Time for a new chapter in this story

You may have been wondering: When on earth is Laura going to start writing something interesting again??? Or better, when is she going to write ANYTHING???

You will have to forgive me, fellow bloggers, I have been suffering from a serious case of writer's block. Switzerland, for one reason or another, as beautiful and pristine as it is, has been the culprit. There is something that makes it difficult to write about a place you come to know as home. It becomes harder and harder to note the differences, and observe how life is unique and special in that place that becomes commonplace and mundane. As a writer I often struggle with this. So I suppose it is as good a time as any for me to pack up my bags, wave Switzerland a fond "Ade," (for the moment) and try somewhere new.

I hope that in this new adventure I will have plenty to talk about, because needless to say, this new country I have decided to call home for the next 6 months is quite different from anywhere I have ever called "home," with a culture and a lifestyle that should be interesting to write about. I hope you will enjoy the new chapter of my blog as I explore Tanzania. Talk to you soon!!

10 tips to adjusting to life abroad

It's been a while....sorry everyone! I guess after living in Switzerland for a year, I've become less motivated to write about the place I live in, which seems every day more and more like a home, and less like a foreign country.....

But then recently inspiration hit me. As one friend came home from a trip abroad, and one left to go to South America, and my boyfriend headed off to Tanzania, I felt a pang of jealousy. Here they are, going to these amazing new places, to see amazing new things. I assumed they were having the times of their lives, and then I started getting Skype calls. I couldn't help but smirk a little when my boyfriend admitted over the screen, "Yeah, I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm not traveling in Africa. I'm actually LIVING here." And that's where I may have him beat. These friends of mine are probably better pros than I'll ever be at traveling, flying, hosteling, and packing (well....maybe...) but I do one thing differently. I don't just travel to a place. I live there. And then write silly little blog entries about it. For long periods of time. Or not.

So I've come to the conclusion, as I give free advice to my friends overseas, whether they like it or not, that maybe I can write a little about my "living overseas" experience. I realize this may or may not be interesting to you, my dear reader, but let me give it a shot. Over the past few years, I've learned that the first impressions of a place you live in are often the deepest and most memorable, so it's important to appreciate and learn from your first days living in a new country. Whether it be France or Mongolia, every place takes a little adjusting to, and it's never going to be exactly like the place you call home. So here are My top ten tips to adjusting to living in a new culture:

1. Attach yourself to people you can trust. Regardless of what age they are, or where they come from, it's always nice to have a friend or two around. It could be the person who is hosting you at the beginning of your stay, or a colleague from your new work place, or maybe even someone you met through another person that one time in that one place. The most important thing is to have someone to rely on, who can help you out if you can't figure out how to get a calling card, or where to buy food, and really don't know what to do.

Even if it's another foreigner, sometimes two minds work better than one, and maybe they can help you work through some problems you might have at the beginning. And of course, it's always nice to have someone to talk to, about the new life you have, who will understand what you are talking about.

It's important to be cautious of who you put this trust in, but in every country I've ever lived in, I've always managed to find good people who truly meant to help me in every way possible, and that truly made a difference in navigating a crazy country.

2. Find a place to stay that is comfortable for you, even if temporarily. Ok, so you will have to adjust to maybe not having running water, or eating odd things that don't look quite right, but it's important to have a room, or place to sleep that is comforting to you. If you have that little bit of privacy, you'll be able to have some peaceful moments during your day to take a break from the chaos and regroup and rethink. If your living situation is really bringing you down, it will probably make the rest of your time there not so enjoyable.

3. Take some time for yourself. Sometimes a new place can be rather shocking, and can freak you out. Instead of forcing yourself out all day long to go sight seeing and make new friends, give yourself a break, even if it's before you go to bed, to just...chill. Write in your journal, read a book, listen to music, do something that relaxes you when you are at home. That way you'll feel recharged for whatever else comes your way. In contrast:

4. Don't hide away! Some of my friends who went abroad for the first time with me in France had this problem. They were so shocked by the country that they spent most of their time in their rooms. This is good for small periods of time to take a break, but be careful that you don't hide away. Then whatever small perceptions you have of the world outside you may become warped or magnified in ways that make you never want to leave your cover, and will probably make you more homesick than before. I found that if you live in a big city, it really helps to discover the quiet, peaceful neighborhoods. Then you can go for walks with your new friends and discover something a little more low key, without hiding away.

