakespeare as he is the reason so many tourists come.  The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is based in Stratford, and in the center (or, when in England, centre) of town there is a statue dedicated to Shakespeare. This statue memorialized the tragedies and the comedies, and located in the four corners around the statue are four famous characters, such as Hamlet.  Unfortunately, the city was doing a lot of contruction around the statue, and I wasn't able to to get a great picture of the characters.  The statue itself was not touched by construction, and the picture to the left is part of the memorial.

Many towns in England are on rivers, and you can usually tell because the town is "upon" something, and generally evokes images of quaint little English towns. For example, the town Kingston (which is in London, close to me) is called Kingston-upon-Thames as it is on the River Thames. (So, really, London could be called London-upon-Thames, but the words quaint and little do not exactly fit with London).   The same is true for Stratford, which is "upon" the River Avon.  Interestingly the word "avon" means river in England.  So, the picture to the right is the River Avon, or the Avon Avon (ha ha), in Stratford just across from the Shakespeare statue.

Stratford is quite a lovely little town, and it easy to see why Shakespeare, despite all the fun of various sorts he had in London, always came back home.  

Picture of the Week--Straddling the Hemispheres

Here's the first official Picture of the Week!  This was taken a few weeks ago when my friends Kymberly and Justin were in town visiting.  On this particular day we went to Greenwich, which you may know is the home of Greenwich Mean Time where all time is measured from (though it is called Universal Time now).  This is the home of the Prime Meridian, which means that it is the marker of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. 

For someone who gets pretty excited from little things like state lines (um, that's me), the hemisphere line was AMAZING.  I got to straddle the hemispheres, say "meet you in the Eastern Hemisphere," run from one hemisphere to the other, and talk about that time I was in that "other hemisphere.  So, basically, your typically dorky Sara-stuff.  

Anyway, hope you enjoy seeing me in both hemispheres.  I know I enjoyed my visit to them. 

The Times They Are A-Changin'

New post time!  I know, I know, it happens so infrequently you all thought it would never happen again.  I have been busy finishing up my semester, traveling, and having friends visit.  I guess things are "calming" down, but really I feel like it is all about to change again. And I am a little sad about it. 

Now, to be fair, I usually feel a bit of melancholy in May.  I think it is due to end of school,  graduations, and moving on.  When I worked at USM, the campus always saw a dramatic change in May: it became this quiet peaceful place (where I didn't have to fight for a parking spot). It always took some adjusting to life there without students or faculty around as often.  I am currently going through this again, as I live on campus and it is suddenly silent after a semester full of loud parties. Still, I don't think these are the only reasons.  I think that this year, it is different. Or maybe not different, just more. I feel the winds of change more than I have in a long time.  

I am sure some of it has to do with my becoming a new decade, and all of those old issues that I've already talked and written about, ad nauseam.  I also think that I'm moving into a new phase of adulthood. The kind where you have a career, maybe start a family, buy a house, etc.  I think as more of my friends do these things, while not necessarily making feel like I need to do it, I am realizing that people my age are old enough to do these things.  Like, my peeps, we can be U.S. Senators now. That's a little mind blowing sometimes.  Weren't we just in college? Also, am I now too old to say peeps? [Do not answer that question.]

Also, there is the obvious: I am finishing up graduate school, saying good-bye to the new friends I have made, looking for jobs, moving on, etc.  So, these play into this feeling as well. Still,  I am finding that I am ready to be settled, at least for a little while.  Even if I am only in London for a year, I want to find a flat, and just be content for a year.  I have felt in flux for so long, sometimes I think since I graduated college, that just being at ease will be nice. 

Still, change can be, and has often proven to be, exciting. It is exciting to think of living in London for a year, getting a job in a non-profit, making new friends.  So, while there is that same old sadness, there is also that same old feeling of excitement.  And anyone who knows me, also knows I am emotional, and sentimental, which is how I feel now.  I just can't be any other way.  

So, of course, I'll keep you posted.  I am also going to institute my picture of the week--I've been to so many interesting places of late that I want to show them off. They can also give me something to write about if nothing is going on. The one in the post is from Jamaica--Hope Gardens to be exact. This is Jamaica's Botanical Gardens located in Kingston, next to the UTech campus.  I was excited to get this picture, because I hadn't figured out how to work my close-up feature yet.  I still don't always get that feature right, but sometimes I do, and then you get pictures like these.

I'll start in full force on Sunday, and get a new one up each Sunday. Well, I intend to start that on Sunday, and change on Sundays. You know, sometimes the best laid plans...

Stay tuned. 

