Internship Assignment C

Holly Osborn

“This is London" magazine

Part 1:

1. What are you observing about your work environment? If you could, what are two things you would keep and two things you would change?

My working environment has much more freedom than I’m used to. Julie and Beth give us our tasks for the day and they trust us to get them done. Because it is such a small company they have the freedom to work from wherever, allowing them to be part of a lot of events they put into the magazine. This allows for a more relaxed work environment. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a magazine on deadline, so things have to get done, but it’s definitely a more tranquil atmosphere.  

Two things that I would keep are the production system, and the premier reputation that the magazine upholds. First, the production; with just two people running most of the magazine they have perfected a system (writing on Mondays, features and press viewings on Tuesdays, editing on Wednesdays…etc.) It is very smart and ensures the magazine gets distributed efficiently. Second, the leading reputation of the magazine. Whenever we go to press viewings or plays, when we say we are from “This is London,” magazine they light up and I can see just how great a relationship the magazine has with those they work with. A lot of advertisers and event venues have been loyal to the magazine for a number of years because of how great they do business and communicate.

Two things I would change are the lack of schedule and how they include information at the end of event information. First, the schedule is very frustrating to follow. Most days we don’t know what we are doing until 10am, which can be exciting, but also frustrating when attempting to arrange a schedule. I would make the schedule more concrete and determined in advance. Second, the way the magazine includes contact information. At the end of concert, theatre, or exhibition information they include phone numbers to contact the box office for tickets. They don’t want us including any web-site information or how to get tickets online. I think that with the rise of digital media people are more inclined to buy tickets online, and not have to deal with people over the telephone, so I think it would be beneficial to include website information.

2.  How does your supervisor’s style work for you? What would you want to be like as a supervisor in the future?

My supervisors are very relaxed in style. When they go over our articles with us for corrections they always explain each and every mistake by beginning saying, “It’s not a big deal,” or “you couldn’t have known this,” which helps when you are first learning a certain style of writing in a new country. I like their style, but don’t know if I’d be quite as generous as a supervisor myself. In the future as a supervisor I would like to be as encouraging as Beth and Julie but with a little more bite in my demeanor.

3. What are you learning about yourself through this internship? What is one thing about yourself that you would like to improve for your next job?

I am learning a lot about myself through this internship. I have learned that I am a lot smarter than I give myself credit for. For example, at the beginning when they told us about the different concert venues we’d have to go pick up leaflets from I was freaking out thinking, “there is no way I will be able to find all of those!” But now I feel like I could do it in my sleep. My internship has given me the unique opportunity to explore London, to really have experiences in the culture…then I get to write about them, one of my favorite things to do. I have learned that I can do anything that I set my mind to, no matter how daunting it may seem at first.

One thing that I would like to improve about myself for my next job is confidence. I can sometimes be a little hesitant about something I’ve written or an opinion I have towards an issue that may help the company move forward. I think that this experience will help me show confidence in the future.

4. What are two things you have learned how to do or improved upon during this internship?

Two things that I have learned to do during this internship are subbings and travel writing. First, subbings are a very important part of the magazine. This is when we get sent long press-releases that we have to cut down to interesting tidbits that tourists will find enthralling. I had no idea what these were at first, but after your 30^th one, they become much easier. Second, travel writing is much different than the journalistic style of writing that I’m used to. With journalism you are expected to attend an event, report the facts, get interviews from key people, and quickly get an article to the editor. This style of writing stresses having experiences and telling readers what will make them feel like they are there with you. This was a challenge at first, but after some practice I really came to enjoy it.

5. After college…will you look for a company that is similar to the one that you have interned with? Why?

After college I will look for a company that is similar to the one I have been with here. I definitely would want a bigger company where my schedule would be more solid and my role more established…don’t get me wrong, I love my internship, but for a long-term job I would want more of an established role within a company. I have enjoyed the style of writing in the magazine and I love the feeling that I am getting readers excited to go out and experience this city that I am experiencing myself alongside them.

