Episode 16: School Steals My Whole Day

Written at 11pm, July 16, 2010

Today was long, but actually a little shorter than I thought it would be. Started class off at 11:30 this morning. Since Patsy was giving a lecture to the British Culture class, she wanted us to hear it too. Which meant extra lecture time from 11:30-1. Yippee.

Although, to be fair, the lecture was pretty interesting and it’s not like I needed to take notes on any of it. I even volunteered to wear a name board to illustrate as she tried to explain the plot of Comedy of Errors, the Shakespeare play we’re seeing at the Globe next Wednesday. It sounds complicated, but very funny. I’m glad we’re going to see a comedy rather than a tragedy. In his tragedies it seems like he just goes and kills people off left and right. Although, I wouldn’t mind seeing Julius Caesar. I liked that one.

We had a short break, in which I attempted to get on Facebook in the computer lab because (brace yourselves) I have no internet for the entire weekend, starting tonight at six. Yes that’s right, I will be internet-less (unless I walk to somewhere with wi-fi) until Monday morning. Which means that while I will continue to write the blog posts, they may be a day or two late getting posted. But they will be posted when I can.

The computer lab at the university? Yeah, it goes one step past saying “Please don’t use the computers for frivolous entertainment and networking sites.” It actually has a block in place that makes it physically impossible to get to them. No, I am not kidding. It even tricked me and let me log in and get to the homepage before popping up a message that said “Internet cannot support this site” and going to a Page Cannot Be Found page. Dast. And blazes, now that I think of it. Dast and Blazes. It has a nice ring.

Went to the lecture for Theatre (which aren’t really lectures; they’re more discussions). We talked about Life Game a bit and I realized that I have yet another piece of homework added to my load this weekend: I have a paper due for Theatre on Monday about either Enron or Life Game.

Oh, and speaking of papers, I got my first graded assignment of the trip: a B on my first paper for Theatre! Yes, it doesn’t sound like much, but a B is pretty good. Although, I’ve been thinking about it and I’m not actually sure the grades from the course (the literal letter grades) transfer back. I think I remember reading that I get a pass/fail grade for the abroad courses.

Around three, we finished class and I headed for the train station. I debated about going back to the dorms and getting on my internet once before it’s all whisked away, but I didn’t want to be late getting to the theatre. I mean, it only took an hour to get there (according to Patsy) and our next piece of class wasn’t until 5:30, but I still wanted to make sure I didn’t get lost or anything. Plus Patsy said there was shopping around the square.

Turns out, I should have worried about being late. I got there with plenty of time to spare. Tons of time to kill. And wouldn’t you know it? I didn’t see anything shopping-like around the square, in sight of the theatre. And I didn’t want to lose sight of the theatre for fear I’d never be able to find my way back.

So I went inside and asked if there was a bookshop nearby. Because I have finished 7 of the 10 books I brought and am about halfway through the eighth. Seriously. I have no idea where all the reading time comes from. Well, okay, I have an idea. I’m pretty sure it comes from all the extra time I have from arriving super early everywhere due to my distrust of the public transit system.

Anyway, I go downstairs to try and find this bookshop, and it turns out to be the bookshop you find in my theatres here. Namely, one that pretty much sell scripts, and mostly scripts of the work that’s being performed now, in the near future, or in the recent past, at the theatre.

Now, I have nothing against scripts. I’m sure some people find them absolutely delightful and riveting reads. But, I kind of go “Eh, it’s okay. Now where’s the paranormal romance novels and giggle-inducing, heartwarming chick lit?” So, no, I do not choose scripts as my main form of literature.

I go back up the stairs and outside to read since it’s kind of smoky in the lounge (okay, bar) downstairs. That’s another thing I’m noticing about Britain. A lot of people smoke and it’s perfectly okay to do it wherever they want. I think usually, indoors is frowned upon, but there was smoking onstage in Enron. It just makes me feel sick though so I usually try and move upwind of the smoke or away when I can.

Which was exceptionally difficult tonight for some reason. There were smokers everywhere. I sat outside, thinking at least if they smoked out here, it would be dissipated quickly. But a smoker sat down right next to me and lit up! So I moved down to the other end of the building. And still the smoke smell persisted. Ugh. Terrible

Finally 5:30 rolled around and we had our talk with the author of the script for the play. He was actually a rather nice guy in his thirties or so and was very patient about answering our questions. He even seemed to enjoy them and I was nice to know a little bit more about the script, how it came to be and what happened after.

After the talk, I ate dinner (which I packed as I do every day now. Because I’m special like that) and read for a bit. I suppose I could have gone somewhere with the other girls in my class and just sat and talked with them while they bought food. But I don’t really click with anyone in my classes. Really, I mostly click with Carlie and Chris, and a little bit more with Carlie.

I did finally manage to get a hold of Mom though. I’d been trying to call her since I got to Sloane Square, but there’s like a ten digit number I have to dial to get to where I can even begin to dial for the US and I kept messing up the code needed for the US. After dialing the ten digit number, you have to dial 1 and then the area code and then the number you want. It’s a freakin’ pain in the arse.
But I finally remembered and got through! Yay! I enjoyed talking to her. Sometimes it’s just nice to hear a voice from home. And I got to tell her I didn’t have internet this weekend so she wouldn’t freak out on me and call a bazillion times to make sure I’m not lying in a ditch bleeding to death (with no hands or feet mind you since them I could still dial the phone). It was so lovely to talk to her again.

Then I went into the play. The stage was set up like nothing I’d been to before and not at all what I’d seen in my head. There were people seated on both sides of the stage and a balcony above where I sat with the same thing mirrored on the other side. The stage was taken up mostly by a huge boxing ring with a couple of punching bags on either side and the walls covered in huge mirrors.

And they play was so much better brought to life than in the script. Plus it was only an hour and half with no intermission so we were done about nine and back in Surbiton by ten. Allison, Marieka and I walked back to the dorm together and damn, those girls speed walk. It’s crazy how fast they go. It was like trying to keep up with Tyler.

Now I plan to just do a bit of homework before bed, while waiting for Jessie to come back so we can reconnoiter about Windsor Castle tomorrow. We have to plan the old fashioned way instead of over Facebook since the ‘net is down, but oh well. Sometimes it’s good to not rely on the internet so much.

I’m also valiantly trying to ignore the loud singing outside my window. But it’s Queen at least. Loud, maybe drunken, off-key Queen, but it really could be worse. They could be singing Ke$ha (having a dollar sign in your name doesn’t make you special; it makes you “special”)

Today’s lesson: Whatever number of books you think is appropriate for your trip, add about five. At least. And prepared to go book shopping. Ciao.