As much as I'm a little leery of all things postmodern, I usually like Rob Bell; I just wish I knew more Greek and Hebrew so I could check his exegesis:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-p_W_ZprQYU
Prof KLP, I have you to thank for my disposition to agree with Mr Bell here.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
La musica, la musica
This is an interesting discussion, and something that I think about a great deal. Check it out, if you want.
http://www.thecommonroot.org/forum/topics/2345046:Topic:1389
http://www.thecommonroot.org/forum/topics/2345046:Topic:1389
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Back to London
So...it's 6:30 AM and I've been up for going on 2.5 hours - what other reason for this than election day? I'm not as hardcore as Rod and Darren though - they've been going since 1 AM here (8 PM in America, Eastern time), and they cooked a bunch of us breakfast. Thanks to a faulty alarm, I didn't make the 4 AM GMT meet-up that we had scheduled, but at 4:30 I jumped out of bed, threw on my glasses, the nearest clean(ish) clothes, and a bandana and ran over to Buxton Street to watch the BBC and see the votes coming in.
Whew, is all I can say. It's all over!
There were many laughs and jokes at the expense of those bloggers featured by the BBC...and I in no way want to claim that I have or ever will blog about politics. But I have enough coffee in me to keep me up for quite a while, so I might as well update!
Life here has been a bit mixed up - Masha Clark was here for a wonderful week of touring London, and then Allison arrived and she and I went to Spain for a while. I'm priding myself on the fact that Mom now knows the tube well enough to get herself from Liverpool Street to Heathrow, even if it's only one transfer at Holborn.
Spain was lovely - not as warm as it would normally be, but still lovely. The architecture was definitely the high point: all the fountains, tiny streets, obscure monuments to even more obscure saints (and the not so saintly, a la Don Juan Tenorio), the Real Alcazar, and the gothic Cathedral. Allison and I took in some flamenco, an Arab bath/spa called "Aire de Sevilla," plenty of shopping, exploring, and generally enjoying the city.
It's been a bit tough getting back into the swing of things these last couple days - what with being quite tired and having a nasty cold. I'm sure all this not-sleep is helping quite a lot, too. Tonight is Bonfire Night, though, so I'll probably bum around with STP to set some fireworks off. All last evening I could hear fireworks going off everywhere - just like the fourth of July, only that everyone has their own private fireworks as opposed to just big town displays.
More of an update to follow...
Whew, is all I can say. It's all over!
There were many laughs and jokes at the expense of those bloggers featured by the BBC...and I in no way want to claim that I have or ever will blog about politics. But I have enough coffee in me to keep me up for quite a while, so I might as well update!
Life here has been a bit mixed up - Masha Clark was here for a wonderful week of touring London, and then Allison arrived and she and I went to Spain for a while. I'm priding myself on the fact that Mom now knows the tube well enough to get herself from Liverpool Street to Heathrow, even if it's only one transfer at Holborn.
Spain was lovely - not as warm as it would normally be, but still lovely. The architecture was definitely the high point: all the fountains, tiny streets, obscure monuments to even more obscure saints (and the not so saintly, a la Don Juan Tenorio), the Real Alcazar, and the gothic Cathedral. Allison and I took in some flamenco, an Arab bath/spa called "Aire de Sevilla," plenty of shopping, exploring, and generally enjoying the city.
It's been a bit tough getting back into the swing of things these last couple days - what with being quite tired and having a nasty cold. I'm sure all this not-sleep is helping quite a lot, too. Tonight is Bonfire Night, though, so I'll probably bum around with STP to set some fireworks off. All last evening I could hear fireworks going off everywhere - just like the fourth of July, only that everyone has their own private fireworks as opposed to just big town displays.
More of an update to follow...
Monday, October 20, 2008
The speed of sound
I was walking down Princelet Street the other day with Hannah and the kids and a bunch of pigeons flew up into the air from the pavement where Ben was about to terrorize them with his bike. Of course, whenever this happens, I always start singing “Speed of Sound” to myself for old times’ sake, but not always out loud. And it struck me that oh, my goodness – I’m halfway through my time here, and what an idiot I’ve been not to realize how fast time is going!
With Eid past, life among the Bengalis has gone back to normal – whatever that means. Kids’ club has started up – we’ve had one week at the Hanbury and one week going out to see Prince Caspian at the RichMix Cinema on Bethnal Green Road near the top of Brick Lane. (X3 in the cinema...I had forgotten how much I really enjoy that movie. I was near to tears more than once. Such a sap!) After that ,we had girls’ club, which was supposed to be bowling, but ended up in a long and futile battle with the London Transportation; a long wait in Aldgate East tube station, and then a long wait outside of Liverpool Street Station, and finally just goofing around over an early tea at McDonalds for the rest of the time. It really turned out to be a great time, though. There are some great girls there, and so many of them are pretty young, so hopefully they will be able to stay involved with the girls’ club for many years to come. Four of them commandeered my camera for a while, and I’ve not uploaded the pictures onto my computer to look at them yet…this could be rather interesting!
I made the mistake on Sunday of trying to walk the cycle that I have borrowed (thank you, Andy and Jacob) up Brick Lane in search of food to share at a picnic. As might be expected at 1:45 on a Sunday, both beigel shops were full up of people with queues way out onto the street. I decided that I couldn’t be bothered to tie my bike up somewhere and wait that long, so I continued squashing past people (one of whom, probably an American by accent, said “seriously!” as if it were a capital offense for me to try and walk my bike through the street) like I was going the wrong way in a river until I found an older man selling some fruit and brought that instead. I was meeting up with some people from church at Victoria (fam: Vicky) Park for lunch, and that turned into a long afternoon of doing the cryptic crossword – which I am quite horrible at. This might be complicated by the fact that I don’t know all the phrases, euphemisms, and figures of speech that someone writing these crosswords might be using, unfortunately. But it was a lovely day, and when I got back to the Spirings’, Hannah’s parents were there and I got to chat with them about their recent sojourn in America, among other things. Hannah’s dad introduced me to the practice of putting golden syrup on Yorkshire puddings, which was delicious but so incredibly rich. Every time I think about golden syrup I kind of groan, just because it’s so sugary! It make me want to smack my lips together and drink a lot of water.
At City Gateway, things have been a bit crazy, but thus is life. Yesterday was my first (well, technically second) day of helping out at Lansbury Lodge women’s project, and I must admit, I did not expect to be quite doing what I did all day. At Limehouse Youth Centre, I’m still helping to run evening club, do door-knocking, and get ideas/events started for girls’ night. I believe we just got the next batch of door-knocking stuff today, so that will be my afternoon, perhaps.
