Day Sixty Five: Billy Elliot!

PICTURE: This is not the kid I saw, but this scene was really great. That is the police picket line from the strike and Billy Elliot kept dancing in front of them and fought against their shields at the same time. It was really moving. (http://blog. livedesignonline. com/liveblog/wp- content/uploads /2009/05/ billyelliot_wideweb __470x3040 jpg.jpeg)

Average day of group projects and hilarious British Life and Culture class. Oh we had a pop presentation in that class, and I decided to wing it. I ended up talking about a boy in Canada who went hunting and got stuck on a chunk of ice with a mama polar bear and her two babies. He ended up having to shoot the mama polar bear so it didn't eat him. There you have it ladies and gentlemen, my presentation... you're right I am good at spontaneously coming up with things to say. It's a good thing I read the newspaper right before class.

After years of watching Billy Elliot alone in my room, I was finally about to see it on stage! Not only that but on a British Stage as well! For those who don't know the plot of Billy Elliot it is about a boy who grows up during the coal mining strike in Wales. He wants to be a dancer, but his father and brother are very anti their son/brother becoming a ballerina dancer for all the reasons you would guess. He ends up getting the support of his father and other coal miners in his town because it becomes his chance to get out of that dying industry. He auditions for the Royal Academy of Ballet and if you want to know if he gets in read the book, rent the movie or best of all get you butts to Broadway and watch it on stage.

It was incredible, the kids were so very talented. At first I was comparing it to the movie, which comes without the great songs written by Elton John, and that was a bad thing to do. Once I stopped the comparison in my head I saw it for the talented children that were acting, dancing and singing their hearts out. My favorite part was during the audition interview scene the little boy actor, he is about 11ish, who was playing Billy Elliot did this incredible dance number. He was doing back flips and twists threw the air. He ran up a wall and flipped over backwards. The kid was dancing from his very heart and it showed. When he finished the crowd went ballistic and we all screamed and hollered for his performance. The cheering did not die down fast either and as he stood with both arms in the air he broke character. His face lit up and he laughed, he was clearly not expecting our reaction. He looked at the man who was playing his father and just had the biggest smile on his face. It made the cheering grow to enormous proportions, and that kid was so happy. It was the most genuine and brillant scene I had ever witnessed. The excitement that kid must have felt for being on the London stage and then being about to go home and say I am really good and the people really like me. Oh, I am proud of him and I do not even know him.

Also, the play ended with coal miners doing a tap dance, so you know it was a great show. What a terrific evening. My friend Ruthie and I want to go to either Le Mis or The Phantom of the Opera next Wednesday.

Love You All!

Day Sixty Four: Designers Help the World

First of all I cannot stop watching Male Prima Donna made by The Office. Kelly, Erin, Andy and Ryan sing it and it's awesome and funny and I love it lots! Thank you Cora for bringing into my life, repetitively! hahahahaha, love it.

I slept longer than I wanted to today, back into my old tricks apparently. Or maybe my body is just realizing that it is not going to relax this weekend because it will be trudging around AMSTERDAM! This will be very good times.

In class I learned how I can help the world as a designer. I never thought about it like this before, but as I tell anyone who asks everything is designed. I usually mean it in I can find a job when I graduate, and buddies, I really can. The system for families visiting their relatives in jails is designed. The system for fair trade is designed. I could go into rural areas in India and teach them how to organize and run their artisan business. This is an awesome idea, and maybe I will start looking into this instead of the Peace Corp. Side note: The oldest person that has joined the Peace Corp was 86 years old! Anyway, who knows where I will end up next fall. For the first time in my life I have no idea what I will be doing in a year. Usually I could just say, Oh I am going back to school. So this will be weird, I think.

For dinner I made a hamburger, chips (big french fries, and yes I cut my own potatoes), and a salad. I am getting awesome at this cooking thing, because I kind of had fun making it! It was very yummy.

For the rest of the night, I am going to work on my presentation.

Also, I got two packages from home. Thanks Mom and Dad. Philipa says thanks for the chocolate. We had a postal strike, so one of the packages was held back a little bit, but I did get them both today.

<3

Day Sixty Three: FOOD!

This morning we worked on a group project and it went really well. This is of course minus the fact that one of our group members failed to show up. I am going to report on the history on consumption, which will be fine for me. I think I can most certainly handle it.

After the meeting Allie and I went into Kingston and went window shopping and then actual shopping. We had a pastry for lunch and then walked around the German market which comes every Christmas. There was a really beautiful amber necklace for 28 pounds and I really want it, but I did not get it. My guilt complex on spending money, someone tell me if I should buy it. Thanks! Also, we went into Primark, which is a cheap clothing store. I left my only belt in Norway, so I had to buy another one. I got a new belt for 1 pound! Also I got a hat, leggings, post earrings and all for under 9 pounds. That's a great shopping day.

I also finally went grocery shopping, so I have a lot of food to eat, opposed to the food I didn't have. So, that will be awesome, that I can eat something besides Chinese and cereal.