                                       Part 2: Updated Resume

Holly Osborn

 

Objective                            To obtain a work placement related to communication studies where I can apply my education and related skills: journalism, media relations, and public relations.

Education                             Bachelor of Arts Degree, Central College, Pella, IA, May 2013 (anticipated)

·         Major: Communication Studies         Minor: Psychology

·         Related coursework in Communications and Journalism

·         Cumulative grade point average: 3.3 out of a 4.0 scale

·         Communication Studies Scholarship

Related

Experience                         Staff Writer, The Ray, Central College, Pella, IA (January 2010-present)

·         Inferred what is newsworthy on campus

·         Wrote regular articles for publication in campus newspaper

·         Conduct interviews with students and staff members to provide accurate information

·         Provided photographs to compliment articles

Study Abroad, London, United Kingdom (January 2012-May 2012)

·         Immersion into British life, academics, and workplace

·         Learned to establish rapport quickly with individuals in an unfamiliar environment

·         Traveled throughout Europe, observed culture and enhanced language and intercultural communication skills

·         Awareness of global economic, political issues and realities

Intern, This is London Magazine, London, United Kingdom (January 2012-May 2012)

·         Used international standing to infer what is beneficial for tourists

·         Wrote articles reviewing events, exhibitions, theatre performances, and shopping venues for publication

·         Communicated with advertisers, venues, and curators to ensure the continuing elitism of the magazine

·         Edited before printing and distribution

Work

Experience     

Swim Instructor and Lifeguard, Cherry Hills Country Club, Englewood, CO, May 2009-August 2011

·         Instructed beginning level group swim lessons and conducted private lessons for all skill levels

·         Protected the safety of the pool while creating positive experiences for members and guests

·         Managed the coordination of numerous league swim meets

Activities                             Volleyball Player, Central College, Pella, IA, (2009-present)

                                               

                                                Member, Eat Well, Get fit, Feel Great Theme House, Central College, Pella, IA (August 2010-

                                            present)

·         Promote a healthy lifestyle by hosting numerous activities and booths on campus

Skills                                     Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Basic knowledge of InDesign

Certified in First Aid, CPR and AED            

BES-Assignment 7 (Imperial War Museum)

What is it with London? Every time I got to a museum it seems like it's even bigger than the last one. The Imperial War Museum, situated in Lambeth North, with it's beautiful grounds and grand displays is not easy to miss. There was so much to see inside, I could have spent a week there. I spent time on each floor, making sure to see The Trench Experience, The Blitz Experience, and the Holocaust exhibition. Aside from 500 screaming kids running around, the atmosphere was somber and respectful. The museum showed just how big of an impact WWI and WWII had on England and Europe as a whole. America has never seen war on such a scale on our home soil, so a lot of the exhibits shocked me. Overall, this museum gave me a greater insight into how conflict has impacted England and shaped the way it is today.

Inside The Trench Experience

Both the trench and blitz experiences were not what I expected. The Trench Experience did a good job depicted the environment of a WWI soldier, smells and everything. I was afraid they were going to let a rat loose or something. I walked through that one pretty fast, just because of how terrible it smelled. After waiting in line for The Blitz Experience I went in, not knowing what to expect. I sat on a bench in the dark with a bunch of random people as it simulated a bomb shelter during an attack...I almost had a heart attack when the bench moved at the end. The rest of it was pretty lame, I couldn't really understand what the voices were saying either. I enjoyed a lot of displays on the lower ground floor, in particular the Conflicts Since 1945, which  talked about even after WWII there has been conflict in every part of the world. It included displays from conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.

Uniforms worn by those in concentration camps

I spent most of my time in The Holocaust Exhibition; watching clips, looking at clothing displays, real phone interviews, dioramas of concentration camps, and reading testimonies from survivors. There were real concentration camp uniforms, stars of David, and even Torah scrolls partially destroyed in kristallnacht. I have never seen anything from the Holocaust until this exhibition. In America, we have books and some film where we learn about the Holocaust, but not anything like what's here. There was a particular point in the exhibition that had a wall of pictures of people before and after they had all of their hair cut off, both men and women. I stayed and looked at that for a while, very sobering to see actual pictures from people who suffered in the Holocaust.

