Final Thoughts

Too Early to Say?

I've had a great time trying to express with entries to this blog what my semester in London has meant to me. (OK, to be honest, some days it was a trial.)

My concluding observation is not a very deep one, but each time I tell a story about the trip, whether to a dear friend or someone I barely know, I am overwhlemed by just how fortunate I am - to see what I've seen; to have done what I've done; to have all that I have. It's probably too early to say what the full impact of my experience is - will be. All of the grand and glorious clichés about studying abroad apply.

There are more than 50 entries on this blog, but they describe what seem like hundreds of experiences, each one better than the next. (Well, I really did think so at the time!) And although I reserve the right to change the lists provided below, here's what I would say today about the best of the best:

Academically, I could not have been more pleased with my internship. Matt and Freya offered me the opportunity to become familiar with every aspect of community theatre. We became friends and I hope to keep them in my life.

British Life and Culture was a tremendous experience. My interests in British Literture, Comparative Government, and love for the United Kingdom have only been magnified as a result of my semester with Professor Weight.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the rigor of Macroeconmics. Despite a steady diet of 3 hour lectures, Professor Knight was clear, concise and really knew his stuff.

And personally, what were the best experiences? What should you look at if you just have a few minutes for this blog?

Lyme Park & Chatworth with the Travers family beats out my night on the set of Harry Potter by just a hair.

Those two events are closely followed by seeing the opening night performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe and my incredible trip to Scotland.

And yes, hugging James McAvoy comes in just slightly ahead of tea at Brown's with Mom and Dad. But wait, don't forget I saw 12 plays - 12 plays in four months!

So, sing with me .... Come on, I know you can do it!

"I've had the time of my life! No, I never felt this way before. Yes, I swear it's the truth and I owe it all to you."

Thanks sooooooooooooooo much, everyone.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow!

Saturday (Day 110): The Final Act

After one last night at O'Neil's, my roommates and I have awakened early - yes, 6 AM - to wish a steady stream of GCPers off in groups of two and three, as we all say our goodbyes to London and this fantastic semester. Alas, we are coming to America today.

It took some creative juggling and some extra cash to get all of our luggage on the plane. We could not have done it without the helpful expertise of the British Airways staff at Heathrow! We did arrive in Philadelphia about 40 minutes late, but other than that the flight was pleasant and uneventful. It was so good to see Mom and Dad and to be at home at last!

A welcome home dinner of steaks from the grill, dessert from Mom's new British cookbook, and Chambers of Secrets, the second Harry Potter movie - combined for a fitting re-entry to life back on Cohasset Lane.

After emails to Matt, Freya, Alex, Mr. & Mrs. Travers, the rest of the weekend will be spent catching up with friends at Simon & Jude, NDA, Villanova and Barnes & Noble. Perhaps, then I'll add a few extra notes here and start unpacking.

I can't wait to get to CCVA practice on TUESDAY! My next blog adventure is already underway at ccva2009.blogspot.com.
Italy, here we come!

Friday (Day 109): A Day of Lasts

• Last Day with CPT

I was indescribably sad this morning as I got on the tube to go to my last day of work at Camden People’s Theatre. I knew the day wasn’t going to go on forever, so promised myself that I was going to make the most out of it and do the best job I could do. Freya and Matt didn’t seem to have the same plan for me!

The three of us went out together for lunch to celebrate my work for them and ended up talking for hours about everything - our families and friends and yes, just a little about work. I was thrilled to hear that they both thought I was their best and favorite intern ever! While Matt had been a little easier to read, Freya had been “typically British” – comfortably proper, “a little closer to the vest” as we would say in America. So, I was happily taken aback by such positive feedback from her as well.

I had such a great time working with them for the past month, and wish I could be around to see some of the things I helped them plan and promote, especially this June’s SPRINT festival. After our lengthy lunch break, I went back to the theatre to tie up some loose ends with the projects I had been assigned and said my final goodbyes, with the promise that the three of us would keep in touch. I had started my internship not knowing what to expect, but I got so much more out of it than I could ever have imagined – a lasting highlight of life in London.

• Last Dinner

A small group of us, who had already gotten a quick jump on packing for our departure tomorrow, went out for a nice dinner at La Falconiere, a small Italian restaurant near our Manson Place flats.

We had a fantastic time sharing great food and champagne, while recalling all of our favorite times in London. To our dismay, we discovered that no one in our group is skilled at Toast giving. Although the attempt was less than grand, good intentions were heartfelt, making everything perfect in the end nonetheless.

The five of us could have stayed forever, but then again, O’Neil’s wouldn’t be open forever!

