I cannot believe that I have past the five month mark already! This means that I only have five months (and a few weeks) left of living in London and having one of the most valuable life experiences that I have ever had. I can already see how these months of mingling with so many different people, living away from home, seeing so much distress and sorrow and learning so much more about what the Bible calls me to be and calls me to do in this world is shaping my life and my thoughts. It has given me better perspective and helped me to strip away prejudices I didn't even knew I had until I was forced to face them front on. Living in London isn't so bad, either, and this month I definitely intend to make the most of it with my free evenings!
So, on with the questions!
1) Weirdest thing you have seen in London this month?
Probably the Saatchi Gallery. Where else would you catch people just staring in awe at a room full of oil? I have pretty much been a little hermit since I returned from my Christmas holidays (for reasons that will be poured out in woe below) and so this was my first day trip, as it were. Regardless, just because the room full of oil was weird, doesn't mean that it wasn't quite wonderful as well, and some of the stuff in the Saatchi gallery really was incredible, or at least thought provoking even if it completely baffled me.
2) Particular highlights of this month?
Again, my little day trip last weekend with a friend. I went out to the West (I did feel a little twang of betrayal for the East London that I have grown to love) and took her round the V&A because she has never been before, and we had quite a jolly time marvelling at art history and in the gift shops. The Saatchi gallery gift shop really is superb. If you're not an arty person, at least pop into the gift shop! We also went to the photography exhibition at the Southbank Centre because I knew it was closing this weekend and my housemates had said that it was amazing. Never before have I so badly wanted to hike a mountain. Other highlights include rapping in my kitchen, drinking Hot Spiced Apple in Costa with my parents before it gets ripped off the menu, watching the sun set behind the Shard before church last Sunday.
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| I could have spent my whole time at the V&A simply marvelling t the building itself - from the outside of the store to the ceilings. The sculptures that hang in the reception/foyer area are also a particular highlight! |
3) Favourite part of your work this month?
To be honest, work has been hectic this month! However, I have enjoyed doing a bit of admin for our next Market and having more time to get out into the community and chatting to people. Gone are the days where I would be washing up and chopping for a large chunk of my day. Now, I can make latte art (and not just even on lattes!) and have more time to really engage with people, which is the whole reason the centre exists. It exists to connect people who are isolated or who stick within familiar cultural groups to others who they might otherwise never associate with, and to become a place where people can feel comfortable and safe in an area that can seem quite gloomy and segregated. Even if this involves going out in the rain to knock on people's doors, the look of surprise on someone's face when you tell them that they and the community are being invited to come in and chat, essentially telling them that they have some value, is quite amazing, even if it is rare. I have also had the joy of telling more people about my faith and clearing up some dodgy theology that people associate with Christianity, which really brings me the greatest joy of all. And on Fridays, I often get to watch a film, sitting in a deckchair in the Cafe gallery space, which this month have included a silent German film and a quirky 80s movie called "Distant Voices, Still Lives", films I wouldn't have otherwise picked up.
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| Somehow, this happened with my hand and some cleverly steamed milk. |
4+5) Least favourite/ hardest part of your work this month?
I have crunched these two questions together this month because, really, this trial dominated my month. I have mentioned previously that my year includes some lectures and training, and so all of this so far had to be examined at the end of January. While I was excited about the prospect of studying the Bible, a book which I cherish and learn so much from, it also brought back past anxieties and deep-rooted fears of mine that made me quite unhappy on some evenings. I remember a particular day when I ended up volunteering myself for kitchen duty and ended up washing up, alone, for two hours. Any other month, and this would have been fine, but I was feeling particularly fragile and was fretting over my exam and thinking about all I had to learn and broke down in tears over the washing up bowl for a while. I then went and bought some swanky flavoured tea to make myself feel better! That week was especially hard because I felt very snowed under and reading my Bible became a necessary chore rather than a pleasure. I lost focus, perspective, and started to think forward to University and doubt whether I would be able to hack it. Not only was I worrying about an exam that affected me in no way whatsoever, but I was now becoming anxious about something that wasn't happening for ten months! It was the harsh reality of realising that my anxiety issue that I had battled through in the weeks before my A-Level exams had not been overcome, just pushed to one side in a box that had now been reopened that put a downer on my January. I also felt quite trapped between the walls of my bedroom and the cafe and spent all my weekends revising, which wasn't exactly a healthy way to do things as it left me feeling a little isolated. Top that off with missing friends and lack of sleep and you have a perfect remedy for how not to avoid stress. Nevertheless, I passed and felt a real peace on the week of my exam that really did surpass all understanding, and all the examinees had a lunch together to celebrate. Twas cute.
6) Would you kindly sum up your working month in three alliterative words?
Sunsets, stress, social. (Seriously, these are hard! WHY did I set myself this question?)
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| Image of a beautiful sunset that I witnessed. Unfortunately taken on a pretty rubbish HTC One camera that doesn't do well in low light or when enlarged. But too pretty not to share. Just squint! |
7) Weird habits developed this month?
I used a revision technique which involved putting post-it notes absolutely anywhere I could find: on the fridges, front door, microwave, fireplace, light switches, sink, toilet door... Yep. I went post-it crazy but it definitely felt like a cheat way to revise if I was feeling tired or felt like a quick quiz over breakfast (I know, I am a very sad human being). I also had a craving for baked beans one week. It was odd.
8) What are you missing the most about home this month?
My friends, and being around people my own age everyday. I suddenly realised that I would keep in touch with few people at work after I leave in July, and that there really weren't that many people my own age outside of my housemates who I could chat to on a regular basis. I started looking through my pictures of the last year at school and really missing my friends. I didn't really see that much of most of them over Christmas either because I was studying and didn't have the money to get on goodness knows how many buses everyday to see them. I also didn't feel like I could nag them constantly about Uni and in my hermit/studying stress, along with cutting out social media, I felt quite disconnected from them. There is nothing like old friends, I feel. I don't really like all this moving on business!
9) Best housemate moment?
I have discovered that one of my housemates really likes to rap. So we rapped about our washing up. I also have a very perplexing video of her doing some sort of dancing and rapping in a very bad Jamaican accent which has made me chuckle multiple times. We haven't really been together that much as a house this month because of everyone's varying schedules so that is definitely something to work towards in February, before another five months have gone past and it is too late!
10) Discoveries this month?
The Saatchi Gallery; Jake Bugg's album, Shangri La; vegetable cake; www.brokeinlondon.com; the view from the Limehouse Basin (below)
And there is the round up! Phew. Really do need to find a way to be more concise.
Have a merry February (JUST BECAUSE IT RHYMES)
-Antonia
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