Falling in and out of love...with London

Hello!!!

Happy Belated St. Paddy's Day!! In honor of St. Paddy's Day, I would like to let people who live under rocks see this.

Now, moving on...London is a rollercoaster, and I want to get off. Really...one day I love it, and the next...I'm dreaming of Ireland. (Or Portland.)

So, from where I left off, ironically, the day after I wrote my last blog about how I was "really getting settled into my new school," I got a call from my agency that the woman who was on leave from the position I had taken over at Globe Academy, was coming back. In other words, I was out of a permanent job, once again. It hasn't been so bad being back to regular daily substitute teaching, but as I mentioned previously, not much has changed in my feelings of restlessness towards substitute teaching. (At least it's fairly good money, and "is a great experience in working abroad, I guess.)

Since the last blog, a fair amount of random things have gone on in life in London. Firstly, one of our housemates, Tim, is moving out. Quite frankly, he's the least awesome one of us, who never hangs out with the house and instead is a recluse in his room playing computer games...but, it's a huge pain in the a** trying to get someone to fill his space at this time of year. We have been looking for a new housemate for about three weeks now, and we have absolutely no takers. The cool people who have come to see the house, have consistently called us alter to tell us they found something in a better neighborhood, and then there have been the fair bit of crazies who, clearly, we aren't going to live with. The latest, whose name, incidentally, is KURT RUSSELL, actually asked us what our STAR SIGNS were. (LU-NA-TIC!) Needless to say, it has been a huge stress for us recently, and I don't know what we are going to do if we can't get someone to move in...

I recently found the best bar in London...called The Lexington...that serves BROOKLYN LAGER AND SIERRA NEVADA. What?!! Random thought, but very blog-worthy.

I went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade last week and it was shockingly smaller than the one in NYC. You'd think, being closer to Ireland and all, it would have been huge...

Look! Spring! After the parade a few of us went to Green Park (one of the MANY parks in London). It was the first perfect, warm, sunny day London has had in many, many months (and the first since I have been here) and the whole city came out of their shells. Hundreds of people were picnic-ing and laying around in the sun. It reminded me SO much of Central Park come spring. And, I should say, I fell completely in love with London.

There is nothing more wonderful than sitting in a park, surrounded by green, surrounded by a city, and lazing-around with your friends. (l-r: Jill, Helen, Rob, Sadhbh) It could only have been bested by a novelty flying disk (JAMES, you were missed!) or some playing cards. And yesterday, I got sunburned playing hockey!! Of course, my love-crush with London was shattered only days later when it took me 1.5 hrs to get into London city from my friends' place in Stoke Newington. (For those of you non-Londonphiles, it should only have taken about 25 minutes...I HATE London transport!!!)

My hockey team...we never win...but we are winners at life? Oh no. Did I really just say that? (l-r: emma, me, gabby, rowena, jo, lydia, minty, anna)

And now...for a list: The Short List of New Favorites:
1. Bar--The Lexington
2. Sport to watch on T.V--Rugby (One of the best sporting events I've EVER watched on Television...up there with 2004 Red Sox...)
3. Neighborhood--Stoke Newington (This isn't really a New Favorite...but recently I've been reminded of how much I love it...despite it's lack of proximity to a tube station.)
4. New Irish Crush--Tommy Bowe (Scroll down to the bottom and watch the video. Honestly, if I didn't love him before, with his tiny shorts and mouthguard on the pitch, then I certainly love him for having the guts to sing in front of this crowd.)
5. Hair Color--Ginger (Well, let's just say that I let Jaz dye my hair a couple days ago with a hairdye bought at the pound shop...and, well, now, I'm a little bit of a red head. But just a little bit.)

Well, this has been pretty short, for once (so no excuses about commenting!!) Happy Spring!

Love, Sarah