London!

I can’t quite remember when it started or the reason why, but I’ve always dreamed of living in London despite never being there before. I knew when coming to the UK that one of the first trips I’d make would be to the capital city. I was lucky that a friend and colleague from work was visiting for the weekend, and I also found out a high school friend had just recently arrived to London to start his Masters, so it was perfect timing to make a trip there.

Big Ben and the London Eye.

When I first got out of the train station, the first thing I noticed was the police sirens blaring in the air, the frequent number of buses on the roads, and the many pedestrians crossing the streets. I was entering a big city, and I sensed a feeling of familiarity — it felt like being back home in Toronto.

Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

At first it felt really nice — I always knew I was more of a city person and being in London confirmed that. Being immersed in the hustle and bustle was not scary or terrifying. I was quite surprised by how easy it is to navigate the city using the Tube, London’s underground subway. But after a while, I started to really miss Toronto. London was still a new place to me, and the familiar feeling made it more prominent that it wasn’t the same as home. I felt more homesick at that moment in London than I ever did in the four weeks I’ve been in Glasgow.

Walk along River Thames, including the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, and The Gherkin.

Despite this, as time went on I learned more and more about the city and what it has to offer, and eventually I started to enjoy being in the city I’ve always dreamed of being in. It is a very touristy city with people visiting from all over the world. There are so many beautiful sights to see, and many green parks to walk through and breathe in fresh air. There are also many special streets and buildings with rich history. I was lucky and caught a great weekend for exploring — it only rained one morning of the four days I was there.

Four of The Royal Parks: Regent’s Park, St. James’s Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.

In a previous post about the reasons why I chose to study abroad on student exchange, I had mentioned that I considered applying to study in London, but ultimately decided on Glasgow. Now that I have been in London, I see that my initial thoughts were correct. London is a fantastic city and I still would consider living there one day. But for my student exchange, I was looking for an experience that stretches my boundaries . I was ready for a change, and as much as I love London, I think Glasgow really gives me the change I was hoping for.

I will definitely be back in London again at some point (likely more than once!).

 
Different streets of London, including Oxford Street and Baker Street.

The Sherlock Holmes Museum (eep!) and North Gower Street where they filmed BBC’s Sherlock (double eep!).

Phoenix Theatre — saw “Once” the musical. I wrote in a previous post that I wanted to see it, and I am very happy I did! One of the highlights of my trip.

The British Museum and The National Gallery.

Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace (with Queen Victoria), and the Wellington Arch.

Enjoyed a pint of Moosehead at the Maple Leaf, a Canadian-inspired pub in London, to wrap up my trip. 

A Post of Pictures

I’ll let the pictures do most of talking and will include a wee description to give it context (yes, I am slowly learning the Scottish lingo).

   Different angles of the University of Glasgow’s Main Building.

 

Streets of Glasgow’s West End, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Yes, that is also a TARDIS on the street (Doctor?).

 

  
Different parts of the Glasgow City Centre, including the Gallery of Modern Art, The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and River Clyde.

      
Day trip to Edinburgh: Carlton Hill, Acropolis (unfinished monument), Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Garden, Rose Street, and University of Edinburgh Main Building.

  
The Kelpies, the world’s largest equine sculptures. 

Begin Again / Song of the Day: Lost Stars

“Lost Stars” by Adam Levine, from Begin Again (2013)

Take my hand, let’s see where we wake up tomorrow
Best laid plans sometimes are just a one night stand
I’ll be damned, Cupid’s demanding back his arrow
So let’s get drunk on our tears

I recently watched a film called Begin Again (2013). Not only was it written and directed by John Carney (director of Once), but it also stars Keira Knightly, Mark Ruffalo, James Corden, and Adam Levine (eep!). Given this and the fact that it’s a musical film, naturally I was excited to see it.

Taking place in New York, Greta (a singer-songwriter and ex-rock star’s girlfriend) and Dan (struggling producer) meet coincidentally at an open mic, and together they work on producing an album together and recording all around New York. Like Once, it is the music that brings people together and drives the story. And I love it.

