Join an Organisation
For this assignment we were to join an organisation of some sort.
A couple of us found a very small theatre company that was looking for volunteers. The name of the company was RETZ. It was a small company trying a very new concept of theatre. The concept they were testing was this: an 'audience member' would come to a movie that RETZ was showing for a weekend. Each member would register their name, phone number, and address. Then after seeing the film, the audience member would return home and after a few days time, would receive a letter condemning them of a crime and that they were to show up at a certain location for 'sentencing and processing'. There, the audience member would be sentenced to "death". And that is when the play begins. From there, each member is moved from one room to another in a series of one-on-one encounters between an actor and themselves. It is supposed to be 'helping them move on and prepare for death'. Finally after they have gone through each room the audience members will watch another movie that will wrap the whole thing up and reveal what actually happened. Then the audience member will be invited for biscuits and refreshments.
I went with the actors when we met. We would play improv games to get our minds working and our imaginations warmed up. Then we would practice with each other putting ourselves in situations that chould possibly happen and trying out different characters in different roles within the play's infrastructure. I met a lot of quirky people. There were people that were still in Uni, some that had been out for a year or two, and one that had been out for something like 10 or 11 years. Most had a job or other commitment in their life as well. Thus I guess is the life of someone who wishes to act. I feel that the experience was beneficial, although I was not able to make any of the "performances'. If anything, it helped me to reach out to people that I did not have any contact with at all. It was pretty scary at first meeting these new people from all walks of life. However I am grateful to have had it.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Saturday, 27 April 2013
BES Assignment 3
Interview
For this assignment we were to interview a person in British society. I interviewed Emily Hawkesford, a girl that I worked with during my time at the Golden Hinde. There were many lunch breaks where we were just talking and this is what I found out from her. Please let it be known that this is only one person that I talked with and the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of British society as a whole.
She is 24 years old. She has a mother and father, and a younger brother. When asked about marriage and divorce she answered: "I believe that marriage should be permanent. Too many people are getting married due to convenience or such similar perceptions. Marriage should not be taken lightly. It is not to be toyed with; you should be sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with this person..."
I asked her what her religious beliefs were and she said that she does not really believe in God. Her family has never been religious. That is not to say that she condemns anyone who believes, but she does not like the idea of not being in control of what she does. She likes to think that we have control of our lives and can change our lives if we so desire.
Emily has graduated with an undergraduate degree in Art History from the University of London, and has been volunteering everyday at the Golden Hinde for about 2 years now. Aside from volunteering full-time at the Golden Hinde, she also has a job at a convenience store near Dalston Junction. She likes to paint when she has time. Emily ideally wants to be a full-time artist or perhaps one day be a curator for a museum. A major issue she feels facing students in the UK today is that students become so incredibly specialized and study only one subject to the point that it is hard to find a job out of uni. She likes the US education system where students know some about a lot and become specialized much later.
Emily Hawkesford keeps the Golden Hinde from grinding to a hault. She has managed the shop for a long time and has written shop protocols. In addition to her work of ordering supplies, writing procedure, organizing visits from schools, and sometimes helping out the Ship Master, Aiden Slade, she now also answers calls and inquiries for administration. She is an integral cog in the machine that keeps the GHT afloat, and she was one of my first friends while here in London. When asked about what I shall miss about London, she shall be a part of my answer.
For this assignment we were to interview a person in British society. I interviewed Emily Hawkesford, a girl that I worked with during my time at the Golden Hinde. There were many lunch breaks where we were just talking and this is what I found out from her. Please let it be known that this is only one person that I talked with and the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of British society as a whole.
She is 24 years old. She has a mother and father, and a younger brother. When asked about marriage and divorce she answered: "I believe that marriage should be permanent. Too many people are getting married due to convenience or such similar perceptions. Marriage should not be taken lightly. It is not to be toyed with; you should be sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with this person..."
I asked her what her religious beliefs were and she said that she does not really believe in God. Her family has never been religious. That is not to say that she condemns anyone who believes, but she does not like the idea of not being in control of what she does. She likes to think that we have control of our lives and can change our lives if we so desire.
Emily has graduated with an undergraduate degree in Art History from the University of London, and has been volunteering everyday at the Golden Hinde for about 2 years now. Aside from volunteering full-time at the Golden Hinde, she also has a job at a convenience store near Dalston Junction. She likes to paint when she has time. Emily ideally wants to be a full-time artist or perhaps one day be a curator for a museum. A major issue she feels facing students in the UK today is that students become so incredibly specialized and study only one subject to the point that it is hard to find a job out of uni. She likes the US education system where students know some about a lot and become specialized much later.
Emily Hawkesford keeps the Golden Hinde from grinding to a hault. She has managed the shop for a long time and has written shop protocols. In addition to her work of ordering supplies, writing procedure, organizing visits from schools, and sometimes helping out the Ship Master, Aiden Slade, she now also answers calls and inquiries for administration. She is an integral cog in the machine that keeps the GHT afloat, and she was one of my first friends while here in London. When asked about what I shall miss about London, she shall be a part of my answer.
BES Assignment 7
The Villages of London
For this assignment we were to visit one of the villages of London, either Wimbledon or Hampstead Village. I chose to go to Wimbledon.
We took the tube to Wimbledon. It was strange to see the city giving way to green parks and trees, and to realize that we were still in London. It was a piece of a country village within a busy city. The hustle and bustle seemed to melt away. It was a perfect day to go as well; the sun was shining and warm. We walked around and looked at the houses and cars. I say looked, but it was more like marveled. I lost count of the number of Rolls Royces that drove past me. The houses are big and you can just smell the money that has gone into them. We went into the shops and found many antiques.
For lunch we debated going to the Dog & Fox, but scraped that idea as it was such a nice day. Then we thought of going to Tesco and having a picnic in a huge park. However we found a health food store and they brought out fresh baguettes. Being put on the shelf, they were still warm. So we each grabbed a baguette for a quid. It was fantastic just eating the warm, fresh bread in the warm sunlight and walking around admiring the sights.
For this assignment we were to visit one of the villages of London, either Wimbledon or Hampstead Village. I chose to go to Wimbledon.
We took the tube to Wimbledon. It was strange to see the city giving way to green parks and trees, and to realize that we were still in London. It was a piece of a country village within a busy city. The hustle and bustle seemed to melt away. It was a perfect day to go as well; the sun was shining and warm. We walked around and looked at the houses and cars. I say looked, but it was more like marveled. I lost count of the number of Rolls Royces that drove past me. The houses are big and you can just smell the money that has gone into them. We went into the shops and found many antiques.
For lunch we debated going to the Dog & Fox, but scraped that idea as it was such a nice day. Then we thought of going to Tesco and having a picnic in a huge park. However we found a health food store and they brought out fresh baguettes. Being put on the shelf, they were still warm. So we each grabbed a baguette for a quid. It was fantastic just eating the warm, fresh bread in the warm sunlight and walking around admiring the sights.
BES Assignment 6
Greenwich & Docklands: British Imperialism, 80's Bust & 90's Boom
For this assignment, we visited Greenwich (Gren-itch). Then we took the DLR via Carary Wharf back to Russell Square.
First we took a boat ride from Westminster Pier up the River Thames to Greenwich. We passed iconic structures such as The London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben, The National Theatre, the OXO Hotel, The Golden Hinde, the London Bridge, and the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. After arriving at Greenwich we glanced around a bit. It is very green. It seemed to me to almost have more park than city. I can see why they chose to film most of Les Miserables in Greenwich, it's beautiful.
We first visited the Royal Observatory. Let me tell you...wear some walking shoes! It is up a very steep hill and there were several times when I said to myself, "surely we are almost there..." It is a long steep walk. And I say walk because there is a path, so that is a plus I suppose. It was fascinating to see England's progression and scientific advancement due to the observatory. There were interactive exhibits in which one could anything from time-telling all over the world to games with constellations. And speaking of time-telling, at the Royal observatory one is able to straddle the Prime Meridian. So I have stood with one foot in the Eastern and one foot in the Western Hemisphere.
After the Royal Observatory, we visited the National Maritime Museum. They had some pretty cool exhibits with moving projections and lights. The light tech in me kind of nerded out. We saw exhibits that told the story of England's maritime superiority. The most compelling exhibit had to with England and the American Colonies. It was about England's involvement in the American slave trade and the War of 1812.
After that, we had lunch at Cafe Sol, which was a Mexican restaurant. The drinks were a bit pricey, but the food was fantastic. I had a chimmy changa, and some fruity drink. I would recommend going at least once. From there we headed to the Greenwich Market. The market was a combo of food and material items. There were a bunch of antiques. We found a poffertjes stand. It was a little piece of home.
From the market, we left via the DLR which was basically the tube above ground. It was a long day and finally reaching home felt good.
For this assignment, we visited Greenwich (Gren-itch). Then we took the DLR via Carary Wharf back to Russell Square.
First we took a boat ride from Westminster Pier up the River Thames to Greenwich. We passed iconic structures such as The London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben, The National Theatre, the OXO Hotel, The Golden Hinde, the London Bridge, and the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. After arriving at Greenwich we glanced around a bit. It is very green. It seemed to me to almost have more park than city. I can see why they chose to film most of Les Miserables in Greenwich, it's beautiful.
We first visited the Royal Observatory. Let me tell you...wear some walking shoes! It is up a very steep hill and there were several times when I said to myself, "surely we are almost there..." It is a long steep walk. And I say walk because there is a path, so that is a plus I suppose. It was fascinating to see England's progression and scientific advancement due to the observatory. There were interactive exhibits in which one could anything from time-telling all over the world to games with constellations. And speaking of time-telling, at the Royal observatory one is able to straddle the Prime Meridian. So I have stood with one foot in the Eastern and one foot in the Western Hemisphere.
After the Royal Observatory, we visited the National Maritime Museum. They had some pretty cool exhibits with moving projections and lights. The light tech in me kind of nerded out. We saw exhibits that told the story of England's maritime superiority. The most compelling exhibit had to with England and the American Colonies. It was about England's involvement in the American slave trade and the War of 1812.
After that, we had lunch at Cafe Sol, which was a Mexican restaurant. The drinks were a bit pricey, but the food was fantastic. I had a chimmy changa, and some fruity drink. I would recommend going at least once. From there we headed to the Greenwich Market. The market was a combo of food and material items. There were a bunch of antiques. We found a poffertjes stand. It was a little piece of home.
From the market, we left via the DLR which was basically the tube above ground. It was a long day and finally reaching home felt good.
Friday, 26 April 2013
BES Assignment 5
The East End: London's Contemporary Art Centre
For this assignment we had to walk around and explore London's East End. The walk started at Liverpool Street station after taking the tube. It then took us north past Spital Square. The first point of interest is dennis Severs' House. This is an 18th century house that has been wonderfully restored. Next we went to Spitalfields Market. It was packed! We found a stand that made smoothies and took advantage of the opportunity. There were also a lot of quirky stands selling material items like hand-made coasters. The next structure of significance is the Christ Church. It was beautiful, but honestly at this point in the semester, I think I am a little 'churched out'. So unfortunately I don't think I fully appreciated it's beauty. Our next sight was the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. I remembered seeing it from when we went to Tayyab's. It is really cool to think that the Liberty Bell came from that building. It felt almost surreal that the foundry was still standing and that this simple building is older than the United States. From there we retraced our steps and went back to Brick Lane. I have been here a couple times already, once during the day and once at night. Packed to the brim both times. There are some cool shops that are relatively cheap. We stumbled into a warehouse of some sort food heaven. There was every kind of ethnicity represented here: English, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Ethiopean, chinese, Italian, and a few I had never heard of. We ended up getting Ethiopean, which helped me with my goal of expanding my horizons. There was a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentil stew, and koose-koose. It was actually pretty delightful. I would eat it again. After that we headed back to Liverpool Street and visited some small market stands on the way.
Overall, I enjoyed the East End. There was uniquely beautiful architecture and wonderful shops. Not to mention that the East End is generally a little cheaper on the whole.
For this assignment we had to walk around and explore London's East End. The walk started at Liverpool Street station after taking the tube. It then took us north past Spital Square. The first point of interest is dennis Severs' House. This is an 18th century house that has been wonderfully restored. Next we went to Spitalfields Market. It was packed! We found a stand that made smoothies and took advantage of the opportunity. There were also a lot of quirky stands selling material items like hand-made coasters. The next structure of significance is the Christ Church. It was beautiful, but honestly at this point in the semester, I think I am a little 'churched out'. So unfortunately I don't think I fully appreciated it's beauty. Our next sight was the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. I remembered seeing it from when we went to Tayyab's. It is really cool to think that the Liberty Bell came from that building. It felt almost surreal that the foundry was still standing and that this simple building is older than the United States. From there we retraced our steps and went back to Brick Lane. I have been here a couple times already, once during the day and once at night. Packed to the brim both times. There are some cool shops that are relatively cheap. We stumbled into a warehouse of some sort food heaven. There was every kind of ethnicity represented here: English, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Ethiopean, chinese, Italian, and a few I had never heard of. We ended up getting Ethiopean, which helped me with my goal of expanding my horizons. There was a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentil stew, and koose-koose. It was actually pretty delightful. I would eat it again. After that we headed back to Liverpool Street and visited some small market stands on the way.
Overall, I enjoyed the East End. There was uniquely beautiful architecture and wonderful shops. Not to mention that the East End is generally a little cheaper on the whole.
BES Assignment 2
Making Sense of it all: the Museum of London
Ok. Here's the deal. I am sure that the museum is very entertaining to some people. However, it was just not my 'cup of tea'. I just didn't feel that the museum was very engaging. It tells the story of how London was founded and how it has fought and survived all these years. It started with exhibits about the landscape and animals and then flowed into the first neanderthal's arrival. It continues like this, moving through time until we come to the present.
There were only two exhibits I really enjoyed: the Great Fire and the Black Plague. Learning about how the fire and plague began, spread, and was finally subdued was made interesting by the movies and models you could interact with.
Like I said, the Museum of London was just not for me. However I do think everyone should go and see it at least once.
Ok. Here's the deal. I am sure that the museum is very entertaining to some people. However, it was just not my 'cup of tea'. I just didn't feel that the museum was very engaging. It tells the story of how London was founded and how it has fought and survived all these years. It started with exhibits about the landscape and animals and then flowed into the first neanderthal's arrival. It continues like this, moving through time until we come to the present.
There were only two exhibits I really enjoyed: the Great Fire and the Black Plague. Learning about how the fire and plague began, spread, and was finally subdued was made interesting by the movies and models you could interact with.
Like I said, the Museum of London was just not for me. However I do think everyone should go and see it at least once.
BES Assignment 1
Street Life: London's Neighborhoods and Markets
For this assignment we were required to visit and explore two different markets within London. I had adventures at several, but I will discuss Borough Market and Camden Market.
Borough Market is probably the best place in all of London to get food. That is what is mainly there; there aren't clothing or material item stands. But it contains some of the most unique fruits and veg I have seen. If you want it, you can probably find it: strawberries, carrots, chiles, all kinds of meat; I think I even saw coconuts and blackcurrant berries.
I actually had the privilege of my internship being right next to the market, so I was able to eat there every day I worked. There are sandwich stands galore! Beef, pannini, lamb, veg wraps, stew, soup...the lost goes on and on. On several occasions I had a pork sandwich and I watched as the vendor cut the meat right off the roasting hog, cooked it, and served it with apple sauce (not the American version, but a runny paste of sorts) and greens. I also got to try several different kinds (flavors?) of curry w/ rice.
The biggest difference between Borough during the week and during the weekend is the crowd. It is not really that busy during the week, but on the weekends it gets packed. Sardines does not even begin to describe it.
Camden in general is what I imagine southside Chicago to be like if you could not get brutally murdered. I saw more drug paraphernalia than anywhere else I have ever been. This market, unlike Borough Market, does not specialize in food but material goods. Hipsters, Hipees, and Goths would really like this market. There were several shops selling vintage clothing, and many others selling things like Fake-Beats, pipes, mugs, shirts, and electronics. I actually got my wallet here. I was able to haggle the merchant down 5 quid.
Be prepared for another packed experience. It thinned out near the late evening, but was very populated the day we visited.
For this assignment we were required to visit and explore two different markets within London. I had adventures at several, but I will discuss Borough Market and Camden Market.
Borough Market is probably the best place in all of London to get food. That is what is mainly there; there aren't clothing or material item stands. But it contains some of the most unique fruits and veg I have seen. If you want it, you can probably find it: strawberries, carrots, chiles, all kinds of meat; I think I even saw coconuts and blackcurrant berries.
I actually had the privilege of my internship being right next to the market, so I was able to eat there every day I worked. There are sandwich stands galore! Beef, pannini, lamb, veg wraps, stew, soup...the lost goes on and on. On several occasions I had a pork sandwich and I watched as the vendor cut the meat right off the roasting hog, cooked it, and served it with apple sauce (not the American version, but a runny paste of sorts) and greens. I also got to try several different kinds (flavors?) of curry w/ rice.
The biggest difference between Borough during the week and during the weekend is the crowd. It is not really that busy during the week, but on the weekends it gets packed. Sardines does not even begin to describe it.
Camden in general is what I imagine southside Chicago to be like if you could not get brutally murdered. I saw more drug paraphernalia than anywhere else I have ever been. This market, unlike Borough Market, does not specialize in food but material goods. Hipsters, Hipees, and Goths would really like this market. There were several shops selling vintage clothing, and many others selling things like Fake-Beats, pipes, mugs, shirts, and electronics. I actually got my wallet here. I was able to haggle the merchant down 5 quid.
Be prepared for another packed experience. It thinned out near the late evening, but was very populated the day we visited.
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