5. Find balance with your contacts at home. Of course I will be the first to say it's important to write to your mother and your grandmother so that they know you are alive and well, but be careful. If you spend most of your time on facebook, skype, chat, etc. you: a: miss home even more, and wish you were there and b: miss out on exploring a new place! All of those wasted hours where you could have been climbing a hill to get a great view, or going to a new café to eat something new and exciting. Time to step away from the computer, and communicate with people face to face. Everyone has their own balance. For me, once a week is a perfectly reasonable way to stay in contact.

6. Try to speak the language of the land. Even if you only know "hello," and "thank you," you will often find that the locals are friendlier and responsive towards a foreigner who is trying to respect their ways, even if they sound silly and foolish. It's important if you are going to live there to really try and learn the language, even if people speak your native tongue, or a language you feel more comfortable in. Be patient, it takes time, but if you listen to the radio, watch tv, and try to communicate with that lady in the supermarket, you'll soon discover that what seemed like a scary foreign country will feel more like home.

7. Find a new hobby, or join a new group. If you can pick up an old hobby from home, like a sport, or dancing, go with it. If not, this is a great time to learn something new, and try something that you might be good at, or at least enjoy. It's important to stay a little busy, and if you can stay physically active as well, you'll feel a hundred times better!!! Look around online, or ask locals. There's something for everyone, if you're a little flexible and open minded, and this is the best way to meet locals, who share similar interests to yourself. It's a great way to bond and make friends, and really enjoy your time abroad.

8. Do your best at whatever it is your doing. Whether you're studying, working, or just freeloading (ok, I don't know what to tell you guys, I've never tried that before ;-) ) it's important to give it your all. If you aren't motivated or interested in your job, or your studies, then what are you doing there anyways? Wasn't that part of the plan? Make sure you get your priorities straight, or you'll go home in a year and realize that you had a lot of fun abroad....but didn't accomplish much. If you really feel you learned something or achieved something great, you'll have that positive experience follow you for the rest of your life.

9. Adjust yourself to the cultural expectations. Although you may not be used to wearning long sleeves, or always keeping your hands on the table, unless you attempt to understand and appreciate the culture around you, you will always be labeled, and self label yourself as well as an outsider. This is ok for a 2 week vacation to Turkey, but if you want to gain some respect from the people around you (which I hope you do, you are living there after all), at least try to appreciate and accept some of their cultures. Of course this is not to say you should abandon all of your beliefs just for the sake of blending in. No, you should definitely stay vegetarian if you can't imagine the thought of tasting meat, or go to a special place to pray if you are religious. It's important to share your culture with the people around you as well. Just keep in mind and respect those customs that may seem funny or rediculous to you. I've had plenty of people laugh at me when I explained why they shouldn't open an umbrella inside. Now that's just ridiculous!

10. Most importantly....be PATIENT. With yourself. It's ok to be frustrated, or upset, or homesick for the first few weeks. That's normal for many people, when they live thousands of miles away from their family and friends, and miss what is familiar to them, whether it is missing the ability to read signs around them, or the supermarket with the familiar and friendly food items. It is normal....for a while. But don't let these feelings overrun the other feelings you might be having inside your brain: you may be thinking about all of the amazing things you saw and did that day, or all the crazy people you talked to. Don't go home later regretting that you left at all. This world is a big place, and there's so much to see. Enjoy it! Embrace it. But don't be afraid to be afraid. We're only human after all.

Unearthing Switzerland

Switzerland can be such a deceptively beautiful country. I have spent so many months here, trying to explore many different places, and every time it seems like no matter how hard I try, I cannot for the life of me find the "ugly truth" - aka, I think it's really important to look for those ugly, off the beaten path sort placecs in a country, to truly appreciate it for what it really is. But it's been quite the challenge. It seems like no matter how many walks, bike rides, or train rides you go on, you can see miles of endless beauty, and there never seems to be any places where you wouldn't want to stay just a little longer for that cup of coffee and fresh air, to appreciate it for what it really is. At least that's truly what I thought, until I started getting serious about this new idea of mine: why not, piece by piece, bike ride all of the way across Switzerland? This would be the greatest way to see parts of this country that I had never even known existed....it would be the ultimate test, to find something less than scenic along the way.

