The palate of variety , in a city like London, is almost endless...but the other day, my twin sat down beside me on the bus. And in my peripheral vision, I watched her act out...me!
Presumably my age, she got on the bus, took to the upper level and sat in the front seat, even if it meant doubling up with someone. She settled in and thought about her day as we made the first few stops, then pulled out a book- parallel texts in French and English (something I also have out of the library). She opened to where she thought she'd left off and read a bit, with occasional looks out our front seat panoramic window, interested in the life on the street. It wasn't long however until she became preoccupied with the thoughts piling to the front of her morning brain that her gaze out the window became persistant and the book lay open and forgotten in her lap. I smiled. Her stop came, she closed the book, replaced it in her bag and set off for the day.
I had thought my twin was in Virginia. In fact [she] sat right down beside me!
recent circles
WORLD
Around the circle of volunteers-in-training we were originally from Hungry, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Ethiopia, USAmerica, Japan, England, DRCongo, Ghana, Afghanistan, Russia.
FRENCH/ WORLD
In French class, where I am easily the junior by 25 years, I enjoy the mix of flavors from England, Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, France.
ITALIAN
I recently spent lots of time with a bunch of Italians with my Italian/Cape Verdian friend with whom I speak French. It's not that hard to get the gist of the main topic of conversation, but when went to open my mouth, I wasn't sure whom to address in which language since some also spoke Spanish and English.How confusing! I am not at all nimble in switching between languages.
SLICE OF LIFE
Once a week I walk my neighbor girl to school. It's a brief immersion into the responsibility of parenting and school attendance and little friends and a playground full of all walks of life.
Around the circle of volunteers-in-training we were originally from Hungry, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Ethiopia, USAmerica, Japan, England, DRCongo, Ghana, Afghanistan, Russia.
FRENCH/ WORLD
In French class, where I am easily the junior by 25 years, I enjoy the mix of flavors from England, Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, France.
ITALIAN
I recently spent lots of time with a bunch of Italians with my Italian/Cape Verdian friend with whom I speak French. It's not that hard to get the gist of the main topic of conversation, but when went to open my mouth, I wasn't sure whom to address in which language since some also spoke Spanish and English.How confusing! I am not at all nimble in switching between languages.
SLICE OF LIFE
Once a week I walk my neighbor girl to school. It's a brief immersion into the responsibility of parenting and school attendance and little friends and a playground full of all walks of life.
Conversions
And all these years, my Mum told me "A pint's a pound, the world around."
I'm thinking of asking bartender if he's mistaken.
That's not the only wacky conversion around here.
Go to the grocery and the apple bin will tell you it's 1 pound per kilo. Up until now I thought it was 2.2.
Try this list of conversions:
Bri-ish = United Statesian
yard = yard
garden = yard
coffee = 11am
hot drink from roasted beans = coffee
tea = 4pm
a hot drink from leaves = tea
trousers = pants
pants = underwear
half five = 5:30 o'clock
2.5 = half five
ring me = call me
give way = make way
have a look = take a look
mind your head = watch your head
performed at football games = cheers
cheers! = "see ya" or "Thanks for that" or "take care" or "excuse me, thanks"
Isn't language fun?
(and a Brit would say "Language is so fun isn't it.")
Tips on how to be well rested
1) Rest head on pillow to facilitate better concentration for deciding the hour at which the alarm should be set. Wake up refreshed!
2) Carefully plan and adjust alarm to a 'disciplined' (ungodly) hour to arise in the morrow. Happen to not turn alarm On. Bon nuit!
Testimonials:
" I love waking up with the day instead of my bleeping $%"£$%" - Lazy in London
" When I opened my eyes and my alarm hadn't yet gone off, I thought, wow! I must have slept really well!" - Starry-eyed Student
"I just wanted to thank you for these excellent tips and strategies. I have been sleeping so well ever since!" -Happy in Highgate
2) Carefully plan and adjust alarm to a 'disciplined' (ungodly) hour to arise in the morrow. Happen to not turn alarm On. Bon nuit!
Testimonials:
" I love waking up with the day instead of my bleeping $%"£$%" - Lazy in London
" When I opened my eyes and my alarm hadn't yet gone off, I thought, wow! I must have slept really well!" - Starry-eyed Student
"I just wanted to thank you for these excellent tips and strategies. I have been sleeping so well ever since!" -Happy in Highgate
school 2
Some things I enjoy in my course:
The world under the microscope.
I find it utterly amazing. Be it blood or fecal medium, the invading organisms are well, beautiful! The tiny egg made by the Tinea worm is encased with a perfectly pleated and spherical outer wall. easy to identify.
I can diagnose malaria in a blood sample under the microscope!
