There was a moment this morning, while peering out through the front window at Starbucks, when the footsteps of the passers-by on Oxford Street fell perfectly in line with beat of the music on the stereo. Suddenly, the street scene became a work of art.
There was another moment, on Tuesday morning, on my way to the Tube. Across the street, a team of workers were demolishing a flat. The rhythm and tones of their smashing sounded remarkably like jazz.
Moments like these remind me of how perfectly aligned the universe is. We may have war, famine, disease, and climate change to battle... but compared to all the wonders of the world, these begin to feel like minor obstacles.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Stereotypes smashed
Back in August, I wrote an entry in the Classroom Canada Teachers Blog about The Top 10 Reasons I Can't Wait to Move to London. It was a response to the negativity I'd been receiving from certain people who couldn't understand why I would want to move somewhere so expensive, with such lousy weather, stuck up people, and bland food. So I said, "cost, people, weather, and food be damned." At least I was taking this risk and going on this adventure, which is a lot more than most people can ever claim.
Well, I've been living here for nearly two months now, and all my reasons for moving here are holding strong. But I'd like to add four more: the cost, the people, the weather, and the food.
The Cost
I'm not going to lie: some things here are very expensive. Namely, rent and transportation. I live in a small room with no kitchen or bathroom of my own and I pay £485/month for it -- if I lived in a real flat, it would cost a lot more. I don't even want to think about how much it costs for me to get around. But I'm willing to forgive these things, because I live in an incredible location that allows me to walk a lot of places, and my standard of living is really quite high because of it. On the flip side, there are things that can be very cheap if you know where to look. Namely, food, clothes, and entertainment. Since those are the items I traditionally spend the bulk of my money on, this is a very good thing.
The People
I like the people here. They have generally been friendly and lively yet unobtrusive. That's my style.
The Weather
The weather so far has been amazing. While my friends and family back home are already complaining of cold and snow, London is holding strong at 15-20 degrees celcius nearly every day (it's currently 18). It's overcast a lot of the time, but I'm discovering that I really like it that way.
The Food
Oh my god, the food. Traditional English food may not be terrifically exciting, but it's actually more difficult to find traditional English food than it is to find any number of other interesting cuisines. The biggest difference between here and North America? The ingredients. I am continuously blown away by how fresh, tasty, and healthy the ingredients are and how few chemicals I'm consuming. Even "fast food" (I'm addicted to Eat. and Pret A Manger). It's incredible. Food here a whole different experience.
So, in short, I'm still loving London. I'm sure none of you are surprised, but I just had to put that out there.
Well, I've been living here for nearly two months now, and all my reasons for moving here are holding strong. But I'd like to add four more: the cost, the people, the weather, and the food.
The Cost
I'm not going to lie: some things here are very expensive. Namely, rent and transportation. I live in a small room with no kitchen or bathroom of my own and I pay £485/month for it -- if I lived in a real flat, it would cost a lot more. I don't even want to think about how much it costs for me to get around. But I'm willing to forgive these things, because I live in an incredible location that allows me to walk a lot of places, and my standard of living is really quite high because of it. On the flip side, there are things that can be very cheap if you know where to look. Namely, food, clothes, and entertainment. Since those are the items I traditionally spend the bulk of my money on, this is a very good thing.
The People
I like the people here. They have generally been friendly and lively yet unobtrusive. That's my style.
The Weather
The weather so far has been amazing. While my friends and family back home are already complaining of cold and snow, London is holding strong at 15-20 degrees celcius nearly every day (it's currently 18). It's overcast a lot of the time, but I'm discovering that I really like it that way.
The Food
Oh my god, the food. Traditional English food may not be terrifically exciting, but it's actually more difficult to find traditional English food than it is to find any number of other interesting cuisines. The biggest difference between here and North America? The ingredients. I am continuously blown away by how fresh, tasty, and healthy the ingredients are and how few chemicals I'm consuming. Even "fast food" (I'm addicted to Eat. and Pret A Manger). It's incredible. Food here a whole different experience.
So, in short, I'm still loving London. I'm sure none of you are surprised, but I just had to put that out there.
Monday, October 26, 2009
I guess I'm... not actually on vacation
Apparently I'm working this week, after all. Tomorrow and Thursday in a nursery, one-to-one with a boy who has Autism. Yay money! And I still have a fair chunk of time to do stuff around the city (albeit not at the snail's pace I'm currently moving at). And it's 10-5, so no getting up crazy early. I can deal with this.
