London: Day 13 (May 25, 2012)

I am on Jersey Island today.  I arrived this afternoon.  Alex met me at the airport.  I walked up to her hugged her and said, “Alex I’m in Jersey!”  She said, “Is that a little strange for you?”  I said, “Yes! I’ve heard you talk about it so many times and now I am here!”  She drove me directly to the beach to the beach and we got out and walked around for a few minutes.   It was amazing.  We got home and had a few minutes to chat and eat something. 

You may not know, but Jersey is famous for the Jersey cow.  The Jersey cow is famed for its cream.  When I was a child I remember that my grandparent’ had a Jersey cow.  They had a lot of other cows, but just the one Jersey cow.  I remember very clearly one day, after the milking was done, my grandmother telling me that the milk from the Jersey cow had more and richer cream than the other cows. And because the Jersey cow looked different than all the other cows I know what it looks like.  When I first met Alex in 2007 she was amazed that I knew about Jersey cows.

Then we went to her brother’s 40^th birthday party.  It was quite a wild time.  I even got out on the dance floor for a few minutes. It was a rare moment in the history of Christy Rae Turnbow!  I’m not sure how it happened.  The Mackenzie’s are such enthusiastic and happy people and somehow I ended up on the dance floor and then next thing I knew I was doing some sort of kick line to a Queen song.  I took pictures just incase you don’t believe me (not of the kick line, but on the dance floor anyway).

I was so impressed with how loving and open the people here are.  It was a very fun evening.  


This was a very interesting portrayal of women for the women's restroom at the hotel where the party was held.  See the Men's Room first:

 Now see the Women's Room:

??? Is she meant to have spiky pony tails?  I thought it was funny so I had to take a picture.

London: Day 12 (May 24, 2012)

We went to the Globe Theatre today - the reconstructed home of many of Shakespeare’s plays.  It was insanely busy there, my feet still hurt from going to Hampton Court and I am exhausted, so I didn’t stay long.  I saw most of what was at the theatre, but I didn’t stay to see all of the shops and things in the neighborhood. 

A view of St. Paul's Cathedral from the east side of the Thames.

In the afternoon we had a guest speaker, David Abbel who is a conductor here in London.  He is the guy in the orchestra pit waving his arms.  It was really interesting to hear about the things that he is working on right now and his journey to the position he is in.

This evening we saw Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neil - a right depressing show.  20^th Century drama is just not my cup o’ tea.  I would so much rather see spazzy children and adults belting their guts out rather than see a family of alcoholics and drug addicts talk in circles about their dysfunctional relationships as they self destruct.  But I seem to be the only one of our group that feels that way.  Everyone else loved it.   It did make me think about my own family and feel immensely grateful that I come from a family of faithful Christians who follow the word of wisdom.  Maybe that’s why others love it so much, because they have had similar experiences.  I am grateful that I have not.

So my sister sent me an email commenting that this is called a semester abroad but seems like a vacation.  She is quite right in some respects.  We spend as much time, if not more, seeing the sights as we do in class.  In fact, the designers are never in class, while us poor blokes are in class they are going to other museums and sights.  Let me clarify slightly the purpose of our time here.  The Dean of the School of Theater makes it clear that he wants to bridge the economic gap between those that are born “with a silver spoon in their mouths” and those who are not.  So we are provided with this opportunity with the theory that we are gaining life experience and seeing the world, which helps us to be better artists.  The designers always have a sketch pad with them.  The day before we went to Hampton Court we learned a dance that would have been done in Henry VIII’s court, discussed the clothing of the day, the medicine, transportation etc. so that when we were there we would have a clear idea of what it was like there with the idea that we then carry all of that information with us onto the stage when we do a show like Shakespeare’s Henry VIII.  In addition, most of my other classmates are here doing a research project as well.  They have to choose a historic person (not currently living) and research their lives: where they lived, worked etc. and turn in a project that includes some writing and pictures and whatever else they can hunt down while they are here.  Thankfully, I have a project of considerably less work that I have been assigned while I am here. I have to come home each night and write about the vocal work that I heard in each show, even the non-musicals.  I also have a bit of work for my speech class – we are memorizing and analyzing Shakespearean sonnets.  So yes, I am not complaining about the fact that I am actually really a tourist in London, but I am a tourist that does have to do some homework.