Across the pond

I am a bit miffed that I took the responsibility of writing a column during what is currently our midterm week in London. So along with the sudden – and, frankly, uncharacteristic – workload I am willingly, yet grudgingly, writing a column for an unknown number of readers and still more unknown number of genuinely interested individuals. Yes, I am complaining; but I do have a report, however generally, of the goings on of the city across the sea.
Along with the frantic, and usually last-minute, completion of midterm papers there is also the added pressure of getting plane tickets to and from the country at preferably concession prices with presumably no advantage seating, no checked luggage, and no flight insurance to speak of; in other words, nothing better go wrong, and I had better observe carefully the limits of 10 kilos assigned to my one carry-on – however much that might be.
There are advantages to these economical, if not hassle-free, thrifty flight bookings: the foreign lands we seek are conveniently situated on the continent and not across the Atlantic Ocean. Book a ticket and in less than two hours you have landed once again a stranger in a strange land. You can restart the processes of integrating yourself with your surroundings, even though there now may be a language barrier. Popular destinations are Paris, Venice, Brussels, Berlin and Athens to name a few.
After our 10-day break, we will all find ourselves again in London. It is not all bad coming back though; we come back to generally the same language and the familiar sight of McDonald’s that can be found just about any corner.
The live music, plays, sights and special interest groups, which meet at any time of the night and day are all probably a tube stop away. We will be coming to continue our quest for the best pub in the city. And, of course, alcoholic beverages can be partaken even at the tender age of 19. There is even almost too much to do, so it is hard to escape the feeling of guilt if you decide to take a lazy day and nap an afternoon away.
Even with so much to do, I cannot help but feel nostalgia for you Lawrentians. You who might be one of our friends can be sure that you are being faithfully stalked on Facebook, even if we might not come around to message you how much we miss you. Once all the city’s charms are worn thin, it will be nice to come back to the town of Appleton and finally take a look at the new campus center and yet again experience something new.