Have made a few goals for the next couple weeks: first, get my coursework done but not be a recluse (tough one, that!) Second: manage to enjoy the time with my mother and not fight too much. Third: post more regularly on here/journal regularly.
A friend at Limehouse and I were talking about the differences between areas of London, and the comment came out: things are much more laid back here, in the East End. In some ways, I suppose this is true - you don't quite have the hustle and bustle in a high commerce or touristy sense that you might get in the heart of the West End. In some ways, things certainly go do slower here, are less efficient, and generally more agreeable. But certainly not in all ways. Canary Wharf is an important centre for business (even with its ghastly skyscrapers), there are several major motorways as well as tunnels under the Thames, and the immigrant community is a rapidly changing one as well.
So - I guess it depends on what you mean by 'things move slower.' If you are Michael Scott, then things move a little bit slower in Scranton, PA. If you are Erin Clark, then perhaps where you currently live can't really be defined by 'slow-moving.'
To switch gears a little bit (and to wax philosophical), I've been trying to keep up on American politics...unfortunately, I have not been entirely successful. Or is it fortunately? No, I won't go that route. I think it's good to be informed about politics and to make an informed choice whenever one has the privilege to vote. What really tires me, however, is the constant barrage of arguing and slandering and accusing and defending and...and...and the knowledge that no one candidate is going to keep all his or her promises - by a LONG shot. I've been saying recently, when pressed, that I really don't think a two-party system is sustainable in a county of the US' size and responsibility.
Hrmmm. That will take quite a lot more mulling over.
At any rate, this week masha clark is coming to visit (I think she is pretty stoked) and Allison is coming on Friday, after which the two of us are going to Sevilla. Sigh...it will be nice to have a holiday to catch up on Zzzz's, conversation, and pleasure reading ;) And of course, tourism!
With Eid past, life among the Bengalis has gone back to normal – whatever that means. Kids’ club has started up – we’ve had one week at the Hanbury and one week going out to see Prince Caspian at the RichMix Cinema on Bethnal Green Road near the top of Brick Lane. (X3 in the cinema...I had forgotten how much I really enjoy that movie. I was near to tears more than once. Such a sap!) After that ,we had girls’ club, which was supposed to be bowling, but ended up in a long and futile battle with the London Transportation; a long wait in Aldgate East tube station, and then a long wait outside of Liverpool Street Station, and finally just goofing around over an early tea at McDonalds for the rest of the time. It really turned out to be a great time, though. There are some great girls there, and so many of them are pretty young, so hopefully they will be able to stay involved with the girls’ club for many years to come. Four of them commandeered my camera for a while, and I’ve not uploaded the pictures onto my computer to look at them yet…this could be rather interesting!
I made the mistake on Sunday of trying to walk the cycle that I have borrowed (thank you, Andy and Jacob) up Brick Lane in search of food to share at a picnic. As might be expected at 1:45 on a Sunday, both beigel shops were full up of people with queues way out onto the street. I decided that I couldn’t be bothered to tie my bike up somewhere and wait that long, so I continued squashing past people (one of whom, probably an American by accent, said “seriously!” as if it were a capital offense for me to try and walk my bike through the street) like I was going the wrong way in a river until I found an older man selling some fruit and brought that instead. I was meeting up with some people from church at Victoria (fam: Vicky) Park for lunch, and that turned into a long afternoon of doing the cryptic crossword – which I am quite horrible at. This might be complicated by the fact that I don’t know all the phrases, euphemisms, and figures of speech that someone writing these crosswords might be using, unfortunately. But it was a lovely day, and when I got back to the Spirings’, Hannah’s parents were there and I got to chat with them about their recent sojourn in America, among other things. Hannah’s dad introduced me to the practice of putting golden syrup on Yorkshire puddings, which was delicious but so incredibly rich. Every time I think about golden syrup I kind of groan, just because it’s so sugary! It make me want to smack my lips together and drink a lot of water.
At City Gateway, things have been a bit crazy, but thus is life. Yesterday was my first (well, technically second) day of helping out at Lansbury Lodge women’s project, and I must admit, I did not expect to be quite doing what I did all day. At Limehouse Youth Centre, I’m still helping to run evening club, do door-knocking, and get ideas/events started for girls’ night. I believe we just got the next batch of door-knocking stuff today, so that will be my afternoon, perhaps.
Have made a few goals for the next couple weeks: first, get my coursework done but not be a recluse (tough one, that!) Second: manage to enjoy the time with my mother and not fight too much. Third: post more regularly on here/journal regularly.
A friend at Limehouse and I were talking about the differences between areas of London, and the comment came out: things are much more laid back here, in the East End. In some ways, I suppose this is true - you don't quite have the hustle and bustle in a high commerce or touristy sense that you might get in the heart of the West End. In some ways, things certainly go do slower here, are less efficient, and generally more agreeable. But certainly not in all ways. Canary Wharf is an important centre for business (even with its ghastly skyscrapers), there are several major motorways as well as tunnels under the Thames, and the immigrant community is a rapidly changing one as well.
So - I guess it depends on what you mean by 'things move slower.' If you are Michael Scott, then things move a little bit slower in Scranton, PA. If you are Erin Clark, then perhaps where you currently live can't really be defined by 'slow-moving.'
To switch gears a little bit (and to wax philosophical), I've been trying to keep up on American politics...unfortunately, I have not been entirely successful. Or is it fortunately? No, I won't go that route. I think it's good to be informed about politics and to make an informed choice whenever one has the privilege to vote. What really tires me, however, is the constant barrage of arguing and slandering and accusing and defending and...and...and the knowledge that no one candidate is going to keep all his or her promises - by a LONG shot. I've been saying recently, when pressed, that I really don't think a two-party system is sustainable in a county of the US' size and responsibility.
Hrmmm. That will take quite a lot more mulling over.
At any rate, this week masha clark is coming to visit (I think she is pretty stoked) and Allison is coming on Friday, after which the two of us are going to Sevilla. Sigh...it will be nice to have a holiday to catch up on Zzzz's, conversation, and pleasure reading ;) And of course, tourism!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Eid Mubarak
Well, this past week included Eid Al-Fitr, the celebration day (or three days) at the end of Ramadan. After finding a pretty selwa kamiz to wear on Whitechapel, Alice and I headed out post lunchtime-service to visit late into the evening. Was interesting to hear how Alice explained our celebration-or-not-celebration of Ramadan...because we weren't really celebrating, not being Muslim, but we certainly wanted to be with our friends in the community while they separate and show respect for their culture by coming beside them in a really joyful time, I guess. At any rate, it was wonderful to have kids who remember me from being in school and, now, kids' club.
