Just came back from popping in to town. Technically, my mother told me to always go with someone. Realistically, no one else was going or I missed them or something. So I went stag. I just had to do random things like top up my phone (such a dumb system; I miss unlimited web and texts for $50/month), get cash, buy sparkling water (four bottles for £1.49 at M&S!), some sundries. I got carded at Poundland for buying a cutlery set with a knife in it. The cashier was definitely younger than me, which is why I think he let me get it although I failed the over-21 requirement.
Now that baffles me. I'm all for safety, and the UK seems to be reallly into 'health and safety' - for instance, there are no ovens in the dorm kitchens because it is a 'health and safety' risk. We are told every day to sign out when leaving the boarding house for 'health and safety' requirements. We have 9:30pm check-in to fulfill 'health and safety' requirements. We had check in at my school in the US, but it was to make sure that people were in the dorm, and never did they say 'This is so that when there is a fire, we'll know who's here.' That could have been the intent, I don't know. Anyway, I got my little cutlery set no problem, thank you Poundland cashier. I'm baffled because I could go buy a case of vodka and drink myself dead, but I can't buy a cutlery set in Poundland? Very, very odd, England.
We were talking about video cameras in public places, especially in London, in my AS Critical Thinking class today. Our teacher said that when she worked at the Financial Times, they had a reporter write about the public cameras that are set up all around London. Then we got into a discussion about whether or not there should be cameras in public places. I'm fine with this because I'd like to believe that for every time they're staring at a girl's bum on the cameras, these people catch a crime or a potential threat. Some think it's an invasion of privacy, but I think if you're in a public space - I used the example of standing in Trafalgar Square - you know you're in public. The guys looking at you on camera could be the guys standing next to you. The discussion turned to 'well then it's unprofessional for these "guards" to be staring at women's bums on the cameras when they're being paid to protect the people of London by way of public surveillance.' That's a whole 'nother issue.
Regards for now, must do some homework that's going to take me 30 minutes but is due in a week...lovely...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Fashion in Kent
The only places I've been to so far in the UK are London and around Kent county. I couldn't help but notice that compared to New York, the fashion was very different, and not in a good way. I have a vivid memory from standing at a crossing on Fifth Avenue this summer, admiring the outfit of the girl in front of me (I noticed her, honestly, because she had a Birkin bag). That was my 'aha' moment - I understood street style. I look at The Sartorialist and Jak and Jil religiously (along with Tommy Ton's work featured on style.com, so I'm pretty sure I know what good taste is.
The town I'm living in has a total, complete, and utter lack of style. The people are quite tacky (I'm sorry, but it's true). I was almost frightened to see what the people at my school would wear, but they're very well turned out. I have to wear a suit every day, but girls are very conscious of their blouse choices, shoes, and accessories. Coming from a school where girls in Hanes t-shirts, yoga pants, the haphazard scarf and Uggs would pass for dress code, I truly appreciate this. I have a few accessories, but I rarely use them, mostly out of laziness. I always wear earrings and a watch; it's just a little more effort to put on my Chan Luu bracelet or pearl choker (I did today!)
When I visited the local outlets on Saturday, I wasn't struck by anyone's fashion choices. Quite honestly I don't even remember looking carefully because I knew I wouldn't find anything interesting. I did, however, get to visit Ted Baker's outlet store. There was a lovely wallet but I just bought a new one for $66 (Kate Spade online sale!) so I wasn't going to spend £30 on a new one (as much as I wanted to). There were some very cute things there, but mostly sort of tacky things. The girls I was shopping with were taken by things like butterfly necklaces and they wanted to visit the Next outlet...yeah.
On Sunday, I went on a trip a little farther away to Maidstone. My friends were ecstatic to shop at Primark. Quelle horreur! I likened it to Wal-Mart's clothing when describing it to my mother. I was pleased to find Fremlin Walk, which has H&M, Zara, Topshop, the like. I was also thrilled to have a tomato, mozzarella, and pesto toastie from Pret (how lovely that tasted after my school's food!) I ended up buying a deep green buffalo leather crossbody bag from Zara on a whim, but I'm quite happy with it. It was £30, so nearly $50, but I think it's worth it.