I had a great weekend I think. Relaxing, sleeping, writing, buying food and clothes and... yeah relaxing. I have a busy two weeks coming up with presentation and essays. Also, I am going to Amsterdam this weekend so, that will make things more difficult but I am really excited. Kat and I are making plans to go to France the weekend of December 5th, and I think that I will be done with traveling for my life in England.

<3

UPDATE: After a delicious meal of duck prepared by Allie I ended up buying 5 pounds of Oreos.... hahahahahah!

Day Sixy Two: Schoolwork

I did schoolwork. Also contemplated joining the Peace Corps.

What an awesome day. haha!

Day Sixty One: Cleaning

I always feel better when I clean. Today I cleaned the whole flat with the vacuum, did laundry, made my bed with fresh sheets, organized drawers, clothes and eventually I'll organize my schoolwork, washed dishes, took a very hot and long shower, hmmm, I know that I did more but I cannot remember. OH I practically killed one of my families on sims... so thats great. haha, I have never had such issues with sims.

There was an Office marathon on today as well so that was really happy. It was a very good day. I got to sleep in and relax and do everything that makes me feel less stressed. I think I will go to bed early tonight, and hopefully the exhaustion will be over forever. Or at least until the next trip.

Now, I am going to get a class of milk and eat Oreos which I bought today. Awesome.

<3

Day Sixty: Umbrella Day

Today was really wet and rainy so I used the nice big and long umbrella that Philipa had provided me with. I still got wet because it was raining so hard. It was ferociously windy as well.

This morning I had class, which was fun. I really enjoy the students that are in my creative writing class, as much as I hate the disorganized nature it is conducted in. After class I got some books for one of my group project, all art history books about consumption. Well they are not all about consumption, but they have bits in them. BTW if anyone had an opinion on consumption relating to art, email it to me. That would be awesome.

Then I spent the rest of the day relaxing. Relaxing because this weekend I will not be relaxing. I will be doing a lot of school work. I have lots of research, writing creatively and informatively and ... uh more. I cannot remember currently.

Yep, so that was basically my day, awesome. I enjoyed it!

Oh also, day sixty... guess that means I have been here 2 months?

Day Fifty Nine: Nowary and National

Okay let's do this:

NORWAY:

DAY ONE:
It was an very interesting travel experience. My walk to the train station was awesome. The train ride to the second train ride was smooth. The ride to the second train station was smoother, and then it got rough. First I could not find the bus station so I walked around the station block twice looking for the signs. When I found them, I ended up standing in line for nearly and hour. A man from Turkey kept me entertained by talking about politics, religion, the creation of the world, philosophy and the Matrix. Once I got on the bus I met another man I wished I never met. He was from Somalia. The night I spent in the Stanstead Airport was not a sleeping night. For the first time on purpose I managed to stay awake all night. I had a cup of coffee and a chocolate muffin to help. Also, I kept going on random walks to keep the blood pumping.

DAY TWO:
I got on the airplane, and made another new friend. She was a girl from Norway and is now my friend on facebook. I gave her a Hershey Bar, haha, so basically I am the best friend ever. I slept the whole hour and 35 minute flight and was really disorientated when I woke up. As I walked through the passport control, I was asked if I spoke Norwegian because I had a very Norwegian name. He asked in Norwegian and I understood, which was exciting! However, sadly I had to say no. Helene met me at the airport, later she told me she was very nervous, but I ran over and gave her a hug. I was excited to see any kind of family no matter how distant or no matter that I had never met her before. She had brought her friend Toni (that's how she pronounced her name, I don't know how to spell it). In the car we had a really good conversation, and then I fell asleep on them. We stopped a few times, because I was looking for a winter jacket and they were looking for... stuff? I did not find a winter jacket because they are very expensive in Norway. I saw a lot that I liked though, so now I know what I am after when I get my new one. We got lots of candy for the car ride, which I did not end up eating. I am not much of a candy person to begin with, but they also have salt candy in Norway. Yes... a sweet candy covered in salt. I tried it, I did not like it. Helene did buy me a drink called Yule Brus (I think that's how it is spelt) which is a drink that only comes out for Christmas. It tasted like orange soda, but not as sweet. I liked it. We went back to Helene's home and I got to take a shower and then we traveled back to Toni's home. There we had dinner, tacos, and I feel asleep on the couch as Helene and Toni got ready to go to a party. A Norwegian party is basically a High School dance where the whole town gets together. The only difference is that they only swing dance and that they also serve alcohol. It was fun watching them all, and listening to the live Norwegian band, but it was very late at night and I was too tired to physically participate. I was taken back to Helene's brother's home where I waited for them to pick up two more people after the party. Again, I feel asleep on his couch, but he soon woke me up to feed me pizza. He showed me a nifty trick of putting ketchup on your pizza, surprisingly delicious. Also, it is important to note that I did not starve in Norway.

