I will get around to writing up my Istanbul trip but there's a lot to say and the important parts (well, really the important part singular, the Hagia Sophia) are heavy and emotional. Hard to describe. So I'm working on coming up with the words.
Things that have happened here that are not related to my trip to Istanbul:
+ D. (my fav prof back home) asked if I wanted to be her research assistant next semester on a research project. She's sending all the assorted paperwork (including my proposal to be her assistant, thank you mother for the editing comments) in soon, so crossing fingers that that works out.
+ I emailed my fav prof here (Ian) to ask if there's even a remote possibility that I could do something in television with my anthro degree and he not only responded, but responded positively and complimented me and is willing to let me pick his brain. Which made me do a happy dance.
+ My power cord started smoking last night, to my intense horror and panic (as Danes can attest, having been in the middle of a Skype date when it happened), so I had to run out and get a new one today. I have to admit, I was still a little panicky until I got it home and had it working.
+ Wandered into Central again today (like I do), basically moving from beverage to beverage. Started with lunch at The Clarence (at the end of Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, near where we went to see Simon Callow in Being Shakespeare last week), which was yummy; then Starbucks in Piccadilly Circus (you can see how, even in a new-ish place, I still like my routines...); then another cider (later) at The Lyceum Tavern again. I like going places where I can watch people and that often happens to be inside. Also, it was chilly today and, while I spent a good deal of time people-watching in Trafalgar Square, I got cold.
+ I have figured out part of the reason I feel so comfortable in The City: I'm calm. Peaceful. It's the sort of calm, inner peace you hear about in connection with meditation, that I've only rarely been able to achieve. Apparently, the key for cutting off my brain from thinking is to surround it with everyone else's noise and chatter and existence. I cease to think, to worry, to plan my next three days. I'm an island of nothing in the bustle of everyone else's lives. It's amazing. I have no idea why I can achieve a meditative calm in the heart of London, of all places, but I don't want to ruin it by over-analyzing it.
+ On my way back to catch the train, went across the Golden Jubilee bridge (which my parents discovered; I am ashamed that they found something I didn't after months of wandering the area...) and up the South Bank and there were a bunch of performers. First up was a troupe of breakdancers from all over the place; the lead guy was from France, others from Argentina and Columbia, Japan, etc. One of the first songs they danced to was Abdel Kader, which I know from the Rai music (French+Arabic) unit in French class in 10th grade, so I was very, very excited. After them, a pair of guys (looked like brothers, but idk) who did a ball-twirling bit, like David Bowie in Labyrinth. I couldn't stop staring, it was so cool!
* This has nothing to do with anything, other than I bought a package of them while at the store yesterday (yesterday? I don't even remember...) and they are so delicious.
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