Wicked

The stage where Wicked was performed


So I arrived safely in London at 8 am British Summer Time after a long overnight flight. Ginger, the other intern, and I hopped on the Victoria express for 16 pounds and then split a cab from Victoria to the Study Centre at 99 Great Russell Street. After a day of walking around, getting an Oyster card, an 02 cell phone plan, acquainted with the library and eating at a great inexpensive hummus place we went to see Wicked. The theatre was completely packed with roaring fans. It felt hot and stuffy inside and I was so tired that I kept nodding off. The play moved quickly, the story was interesting and the stage magnificent. The four hour event was over before I knew it and I went straight back and fell into a good peaceful sleep. Today I'm up and ready for my first day of work in the library.

Trips

So I just visited the Ryan Air website and I was shocked to find out that my flight from London to Dublin would cost nothing. Of course by the time I payed for my flight back and taxes, fees etc. it came to a total of 38 pounds or something like that but I think I can swing it. So if it works out for me to train in London and to take off from work I really am going to try and pull this Dublin Marathon thing off.

Then I was thinking about my other trips. I really want to go to Paris and will make that a priority. Then yesterday a friend of mine wrote on my Facebook wall inviting me to visit him in St. Petersburg. This doesn't surprise me because he was a fellow seminarian and wanted to go to Russia to work in missions.


St. Petersburg Square at Night

So my three trips during this time could potentially be Dublin, Paris and St. Petersburg?

Dublin Marathon

So I have been really thinking about running the Dublin Marathon while I am in the UK. For a while I was resolved that I would not run and instead focus on school and work and my time in Europe. Marathon training takes so much out of you. It changes all of your life patterns, your diet, sleep and social life. Since London is not until April I won't be able to do it but then I found out that Dublin is on October 26th three days after my birthday and I will have 4 months to train in London.

The Dublin Marathon shares some very important qualities with Boston. Both Marthons are run on a Monday. Both Marathons have late morning starts. Both Marathons are sponsored by Adidas. And finally, both Marathons take place in historically Irish Catholic cities. There is a big difference however, Dublin will be a flat loop (none of this heartbreak stuff) and on a cool 50 degree day I might just run well. Besides, Dublin is close to London and I have never been to Ireland.

This Blog's Title

So London Calling is the third album by the British punk rock band The Clash. The album and the title track have been a huge hit and were both released the same year that I was born. Many of you have probably seen this poster around college dorm halls.



However, according to Jonathan Miller, the director of the Olin Library, a sort of English ex-patriot, and a great Librarian, the name also comes from the BBC calls made to continental Europe during the second world war. They would sign on with London Calling. When I was selected as the IT Intern at the FSU Study Centre in London I updated my status on Facebook with the phrase, London Calling, but never explained it. When I decided to start a blog to document and reflect on the next 6 months I thought it was appropriate to entitle the blog, London Calling. As it is now, I am still stateside and anxiously waiting on my Visa and wondering how everything will get done before now and my departure date of June 28. Still, London is Calling!