Antisemitism signs

Nazi-German airplane

A little bit of America

One thing that we were told to look for, or what to notice the lack of, was America. On the first floor they have a first-model Jeep from America, and in the WWI and WWII areas they included explanations of when America intervened. They had a section of posters trying to recruit people that included the infamous, "Uncle Sam wants you!" poster. But aside from that I didn't see anything American in the museum. Overall, this museum allowed me to see a lot of stuff that influenced the history of the world, that I wouldn't get to see in America. It helps me understand the importance of the wars in British history, like why there are monuments to militants all over the place. This is an important part of British history, and this museum is a great key to unlocking insight into this part of its culture.

Bienvenue a Paris!

In front of the Louvre

Throughout my 3 years of high school French I didn't think I would ever be able to actually use it in real life situations, until our trip to Paris. I loved it! From what people in the program who have already gone said I expected it to be dirty and smelly, but honestly I didn't notice it with all of the other beautiful things. We left Thursday night via the train, super easy and quick, also got to experience the chunnell...it really was just a tunnel, we unfortunately didn't see any fish or sharks. We used the metro/RER system all weekend, which was easy to figure out after getting used to the tube system. Once we stepped out of the RER station the first thing we saw was Notre Dame...beautiful! Our hostel was located right in that area, which proved to be really nice and easy to navigate. We had a grocery store close by, along with restaurants, ATM's, an RER station, and souvenir stores. At first we were a little hesitant about our hostel. After walking up six flights of windy uneven stairs we walked into our room and the first thing we smelled was wet paint...great! haha. Aside from having to keep our windows open all the time to avoid asphyxiation the hostel was actually turned out to be really great. Thursday night we got some crepes, I got a nutella one that was soooo delicious! We walked around Notre Dame and the Seine River. Met up with my friend Ang who is studying abroad in Paris. And at midnight we went to the Latin Quarter (student area close to our hotel) to get a drink for Bre's 21st birthday.

L'arc de Triomphe

Friday was jam-packed with touristy things, good thing the weather was beautiful. We took the metro a few places, but ended up walking a lot as well. First stop was the Louvre, we stopped and took pictures at the pyramids...we didn't go in and visit Mona Lisa, because the museum was huge and it would've taken us all day to find her. We then walked through La Jardins de Touleries, filled with plants and statues of important people. We walked all the way until we made it to the Champs-Elysees road, where all of the big stores (Louis Vuitton) and clubs are located. By this point we were all starving so we stopped for some "quick" burgers...what an oxymoron, it took us like 45 minutes to get our food. Oh well, I went from starved to stuffed in 10 minutes. At the end of Champs-Elysess road rests "L'arc de Triomphe," looked just like it did in 'Passport to Paris,' and all of the other movies I've seen it in. On our way to the metro station we saw a wedding dress photo shoot, which was pretty cool. Next stop=Eiffel Tower! It was so much bigger than I thought it would be, and for some reason I thought it was silver, but it was bronze. We waited an hour to get tickets to ride the elevator to the very top. It's cool to say now that I've been to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and it was neat to see all of Paris...compared to the London Eye I saw that London is way bigger and spread out than Paris, which appeared to be very close together. Once we were done we went across the way and bought crepes again...I had the best crepe I'd had all weekend, nutella/banana/and whipped cream...mmmm good! We made our way back to our hostel to get changed for dinner. We went to a restaurant called 'Hippopotamus' which Ang said is a nice chain restaurant in France. Good thing we had Ang with us, she translated half the menu for everyone...I could order food but that was about it. We got all dolled up thinking that we would be going out to a nice club for Bre's birthday...what a failure. After finding our way to this club we found out that it was a private club only....couldn't have put that on their website or said that when I called?! Urgh...we tried a few other places but didn't know where anything was. Eventually we gave up and called it a night.

