Bedlam Royal Hospital

Day 9 February 4, 2011:

Sorry it has been so long! It has been hard keeping up, more than I thought it would be. On February 4th was a very nice day traveling all the way to Bethlehem, or Bedlam, Royal Hospital for the mentally unstable. It is out in the middle of nowhere compared to most of our other visits for school, located on Monks Orchard Road in Beckenham, England. This is the 4th location of the hospital that is different from all the others because it is more spread out than the other hospitals that were previously built resembling large palaces and having corridors of female and male wards and large dining and entertainment rooms. The old locations are located at Bishopsgate, Moorefield, and where the Imperial War Museum is now located. I think all the information we have been learning and the places we have been going for Mad Europe has been very interesting. Learning about the different techniques they use to do to cure people such as trying to balance out the four humors of the body (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and flem) and other more modern techniques like just talking to the patients and changing the environment they are in. While we were at the hospital we had a tour of the art museum they have there; they are just small works that are done by the patients who are admitted into the hospital.

We also had a presentation about Bedlam on how it started, why they wanted to build it, and the development of it through the years. And one of my favorite parts was we got to look at an entry in some of the first volumes ever made of the patients that were admitted there from the 17th century and read about their condition, what the doctors thought was wrong with them, what the patient’s life was like at home, age and other stuff about them. My patient was a 40ish old male who worked as a lawyer and whose name is not coming to mind at the moment but he was admitted because he had mood swings and threated to kill himself and his wife. Without going too much into detail, my diagnosis and mine alone is that his wife cheated on him and he was angry and wanted revenge but everyone thought it was crazy and went with his wife’s story. I think this because he also wanted to kill another man whose first name I remember was John, so it’s the most logical explanation and I’m sure back then they didn’t look into things on a more personal level and talk to the patient like they should have. He was admitted because he was ‘over worked’, which I guess can make people go sort of mad but not enough to go to a mental institution.
After that very intellectual day I didn’t feel like doing anything else but later on I went to the Generators basement where the dancing and bar was and had a good time with the I.T.C. people and meeting people from other countries. It was our last night to really be out before we had to leave London so it was bittersweet dancing till two and then waking up at three in the morning to some loud bang in my bed. I was ready to leave the loud hostel, but not London; although, I will be back some day. I like it to much there!

My apologizes!

Things have been SUPER busy over here in Europe the past like 2 weeks or something. Not being in Paris for very long and having class almost every day has been a lot to handle and trying to see all the sights I want to get to plus studying for my first test on Wednesday before I'm off to Switzerland for a few days! So I'm writing you all letting you know I'm still alive, though after tomorrow we'll see. We are going to Ghent, Belgium for a class and it is an all day adventure starting at 7:30 in the morning till about 8:00 at night (thankfully not midnight which was its original time!) The sucky thing is we have that test I told you about on Wed morning.. so we'll see if I live. Stress or tiredness may overtake me! And I don't wanna miss out on the Eiffel Tower Wed because I haven't gotten to see it yet! So hopefully everything goes smoothly and I will be updating you once I am in Switzerland! Some of my posts will be from like.. a week or more ago but I still wanted to share them with you because they are mostly written but not completely done.
Ta-ta for now!

Catching up on Blogging!

Day 7 February 2, 2011:
Freud is one of the most well-known psychologists in the world and influenced how people would look at education in psychology. Almost everyone in the world knows his name and at least one thing about him and what he did; and we got to go to the Freud Museum on the 2nd which is actually in his house that he lived on for the last year of his life in London!! He was moved out of his house in Vienna in 1938 by the Nazis and moved to London with all of his things for the last year of his life. It was a very cool experience to be in the same place as he was and kept pretty much in the same condition. Definitely a place I will remember forever, partly because the walk is up this huge hill. After the visit some girls and I went to get some tea at a little shop near the train station. After we got back I didn’t think I would be doing anything else but homework but instead we went out to The Rocket for some drinks! And some more drinks lol. It was a really good time and it was the first and time I had been down in the Generator’s bar/dance room also so it was a fun night dancing with people and meeting some guys from Australia to buy us drinks. Literally, cheers!

Day 8 February 3, 2011:
Being our day off on Thursday we got to sleep in for once! It felt amazing and a half! There wasn’t much going this day besides some shopping, walking around London and taking pictures and going to the National Gallery just for fun! Having sushi on the steps was great because it felt like I could really live there and just enjoy a snack near a national gallery of art! Otherwise it was a relaxing day and got a little homework done in the afternoon.

