the one with first week in London

It's been exactly a week since I settled here in London, well although I'll say I just settle yesterday cause I just moved in to the flat from uni hostel and its really nice -- I have a huge comfy bed, a mini balcony which faces water and around is just the perfect quiet neighbourhood with a large shopping mall. (feels bit like where we live in Surrey but hey.. its London!)

Course started on day 1 when I firstly met my classmates. Without surprise they're all 2years or so younger than me. Back to group of hongkees feels strange at first since I never quite fit in, not to mention I am the oldest one. And they are all nice and friendly ... and as predictable as most of hongkees. =))

The courses I'd doing here are mainly about british political system and arts. Professors have been teaching assuming we know nothing about western political system which is absolutely appreciated by me since I just felt like haven't touched politics for ages although I think it is a very interesting topic.
We were arranged a reception party at London's College of Fashion, in a room where graduates' work and projects are displayed. Don't know why but lots of young enterpreneurs are invited as friends of professors, together with couple of admin people from college of fashion, I had a really fun night with fine wine and good food. It sounds like an interesting college with fashion programs doesnt it? And it's said to be considering developing master programs for students from other decipline. But when I still cannot help sticking my tougue out when checking out the tuition fee in the pamphlet -- more than 50,000 pounds for bachelor which is just quite impossible.

Another highlight of the week was going to see musical of Sound of Music which absolutely made my night. We were sitting at the very last row of the backside and basically not able to see characters clearly. But since it was almost the same with how the movie went, so I still manage to enjoy the show from begining to end. That was the second time I felt like I can live here in London -- just to think about how nice it is to spend once in a month at any theatre by West End and enjoy art of music. Well, first time thinking like that was when I was reading paper when waiting for tube coming --- the crowd around me, people have this businesslike look on their face... and I just said to myself, hey you can live here.
Speaking of tube though, I have to say it is crazy here! Before this, I thought western undergrands can hardly like this just as in Shanghai or Tokoy (I experienced shanghai and saw tons of pictures of those in Tokyo. hmmm HK is ok for me since people are just tiny there I guess lol). But tubes here in London is crazy as well. You can hardly breathe when its peak time, the whole compartment just smells sweat and mixutre of perfumes.

I missed seeing Live Earth this Sat which is the second thing of this week I have been kicking myself for (first thing is keep forgetting bring camera with me for most of the week). When was told they have it live on tely but then found my flat doesnt have a tely. And when I was about to check out Hyde Park today for the Tour de France, I was locked in bathroom. I was so panic at the time since Allison said she was locked in with Delia for 4hrs last time. (Well our bathroom was bit problem with the hander but nobody ever fixed it). I was shotting banging doing everything I can. Wierd enough is although I was freaked out but I wasnt scared. And more wierd is that I managed to open the door finally by doing some tricks on the broken hander. Anyways... it was over ... and I ended up being quite proud of myself not crying like a baby inside. And I still went to the Hyde Park despite Ive been locked for an hour. Games were almost done by then but still see lots of people hanging around there. Maybe I shall go cycling sometimes, I thought when seeing all the settings and people cycling around... or just come here soak up in the sun -- Hyde Park is a nice spot .... arrhhh, I can really live here! lol

Oh Im tired better off to bed now. Lots of new people to see next week. And Chi is coming on Wed from colombia. FROM COLOMBIA --- woohooo! And by the way, I need to do a presentation plus a paper end of next week as well. =(( Let's just see what happens.

Wish your well.
xx
Amanda

the one with UK the United Kingdom

Last time I updated this should be late May leaving Bergen and now I have been flying twice between Europe and Aisa, settled in London finally. It has been quite an intensive month -- seeing friends and family, adjust myself back to chinese language and culture, then again pluge into western setting and start over again, of course more quickly.

It was bit wierd to see both of my parents appearing in house in shanghai -- it felt like I'm back to high school again and just spend the weekend home and mom trying her best make the cuisine I like and table is just full of food and dad is just same old busy dad. Three of us finally spent a night at Victoria harbour in HK and when I saw them holding hands and walking I felt like the happiest girl in the world. Its true that good times never comes without hard times occur first and also, good times never last long (well long enought that you think its long).

Everything went so fast back home, much faster than the pace I get used to in this half year. I didn't realize I did miss my friends and family so much when actually start meeting them and talking and talking. I was gradually becoming aware of this process I went through everytime back from abroad -- running forward, slow down, look back, then start running again. Culture is definitely one major thing, I won't be me today being sensitive and struggling with culture difference after all those "looking back and comparing" pauses. Don't know if I should be grateful or not that I have always been a slow person hesitate to sense what I really want. But if I'm meant to be like this, it's meaningless complaining the way I live now.

Back home in two most commercial places in whole world also made me bit slow in catching up. Especially when my friends are all graduating, and working now. Everyone has different stories. But being in these two cities making their stories amazingly similar. It can make you feel like on top of the world, also can make you feel you worth less than piece of crap. And these are happening right around me every single day.

And I'm flying again. After getting used to how home is like, I had to leave again. Well, good thing is I sensed more excitement than sadness and sort of just let the things go themself. So here I am, standing in richest part of Europe and trying to find my piece of mind again.

It was great seeing Shweta and Chris in Scotland. And this trip, well fairly short trip, did help me making some decisions. But it is nuts, isnt it?! That seeing each other again after one and half years and we actually didnt change that much. The trip was short but the country was fantastic that I was determined to go back again.

LONDON
It feels I'd spend so much time here -- my life just slows down again and me myself tend to be slow and try best enjoy this part of the country. And it is a absolutely gorgeous place (well although so far I still like scotland more). I love places being cultural and financial same time, and it is perfect here. Well, the weather has been freaking me out but I was told only to get used to it and I was like, I survived Bergen anyways! omg I'm here only half week so far so Im kinda lost here trying to search anything to say!
-Well HSBC is huge here as well so I'm glad to see westerners no more have this confused look when I mention the back.
-I kept forgetting bringing my camera since we have classes in daytime so I did miss lots of nice shots.
-I'll soon move to another flat wich has the perfect room facing the water so Im really excited.
-English guys (by which I mean the young males aging no more than 35) are quite nice but not as gentelmanlike as I expected (well I did expect a lot didnt I?!)
-Im really sad Mich cannot make it to London, I would soooo love to spend time with some great friends here since I basically know no one here.
- Although I've mentioned this, weather sucks here.
- The food I take in everyday is nothing but sandwich.
- I miss my friends a lot a lot (in a way I wish them being here instead of I being there cuz its such a fun place here! lol)

Still hope you're all doing well wherever you are.
Love from London
Amanda