DAY THREE:
After sleeping in a very cold room, we went back to Helene's home. I had slept with my sweatpants, two pairs of socks, two shirts, a cami, my long sleeve shirt, my sweater, my rain jacket, my wool hat and my gloves and I was very comfortable. Norwegian mattresses are really comfy, they were basically like giant foam pads, so I slept very well. After showering and eating at Helene's, we went to my 2nd Counsin's, which is Helene's grandmother, for a late lunch/early dinner. We slept for a very long time, around 1ish, and we had to be at her house by 2. She fed us stew, meatballs, chuchabur (I don't know how to spell it, but the little red berries), and very thin crackers. It was delicious, it tasted as if I was home. I was very happy. I could not really take part in the conversation, because I do not speak any Norwegian, but I was still very comfortable in their home. My 2nd cousin showed me pictures of her cabin up in northern Norway and allowed me to take the pictures, so I can show you all when I get home. She also gave me a few other gifts for myself and for my family, but I am not going to tell you because they are going to be surprises for my family when I get home. But I promise you will love it, they are really thoughtful and wonderful gifts. After lunch, we went to another relatives home, but I cannot remember how. Their house was beautiful. It was an old Norwegian home, but it was designed for a big family. It was very comforting. They had a little black dog whom I loved and I played with it a lot because I miss Ko. It was not the same as playing with Ko, but it was fun all the same. Here we had dessert and I met a lot more family. This family may come visit me here in London before I go home. I have to work that out still. I told them all about America, cause they asked, and about the Bergene family back home, because they did not know all the details. Next we went back to Helen's and just relaxed for awhile. We ate hot rolls and brown cheese for dinner and it was the greatest dinner ever.

DAY FOUR:
This was my last day in Norway. I was allowed to sleep in, and take a long shower and eat a slow breakfast. Then we headed off for a shopping day. Helene had to go to work, but I was left with my 2nd cousin and the relative that I cannot remember how they are related to me. I got a jacket with them, and I really like it. It's a stylish jacket and my family in Norway is so generous, it was the only thing I was allowed to buy while I was there. Helene also gave me some marsipan before I left her. Me and my 2nd cousin went to get my other relative and after some shopping we headed to my Great Aunt's. She was Grandpa Toby's sister and I was very excited to meet her. It turned out she was very excited to meet me as well. We had light sandwiches and although she could not speak English, my relative translated for us. It was great to hear the stories and talk to her about everyone. A lot more family came to meet me at her home and that was a lot of fun. I told them all about all of us back in the states and made them family trees so they know how many relatives they had. They were surprised that Grandma had been born in Norway, apparently they did not know that. I loved sharing stories and hearing stories. For example, Grandpa Toby called his sister the night before he died and spoke to her in Norwegian, but he had never spoke to her in Norwegian after he moved to America. I had a really excellent time. She gave me many gifts, many surprising gifts. Again I will share this when I get home. Though I did accumulate a lot of chocolate from them, which I am bringing back. On the plane I was very unhappy because I did not want to leave family. I read my book, but I kept thinking of my time in Norway. The trip back home was not so nice. I got stranded at a train station, and had to take an hour long bus ride back home. That was not fun, but I am resourceful now, haha.

OKAY, so that was my trip to Norway. It was a great experience and I am very happy to have reconnected with them. It was a surprise to me but Dad had been sending pictures to my Great Aunt and I used them to share about our family. We have a few more people to send Christmas Tours too! They also really want everyone to come and see them, and I promise you will have the best time.

NATIONAL THEATER: NATION:
Last night I was required to go to the National Theater to see a play for my British Life and Culture class. At first I was unhappy because I was still tired from my trip and I was very stressed by the amount of work I had to do still for this week and next week. However, me going was the best decision I have ever made. Not only did I get to see London at night again, which is my favorite thing to see in this country, but I also saw the greatest play I have ever seen. The first few minutes were startling for two reasons. 1) I have not seen any modern theater and 2) I had no idea what was going on and it started really fast. The play was not modern, but it did have modern elements. Plot: It was about two young people on individual journey's that have been brought together. The girl was on a ship that sunk and she was washed on a island. Her demons was the guilt she felt by her mother's death while giving birth to her little brother and them not being buried together. The boy was a native and he was on a quest to become a man when his whole tribe was killed, so there was no one left to tell him that he was a man. Also, he lost his faith in his people and his religion which was a problem he faced by the end. He ended up becoming the leader of the survivors and they made their own nation and she helped him. It was a great quest story and I am doing little justice to how well it was done. The acting was so believable, as was the story I felt it was very much real and that I was apart of it. At one point a gun was pulled on the boy and I squealed out loudly I was so terrified. The set was beautiful. The costumes were beautiful. The creative edge put into it was imaginative, clever and brilliant. It is based off a novel, a novel I am going to have to find. If I could I would go an watch it again. I loved every minute, say for the first few, of that play. And even now thinking back, I even love those first scenes because I understand how they fit into the play and how they play was set up for the audience. So yes, I loved every minute of that play. Brava.

TODAY:
Today, I was stressed because of school work. I did meet a girl going to New Paltz, so I gave her my email address if she had any questions. Also, I discovered that the British find the thought of Peanut Butter and Jelly to be a disgusting idea. Weird, right? That made me laugh, because they were talking about cheese and honey on toast, but peanut butter and jelly was gross. Funny. I saw all my English friends today too and that was very good for my social stress relief.

Fun stuff, LOVE YOU ALL! I hope you enjoyed my trip and adventures and stories!