Lost Stars was really the theme song of this film — we’re all trying to find ourselves in this universe. But like a song, it’s important to not lose sight of who we really are in our search — our core values and beliefs give us the lens to see the world in a raw and real way. We shouldn’t be writing and playing songs for others, we should be doing it for ourselves.

Lyric video of Lost Stars can be found here, but I favour the acoustic version with Adam Levine and James Valentine. There is also a version of the song by Keira Knightley if you wish to check it out:

Are we all lost stars trying to light up the dark?

Fresher’s Week

Last week, I participated in Fresher’s Week (the the equivalent of Orientation Week/Frosh Week back at home) which was an opportunity for new students (i.e. “Freshers”) to meet other new students, get to know the campus, and have fun before the academic year begins. There were a number of events and activities offered throughout the week like karaoke nights, open mics, comedy shows, pub quizzes, clubs fairs, paint parties, dance parties… a lot happened all within a week!

I met a lot of new students, both international and local, who are studying a wide variety of disciplines. Hoping to stay in touch with them all throughout the year. It felt odd being one of the oldest in the crowd, especially coming from a work/academic environment at home where I was one of the youngest. But, everyone I met have all been really lovely and I am learning a lot from them. I have also been picking up as much Glaswegian/Scottish jargon as I can (I’ve created a running vocabulary list on my phone).

I really enjoyed observing/experiencing Freshers Week and making mental comparisons to my Orientation experiences from U of T. There was a lot more alcohol involved (since the legal drinking age is 18 here), and there is quite a rivalry between the student unions that each hosted their own events — this is a familiar feeling with U of T’s College/Faculty system!

On the last day of Fresher’s Week, I happened to be where the Freshers Helpers (like Orientation Leaders) were together celebrating the end of the week. It was really interesting to observe the rowdiness and energy — after such a long week, I think they all totally deserved to have some fun. But after some time, I started feeling nostalgic and remembered the days when I was involved in Orientation Week. That was my first time feeling homesick since being here.

Freshers Helpers celebrating the end of Freshers Week

Victoria College’s Orientation Week (2009) — Leaders & Exec celebrating at the Vic Quad. I am somewhere in that group hug! Ahh… 

I think overall, it’s great to see that regardless of the university, Orientation still remains to be the most wonderful time of the year for me.

Greetings from Glasgow!

I have finally made it to Glasgow! It’s day 4 but it’s still feeling surreal that I am finally here. The city is stunning and the weather has been really great to us so far (just a bit chillier than expected). Here’s hoping the beautiful weather lasts just a bit longer.

University of Glasgow’s main building — gorgeous, isn’t it?

The journey to Glasgow was quite a ride. It was pouring rain Friday night which delayed my flight from Toronto to London for about 2 hours. Despite this, I had a wonderful plane ride because I happen to run into a friend from undergrad who was stopping in London on her way to Istanbul, AND also happened to be sitting in the same row as me, AND there was an empty seat between us giving us more room on the plane to catch up. What are the chances?!

My layover in London was supposed to be about 3 hours, but because of the delay I had about an hour to find my terminal, clear security, and find my gate before my flight to Glasgow left. Luckily I made it with about half an hour to spare!

The Glaswegians have all been very kind and friendly right from the start. On my first day in Glasgow, the student volunteers who met international students at the airport were lovely. I also got to meet the senior student marshals (like residence dons) who gathered the students in my building who have arrived so far together for a mini social. I’ve also met a couple of my flatmates who are also exchange students so it’s nice to be able to bond with that commonality.

I’m slowly finding my way around my neighbourhood, the campus, and the city (I will not mention how many times I’ve gotten lost and had to rely on Google Maps on my phone). I know how to get to the closest grocery store and how to get to campus which I count as successes! I am sure there are many shortcuts through smaller streets, which I hope to learn eventually. I also took the subway for the first time today to get to the City Centre which was really easy to learn. The next thing to learn is the bus system!

A river in my backyard, just behind my residence. This river eventually leads to Kelvin River, the second main river that flows through the west end of Glasgow.

This first week is for international students to arrive and participate in the International Welcome Programme. I’ve met many students from different parts of the world, as well as a couple of Canadians from Vancouver. We participated in campus tours, socials which included Scottish dancing, and also transitional sessions to help us get oriented to the campus life and expectations. I also went to a bar on Ashton Lane, a little backstreet filled with restaurants and bars. They had live music and I had my first pint of Tennant’s, a Scottish beer brewed in Glasgow. It was lovely!

