Haha a friend gave me this link when I told her that I was going to Italy for mid-semester break

http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/ourpaesani/italianmen.htm

As if I needed an incentive to go XD lol! I've been browsing for a while and the site itself is really interesting.

Ok, I'm off to get ready for a rugby match this evening. I'll update soon the other days I have pending. I'm sososo sorry about that XD I'm bad.

reflecting...

This is Daniel Araujo's note on facebook and I wanted to post it to comment and try to make one of my own. Things in red are my own comments:


I have been living in the city of London for the past 3 (going on 4) weeks, and I have 10 left. I have learned, seen, and changed my mind about many things in the short while that I have been here. So, here is a short list of some of the first ideas/impressions/lessons that London has given on me.

1.) The United States should lower the drinking age to 18 (at least 20).
Most people would abhor such an idea, but I have found that it creates more responsible adolescents. Because drinking is illegal in the States until such a high age (21), when kids do discover alcohol it is usually well under the age of 18 and greeted with excess. In the UK binging, drunk driving, and alcohol poisoning aren't really big problems. This is because people grow up with alcohol their whole lives and they know how to use it responsibly. I can see this no more clearly than when I go to pubs (dance clubs are an exception); people don't go to pubs to get drunk, they go to pubs to socialize. Alcohol is a social tool, not a means to inebriation. And surprisingly, people usually (but not always) drink without intending to get drunk.
Agreed. It worked for me at least. Not seeing alcohol as this horrible, forbidden substance, and actually growing up with it and having drinks here and there since I was very young, made me not obsess over it and abuse it. Drinking for the sake of getting drunk is a concept I will never understand. Yes, I do protest that I can't drink in the U.S. yet, but not because I really want to. It's the principle of the thing. Huff.

2.) Retailers, shops and restaurants should include the cost of taxes in the prices that are posted up for items.
It is so convenient to know what I'm actually paying when I go up to the counter, so that way I don't have to waste time calculating 0.8% of the cost of my item into what I will really have to pay. When I shop in the UK, I know exactly what change to have when I go up to the counter (assuming that I've added everything correctly). But then again, the costly pound is no friend of mine . . .
Agreed. Much easier that way. For the most part, I remember this being the case in Mexico, so once I got to the U.S it was a pain in the butt to sort out the tax. Made me do unnecessary math over the weekend too XD

3.) The United States should try to revamp its public transportation system.
Here in London, I am a frequent user of "the tube" or subway system. It is extremely convenient to use the subway to get to the other side of town, take care of shopping, and then come back home all in less than an hour. It doesn't even have to be a subway system. Just uping the amount (and respectability) of buses would do the trick for the US. It's just a convenient system.
Agreed. Night buses rule. I hated not being able to plan a night out because I had no way to get back (taxis are out of the question)

4.) The people and the government of the United States need to be more environmentally friendly.
London is such a clean city both because of the pride that the citizens take in keeping their city clean and the clean up efforts of the local government. When I went to the Mayor Thames Festival a few weeks ago, I noticed that there was hardly a piece of trash on the floor. At a festival, remind you! Not only that, but (as alluded to in point # 3), a sizable portion of the city's population relies on the public transportation system, thereby decreasing CO2 emissions. Recycling efforts in this city are also very impressive; there are recycle bins everywhere! Here, people really do care about the world they live in.
Agreed.

5.) The United States really (both in the media and at home) needs to embrace science.
Here in the UK, evolution and climate change are scientific facts, and are discussed and treated as such. This is really such a warm welcome for me as I don't have to explain myself everytime I want to get into a discussion about one of these issues. The people are well informed and know what I'm talking about and why I'm talking about it. Science is really respected and appreciated here in the UK and the goals of scientists are not treated with the amount of suspicion that they are in the US (usually).
Agreed. Though I really can't understand how it cannot be an embraced subject. Evolution theories and science don't conflict with Christian beliefs...at least not Catholic's. It took me some 3 books that related the whole evolution-not-taught-in-science-class-in-friggin-1990s/2000s drama and personal accounts to actually GET that it was a real mindset. And climate change is so OBVIOUS I don't get how it can be dismissed. Yay for science. Still not changing my major to it, though XD sorry Daniel haha


6.) Racism is non-existent here.
I have not heard a racial remark, slur or joke since I've been here.
I know there must be some... but I haven't really encountered it yet. A tiny anti-U.S. remark is all I heard in Edinburgh, and that was expected and not really hostile anyway.