For yes, today was the first kids' club for this term. We had 31 at one point (although we leveled out at 28) and the hour and a half went SO INCREDIBLY FAST! I was picking up kids from Jacobson House, although few could actually come today. Will have to follow up this week and try to see the kids who couldn't come!
I sent in a very long paper this week, which was lovely and cause for much rejoicing. Sending in the paper was lovely, that is - not the paper itself! It wasn't horrible, but I just did not really want to write it at all. Next up are a few textbook reflection style papers, which should be fine.
I'm still plowing through "The Book of Hiding", although I made considerable progress this week and hope to finish it today. the Lifeshapes book is going, too, but I don't want to read it too fast, preferring to mull over what I read a bit more.
It's officially autumn here, which means chilly, chilly, chilly. I forgot how tough it is to really keep warm here...man, I am such a pansy! What happened to I-love-winter-Erin? Will have to stock up on the jumpers :)
For yes, today was the first kids' club for this term. We had 31 at one point (although we leveled out at 28) and the hour and a half went SO INCREDIBLY FAST! I was picking up kids from Jacobson House, although few could actually come today. Will have to follow up this week and try to see the kids who couldn't come!
I sent in a very long paper this week, which was lovely and cause for much rejoicing. Sending in the paper was lovely, that is - not the paper itself! It wasn't horrible, but I just did not really want to write it at all. Next up are a few textbook reflection style papers, which should be fine.
I'm still plowing through "The Book of Hiding", although I made considerable progress this week and hope to finish it today. the Lifeshapes book is going, too, but I don't want to read it too fast, preferring to mull over what I read a bit more.
It's officially autumn here, which means chilly, chilly, chilly. I forgot how tough it is to really keep warm here...man, I am such a pansy! What happened to I-love-winter-Erin? Will have to stock up on the jumpers :)
Friday, September 26, 2008
Pictures at long last!
Thanks to the correct camera cord (all the way from Hong Kong - literally. a technology shop in Hong Kong), here are some pictures for you:
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abtmblo2aMmTkY
if you go here and click on "View Album" and then "Detail View"...you'll see the pictures and my comments.
I'll try to keep them coming as I take them, but in my efforts to avoid being a tourist, they may be slow in coming.
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abtmblo2aMmTkY
if you go here and click on "View Album" and then "Detail View"...you'll see the pictures and my comments.
I'll try to keep them coming as I take them, but in my efforts to avoid being a tourist, they may be slow in coming.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Public transit
You know what I love? Public transportation. Yes, it's hot and miserable and often late, sporadic, or slow. But I love it.
And I especially love that when a bus' oyster scanner isn't working, the driver just tells you so, and you get a free ride. Way to go, Transport for London! You make lots of people happy with your generosity.
And I especially love that when a bus' oyster scanner isn't working, the driver just tells you so, and you get a free ride. Way to go, Transport for London! You make lots of people happy with your generosity.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Oh yes, I am still a student -
Well, I have certainly been remiss in my updating of this blog! This past week or so has been quite busy, as I have finally (mostly) established a schedule at the school, at City Gateway, and at the church. Just a few things to update on, I guess!
1- I love Thursdays. Really. This might be because I am most comfortable at Christ Church (of anyplace around here), but I love getting up for early morning prayer-song-bible discussion, I love brainstorming for kids' club and assembly, going visiting, cherishing lunchtime and teatime, knowing that all I have to wake up to is a great morning in the school and an afternoon off...
2- Ugh. I think I'm getting an illness parallel to the "I want to be at Houghton but not do schoolwork at Houghton"...except with the title "I want to be here working in London but not having to write papers about this unless they count as free journalling, and even that I'm not too keen on." Too bad neither of those illness-names will ever be clinically trustworthy; instead, I have a common cold and there is no chicken noodle soup in sight. Sainsbury's? If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my (culinary) trends...
3- Living in reality is hard sometimes, especially with a lingering case of culture shock. As much as I try to avoid the "little erin in the big city" wide-eyed innocence, it's somewhat inevitable...and indubitably frustrating! I think to escape this, I daydream when I ride the bus. This is good, except when it leads to afternoons of writing that lead nowhere near a handing-in-worthy essay.
4- Church vision day was Saturday; apparently, in my short afternoon jaunt to take Ben and Rachel to the park (I love those kids!), I missed Andy's attempt to embarass me...thank goodness :) I may have said this before, but it bears repeating: being here really helps to restore my faith in the church as an institution. Most who will read this know the doubts I have about organized Christianity - or organized religion in general - and its ability to do anything really good and effective in society. I guess I have long preferred to call 'faith' doing what I can in the situations I end up in to honor Jesus with my decisions.
But that's rather individualistic, no? And people by themselves can only be effective to a certain degree! I heard recently that Margaret Thatcher can be quoted in saying, "there is no community; there is only the individual." Even from a completely secular point of view in which I often find myself and my influences, how can that be true?
At any rate, being around a church that is active and passionate is contagious, and I love it. I only hope that I can honestly mature through what I do here.
5- Fall is here. Or Autumn, if you prefer. And it's lovely. I savor the chill in the air, even though I know that I'll probably first glimpse snow when I set down on the tarmac in GR on the 9th of December :)
There's much more I'd love to update you about, and will hopefully do so soon. Please badger me if you care to do so!
Much love-
1- I love Thursdays. Really. This might be because I am most comfortable at Christ Church (of anyplace around here), but I love getting up for early morning prayer-song-bible discussion, I love brainstorming for kids' club and assembly, going visiting, cherishing lunchtime and teatime, knowing that all I have to wake up to is a great morning in the school and an afternoon off...
2- Ugh. I think I'm getting an illness parallel to the "I want to be at Houghton but not do schoolwork at Houghton"...except with the title "I want to be here working in London but not having to write papers about this unless they count as free journalling, and even that I'm not too keen on." Too bad neither of those illness-names will ever be clinically trustworthy; instead, I have a common cold and there is no chicken noodle soup in sight. Sainsbury's? If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my (culinary) trends...
3- Living in reality is hard sometimes, especially with a lingering case of culture shock. As much as I try to avoid the "little erin in the big city" wide-eyed innocence, it's somewhat inevitable...and indubitably frustrating! I think to escape this, I daydream when I ride the bus. This is good, except when it leads to afternoons of writing that lead nowhere near a handing-in-worthy essay.
4- Church vision day was Saturday; apparently, in my short afternoon jaunt to take Ben and Rachel to the park (I love those kids!), I missed Andy's attempt to embarass me...thank goodness :) I may have said this before, but it bears repeating: being here really helps to restore my faith in the church as an institution. Most who will read this know the doubts I have about organized Christianity - or organized religion in general - and its ability to do anything really good and effective in society. I guess I have long preferred to call 'faith' doing what I can in the situations I end up in to honor Jesus with my decisions.