So off my friend Christoph and I went, from Menziken to Biel, exploring Emmental, Burgdorf, and other places along the way. In 80 miles, there must be something sharp and edgey, different from the perfect Swiss scenery I've become accostumed to. We spent 12 hours on the bike route, pedaling away, it was quite the tough ride for me, mainly because it was so long. But I was amazed, because everywhere we looked the scenery changed slightly, you never felt like you were in the same place twice. The views of the mountains constantly altered, and the fields switched from wildflowers to wheat as we passed from farm to village. Although it was always the same idea. No matter where we looked, it was BEAUTIFUL. I couldn't believe it. There's a sort of simplicity in the beauty of Switzerland....everything is quaint and simple, smaller, less messy somehow. Everything is organized, and absolutely gorgeous.

So I gave in. I decided that all of Switzerland has to be like that, I had already seen so much for it not to be true. We agreed to stick to the plan however, once our legs recovered from what was by far the longest bike ride I've ever done in my life. A few weeks later, the plan was to ride to Zurich. I wasn't expecting any new surprises here, since I've been to Zurich more times than anywhere else in Switzerland, and it's the first place I explored in this country over 4 years ago. What could possibly be surprising?

And of course, that's when suprises always happen, when you least expect them. The problem with claiming you "know" a city, is that there are many ways to know a place, and it often depends on your approach: mentally and physically. In fact, if you think about it, usually your first impressions of a place are those that are strongest, so if you arrive in an ugly, unsafe Greyhound station somewhere outside of a big city, you're most likely to have a strong recollection of the place, not necessarily in a positive way.

I have the opposite problem with Zurich. The first moment I stepped off the train, I was mesmorized by all of the beautiful lights around me, and the calm, more collected feel of the city. I can only recollect lovely summer days wandering around in the forest nearby, or wild parties in the parks near the lake. But never had I arrived via bicycle, exploring from the outside of the city in. And let me tell you, as with any large metropolitan place, the outside is usually not nearly as nice looking as the inside.

So as we drove by factories, and dumpy worn out apartment complexes, I couldn't help but see why many Swiss people aren't a big fan of Zurich. In fact, on the outside, it's like any other city in the world: worn on the edges, rough, IMPERFECT. Finally, success, in the most surprising of places. As we rode back along the river, we saw many immigrant families, working on their city garden plots (I think out of all of the flags we spotted in the garden, perhaps 80% were Portuguese, 10% Croation and Serbian, and 1 was Swiss) next to dilapidated huts, and somewhat trashy riverbanks. But then it hit me, as we drove by barbeque after barbeque, where people were enjoying their time outside, swimming, listening to music, and talking. This imperfect part of the outskirts of the city was starting to take on a new form. In its own unique way, watching these less financially endowed families enjoy their weekend outdoors, this place was beautiful. After all, doesn't beauty come in many forms?

As I cycled along, I cast of my ideas of "perfection," realizing it was a pointless endeavor. Perfection doesn't really exist, and would anyone really want it to?

Luzern, the land of many Velos

I think one of my favorite words in the Swiss German vocabulary has to be the word "velo." Ok, so they stole it from the French, but it's almost a comforting word for me, something that I feel really familiar with, and that I can say without even thinking about it. It also happens to be Niven's favorite word too. As a three year old, nothing puts a smile on his face like when I say that magic word, "velo." Then he knows we'll be off on a bike ride, him sitting on the back of my bike singing along and watching the world go by, just like I did once as a little girl with my mother. Never did I realize that having a heavy kid on the back of your bike makes pedalling up a steep hill really difficult!!! But all the same, I have become a cycling enthusiast (my mother cheers in the background as she reads this post).It's not hard to see why. For a cyclist, Luzern is the dream city.

Why Luzern? Luzern is a very bike friendly city. Not only are the bike lanes just about every street, especially the busy ones, but they are very brightly painted and obvious, so that any driver who runs over a cyclist MUST be blind (or the cyclist wasn't where he/she was supposed to be). Even with traffic lights they have sensors for cyclists, who get their own spot to wait in front of all of the cars. This means that instead of waiting for the next car to trip the green light, you can actually manage to get a "go" on your own.

It's also more convenient than other forms of transport in the city. Although the busses are relatively frequent during the day, they stop running as often in the evening, and finish service by 12, which can be inconvenient if you want to stay out later. Not to mention that you'll have to pay quite a bit for the bus to begin with, and you're going to have to walk a little bit anyways to get where you want to go. With a bike, you can gete from point A to point B probably almost as fast if not faster than taking the bus. As for cars, finding parking in the city is really a pain. Not only is it expensive, but most street parking is limited to a few hours. Everywhere you look there is bike parking for free, and with plenty of nice bikes standing there, you feel more comfortable leaving your bike, knowing it probably won't be the first one stolen (Switzerland is pretty safe anyways, and people tend to use cheap flimsy locks on their bikes).