I'll be there Monday and Tuesday of next week, too, before my contract at the other school starts.
Part of me is going to miss supply work.
I'll be there Monday and Tuesday of next week, too, before my contract at the other school starts.
Part of me is going to miss supply work.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Post script
I decided to move on from the magazine for a while and sketch my stunningly beautiful friend Natalia (who also has a lot to do with me developing my visual side). Sorry the photo of my drawing is such crap quality, but you get the idea.
Now that I'm able to see the two side by side, I can definitely see ways to improve it. I should try doing this kind of compare more often!
Now that I'm able to see the two side by side, I can definitely see ways to improve it. I should try doing this kind of compare more often!
Saying a whole lot of everything and nothing
On the timeline of my life, dancing (the artistic pursuit I tend to be best known for today) has only just barely stumbled out of its infancy. As a child, although I may have taken the odd class here and there, I was very much not a dancer. Evidence of my interest in drawing, however, dates back to the prehistoric age (and is still being dug up by paleontologists today). The trouble is that I never developed it. I was too innately drawn to activities that are more social in nature, and so I focused on singing and drama (and later, dance) instead.
Over the past few months, I've been slowly reintroduced to drawing. It started at Long Bay Camp, where I had the great fortune of spending several weeks teaching drama and musical theatre this summer. As an arts camp, Long Bay runs four simultaneous tracks in any given session: drama, dance, music, and visual art. When I wasn't busy teaching, I found myself producing vast quantities of art. It's amazing what one will do, given the right tools, an abundance of free time, and a lack of internet connection.
Fast forward to the past two weeks and you'll find me happily sketching alongside psychiatric hospital residents; as part of my work at the hospital school, I got to partake in drawing, pottery, singing, dancing, and drama (and you wondered why I loved it there so much).
Fast forward to the past two days and you'll find me with my brand new sketchbook and drawing pencils, madly copying images out of a magazine. Here's the latest one:
I'm enjoying this drawing thing quite a bit. But I've also noticed something... I've somehow gotten better at it since I last picked up a pencil. Over the past few years of working on my dancing, I've trained myself to see the overall effect of something, then look again at all its fundamental parts, then look again (many times over) and pick out minutiae--lather, rinse, repeat--all the while, doing my best to imitate and compare. I've had to do this in order to pick up choreographies and adopt new movement styles, and as a result, it has made me an increasingly visual person in my daily life. But not only has it improved my observation skills, it has also created a stronger link between my visual cues and my motor skills (monkey see, monkey do!). I guess it makes sense that it would also have an impact on my drawing.
I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I'm not where I want to be yet in terms of accuracy. I should, perhaps, work on some drawing techniques involving geometric shapes et al., but I don't seem to have much patience for that. I like freehand. And now that I've said that, I realize that I sound a lot like some of my beginner-intermediate dance students... so maybe I really should take some steps back and look at the fundamentals. But anyway, although I'm only imitating for the moment, I'm learning a lot through the process, and it's nice to imagine a day when I will be able to combine technique with my own individual style.
That, right there, is the sweet spot for any artistic medium, and I seem to be hitting it in reverse order. Although I will never stop working on it, I've been there with my dancing for a while. I'm just now starting to get there with singing, despite having begun voice training at the age of 8. And now, when it comes to the art form I have arguably been doing the longest, I'm beginning to see bits and pieces of it peeking out over a distant horizon.
Of course, I count myself lucky that I can even fathom that sweet spot in any respect. It is one of the greatest joys in life that I know. That's why I teach in the arts... to share that. It's good to know that teaching can bring new pieces of that joy back to me.
Over the past few months, I've been slowly reintroduced to drawing. It started at Long Bay Camp, where I had the great fortune of spending several weeks teaching drama and musical theatre this summer. As an arts camp, Long Bay runs four simultaneous tracks in any given session: drama, dance, music, and visual art. When I wasn't busy teaching, I found myself producing vast quantities of art. It's amazing what one will do, given the right tools, an abundance of free time, and a lack of internet connection.
Fast forward to the past two weeks and you'll find me happily sketching alongside psychiatric hospital residents; as part of my work at the hospital school, I got to partake in drawing, pottery, singing, dancing, and drama (and you wondered why I loved it there so much).