Ashton Lane at night.

The one thing I’ve been finding challenging and disorienting (besides my horrible sense of direction) is the direction of traffic which is different here than in North America (they drive on the left side here while Canadians drive on the right). I already knew about this difference before arriving, but this was definitely something that I had to experience first hand before fully understanding it, and I definitely have not grasped it yet. While back at home the safest side to walk on is the left side to see the oncoming traffic, it’s now on the right side here which I forget sometimes and feel a bit anxious as I feel a car passing by me. It has also affected how I look at oncoming traffic before safely crossing. I’ve also noticed that streetlights work a bit differently in some intersections and it’s at times hard to tell if I can cross the road or not. Hopefully with time that gets easier.

Despite this, one of the things I really want to do while I am here is to drive and experience what it’s like driving on the left side of the road. Just once, even if it’s just around the block, to get . On my second day in Glasgow, I sat on a park bench facing an intersection and watched the traffic go by, trying to imagine what it would be like making left and right turns. Again, probably not something I can fully grasp until it actually happens.

Jet lag has also been a bit of an ongoing problem, but I think the morning sessions (while painful) are slowly helping me reorient my sleeping schedule to fit the time difference.

The Scottish Independence Referendum, taking place next week September 18, has been brought up a few times this week, though because the students currently on campus have been mostly international students, the conversations have been more like curious questions than actual discussions/debates. I am hoping to meet Scottish students and locals in the city to hear what their thoughts are. I am also keeping an eye out for any debates going on to listen and hear both sides. It’s quite an exciting time to be here!

So far I’ve been managing understanding the Scottish accent. I have yet to meet anyone with a really thick Glaswegian accent. There are a few words and phrases which were a bit challenging to hear or understand, but everyone’s been kind enough to say it again/explain it when I ask.

Funny enough, during the Welcome session this morning the presenter showed us this video which portrays the perspective of the Scottish when they feel they are not being heard because of their accent. It totally made my day.

More pictures to come soon I hope. I’ve been mostly soaking everything in and not actually pulling out the camera to take pictures. I do miss everyone back at home dearly, but so far I’ve been enjoying my time in Glasgow. Time seems to be going a bit slower right now, maybe that has something to do with adjusting to a new place?

Farewells but not goodbyes.

Quick status update: UK visa is approved and flights are now booked. Things are getting real now!

As my time to leave to Glasgow draws near, everyone around me has this aura of excitement for me – a level of excitement that at times feels is higher than my own. Perhaps it hasn’t fully hit me yet that I am leaving. I am definitely very excited, but I admittedly also feel nervous and scared as well. It sometimes feels like I am about to jump into a dark pool of water, not knowing what’s inside, and hoping I can remember how to swim (I can’t really swim, by the way… I will work on that).

I know I have the best colleagues, friends, and family anyone can ask for. I am very lucky to be able to say that. I know I am also very lucky to enjoy the work that I do and have the space to explore and learn even more for my own personal growth. I also work with some of the most inspirational students and student leaders and I love being part of their learning journey and seeing them grow with every new experience. There is a team of supportive people in my work life and personal life that I know I can count on, and a lifetime of gratitude only scratches the surface of how much they all mean to me.

This is what makes leaving feel so difficult – leaving all of that behind for who knows what is in store.

But you tread on, remembering why you are doing it. This opportunity to go on exchange is a gift I will cherish. It is a chance to push my boundaries further and discover new treasures and insights to further define my understanding of life and personal values. I am a learner. I continually strive to learn more about the world I live in and who I am. It will also be nice to be just a student again, focusing on my interests and contributing to my learning in an educational setting. I have been telling everyone that I will be away, but I am not gone. I will need to remind myself that every now and then.

And let’s be real – 10 months sounds like a while, but it likely will fly by. I will be back in case anyone had any real doubt – I need to come back and graduate!