So now that I have gotten into the habit of riding my bicycle into town, there's no stopping me now. I feel so independent and competent, able to get anywhere at anytime, for free (ok, aside from a few costs of buying a lock, fixing things, etc). And those legs are getting stronger too, which can't hurt. Of course I'm not the only one with this great idea. From business suits to hipsters, biking is not just for the few out of many. It's as commonplace here as driving can be in America. It's a way of life.

Learning two foreign languages at once

Last year was a challenging year for me on many levels. First I was living in a big city in a crazy country. Second, I was actually TEACHING English, and felt like I had a real grown up job. And third, learning a new language, straight from scratch....and Russian was HARD. I thought, hey, if I can learn Russian, I can learn any language pretty easily, right? Well....Then I moved to Luzern. Admittedly you can cheat here, people tend to speak some other language, whether it be Italian, French, or English. But still, everyone around me speaks a language that, although I understand more and more day by day, I'd really like to speak.

So I decided to go to school, and study German. I've studied a language before, I knew exactly what to do. But the instant I opened my books and stared at the words on the page, I came to the realization that they didn't look like any of the words I'd heard people use all around me, seven days a week. At first I thought the German language must have some strange pronunciation rules, but then it dawned on me: what I've been hearing is nothing like what I'm learning in school. It was almost like two different languages. And in fact, in some ways, it turns out they are.

In many ways, Swiss German and German are different. Although the base is the same, and the vocabulary can look similar, the problem is that the pronunciation is so skewed and the Swiss seem to throw grammar out the window so that you end up with sentences that don't look the same at all. What really throws a learner off are the basics in Swiss. Instead of a simple "Guten tag," (high German) you get thrown a "Grüetzi," (Swiss German). To make it even more confusing, they often throw in a French word or two, borrowed from their fellow Swiss, French neighbors. The first time I heard the word "velo" (bicycle in Swiss German), I was convinced I must have heard wrong. The list goes on.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, my friends, so worry not. Although your schoolbook German may not resemble anything you hear in der Schweiz, you'll be happy to know that for the most part, Swiss German is only a spoken language. That means that all official documents, books, magazines, and newspapers are written in High German, so you actually can understand (this also avoids that confusing spelling that Swiss apparently have, where they spell words however they feel like writing them). And all Swiss German pupils (and French and Italian ones for that matter too) learn High German in school, so that they can communicate themselves properly in other German speaking countries. A caution to tourists, is that be forwarned, your average Swiss person may understand High German perfectly, but they are also likely to have an aversion to speaking in that foreign language. My good friend Elizabeth once traveled to Zurich and attempted to ask in her best German where the train station was. Her face dropped when the reply came out in some odd sort of jumpy language she couldn't understand. "Like drunken Germans," someone once said. And that would make sense, except it's hard to picture a serious faced Swiss businessman drunk, when he's speaking to someone at 9 in the morning on his commute train. Odd.

This Old House

There's a reason why they call America the "New World." Let's face it, most of what is still standing there was built in the last 300 years or so....everything else was destroyed or disappeared thanks to the sands of time....what an American can appreciate as "old" is quite simply stated as thus: if it's older than you, it's OLD. For example, one of my favorite walks around the Portland on my way to the Rose Gardens gives me the opportunity to gaze upon the "old estates" of the area. Not only are they 100 years old (WoW!!!), but they have these shiny placques adorning their doors, stating they are therefore an American heritage site, part of our true HISTORY. Now that's ancient!!!!

The problem is, is that I now live in the "Old World," as we fondly call our neighbors across the pond. And old it is, in comparison, the way they have preserved and culminated really old things. Just look at Rome. The same works for houses, however, and I could not be living in a better specimen of what an American would call "a REALLY OLD house." Built in the 1850s for an Italian aristocrat, this "villa" is a true work of art, and I can't feel luckier living and working in it, even if my cozy little room happens to be in the attic. I think of it as my apartment, with my own bathroom and a floor to separate me from my work.

Anyways, the estate is quite impressive. We have a chapel, fountains, small lion statues, and an outdoor pool to boot! (sorry mom, it isn't olympic sized). The icing on the cake is a perfect view of the Lake with Mount Pilatus perfectly framed by large windows opening up onto the balcony. You feel like you've passed into another time, as the wood stairs creak under your feet, the rugs feel thick under your toes, and the paintings and dead animal ornaments glare at you from every angle. My boss once asked me jokingly if I had seen the ghost, and I couldn't quite shake off the slight panic in my thoughts. After all, a house this old MUST have at least one ghost....and if I were a ghost, what better target could I have to torment than the helpless little au pair in the attic??? I'll try not to think about that one...

