Dispatching the Post

How to Do Mail for London

Our mail doesn't come directly to Manson Place, but is handled at the EUSA administraion building. It's great since our classes are there, so we can check for mail before or after. If a package comes, and we do all love to receive packages, we get email notification from the EUSA staff. I've already received a couple! THANKS Mom and Dad.

International shipping does require some extra paperwork, and Mom and Dad have found out the hard way that the United States Postal Service is both the cheapest and the fastest. That's not to say that shipping is cheap. Regular shipping from the Villanova area takes about six to ten days.

The post offices in England are privately owned. I guess they are operated a little like UPS stores in the States, just not quite as fancy. Unfortunately, the husband and wife who run the South Kensignton Post Office weren't too helpful when I was there last.

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Trains, Buses and Cabs, Oh My!

The tube, while absolutely excellent, gets very crowded during rush hours. A tip to the wise - most people don't make the effort to walk to the ends of the station platform, therefore the cars at the front and rear of any train are the least crowded. Do yourself a favor!

There are seats designated for the elderly and handicapped, but none for passengers with baggage. Because people are coming in from airports at all hours, people with suitcases can have an especially difficult time. I have been surprised that many riders offer to help. Some will even give up their seats for those less capable of standing. Show a little class!

The tube does shut down at 12:30 am. When we're out late, a play at the West End (my preference) or a pub, club or bar, alternate transportation must be found. The Oyster Card works on buses, but stops are sometimes hard to find and service is less frequent than the tube. If you're in a large group so that searching for the most convenient stop is a little less of a task and a lot more fun, buses are a good option.

Otherwise, cabs are not too difficult to find, especially near hotels and popular night spots. Cash is required and they're not cheap. Cabs in London are large however, so the tab can be split among three, four, maybe more. Don't spend all of your cash at the bar. Pitch in your share!

The Fourth Week

Thursday (Day 25): Prep for Paris

It was the slowest class ever!!!!!!!! And the longest afteroon - packing and waiting, waiting and packing. Sleep never came, as visions of the Arch and the Tower drifted in and out our consciousness.

Wednesday (Day 24): Mamma Mia!

Tonight was the night I’d been looking for since we first arrived here in London: theater night! Of course I’m planning on seeing many more shows while I’m here, but I’m never one to turn down a free West End or Broadway show!

Although I had already seen Mamma Mia in New York, it had been so much fun that I couldn’t wait to see it again here in London. With the summer release of the movie version of this production, everyone in the program was pretty excited to see it as well, and we set out as a big group to ride the tube to the Prince of Wales Theatre.

We all took our seats and as the overture started, I got that familiar adrenaline rush that accompanies the start of any show I see. My excitement only grew as I sang along to my favorite songs (in my head of course) and saw how much everyone around me liked it too. By the encores, everyone from GCP was up dancing and having a blast, reminding me of the NYC trip Notre Dame took a couple of years ago (I danced this one for you Mrs. Sajeski!!!!!).

We were sad to see it end and decided instead of going home, to go across the street to O’Neil’s Pub, which features live music at night. Since there was a big Duke basketball game on that night, and Ajay wanted to get back to watch it, we only stuck around for a couple songs, but we were impressed by the band, especially their cover of Blink 182’s All the Small Things. After belting it out along with them and dancing, we hopped back on the tube and called it a night.

Tuesday (Day 23): Hitting the Local Gym

With all of the free time I was anticipating after class on Tuesday, I decided to go with Krista to the gym she and some of my other friends joined as a guest. Sure, walking everywhere here has given me even more exercise than I would probably get at home, but I was looking forward to using an elliptical machine again and feel like I was getting a “real” cardio workout. We spent about an hour and a half at the gym, and walked home feeling a refreshing mix of energy and exhaustion.

Nothing “blog-worthy” happened for the rest of the evening,, and I went to bed knowing that I had done something good for myself!

Monday (Day 22): Oxen 'R Us?

With little of note happening to begin our fourth week in London, we decided to create fun for ourselves.

Tuche pointed out that Chinese New Year was fast approaching, but actually happening on the day of our return from Paris. This unfortunate conflict will result in our missing the parade of dragons at Trafalgar Square.

So that it wouldn't be a total loss, we decided to head to China Town to grab some dinner, take in the decorations, and celebrate the upcoming Year of the Ox - just a little early.

It was clear by walking along the streets of restaurants and reading the menus that Chinese food in London isn't quite the same as the version served in the United States. Nothing like General Tso’s Chicken here! Even so, we finally selected a spot with a semi-familiar menu and got a table.

After my friends got over my choice - the squid and noodle dish, we played Snaps until our food arrived. It was a delicious feast! Having devoured our meals, we made our way back to the flat for some rest and relaxation.

Tools of the Trade

The transportation system in London is terrific. Do not put off mastering it, because it opens up soooooo many possibilities. At orientation, we received our Oyster Cards and learned about the London Pass. These are pre-paid passes for the underground tube and bus system and a variety of historic places, critical to any visitor to the area. EUSA and Villanova provided us with these, but you will want to explore the available options for anyone planning to visit while you are in London. They are real money savers!

We're in week three here, and while I have pretty much mastered reading the large maps available in every tube station, I still need a little help with changing lines and getting off at just the right stop. An internet site called London Town has turned out to be very useful. If it lists the site or business you need, it almost always includes the "nearest" tube stop and other tips.

We've learned the hard way that a lot of construction takes place in the city on the weekends. Already our favorite tube stops have been closed and whole tube lines have been shut down. Since there is lots of duplication in the system, you can almost always get where you need to go with just a little extra thought. We will not be deterred!

Beyond London, the national train system is excellent, so is Gatwick airport. Though I have yet to use it, several classmates have. It's a little farther away than Heathrow, but a train called the Gatwick Express makes getting to our neighborhood pretty easy.

A word to the wise - The tube is not very handicapped accessible. There are LOTS of steps, and only some tube stops have ramps and elevators. Some have escalators, but many are steep and really long. More words of wisdom - travel light and wear comfortable shoes.

A Few Notes on Classes

The Academic Routine

We've started to settle into a routine as far as classes are concerned. Our classroom, which is in the EUSA administration building is a little small, but reasonably comfortable. It's a short walk, so even bad weather is pretty easy to handle. Homework has been lighter than I expected - some reading and review of notes, but nothing burdensome.

By far, I'm liking British Life and Culture the best. Dr. Weight is very knowledgeable and discussion comes easy in class. We are to keep a weekly journal in preparation for a lengthy paper. Actually, my interest in British literature and writing this blog will both be very helpful with the task. Others are already planning to write their whole journal at the end - an interesting approach?

Business Dynamics started out nicely, but because Dr. Tudway is a financial specialist, the course has taken a decided turn in this direction. He's not real keen on the textbook we brought over from the States, so he is providing class notes and readings that are essential for discussion each week.

Macro Economics so far, is all lecture. I'm liking it more than Micro, this past fall. The courses are similar to the extent that graphing is essential to understanding economic concepts. The text that we are expected to read is not available from the EUSA library, so we are all a little concerned about test prep. Nigel Knight, the professor, is sooooooooooooo British.

Britons at Work has met less frequently, since it will continue through the semester, and will help put the internship in context as we actually experience the British work setting.

Other than positive reinforcement during class discussion, there won't be much feedback on how we're doing until finals. Two professors are asking to see a proposal or an outline for our papers, and there will be two presentations. Soooo, the in-class experience is about the same as VU. The big change is fewer opportunities to earn grades, to make up for a poor first impression or a misunderstanding on the assignment.