Internship 1: Day 1, and then I cut garlic.

I'm incredibly tired because Monday was my first day at work. It was exceptionally long (10 hours), exhausting (most of that ten hours was running around on set), fun (a ate loads of free gourmet food), and educational (I have a whole new appreciation for cooking shows). Today I worked on "Daily Cooks", a Prospect Pictures cooking show on one of the UK's five major networks: ITV. I will post more on Tuesday or Wednesday, my task when I arrived at Capital Studios was to watch and help out on the first rehearsal of DC. I quickly began running errands with other PA's-called runners in the UK-made some last minute runs for groceries and cooking utensils, met with my new boss Nina, met a slew of incredibly friendly people, and watched the rehearsal and final taping of not one, but two episodes of "Daily Cooks." Oh, I'm exhausted.

Photo of "Daily Cooks" presenter (host) and main chef Antony Worrall Thompson, a guest chef, and the camera crew during taping:



Photo of the surprisingly large set:



What I will say now is that I am very impressed with the efficiency of this crew and have an enormous newfound appreciation for the level of preparation and organization that goes into a cooking show. Everyone was very helpful and informative today, and frankly, I wasn't expecting such a warm working environment in the UK.

After Sunday's post, I had a great time with new friends exploring Kensington and Hyde Park, more photos to come.

- db

No, I'm actually NOT from Detroit.

Hello true believers! It has been a hectic few days since my last post. There have been nights on the town, raucous drinking games with my Midwestern roommates and a person food crisis. Stay tuned.

Internships

So last Thursday I had the interview for my second internship which was GREAT! I may not have been completely clear about the whole interview thing before, primarily because I wasn't sure how the whole interview thing was going to work. Our internship coordinators worked very hard to place with very specific and smaller internships. The interview is less like a formal interview and more like a first meeting. We discuss in a little more depth what the company does , what we would be working on, and confirm that both parties will get what they expect out of the placement. Internships as we know them in the states don't really exist in the UK and Europe. Younger (high school) students will work for 1 - 2 weeks at a time with a company before college and most undergraduate university programs are 3 years with a fourth year committed to work or research. So we were told that for many UK companies, we are the first intern they have ever had. Also, Arcadia University was apparently the first institution to begin placing US students with UK companies with any real formality, and they seem to have a good reputation over here. ANYWAY, my interview was with Out There News's founder and managing director, Paul Eedle. We spoke for about an hour on what I would be doing with Out There News, the direction they were moving towards, the struggles running an independent production company who produces somewhat controversial content, and the structure of the UK media system. Paul is incredibly knowledgeable and I have a feeling that I am going to learn a lot from working for him and his small team.

It turns out that at both internships I will be heavily using my web/programming skills. As I mentioned in my last blog, at Prospect Pictures I'll be heavily assistant editing, producing content and perhaps designing their new website (which is currently under construction). At Out There News, Paul asked me to work with their incoming Head of Production to create flash elements to their current website and beef up their presence on social networking sites, especially facebook and myspace.

I start my internships tomorrow, so expect more news from that front soon.

It's super easy to get lost in a town where the street signs look like this:

Classes

So I am also getting 6 credits in this program by writing a significant research project and attending a weekly class. We had two British crash courses this past week that we're...uh...content heavy. As global as I may think I am, apparently there is a lot I do not know about Britain and the EU. Our first session was on the history and complexities of the EU and was somewhat...definitely not up my alley. It was a lecture that was heavy on policy with a little history thrown in for good measure, and was a little dry overall. Our second class was much more interesting and covered the history of British politics and it's relationship with the politics of the US and EU. I would have more specifics from theses classes, but my notes are in the other room, and the idea is to get people to keep reading the blog.

We were told that these first two sessions were indeed lecture-based, and crash courses to prepare us for our work in the UK. Subsequent classes are supposed to be slower and more discussion based.

39 Steps, a play, not a rehabilitation program.

On Thursday night, our whole internship program went to see a play in the West End (the Broadway of Europe) called The 39 Steps. For some reason, I received my ticket later than everyone else and had to sit by myself, which wasn't a big problem because who really talks during theater anyway and I met this very friendly British couple who sat next to me.

We weren't sure what the show was about before we went because all we were told was that it was a murder mystery. It turned out to be extremely humorous (or humourous) in a distinctly English way and feature a 4.2 person cast. It was incredibly physical (in a commedia dell arte way) with some truly impressive character actors. While I was incredibly tired, I, along with my peers, enjoyed the show.

The theater was in Piccadilly Circus (think Times Square) so we meandered around looking for a bar for some time...and ended up at a franchise called Cheers...named of course after the popular US sitcom.

Nightlife...English style? (SF Friends, see below)

It has been an absolute adventure getting to know my flat + house mates. Our house is a converted Victorian manor consisting of five flats over three floors and a basement. Each flat has 5 - 7 people and there are 2 males flats and three female flats. Understandably, most of us have just spent most of our time getting to know the people in our building. While there are two other housing residences for students in our program, they are further away and there are more than enough interesting people here.