It's great to be in the company of nurses who share a similar frame of mind, who know how to ask good questions and analyze systems and situations holistically and remain present with human struggle and resiliency, not seeing only a 'problem'.
Our lecturers relate their expertise always to the realities of a resource-poor settings.
Some topics we've had include:
Immunology and vaccines
Populations
Schistosomiasis
Public health priorities
Helminths
Ethical issues
Tropical liver
Tropical dermatology
Primary care
Rabies
Emergency response
etc etc.
school 1
You know you are studying at a school of tropical medicine when invitations to seminars include topics such as:
Molecular phylogenomics of invasive and carriage streptococcus pneumoniae strains from West Africa.
Analysis of T cells secreting single or multiple cytokines by ELISpot and Fluorospot
Molecular phylogenomics of invasive and carriage streptococcus pneumoniae strains from West Africa.
Analysis of T cells secreting single or multiple cytokines by ELISpot and Fluorospot
Semblance of order
Rarely is boredom one of my ailments. Despite my 'tourist' status here in the UK, dis-allowing gainful employment, my days have taken on a semblance of order:
Babysitter. for two young, budding people who live over our garden hedge. Ages 6 & 8, with courageous parents who work as a singer/actor and flamanco dancer.
Information Officer. I am part of a team of volunteers starting to work for the Refugee Services of the Brit Red Cross. My role will involve providing the volunteer caseworkers with basic and current information about the countries from which people come, seeking asylum. Or my work may be to update and collect information about public services available to refugees.
Engrossed student. I really love to learn. So in addition to the Wednesday I spend all day in lectures and lab, I have spent some long hours in the library making headway on the assigned research essay. Being at school on days with all the other Masters and researching students from all over the world whets my appetite for more.
Delighter in Spring.
Babysitter. for two young, budding people who live over our garden hedge. Ages 6 & 8, with courageous parents who work as a singer/actor and flamanco dancer.
Information Officer. I am part of a team of volunteers starting to work for the Refugee Services of the Brit Red Cross. My role will involve providing the volunteer caseworkers with basic and current information about the countries from which people come, seeking asylum. Or my work may be to update and collect information about public services available to refugees.
Engrossed student. I really love to learn. So in addition to the Wednesday I spend all day in lectures and lab, I have spent some long hours in the library making headway on the assigned research essay. Being at school on days with all the other Masters and researching students from all over the world whets my appetite for more.
Delighter in Spring.
Familiarity
Where I come home to:
London has become more familiar.
*I spotted our neighbor boy at the pharmacy
*I recognized a businessman whom I'd rushed past an other day on my way to the bus
*I saw the librarian leave the post office
*The young bilingual mom with two kids on my street was the same crew with whom I'd waited at the bus stop weeks earlier
*I saw the same biker with the same skeleton-shirt flying down the hill
*Met the neighbor, for whom I babysit, on the street corner.
The avenue I take to enter the woods:
House-life here is more familiar or perhaps familial
*barging in for a chat and some laughs and an impromptu brownie party
*learning new games
*sharing the kitchen, bathroom, and tea
*going out somewhere together
Some housemates and I on an outing to nearby azalea gardens today- gorgeous!
Public transport has become more like the back of my hand.
*Yet if I leave my map-book behind, inevitably the route has closures and I wish for my map!
*More than before, I settle into the transit crowd who take their seat and bury in a book, instead of wondering if I should break cultural norm to chat with my neighbor or instead of gawking out the window.
I live near some of the highest hills in London, which afford views back down over the city. This is a part of town we walk to for errands. These pictures, taken a month ago, show the contrast to the more persistent brightness and colors these days!
London has become more familiar.
*I spotted our neighbor boy at the pharmacy
*I recognized a businessman whom I'd rushed past an other day on my way to the bus
*I saw the librarian leave the post office
*The young bilingual mom with two kids on my street was the same crew with whom I'd waited at the bus stop weeks earlier
*I saw the same biker with the same skeleton-shirt flying down the hill
*Met the neighbor, for whom I babysit, on the street corner.
The avenue I take to enter the woods:
House-life here is more familiar or perhaps familial
*barging in for a chat and some laughs and an impromptu brownie party
*learning new games
*sharing the kitchen, bathroom, and tea
*going out somewhere together
Some housemates and I on an outing to nearby azalea gardens today- gorgeous!
Public transport has become more like the back of my hand.
*Yet if I leave my map-book behind, inevitably the route has closures and I wish for my map!
*More than before, I settle into the transit crowd who take their seat and bury in a book, instead of wondering if I should break cultural norm to chat with my neighbor or instead of gawking out the window.
I live near some of the highest hills in London, which afford views back down over the city. This is a part of town we walk to for errands. These pictures, taken a month ago, show the contrast to the more persistent brightness and colors these days!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)