Day 219

Today is day 219.

My gap year in London is over. Who actually knew that it was possible for time to go by so quickly? And yet when I think about all I have done in the last seven months, it seems as though I have been here forever.

The last seven months have been a gift to me in so many ways. My time in London has inspired me, taught me so many valuable lessons and allowed me to grow up with more confidence and independence. I have done everything that I came here to do and learnt so many things along the way. I feel so fortunate for all the artwork and culture I have been surrounded by the past seven months; all the galleries and exhibits have inspired me in the way I approach my passion for photography and opened my eyes to the way others view the world.

Seeing my British family here was also really special. I have learnt a lot about my grandparent's past, been places my dad hung out when he was my age, and have so enjoyed living with Ava and Maude. What wonderful girls they are...I will miss them so much!

I try not to get too sad when endings come along because with every ending comes a new beginning. It's scary how fast life moves. Here I am ending a chapter of my life and heading into a completely new beginning. I'm ready to start university with a clear understanding of what I want to work towards, with all the valuable things I've learnt the past seven months alongside me.

I have decided to keep this blog going, I don't think I could stop updating it after all this time. What I will be writing, that is yet to be decided! I will also be writing a fashion blog for Bergstrom Originals during the summer (www.bergstromoriginals.com)

Thank you to everyone who has read my blog and kept in touch over the past seven months- your support has meant so much to me.

And thank you London, for giving me 219 days filled with beautiful opportunities for photos, new experiences and lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

x

Day 217

My day at the Daily Express was amazing.

The paper is housed in a beautiful building in the "City of London" (the business district). The newsroom looked exactly how I imagined it to be; there were desks everywhere in groups (the graphics team, sports section etc) and newspapers everywhere. Everyone was typing away intently at their computers bustling around. I was really excited.

My aunt's friend Sarah showed me around and introduced me to a few people. I got my own desk and computer and got to look at the "News Wire" which was really neat. It's basically this huge database that is updated regularly with news by reporters who aren't affiliated with newspapers, television or radio stations. I read the wires for a good hour!

I met the editor and Sarah asked if he had anything small that I could write about. They started chatting intently about this hen named Harriet (!!) who laid the world's largest egg last week and I thought he was joking when he told me I could write about it. It was just kind've bizarre!! But he wasn't joking and it was actually really funny to read up on the wires and write about this hen (plus her name was Harriet so.....).

The article ended up being published in the paper the next day! I felt so excited to have something in the Daily Express, even if it was only about a hen!

Day 216

I went to Primrose Hill today to see the two homes Sylvia Plath lived in.

This is 3 Chalcot Square, the home both her and Ted Hughes lived in before buying a home in the country:

and this is the flat at 23 Fitzroy Road, the home Sylvia lived in after her marriage broke down with Ted in 1962. The flat is literally less than two minutes away from Chalcot Square and is also the former home of W.B. Yeats:

Primrose Hill was absolutely beautiful!

Day 215

Yesterday night Samantha, Hilary & I went out for cocktails, something I had never done before. We first went to the Sanderson Hotel and went to the Long Bar where I had a mint, raspberry, rhubarb & lime concoction that tasted really delicious.


I love to people watch and this was such a good place to do it! There were lots of classy, swanky people lounging around and drinking fancy drinks.

After that we walked down a series of alley ways to Hakkasan in Soho. The location of it is very bland so I was so surprised to walk down the flight of stairs and into the basement where the restaurant was-it was absolutely beautiful! We sat at the bar and all had Pink Mojitos and really amazing Chinese food.



The first game in the "football" World Cup was on yesterday-England vs. the US. We went to a small Italian cafe and it was filled up to the door with people watching the game. The streets were all relatively empty because everyone was at home watching the game but there was a buzz in the air around the pubs and restaurants that had televisions. We stopped outside a few of them to check the score (it ended up being a tie game). I love when there's a buzz of excitement in the air and everyone's sharing it. It made me miss the Danforth in the summertime until I remembered that I will be there in...5 days?!

