London in Autumn

From the time I was a small child, I've been told the natural order of autumn leaves is for them to first change colours, then fall to the ground. But in London, this "law" of nature is only obeyed sporadically.


The majority of trees here go directly from green to barren. At first I thought the leaves, once turned, must fall right away... but then I started noticing an abundance of fallen, dried, green leaves. It's messing with my head! And is a little bit sad too; I feel as though I'm missing out on one of the best parts of autumn.

Another of the best parts is Halloween--a holiday mentioned only cautiously and with disdain in this part of the world. Several of my English friends have speculated it's because people here still associate the festival with its controversial past. Others have noted it serves mainly as an excuse for rebellious British youth to make mischief. But I, for one, think it's a crying shame.

That's why I was overjoyed when I was asked to carve a pumpkin with the children at school on Wednesday. I even got to roast the seeds! I was on a high from it the entire day, and I think I might buy another pumpkin and do it all again.

Ironically, despite the lack of qualities that have traditionally reminded me that this is a great season, I'm actually enjoying autumn a lot more than I have in many, many years. I've always found it difficult to enjoy the present when it serves as a constant reminder that the days are getting shorter and colder, and that soon we'll be plunged into the depths of winter (my most despised time of the year). But although my first British winter was hard on me, I think its relatively short lifespan coupled with a long, hot summer (I managed to be in India, Spain, Hawaii, England, and Canada at all the right times to maximize the heat) have made me much readier for winter this time around. We'll see how I feel about it in a month or two, but so far I'm doing ok.

In the meantime, we've arrived at our first break of the school year. I had hoped to spend this time in Italy, but unfortunately circumstances conspired against it. Instead, I'll be messing around with recipes, working on creative projects, and preparing to move. Yes, you read that right, I'm moving next month! Not to Spain, but to Camberwell--a charming area of South London only a 15 minute walk from my school. I'll be living in a lovely Victorian townhouse with four other really cool people. I think it'll be good for me.