Old London Blogs

parkin’ it after the market…

Posted January 26th, 2009 by Michael

First, my apologies. I reread my other blogs. I’ll do what I can to remember everything i learned in my journalism classes about writing with my audience in mind, using a proper voice, and all that jazz… I have also yet to figure out how to put pictures into my blog, so if you’d like to see some of my photos, I have an album of them on the good’ole stalker paradise we call facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006157&l=4c8c2&id=1161450072
…ENJOY!

So the day started as a total failure… There was a walk/tour from St. Paul’s to the Borough Market this morning that I managed to miss the group going. I’m apparently incapable of reading a schedule that informs me when we’re leaving. ::shrug:: I decided to go anyway. I really wanted to see the market. Holy cow was it worth it!! Borough market is a food market full of exotic and incredible, edible delights. There were foods from all over the world… and there were samples from all over the world! It almost turned into a weekend trip to Sam’s Club, racing around to try everything–except it was remarkably classy and people we speaking any language you can imagine. It was all so good; words can’t describe it.

Then, with my two friends who are equally incapable of reading our schedule, we decided to go to another weekend market–the Portobello Market. It’s out by Notting Hill and it’s a super-long road that turns into a quasi-flea market. There was so much there. I went once, but I’m definately going to have to go again and again to fully take in everything that was there. There were antique shops, clothes (new and used) and tons of other stuff. I wish everyone could come here with me so they could experience this; it really it amazing.

Earlier in the week, I went to my first musical production. We went to a show called Blood Brothers. It’s an English show about family and superstition. It was a really good show. There were a few times where I couldn’t understand every word because of the accents, but I managed. I did really enjoy the show. There’s only one more show scheduled in our group itinerary, but there are SO MANY shows here that I want to see. Next week the theatre class is going to see Spring Awakening. I’d kill to see that show.

I’m relaxing in the lounge watching movies. I’m exhausted after such a long day of walking–hence my awful pun of a title… ALTHOUGH! I saw a pin that read: “A good pun is its own reword” I laughed a lot and decided it’s going to be my life mantra.

Hitchcock, fashion, and the “Obama Effect”

Posted January 22nd, 2009 by Michael

Holy cow! I’ve been in London for three and a half days now!

It feels like I’ve been here for weeks and a night all at the same time… My first impressions of London are varied, random and all around disjointed. London’s an amazing city. London’s a massive city. London’s an expensive city. London’s a city full of variety—various peoples, places, attractions and histories. I’ve been overwhelmed by everything I’ve seen and done in just these three short days.

Blogging about my time here is supposed to help inform anonymous reader (that’s you!) what I’ve been up to for the past few days. They took us on a walking tour where we went all the way out to the Tower of London. We saw the monument to the Great Fire and so much other stuff. I’ve been out wandering by myself on multiple occasions as well just to try and take in as much as I can. Big Ben—or the Westminster Clock Tower as our tour guide informed us it should be called—is absolutely breathtaking. Whatever pictures I’ve seen didn’t do it justice; it was such a sight to just walk up the street and see it.

Also! So important to note, the inauguration?!? Holy cow! I’m so pumped. It was incredible to see how the British community has reacted to this election. For the inauguration ceremony, a bunch of us went up to Piccadilly Circus because there was a T.G.I. Fridays. T.G.I. Fridays had organized an international toast at Fridays around the world during the ceremony. So a bunch of us toasted Obama’s becoming the 44th President of the United States with people from all over the world crammed into a T.G.I. Fridays’ bar. It was delightful. (I toasted chocolate milk, if you’re curious).

But as I was saying, the “Obama Effect” over here is remarkable. Everyone is infatuated and super-excited about him. There was an English couple we talked to at the bar and they were remarking about their feelings over the previous administrations. I’d also like to note that when Obama recognized Bush, there were quite a few boos in the crowd of people. Every single newspaper in London has had Obama on the cover for the past three days. It makes me proud to be an American seeing how happy people are about the election and the future.

We found a box set of Hitchcock classics for 20 pound. Can you believe that?! Fourteen movies for 30 dollars (give or take with the exchange rate). That’s the single thing I’ve found that’s cheap in this city: media. There’s a store called HMV that is basically an FYE, but cheaper. It’s delightful. There’s quite a few shops here. There are more H&M stores here in London than there are Wal-Marts in Indiana. I need to watch myself; I love H&M so much. London is such a fashionable place! It makes me wish that I had brought more clothes with me—more of my nicer clothes at least.

The Beginning…

Posted January 22nd, 2009 by Michael

Well, I’m six days from leaving for London and I’ve gotta begin my first blog. Everything that follows is the cliché, trite introduction demanded of any good blog. So come, take a walk with me and learn a little bit about me before I take this journey across the pond…

First of all, my name is Michael Joseph Koscielny II. I prefer Mike. I am 21 years old and I hail from Elkhart, Indiana. I was born there and have lived there all my life. After high school, I chose to persue a post-secondary education in the little ol’ town of Rensselaer, IN. Saint Joseph’s College has become a pivotal part of my life. It’s because of Saint Joseph’s College that I have done a lot of the things that I’ve done. I am double-majoring in both Mathematics and English because I like to do homework all of the time. But seriously, I am studying both with a minor in Secondary Education in hopes to teach one or the other when I grow up–whenever that may be.

At SJC, I’m hyper-involved with student life and different clubs and organizations. Stifling any air of hubris, I just want to list some of the things I’m involved in simply to give anyone reading an idea of what I spend my time doing. I have been running my campus activities board in some fashion or another (as president or vp) since my first semester freshman year; I’m also my class president. I’m actively involved with my campus theatre and improvisational clubs as well as my campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

On top of everything I do at school, I am still also active in the Boy Scouts of America. I went through the program as a youth and now try to give back as much as I can, spending my summers working at Camp Tamarack in Jones, Michigan. My hobbies include running (although, I find myself running less as I become busier), reading, and music. I do play saxophone, but when I say music is my hobby, I’m talking more of listening. I’m highly obsessive about the music I listen to and I am constantly looking for new bands to enjoy. (I’ve already started research about some of the different music venues in London).

As far as why I chose to study abroad, it’s always been something I wanted to do. However, before last summer, it was a pipedream. This last summer, I got the opportunity of a lifetime. I traveled to Guatemala with my campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity to build houses for those living in poverty. Words cannot describe what that trip meant to me, and it was after that trip that I really thought about how much I wanted an experience studying abroad. And as serendipity would have it, there was a new abroad advisor at the Joe who motivated me to not drag my feet about going. If it wasn’t for my professors who took me to Guatemala and really encouraged me to go, no matter what, I wouldn’t be writing this now and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.

To close, I thought it’d be my best bet to end with a ridiculous statement with too many exclamation points about how excited I am:

Holy Cow! I’m so friggin’ pumped!! now I need to pack…