"Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." -Pooh Bear

Some highlights of London since the last post

• Saw Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre with Jenna and Zana. The show was some of the best professional theatre I have seen. Billy really blew me away. He was flawless - his performance came from his vulnerability, fearlessness and boldness. His dancing was not just a memorized routine, but a real, lived-through expression of the pain and confusion this boy was going through. Other notable performances were Billy's father, Michael (Billy's friend) and the grandmother. The dance teacher was also great, but her dialect went in and out, which could be distracting. In terms of the show itself I was surprised how light-hearted it could be at times. The movie is much darker, but the musical did a nice job of combining the playfulness and joy of youth with the under-toning sadness.  It never felt too over the top. I highly recommend it! 
• Visited the Museum of London with my GST class. The museum was set up as a timeline of London from the earliest settlers through today. I was really impressed with the organization and content the museum covered. Unlike the British Museum with simple display cases, it was much more of an experience to walk through the exhibits with unique ways to introduce and involve the viewer with the topic. I especially loved the St Paul's exhibit, World War II exhibit and the fashion of London in the 1950's-60's. 
• A trip to the National Gallery with my art class. I'm starting to like this stuff! I have decided what I love most about art is finding my own story in the picture - whether it directly relates to my life or something I have imagined. 
• Found a coffee shop off of Baker Street tube stop to do homework in! Following Zana to her internship on Mondays has been a blessing to make sure I get through all of my London homework and make-up work from home while still feeling like I am soaking up this city. The shop is cozy and quiet in the morning, but bustling by lunch time. I love to be around people while I do work so the shop is the perfect combination of people-interaction without distraction. Sometimes I sit downstairs, but sometimes I come upstairs to sit in the big front window and watch London bustle by. 
• Going to the British Museum to see the Living and Dying exhibit. The past few months had hit me with a realness I hadn't felt yet the night before. But I went into this exhibit and read about the ways people all around the world deal with tragedy and loss and it was really enlightening and just what I needed. This world shares in common that we will all go through pain and suffering, but as my history teacher insightfully pointed out - we are the one species that can adapt to even the worst situations. This can be both frightening and in a way wonderful - we suffer, but we do not forget what we lost, instead we carry it with us. 
• And finally...feeling like London is home! While visiting Venice, thinking and speaking of London felt like a second home and when I got back it felt like crawling into a familiar, comfy place. The language barrier was new for me and challenging in Venice - I've learned if we're going to a country with a different language to come more prepared with key phrases, maps and other visual aids to communicate with the people. Most spoke at least a few words of English, but comprehension on both sides could be difficult. Of course the second I stepped off the plane in London every person around me was speaking Italian, Spanish and Russian. 
• Other small things: when the sun pokes through the clouds at Trafalgar Square, coffee, eating dinner with my flatmates every night, finding a seat on the Tube, reading the newspaper every day, going for long walks in the parks, stopping by the British Museum for a quick peak, Hyde and Regent's park with lots of birds, horses, walkers and runners, peanut butter despite warnings there would be none, Tesco next door and yes, even typical rainy, cloudy days. 

Arriverderci!