It is that time of the month where I ramble onto my self in a very indulgent and reflective manner about how I have spent my month! This has been a month where I have really started to feel comfortable in London, stopped pining for change and accepted my future plans. As I was chatting with a friend just yesterday I realised how much I have learnt over our time out of the security of a school environment and routine. We reminisced together about how our families have started to use our rooms as a dumping ground, how it feels weird being cooked for and cleaned after when we return home, and came to the realisation that we have moved on into adulthood and independence. We also shared our frustration at the fact that whenever we are home, we're not only stripped of our independence but literally cannot go out due to the expense of travel which we used to enjoy freely and for free with school oyster card systems. I went home twice this month and both times felt a joy at seeing my family but at the same time a sense of moving straight back into my past life and my past habits, becoming a relic of myself. It's a stage transition which I'm sure will continue to get weirder when I head off to Durham next year and only return home after 9 week terms!
Now that nonsensical ramble has ceased, on with the questions!
1) Weirdest thing you have seen in London this month?
I went to an exhibition at the ICA last week and walked into a film piece that literally blew my mind with its oddity. It was twenty minutes long and I didn’t stay for all of it because I was too preoccupied with how strange it was. I can’t even explain what it was like apart from the fact that it was based around a water theme and sometimes had random hashtags appear on the screen such as #supersurge and #swimjacobswim in all the most horrendous fonts you could think of. I kid you not.
2) Particular highlights of this month?
Now that nonsensical ramble has ceased, on with the questions!
1) Weirdest thing you have seen in London this month?
I went to an exhibition at the ICA last week and walked into a film piece that literally blew my mind with its oddity. It was twenty minutes long and I didn’t stay for all of it because I was too preoccupied with how strange it was. I can’t even explain what it was like apart from the fact that it was based around a water theme and sometimes had random hashtags appear on the screen such as #supersurge and #swimjacobswim in all the most horrendous fonts you could think of. I kid you not.
2) Particular highlights of this month?
- Collected a free breakfast from various stalls at Borough Market early on a Saturday morning. There were muesli and granola testers, honey-covered pecans, Turkish delight, hot spiced chai tea and lots of bread and cheese! I ate so much that I almost couldn’t have fit lunch in (but we totally did). This day was topped off with a walk back to my place and chilling in my room drinking cups of tea. Most of my friends want to run rampage around London whenever they visit but this is was a local treat for me and a better way of catching up than running around everywhere trying to find things to do.
- Saw Once the Musical with a friend and was seriously mindblown about how much as cast of twelve people can achieve in terms of atmosphere and dance routines all while holding and playing instruments. The tube ads really do them justice! (for once)
- Helped my housemates run a quiz night for their trips to Ghana and Romania. And my team came joint-second!
- Climbed Monument, ate THE most delicious meal at Banana Tree and visited galleries into the night with Hope. It was a lovely treat after lecture days and one where I felt I was cultured as well as spending time with a fabulous friend.
I also went home for Mother’s day weekend and I
have to say that I ate far too much food and was generally spoilt by my Mum
when it should have been the other way round. It was great to see family again
and take that time out of London and have a peaceful night’s sleep.
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| A wonderful salad from Borough Market! |
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| Snapping from Monument (far too many pictures to be included for this blog - this picture is courtesy of best bud, Hope!) |
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| Quiz Night run by my housemates - it got even more packed than this and despite a debacle about a lack of rice for the curry, it was a smooth and hilarious evening! |
3) Favourite part of your work
this month?
Most definitely the event that we
held on Saturday, and the fact that I managed to organise a huge part of it. As
in November, the cafe held a Makers Market, but this time without all the
Christmassy additions, just some Hot Cross Buns to remind us of the Easter
story. I had a far more relaxed day than at Christmas chatting to all the
people who I had been e-mailing since January getting organised and even
managed to buy some treats for my friends. It was a day that I thoroughly
enjoyed because it had a real sense of community engagement, with one woman
commenting that “you just don’t find people round here like you do in this
place”. There have been a few discouragements this month and things that I have
taken too much to heart, but this was a day which was full of encouragement,
although it was exhausting!
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| An example of some of the work sold at the Market I organised. This was one of my favourite stalls - everything looked Topshop but was all made ethically, by hand, and was incredibly unique! And it wasn't any more expensive, either.. |
4) Least favourite part of your work this month?
I can’t think of anything that I have actively
disliked about my work this month apart from the fact that last week it was
very difficult to get out into the community as we normally do due to a lot of
things being thrown our way. But such is life.
5) Hardest part of
your work this month?
Last month I opened up about being stuck in a rut
of negative thoughts and I have to say
this continued for a while into this month and was combined with a lot
of people who we work with suddenly becoming difficult or being taken into
desperate situations. One lady in particular has, after us taking her to
multiple advice centres and acting on her behalf to sort out her benefits and
possible debt, decided to go her own way and reject this advice, and in turn
has become difficult and thinks that we have offended her. It is hard to love
difficult people, especially those who seem to slam doors in your face. In some
ways, you feel manipulated: you've spent time eating with them, chatting to
them, giving them your time and energy, all for them to decide that they didn’t
need you. We are trusting in wisdom from above to deal with these hard times
and to give us hearts that love the act of mercy so much that it flows from us
abundantly and freely.
6) Would you kindly sum up your working month in three alliterative words/phrases?
6) Would you kindly sum up your working month in three alliterative words/phrases?
Chuckles, challenges, cheerio! (British slang
giving one a hearty goodbye. My manager transferred this month and all our
housemates abandoned us!)
7) Weird habits developed this month?
I have found myself to be more of a freebie hunter than I thought. As I look back, I see myself leaping at any chance of a free meal that I could get over the past few months, such as in Borough Market, but this last week sent me into overdrive. Our freezers are being defrosted this week and the majority of my housemates are away, so that means leftovers! So far we have made a huge cottage pie, sausage casserole, pie and chips, nuggets and chips, chicken tikka masala and there is still more leftovers to use! I worry how we will eat it all (but I won’t say no to two dinners!)
My sister! Her texts telling me of how she wants to squish Prince George are hilarious and I found the birthday card she gave me last year which had such witty comments inside and it made my day. I’ve had a bit of time to hang out with her but always among other family. Looking forward to spending more time together when I get my week off!
9) Best housemate moment?
These get more and more each month as our house grows closer and closer. We are starting to feel like a little broken family. This week there is only two of us not on our Easter break and you notice the difference: when I come down for breakfast I expect to see one person and they’re not there etc. We also happen to be the two maddest housemates and on Sunday night cry-laughed playing chess. The best moment of all, I would say, is celebrating a birthday in our living room with Chinese takeout playing Articulate (and the next days windy aftermath...)
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| A very blurry and bad quality picture, but one that somes up some of the hilarious and inspiring people I live with. It's pretty rare that we are all in the same room together for a whole evening dedicated to giggles and fun, so this was a picture I couldn't leave out! |
10) Discoveries this month?
Granola, Rend Collective – The Art of Celebration (on repeat), Banana Tree restaurant, Blackfriars station at sunset, Once the Musical, Chipotle, my love of freebies.
What are things that you have discovered this month? Let me know so we can discover together!
Hope you all had challenging and rewarding months,
-Antonia
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