Something for Everyone

Day 6 February 1, 2011:

Continuing on our adventure we got to go to the British Museum! I was very tired from the night before because I couldn’t fall asleep with the party downstairs so I know I didn’t get the most out of it which I was disappointed in. Though, after two hours I really did try to see as much as I could. They have artifacts dating back to B.C. is some of the exhibits. There were things from Africa, the Islamic countries, around England, Greece which was my favorite, China, Egypt, and probably even more places than that. They also had the Rosetta Stone which was a treat to see in my opinion! They have tombs of mummies, old tools that they used; jewelry which I thought was pretty interesting to see what they use to adorn themselves with, some cloths, statues, shrines, books and other documents, and tons of other religious things and some stuff I probably didn’t see. I want to go there again sometime and spent a day just by myself looking at it all because its hard with a group when not everyone wants to take the time. After moseying around the museum for a couple hours some of the girls, Scott, and I went to Camden Town the area I talked a little bit about in one of my previous blogs for some shopping and just to check it out. The scene of this place is a mix of hippy, punk rock, goth, and other random styles; which I thought was awesome. You can pretty much find anything you want around Camden and for not an awful price but it also will be pretty original if you have the guts to wear some of those cloths. I know no one at home with have my dress or jacket which I’m pumped about! One of the stores I walked by but really should’ve went into was Cyberdog, just looking at the outside of the place was neat! But I don’t think I’ll have time or the energy to walk back up there but check out the website it pretty much describes whatever you want to know about their style of cloths and other things they sell there! Ta-ta for now!

Catching up

Day 5 January 31th, 2011:

Monday. Our first day of Mad Europe class. We had to meet back at the Imperial War Museum and listening to guys, because guys always know where they are going don’t they, we got lost and we were a little less than 10 min late but thankfully not enough to hurt our grade in the class. After a very long class period of two hours, Rik our leader of the trip, Leah, and I accompanied Ally to the doctor because she wasn’t getting better. We went to a walk-in clinic and it was all free which was awesome the wait is the only thing you have to put up with. We were there for about 3 hours total but it was a good thing we went and experienced it because she did have strep! So hopefully no one on the trip gets it though sickness is going around already; cross your fingers, I don’t want it to be me! Once we were done Dan joined us girls for some pizza at Bloom’s pizza café which was amazing. I had a tomato and mozzarella personal size pizza and we all shared some olives with garlic bread. Mmm… I could eat both any day! After that we made our way over to the Victoria Theatre for Wicked!! This was my first professional music that I got to see and I loved it! It was a great show and I would totally see it again someday. Other than this it was a slow day but still an experience going to a hospital and clinic. Definitely something I will remember about this I.T.C. trip!

"You're girls in London, what else would you go do?"

The past few days have gone by way to fast and it is already been a week in London! With only a few more days to go I figured I should keep updating you guys on what is happenin.(Oh and that quote as my title is by our doorman Michael from Australia, he's a hoot and a half!)

Over the weekend besides going to Tate Modern and Westminster Abby for a church service on Saturday, Sunday was my first day off of class related things. And what does a girl do when she gets a day off… shopping of course! And no it wasn’t intense or anything but a few people and I went to Covenant Square. Shopping in London is different than the U.S. in that there aren’t malls like we have, where a bunch of shops are located all in one spot. The shops are all close but you walk to each one and things are more intimate and original than the malls we have. Malls are very convenient but shopping here is an experience that you can make a day out of just because of how things are set up. You can watch a magician on the road, stop in a coffee shop while exploring different stores along the streets!

Another place I went to on Tuesday was Camden Town for some shopping. I want to go there again because of how interesting the shops are there and at the market you can find original things that you can barter to get a lower price on. I found a coat that was, “sixty dollars, but for you I’ll give you a special price,” and I got it for 40pounds. Tried for 30-35 but no success, “it’s even lined for the winter,” was his excuse.

The last shopping experience I have had was today, Thursday. We were trying to find out way to National Gallery, taking our time, stopping along the way on Regent Street at some shops. Mostly just looking around at what they have. At one of the more department stores/Pharmacy like places we stopped at I wanted to compare prices on fragrances, make-up, and hair products. And the pound is more expensive regardless but the only huge significant difference I saw in these prices was with the fragrances. Some of the more expensive ones at home were only for 13-15 pounds! Otherwise I need to look more closely at make-up and hair things. Only salons sell the salon products which is good, unlike Target that sells Bedhead and isn’t exactly suppose to; so I haven’t stopped in one of those yet. They have certain chains of shops just like at home, and a little too close together sometimes but each store does have its own style which I really enjoy. The have brand name stores where you can spend hundreds of pounds and dollars at or other little stores than aren’t so bad. H&M has been my personal favorite having things from 1 pound and up but nothing really above 60 pounds than I looked at. One thing I’m been searching for is boots. They are THE thing to wear here. They seem to make or break outfits that women wear. Coats, scarves, and shoes are the things they seem to really accentuate here. Their cloths are awesome as well but being that it is still winter they have great accessories and shoes to help still look fashionable. So having big feet is one issue but finding a store with semi-decent prices is another. In one of these counties I will find some :). I have to say London and probably Europe in general will turn out to be MUCH more fashion forward than the U.S. My boss Shawna mentioned a few days before I left for Europe that they are ahead of the United States by 7 years in things like fashion and hair styles; I believe her. Things here are much more people friendly in that I think more than one body type, size, taste can wear their cloths. The styles at home are you have style or you don’t; if it is a brand name or not. Here, it doesn’t matter if its brand name. They put together outfits to look good no matter if they find it at the market on the street or in an expensive store in Soho. I really like the cloths here if you couldn’t tell.

