London Part II

And so I'd thought I'd be giving much more frequent updates and whatnot.

I want to give a detailed account so when my memory fails me later, I have something to check back with.

I've met a whole group of wonderful, fantastic people. Some of whom I know already I will lose contact with no matter how much we swear otherwise, but who will have impacted me in such a manner that this short time would have been enough. There's so many. Nikolai, who's part Russian and Serbian and Italian, but is all Italian with his accent and lovely pronunciation. Everything sounds like a joke which is fantastic since being a funny guy, it works in his favor more than he realizes. He's really a sincere, good guywhose penchant for intellectual conversations in the oddest of places is one of the greatest traits ever. I hope one day he realizes kids would be good for him, lol. There's Kirsty, who's born and raised in south London, and really exemplifies a part of the city to a great degree. She goes to school in St. Andrews, and really is a barrel of laughs. An original. There's Jasmine. German to the core, but family from Calcutta. One of the best connections I've had in my life. Gorgeous girl, I swear, walking around with her the whole population turns around, lol. Really like an older sister to me. And one of the most determined and independent people I've ever met. She's going to go far, especially with her ability on so many languages. There's Habeeb, who is seriously one of the coolest guys I've ever met. Really fun to be around, always comes in with a blunt, witty remark, and just totally easy-going but excitable. He's from India, but goes to William and Mary so he's been "Americanized" more than he likes. One of the best people, I think, to just go around London with. And as much as I hate to admit it, he's got a fantastic sense of direction. He's like a personal navigational system. There's Manna. She's Iranian, but lives in Paris, and loves Hindi movies, and can actually speak Hindi with the cutest accent. She's really bohemian, is living in Dalston (the Razorlight-famed place!) and I can't wait to see a lot of the more obscure, not-tourist places in London. I love her energy, she's one of the most interesting characters. There's Shareen. Now this one of the most international people I've ever met! Let's see if I can get this right. Her father is Palestinian. Her mother is German, but she's also part Iranian.. I think. And she grew up and was raised in Spain. She goes to Oxford Brooks, and is the youngest of us I think at 18. Really very cool girl. She's classy, and quite 'Arab', lol, I know she'll get what I mean when I say that. I can't wait to do more shopping with her. There's Maria. She's from Pakistan and is one of the sweetest girls I've ever come across. Kinda sheltered, but really just the cutest person to spend time with. She's got this great innocence, and we can joke about so much stuff. And she's a Scorpio! So cool that we get along! There's Joyce. She's from Iraq, but is a teacher in US, in Florida in particular. She's so sweet, I really wish she was staying longer. There's Tatiana who's from Brazil, really sweet, her grandparents were from Lebanon. I wish she was staying longer, too. There's Farwa, who is just stellar. She's from Pakistan, but is so London in her accent and how much she knows the city since she works here, that you'd forget she plans on heading back to work for women's rights. She's got a fantastically cool air to her, I'm glad she decided to stay longer so I can get to know her better. There's Milton from Princeton. He's a very nice guy, but much more studious than most of us. Not in a bad way though once you take him out of the school setting he's totally not intimidating. Very fun, quirky guy. I want to hang out with him more though. There's Benji. He's from Chicago, or New York, I forget. Very Northeastern guy, but super-cool neurotic guy. Absolutely love talking to him. You're never ever bored. He's an observant Jew and I admire so much how dedicated he is to his faith. He can be controversial sometimes with his absolute defense and support of Israel, but his personality is too great to make it a big deal. My suitemate to my left is Nada, she's from Orange County. Really chill girl, I hope to hang out with her more, especially to go dancing since she knows the nightlife around LSE. There's Adam, from Lousiana, LSA. Very American college boy, but one of the best people to go out dancing with- absolutely crazy fun. Madness, seriously. And really a super-smart guy in class too, asks questions that make you remember that he isn't just the guy belting out 'With or Without You' at Crush. There's Ferdinand who is French and is the best person to just look at in class cause he's so lost. Really cute expressions, like a kid. And he loves Zidane too! Love people who know greatness when they see it. I think he's studying engineering so of course international relations would lose him. Still glad he's there. My discussion class teacher in the mornings, HendrikKraetzschmar - half-Dutch, half-German is absolutely the best. He teaches at the University of Cairo. Super-young TA, and really intellectual. Just brilliant. And it's not a lie if I add that just about half the girls in my discussion class appreciate him more than the guys. He looks like a guy at a pub during a football match, even the way he dresses, rumpled hair. Smarts and just... perfect. Too bad.

I know I'm leaving out people but I'll add them as I realize them!

I've realized a lot about myself since coming here. I need people more than I ever thought. I think I'd realized it, but.. not to the extent I've had to face it here. Especially a new city so far from home, I need that comfort that familiarity friends give you. Sometimes the nights can be hard. Especially after talking to my sister on the phone, and discussing the M.E. with my dad, or hearing my brother randomly chime in. I miss my mom so much too. And all my friends at home. I keep wishing one of them would just hop a plane, goddammit. Hard to convince college kids of that, or even Sarah.... I realize how much I needlessly complained about how little there is to do in Houston. Its true, but the familiarity is something that can easily be traded for all the variety of London when you know so few of whats going on or the people. There's a feeling you could get lost in the crowd here. London was always such an ideal to me. I've only been here for a few days, but sometimes I wonder if this is the time of my life for London, or years later it'll be right. Of course besides Wisconsin in high school, I've never lived away from home. That has to be so much of the homesick/heartsick part of it. I refuse to dwell on it too much. It's hard enough when I miss everything, I'm in London -there's so much more to look to.

This afternoon we went to Brick Lane. It was fantastic. This great feel of actual London, there's a lot of record stores blasting music, people sitting around playing awesome beats on the drums and people getting up and dancing, great indian food (what its infamous for), vintage cheap shops, hundreds of people just chilling on the pavement and grass. this great laid-back vibe. Of course people rolling joints, but you could just feel some of the best vibes for rock shows had to be here. I can't wait to head back.

Been to Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Oxford Circus, Hyde Park, British Museum, Imperial War Museum, Kensington Park, Brick Lane, Roof Gardens Club, Picaddilly, Covent Garden.

Until later.


"London never sleeps." -Catatonia