I'm trying to reinvent my style, partially because I've been influenced by the thought the girls at my school seem to put in their clothes. I could be completely off, and they're just throwing on whatever and they happen to be buying the right things. I bought two tops and a skirt at H&M. H&M in Europe is infinitely better than their stores in America, let me tell you. I spent £40 or something, but I think I got some decent purchases. I'm trying to take risks, trying on things I would never dare to before. Because if I look at my closet, I have things that could be cute on their own, and some cute outfits, but a lot of the things I bought because I liked them, not because they'd go well together. Now I'm putting more thought into what the outfit would look like.
Despite the lack of style in the areas around me, I'm trying to forage through. Right now, I'm wearing navy wide-leg J.Crew pants that are set slightly above my hips, a pink H&M belt, and a fabulous leopard print Perfect Shirt from J.Crew (that I also wore to school today with my black Banana Republic suit.) I may not be spending a fortune on my clothes, but I would willingly do so if I had the money. I love clothes, and I love fashion. I've been prompted by my weeks here to take control of my personal style, and I fully intend to do just that.
The town I'm living in has a total, complete, and utter lack of style. The people are quite tacky (I'm sorry, but it's true). I was almost frightened to see what the people at my school would wear, but they're very well turned out. I have to wear a suit every day, but girls are very conscious of their blouse choices, shoes, and accessories. Coming from a school where girls in Hanes t-shirts, yoga pants, the haphazard scarf and Uggs would pass for dress code, I truly appreciate this. I have a few accessories, but I rarely use them, mostly out of laziness. I always wear earrings and a watch; it's just a little more effort to put on my Chan Luu bracelet or pearl choker (I did today!)
When I visited the local outlets on Saturday, I wasn't struck by anyone's fashion choices. Quite honestly I don't even remember looking carefully because I knew I wouldn't find anything interesting. I did, however, get to visit Ted Baker's outlet store. There was a lovely wallet but I just bought a new one for $66 (Kate Spade online sale!) so I wasn't going to spend £30 on a new one (as much as I wanted to). There were some very cute things there, but mostly sort of tacky things. The girls I was shopping with were taken by things like butterfly necklaces and they wanted to visit the Next outlet...yeah.
On Sunday, I went on a trip a little farther away to Maidstone. My friends were ecstatic to shop at Primark. Quelle horreur! I likened it to Wal-Mart's clothing when describing it to my mother. I was pleased to find Fremlin Walk, which has H&M, Zara, Topshop, the like. I was also thrilled to have a tomato, mozzarella, and pesto toastie from Pret (how lovely that tasted after my school's food!) I ended up buying a deep green buffalo leather crossbody bag from Zara on a whim, but I'm quite happy with it. It was £30, so nearly $50, but I think it's worth it.
I'm trying to reinvent my style, partially because I've been influenced by the thought the girls at my school seem to put in their clothes. I could be completely off, and they're just throwing on whatever and they happen to be buying the right things. I bought two tops and a skirt at H&M. H&M in Europe is infinitely better than their stores in America, let me tell you. I spent £40 or something, but I think I got some decent purchases. I'm trying to take risks, trying on things I would never dare to before. Because if I look at my closet, I have things that could be cute on their own, and some cute outfits, but a lot of the things I bought because I liked them, not because they'd go well together. Now I'm putting more thought into what the outfit would look like.
Despite the lack of style in the areas around me, I'm trying to forage through. Right now, I'm wearing navy wide-leg J.Crew pants that are set slightly above my hips, a pink H&M belt, and a fabulous leopard print Perfect Shirt from J.Crew (that I also wore to school today with my black Banana Republic suit.) I may not be spending a fortune on my clothes, but I would willingly do so if I had the money. I love clothes, and I love fashion. I've been prompted by my weeks here to take control of my personal style, and I fully intend to do just that.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
A Muggy Saturday with lots of walking
Hello!
Today was fairly uneventful. Walked probably around 2.5 miles total (it was great to walk) to the outlets in town (bought a Gap top...15 quid...yeah that's all). It was so weird because this Gap outlet was the exact same layout as the Gap outlet I've been to at home, except for where the dressing rooms were. I think that's the thing that made me the most homesick out of anything in these two weeks (yup, two weeks exactly since I've gotten here...how weird.) Then we went to ASDA - I was so glad to finally find a supermarket. Obviously the all of the Britons shop on Saturdays because that was a packed supermarket. I got some tortellini I'm excited to have after seeing how bad dinner is tonight. I also got some Greek yogurt (or yoghurt- however you want to spell it). And some other stuff. Not that exciting. Found the Tesco's Express as well, but that's basically like a gas station in America (actually, I've been to bigger gas stations) without gas.