But that's rather individualistic, no? And people by themselves can only be effective to a certain degree! I heard recently that Margaret Thatcher can be quoted in saying, "there is no community; there is only the individual." Even from a completely secular point of view in which I often find myself and my influences, how can that be true?
At any rate, being around a church that is active and passionate is contagious, and I love it. I only hope that I can honestly mature through what I do here.
5- Fall is here. Or Autumn, if you prefer. And it's lovely. I savor the chill in the air, even though I know that I'll probably first glimpse snow when I set down on the tarmac in GR on the 9th of December :)
There's much more I'd love to update you about, and will hopefully do so soon. Please badger me if you care to do so!
Much love-
Friday, September 12, 2008
Ridiculous (let's STOP using that word)
Another week in London town, and some remarkable things:
1. A pub called "World's End." Yes. Like 'Pirates 3.' Ridiculous.
2. Officially have gotten on two wrong buses this week. Ridiculous.
3. Have no one to go learn Scottish country dancing with on Sunday. Ridiculous!
4. Have discovered that 'Iceland' is a budget grocery chain over here. Ridiculously AWESOME.
5. Broke fast w/a Muslim family yesterday - Ifta, the meal is called. There is a TV countdown like new year's eve, except this one is for 7:30 PM when they can officially break fast. Rediculously delicious food, but difficult to eat w/my hands, as I haven't done that for a while. Alice was tying to surreptitiously give me pointers, for which i was very grateful.
6. So apparently Michael Buble and Chris Martin own the world, because I cannot escape them! Not that I particularly mind...
At any rate, this week was my first at Limehouse Youth Centre, which is part of City Gateway. It's a good 50 minute walk down Commercial Road, but it takes practically that long (maybe 5 to 10 minutes less) to get there by bus b/c of the congested route/waiting for the bus...so I think I might make a habit of walking it whenever time and daylight permit, because I like the exercise. This week has been mostly calling for the door-knocking program and running the evening youth club, which varies from night to night.
At Christ Church this week, I sang with Alice for the lunchtime service on Tuesday, which was pretty great. Rod and Andy are starting a short series on 'the world we all want,' which I am just HOPING will somehow include the concept/word of a 'metanarrative,' a true blue Papa Shea-ism. On Thursday, I finished the flyer and handouts for the Kids' club that starts up after Ramadan, assisted with the afternoon assembly at the school (I'm planning the one for next week, which is all about interdependency with creation - any ideas, anyone?), and went visiting around the estates.
Met with Carol Rider at the school and am due to start Monday morning there volunteering as a TA to get to know the kids a bit better. I'll probably be with year 4s, 5s, because of a family that's just come from Bangladeshi with no English needing one of the ladies who is fluent in Siletti to be with them pretty much constantly. Such a hard transition!
Anyways, today was my day off and it was mostly spent wandering around Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. No one at Speakers' Corner (sadness), got kicked out of a lawn chair (you have to pay for them by the hour!), got a bit lost near the Serpentine, eventually found Peter Pan and the sunken gardens. Then I went to Harrods and marveled at the fact that anyone could charge 650 pounds for a blouse, chilled out in the Egyptian elevator (amazing!) and then went to Camden to get lost and choke on all the incense.
Tomorrow, who knows? I hope to get up early to run and then plan the day from there. Greenwich, perhaps.
1. A pub called "World's End." Yes. Like 'Pirates 3.' Ridiculous.
2. Officially have gotten on two wrong buses this week. Ridiculous.
3. Have no one to go learn Scottish country dancing with on Sunday. Ridiculous!
4. Have discovered that 'Iceland' is a budget grocery chain over here. Ridiculously AWESOME.
5. Broke fast w/a Muslim family yesterday - Ifta, the meal is called. There is a TV countdown like new year's eve, except this one is for 7:30 PM when they can officially break fast. Rediculously delicious food, but difficult to eat w/my hands, as I haven't done that for a while. Alice was tying to surreptitiously give me pointers, for which i was very grateful.
6. So apparently Michael Buble and Chris Martin own the world, because I cannot escape them! Not that I particularly mind...
At any rate, this week was my first at Limehouse Youth Centre, which is part of City Gateway. It's a good 50 minute walk down Commercial Road, but it takes practically that long (maybe 5 to 10 minutes less) to get there by bus b/c of the congested route/waiting for the bus...so I think I might make a habit of walking it whenever time and daylight permit, because I like the exercise. This week has been mostly calling for the door-knocking program and running the evening youth club, which varies from night to night.
At Christ Church this week, I sang with Alice for the lunchtime service on Tuesday, which was pretty great. Rod and Andy are starting a short series on 'the world we all want,' which I am just HOPING will somehow include the concept/word of a 'metanarrative,' a true blue Papa Shea-ism. On Thursday, I finished the flyer and handouts for the Kids' club that starts up after Ramadan, assisted with the afternoon assembly at the school (I'm planning the one for next week, which is all about interdependency with creation - any ideas, anyone?), and went visiting around the estates.
Met with Carol Rider at the school and am due to start Monday morning there volunteering as a TA to get to know the kids a bit better. I'll probably be with year 4s, 5s, because of a family that's just come from Bangladeshi with no English needing one of the ladies who is fluent in Siletti to be with them pretty much constantly. Such a hard transition!
Anyways, today was my day off and it was mostly spent wandering around Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. No one at Speakers' Corner (sadness), got kicked out of a lawn chair (you have to pay for them by the hour!), got a bit lost near the Serpentine, eventually found Peter Pan and the sunken gardens. Then I went to Harrods and marveled at the fact that anyone could charge 650 pounds for a blouse, chilled out in the Egyptian elevator (amazing!) and then went to Camden to get lost and choke on all the incense.
Tomorrow, who knows? I hope to get up early to run and then plan the day from there. Greenwich, perhaps.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
burning effigies...what IS an effigy?
oh, so Hannah reminded me the other day that I'll be here for "fireworks in November." I was confused for a moment, and then I realized:
BONFIRE NIGHT!! The FIFTH OF NOVEMBER!! GUY FAWKES DAY!!
A more traditional way to celebrate is to burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, but as the title indicates, I don't know what an effigy is. All Hail Merriam Webster!!
BONFIRE NIGHT!! The FIFTH OF NOVEMBER!! GUY FAWKES DAY!!
A more traditional way to celebrate is to burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, but as the title indicates, I don't know what an effigy is. All Hail Merriam Webster!!