So concluding this blog that seemed to be mainly on shopping another place I want to try and get to is Herrods. It is a huge shopping mall, one of the biggest in the world, and I hope to get there to see what it is like before I leave London on Sunday. I’m pictures Ikea like but apparently they sell like yachts and other very large items also so it sounds exciting! I also stopped in a 5 story toy store today! They had probably any toy or game you could think of! Plus a sort of build-a-bear place! A brief thing on their grocery stores and coffee shops now… Waitrose seems to be the place to go to for any kind of food or drink that you could want. They have “Food and Wine” shops all over the place also that sells just random assortments of food items and, obviously, wine and other alcohol. The cafés and coffee shops are the best! You can go in, get something, and stay there all day or just sit and enjoy your coffee tea or food! It is so relaxing and time doesn’t seem to matter a whole lot which I like also. Anyway enough about shopping if you even read this far, Good Job! Haha. I’m sure I lost some but that’s okay. My other blogs will be more about other things than just this but it is just interesting to me :)

Day 3

Day 3 January 29th, 2011:

As the morning of the third day arrived I had great anticipation as we were going to a modern art museum-> Tate Modern. A lot of people are not into modern art because it is unique and different from more contemporary or classic art forms. And I will admit that some are much stranger than others, but it is all about opening up your mind to the different ideas they can give you and the different things each artist personally had in mind. For one of our classes we had to pick out three pieces that “spoke to us” or were meaningful to us. I haven’t picked which ones I like the most yet because I am interested in many of them but below are some of the pictures I took of the different ones I enjoyed.
Mehr Licht by Juliao Sarmento

Forget Me by Juliao Sarmento

Black Virtue by Matta

Film Star by John Latham

ANNND many many more that will be on facebook soonish!

After I was done going through most of the museum since a lot of the girls didn’t seem to like it as much we made plans to try to get on the London Eye for a ride! But… Forgetting it was Saturday; we had a good walk along the South bank and taking pictures of different cultural things in London. Along the beach of the river there were local sand artists doing sand sculptures and entertainers on the street/walkway some playing statues others doing magic tricks or someone even standing on stilts dressed up as Elvis! Enjoying some sort of snack that consisted of peanuts and clusters of something deep-fried and sugary that is sold along the side of many roads in London, we decided instead of going on the London Eye because of the huge crowd to walked across the river to Big Ben so we could see it during the day! Along with seeing the famous Big Ben we went nearby to Westminchester Abby and made it just in time for a choral church service! And that is something not everyone gets to experience in a lifetime. It was PRETTY dang sweet in my opinion. It is one of the most gorgeous places in the world inside this westminchester church and although we were not allowed to take pictures because it wasn’t visiting hours I will not forget how beautiful it was. It gave me chills listening to the choir sing while admiring the wonderful scenery of this church.

After another day of lots of walking my hip flexors were telling me I needed a break but once I got back to the hostel and had dinner some people mentioned going out to a club to Ministry of Sound that was across London and had an assortment of DJ’s playing in different rooms of this place. Although I wanted to just go to sleep after having a few hours of girl talk in our room I got up and met the group downstairs to head off! We all being very smart brought no map with but found our way with the help of some locals and only a short line was waiting for us once we got there! It was pretty awesome also. Each room had different techno/house music playing, my favorite being a room with music that had very loud bass! The bathrooms even had perfume, brushes and combs, and other items for your use for free! Clubbing and dancing is different than in the U.S. and it is more of a laid back setting where people are dancing by themselves just listening and feeling the music, or just too drunk to move a lot. I met someone from Poland and tried to learn a few words with no luck. On the way back to the hostel since the trains were closed for the night we caught a bus back to Russell Square! And sat on the top of a double decker bus! We even got to speak with two other English men who we got to talk about America with, places to go in London, and how they liked OUR accents! Something I had never heard before. Getting back around four in the morning with sore feet I knew my plans of getting up early to have breakfast and go to St. Paul’s church probably wasn’t going to happen so I will have to go there some other time while I am in London. As for day 3 it was pretty awesome!!