So the house is old, and grand, and amazing....but what about the inhabitants? Well, there are actually 7-11 people who live here at any given time. Relatives, blood related or not seem to be lodged in one spot or another, although there is still plenty of room to spare. But despite the gradeur of the place, I've noticed that my employers and their family are refreshingly simple....not in their means of intelligence (they are extremely bright individuals) but in their lifestyle. It is more modern dare I say, with a complete lack of snobbery or finery. In a way, I find this old house just old in structure, but deep down, in the roots of its family, perhaps it has changed and evolved. Despite the house, the people live in the now, and never look back.

The micro salad bowl

I had the opportunity to go home recently, just in time for the wedding of close friends. I was happy to be back in California, the place with many things I love and miss while I am away. As always I met with friends and family, ate my favorite foods, and of course, took as many trips as possible to that city by the bay: good old San Francisco. Although I can say many good things about this place, which many claim to be very European in style, I will always love one thing above all others: the cultural diversity. As I wondered through China town, where I was completely immersed in a different language, different smells, and music, I appreciated that feeling of being somewhere foreign and exciting. Many people know that famed term "the melting pot," an expression used frequently for this American city phenomenon of many cultures living in one city. But as anyone can tell you, it's not exactly fondue. Instead you see cities within a city - the Chinese in one giant community, the Latinos in another, the Italians in North Beach. None of them need to learn English to navigate around their day to day life, instead there is a sense of isolation, one group from another, which often causes friction. We call this the "Salad Bowl."

When I came back to Switzerland, I became even more aware of the relative uniformity of the country which I call home for the moment. For example, the trains and busses all look the same, the mountains and nature are EVERYWHERE, and well, fondue is fondue, from border to border. At least that how it seems at first glance. But this isn't quite true.

We have to look at the history of Switzerland for starters. Although not an official state until 1848, the country's origins come from a loose agreement formed between different people living in the Alps who wanted to keep relative peace among themselves. However these people came from different backgrounds concerning their religion, language, and culture. To this day you can still see the differences from Canton to Canton, where one may be Catholic, the other Protestant, and where language is a distinct sign of their identity, depending on which of the 4 languages they speak.

I came to grips with this when I first arrived in Suisse Romande (the French part of Switzerland). Although I had been to the German side of Switzerland multiple times before, and was close with many of my Swiss German friends, I couldn't help but notice a slight difference overall in the stereotypical Swiss French: as their language dictated, they carried a more "Frenchlike lifestyle." Instead of being painfully on time to everything like many of the Swiss Germans I knew, time seemed to be less important somehow, and being late was well....ok.

Even speaking to the Swiss, they will be the first to admit this. "The Swiss Germans are in line with the rules, the Swiss French more relaxed, and the Swiss Italians.....well you know how crazy Italians are," my half Italian half Swiss German boss explained to me with a grin. Depending on your geographical location, you could be dealing with people who remind you of a different country or culture.....almost like a salad bowl. But then add in the geographical size of tiny little Switerland with a population of 8 million people, and it blows your mind.

So are there any differences between the Swiss and the US salad bowls? Well, yes. Although there are distinct differences between the cantons and regions of Switzerland, they appear to fall into a few distinct groups, often based on language, whereas in the US we have immigrants pouring in from hundreds of different cultures speaking so many languages it would take a lifetime to learn them all. I think of Switzerland as a Ceasar Salad, and the US cities as an extremely varied mixed greens with the works of toppings.

And yet there are immigrants in Switzerland, alhtough they seem to be extremely unwanted by the local population. There must be something in that country that unifies the people against the outside world, whether it be the cheese, watches, or the extremely high standard of living....or just the fact that they are the descendants of simple mountain folk who wanted nothing more than to live their lives in peace, away from all of those crazy warring neighbors. Whatever it is, to be Swiss is definitely an identity stands out all on its own.

Fasnacht is coming....

I wanted to wait and talk about Fasnacht, after it happened officially....but the anticipation is killing me!!!!

In the dead of the winter, it can be so hard to keep up a cheery and energized disposition. When it's cold and snowy outside, all you really want to do is cuddle up in bed and read a good book. At least that's what my "boss" said, smiling. Bad weather day = lazy day at home. Especially when it comes to a cold February like the one we're having here in Luzern, where it's been around a chilling -14C all weekend (a lovely 7° F). Who would want to go out in that???

