Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Friday, December 17, 2004
The Netherlands
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
Photo: Amsterdam (November 2004)
France
Photo: Paris (November 2004)
Photo: Paris (November 2004)
Photo: Paris (November 2004)
Photo: Paris (November 2004)
Photo: Paris (November 2004)
Italy
Photo: Venice (October 2004)
Photo: Venice (October 2004)
Photo: Lake Como (October 2004)
Photo: Lake Como (October 2004)
Photo: Rome (October 2004)
Photo: Rome (October 2004)
Photo: Rome (October 2004)
Spain
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Madrid (October 2004)
Photo: Barcelona (October 2004)
Photo: Barcelona (October 2004)
Ireland
Photo: Dublin (September 2004)
Photo: Dublin (September 2004)
Photo: Malahide Castle (September 2004)
Photo: Malahide Castle (September 2004)
Photo: Wicklow (September 2004)
England
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: Bath (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: Cambridge (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Photo: London (August 2004 to December 2004)
Farewell London
When I go back to California, many people will ask me, “Ro, how was London?” Really, how will I begin to muster the words? The looks on their curious faces will be replaced with expressions of hollow, happy-for-you smiles at the mercy of my reply, “It was the best four months of my life.” Sure, that’s what I’ll say out loud – but internally, I will want to say all of this:
I’m never going to look at another image of London in the same way. For now, these images are for me, a depiction of reality. They will portray a chapter in my existence that will always seem larger than life. London was dreamlike, almost magical – in every sense of the word. I will always associate a wild feel to the city because there was always something new to experience.
“The city blew the windows of my brain wide open […] I felt directionless and lost in the crowd, I couldn’t yet see how the city worked, but I began to find out […] London seemed like a house with five thousand rooms, all different; the kick was to work out how they connected, and eventually to walk through all of them.” Hanif Kureishi nailed it in his novel The Buddha of Suburbia. Leave it up to me to quote a bloody book when it’s completely unnecessary to do so.
I didn’t so much “discover” who I am – I already knew before I came. Rather, I was blessed with the opportunity to “redefine” and “grow”. The inevitable discovery of learning my own independence was obviously realized. As cheesy as it sounds, I did learn an awful lot about my strengths and weaknesses. Who would have ever thought I could get along with girls, let alone live with them? In all seriousness, I learned a lot. And with that said, I will gather all the mature knowledge I’ve acquired within the past four months and apply it to my life back ‘home’.
I take home with me a handful of new friends, great memories, and loads of souvenirs. I will come home to uncertainty – a mix of the old and a pinch of the new. It will be a bittersweet holiday season – I will see my family but will be missing my London friends. I’ll get to drive my car and blast my subwoofers again. I will get to drink my banana berry with a protein boost. I’ll return to my strict diet in an attempt to lose all the weight I’ve gained in the past four months (after I grub on Mexican food and in-n-out of course). It’s back to running the track and snacking on peanut M&M’s… then feeling bad for it later.
So now, as we all disperse back onto our California campuses, I know for sure that my slate is wiped clean. I hope that people are serious when they tell me that they will keep in contact. If not, there’s always the face book! I’ll be extremely sad for a few days, but I do know that just like the rest of life… in time it too shall pass.
Arrival – August 25, 2004
Departure – December 19, 2004
Residence – Bedford Place
Nearest Tube – Russell Square Station
Favorite Pub – Filthy McNasty’s
Favorite Bar – The American Sports Grill (good times!)
Favorite Club – Ministry of Sound
Favorite Restaurant – Thai Garden Café
Favorite Snack – French Fries and Ice Cream from McDonalds
Favorite British Song – Jamila’s Superstar and Call On Me
Favorite Clubbing Song – Lean Back
Favorite Teacher – Judith Toms
Favorite Class – British Museum
Favorite Historic Site – Westminster Abbey
Favorite Location – The West End and my room!
Favorite Visited City – Lake Como, Italy
Nicknames: Bab Bab, Starshots/LB, Greek God, Hoochie, Oe, Dirty Deltas, Chonies, Hott, Scary, 80’s party girl, FUBU, Woosh, Stofu, Massage Girl, The Aussies, Napoleon Dynamite, Crown Jewels, Abercrombie/Mr. Personality, Tsunami, Happy Pills, Negative, Bo Bo, Banana, Unibrow, Brocoli, iSpy, Frenchie, Trevor and Eileen (Burt and Ernie), Una Ceja, Gymnasty, Mr. Jazz
I’m never going to look at another image of London in the same way. For now, these images are for me, a depiction of reality. They will portray a chapter in my existence that will always seem larger than life. London was dreamlike, almost magical – in every sense of the word. I will always associate a wild feel to the city because there was always something new to experience.
“The city blew the windows of my brain wide open […] I felt directionless and lost in the crowd, I couldn’t yet see how the city worked, but I began to find out […] London seemed like a house with five thousand rooms, all different; the kick was to work out how they connected, and eventually to walk through all of them.” Hanif Kureishi nailed it in his novel The Buddha of Suburbia. Leave it up to me to quote a bloody book when it’s completely unnecessary to do so.
I didn’t so much “discover” who I am – I already knew before I came. Rather, I was blessed with the opportunity to “redefine” and “grow”. The inevitable discovery of learning my own independence was obviously realized. As cheesy as it sounds, I did learn an awful lot about my strengths and weaknesses. Who would have ever thought I could get along with girls, let alone live with them? In all seriousness, I learned a lot. And with that said, I will gather all the mature knowledge I’ve acquired within the past four months and apply it to my life back ‘home’.
I take home with me a handful of new friends, great memories, and loads of souvenirs. I will come home to uncertainty – a mix of the old and a pinch of the new. It will be a bittersweet holiday season – I will see my family but will be missing my London friends. I’ll get to drive my car and blast my subwoofers again. I will get to drink my banana berry with a protein boost. I’ll return to my strict diet in an attempt to lose all the weight I’ve gained in the past four months (after I grub on Mexican food and in-n-out of course). It’s back to running the track and snacking on peanut M&M’s… then feeling bad for it later.
So now, as we all disperse back onto our California campuses, I know for sure that my slate is wiped clean. I hope that people are serious when they tell me that they will keep in contact. If not, there’s always the face book! I’ll be extremely sad for a few days, but I do know that just like the rest of life… in time it too shall pass.
Arrival – August 25, 2004
Departure – December 19, 2004
Residence – Bedford Place
Nearest Tube – Russell Square Station
Favorite Pub – Filthy McNasty’s
Favorite Bar – The American Sports Grill (good times!)
Favorite Club – Ministry of Sound
Favorite Restaurant – Thai Garden Café
Favorite Snack – French Fries and Ice Cream from McDonalds
Favorite British Song – Jamila’s Superstar and Call On Me
Favorite Clubbing Song – Lean Back
Favorite Teacher – Judith Toms
Favorite Class – British Museum
Favorite Historic Site – Westminster Abbey
Favorite Location – The West End and my room!
Favorite Visited City – Lake Como, Italy
Nicknames: Bab Bab, Starshots/LB, Greek God, Hoochie, Oe, Dirty Deltas, Chonies, Hott, Scary, 80’s party girl, FUBU, Woosh, Stofu, Massage Girl, The Aussies, Napoleon Dynamite, Crown Jewels, Abercrombie/Mr. Personality, Tsunami, Happy Pills, Negative, Bo Bo, Banana, Unibrow, Brocoli, iSpy, Frenchie, Trevor and Eileen (Burt and Ernie), Una Ceja, Gymnasty, Mr. Jazz
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