It has been a busy week for me here on the east end of London. Earlier this week I journeyed to our local street market at Watergate. Here you can find exciting bargains on mediocre fruit, and your basic Florida flea market merchandise (minus the fake watches). Quite disappointing really, I did manage to pick up a pair of cheap knives for my kitchen!
My classes are few and far between. My favorite so far is Managerial Accounting. Led by Alan Parkinson, this mid 50's professor has spent a couple years teaching at St. Cloud State. Prof Parkison is a fast talking, entertaining professor, and does a heck-of-a-job making Full Costing method seem interesting by throwing a few jokes and teasing just about every student he can. Something I've noticed here at Queen Mary University is that the professors and administrators are much more frank and not afraid to "take the piss" out of their students. For example Harry Gibney, the study abroad admin, upon arrival told everyone on our shuttle bus from the airport that if we failed to attend orientation he would kill us, so if we didn't want to "wake up dead," Sunday morning we best attend orientation. Unlike the states where such a remark would warrant a story in the paper and potentially a lawsuit, statements like this are generally laughed at.
Last night I met up once again with Michael Glotter and special guest Rachel Glotter for dinner at a West End pub. Later that night we visited London Hillel House for the term opening party. After hunting around the University City College of London for the centre, we eventually arrived at a subtle entrance with a small UJS (Union of Jewish Students) plate along the door frame. I was impressed by the security measures at the center. After a total of 3 security doors and a bag check they eventually let us enter the union. Compared to Minnesota's Hillel, with their large SHALOM letters in the window and "Everyone Welcome" door sign, it was quite different. The London UJS was very nice, 4 plasma screen tvs with video game systems, a kosher cafe and plenty of comfy seating. At the party I met a lot of nice Jews, drank a couple Stella Artois Lagers and noshed on some pastries. UJS was certainly a welcomed change of pace from the pro-Hamas environment around London.
I spent the afternoon/early evening with Pauline, who I met last night at UJS. We roamed around West London, had a very sub-mediocre (but cheap) Chinese dinner and after passing on "The Lion King Musical" settled for a stand-up comedy show. The show was hilarious, even if some of the jokes were a bit too British for me to understand.
Well that's all for now. All comments are appreciated and again if you with to contact me my Skype name is lede0042 and my email is ross.leder@gmail.com.
Cheers!
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