My first month in London has been filled with trying new things, adjusting to city life, and making new friends. Over the course of my first month, I have had a pretty packed schedule with starting classes, my internship, exploring London’s big sights, and traveling a bit.
Living
I live in a flat with 3 other American students in Camden Town. I have to say there is no other location that would perfectly suit me more than colorful and lively Camden. Our apartment is conveniently located right by the Underground Tube station and the Bus station (as well as a hardcore goth pub). Our residence is called Hawley Crescent, which is also located near The Hawley Arms, a Pub where Amy Winehouse (who was a Camden resident) used to work and perform at (freaked out a bit). Right around the corner is also the renowned Camden Market, which is filled with various food vendors and little shops. My flat mates are from Pittsburgh, New York, and Florida (and lives only an hour from me, small world).
My Internship
I’m interning at RAaW, a film and theatre company that provides training to actor/actresses, produces short films and plays, and also serves as an agency for young actors/actresses. Due to the wide variety of things that the company does, I have been given many different jobs to do, including filming, editing, scouting talent at shows, reaching out to producers and agencies, etc. Although I got off to a bit of a rough start and the environment seemed a bit high pressure at first, I am happy that I have been able to gain a lot of hands-on and real experience that will help me in my field. I have also greatly improved my filming and editing experience as well. The environment is very fast-paced and I am doing a few unconventional tasks, but I find that I am gradually getting into the hang of things and am getting meaningful opportunities at the same time.
(Here’s a link to the first vlog I’ve made for them as well: https://youtu.be/htZjHgrvZqY )
Classes
I am currently in three classes—a film class, an art history class, and a class related to my internship. In my British film class, we watch a new film every week and simply discuss it with the professor and our peers. Despite having an interest in going into the film industry, this is actually my first class where we get to actually watch and analyze films every week. It’s been pretty interesting to see film from a British perspective.
I am also taking an Art History course (my favorite one), and our instructor is also a lecturer and curator at the Tate Modern and Sotheby’s. Although the class is 3 1/2 hours, he somehow has made the subject so enjoyable that he can talk for the whole time about a small period in art history without boring the class. The class also includes trips to museums around London, and we got to visit the Tate Modern this week (while also learning about some behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on).
Exploring London and traveling
During our first week, CAPA took us on a bus tour to the major tourist sites in London. We got to cover London Bridge, the Eye, Borough Market, Camden Market, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, etc. all in one (long) day. The next weekend, we got to see Stonehenge and Bath (a favorite of mine). Since my internship has had me go in for some jobs on Saturdays, I haven’t gotten to do any weekend trips yet, but have explored London over the weekends instead. Some of our adventures include:
- Going to a designated Banksy graffiti zone in Shoreditch
- Going to the Canary Wharf to see a light show
- Visiting the Tate Modern
- Going to the top of Primrose Hill
Our spring break is also planned and approaching quickly. My flat mates and I will be going to Scotland, Naples, and then I will split off and go to Porto, Portugal on my own. A few other planned weekend trips include Ireland, Paris, Bruges, and Nice.
Other highlights:
- Waterloo!—It’s been one of my favorite areas (besides Camden, of course) and I went to a really cool theatre to film for my internship called the Vaults Theatre. It’s located under the Waterloo underground station and has graffiti up and down all the walls.
- Seeing a man with a puppy on the tube 🙂
- Primrose Hill—the area and houses around were very beautiful and we got a great view of London from the top
- Seeing snow! (it was short-lived and more like sleet, I’m still secretly hoping to wake up to a snow-covered city one day)
- Had my first celebrity encounter with seeing James McAvoy (and standing right next to him) on the Tube!
It’s been a great month so far with many other adventures to come!