Scotland is wonderful

I went to Scotland over the weekend and it was fantabulous.  Seriously.  I landed in Edinburgh on Friday, and was picked up by Elaine and her lovely Mini-Cooper.  [For those that don't know Elaine, she worked at Girl Scout with Alexis about 5 years ago or so.  She came and visited De Soto a few times that summer, and then in 2004 Alexis and I visited her family. ]

The best part of the weekend was getting to be in a home again.  As much as I love my little ol' dorm room here in Southwest London, spending time with a family was great.  Elaine and her parents were (as always) warm and welcoming.  Elaine and I went swimming at her local gym, and then she took me to St. Andrews.  This is the town that has the legendary golf club where many PGA tournaments have been held.  It is a very cute old Scottish town, with                        

old buildings and great shopping.  Saturday was topped off by dinner at a Scottish restaurant named "The Bothy" (I think).  Here, I had Haggis! This is the traditional Scottish dish, which was actually very good.  You can't actually think about what is in Haggis, and I'm not telling. But, if you'd like to know, just click here.  Don't get grossed out, though. 

On Sunday, before flying back to London, we spent the afternoon in Edinburgh, most notably on Princess Street. Specifically shopping.   But, hey, with the Edinburgh Castle looming nearby, it was almost like a history trip.  

It was back to the grind on Monday though as classes resumed.  I can't believe how fast three weeks goes by.  Luckily, I now have only two more weeks of classes and agency.  Unluckily, I have four papers due between now and them.  So, with that said, I should run. If I don't post until May, well, now you know why.   

Enjoy your April Showers! 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone! It is Easter afternoon here in jolly ol'England, though the weather is decidedly not Easter-like.  It actually snowed this morning, which is, I hear, very unusual. It didn't stick, but still made for a nice effect. 

It has taken me so long to update, because I have been very busy.  As of my last post I had just started working at a Starbucks here in London.  Since then, things have been going full force.  I spend two days in class, two days at my agency, and two days at Starbucks.  Which, (if you do the math) leaves me one day free. I always feel like I have to pack everything in that one day--appreciating that I live in London, and trying to do London-esq things.  Thankfully I am now on Spring Break and have a few weeks off to relax and get caught up.  

I started my Spring Break off with a few days in Paris.  I finally made it to France, the country whose language I learned for so long.  I have to say that while I have done a disservice to all my French teachers for forgetting too much, Paris was absolutely beautiful.  We've all seen the Eiffel Tower photographed and in movies so much, but it is brilliant in person.  I also saw the main sites (Arc De Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Louvre, etc), had dinner in Montmartre (where Amélie was filmed and the home of Sacre-Coeur), and did a little shopping.   

I am now in the "homework" portion of my break, and I have much to do in the next seven days. Some papers to write, interviews to transcribe, and research to do.  My reward will be a trip to Brussels and a visit to Scotland to visit Elaine. Whee!  

Other than that not much is going on.  I am enjoying meeting new people at Starbucks--I work with people from Poland, Slovokia, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Philippines, and France. (Oh, and even one person from England).  I have a lot of fun with them, and hearing about their countries is great.  

That's all I have for now. I'll let you know how Brussels and Scotland are, and how much homework I finished!  Wish me luck on that front.  

I always want to thank everyone for being part of my Virtual Birthday Party. I know it was a month ago, but it was a great party!  

As always, I miss you.  

Virtual Birthday Party

If you want to be part of the party just add you're very own comment!

In anticipation...

Hello, and I once again must say sorry for the lapse of posting. The weeks are just flying by, faster than I realize. I am firmly entrenched in classes, and have gotten one major presentation over with. It wasn't too big, but it was worth 30% of my grade, so I spent quite a bit of time on it. I am also now successfully employed at Starbucks (once again). This store is much bigger and busier than the one in Leavenworth, and hopefully I will get to meet lots of new people.

Well, as most of you know my birthday is Friday, and to top it off, as I was born in that great year of 1978 (on the very day Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali, in fact) I will be the big 3-0. All things considered, (and this is considering I've been dreading this birthday for 2 years), I'm not freaking out too bad. In fact its given something for to reflect on for my  reflection class' journal (we meet fortnightly--I love that word). Since I don't want to have to re-reflect, but since I am officially a blogger (no matter how lame), I decided to put an excerpt from that reflection here. I'm probably crazy, but for whatever it's worth, here it is, a peek into the crazy nearly 30 world of me:

Now, I know all those things people are saying: 30 is the new 20, 30 isn’t old, age is only a number, etc. The truth is I basically agree with them. I just think that with 30 comes expectations, both on the part of others and the part of me. I’m honestly not sure where I thought I would be at 30, when I was 15. I don’t really think I thought about it. I was a teenager, and in high school, and that was when that was all that mattered (did I actually just write that monstrosity of a sentence?). It’s really just that now, I do think about what I’ll be at 40, and boy it includes a lot of things.  And it’s a lot of want for only 10 years, and since I haven’t managed to put the whole package together in 30 years, at times it is hard to think I’ll do it in only 10. I’m not unrealistic to think that even if I achieve all  of it, I will be 100 percent happy all of time. Of course I won’t, no one is, but I am also enough of an optimist to think that I can achieve "it all". What I’m truly scared about is not only not having this in 10 years, but waking up an realizing it all ain’t going to happen. I’m not there yet, but this birthday is a bit like a whisper telling me to step it up.