Eiffel Tower & Crepes!

Me and my baguette in Luxembourg

Saturday was a "Holly-Ang date day." I met up with her at an intersection, that I found all by myself and didn't get lost!! We began our day with baguettes at a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens...no big deal :) We took the train to Versailles, the old palaces and holiday homes of the French Royalty. Woah was it big! We figured that while we were there we walked around 4 or 5 miles. Inside was so beautiful! Every room was intricately decorated differently with a lot of history packed inside. We walked through a lot of the gardens until we found Marie Antionette's houses/palaces...as if Versailes wasn't big enough? Afterwards we took the train back to the 13th district. I wanted to see Moulin Rouge, which we did...took my pictures, not too much else to see. We walked to the Sacre Coer area with its many artists and different cultures. We stopped at a boulengerie (bakery) and got pain au chocolats, so yummy! We made our way up what seemed like 500 stairs we made it to the Sacre Coer Basillica, which sits at the highest elevation point in Paris. I really liked this area, we were able to walk around inside the basilica. We were able to look out over the entire city, in my opinion it was a much more beautiful view than that at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Exhausted, we made our way back to Ang's foyer...stopping at a French grocery store to get food for dinner. Her kitchen consisted of two hot plates and a microwave, much different than what I'm used to in Vandon. We made a delicious dinner of ravioli, green beans, and bread. She had some cheese and honey from a market that we devoured, again, so delicious! And of course, lots sand lots of wine :) We ended our date day by going up to her terrace and watching the Eiffel Tower glitter in the night sky...perfect end to a perfect day in Paris. It was great to catch up with Ang and spend time in her city.

Me and Ang in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles

Moulin Rouge

Sacre-Coer Basillica

Beautiful view of Paris from Sacre-Coer 

We left early Sunday morning. Almost missed the train because I had to run to the bathroom to get sick right  after getting through customs..but hey, I couldn't make things to easy could I? :)

I really loved Paris. It was everything I always imagined it would be, which sounds corny but is true. One of my favorite memories is from Friday night when I had a conversation with our taxi driver in French. Although I was able to speak a little bit throughout the weekend I had a big sense of accomplishment when this happened. I think the fact that I knew enough French to get around and understand the monuments helped enrich my time there. I would definitely want to go back and spend more time en Paris!  

BES Assignment 6 (Greenwich)

Today we went to Greenwich via a riverboat tour. We explored Greenwich, saw a lot of stuff, and made our way back on the DLR, seeing the Canary Wharf area. What we saw included: the prime meridian, Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Queen's Gallery, and Greenwich Market. All had different cultural insights to offer.

Abby & Me on the Prime Meridian

After the death hill climb up to the Royal Observatory we made it to the prime meridian. The idea of being in two different hemispheres was neat, a little mind blowing, but cool. I really enjoyed the museum/ Royal Observatory because I am obsessed with clocks. There was a giant grandfather clock that you could open and look into how it runs. We made our way down to the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's Gallery, located next to each other...what different atmospheres. I really enjoyed the Maritime Museum, but almost fell asleep in the Queen's Gallery. The maritime museum was fun, interesting, and even romantic at times. I immediately liked it when I walked into the first room and saw one of my favorite love quotes from Romeo & Juliet on the wall. Museums can sometime be super boring but this one was really fun. Aside from the 500 screaming kids running around in pirate outfits I enjoyed spending time there. We then made our way to the Queen's Gallery, what a drag...afterwards we were all ready for some food. We followed our noses to the Greenwich Market, filled with food, jewelry, and Greenwich specialized products. After hearing that Greenwich's "Cafe Sol" restaurant had some of the best Mexican food in London, we decided to have a go. Pretty accurate description, I haven't had any Mexican food since being here, but I'm sure it ranks in the top categories. On our way to lunch we saw a little gelatto/cupcake shop that we went to for dessert after lunch. They had dozens of flavors, all in Italian. After sampling some I decided to get the pancake flavored cupcake, soooo good!  