I wish that I was 30 and sophisticated and had a reason to go out for cocktails- it's all very classy and grown up. One day.

Photos taken from:
http://thewordofward.co.uk/?p=836
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/bars/article-23490189-londons-best-hotel-bars.do

Day 213

Brighton was very rainy and grey! I stayed in a hostel for the first time which was an experience. It was kind of strange to be sleeping in a small room with three other people who I had never met or spoke to, especially because two of them were guys. Brenna and Deirdre were really used to it which made it less uncomfortable. We had quite an epic adventure to the train station today as it was raining so heavily. My bag broke and all of my stuff spewed out over the wet ground and once we finally got to the station, our train was delayed. Though it sounds really awful typing it out, everything always just seems so funny when the three of us are together so at the time we weren't that bothered by our seemingly bad luck.

This time next week I will be back in Toronto...! I'm excited for the coming week. I am going to visit Sylvia Plath's home in Primrose Hill. My aunt Louise arranged for me to visit the Daily Express Newspaper on Tuesday as she knows a journalist who works there. She is going to show me around and I'm so excited!

I finish nannying on Monday. Everything after that will rush by in a blur, I'm sure. It's funny how endings (just like beginnings!) always bring such distinct feelings with them. More about beginnings/endings on Day 219 (what an epic post that is going to be).

xx

Hellos&Goodbyes, Day 209

On Wednesday my long time friends from Canada arrived in London (a stop on their UK backpacking adventure) and Pona left to go back home on Friday. On Thursday we all went on the London Eye, a good way to say hello and goodbye to London!



Pona emailed me and said only after being gone a month in a completely different country does she appreciate the beauty of Toronto. I can't wait to see how I react to coming home. It's strange because even though I can picture things like my house, my room, where I work, the TTC, the Danforth and so on, they are all a bit hazy. I can't wait for the overwhelming feeling of familiarity to wash over me when I step off the plane!

A lot of people have asked me if I miss home, and my answer is always the same: I feel completely comfortable in England. I have a life here, a routine, familiar places that provide comfort, friends, and family but there is a certain indescribable feeling of detachment. I think what I miss is the feeling of home, but I haven't figured a way to properly describe what home feels like (maybe it is one of those things that I don't need to explain for you to understand). It makes me wonder if I could ever feel at home anywhere other than Toronto.

I am going to Brighton with my friends on Thursday and we are staying overnight. I love it there. Hopefully it won't rain like it is now (it was really hot today but of course when I step out of the house in the evening wearing shorts it is raining and -10000? Why is English weather so annoying?)

I woke up this morning to find my bedroom door wide open and Ava sitting outside of it staring blankly at me. It was actually the scariest thing because I asked her about five times what she was doing and she didn't flinch once, just continued to sit there with this blank look on her face. I still don't know what that was all about. Hmmm.....
I'm going to miss her so much.

Someone at school gave Maude a piece of birthday cake and she fell asleep holding on to it for dear life.

She was more interested in eating it when she got up than posing for photos....

Fashion in London, Day 203

When I first arrived in London, I was captivated with the fashionable people surrounding me. I stood out, but didn’t know in the slightest how to start blending in. I have always loved clothes but never had a distinct style or one that I’ve felt separated me from everyone else. What I have noticed in London is that people find ways to wear things in their own way so everyone looks original and unique, even if they are following a trend. London fashion is definitely a step ahead of Canada and is very classy.

I always struggled to figure out what being "fashionable" meant. London fashion magazines are really good here and I began reading these all the time. I also began to study people’s outfits on the subway or walking down the street. As the months passed and I began to start spending money (that I didn’t have...shh) I felt as though I began to get a handle of what suits me and what I like. As a result I have a bunch of pieces that I really like and are consistent in their style. I now feel that being fashionable is feeling good in what you wear, finding things that fit and compliment your body shape and making the latest trend fit into your style so that it compliments everything else in your wardrobe.

London fashion has only heightened my interest in pursuing fashion journalism.

How I will miss Topshop!!