I believe I alluded to this before, but we have a unique mix of people in our program. Here is a breakdown of people in our house:

Indiana University, Bloomington
University of Illinois, Urbana
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2 students from smaller liberal arts schools
Shannon from University of Charleston (South Carolina, originally from Dallas)
Nick from University of Texas, Austin
and the three of us from Jesuit schools: Trisha from Regis in Denver, Cathy from Marquette in Wisconsin, and yours truly from the University of San Francisco in messily diverse California.
Although one of the University of Michigan kids named Jenny is actually from the Bay Area (although does Richmond REALLY count?!?), and my U of M roommate John is originally from Maryland, almost everyone from our house is from the midwest. This has resulted in some interesting conversations and some urban lifestyle realizations. In many ways, London is not unlike any major city, with the exception that people here speak English English, the buses have two levels, and everything is MUCH cleaner. The London tube puts New York's MTA subway, Chicago's 'L', and SF's Muni/Bart to shame. My flatmates Andy and Joe:
Many of my housemates are experiencing urban life for the first time, and it's exciting to be with them during this process. I have had debates with one housemate named Jason about the merits of Wal-Mart for consumers (his argument) and the importance of supporting sustainable and small businesses in local communities (my argument). I don't think either of us persuaded the other. Several of my housemates including my affable flatmate Andy (from Urbana, Illinois) was commenting on the formal (and oftentimes strange) style of dress in the city.

As is often the case with college students, we have been getting to know each other through boisterous drinking games. These midwestern kids know how to drink. Anyway, we went to Cheers (the bar) and had a great time dancing and (barely) drinking. While there was no Norm, there was bevy of locals and tourists alike, and it was definitely a no frills kind of place: The bartender looked absolutely puzzled when I asked for a mojito or Midori sour, so I settled on something much less exotic. Fortunately, there was no cover and even though the DJ played some really lame songs (Nelly's "Hot in Herrre?," so 2002!), we managed to have fun with the evening.

Joe, Jayson, and I @ Cheers:

The following night, many of us wanted to go to a hip London nightclub and some of the females decided that this bar/restaurant/lounge called Tiger Tiger was the place to go. They played fun music, had two levels, and had incredibly expensive drinks, plus it was packed, it was definitely 'hip'...and it was almost worth the cover (10 pounds...which is roughly $20). But hey, it was all a part of the London experience.

This is the first time I've been to a club without someone from SF in about year or so, and I now appreciate our ability to go out and just have a great fucking time. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time with my new US friends, but my SF peeps are so used to getting ready, getting out, and just having fun. We've mastered the nonverbal communication for when one of the girls is uncomfortable, and we know how to shake it like a polaroid picture. However, there are a few mofos in in this ish that can dance and have a great time doing it. Fortunately, they're my flatmates, most notably Joe and Jason.
Tiger Tiger had a very strict dress code: men had to wear pants, so Katie and Jayson switched in an alley outside of a club:

By the way, there are a lot of creepy guys in London. They were all up in our girls business last night and I spent most of the night literally pulling the uncomfortable women away from them. Some men have no dignity...and deodorant.

My personal food crisis.

I knew it was going to be an expensive summer, but I do think I realized until I spend $25 on brunch or $200 on my month long metro pass. I didn't eat much for my first few days because of the cost of food, but I now think I can figure out how to live in the UK for two months: by eating the moss that grows near my work. Just kidding guys, I'll survive off of wine, pita and hummus, and salad, like usual. Fuck the shitty US economy...my money is like toilet paper over here, next time I'm moving to Mexico.

The British Museum

After our adventures at Tiger Tiger, we all slept in. However, wanting to make the most of our time in London, a few of us decided to go to the massive and historic British Museum for a few hours to absorb their collection. We had lunch in a park next to the museum. Our first few days were quite cold, but the weather is rapidly getting warmer and more humid.

lunch with my new friends + housemates Allison and Nick:
We only had a few hours in the museum and broke up to hit what we wanted to see. Trisha, Cathy and I (the Jesuit crew) wanted to see the museum's noted Ancient Roman and Greek antiquities. One thing I didn't know from my last visits to the UK is that most museums are free here. Which is good to know, and impressive when considering the scope the numerous museums in the city cover.

Jesuit crew with some Greek philosopher busts:

The Rosetta Stone:

Life Lessons

Overall, I have learned a few things since I've been here. Primarily that I really enjoy living with other people. After living alone for a year, I realize that I am much healthier when I am with people as well as a little personal room to retire to. I am really excited to live with Nico, Tracey, and Erica next year.

For the record, I am not from, nor have I ever been to Michigan. But I hear it's lovely. My profile is in reference to a Journey song.

music: mates of state's fraud in the 80's
book: "dress your family in corduroy and denim," David Sedaris
link: Why the hell would they build this in Florida instead of Europe...d'uh!

oh, by the way, real men don't fuck around with allergies in the UK:

Expectations and the first 24...

So this is the first of (hopefully) many posts on this blog covering my numerous adventures in and around London, UK. I probably should have posted this yesterday...BUT, I was busy and tired, and I frankly just didn't have the energy.

