The Smells and Sounds of London

In third grade, my teacher introduced me to the writer's notebook. It was just a journal where we describe experiences using all our senses. Ever since, I've noticed sounds, smells, tastes and colors in a much more meaningful and deep way. Here are some of my observations about the neighborhood of London I'm living in (Bloomsbury).

Sounds: This city feels like it's falling apart because there's so much heavy construction going on. I wake up to the sounds of men shouting, jackhammers hammering, cranes lifting and beeping as they back up, so on and so forth. In most situations, I think I would mind it, but the noise rids me of the need for an alarm clock because they start right around 9 or 10, which is when I've been waking up most mornings.

Smells: On my long walk to campus, I feel like I am constantly surrounded by a cloud of smoke either because the people walking nearby are blowing their cigarette smoke in my face or the cars on the street beside me are spouting our massive black clouds of pollution in my path. I know this is bad for my lungs, but my experience living in this big city feels more authentic this way. What's a city with no pollution, right?

Mixed in with that smoke is the constant scent of fried foods coming from the kitchens of restaurants lining the sidewalk. I feel like the Brits eat just as shitty as we do in America, except they're all so thin because they walk it off, especially Londoners.

Sights: American culture is everywhere! From finding Starbucks and McDonalds on every corner, to TV shows, to movies, to fashion, to nearly every aspect of life you can find something American here. It's a little sad to me that The Hills has found it's way abroad so successfully. All the teenagers are starting to stick "like" 16 times in every sentence because of us. For shame America. For shame. One thing I found weird is that British students think our American accent sounds really cool. So many people have commented on how nice or cool our accent is. Weird right? Because we think ours sucks and theirs is so cool! Mutual admiration ensues.

Another similarity (at least for me) between the States and England so far is that minimum wage workers always make fun of, insult, or spite me. I was at the supermarket yesterday and I accidentally dropped a pound coin and the cashier lady was like super annoyed or furious or something and (while I'm standing right there) looks over to her friend at the next register over, rolls her eyes, and mumbles something mean. As this is happening I look up and there's a sign that says "We care about our customers." Yeah, you guys care enough to insult them behind their back right in front of their face.

I like to call it Disgruntled Employee Syndrome. As sucky as it is to be insulted or put down by these people, at the end of the day, they're stuck in a dead end job that pays barely enough to put food on the table. This is why I choose not to be angry at the mean cash register lady. Her life sucks way harder than mine ever will and that's punishment enough.

I will post an update later with pictures of where I'm living this year!

Later dudes.