It had a perfectly normal door, with white paint and a doorknob on the right hand side. The door opened to a quaint little room, with a small desk and dresser and a simple yet comfy bed. In this room lived a girl. A girl who loved books, walks, and campfires. A girl who loves visitors and food. A girl who is awed by the simple things...the comfortable things...and the unexpected. This girl should have been born a hobbit.
If I were a hobbit I would have had to been born after Mr. Bilbo Baggins. I would have gotten much too frustrated with the unadventurous folk that lived near. All of these adventures that I've have really made me realize how boring of a story my life would make. *Family...don't take that the wrong way just keep reading and all will be explained.* It's true though. Bilbo fought a dragon, Frodo lost a finger, Gandalf had really good eagle friends, and Faramir could melt any girl's heart. I, on the other hand, get really excited by good chocolate and walking.
So let me apologize to those of you with limited Lord of the Ring experience...these following references mean nothing...just ignore them and read about what actually happened if you're interested.
This week went by crazy fast and I have not had much time to do anything but await today. My one month anniversary of living in London. Wow. It has flown by so far. You wonder how Tolkien fit all of those years into a few books. I've basically written a few books and it's only been a month! Imagine if I was walking to Mordor! You all would have to read these posts for decades! I digress.
I have been here a month and the novelty is not necessarily wearing off, but I'm used to being awed at completely random times. As I was walking home last night with some friends from DU (Evan and Kyle were visiting) we passed a gorgeous building; Somerset House. It is a huge cultural and art center located in London that looked like a palace that some old woman had talked her husband into commissioning. It was lit up and glowing in the dark and absolutely breathtaking.
"This is why I love this city," I told the boys. "This crap happens to me all of the time."
It's not crap, but the basic sentiment is true. This city surprises me every day. I love it here. From the simple things; like eating a dinner of creamed mushrooms, rice, and an amazing salad at Margaux's to my favorite breakfast of buttered toast and tea it's the simple things that make me sigh with content*. I also found a great coffee shop near one of the campuses that I sit at and finish my reading for class. The guys making coffee are fabulous. They're attractive and attentive, and I hear on a good day they fill a giant bowl with numbers that they get...hey whatever brings in business. I bet they fill that bowl on a slow day! Anyway, it's the routine that makes me feel like I fit in here. Seeing the same faces and smelling and tasting the same things makes me feel like I actually live here. It's very comforting.
I do miss home. I miss all the people at home. Today, I was able to talk with my family and friends from the Shire; Mom, Dad, and Lex. Along with the besties Ashley and Brittany along with the one and only Marisa. Katie and I had a fabulous Chipotle dinner on Tuesday to talk about everything to comfort our homesickness. Not only that but my Fellowship (Babes Abroad) how the heck do we have the conversations we do. I also have a great family here. Westminster girls...you rock. I am so lucky to have such a great support system both at home and here abroad in what I will now call Gondor. Thank you all!
A month sounds so long, yet it's really not. My girls here have really made this place home. We went to a chocolate festival yesterday. Yes, I released my inner Peregrin Took and made myself sick on chocolate samples and truffle making. It was glorious! It's no wonder that hobbits eat all day long. They should! Why miss out on anything and only by having that many meals in one day will I be able to eat all the chocolate present in that one room on that one day. Send me to Valinor and call me an elf!
I'm pretty sure my office can be dubbed a part of Middle Earth. I love it. The people are fantastic and I am learning so much. It's an amazing opportunity to work within this country as well as study. It is also a very humbling experience to learn from such amazing people who are teaching me the ropes and giving me as many opportunities as I ask for. Thank you Directory of Social Change!
Since I cannot stay on one train of thought for very long, I return to the main topic of this post; Why I should have been a hobbit. I love food; markets, Monday night dinners with Margaux and Desiree are a highlight of my week, and my craving for beer is easily fulfilled here where I think Meriadoc Brandybuck would be proud. I love adventure; walking this city has made me wish I didn't need to wear shoes as my trainers have holes in them. I love my place here in this city; my room is nothing special but what it represents is huge. I am just one person in this big old city. I live my life and the percentage of people who notice me is very small. I am okay with that. The comfort I have started to get from this city means more to me than any experience I have had so far. I live here. I work here. I am a part of this community and I have excelled at it. I belong here just as much as anyone else and I could be very successful here. It is comforting to know that I can live anywhere. I have proved that to myself. No, London is not Antarctica, but it is different than anything I have every experienced. I have navigated the culture, the people, and the "system" and I truly believe that I can conquer anything. I am looking forward to the next two months and hope they are filled with as much fun, laughter, and cider as this month has been.
Cheers!
Getting ready to make truffles at the chocolate festival! Photo is from Youka!
One of the many holes in my trainers...
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