7.) People in the UK are rude!
Britons have a no nonsense attitude about literally everything. And as such, it seems that most manners go out the window. I'm from the South (perhaps the Deep South, as I'm from Texas) and as any Southerner knows, manners are very important. But here, people just don't care. They don't say thank you when you hold the door open for them, they don't smile back when you smile at them and they certainly don't help you up if you trip or hurt yourself. (I don't even want to tell you how crappy service is when you go to a restaurant. But that largely has to do with the fact that people who work with food get paid a lot more than in the States. But, I digress.)
Disagree. They aren't rude. Manners a very important here. Yes, you don't say 'bless you' when someone sneezes, but it's not out of impoliteness. And I have encountered people often in the tube who will just smile (either first or back at me). And they have said 'thank you' when I hold the door open. I hear thank you a lot, in fact. And I know 'please' is a MUST here. Talking loudly in public is frowned upon here...and a lot from the group do it constantly. tsk tsk.

8.) The UK needs to start getting some Whatburger restaurants set up.
I don't know why I would ever need to explain myself on this point. Whataburger is the shizzle!
Uh...No. I don't really like burgers, but aside from that I don't think the UK needs more fast food. With huge orange signs. And not very pretty establishments. So no.

9.) Everything really is smaller here.
Cars, food servings, drinks, and even buildings are smaller here. I really do appreciate the space (and the personal bubble) I used to have in the States. It can be a bit claustrophobic here. However, the entire country is only a fraction of the size of the US, so what can you expect?
The cars are so cute!!! I don't mind the space, or lack thereof too much. I don't seem to find that I have less of a personal bubble here than anywhere else....and since I have the top bunk bed, I find that I can have my little world up there lol


10.) I love Texas.
I never thought I would say this, but I actually miss Texas. I miss the hot ass weather, I miss the smell of bar-b-que everywhere, I miss the long/wide roads that dominate everything and I miss (dare I say it) crazy Mexicans (at least they smile when they're about to shank you!). I am starting to miss my home, my family and my friends. And I already miss my girlfriend to the point of agony. But I'm still having a good time here in London. However, by the end of October, I will probably be so broke that it won't matter how much fun this city is. Oh yeah, speaking of which, I miss plain-ol' cheap stuff!
Sorry, but not really. I don't miss home yet. Yes, I miss my people, but not the places. Not yet, at least. I love the weather here and hate it when it's sunny. I don't like bar-b-que to start with, though I am beginning to be bothered by the common smell of curry. It's in every sandwich shop and it doesn't agree with me, so the smell now bothers me. It bothers me when Kim brings all her curry food or samosas into the room and closes the window. Ugh. Anyway. I don't care for wide roads... I've always been a pedestrian; wider roads are a pain to cross. I do miss proper Spanish a little, though. I perk up like a happy puppy when I hear people from Spain and the day I found a Mexican family at Sainsbury's I was elated. But it's like that even in SA. Proper Spanish is hard to come by. I do agree on the cheap stuff. I miss it!!! I can't buy anything here XD Except wine. I bought a bottle of Lambrusco the other day. Very tasty. (if you're a purist and don't consider Lambrusco to be real wine, don't burst my bubble. I like it.)

I'll come up with my own when I have time. I still need to update all those days below

Tuesday 23
Lecture on eradication of poverty and global warming

Wednesday 24
Welcome BBQ at Imperial College
Valeria's B-day- clubbing

Thursday 25

Sick due to clubbin XD Missed the outing for the Wax Museum
camden market

Friday 26
Edinburgh

Out of London

Saturday 21

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Oxford


Sunday 22

Stratford upon Avon

Poets' corner!

Friday 19

We went to Westminster Abbey. Loved it. Pity we couldn't take pictures inside; I was alternating between drooling at the Gothic architecture and tearing up at the moment. I'll update later.

Found my dream house!

