LONDON!!!!

So sorry about how long it has taken to post, we havent had internet since I got here and I finally found a decent Internet Cafe today. So we are now officially in London, and I LOVE IT. We arrived on Monday from Paris on a Eurostar train and immediately I felt settled, calm, and relaxed here. London just seems to be a quiet fit for me and I adore it completly. Our accomodations here at the Maria Assumpta Centre (now Hethrop College) are incredible. I literally feel like I have died and gone to heaven. I have my OWN ROOM! It felt so good to spread out all my things and organize the room to my likings, and not have to worry about inconviencing anyone else. This trip has truly allowed me to appreciate the little things in life, and having my own room is definetely one of them. We also have breakfast and dinner at the Centre which to this point has been pretty good. I love the breakfasts in Italy but its been nice to get some cereal back into my diet.

So our first day, we had classes and then a bunch of us set out to figure out the tube system and went to Leicester Square and picked up tickets to Billy Elliot. Let me just tell you if you have the chance to ever see this show, GO! No matter what you have to pay its worth it. The play is about a little boy named Billy who is forced into boxing lessons by his father who is a miner in Durham, England that is on strike during the Maggie Thatcher political period. By a series of hilarious events Billy falls into a ballet class and discovers his love and raw talent for dance. This show made me laugh and cry and cheer for this tiny titan that is on stage for pretty much 95 % of the show for almost 3 hours. This kid does tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and some CRAZY acrobatics, the boy that played billy could not have been more than 9 or 10 and has more talent in his pinky finger than I have in my entire body! We got to meet him backstage after the show and I was just in awe of him before his dad whisked him away. I did some research on this show and apparently their are three billies that share the role and are only allowed to do the show 3 times a week because of child labor laws and how taxing the role is on their young bodies. Like I said they are on stage for almost three hours dancing pretty much the entire time, it was incredible. One of the best musicals I have ever seen. I am not usually left speechless but after the first act I just sat there with my mouth open trying to take it all in, I am already planning on seeing it again hehe.


Anywho, yesterday was low key. I went for an early morning walk with Amanda and Cathy through Kensington Gardens which was beautiful. It was also Princess Di's birthday so we got to see a bunch of cards and flowers left for her to celebrate. Its incredible to me just how much the brits appreciate and idolize her to this day, she truly was the peoples princess I guess. Its nice to think that her memory and legacy lives on, and that people still celebrate the milestones in her life. Its funny to think she would have only been 48, she was far too young.

We also went to the National Gallery yesterday and I got to see some Van Gogh's and Monets, which was really neat. I have truly been blessed to see some of the most awesome pieces of artwork this summer. I still cant believe, I have been able to see some of the paintings I have. We spend about 2 hours there, and also we got to be in Trafalgar's square on Canada Day, which as you can expect was quite a sight to see hehe,

Today we had classes, and in a few hours we are seeing Calender Girls. Which is a stage remake of the popular movie, and we have awesome seats, 3rd row center for 27 pounds = amazing. I hope it will be as good as I think it will be, stay tuned I guess.

Anywho, Miss you all
Sara


P.S
will post address soon, hopefully tomorrow! Thanks for your ongoing support this summer, its been great to read your posts. They truly keep me going when I am gone, I have the best friends and family in za world!!!!