Fast forward to the past two days and you'll find me with my brand new sketchbook and drawing pencils, madly copying images out of a magazine. Here's the latest one:
I'm enjoying this drawing thing quite a bit. But I've also noticed something... I've somehow gotten better at it since I last picked up a pencil. Over the past few years of working on my dancing, I've trained myself to see the overall effect of something, then look again at all its fundamental parts, then look again (many times over) and pick out minutiae--lather, rinse, repeat--all the while, doing my best to imitate and compare. I've had to do this in order to pick up choreographies and adopt new movement styles, and as a result, it has made me an increasingly visual person in my daily life. But not only has it improved my observation skills, it has also created a stronger link between my visual cues and my motor skills (monkey see, monkey do!). I guess it makes sense that it would also have an impact on my drawing.
I'm not sure what my next steps will be. I'm not where I want to be yet in terms of accuracy. I should, perhaps, work on some drawing techniques involving geometric shapes et al., but I don't seem to have much patience for that. I like freehand. And now that I've said that, I realize that I sound a lot like some of my beginner-intermediate dance students... so maybe I really should take some steps back and look at the fundamentals. But anyway, although I'm only imitating for the moment, I'm learning a lot through the process, and it's nice to imagine a day when I will be able to combine technique with my own individual style.
That, right there, is the sweet spot for any artistic medium, and I seem to be hitting it in reverse order. Although I will never stop working on it, I've been there with my dancing for a while. I'm just now starting to get there with singing, despite having begun voice training at the age of 8. And now, when it comes to the art form I have arguably been doing the longest, I'm beginning to see bits and pieces of it peeking out over a distant horizon.
Of course, I count myself lucky that I can even fathom that sweet spot in any respect. It is one of the greatest joys in life that I know. That's why I teach in the arts... to share that. It's good to know that teaching can bring new pieces of that joy back to me.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I've finally done it!
It took a little longer than I expected, but I finally have a full-time, long-term job! I'll be working in a lovely little mainstream school with a girl in Year 2 who has Global Delay (she was born very prematurely and it messed up her development, so she learns very slowly). I haven't had a chance to meet her yet, but I hear she's a little spitfire! :)
I don't know yet exactly when it'll start. It depends on when the other TA decides to leave. Her notice runs until the 13th but she may well want to leave earlier... and there'll be a hand over period where I get to go in and shadow her. I must say, one of the really nice things about this job is I'm actually going to have some real resources! In addition to shadowing, I'm going to be meeting with the special needs coordinator, the speech language pathologist, etc. That's going to be a big change from not being given any preparation and just figuring things out on the fly.
The only sad part is not being able to go back to the psychiatric hospital school. I love that place so much. I'm crossing my fingers I get to go back at least one last time before I start my new placement.
Now, that's enough thinking about work. It's half-term break time! As Jodi said, it feels weird to be on vacation already when I've barely even begun working, but it's going to be so nice to have a break from wondering if I'm going to be working each day.
I don't know yet exactly when it'll start. It depends on when the other TA decides to leave. Her notice runs until the 13th but she may well want to leave earlier... and there'll be a hand over period where I get to go in and shadow her. I must say, one of the really nice things about this job is I'm actually going to have some real resources! In addition to shadowing, I'm going to be meeting with the special needs coordinator, the speech language pathologist, etc. That's going to be a big change from not being given any preparation and just figuring things out on the fly.
The only sad part is not being able to go back to the psychiatric hospital school. I love that place so much. I'm crossing my fingers I get to go back at least one last time before I start my new placement.
Now, that's enough thinking about work. It's half-term break time! As Jodi said, it feels weird to be on vacation already when I've barely even begun working, but it's going to be so nice to have a break from wondering if I'm going to be working each day.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
People, events, and ideas
They say that small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, and great minds discuss ideas. I like to think of myself as having a great mind (or at least an above average mind), and yet lately I've been trapped in writing about events. I have ideas brewing, but I can't get them out. Why is that, I wonder?
As an update to yesterday's post, I decided to leave the work thing up to fate. If I had gotten a call this morning, I would have gone in. But since I didn't, I kept right on sleeping (rather than option B, which would have been for me to call them at 7 am and thus raise my chances of getting work). The ColdFX and various medications I'm taking seem to be doing their job, though. As a rule, I never take medication -- it says a lot about my desire to be working that I rushed out to get some last night. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better and should be totally fine by tomorrow. Which is great, 'cause I'm slated to go back to the psychiatric hospital school.
