Fulbrighters Take on London
I had the absolute pleasure of spending the weekend with other Fulbrighters from the UK in London.
I left school during lunch on Friday and walked to my train station here in Woburn Sands, although train station seems like a generous term. It is such a precious little village that in fact there are just tracks and two platforms, so it is fairly easy to know if you are in the right place! When I arrived in London, I was nervous about the timing about getting to the hotel, changed and to the Embassy on time. I arrived in a hustle and bustle type crowd in London, no doubt looking like a lost puppy. But then, thanks to the generosity of my former fourth graders, I was able to move right through the lines and at least look like I knew what I was doing. My fourth graders gave me a pre-loaded Oyster card at the end of the year last year. This magical card is used as an easier and cheaper way to pay for underground rides. All I had to do was hold it next to the machines and the gates open and let me pass! It was fabulous!
On Friday night, we were invited to the US Embassy for some time to get pointers from former Fulbrighters and hear a little more about the program. I was honored for this invitation and enjoyed catching up with people who had had similar experiences. As there was a small protest at the Embassy, we had to be ushered in and out of the back door, and there wasn't much touring around, but we were showered with compliments, food, drinks and even some US/UK souvenirs. It is an honor to be an ambassador for the USA and I was thrilled to be invited to the Embassy.
Saturday morning was a "catch-up" time for us all. We enjoyed meeting together to discuss our successes and struggles so far. It was wonderful to hear from everyone, knowing that we are all doing well, but that there are similar difficulties for us all. It is nice to know that none of us are going through this on our own, that we are in this together, and there are others who feel as we do.
Saturday was a glorious day in London, so we didn't waste any time to get out and about after our meeting. We enjoyed the sunshine and our time together, exploring the streets of London. We walked by the Thames River and the London Eye. While some people chose to go and see a show, JJ and I decided to use our legs, and explore the city at night. The city is full of energy and history, and with just a slight chill in the air, it was a perfect evening for exploring! We talked the entire way, sometimes of the city, but mostly about our new lives, the adventures we had been on, the people we had met, our successes so far and the challenges still to overcome.
A trip to London wouldn't be complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace! Thankfully, one of the other Fulbrighters had thought ahead and ordered tickets for us to visit the Palace. There were loads of people there, but thanks to some wonderful audio guides, everyone was able to move at their own pace, learning information along the way and enjoying the grandeur of it all. As the audio guide leads you up the grand staircase, lined in golden trim and etched wood, glorious classical music blares in the background, making you feel all-important, in fact, part of me wondered why the other tourists weren't stopping to watch me walk up the grand stairway. The drawing rooms, the grand hallways lined with art, the dining room, the music room, and the exhibit of the royal's diamonds were all stunning, full of a regal-ness that can only come from the royals themselves. But of course, my favorite room was the ball room. I'm really not sure why we stopped putting those in our houses in the first place...
I could say that this weekend the President flew in to join us at the Embassy and the Queen invited us for tea at the Palace, but stories are meant to make things better, more intriguing and exciting, and well, there is no need for falsity here. It was a grand weekend all on it's own accord!
I left school during lunch on Friday and walked to my train station here in Woburn Sands, although train station seems like a generous term. It is such a precious little village that in fact there are just tracks and two platforms, so it is fairly easy to know if you are in the right place! When I arrived in London, I was nervous about the timing about getting to the hotel, changed and to the Embassy on time. I arrived in a hustle and bustle type crowd in London, no doubt looking like a lost puppy. But then, thanks to the generosity of my former fourth graders, I was able to move right through the lines and at least look like I knew what I was doing. My fourth graders gave me a pre-loaded Oyster card at the end of the year last year. This magical card is used as an easier and cheaper way to pay for underground rides. All I had to do was hold it next to the machines and the gates open and let me pass! It was fabulous!
On Friday night, we were invited to the US Embassy for some time to get pointers from former Fulbrighters and hear a little more about the program. I was honored for this invitation and enjoyed catching up with people who had had similar experiences. As there was a small protest at the Embassy, we had to be ushered in and out of the back door, and there wasn't much touring around, but we were showered with compliments, food, drinks and even some US/UK souvenirs. It is an honor to be an ambassador for the USA and I was thrilled to be invited to the Embassy.
Saturday morning was a "catch-up" time for us all. We enjoyed meeting together to discuss our successes and struggles so far. It was wonderful to hear from everyone, knowing that we are all doing well, but that there are similar difficulties for us all. It is nice to know that none of us are going through this on our own, that we are in this together, and there are others who feel as we do.
Saturday was a glorious day in London, so we didn't waste any time to get out and about after our meeting. We enjoyed the sunshine and our time together, exploring the streets of London. We walked by the Thames River and the London Eye. While some people chose to go and see a show, JJ and I decided to use our legs, and explore the city at night. The city is full of energy and history, and with just a slight chill in the air, it was a perfect evening for exploring! We talked the entire way, sometimes of the city, but mostly about our new lives, the adventures we had been on, the people we had met, our successes so far and the challenges still to overcome.
A trip to London wouldn't be complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace! Thankfully, one of the other Fulbrighters had thought ahead and ordered tickets for us to visit the Palace. There were loads of people there, but thanks to some wonderful audio guides, everyone was able to move at their own pace, learning information along the way and enjoying the grandeur of it all. As the audio guide leads you up the grand staircase, lined in golden trim and etched wood, glorious classical music blares in the background, making you feel all-important, in fact, part of me wondered why the other tourists weren't stopping to watch me walk up the grand stairway. The drawing rooms, the grand hallways lined with art, the dining room, the music room, and the exhibit of the royal's diamonds were all stunning, full of a regal-ness that can only come from the royals themselves. But of course, my favorite room was the ball room. I'm really not sure why we stopped putting those in our houses in the first place...
I could say that this weekend the President flew in to join us at the Embassy and the Queen invited us for tea at the Palace, but stories are meant to make things better, more intriguing and exciting, and well, there is no need for falsity here. It was a grand weekend all on it's own accord!
It was indeed a grand weekend!
ReplyDeleteSounds grand, indeed! Thanks for describing it so vividly and sharing it with those of us at home. What a great way to usher in your birthday! Happy, Happy Birthday, Rebecca--may this be your best year yet!--With Love, Penny
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