Inside the Maritime Museum

Wall with love quotes in the Maritime Museum 

We made our way home via the DLR to Canary Wharf. Mark was right when he said the Canary Wharf tube station was like a museum. It was very nicely decorated and seemed high class. On our way from the station we got into to the Jubilee line we walked through part of the Canary Wharf area...all I could think while I was there was, "I bet this would be a great place to find a nice rich boy"...is that bad? haha but seriously, they were everywhere! From what I know about the ritzy-business atmosphere of Canary Wharf, I don't think that it's a far assumption.    

Overall, Greenwich provided me with a further insight into a different aspect of English culture. The streets and gates were decorated with anchors and ropes to commemorate the maritime museum, which I thought was charming. I wish it would have been a little warmer out for the riverboat tour. Since we usually go on day tours far away from London I kept forgetting that we were still in zone 2, London has so much to offer just a short distance away!

BES-Assignment 3 (Interview)

For this assignment I interviewed Beth Jones, 23 year old associate publisher of "This is London" magazine, also one of my bosses for my internship. She is Julie Jones' daughter, the editor in chief of the magazine, who I also work under. I've gotten to know Beth as a work mentor and friend throughout the semester. I decided to interview her for this assignment because I am genuinely interested in her opinions and insights into British culture. I asked her a few questions from each of the eight categories as follows.

Family
Her immediate family consists of her and her brother David, both living at their home in Essex with her two married parents. Her non-immediate family isn't very big, but her aunt and uncle come over every Sunday, and her gran every six weeks. When I asked if more people are single or living alone than in the past, she said that she thinks more people are living with their friends than moving in with a significant other. She talked about the pressures placed on children in the UK as being centered around education. Children are expected to begin performing to impress Universities at a young age. She added that teens and young people are expected to be able to sustain themselves financially at a younger age than before.

Faith
Beth said that faith is still important in British life, not as big as it used to be. She compared it to a rock or foundation that holds people together. She is a member of the Church of England, although she doesn't attend church.

Remembrance
As a young woman I was interested to see how the August riots of 2011 impacted her. She said, "The riots didn't impact me emotionally, but since we live by Tottenham Court Road (where some of the riots occurred) my dad wasn't able to go to work."

Identity
Beth is very proud to be British, she loves it. She defined British attitudes as polite with a very unique sense of humor and wit. She believes that the UK's strengths lie in their quality of work, "You can tell that when we do things we do them right, they are well executed." Some famous living Brits that she admires are: Richard Branson, Kate Middleton, The Queen and the royals, and Vivienne Westwood. Above all was Richard Branson, who she admires for making his mark like no one else has. When asked about her views on the USA she responded, "It feels like a whole other world away, like it's on a different planet. It's obviously a crucial valuable international relationship to have."

Politics
Beth defined her political views as conservative, so she is glad the current government is conservative rather than laborer. Although she thinks the current system works, it takes a long time to accomplish anything. She thinks that the UK is the cornerstone of Europe and the EU, and it couldn't function without it. Going along with that, she does not think that the UK should join the Euro, especially not now when the value of the pound is rising. She thinks that it's the UK's responsibility to help Greece in its debt crisis as well as supporting Ireland. It was obvious after her saying Kate and the royal family are some of the people she admires most that she is a fan of the monarchy. She loves it, and believes that as a British institution it is intricate to their identity, "If you go out on the street, 90% of people will agree with me. Even though there are a few 'Queen haters' most Brits love it and would go crazy if the Queen were removed as head of state."

Multiculturalism 
Beth thinks that the UK is very culturally diverse, but that racism still exists in some areas and in some people. Being from Essex (the London equivalent of Jersey Shore) she says that sometimes people stereotype her like the people from the show.

Leisure 
In her spare time Beth likes to go to the gym, she goes almost every day. She enjoys being around kids, which she hopes to have two of someday. She has a love for skiing, so it's no surprise that one of her favorite holiday destination is Courchevel France, where she can ski and visit her boyfriend Ben. If she's not away, her weekends consist of going to the gym, laundry, movies, shopping, and spending time with her mom. "I used to be so cool! Ha ha, now I spend weekends recovering from work with my mom, who I work with anyways. We spend a lot of time together!" Her favorite places and spaces in London include 'The Vault' (club), and loads of different restaurants.