As an update to yesterday's post, I decided to leave the work thing up to fate. If I had gotten a call this morning, I would have gone in. But since I didn't, I kept right on sleeping (rather than option B, which would have been for me to call them at 7 am and thus raise my chances of getting work). The ColdFX and various medications I'm taking seem to be doing their job, though. As a rule, I never take medication -- it says a lot about my desire to be working that I rushed out to get some last night. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better and should be totally fine by tomorrow. Which is great, 'cause I'm slated to go back to the psychiatric hospital school.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
This little piggy went to market...
Well, it's official... I'm sick. Probably with the flu. THIS IS BAD!!! I need to work as much as possible this week, since next week we're off with half term break.
And even though I've been feeling overconfident since this whole swine flu thing came about, now I can't stop thinking: what if I have swine flu and it kills me? Silly, I know. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Anyway, what do you do when you're desperate for cash but you're sick with the flu? I could probably suck it up and get through the day(s) but... I work with kids. At lots of different schools. I'd feel awful if I infected half the city.
And even though I've been feeling overconfident since this whole swine flu thing came about, now I can't stop thinking: what if I have swine flu and it kills me? Silly, I know. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
Anyway, what do you do when you're desperate for cash but you're sick with the flu? I could probably suck it up and get through the day(s) but... I work with kids. At lots of different schools. I'd feel awful if I infected half the city.
Friday, October 16, 2009
To do list: half-term break
Schools run year-round in the UK, so we benefit from quite a few 1-2 week breaks throughout the year. The first one is coming up at the end of October. Although I had originally planned on going to Italy, I haven't worked enough yet to be able to afford a holiday so I'll be sticking around London. Thankfully, there are quite a few cool things that can be done here for free, or at least cheap.
Things I'd like to do over half-term break
- British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, and Science Museum (all free)
- Kensington Gardens (free)
- Borough Market (free, if I can control myself)
- Rent a paddle boat in Regent's Park (not sure how much, but it can't be too expensive)
- Exhibition and Globe Theatre Tour (£10.50, or £8.50 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Sit in on a trial at the Old Bailey (free)
- Find a nice spot to do some writing and drawing (free, plus cost of art supplies)
- Attend some workshops at the University College London (free)
- Go on a walking tour (£7, or £5 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Learn stonemasonry (£10, or £8)
If you're going to be in London and would like to join me for any of this, or you have some ideas of your own, please let me know!
Things I'd like to do over half-term break
- British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, and Science Museum (all free)
- Kensington Gardens (free)
- Borough Market (free, if I can control myself)
- Rent a paddle boat in Regent's Park (not sure how much, but it can't be too expensive)
- Exhibition and Globe Theatre Tour (£10.50, or £8.50 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Sit in on a trial at the Old Bailey (free)
- Find a nice spot to do some writing and drawing (free, plus cost of art supplies)
- Attend some workshops at the University College London (free)
- Go on a walking tour (£7, or £5 if I can convince them I'm a student)
- Learn stonemasonry (£10, or £8)
If you're going to be in London and would like to join me for any of this, or you have some ideas of your own, please let me know!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Namaste
My training with Rainbow Kids Yoga is paying off! I fired off an application today to be a freelance creative yoga instructor with Bigfoot Arts Education and, not a minute later, I received an invitation to their interview and selection day on November 6th. I'm not sure whether it was just glaringly obvious at a glance that I'm a perfect fit or whether they're inviting everyone who applies, but either way... woohoo!!!
I'm really excited about this opportunity, and about Bigfoot in general. The kind of stuff they do is right up my alley.
So now I have 3 weeks to come up some ideas for teaching each of their 6 sections:
- Arrive & centre
- Warm-up story
- Partner work
- Relaxation & reflection time
- Storytelling
- Group work
Shouldn't be too hard, but I'm glad I have a 420 page manual to help me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Land of many sheep
Photo recap from my trip to Wales, as promised. I hope no one's on dial-up.
First stop was Stonehenge. I didn't see the point in paying to stand a little closer, so I took a few quick shots from the road and then we went along on our merry way.
Next, we came across this river with a bunch of neat boats that people actually live in. Naturally (my dad being shutterbug that he is), we stopped to take pictures.
Lunch was in Bibury, England. The houses are so cute, our guide book actually reminded us not to peep in the windows because people do still live there.
