600 sq miles of area to cover

Whew! The first week flew by! Our 3-week presessional course began on Wednesday with a tour of the Imperial War Museum and a tour of St. Paul's cathedral on Thursday. I feel like I've learned SO MUCH in the last 5 days-- English culture, history, tradition-- that the brains inside my skull might burst!

This morning began with a beautiful walk around the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, followed by an afternoon spent at the eclectic market in Camden Town. Before we left for the market, we were told that Camden Town has a reputation for being the origination of punk and goth styles amongst London teens. These trends, bright neon colors mixed with lots of black, big boots and bold hairstyles peppered the streets and market stands. Every weekend, thousands of people frequent the markets. Mixed in with the crowd, we looked at antique stands, clothes stands, fresh fruit and veggies, watches, hats... You name it, they had it. So much of it was incredibly unique!

As a part of our coursework, each member of our 5-person class was assigned a specific culture that has made part of London their home. We have a week and a half to visit an area of the city where our particular culture can be found, research their history, explore some of their culture, eat their food if we can, and then present what we've learned. Because of our class size and curiosity associated with our individual tasks, we've decided to do them all together. On our way home from Camden Town, we visited an Irish Cultural Center and learned about how some Irish immigrated to London seeking work in the 1940s and 50s. Tomorrow we're headed to a Jewish Cultural Festival to listen to live music and eat some food!

This city is so huge-- 600 square miles--so many different cultures that over 200 languages can be heard throughout the city! In an attempt to see and do as much as we possibly can, our days have been packed to say the least. Sleep hard, play hard is the motto.

The night is young, and tomorrow will not only include the Jewish festival, but also a visit to a local church in the morning and evening plans to attend Shakespeare's Troilus & Cressida at the Globe Theatre.

Pictures to come soon...