Given that, I guess I have two choices. Either mope about the fact that I'm going to fail, or just have a great time while I'm out here. You only study abroad once, so you might as well make the best of it. Grades are temporary, stories are forever. And in these last months I have been lucky enough to go through some once-in-a-lifetime experiences in and out of London. Things that I could not give away. You talk about life lessons, go abroad. I've been able to get past the bumps on the road, and been able to live on. Go out, enjoy London, share it with friends.
And now as we roll into November, I have started counting down the remaining days that I have out here. I don't want to look in that path, but its the big elephant in the room, and I know that my days are getting numbered and it will be back to reality soon. Back to New York, back to the real world, back to school, back to all the baggage I left behind.
Lets get on with whats been going on:
1. First of all I have beaten up my laptop so much that even my Mac now gets the blue screen of death. Along with that I have busted the "a" and "x" keys, so I have a keyboard that looks like its been beaten with a hammer.
2. I was able to go to the Royal Albert Hall to listen to a concert. Jason Mraz was performing so I figured it would be a good time to check it out, along with writing a paper that I had for that building for my "Seeing London" class. Well, suffice to say the grade on that paper was rubbish, but at least the concert was good.
The beautiful Royal Albert Hall
Inside.
The clearest picture that I could get from my seat at the concert.
3. I went on a school trip to visit the land of the scousers in Liverpool. Along with getting all the history of the Beatles and enjoying the interesting Liverpool nightlife, I was able to visit the Kop and take the tour. There's not much there, the area is in the process of gentrification, but yea...as a fan of United, I can't get myself to say I'm extremely fond of the place.
Random statue on beach
Penny Lane with Jimmy.
It was at this point that I decided that I had to go to Old Trafford or else I would have commited a cardinal sin.
Luckily I did.
4. Lets get to the best part of my study abroad semester, and most likely the best experience of my life. My journey to Old Trafford. My major goal this term was to get to the Theatre of Dreams and experience what it was like sitting with 75000 other fans screaming for your club. It was a serendipitous time too, as I just received my first marks for this semester and found that my paper was found to be "Average". Being pissed and moping, I check my email to find that I landed tickets to the game, for free. Being so short of time I could only drag one friend, Jimmy, and bless his soul (being an Arsenal fan) decided that it would be okay to come experience Old Trafford with me. So we hopped on the bus to Manchester and watched the game. It was a great weekend, with my only regret not having a pint with the crazy Irish guys from Cork that we shared a hostel with. Those guys were definitely fun, and even more fun to decode what they were saying through their heavy accents.
The main entrace at the North Stand
Jimmy, being the great friend that he is, came out to watch the game with me, know what he was doing was sacrilege to his pride in Arsenal. We had great seats, just 16 rows from the corner flag, with all the goals being scored when United was going in our direction. Great night, 3-0 over West Brom Albion.
The beautiful stretford end the next day on my tour.5. I guess it was my time to repay Jimmy also for his kindness in coming to Manchester with me, so in a few weeks we will be going to Emirates to watch a Carling Cup game. However, before that he and I took a tour of the place, just to see what it was like. I have to say, totally different that Old Trafford in a sense it was way more corporate, definitely a money making machine that stadium.
Not as great as a name like Old Trafford.
Players tunnel.
Emirates makes 31 million pounds a year just on the corporate boxes alone, crazy stuff. Thats worth one Dimitar Berbatov!
Well I guess to update the checklist:
Here's the new list:
- Get those Manchester United tickets and go to Old Trafford - Done
- Find that go to club/bar lounge - narrowed it down, found some nice places, but I am getting
scared that my go to club might be Cheapskates....
- Try the London Curry - did it, was great, so delicious.
- Have dinner on the Thames. - In planning stages
- Find time to go to Paris for one weekend. - probably won't happen.
What else has been exciting is being able to share my experiences here with not only my friends from NYU but also from home. Along with the guys that are studying out here come the friends who have come out to visit. Connie and Dora recently came out to visit and I took them all around London, and had some great fun. Greg should be coming during Thanksgiving break, and we should be hitting Amsterdam that weekend, so we'll see how that goes.
Anyway, long enough update. Not sure when the next time will be, but until then, realize that you only have a short time to live, so make the best of everything that comes your way. Life gives you speed bumps, its how you accelerate out of them is what matters. I am fortunate enough to say that my time here has more ups than downs, and I'm a little upset that my time has started to wind down.
Two songs that I have been playing constantly that sort of suit my mood right now, for various reasons.
"A Beautiful Mess" - Jason Mraz
"Stitched Up" - Herbie Hancock with John Mayer
Anyway, take care.