But February, despite its cold weather and cloudy days, is a special month in the Catholic cantons of Switzerland, because it marks the time when everyone prepares for one of their favorite holidays of the year: Fasnacht, or as we know it, Carnival. Although the festival only lasts for a few weeks, the endless amounts of preperation and preparties involved make the entire month exciting.

I can already claim to have gone costume shopping, 2 huge parties, and of course, seen the famous loud, drunk, and bad marching bands, parading around the city and joining in the festivities. It's just one party after another, livening everyone's spirits, especially since the school holidays are starting now, just in time. As strange as it sounds, "fasnacht" has awoken the spirits of the cold, tired, and overworked souls of Luzern. Everyone is so excited and ready.....I can't help but feel excited too.

Luzern, the perfect city?

During my travels I've noticed that people tend to fall into one of two categories: either they are a city fanatic, loving the fast paced life, or a countryside/nature dweller, who prefers the calmer quiter side of life. It's easy to satisfy both people, but what about a person who likes both? That's always been my problem. I love the excitement and bright lights of a city, full of people and things to see and do....but I also love the mountains, and the ocean, and those quiet moments where you feel like you are far away from everything....Whenever I lived in the countryside I craved the excitement of city life, and whenever I lived in the city, I only longed for those quiet peaceful nights with stars in the sky....what a dilemma.

And then there was Luzern. Although I don't know this city very well yet, I can already tell it has the makings of being an incredible place to live: not only are there plenty of bars and concert venues, with plenty of old city charm, but you also have the lake to jog next to, with breathtaking views of the mountains. And where I live near the Verhkerhaus Museum, we have the peaceful views, but only a 20 minute walk from downtown. It's a win win situation.

The best part perhaps is that when you ask the locals if they like Luzern, the answer seems to be a strong "Yes!" I've asked many friends and people I've met around the town why they like their city so much, and the answers tend to be pretty similar: good views, beautiful city, and then for an added bonus: "The people are friendly and nice here." Admittedly I haven't met too many people here, but noone has disproved this theory yet (although I've met very few mean Swiss people to be honest). Although Luzern hadn't been in my plans until recently, I think it appears to have turned out for the better. Only time will tell.

London Revisited

Coming to London is almost like a rite of passage for those American travelers on a shoe string budget headed towards Europe. Aside from that sneaky Air Berlin flight from time to time, I've found myself in London Heathrow, Gatwick, Lutin, and Stansted Airports....But unlike in the past where I was often stranded or alone, I've made some great friends who not only live in the city, but also let me crash on their floors. So now it's time for London, to appreciate this city which I never truly appreciated before. Time to wipe away my misconceptions, which I so mistakenly placed those first brief visits to London. London calling.

Misconception 1: London is a modern concrete jungle. Whenever I came to London, I always saw sky scrapers, the London Eye, and miles and miles of shops with glamorous lights and billboards outside. The downtown area struck me as too sterile, with little tradition or quaint familiarity.

Then I discovered the reality: As soon as you walk outside of any neighborhood in London, any 'burrough,' you find a unique charm. Each district has that something special, some with their bright lights and flashy stores, but others with that cozy feel that I love so much. Like Clapham, in the south, which has plenty of nightlife, but also has cutesy brick houses that line up the cheery streets, always clean and colorful. I discovered that it all depends on what you're looking for, but London seems to have many different sides to see.

2: Everything is expensive in London. The first time I went to a pub in London, I probably spent a good 8 pounds on a pint of beer (roughly 12$ US). Yikes! I didn't even want to go out to dinner, or see any concerts after that.

Wrong. It's all about going to the right place. In Brixton, for example, I went to a great free live concert at 'Hootananny's,' where there were so many people dancing and partying it up, I could barely move. As for food, I discovered that if you go to Tesco's, the local supermarket chain, you can get a sandwich and 'crisps' with a drink for 2£ (3.00 $ US). Not too shabby!

Everyday I learn something new about this incredible city, which makes me appreciate it more. I think the most exciting thing about it is that every corner you turn you can very likely run into an Italian, French, or Egyptian, or people from even further away, all of them locals, all of them trying to make it work in the big city. It's exciting to hear people's stories, and learn from them. And of course, there's nothing better than having an authentic Italian meal at a restaurant where English is only spoken by half of the customers. It helps to be friends with the waiter, who serves you wine for free of course.