- Main Entry:
- ef·fi·gy
- Pronunciation:
- \ˈe-fə-jē\
- Function:
- noun
- Inflected Form(s):
- plural ef·fi·gies
- Etymology:
- Middle French effigie, from Latin effigies, from effingere to form, from ex- + fingere to shape — more at dough
- Date:
- 1539
: an image or representation especially of a person; especially : a crude figure representing a hated person
O my heart I would dance and clap in place
You know how it is when you discover music that you haven't heard in a long time and really remember why you loved it in the first place? Or maybe it's not just music - but pursuits, activities, time-wasting devices, or even good friends. I feel like this past week has encompassed several of these moments of 'coming back.'
Item no. 1: Finally, some sort of plan is coming into formation for what I'll I'm doing while here. It's been so nice to be having time to get school work done and explore London these past two weeks, but I was very ready to have a more scheduled time! Below is my 'prospective week'
Monday: morning @ the school or off, afternoon-evening at City Gateway
Tuesday: morning at Christ Church/staff stuff, afternoon-evening at CG
Wednesday: same as Monday
Thursday: all day at CCS
Friday: morning & afternoon off, after school/evening at school
Saturday: morning w/ CCS kids club, afternoon/evening off
Sunday: rest!
I'm so excited! I made myself a diary today - here, a diary is a datebook - out of a recycled notebook that Lisa-Raine gave me. It will be nice to be slightly more organized :)
Oh, but I'm so happy to have met with people at City Gateway and the school - I only hope that I can be helpful in both areas to a sufficient degree!
Item no. 2: Tuesday night I went to Forum, one of the missional communities at CCS devoted to the art-world around here, and i must say that the discussion was fantastic; challenging, far-out-there, and absolutely wonderful. It was 'grill a clergyman' night, and so Rob did his best to stand up to our questions about the universe. Oh, but it was wonderful to have some truly challenging intellectual discussion!! I feel like I could just be an academic forever...well, that's somewhat false. I'd have to be an intellectual on the side, only, having neither the resources, motivation, nor calling to stay in academia forever.
Item no.3: Today I sort of rediscovered Sufjan Stevens, and am currently rather surprised how much I really love his music!
Item no. 4: Sunday I moved in with Will and Hannah Spiring, and their two children, Ben and Rachel. It's been so long since I've been around a 'family and children' that the rhythm that a family has to live its life in is blessed, comforting, slightly chaotic, and I love it. They're graciously allowing me to live in their loft for the remainder of my time here (who but amazing people have houseguests for months at a time, is what I am), and I've set up a little study station up here to read, write journals and essays, and generally enjoy the beautiful windows and soft glow of lamps by which to write.
This weekend should be relatively slow, but in a good way. I think I'll bop down to the west end to catch a cheap show, perhaps. Speaking of which, the Lorca play "Blood Wedding" was phenomenal beyond description and I didn't want it to end! Oh, I do love Lorca. Why did he only write 3 plays???
Item no. 1: Finally, some sort of plan is coming into formation for what I'll I'm doing while here. It's been so nice to be having time to get school work done and explore London these past two weeks, but I was very ready to have a more scheduled time! Below is my 'prospective week'
Monday: morning @ the school or off, afternoon-evening at City Gateway
Tuesday: morning at Christ Church/staff stuff, afternoon-evening at CG
Wednesday: same as Monday
Thursday: all day at CCS
Friday: morning & afternoon off, after school/evening at school
Saturday: morning w/ CCS kids club, afternoon/evening off
Sunday: rest!
I'm so excited! I made myself a diary today - here, a diary is a datebook - out of a recycled notebook that Lisa-Raine gave me. It will be nice to be slightly more organized :)
Oh, but I'm so happy to have met with people at City Gateway and the school - I only hope that I can be helpful in both areas to a sufficient degree!
Item no. 2: Tuesday night I went to Forum, one of the missional communities at CCS devoted to the art-world around here, and i must say that the discussion was fantastic; challenging, far-out-there, and absolutely wonderful. It was 'grill a clergyman' night, and so Rob did his best to stand up to our questions about the universe. Oh, but it was wonderful to have some truly challenging intellectual discussion!! I feel like I could just be an academic forever...well, that's somewhat false. I'd have to be an intellectual on the side, only, having neither the resources, motivation, nor calling to stay in academia forever.
Item no.3: Today I sort of rediscovered Sufjan Stevens, and am currently rather surprised how much I really love his music!
Item no. 4: Sunday I moved in with Will and Hannah Spiring, and their two children, Ben and Rachel. It's been so long since I've been around a 'family and children' that the rhythm that a family has to live its life in is blessed, comforting, slightly chaotic, and I love it. They're graciously allowing me to live in their loft for the remainder of my time here (who but amazing people have houseguests for months at a time, is what I am), and I've set up a little study station up here to read, write journals and essays, and generally enjoy the beautiful windows and soft glow of lamps by which to write.
This weekend should be relatively slow, but in a good way. I think I'll bop down to the west end to catch a cheap show, perhaps. Speaking of which, the Lorca play "Blood Wedding" was phenomenal beyond description and I didn't want it to end! Oh, I do love Lorca. Why did he only write 3 plays???
Friday, August 29, 2008
Charmingly yours
Things I like here:
1. Lunch breaks from 1 PM - ?
2. Walled gardens
3. People ask, "are you happy to..." instead of "do you mind..." or "are you okay with..."
4. Bicycling!
5. Costa coffee
6. wine as way of an apology for late deliveries (thank you, Ocado man!)
1. Lunch breaks from 1 PM - ?
2. Walled gardens
3. People ask, "are you happy to..." instead of "do you mind..." or "are you okay with..."
4. Bicycling!
5. Costa coffee
6. wine as way of an apology for late deliveries (thank you, Ocado man!)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
at christ church office
It certainly is much easier to go from a state of no activity to a state of lots of activity than vice versa. This week has been relaxing: quiet, even, without the holiday club to dictate the majority of hours in my day. I've been writing (¡qué sorpresa!), visiting kids I met during mission week, and getting things in order for my independent study. Even so, I have felt quite aimless, which was bound to happen, I guess. Plugging into established groups is never easy, but I will not be deterred!
This weekend, an open-air theatre on the South Bank is putting on a new intepretation of Federico Garcia Lorca's "Blood Wedding" that I plan to attend. It will be strange, having only read/watched on video another of his plays - "Yerma - but I am looking forward to it. Now, to figure out my bus route...