Eleven hours after setting out, we finally arrived at our hotel.
The next day, we set off to see my grandfather's hometown of Dolgellau. It was a really neat little town with cheap shopping.
Afterward, we visited the ruins of an abbey.
The ruins were right next to a trailer park. The juxtaposition was just too good to pass up.
On the road again, we randomly bumped into the town of Barmouth, which I found to be reminiscent of Coney Island. They had amusement park rides and colourful, kitschy shops all along the harbour. I didn't get any good shots of those things, sadly, but I did get these...
We stopped for lunch in this lovely little nautical-themed cafe.
Bryn is the Welsh word for hill (and as you can see from the other photos, there are LOTS of hills in Wales), so my name was plastered on signs every which way I looked.
Next stop, a castle!
On our way back to London the next day, we ventured down through South Wales and stopped in Cardiff. Cardiff actually reminds me a lot of Canada (a hybrid of Quebec City and Vancouver) with its wide streets and large, relatively modern buildings.
I picked up a colouring book and markers so that I could colour the rest of the way home.
And off we drove into the sunset.
Things the pictures don't show you:
- There are sheep everywhere you look in North Wales, and they are all spray painted.
- It is impossible to go out for supper or Sunday Roast in Wales unless you have a reservation.
- The roads (especially the "B" roads) are scary as hell. I spent most of my time in the car fearing for my life. They are extremely narrow (in some cases, only one lane for both directions) winding roads with no shoulders (you're right up against stone walls, trees, and/or cliffs). Not to mention, we were driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
- The roads are also often covered by a canopy of trees. It's very pretty.
First stop was Stonehenge. I didn't see the point in paying to stand a little closer, so I took a few quick shots from the road and then we went along on our merry way.
Next, we came across this river with a bunch of neat boats that people actually live in. Naturally (my dad being shutterbug that he is), we stopped to take pictures.
Lunch was in Bibury, England. The houses are so cute, our guide book actually reminded us not to peep in the windows because people do still live there.
Eleven hours after setting out, we finally arrived at our hotel.
The next day, we set off to see my grandfather's hometown of Dolgellau. It was a really neat little town with cheap shopping.
Afterward, we visited the ruins of an abbey.
The ruins were right next to a trailer park. The juxtaposition was just too good to pass up.
On the road again, we randomly bumped into the town of Barmouth, which I found to be reminiscent of Coney Island. They had amusement park rides and colourful, kitschy shops all along the harbour. I didn't get any good shots of those things, sadly, but I did get these...
We stopped for lunch in this lovely little nautical-themed cafe.
Bryn is the Welsh word for hill (and as you can see from the other photos, there are LOTS of hills in Wales), so my name was plastered on signs every which way I looked.
Next stop, a castle!
On our way back to London the next day, we ventured down through South Wales and stopped in Cardiff. Cardiff actually reminds me a lot of Canada (a hybrid of Quebec City and Vancouver) with its wide streets and large, relatively modern buildings.
I picked up a colouring book and markers so that I could colour the rest of the way home.
And off we drove into the sunset.
Things the pictures don't show you:
- There are sheep everywhere you look in North Wales, and they are all spray painted.
- It is impossible to go out for supper or Sunday Roast in Wales unless you have a reservation.
- The roads (especially the "B" roads) are scary as hell. I spent most of my time in the car fearing for my life. They are extremely narrow (in some cases, only one lane for both directions) winding roads with no shoulders (you're right up against stone walls, trees, and/or cliffs). Not to mention, we were driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
- The roads are also often covered by a canopy of trees. It's very pretty.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Cymru Am Byth
I'm sipping delicious hot chocolate by a warm, sweet-smelling fire in North Wales. This moment could not be more perfect. Well, it could. But not without difficulty.
I have always wanted to visit Wales. My grandfather grew up here, in a town called Dolgellau. Aside from being absolutely lovely, I feel as though I now know myself and my family a little better.
I promise stories and pictures when I get back to London, though perhaps not for a few days. Work has picked up (hurray!) and I have trial days on Monday and Tuesday for a possible long-term (albeit part time) position in an Autistic unit. I'm also booked in a hospital school on Thursday, and I'm optimistic for Wednesday and Friday. I've started getting offers for work every morning that I wasn't already booked.
Thank goodness.
I have always wanted to visit Wales. My grandfather grew up here, in a town called Dolgellau. Aside from being absolutely lovely, I feel as though I now know myself and my family a little better.