• Last Call

To cap the evening off, there was time for one last stop at what had become VU-GCP's favorite watering hole. O'Neil's had welcomed us on our first night in London, and we were committed to returning to express our appreciation and say goodbye. To our surprise, it was O'Neil's who said "thanks" to us, with a round or two on the house.

Thanks to the great guys at O'Neil's and my GCP friends for a fun-filled last night in London Town!

The gateway through which we traveled the world!
One last look at the South Kensington tube stop.

Romeo, Romeo, etc. etc.

Thursday (Day 108): Shakespeare as It Was Intended

Work at CPT went quickly today. I spent most of it composing copy and updating the CPT web site for an upcoming production. Tomorrow will be a sad day, my last with Matt and Freya.

The night before, Tuche and I had arranged to meet at a nearby Tube stop. The game that he had played all semester long - getting off one car, then entering another before the train moves on would come in handy, as this is how I joined up with him for our dinner at the Barrowboy and Banker. I could not resist having fish and chips one last time. Tuche had something a little more adventurous, but no less British - bangers and mash.

After a quick stuffing, it was off to the Globe for what we hoped would be a fitting final salute to British life and culture - Romeo and Juliet. As I had hoped, picking up tickets with a strange looking receipt, which the Concierge at my parents' hotel had provided, was a breeze and before we knew it was time for the play to begin.

It was easy to imagine being back in the time of Shakespeare himself. The actors were absolutely fantastic! I'm always surprised by the ease with which the "language of the day" glides off their tounges. No "like" or "uhhhhh" or "you know" for them! Oh, for the days of Jane and William - simply beautiful to hear.

One again, it turns out to be such a small world as I spied Maggie Cummings, from days at the Academy of Notre Dame toghther, among the "groundlings!" While our seats provided an absolutely fabulous vantage point, you can see from this picture that the early bird groundlings have the advantage of VERY close proxmity to the action! Fortunately, the pit is no longer used as a public restroom and those in attendance this night, seeemed much better behaved than those in earlier times.

As the actors took their final bow, I could not help but think that we GCPers would be taking ours tomorrow at our respective intern sites. A sad moment, which only briefly repressed the excitement of our evening. It was capped off by a visit to yet another beautiful gift shop, before making our way back to the tube!

A Place at the Table!

Wednesday (Day 108): Really Sitting at the Table

Tonight I finally got the chance to visit CPT, not as an intern but as an audience member to see A Place at the Table. It traces the shockwaves from the 1993 assassination of Burundi’s President Ndadaye backwards through the Colonial period to ancient myths about the country and then forward to the Rwandan genocide and conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Despite going into the theatre to actually sit at the huge conference table that would become the stage, I felt right at home. Since I had practically been a part of the entire rehearsal process for the production and knew many of the actors, I had an advantage over “paying patrons.”

The show was everything I hoped it would be and more. The play presented the African tribal struggle in new interpretive ways that inspired thoughts about justice, good, and evil. Although there was no direct audience participation, the seating arrangement around the table alongside the actors made me feel as though I had my own part to play.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the show was the table itself. When the surface boards were removed, the audience was able to see that the table itself was filled with soil. Some of the compartments in the table even went all the way down to the floor! The actors planted seeds and dug down into the table, bringing up symbolic objects of oppression and silence.

The performance ended in a discussion with the actors, giving the audience an opportunity to ask questions about the African situation. The play was an excellent way to raise awareness of the genocides happening in our world.

I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to work with the cast and see their show during my internship at CPT. They were outstanding!

Sightings 2, 3 & 4

Tuesday (Day 107): The Mother Load of All Star Sightings

The best shot of the night!

An altert from Mugglenet.com advised Harry Potter fans that filming for the last Potter movie, Deathly Hollows was taking place this week in the Piccadilly Circus area. So armed with a fully charged camera I left my flat hoping to be in the right place at the right time.

A quick survey of the area revealed that shooting would indeed be taking place! I stationed myself at what I hoped would be an advantageous location and waited.

After what seemed like forever, the three arrived in separate cabs. They were quickly surrounded by police and handlers, then swept aways for makeup and scene perp. Body doubles and extras arrived as well, making the task of the evening more difficult than I had hoped. Nonetheless, the three hours I spent last night on the set of Harry Potter - I repeat - on the LIVE set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were an incredible experience! Just feet away from Harry, Hermione and Ron - unbelievable!!!!!!!!!

Yes! I took this video on my very own camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just when I think the London expereince can't get any better, I am blown away by yet another "once in a life time" opportunity. Maybe Alan will be at the Globe on Thursday!