Once / Song of the Day: Falling Slowly

“Falling Slowly” from Once The Musical London, (Phoenix Theatre) — Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You’ll make it now

I had the chance to watch the movie Once (2006) the other night starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová:

I really enjoyed this film. Granted, I tend to be a fan of musicals and musical films, but this film was really special as it was so delicate and simple, but had such charm and heart to it. Taking place in Dublin, Ireland, it is about a guy (a busker) who is approached by a girl intrigued by his performance on the street. They both then bond over music and past loves, and then spend time together writing and recording music.

This film is unique in that the songs and the emotions the characters share make up the plot and script. It shows just how powerful music is in bringing people together and inspiring each other. You can also see the raw talent the musicians have in this film — all of the songs were originally written and performed by the starring actors themselves which makes it feel so much more real.

After watching this film, I learned after that there was a musical adaptation made based on this film. Unfortunately, I missed it when they visited Toronto (but they will be back in February 2015 for those who are interested!). While I may not be in Toronto at the time, I found out the Phoenix Theatre in London is playing this musical for the next few months, so I will definitely try to make a visit to go see it whilst I am in the UK! The clip above is from the cast of Once The Musical London (starring Arthur Darvill and Zrinka Cvitešić).

Kurzgesagt: The Gulf Stream & Climate Change

When talking about the changes in the global climate, I have often stressed to others that calling it “global warming” is misleading, and this video about the Gulf Stream illustrates one of the reasons why that is the case. Climate change doesn’t cause the world to warm up altogether — it is predicted that some parts of the world may actually experience a drastic decrease in temperature. Love the illustrations and how simple this talk was presented.

Kurzgesagt has also put together a number of other very interesting videos. Some of my favourites are below if you care to give them a watch:

The History and Future of Everything — Time
Three Ways to Destroy the Universe
Who Invented the Internet? And Why?

Only Lovers Left Alive / Song of the Day: The Taste of Blood

“The Taste of Blood” from Only Lovers Left Alive Soundtrack (2014) by Jozef Van Wissem & SQÜRL

Adam: “I just feel like all the sand is at the bottom of the hour glass or something.”
Eve: “If the sand is running out, time to turn the hourglass upside down again.”

I just watched Only Lovers Left Alive in the theatres today. I remember it was one of the films I sadly didn’t get a chance to see during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, so I was happy to have had the chance to see it in theatres.

It was one of the most unique, intriguing, and mesmerizing films I have seen in recent years. Oh, and it’s also a vampire movie, but definitely not what you’d expect if you are thinking of Hollywood vampire movies. Not only is it a love story of a vampire couple (Adam and Eve) who have lived centuries long, but the film also reflects on the deterioration of culture over the years and the forgotten concept of “living life”. Adam and Eve have lived long enough to see that nowadays, it seems as though time continues with little appreciation or care for history, the arts, literature, and the natural environment. While Adam is more cynical and depressed about how the “zombies” (i.e. us humans) are treating the world, Eve takes a more optimistic and nurturing approach and enjoys the beauty that each era has to offer.

With its subtle but amusing humour and its stunning and detail-oriented cinematography, the film has a fluid yet refreshing story line. It also has one of the most beautiful scores I have ever heard composed for a film. It is so simple, often only a lute sustaining the melody, but it creates magic that depicts the atmosphere and the emotions of the characters so well — loneliness, reminiscence, fear, love… It is clear that Adam and Eve are lovers and old souls longing for the rich culture of the past, but they also feel nervous (or maybe even a distaste) for what the future will be like. Despite the troubling thoughts they have and the obstacles they face, Adam and Eve continuously share the eternal love they have for each other, and it really is super sweet.

A beautiful film that I know will linger in my thoughts for a while. I will have to resort to YouTube until I get a chance to pick up a physical copy of the soundtrack.

“This self-obsession is a waste of living that could be spent on surviving things, appreciating nature, nurturing kindness and friendship… and dancing.”

When Five Fell

“When Five Fell” by Wesley Chan, Wong Fu Productions

“She’d found her own to fall with, her own to fall for. Today, she was a raindrop.”

Rainy days like today always remind me of this YouTube short by Wesley Chan from Wong Fu Productions. To this day, it is still one of my favourite shorts. As I felt the raindrops fall on my skin, I felt the emotional connection and remembered the attachment I grew for the objects in the story. Deep and overpowering feelings of emotions wash over me every time I watch this.