I promise stories and pictures when I get back to London, though perhaps not for a few days. Work has picked up (hurray!) and I have trial days on Monday and Tuesday for a possible long-term (albeit part time) position in an Autistic unit. I'm also booked in a hospital school on Thursday, and I'm optimistic for Wednesday and Friday. I've started getting offers for work every morning that I wasn't already booked.
Thank goodness.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Homesick? Nope
Many of the expatriates around me feel homesick. So far, I am immune. There are a few people I miss, and wish it were easier to keep in touch with them... but I actually feel quite at home in London. There are likely a few reasons for this:
1. I am a nomad at heart
Every few years, I get the itch to pick up and move somewhere. It's actually more difficult for me to stay than it is to go. Must be my viking blood.
2. I am lucky enough to have a far-reaching social network
I have connections with many different types of people in London. The two most important groups for me so far have been folks connected to the dance scene and other people from my agency. I have a good mix of locals, Canadians in the same boat as me, and people from elsewhere who are here for their own reasons. It makes a really big difference.
3. I haven't just left my family
My family is spread far and wide, and both my parents were already living thousands of kilometers away from me (in different directions). I'm used to being on my own, and I'm probably going to see them just as often now as I did before. In fact, my dad will be here next week (and I can't wait!).
4. Ottawa really isn't all that different from London
There are some obvious differences: size, population, accents, fashion sense... but ultimately, the two cities are as similar as cities across the ocean from each other can get.
English-speaking (with some French... Parisians are everywhere here), multicultural, Gothic style capital cities with plenty of festivals, changing of the guard ceremonies, green space, mixed architecture, and a long brown river/canal running through their core. London is really just Ottawa on speed.
5. I've been waiting for this most of my life
I've always wanted to live and travel in Europe; most especially these past few years. I'm also a big city girl at heart. I love the crowds, the fast pace, the diversity, the anonymity, and the bottomless well of possibilities. Besides, there are so many big, beautiful parks here, it's easy to step into one and completely forget you're in the middle of a bustling city.
I do miss coaching my dance team, having a car when I need it (though not driving it or the hassle that goes with owning one), and coffee/adventures with my Ottawa friends. I miss Quebecois French and Montreal bagels and poutine and proper sized fridges and Jane's Meal Maker chicken. But this is my home now, and I embrace its inexpensive yet tasty cheeses, snowless winters, funny police hats, winding streets, and hot-as-sin metro system.
I like London. And so far, London seems to like me.
1. I am a nomad at heart
Every few years, I get the itch to pick up and move somewhere. It's actually more difficult for me to stay than it is to go. Must be my viking blood.
2. I am lucky enough to have a far-reaching social network
I have connections with many different types of people in London. The two most important groups for me so far have been folks connected to the dance scene and other people from my agency. I have a good mix of locals, Canadians in the same boat as me, and people from elsewhere who are here for their own reasons. It makes a really big difference.
3. I haven't just left my family
My family is spread far and wide, and both my parents were already living thousands of kilometers away from me (in different directions). I'm used to being on my own, and I'm probably going to see them just as often now as I did before. In fact, my dad will be here next week (and I can't wait!).
4. Ottawa really isn't all that different from London
There are some obvious differences: size, population, accents, fashion sense... but ultimately, the two cities are as similar as cities across the ocean from each other can get.
English-speaking (with some French... Parisians are everywhere here), multicultural, Gothic style capital cities with plenty of festivals, changing of the guard ceremonies, green space, mixed architecture, and a long brown river/canal running through their core. London is really just Ottawa on speed.
5. I've been waiting for this most of my life
I've always wanted to live and travel in Europe; most especially these past few years. I'm also a big city girl at heart. I love the crowds, the fast pace, the diversity, the anonymity, and the bottomless well of possibilities. Besides, there are so many big, beautiful parks here, it's easy to step into one and completely forget you're in the middle of a bustling city.
I do miss coaching my dance team, having a car when I need it (though not driving it or the hassle that goes with owning one), and coffee/adventures with my Ottawa friends. I miss Quebecois French and Montreal bagels and poutine and proper sized fridges and Jane's Meal Maker chicken. But this is my home now, and I embrace its inexpensive yet tasty cheeses, snowless winters, funny police hats, winding streets, and hot-as-sin metro system.
I like London. And so far, London seems to like me.
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