For those of you who don't know, I am studying and interning through Arcadia University, as a part of their Summer Internship Program. I'm taking my classes through/at City University in London, and interning with two media companies, more about that later...

Even though this is in retrospect, I still did write down some expectations I had of my experience in my journal (thank you Zack) on my plane ride from Philadelphia to London.

First, I expect that I will find London incredibly agreeable with my interests and lifestyle. So far, London has completely impressed me. My first impressions have forged my belief that London is an incredibly diverse, cosmopolitan city without a sense of urban suffocation or superiority. BUT, it's only been about 36 hours...so we'll see.

Second, I was somewhat nervous that my program (or programme in UK type) would be composed mostly of students from rural + suburban schools that are not familiar with urban living. In addition, I was afraid that most of my peers would reinforce the 'American college student abroad' stereotype: uncultured, loud, and unintentionally rude. I realize this ideally displays my personal sense of urban snobbery, but I don't think I'm unfair with this expectation/fear. Once again, it's still early, but while some students in my program DO encourage this stereotype in the form of getting drunk and loud at the nearest pub on the first night here, many others have been respectful and interested in English culture. Regardless of how things pan out, I already feel like a kind of quasi-cosmo/culture tour guide.

Third, I expect a series of rich, social experiences that will lead to great conversations and challenging education. I wasn't sure initially what to expect from my formal education here, but it appears that my research project (which is expected to be in excess of 20 pages/5,000+ words) may be a lot of work. I'm excited to determine my thesis and learn more in my other class about the differences and similarities between British and American culture, work life, politics, etc.

It has been a whirlwind first 24 - 36 hours here. My flight here was of course long and ultimately exhausting, however I did have a very interesting conversation with my neighbor, the Design Manager of Urban Outfitters...very cool. Also, for my friends in San Francisco...I literally laughed out loud when I opened my dinner and discovered my "Bunny Luv" Carrots. Seriously, in Europe, Bunny Carrots do exist.

On my way to the baggage claim I met an awesome girl named Parisima from San Diego State University. She's taking a class in Madrid, Spain for a month and then back packing around for another five weeks or so. She had never been to London and traveled via tube so I offered to escort her. It was kind of a HUGE pain in the ass to travel the tube, find my tucked away flat, while carrying ALL of my shit! But, it wouldn't be travel unless you want to pass out by noon your first morning.

I quickly met most of our building and for the most part everyone seems pretty amiable. Almost everyone here is from Indiana University, University of Illinois, Urbana, or the University of Michigan (including my roommate and one of my flatmates). There are 7 guys total in my 3 bedroom/2 bathroom flat, which is much larger than I expected. As long as everyone is fairly neat (and our primary fridge/freeze repaired), I think we'll be okay.

We had an orientation describing the events, schedule, and rules of our program/programme and a pizza dinner last night, and then I walked around our neighborhood (Earl's Court/Chelsea) to grocery shop and stay awake.

I called home right before bed to let them know I was alive...and left a message for my mother, who decided she had to talk to me and had my roommate wake me up at 1 am. Thanks mom...; ).

(IMPORTANT UPDATE) We all awoke early and had a full day consuming a dizzying amount of information during our orientation. I also found out I would be completing 2 internships if I wanted to. The first with the company I knew I was interning with, Prospect Pictures, and the second with a VERY interesting company called Out There News, who "is a multimedia production company specialising in factual programming from and about the Middle East". I had my interview with Prospect Pictures this afternoon and once I found it I was uncharacteristically frazzled. Apparently, London is experiencing surprisingly cold weather (50 - 65 F) and my interview time happened to be in the middle of a ravenous rain storm. Fortunately I found their studio on time, but I got a little lost and was pretty wet, despite my umbrella's best support. The interview went well and was actually just to confirm that our expectations were on the same page, which they were. During my time with Prospect, I'll be working on their show "Call Me A Caddy" as a PA (which may include some editing assistance and celebrity request fulfillment), some research for their new website (Daily Cooks.com) and "Caddy," as well as some extensive work with their DailyCooks.com website. I'm not even going to link to that site because it's in rough shape.

My next interview is coming up tomorrow and I'm intrigued to discover what I can do with Out There News.

One of our events that my new friend Shannon and I weren't able to attend because of our interviews was a trip on the London Eye. As you can see, it features beautiful views. However, I absentmindedly left my London Eye card in my room, so I spent the money to go up since I was with Shannon. She felt bad and paid for part of my dinner. I've gone through A LOT more money than I expected. Fortunately most of it has gone towards one time purchases: my awesome cell phone plan (1,000 for US calls, $10 phone), and my student trip to Scotland in late June.



Well, I doubt anyone will want to read all of this, AND I'm tired. Look forward to more exciting posts that have been much better organized. Be well.

Favorite English English Phrase: Dress Smartly. Usage: when going on in interview or first meeting with a new employer, it is important to look professional and dress smartly.

Soundtrack: The Reminder, Feist.

enjoy.