Hyggeligt, Chuchichäschtli, and Other Words I Use to Describe my Life

This past week marks the beginning of it all...it was my first week of classes and I'm officially...well...official I suppose. Because this week was so packed, the easiest way I can describe it is through a collection of words:

Hyggeligt: This is the Danish word for cozy (AND IT CAN BE A VERB! Yes my friends...you can hyggel!!). However, it's not a direct translation...it's better. It is used to describe the feeling you get when you're cozy. For me, this word describes Margaux, Desiree, and my Monday night dinners. It's just us (and anyone else who walks in our community kitchens) with a home-cooked meal and good conversation. This is also the feeling I get when I'm out at a pub with all of my good girlfriends...and Massimo of course!

It's the feeling I get when the amazing Lauren Rice comes to town for a visit and the DU crew all sit and talk about our good ol' home Uni and the wonderful place that we all come from. But mostly it's just when I'm with my friends. They have been amazing and able to turn any environment that we go to into a great memory and even better time. Thank you girls!!

Chuchichäschtli: This is the Swiss-German word for kitchen cabinets. I cannot pronounce either of these words by the way. I'm getting close with the first but this one...it's just chaos. So, having nothing to do with cabinets and all to do with the visual and oral representation of the word itself...welcome to Uni at the University of Westminster...

Monday I slept in. I took it easy in the morning as I don't have class until 2:30: I wrote a blog post and calmly collected my things before getting to class a whole 45 minutes early...oops. But it's fine! Not to worry! My mother taught me well. Waiting for 45 minutes is always better than being late...to which I agree. I was terrified for this class. It's a level 6 which is the highest level; think equivalent to a 3000 level class at DU. It's not quite graduate but it's definitely senior year...in fact...everyone looks mid twenties.

The class is really interesting though. It's called Urban Tourism and all about how cities create a tourism business through policy, partnerships, capitalism, and other methods that I'm sure we'll cover soon. Even after the first day I look at London and its neighborhoods in a completely different way.

The rest of my classes should be pretty standard. I have an internship module that is sort of a professional/personal development class that compliments my internship (I'll get to that in a bit...give me time). I also have an Art & Society class where I get to go to a bunch of museums and write these great reflective/theoretical essays. It'll be fun...right down my alley. :) Finally, I'm taking a Foreign Policy class that consists of a few Americans, some local students, and some international students. It should be interesting...

So, yes...these classes are all so different. Now imagine trying to pronounce "chuchichaschtli"...
...
...
...
Oh, you've never heard it?
...
...
too bad...
keep trying...
...
...
Still not?

Yep, that's how going to class in another country, in a completely different system, within a completely different culture feels. Like trying to pronounce that word having no idea what it sounds like in the first place. I'll get there though, and so will you. We'll work on it.

Posh: Now this might be a little misuse of the word, but I discovered the Boulder of London. As I was walking about two blocks away from my flat last week, I thought I would check out the neighborhood of Shoreditch. It's rumored to have not been a very nice place a couple years ago and has now become very artsy and hipster. Truth.

The streets don't stand out as posh. In fact, at first they seemed to me to be sort of lower end. However, as I walked around a bit more I realized that they were more just simple. They were still brick and massive buildings.

• Oh! Quick detour. That's one thing I forgot to mention about London; there is housing everywhere and all the buildings are brick and continuous. Look at a satellite picture of the city and it looks like buildings are never ending and all connected. They basically are just rows of apartments that differ by style, price, and age.

Shoreditch has very nice clean buildings that are very simple. They're gorgeous brick and there is a nice little park located off Shorditch High Street. There is also an endless supply of independent boutiques on the lower level of these buildings. Imagine my surprise when I walked into this trendy store (keep in mind I still thought this was lower end) and I picked up a cute/hipster coat for 500 GBP! Okay...not so lower end. Hello Boulder! It's great. Interesting people, amazing coffee shops and it's also rumored to be home to some of the city's best night life. Also, truth.


шум (shum): This is the word for noise in Russian, and courtesy of my good friend Matt Gill who is currently 
speaking Russian somewhere I'm sure. This is how I feel about my internship. I am working 15 hours a week at 
the Directory of Social Change as their marketing intern. This place is great. They do a lot of training and they
publish resources for charities and not-for-profit organizations all over London. The people that work here are
fantastic. They are so much fun and they all have such great personalities! I came in just as they were throwing 
a goodbye party for the outgoing marketing intern. Awkward...

Anyway, the office is one big room filled with desks that are grouped by department. We basically hear everyone
and see everyone. When one department needs the other, they talk a little louder or go for a quick visit. It's always 
busy and there are so many new tasks and processes to take in. My head has "shumshumshumshumshumshumshum" 
on repeat! I'm excited to get my responsibilities all figured out and get to work! 


Accckkkk! I'm sick. Have been since Friday. I've just got a cold but it's put a damper on things! I went to the Borough Market where there was just amazing food. Tables of sweets, bread, cheese, meats, and veggies! Yes Ms. Parker...more food :). But I felt terrible with my runny nose and pockets full of tissues. I was not about to leak on someone else's lunch. I moved on quickly without purchasing and walked down the Thames to see Parliament and Buckingham Palace...from the outside. I have a strict "no sneezing on old stuff" rule.

I finished the week at a gorgeous flower market. A whole street of color and smells! Vendors yelling out "2 bunches for 5 up!" and numerous other calls. It was beautiful :) The calla lilies and hydrangeas were spectacular! I also went on a bike ride around Hyde Park with the girls and Massimo! It was a good way to end the week...hacking, sniffling, coughing and all.

 Fungi at Borough Market

 Produce

 Columbia Road Flower Market

I apologize for the many words. There was too much to fit in a shorter post, it had to be a proper one! You all get my personal journal as well as an update. Have a fabulous week!

Cheers!