Actually, the buses aren't nearly as intimidating as they were a few years ago. Maybe it's because I've had to rely on them more; maybe it's because I've given up my pride in the area of not asking the bus driver for help - either way, I've made it to the west end and back a few times, and up to Angel (with unfortuntely no sighting of Banksy) with relatively few problems.
This past Monday was a 'Bank Holiday,' and so most people had the day off. After talking about how we loved walking around and seeing the sights on foot, Joanne suggested that we take a walk in the country on Monday, and so we did. We've been having fun calling it a 'pilgrimage' in the spirit of Chaucer because its eventual (and eventual it was!) destination was Canterbury. We took an 8:30 train to the tiny, absolutely picturesque English village of Chilham, and got our bearings from there. Oh, but Chilham was charming! If the little pub had been open, I would have been very tempted to enjoy the town for its beautiful tudor and georgian buildings, one main street (named, and I kid you not, The Street), and lovely setting. But alas, we had bigger goals, and the biggest was the 11 miles or so of our route to Canterbury.
We managed to get lost only slightly, but made it to Canterbury in perfect time for a cup of tea in this little Bohemian cafe and an Evensong at the Cathedral. We caught the train home from Canterbury west station and had a rather luxurious dinner spread of bread, cheese, dried apricots, pretzels, etc. It was a lovely day, despite our sore feet. There were five of us who went: Rod, Joanne, myself, and Dan and Sara, another couple from the States. It was so strange to be around Americans! I'd gotten quite unused to the accent from people besides myself...
If anyone reading this does end up coming to visit, make sure you prepare yourself for a scalding hot curry. I returned to the curry restaurant that Lisa-Raine had taken me to on my first day here, and boy! was it ridiculous. Good, but wow. Very hot. Hotter than any Mexican or Peruvian or Colombian food I've ever had, and I've had my fair share for this point in life, I think!
Sunday afternoon, Jen and I went out to shop the Spitalfields market and I must say, there's really nothing like a market day here. There were people heckling, everyone selling and buying, good and bad quality, warm food and cold food, stylish and just strange fashion, and no end of tourists. I was reminded of Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' description of the Floating Market in Knightsbridge where one of the stands has a man calling out, "Lost property! None of your found goods here! Everything guaranteed properly lost!" At any rate, I found an interesting little dress and some brown leggings to experiment with this style, and we'll see if I'm still feeling good about them by the end of their trial run today.
I guess I'll conclude for now. My best to you all :)
This weekend, an open-air theatre on the South Bank is putting on a new intepretation of Federico Garcia Lorca's "Blood Wedding" that I plan to attend. It will be strange, having only read/watched on video another of his plays - "Yerma - but I am looking forward to it. Now, to figure out my bus route...
Actually, the buses aren't nearly as intimidating as they were a few years ago. Maybe it's because I've had to rely on them more; maybe it's because I've given up my pride in the area of not asking the bus driver for help - either way, I've made it to the west end and back a few times, and up to Angel (with unfortuntely no sighting of Banksy) with relatively few problems.
This past Monday was a 'Bank Holiday,' and so most people had the day off. After talking about how we loved walking around and seeing the sights on foot, Joanne suggested that we take a walk in the country on Monday, and so we did. We've been having fun calling it a 'pilgrimage' in the spirit of Chaucer because its eventual (and eventual it was!) destination was Canterbury. We took an 8:30 train to the tiny, absolutely picturesque English village of Chilham, and got our bearings from there. Oh, but Chilham was charming! If the little pub had been open, I would have been very tempted to enjoy the town for its beautiful tudor and georgian buildings, one main street (named, and I kid you not, The Street), and lovely setting. But alas, we had bigger goals, and the biggest was the 11 miles or so of our route to Canterbury.
We managed to get lost only slightly, but made it to Canterbury in perfect time for a cup of tea in this little Bohemian cafe and an Evensong at the Cathedral. We caught the train home from Canterbury west station and had a rather luxurious dinner spread of bread, cheese, dried apricots, pretzels, etc. It was a lovely day, despite our sore feet. There were five of us who went: Rod, Joanne, myself, and Dan and Sara, another couple from the States. It was so strange to be around Americans! I'd gotten quite unused to the accent from people besides myself...
If anyone reading this does end up coming to visit, make sure you prepare yourself for a scalding hot curry. I returned to the curry restaurant that Lisa-Raine had taken me to on my first day here, and boy! was it ridiculous. Good, but wow. Very hot. Hotter than any Mexican or Peruvian or Colombian food I've ever had, and I've had my fair share for this point in life, I think!
Sunday afternoon, Jen and I went out to shop the Spitalfields market and I must say, there's really nothing like a market day here. There were people heckling, everyone selling and buying, good and bad quality, warm food and cold food, stylish and just strange fashion, and no end of tourists. I was reminded of Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' description of the Floating Market in Knightsbridge where one of the stands has a man calling out, "Lost property! None of your found goods here! Everything guaranteed properly lost!" At any rate, I found an interesting little dress and some brown leggings to experiment with this style, and we'll see if I'm still feeling good about them by the end of their trial run today.
I guess I'll conclude for now. My best to you all :)
Friday, August 22, 2008
The worms are coming!
Well, I have to confess that I definitely stole the title for this post from an article that I found here: http://www.tfl.co.uk/buses.asp - if you read it, you'll know what I mean.
I really hate riding bendy buses, though. They are just not as BAMF as double-deckers, or rather, 'Routemasters.'
Whew. Holiday Club is going very well - today is the last day, which is sad but tinged with relief. Tonight there's a barbecue at the vicarage (hahaha...hopefully not a Murder at the Vicarage) for everyone who was involved and it should be a good time.
Mission week has just gotten better each day, except perhaps in the team points competition, where my team, the Incredibles (superhero theme, remember), had an abysmal day yesterday and would have had only two points for the whole freaking day had not we gotten a few pity points from Robert (bless his heart).
But seriously, I am so glad to get the chance to connect with these kids. At girls' club in the evenings we have been doing a different craft every night, and last night we did mendi (henna) on our hands. Little Sayeda, who was on the Incredibles team for a few days, asked if she could do my hand and she did, albeit a bit sloppily and quite dark. Oh well. I think if I were too concerned about my appearance I would have changed it a long while ago into something far more bland.
That's one thing that being in London has really made me think about: how we perceive ourselves and one another. I perceive myself as a follower of Jesus, a bit brainy, overweight, slightly hyper-literate, twenty years old, an American, not high fashion, and sometimes lacking in common sense. What do people see in and about me, I wonder? What do I see in and about others? How do my snap judgments affect any sort of relationship we may have in the future? How do our habits complement or clash?