One thing that has bothered me is the complaints of people around me. The day pupils at my school seem happy here, for the most part. They have their qualms (which you'll find at any school), but I believe they like being here and they like the people at the school. The boarders are a different story. Many of them are miserable, I think, especially because of language barriers. There aren't many native English-speakers that are boarders, so it's difficult for them. But I think that immersing yourself is first of all, a great way to learn a language, and second of all, the entire point of coming from wherever you came to go to school. What's the point of coming here for exchange or whatever if you're just going to whine about how much you wish it was like home? I like to think that I'm doing a good job of accepting the differences between the UK and the US. Some of the things bother me, especially with regards to the educational system here, but I know that I must accept that as being a cultural difference. Plus it can't bother me that much because it doesn't matter how much or how little I'm educated here since I'm going back home after a year. You can't stay hung up about how everything should be different when it's not and it probably never will be because the UK is the UK, not anywhere else in the world or Europe, for that matter. It's part of the experience of being abroad, and I think it's the most interesting and useful thing.
Tomorrow we're going to a massive shopping centre. I don't really need to buy anything, but it will give me the chance to see another place, plus the train ride should take us through the countryside. That should be lovely.
Today was fairly uneventful. Walked probably around 2.5 miles total (it was great to walk) to the outlets in town (bought a Gap top...15 quid...yeah that's all). It was so weird because this Gap outlet was the exact same layout as the Gap outlet I've been to at home, except for where the dressing rooms were. I think that's the thing that made me the most homesick out of anything in these two weeks (yup, two weeks exactly since I've gotten here...how weird.) Then we went to ASDA - I was so glad to finally find a supermarket. Obviously the all of the Britons shop on Saturdays because that was a packed supermarket. I got some tortellini I'm excited to have after seeing how bad dinner is tonight. I also got some Greek yogurt (or yoghurt- however you want to spell it). And some other stuff. Not that exciting. Found the Tesco's Express as well, but that's basically like a gas station in America (actually, I've been to bigger gas stations) without gas.
One thing that has bothered me is the complaints of people around me. The day pupils at my school seem happy here, for the most part. They have their qualms (which you'll find at any school), but I believe they like being here and they like the people at the school. The boarders are a different story. Many of them are miserable, I think, especially because of language barriers. There aren't many native English-speakers that are boarders, so it's difficult for them. But I think that immersing yourself is first of all, a great way to learn a language, and second of all, the entire point of coming from wherever you came to go to school. What's the point of coming here for exchange or whatever if you're just going to whine about how much you wish it was like home? I like to think that I'm doing a good job of accepting the differences between the UK and the US. Some of the things bother me, especially with regards to the educational system here, but I know that I must accept that as being a cultural difference. Plus it can't bother me that much because it doesn't matter how much or how little I'm educated here since I'm going back home after a year. You can't stay hung up about how everything should be different when it's not and it probably never will be because the UK is the UK, not anywhere else in the world or Europe, for that matter. It's part of the experience of being abroad, and I think it's the most interesting and useful thing.
Tomorrow we're going to a massive shopping centre. I don't really need to buy anything, but it will give me the chance to see another place, plus the train ride should take us through the countryside. That should be lovely.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Hello out there
Just a quick post...
Hi, I'm Taylor. I'm spending the year in England on a gap year exchange program. I'm from the United States, and have previously travelled to Canada (I know) and Spain (twice). I love visiting new places, going to museums, walking around cities, trying new foods, and taking photographs... I'm at a school in southeastern England in lower sixth form (damn A-level system) so my classmates are two years younger than me. It's been a week so far, so I decided it was high time to share my thoughts (because I know so many people are interested). If you're on a gap year or year abroad or you're thinking about it, hopefully this will be a nice place to read about someone experiencing the same thing.
I'll post some more later, and hopefully some pictures I took in London, too!
Hi, I'm Taylor. I'm spending the year in England on a gap year exchange program. I'm from the United States, and have previously travelled to Canada (I know) and Spain (twice). I love visiting new places, going to museums, walking around cities, trying new foods, and taking photographs... I'm at a school in southeastern England in lower sixth form (damn A-level system) so my classmates are two years younger than me. It's been a week so far, so I decided it was high time to share my thoughts (because I know so many people are interested). If you're on a gap year or year abroad or you're thinking about it, hopefully this will be a nice place to read about someone experiencing the same thing.
I'll post some more later, and hopefully some pictures I took in London, too!
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