Overall, this interview with Beth gave me a deeper insight into British culture and what it means to her to be British.

Internship Weekly-Journal 8

Holly Osborn

Tuesday 13 March & Wednesday 14 March                                                           Total Hours: 9

Queen of Sheba Painting

This week was yet another week that made me step back and ask myself, "Is this really my life?" Tuesday we got up, expecting to do edits and subbings, but Julie informed us as 10am that at 11am we'd need to meet her at the National Portrait Gallery. I ran upstairs to change out of my yoga pants and into proper intern clothes. We made it to the National Gallery, meeting Julie on the steps in Trafalgar, where she told us we'd be attending a press-viewing of the 'Claude inspired by Turner' exhibition. We got in, it was the first time me-Lucy-Beth-and Julie were all at a press viewing together. There were a lot of people at this one, as there should have been, it was an incredible exhibition. The paintings ranged from small sketches to large-scale intricate wall paintings. My favorite one was titled, "The Queen of Sheba," with its beautiful colors and incredible details in people I understand why everyone was so excited.

Claude piece

I don't really understand art too well, but I was able to appreciate its beauty. This was our first press viewing at the National Gallery, we got tea and breakfast goodies after the curators tour. We split up, Lucy and I returning to Vandon where we got to work on other projects. First we had subbings to do, only 6 each though so it didn't take too long. Then came the hefty job...we were assigned to find every concert going on in London from 22 March to the end of April...woah! With dozens of venues, concert times, and contact information this took quite a while. After I was done with my half, my word document was 10 pages long! After that my brain couldn't stare at a computer screen any longer and I called it a day.

Today was supposed to be another jam-packed day, but we suffered some mis-communication. We got dressed up and went to the V&A museum for the press viewing of the "British Design" exhibition, which is set to be the V&A's largest spring exhibition. After arriving and searching/asking for help, we found out that we were two weeks early. Well, at least now we know where it is? Since we didn't do that we were able to return to Vandon to have lunch with Central College's President, Mark Putnum and his wife, Tammy. Just a short while later we also had the privilege of taking Dr. Putnum and Tammy at the Royal Festival Hall to meet Beth, and talk about our wonderful internship. It was cool to talk about all of the awesome things we get to do, especially with someone who helps create this fabulous program. I was a little nervous for Beth, as there was me-Lucy-Mark-Jen-President Putnum-Tammy-and the international coordinator from Central-all directing questions at Beth. She did great, very professional and flattering, characteristics I hope to embody as a career-woman someday.

Overall, it was a productive week filled with new adventures around London. As my last required internship blog entry I want to say that I am so grateful for my internship. I love it so much and have gotten to experience so many opportunities. I can't wait for the rest of the semester to see what "This is London" has in store for me!

Internship Weekly- Journal 7

Holly Osborn

Tuesday 3 March & Wednesday 4 March                                   Total Hours: 9

We did not do anything excruciatingly exciting this week, not to say that what we did did not matter. I had to remind myself that what we were doing was important. On Tuesday we met up at the office at Stour Space, it was the first time Lucy & I had to find our way their by ourselves. Usually one of them comes to pick us up from the tube station because you have to have a permit to come into Olympic Park Village. Of course we got lost, and let's just say this is not an area we should be lost in for too long. But eventually we found it and sat down to get to work. Julie was busy getting the current issue to press so we met with Beth. While together we proof-read and checked the magazines' phone numbers. We found that the dry cleaner's number they were using had gone bust so we found a new one. Tuesday afternoon we ran some errands to pick up leaflets. I went to the Royal Albert Hall & Royal College of Music to get concert leaflets. After putting them in the post we returned to Vandon to verify even more numbers, this time they wanted us to verify all of the box office numbers posted in the theatre section. It got a little tedious and awkward (I never knew what to say once they actually picked up) but eventually we got it done, and actually found quite a few errors that needed correcting.

