At the halfway mark, I feel settled into the London way of life. Living in a global city has come with its range of pros and cons, but I enjoy navigating each step of the way. I have mastered the underground tube system, given accurate directions, ask where the “queue” is, and eat Jaffa Cakes almost on the daily. I have found the coffeeshops I like best and have even become a regular at the one closet to my internship; I now have a punch card and the owners except to see me every morning from Wednesday to Friday. I joined the gym closest to my apartment and go almost every day of the week for at least an hour, often right after getting off the tube from my internship. Afterwards, I take the bus home and watch Love Island with my flat mates. I have begun to feel the comforting sense of routine and I enjoy the feeling. It’s comfortable and safe without feeling too static. There’s still a mysterious aspect and element of uncertainty, but I still welcome those unprecedented feelings as I do not want anything too set in stone.
I still branch out as much as I can and hope to do more London exploring during the second half of my stay. Tomorrow, my flat mates and I leave for Amsterdam for our spring break, and then onto Scotland for the weekend on a guided tour. I am excited to travel outside and around the United Kingdom during this time, and see everything Europe has to offer. I am excited to delve into Dutch and Scottish culture, and try this new form of traveling from a place that is not my traditional home.
In regard to my internship, I am learning every minute and loving all of it. I have received more intense carpentry training, and while I cannot do all components (such as using an electric saw or using the Genie) due to UK health and safety laws, I learn a lot from just observing. I take mental notes with how our Technical Director preps to cut wood, how he builds handrails or stairs to provide maximum reinforcement, and what kind of tools he uses for each. While I am very hands on, I make sure my observation of what I cannot physically do will support me in the future as I will want to continue my carpentry experience. My peers and mentors are patient with me and help guide me. I remind myself occasionally that while I am not the fastest, I would rather do something correctly and at my own pace as opposed to rush to impress and potentially hurt someone by building incorrectly. I have not been doing this kind of work as long as the others, and that is okay.
