Starbucks

Starbucks is expensive in every country. I am quite amazed how the coffee tastes similar in all Starbucks regardless of the country though. There is a signature coffee scent, which I am not a big fan of but end of getting coffee there often.

The Starbucks app probably made me waste so much money because it makes you addicted to the free drink that is definitely not worth 13 drinks and also feel unnecessarily proud that you have collected those damn stars…

The internet here is often flaky but not as flaky than other coffee shops (although there are places that have GREAT wi-fi and are cheap and have good coffee). To a student living a nomadic life seeking for internet after being kicked out of the FULLY OCCUPIED UCL library, the place provides a balanced amount of frustration and hope for the internet.

I am sitting on a stool seat and for the past 30 minutes have been thinking how uncomfortable the seat is.

My butt has weakened because I have not sat down for so long.

I am afraid of returning to Claremont where my weakened butt will not be ready for senior thesis.

Or I might just get a super comfortable couch……..

 

 

 

 

I will leave Starbucks now.

london Obs-no place like home

Yes. Again, essays have come to haunt me and after staring at the blank google doc, I needed to write at least something.

Yesterday, Kathie, Jiwon, Goeun, and I went to HONNE’s concert. Despite the long wait and brief beer induced nausea, the concert was worth it, and HONNE was beautiful. They were especially cute when both of them played the guitar and seemingly danced like penguins. Anyway, during the concert, HONNE performed ‘No Place Like Home‘ which has a chorus of “No there really is no place like home”. And agreed that there really is no place like home”.

Home is like Ditto from Pokemon. It is pink, looks funny, and changes constantly.

After coming back to London from the trip to Brussels-Brugge-Berlin(BBB), I heard the screaming sirens of central London and felt it was good to be back home. Snapchats from Claremont make me miss the home I had where I could walk early in the morning to Frary and get an omelet. Ridiculous Korean dramas make me miss Seoul. The song ‘No Place Like Home’ made me miss the mundane road from Dogok station towards my apartment.

I am grateful that I can call these places Home. Some are temporary and some will be home forever.  Really, there is no place like home.

 

 

 

london Obs -hear me whine edt

-right now I am at the cruciform hub of UCL trying to write my 8 page long architecture history essay that is due this Friday afternoon. One hour was spent staring at the blank word document. Another was spent writing a paragraph that I do not know the purpose of. I no longer have the energy to pull off another paragraph. Why do I always underestimate the time it takes for me to write. the Cruciform hub, a place mostly for medics (pre-meds but not really because they are already in medical school) to study,  is usually packed but after midnight the place loses its energy as people start to leave. I am probably going to do a half all nighter (well 0/2=not possible…but..or is it math ppl?). I kind of miss our good old Claremont library where I could always see at least one person I know even after 2am). HELP.

-London wind is brutal. There is no warning. It just hits your face, abdomen, and legs. I have been concerned that I will be pushed off to the streets by the wind unexpectedly and get hit by frenzy cars here. One ego booster though was that I never thought I would be tilted off by wind with my weight: I am not that heavy……………….I thought.

-The faucets of my dorm and the main library of UCL are very not user friendly. The cold and hot water (like VERY HOT WATER) each comes out at distinct faucets and they are quite far from each other. The sink is designed either to stick your hand to cold ice or steaming/boiling water. People back in the 19th century were probably smart and made good discoveries and stuff….except designing faucets. Salty.

CHEERS

 

 

 

stay healthy folks

Today, I went to frisbee practice from 12:00~15:15. The sky was gray, rain drops falling, and I only brought t-shirts to practice. The field was a swamp and mud oozed into my fingertips whenever I tried to catch or throw the disk. Mud festivals might feel like this. The practice was productive, helpful, a lot of throwing (which always helps).

Heading back home, I started to feel all my energy drain out from my body. I did not know if such tiredness was due to hunger, sickness, or exercise. I managed to eat soup. Then, I started to want something sweet so ate ice cream. I shouldn’t have eaten ice cream. Afterward, my head started to warm up and felt extremely chilly. I think I got a cold.

Bottom line is, take care of yourself and do not overestimate your physical. I will now start not to eat red less cooked chicken or pork. Mom warned me I should take those vitamins early yesterday. If I had taken those vitamins, I probably wouldn’t be sick. Again, mother is wise.

Thanks for listening 😉 Hope everyone stays healthy and strong.

This picture is not related to what I talked so far but I wanted to show the beautiful chicken cheese Quesadilla Amelia made (Feat. Susie). Look at that pro plating. I no longer miss HUB quesadillas. FOOD = LOVE

Cheers.

Advenutre out of London part 1: Amsterdam

-overnight buses can be more exciting by hoppoing on to an enormous ship to cross the waters surrounding UK. Caveat is to act selfishly if you want good quality sleeping time.

-amsterdam is such a cute, old, europian city. I keep describing the city cute and that could because of its narrow buildings that i cannot imagine living in, pletora of biking ppl, beautiful cannals and bridges  giving a sense of peacefulness.

-it is really interesting how legalized sex labor or drug use are portrayed in the touristy places and shops. I wanted to know the opinion of the ppl who live in Amsterdam.

-i don’t know why but the old buildings (cmonumrnts, relgious buildings, houses, museums) are prettier and more calming that that of London’s. I like buildings in London too but i guess they have differant architectural charm.

-omg too much potatos…….good potatoes though.

-i want to visit again, more prepared in terms of the knowing a greater picture of the history of Netherlands and food.

 

before school starts

A lot of art galleries and museums in London are free and only ask for donations. I never paid (they ask for at least five pounds… and that is a lot of money) but I promised that I will pay at least a little (perhaps a pound..or may be less) the second time I enter a museum. I’ve been binge entering museums and realized that I should enter only one per day- you get jaded.

Food here is great. The proportions they serve is smaller (or I feel so) than in US. There is a lot of Indian food that actually uses strong spices, something I missed a lot. Being out of Claremont, the various food places in walking distance makes my heart race. There are a lot of Korean restaurants nearby, and the h mart is my new holy place.

When I go into shops, not a lot of people offer assistance right away,which I absolutely love. They come nearby after a considerable amount of time, noticing my puzzled look.

Alcohols is expensive here. BUT the beer is good! I like the beer here because most of them are ale, which are less fizzy. Looking forward meeting people to pub crawl with.

Lastly, I want to thank Goeun and Kathie (and Aaron) for doing a bit of touristy stuff with me. My best friend from high school told me she will never travel with me after four days in Japan stuck with me. I hope folks in London don’t give up on me.

first impression of London

Start off with the weather, not cold but grayish white sky. The place I live does not offer generous heating as Claremont does.

In America, there were times (not often) I could pass as American. In London, my accent automatically reveals that I am not local.

Streets here are curved. It might be harder to drive here than in Seoul.

Everything seems legitimately old.

No pedestrian waits for signals.

Majority wears black coats, this makes me self-conscious of my burgundy jacket.

When I talked to people, I caught myself changing my english accent to theirs. I swear it was not intentional and also it did not turn out well. Awfully embarrassing.