If you can spare 10 minutes of your time, I highly recommend watching it. Below is an excerpt from a blog post I wrote on a former blog when the short first came out. Even after four years, the feelings I described then are the same as how I would describe them now.

———————————————————

[ Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 ]

“She wants to be a raindrop. She doesn’t mind falling, as long as she’s not alone…and raindrops are never alone.” 

WFP recently released their latest short, written and directed by Wesley Chan, called “When Five Fell.” It portrays the emotions of falling in and out of love from five inanimate objects towards their owner when she started neglecting them for someone else.

The first time I watched it, my eyes kept focus on my laptop screen, my ears listened to every note of the music played, and my heart felt for the objects and their stories. After watching it, I couldn’t help but press the replay button to watch again…and again and again. It came to the point where I could sit on my chair, close my eyes, and listen to the voices…I didn’t need to watch the video anymore, because I grew a connection, an attachment, to the characters.

WFF is very emotional, and maybe you’re wondering why I watched it over and over again. To be honest, I’m not even sure. This feeling…is so emotional, so connecting. When I hear each object tell it’s story, it almost makes me wish these very objects were sitting right next to me. I cannot seem to put this feeling into words because when I try, it doesn’t seem to be enough to do it justice.

Along with the wonderfully composed music by Jesse Chui that gives this video the right atmosphere, as well as the beautiful cinematography by Wes, I also fell deeply in love with all five objects, mainly because I was able to connect with all of them in my own personal way. You’ll notice that in my definitions, all five symbols are interconnected. Together, they equate to become the ideal, the happily ever after. Once one becomes questionable or missing, it doesn’t take long before the others follow behind, and eventually…everything falls apart.

(Pictures from Wes’ director notes)

Glasses (Sight). “If I’m meant for anything, it’s to show her the world…”

Sight is of major importance to me personally. One of my biggest fears is to one day wake up, and not be able to see anything. In terms of love, sight is like a way of creating a new world together by combining what was once two separate worlds. In this new world, it’s always important to see things eye to eye, level to level. Once the vision becomes blurry, things become unclear as to how things will look in the future. It becomes difficult to really tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

Telephone (Communication). “Stories aren’t always enough, and words can only go so far…”

There are so many ways of communicating in today’s society: calling, texting, emails, MSN, Facebook, etc. They help us stay connected, especially when there is a distance barrier or busy schedules. But the one method of communication I feel is highly important is actual face-to-face conversation. I’ve learned to cherish these opportunities greatly. Lacking this means you lack being in a person’s life. Rather, you are hearing about their life as oppose to actually living in them.

Umbrella (Touch). “If you hold my hand, I’ll be yours forever…”

Physical contact. The touch between two people can be so special…whether it be a hug, a shoulder to lean on, or the locking of fingers. Knowing that the other is comfortable about your closeness is…comforting. To me, touch can be seen as two ways: it can act as an indicator; you are allowed into a person’s world. It can also act as an initiator; you are allowing a person into your world. You are no stranger to them, and they are no stranger to you. It truly is a comforting feeling.

Scarf (Smell). “To know our scent means something else. It means we’ve been close…“

Scent is hard to come by at times. I myself actually have a really poor sense of smell. But when I can identify a smell, it means something. What makes a scent special is the feeling of familiarity. Knowing one’s scent, it means we’ve been close…and close for a long time. To be able to smell a scent and smell it often, means they are often there for you. Lose such connection, and you lose the memory of the scent. Again, it’s the need to feel closeness and comfort, as oppose to feeling like a stranger.

Cup (Kiss). “I’m afraid the truth will break me…but her kiss is convincing…”

The symbol of love and affection. The symbol of two coming together as one, something that is shared between the two alone. But what happens when the meaning of the kiss changes…when one side has changed courses while the other side stayed on the same page? On the outside, it can seem like any other kiss, but in reality…it is not the joining of one anymore. That can be very misleading, which can lead to a lot of heartache once it is over.

We delight in the promise of falling for love.
We crumble in the dread of falling from love.
Everyone falls. Everything falls.