Thursday 18

I had almost completely finished my nice, long update, and then the stupid thing closes by itself. Grrrrrrrrr.
Breathe in.........
Breathe out..... (don't start, Kavidha :P)

Ok, I'm done. Let's try this again.


We went to Kew Gardens for our Science class... Kim and I were a tad bit late (soso sorry). We forgot it was earlier than the regular classtime. Then the whole class got mixed up and we boarded the wrong train (that line has 3 different routes and we didn't notice, heh). Anyway. When we got out of Kew Garden station, several of us fell in love with the area. I found a couple of houses I now claim as mine lol It's so beautiful there, so quiet, the houses are charming and it's just so....green XD


Once inside the gardens, we set off to the Evolution House, since we needed to go there for our Science class. We went into the wrong building at first -Temperate House- because they were right next to each other and because the Evolution House was...tiny. Anyway, the Temperate greenhouse was full with plants from all over the world, but I kept seeing mostly from Japan and Southeast Asia. I think I missed an entire section, I don't remember the African ones. My camera decided to be difficult, so all my pictures of the flowers there are blurry and useless. Therefore we shall borrow Kim's photos. And speaking of Kim, we found two groups of Japanese students, so for a while we kind of went off wherever they were, just to see if we got any of what they were saying XD coughstalkerscough teehee

The Evolution House was a disappointment. Very simplistic, small and directed to a much younger audience.... which is why Dr. Pohlmann told us to write the essay on the whole trip, not just that one section. Even if it was only a two page essay (double-spaced), it still would've been a pain to try to squeeze that much out of it. That's how bad it was.

After that we went to the Japanese garden section...which again was a little too small for my taste, but at least it was there. Can't have gardens without a Japanese section XD. From there we went off towards the 'Queen's cottage' and the bamboo garden. Not very impressed with the bamboo garden, but by then we were running out of time so we only took a glimpse anyway. We took pictures every five steps, I swear and I even walked slowly *gasp*. The world could've ended, just for that lol.

We ended up missing like half of the gardens, but we were limited in time. That place can only be fully appreciated by spending at least half a day there, strolling and just relaxing. It is one of the most peaceful places I've been in. Loved it.

I picked up a real estate paper...because I'm totally going to have a house here...somehow....someday.... >___< They are ridiculously expensive. Sigh.

They have a store by the train station that has a lot of organic products... kind of like a mini 'whole foods'. I found one item I needed, so I was quite pleased. I'd been worrying I wouldn't be able to find that darned thing. Anyway, I.... hmm I can't remember what we did after we came back from the trip.... I think we just came back to Metrogate and were lazy. I think we might have gone to an used-books store... and you all know what must've happened then XD I'm going to donate some of the books at the end of the trip to Metrogate...or try to sell them back... I don't know, but I certainly can't bring them all back. Just a couple...

still sick

Tuesday 16

I was still sick, rather worse actually. Particularly with a headache sent from Hell. Spent most of the day trying to sleep it off, taking meds, seeing if the cough and headache would eventually give in. I couldn't even go to the meeting/class at 6:30pm. Prof. Pohlman was kind enough to send me a brief on the meeting. Thank you!

Wednesday 17

Feeling much better. Just a mild catarrh. My throat wasn't hurting anymore, it just hurt when I had coughing fits. Funny, the better I feel, the more I cough. Huh.

In order to start on the exercise for Sports class, I went to the pub (see? feeling better XD) to watch the Dynamo vs Arsenal game. 1-1. Minute 88. I wanted to slap them. Glad Arsenal didn't lose... (ya quiero ver a Carlos Vela jugar con ellos, me lo he perdido. Con quién juega en Mex? con las Chivas? ...lástima que Rafa Márquez está en Barça y no aquí para poderle ir a nadamás un equipo XD aunque Barcelona como equipo aparte me gusta tmb)

I didn't get my fish and chips this time around either, since I'd only just had some left-overs... but a little into the game I decided I was hungry enough for a small apple pie with custard. I hadn't noticed before that the pub would be closing for a while for refurbishments in 2 weeks... so I need to find another place to watch the games. Darn it. This one was just at the corner, very cozy and convenient...oh well.