I am so happy.
Things are going amazingly well... SURPRISINGLY well! ... and its not just the London 70 degree weather. That's right, I said 70!
(OK, fine, 69 technically. Haha 69)
Disclaimer: You deserve a huge, Bill Clinton size apology for not getting proper updates from me via this BLOG. I'd like to think I've been really busy, but come on, I've just been lazy.
What I've been doing in London has been so fun! Taking a boat tour of the city is the first thing that popped in my mind just now. Starting from Westminster (YES! Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, etc), the student- discounted (holla) tour ending 40 minutes later at the Tower Bridge and Tower of London tube stop. The Tower of London is a billion million years old. It's where enemies were beheaded. Gross.
We've been to load of plays too. Let's see... I've seen Habit of Art, The God's Weep, Ruined, Posh...
My favorite was Ruined. It was a play about women in Congo. I'd suggest either trying to see it or looking up more information about the play because I would never be able to explain its great message. It's honestly something you need to experience. Humor, reality and shock are probably the best ways to describe it. Tonight, we're going to see William Shakespeare's Macbeth at the Globe Theatre by Westminster- ish. How many people can say that? Its historical, its beautiful, ITS THE GLOBE THEATRE. Only... you have to stand the entire time to watch the play. Great.
This past weekend was huge for me! ... and Morgan and Leah and Jackie and Mandy and Liz and Vanessa! We all went to Amsterdam for a few days. It had a lot of humor, reality and shock value to it too now that I think of it. At 2PM, it wouldn't be surprising to see half naked (really, though- one girl was only wearing a bra) prostitutes in windows or people smoking blunts outside. It was beautiful too. Known for their tulips and windmills, Holland had some pretty cool attractions. They're also so, so sweet. I have a Dutch aunt and every time I heard someone speak in English with her same Dutch accent, I was reminded of the olden days. Also, attached to this weekend came the emotional draining that was the one year anniversary of the death of awesome, awesome Ryan. GOD HE WAS AWESOME. My mom told me she went to his memorial in Fairfax and put tulips and a note from the Azimi family. She put tulips because I was in Amsterdam that Monday. This act of her's is probably one I'll remember the rest of my life. An act that made me tear up when she skyped it to me and an act that made me tear up just now. Thank you Mami <3 I couldn't have asked for a more appropriate weekend, though. The sheer freedom that came with simply leaving London or my flat was amazing. To spend the weekend at such a distracting, busy city? That made it a vacation. This weekend has also made me appreciate so many of those little things we're always told mattered most. My friends, first. They're the strongest, funniest, most genuine and caring people I've ever met. Making that effort to tell each other we're thinking about each other especially during the past week is adorable and something I cherished.
I went to another art gallery just now. Today, it was in Sloane Square. Nothing really popped out at me to remember it by, but I appreciated it!
I don't know what it is. Maybe its the weather, or the people here as well as in the States. It could be the songs I've downloaded or my laundry being all done. It might also be me realizing that I'm growing up, but I just can't seem to get this smile off my face.
So much love.
PS SWAT TEAM AT JMU FOR SPRINGFEST? haha. what a month.