I guess London (or perhaps, a city) has brought this to the forefront because people are so much more colorful, expressive, and less concerned with keeping up with 'the norm' than they are in, say, Newaygo County Michigan. It really is inspiring - it makes me want to decide completely for myself how I dress, how I act, how I speak...instead of constantly thinking how I should.
This doesn't go without limitation, obviously, but it bears a good inner look. I have been blessed with a varied and diverse community to explore, as well!
Another thing that's been on my mind is (as cliche as this may sound) the voice of God. Being around a large Muslim community always puts one on one's guard as to what we attribute and do not attribute to God, but I am inclined to believe that God speaks much more than we give Him credit for.
For example, all this week, we have had a tent (a marquee) set up next to the flat that I'm staying at on Buxton Street. Any other structure left up for five days in such a public place would have been vandalized long ago, but ours has stood.
As the week has progressed, the boys' evening football has grown in number, and the guys running it have been able to share a bit about their lives with the boys, leading to some really great conversations.
Simply the fact that each day, a group of committed people come together to do what they can to provide a place for these kids to enjoy themselves, learn a little about Christianity, and stay out of trouble - it amazes me: the faith of these people.
What am I saying is: could not each of these phenomena - the protection of our tent, the willingness of the boys to listen, the commitment of young CCS attenders - be the voice of God in the ears of many? It may be easy to label as 'spiritualizing,' but even the most postmodern of individuals can be guilty of 'relgiousity' or 'spiritualism.' Why should those who claim to be Christ-followers neglect the same opportunity?
If you want to reply to this or tell me off, or just say hi, please write me an email. I'd love to hear from you all :)
Oh, and I think I'm going to start a pub name list...to add:
Woodin's Shades
The Nag's Head
And some interesting graffiti:
'The land of Free Dumb.'
I really hate riding bendy buses, though. They are just not as BAMF as double-deckers, or rather, 'Routemasters.'
Whew. Holiday Club is going very well - today is the last day, which is sad but tinged with relief. Tonight there's a barbecue at the vicarage (hahaha...hopefully not a Murder at the Vicarage) for everyone who was involved and it should be a good time.
Mission week has just gotten better each day, except perhaps in the team points competition, where my team, the Incredibles (superhero theme, remember), had an abysmal day yesterday and would have had only two points for the whole freaking day had not we gotten a few pity points from Robert (bless his heart).
But seriously, I am so glad to get the chance to connect with these kids. At girls' club in the evenings we have been doing a different craft every night, and last night we did mendi (henna) on our hands. Little Sayeda, who was on the Incredibles team for a few days, asked if she could do my hand and she did, albeit a bit sloppily and quite dark. Oh well. I think if I were too concerned about my appearance I would have changed it a long while ago into something far more bland.
That's one thing that being in London has really made me think about: how we perceive ourselves and one another. I perceive myself as a follower of Jesus, a bit brainy, overweight, slightly hyper-literate, twenty years old, an American, not high fashion, and sometimes lacking in common sense. What do people see in and about me, I wonder? What do I see in and about others? How do my snap judgments affect any sort of relationship we may have in the future? How do our habits complement or clash?
I guess London (or perhaps, a city) has brought this to the forefront because people are so much more colorful, expressive, and less concerned with keeping up with 'the norm' than they are in, say, Newaygo County Michigan. It really is inspiring - it makes me want to decide completely for myself how I dress, how I act, how I speak...instead of constantly thinking how I should.
This doesn't go without limitation, obviously, but it bears a good inner look. I have been blessed with a varied and diverse community to explore, as well!
Another thing that's been on my mind is (as cliche as this may sound) the voice of God. Being around a large Muslim community always puts one on one's guard as to what we attribute and do not attribute to God, but I am inclined to believe that God speaks much more than we give Him credit for.
For example, all this week, we have had a tent (a marquee) set up next to the flat that I'm staying at on Buxton Street. Any other structure left up for five days in such a public place would have been vandalized long ago, but ours has stood.
As the week has progressed, the boys' evening football has grown in number, and the guys running it have been able to share a bit about their lives with the boys, leading to some really great conversations.
Simply the fact that each day, a group of committed people come together to do what they can to provide a place for these kids to enjoy themselves, learn a little about Christianity, and stay out of trouble - it amazes me: the faith of these people.
What am I saying is: could not each of these phenomena - the protection of our tent, the willingness of the boys to listen, the commitment of young CCS attenders - be the voice of God in the ears of many? It may be easy to label as 'spiritualizing,' but even the most postmodern of individuals can be guilty of 'relgiousity' or 'spiritualism.' Why should those who claim to be Christ-followers neglect the same opportunity?
If you want to reply to this or tell me off, or just say hi, please write me an email. I'd love to hear from you all :)
Oh, and I think I'm going to start a pub name list...to add:
Woodin's Shades
The Nag's Head
And some interesting graffiti:
'The land of Free Dumb.'
Friday, August 15, 2008
Of Trolls, Bengalis, and the marquis de Carabas (er...Cornwallis)
Well. Hello, London! Where do I even start? I guess I could go chronologically, but not try to be too crazy-detailed.
Day 1 - lots of backups on the Circle Line, which meant LOTS of me lugging my horrible suitcases all over the underside of London. I am sore yet today, and I have to move again tomorrow! Why oh why did I pack so much? Bad life choices!
Anyways, after that was hanging out with Lisa-Raine at the church for a bit, meeting lots of people - Alice, Iseah, David, Tamsen, Julia...there were probably more but you all know how I am with names (and spelling of them). Lisa-Raine took me out for some excellent curry on Brick Lane, the heart of the Bengali neighborhood in the east end. It's got some great shopping, too, but I've not taken that much of it in yet. I went visiting some Bengali families with Alice, spreading the word about the Holiday Club at the Hanbury and Allen Gardens (which happens to be right next door to 35 Buxton Street, where I'm moving too tomorrow. Rod and Joanne, who own that flat, are out of town until next Wednesday so I'll have it to myself for a bit - won't that be a strange feeling!
Then I met Brent and Caroline Clark, absolutely lovely people who are putting me up until tomorrow. (who wouldn't be lovely with a last name like Clark!) I settled in with them and grabbed a bit of supper, before...
At night a bunch of ladies got together to get ready the crafts for the Holiday club - in the evening the older girls are doing handcrafts and the boys are playing football at Allen Gardens.
Day 2 - morning off (slept in till 10:30...shame shame!), got quite a bit lost & ended up walking round Liverpool station for quite some time before I found Brushfield Street and the office again. Late lunch with Alice and more visiting (adorable Bengali kids and their families!), then back to the Clarks' for the evening. Learning the delights of the no. 8 bus...oh joy!