Wednesday was a little frustrating. We went to bed Tuesday not knowing what we were doing the next day, but we got up and ready just in case. I finished an article from last week about the shopping we did, sent that in. Around 11:30am she emailed us saying that by 1pm we'd each need to proof-read the entire magazine and email the corrections to her. So we grabbed our highlighters and got to work. Around page 10 I started going on auto-pilot, I had to re-focus to make sure I didn't miss anything. Cut it pretty close to 1pm but we both got them in.

Not the most glamorous week we've had with our internship; no cool pictures, but honestly when you think about it, that's the typical week of an intern. I forget how lucky we are with our internship. Even listening to other Central students, they always get jealous of what we do, and this week showed me why. It's not always fun to run errands all over the place, or not know what you're going to have to do the next day. I had to realize that dirty-work is part of the experience of an intern. One cultural difference I've noticed since being here is that the working environment is much more laid-back. It's the quality not quantity of the work that matters. Last week when we went to Harrods and Fortnum & Mason Julie told us to go and have an experience, not just walk through. As an American journalist I'm used to going to an event, doing a few interviews, and cranking an article out quickly. Here, it's quality not quantity that matters.

What I've Been up to :)

The past few weeks have been a lot of fun, time here is going way too fast, I can't believe it's already mid March! I am trying to make the most of my time here by doing something  every second of the day, no lazy-days and no sleeping in. I can sleep when I get home in May!

Us meeting Chris from 'Got to Dance' 

Some big and exciting things that have happened recently include: Phantom of the Opera, Canterbury and Leeds day trip, going to the 'Got to Dance' live season finale, and a weekend in Paris (blog on that to come). We were given books about London when we first got here and I went to the 'London for free' section and saw that a lot of shows give tickets to live recordings for free. I applied for 10, and got 6...so we went in the rain Sunday morning and waited for our tickets, finally getting them at 1ish...on our way back to the tube station a red-headed guy with a pick in his hair got out of a car and these Londoners got out and started screaming and running over to him. We figured he must be famous so we decided. "hey let's take a picture with him!" We came home and researched it, turns out he's one of the member's in the duo that won last season, cool! The show itself was awesome, there were 6,000 people there! It was really neat to see how a live show recording works with commercial breaks and audience reactions. My favorite crew even won the 250,000 pound prize at the end!

The live set of the show

Even though I get to experience a lot of big and exciting things in London sometimes it's the small unique things that enhance my days here. For example, I got addicted to the Hunger Games books, read the first two in a few days, need to go buy the third one...but the movie is coming out this week, and it's premiering here...red carpet here I come! In addition, I found a YMCA while in line for church two weeks ago, and went in to see if I can work out there for free since I am a member in America. Turns out I can go 5 times for free, hey I'll take it. So I went last Wednesday to see what it was all about. It was like 4-floors full of workout equipment, a pool, sport courts, a cafe, physical therapy, and even a spa. It was much bigger and fancier than my YMCA at home, but I could still tell it was a YMCA. I wore a Central football t-shirt (had a football helmet on it), so I had a few people ask me if I was an American, didn't even think about that. Another thing that I didn't think about occurred in the free-weight room. Usually I do dumbbell side-bends with 45lb weights. So I went over and picked up a dumbbell that had '45' on it, not even thinking...turns out it was 45 kilograms, which is like 100lbs...dropped in, almost broke my foot, embarrassing!


I know that I am experiencing a lot of awesome things, but when I talk to my friends and family from back home I realize just how amazing this experience is. I was thinking about how I live in Denver, a big and exciting city, but I really didn't approach it the same way as I am with London. I hope that when I get back I can look at it with a new perspective and embrace every opportunity that I can. I don't want to leave with any regrets, I'm usually an active person, but lately I've been kicking it into over-drive, wanting to squeeze every opportunity that I can from this semester abroad.