The thing is right now, I’m pretty happy with where I am. I’ve worked hard to get to a better place in my life, about how I feel about me and where I am headed. So, in some ways February 15, 2008 will just be like every other birthday I’ve had. I know I am loved and cared for, and on this day its gets to be about you, and that’s ok. I’m sad that I am so far away from most of the people I care about, and that the 30th blow out party I would have had, will have to be a 31st blow out party. But, I’m in London getting a degree, which will help me find a job, a career, in a field I am passionate about. This is the paradox I find myself in. There are times when I just don’t care I am going to be 30. In fact, secretly, I might even kind of like it. I complain about my wrinkles (the ones that are already there because I have been fortunate to be able to laugh most of the time, and the ones that I know are coming) a lot, but sometimes I think they are pretty.

So, there are times when I truly (and truthfully) think I could say, what if I just stopped obsessing about turning 30. Surely, the two years of my worrying about this point have been “more painful” than the actual event will be. I don’t suspect that I’ll feel much different than I did on February 14th. I know that the expectations causing me to freak out, are mostly mine, and the ones that are “society’s” I can’t worry about. I just need to take a deep breath and keep moving forward.

And just to prove I really am the same old Sara, no matter what age, a few weeks ago I fell off the sidewalk and wiped out in the middle of London. In front of a ton of people. I wasn't hurt, just (as usual) a little embarrassed.  Clearly not enough to keep from repeating the story though! Ah, well I think some things will never change.

Alrighty, well I will post again, perhaps a 30th birthday update. We're touring Parliament (Not in honor of my birthday, just because), having some dinner, and going out for drinks.  

I'll miss you all very much. 

Kickin' it in London

Well, it has been a little while since I posted, mainly because not a lot has been going on. I've been here in London for about 3 weeks (my how time flies), and haven't really been doing a whole lot. I finally was able to go to my agency, Tender, on Friday. I think I will be getting to work on some VDay stuff, so that's cool. And it makes me harken back to my college days, and the Vagina Monologues. It's the 10-year anniversary of VDay, and they are doing some pretty cool things in the States (you can see here).
Other than that I have been to a few classes, done some homework, and done a lot of walking around London. I've been to Central London several times, plus a great Mexican restaurant in Notting Hill. On Sunday, I went to Brick Lane, which is the home of curry in London. It was a a great area, with a lot of street vendors, and people just out and about. London is an absolutely huge city, with so many different ethic groups, I think it would take years to explore. But, I'm doing the best I can.
I must say it is quite a different experience to that of Jamaica, and it is taking me a little longer to see need. I know it is here, just as there is need in the United States, and any other developed country. It is just that in Jamaica, the poverty was always in your face. I suspect once I get involved in my agency some more I won't have trouble spotting the need.
Beyond that I don't have much knew to report. I am updating some of the picture links to the left. I have a new iPhoto websharing program, so I am uploading pictures using that. It is a better version of the Photocasts I tried to do in Jamaica. They will also be on Picassa for the time being, until I run out of space. But, they look much prettier in the program.

I think that's about all I have for now. Hopefully my next update will be more, um, exciting.

Jolly Ol'England

Hello!

It has taken me a little bit to get up a new post, but I have been very busy.  Alexis and I traveled around Jamaica for my last week getting home on December 23rd. After enjoying a relaxing few days, things got crazy.  I went to KC to see Monica, Debra, Kymberly, Justin, et al., as well as Alexis' new place.  Then it was back to De Soto, and St. Louis for my last five days, including Anne-Marie's graduation party the first weekend in January.  All of this is quite boring to read about I'm sure, but it's my rather long winded way of proving how busy I was. And I did all of that as a lead up to my apology that if I didn't get a chance to see you over the holidays I am sorry.  I wanted to see everyone, and I simply didn't have enough time when I was in St. Louis to see many people.  I guess you all will just have to come to London! 

Speaking of London, I am all moved in and starting classes tomorrow.  I am at Roehampton University in Southwest London, south of the Thames.  I am near Putney, Barnes, and Wimbeldon.  It is about 30 to 45 minutes from campus to the area where the London Eye, Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, etc. are.  I have been into Central London twice since I have been here, as well as Putney and Hammersmith, both which are short bus rides away.  

The campus is quite beautiful, though I have been seeing it through the haze of rain.  The rumors are true: it does rain quite a bit in London. It also gets dark by 4 pm and it is cold.  I can't report on classes yet or my service yet, but I will find out more about both tomorrow.  

I think that's all I have to report for now.  The internet is much more reliable here so I hope to meet my one post a week goal.  We'll see.  

I hope everyone is enjoying the new year, and remember you are all welcome to stay with me in London anytime. 

Happy Frakkin' New Year

Happy 2008 everyone!  Have a safe, productive, and fun year! And turn 30. (Oh, that may just be those born in 1978).