Day 2

Day 2 January 28th, 2011:

After a lovely night’s sleep we met outside the Generator and were about to start or first day of class for INTS going to the Imperial War Museum! We had to navigate our way around on the tube underground system using a nifty little card to get through called an Oyster card. The train system is MUCH easier than driving or at least it seems like it is. If you are in Wisconsin or Minnesota, pedestrians usually have the right of way if you start walking across. In London, if you are even looking like you are about to walk across the street you get honked at and almost run over. Buses, cars, motorcycles, even bicycles have their own lane and the right of way! Besides the crazy traffic a lot of people do seem to be in a hurry much like the U.S. which I wasn’t expecting. Then again, it could be because it is their winter with a low of 30 or 25  (and we complain about it here! It’s probably -30 at home!) Anyway, the train system is awesome and very easy to get around, as long as you get on the right track, and even if you don’t, you get off and take the opposite one!

We found our way to the museum and it is in the old Bedlam hospital for the mentality insane (the new Bedlam we are going to next week!). Huge canons and a piece of the Berlin wall are on the grounds as you enter and the building is wonderfully built like most of the other architecturally beautiful buildings in London. The museum has different levels with lots of different pieces of the history of London and of the UK and Europe in general. They cover anything from WW1, WW2, The Children’s War, The Holocaust, some general history things in London and the UK and other exhibits that would have been too much information for my brain! It is somewhere you need more than one day to go to but very cool and interesting I was glad we got to go there for class. The Holocaust exhibit was the one I spent the most time in while I was there. And I’ve been to the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. which is also stellar but I really liked the layout of this exhibit and learned a lot about more about it then I did before; plus I was much younger when I went to the museum almost 5 or 6 years ago. It is a place that everyone should still go to because it keeps you focused on what is really important in life and how absolutely good life is now for most people in the world.

After a long day of learning about different history topics a group of girls and I thought it would be fun to go to London Bridge and the Tower of London. We didn’t want to pay to get in but we got to see the outside and some of the inside from the window of a yummy restaurant we ate at called Wagamama. It was sort of Chinese/Thai food, very very good!

After another long day of walking and adventures around London and on the tube system it was wonderful to get back to the Hostel, do a little homework and fall asleep instantly!

Day 1

Day 1, January 26th-27th, 2011:

The day felt like it would never come and never begin. The majority of my day was spent with nervous energy, too much coffee which worsened it and looking over packing plans, my bags and just trying to make time pass! My stomach was filled with butterflies as mom and I headed toward the grand MSP airport, stopping at taco bell along the way, probably worsening my nervous stomach problems. Once I got to the airport things were getting better. I knew some people already but the wait went by kind of slow being that we had an almost 3 hours’ time to wait. After some cruzin around in the airport and a sundae at The Rock Bottom in the airport, it was time to board! And let me tell you nothing could get me down! Not even a center aisle seat in the middle of the plane! But it was kind of cool anyways because I got to talk to some of the other students on the trip who I hadn’t before!
The plane ride was long but Inception, The Social Network, and Easy A made it go by relatively fast. I got no sleep though the food was semi-decent for plane food. Once we got to the airport things were still going well until I got to the security check place (forgot what it’s actually called at the moment). After standing in line for about 30 min I got towards the front and saw one of the girls with our group almost about to burst into tears and thought to myself jokingly, bet that will be me; turns out I wasn’t far from that! I got my chance to go and I was excited because I’d officially be in the UK! She started asking me some questions about where I was from, going, and what I was doing in the UK. Then she asked me for my acceptation letter to be able to study there and... we were never Given, a letter… so I’m rifling through my papers asking her what could work for proof trying to explain that I’m with a group, not studying at a school specifically... After about 7 min another man comes over and asked if I was with the HUGE group standing right behind us I the waiting area and he let me through. I get the point of needing proof but for this program we didn’t specifically need a letter of acceptance. So after almost crying from being interigated I got through, my baggage was safely there, and the whole group made it!

Once we got to the hostel and we were all to say the least, VERY tired, but we still were going on a group walk around the city around four thirty, once the time came we learned how far it was really going to be.. five miles. So after a very long and slightly stressful five mile walk around what seemed like the entire city of London we made it back for some food and sleepy time in the tiniest room a six foot one girl could maybe ever be in. (pictures later) As for day one I was out like a light with Rihanna and Katy Perry playing very loudly below us. Ironic but sort of expected! Can’t wait for the rest of these days!

And we're off!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Tonight at 10:00 I will be on my way to London! It seems way to sur-real, still! I can't wait to get to the airport and pinch myself to make sure its really happening!!

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings." ----Lewis Carroll


And some encouragement from my aunt :) Travelers Psalm, Pslams 121

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore