My Study Abroad Experience: November 1!

Can you believe it?It's already November 1st!This week marks the halfway point in all my classes. Yea...uh my classes are REALLY hard. Today in my ONE class I have each Tuesday, we had to go view amazing art at the Tate Modern Museum on the River Thames, rough eh? Our assignment was to come up with plot lines, character analyses, and reason for space according to modern pieces in the museum(this was for my creative writing course). For my plot line, I chose an oil painting called Sleeping Venus(1944). http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=3724. For my character analyses, I chose another oil painting Naked Man with Knife(1981). http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=12148. For the last assignment, we had to watch Tacita Dean's Film in Turbine Hall in which we had to set a scene which engages with the conflict between city and nature. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/oct/10/tacita-dean-film-turbine-hall. Afterwards, we met back up and walked along the River Thames. What was a gray, overcast morning turned into actually a quite beautiful sunny autumn day. We passed Shakespeare's Globe, one of the oldest pubs in London, Francis Drake's ship, and many other historical buildings until we finally reached Borough Market, one of my favorite places in the whole city. With its quaint stands and exotic produce, it definitely one of the most renown food markets in London. My friend Jenna and I stayed behind to explore after class was over. I am currently back in my room trying to organize and blog before I head out again. Claire, Miraya, Kara, Molly, and I are going to Oxford Circus to watch the Christmas Lights come on and listen to the first carolers. You know how I love Christmas!: )Afterwards, I'm going to sushi in Covent Garden with a friend. Being the sushi fanatic I am, most would have thought I would have had it by now. Quite the contrary, my main food of choice here is Indian. Considering curry is now the "national food of England," it makes a tad more sense.

The Tate Modern...not as pretty as what it holds inside

My class walking along the River Thames. My professor is the lady in the bright red coat!

My lovely friend/flatmate Jenna: )

Shakespeare's Globe

The Anchor, one of the oldest pubs in London. Supposedly Shakespeare went here all the time

Oh the River Thames!

Our teacher told us that the tiered structure was what instigated the idea for the tiers of a wedding cake...Bless You Structure!

When the River Thames would freeze up in the olden days, they would have an Ice Festival. These drawings commemorate it. They are located on the sides of a passageway under a bridge.