Day 3 - tooled around the west end (Soho, Trafalgar Sq., St. Martins-in-the-Fields, Picadilly, British Museum), mostly just walking and looking for a few things for the Holiday Club. Then met Alice again who took me through Christ Church and then had plenty of errands/shopping to fill up my afternoon.
On the way to Bethnal Green (where I did a lot of shopping), I passed under a railway bridge on Vallance Street that had not a few shops set up quite snugly underneath it...how strange! A matress shop and a junk shop, I believe. It make me think of trolls, living there comfortably under the bridge :)
Once on Bethnal Green, I recognized my surroundings quite a bit, for the no. 8 bus goes quite a way down it. There's a pub on the corner of Vallance St. and Bethnal Green called the "Marquis of Cornwallis"...oh my, the pub names are so great here - I'd forgotten. Just down the street from that one was The Shakespeare, and in Spitalfields you've got the Ten Bells, and don't forget, by the Highbury & Islington tube station - the White Swan and the Famous Cock. Leave the boring names like the "Lion" and the "Crown" for the really touristy areas...you've got to have an imagination to be a pub-owner, or at least a pub-namer, anywhere else!
Well I believe that'll be it for now. I don't think I'll keep up this day-by-day thing, but it's nice to be able to process it all. Took a couple film pictures today, but will try to get the digital camera out soon. I'll post a link. Love you all!
Day 1 - lots of backups on the Circle Line, which meant LOTS of me lugging my horrible suitcases all over the underside of London. I am sore yet today, and I have to move again tomorrow! Why oh why did I pack so much? Bad life choices!
Anyways, after that was hanging out with Lisa-Raine at the church for a bit, meeting lots of people - Alice, Iseah, David, Tamsen, Julia...there were probably more but you all know how I am with names (and spelling of them). Lisa-Raine took me out for some excellent curry on Brick Lane, the heart of the Bengali neighborhood in the east end. It's got some great shopping, too, but I've not taken that much of it in yet. I went visiting some Bengali families with Alice, spreading the word about the Holiday Club at the Hanbury and Allen Gardens (which happens to be right next door to 35 Buxton Street, where I'm moving too tomorrow. Rod and Joanne, who own that flat, are out of town until next Wednesday so I'll have it to myself for a bit - won't that be a strange feeling!
Then I met Brent and Caroline Clark, absolutely lovely people who are putting me up until tomorrow. (who wouldn't be lovely with a last name like Clark!) I settled in with them and grabbed a bit of supper, before...
At night a bunch of ladies got together to get ready the crafts for the Holiday club - in the evening the older girls are doing handcrafts and the boys are playing football at Allen Gardens.
Day 2 - morning off (slept in till 10:30...shame shame!), got quite a bit lost & ended up walking round Liverpool station for quite some time before I found Brushfield Street and the office again. Late lunch with Alice and more visiting (adorable Bengali kids and their families!), then back to the Clarks' for the evening. Learning the delights of the no. 8 bus...oh joy!
Day 3 - tooled around the west end (Soho, Trafalgar Sq., St. Martins-in-the-Fields, Picadilly, British Museum), mostly just walking and looking for a few things for the Holiday Club. Then met Alice again who took me through Christ Church and then had plenty of errands/shopping to fill up my afternoon.
On the way to Bethnal Green (where I did a lot of shopping), I passed under a railway bridge on Vallance Street that had not a few shops set up quite snugly underneath it...how strange! A matress shop and a junk shop, I believe. It make me think of trolls, living there comfortably under the bridge :)
Once on Bethnal Green, I recognized my surroundings quite a bit, for the no. 8 bus goes quite a way down it. There's a pub on the corner of Vallance St. and Bethnal Green called the "Marquis of Cornwallis"...oh my, the pub names are so great here - I'd forgotten. Just down the street from that one was The Shakespeare, and in Spitalfields you've got the Ten Bells, and don't forget, by the Highbury & Islington tube station - the White Swan and the Famous Cock. Leave the boring names like the "Lion" and the "Crown" for the really touristy areas...you've got to have an imagination to be a pub-owner, or at least a pub-namer, anywhere else!
Well I believe that'll be it for now. I don't think I'll keep up this day-by-day thing, but it's nice to be able to process it all. Took a couple film pictures today, but will try to get the digital camera out soon. I'll post a link. Love you all!
Friday, August 8, 2008
mis direcciones
Ah, post #2. No, no excitement, just my addresses, if you so desire to send me awesome stuff/letters/anthrax. just kidding (on the anthrax. but please send me other stuff if you so desire!!)
13-15 August i will be staying with Brent and Caroline Clark
131 ParnellRoad
Bow, London E3 2JF
16-31 August i will be staying with Revd Rod and Joanne Green
Flat D35 Buxton Street
London E1 5EH
1 Sept - 9 Dec i will be staying with Dr Will and Hannah Spiring
186 Woodseer Street
London E1 5HQ
13-15 August i will be staying with Brent and Caroline Clark
131 ParnellRoad
Bow, London E3 2JF
16-31 August i will be staying with Revd Rod and Joanne Green
Flat D35 Buxton Street
London E1 5EH
1 Sept - 9 Dec i will be staying with Dr Will and Hannah Spiring
186 Woodseer Street
London E1 5HQ
Thursday, August 7, 2008
a rainy August morning in Michigan
Hello all! I guess if you're reading this it's probably because I've coerced you, begged you, or suggested it to you as a means of communication while I'm London this fall. In lieu of the mass email, which is perhaps a bit more reflective, I've decided to update this blog regularly with what's going on over here as it happens, and save the reflecting for later.
The title of the blog is from a Franz Ferdinand song, for lack of any original ideas floating around inside the brain of yours truly. 'Eleanor Put Your Boots On' is a song that tries to convince the titular Eleanor to jump off from several high points in New York City and ride the Jet Stream over the Atlantic...to where? To what? Well, I'll leave that up to you.
As always, I appreciate your thoughts and prayers whenever they come...and letters, emails, and long, ridiculous phone messages never hurt, either :) I'll be flying out next Tuesday, 12 August, so until then,
Que Dios les bendiga,
Erin
The title of the blog is from a Franz Ferdinand song, for lack of any original ideas floating around inside the brain of yours truly. 'Eleanor Put Your Boots On' is a song that tries to convince the titular Eleanor to jump off from several high points in New York City and ride the Jet Stream over the Atlantic...to where? To what? Well, I'll leave that up to you.
As always, I appreciate your thoughts and prayers whenever they come...and letters, emails, and long, ridiculous phone messages never hurt, either :) I'll be flying out next Tuesday, 12 August, so until then,
Que Dios les bendiga,
Erin
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