Or so they say...
So I Finally got my internet working!!!!! My Skype phone number is 732-917-4907 if you want to call me. Pictures are up on Facebook and there is a link in my AIM profile.
Yesterday was the first day of classes. First, I had Media Ethics with a German Professor named Olaf Jubin. For homework, we have 12 books to read and have to watch the movies: Nothing sacred, Outfoxed, Triumph of the Will, Fahrenheit 9/11, Birth of a nations, United 93, and World Trade Center. This is my one required class for my major and I think it's actually going to be my favorite here. He's really funny because he has a British and German accent and when he says "whatever" it sounds so funny I laugh every time. He reminds me of Professor Scott back home a little and he already knows my name.
After, I had Topics in the Arts and Press with my only American professor. Shes really energetic but I don't really like her. Shes a typical American teacher and that really makes me realize how much better I like teachers in London. They have a whole new outlook on teaching. The class is about reviewing different arts in a traditional and modern manner. We are going to see Galleries, Classical Concerts, Ballets, Operas, and Theater Productions. Ugh. I mean took the class to become more cultured so I guess that's what I'm gonna get out of it. I also want to branch out in the critic world and get away from just film and TV. We are also having guest speakers come such as the British Arts council, an arts and business professional, and some famous guy that got leukemia and used art therapy to talk about arts and health. So its interesting.
Finally, I had "That's Entertainment" British and American Theater with the same professor that I have for media ethics. Its a three hour class and its kind of brutal but I am stuck because he already knows my name. I get to go see free productions so that's definitely a plus. He said he plans to take us to see Billy Elliot on stage ( I can't wait), Guys and Dolls, and Porgy and Bess. In addition, we have several books to read for homework and are also required to prepare each class by watching a different musical each week they include: Gypsy, Show Boa, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Oliver, Company, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Producers, and as my professor put it "the unfortunate dreadful phenomenon High School Musical". He said he just ordered a copy for the library and I was like great.. like I really need to see that rubbish again. He's also gonna try and find a place where we can get discount tickets to see the British Wicked and Spamalot.
Then we walked all the way to central London. I was quite proud of us. We found Fridays and tried to make reservations but they wanted a 5 pound deposit per head and we didn't have money for everyone so we went back to collect it. I didn't really care if we went there or not, but the girls all made invitations and started giving them out and collecting money for the reservations so tomorrow night should be a real party!
Today, I had Film Narratives and Shakespeare: Romance and Comedies. My Film class is okay. The teach is Russian and fairly strict. I think and shes a film maker. She is really into Film Noir and surrealism.. which isn't quite my cup of tea, she also likes violent movies... good movies, but violent ones like fight club. Today we watched the opening to David Lynch's Blue Velvet and I could barely take it. She kinda changed the class agenda to something other then what it was originally and I'm not sure I'm going to like it, but its just stuff that will help me figure out what I'm doing in this industry. My Shakespeare class is pretty sweet. He looks like a stuffy old man, very serious and stern, but he really has such a great personality. He doesn't move alot but he curses a bit. Also instead of "right?" or "correct?" or "get it?" the Brits say "Check?" and he overuses it so bad, but its kinda amusing. So I guess I'm going to stick with this one as well.
This Friday we are going to Cabaret night at some club and probably going on the London eye. If we have time we might even go to Liverpool and take the magical mystery tour. (remember we don't have class on Fridays) On Saturday we go to Leeds Castle and Canterbury. That should be fun. I talked to the girl in student services who plans all the trips and she said she will help us plan any group thing we wanna do so shes planning tons of stuff. Including a group trip to the ice bar where every single thing is made of ice. I don't' know if I'm going to do stuff like that because its expensive. its 15 pounds and you can only stay for an hour because its so cold and they have to refreeze the place. So idk. Everyone is going to Tuesday Tequila nights at some bar, but I'm not gonna go because one I have homework and two there is a cover charge of four pounds... I just don't' see the point of paying to hang out while they drink cheap drinks and get plastered. Its like pole dancing night too. I'm not sure that's my thing. Pretty soon student services is going to have all sorts of stuff to do around London and elsewhere so I'm not worried. I'm really trying to conserve money because everything is double. I took out 40 pounds yesterday and it was nearly 80 American dollars ah! and 40 pounds equals two day trips so its rough. I didn't spend any money shopping in the city even though the stores are so huge. And they have coffee and liqueur bars in the stores and even mini spas, its nuts. There's always something to do. Tomorrow I'm going to start running through the park... as long as the weather is decent... which is a real gamble.
We have real homework its not really fluff classes like we expected. I mean there aren't too make tests or papers but that's not great because if you mess up on one ... your done for. There's a lot of homework too. So I better get on that. You can Skype me until 8:30 (your time) I'll be up.
Tomorrow I turn 20 =)
Love you guys,
Jenna
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