Week Eight: Defining “High Culture”

Week Eight: Defining “High Culture”

Happy March, everyone! This week overall was…very relaxing. After two weekends of traveling, it was good to finally slow down (and save some money). We went to the opera this week! This was very exciting for me because I love the opera. We saw La Traviata which I have to say I think I would have enjoyed more had it been in Italian rather than English. Reading the subtitles during the performance, I felt it took away from the overall experience because I couldn’t focus on anything except the cheesy translations. Don’t get me wrong, the subtitles were definitely needed, but it shifted my focus. Still, opera for me is all about the voices and they did not disappoint. I was incredibly entertained by the town’s elite within the story, but the voices of Violetta and Alfredo were so mesmerizing. I am always so fascinated by the vocal ranges and abilities of opera singers. How is it even possible? A true gift. On Thursday, I attended London Fashion Week with my friend, Ricardo! Continue reading “Week Eight: Defining “High Culture””

Week Seven: Dublin

Week Seven: Dublin

I can’t believe it’s almost March already. Time is flying by so quickly. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we’re constantly waiting for the weekend because we’ve all started traveling to other countries. It has really encouraged me to start doing more [free] things in the week so I feel less like I’m wasting my time. I guess that means I should also work on my sleeping schedule as well. Our program events made a comeback this week with a British Museum tour and a play. Unfortunately, I had to miss the British Museum tour to handle business with my phone, but I did make it to the play on Wednesday night which was Treasure Island. The show for me was very cool and visually appealing. Overall, I think the story was underwhelming for someone who hasn’t grown up with the book or even read it at all, but the set was incredible. They managed to have the set transform from an inn, to a pirate ship, to an abandoned island. It was amazing to see that aspect come to life because the visual is so vital to a children’s story. The run time for the show also wasn’t very long so I would definitely recommend it for costuming and set dressing if not anything else. Continue reading “Week Seven: Dublin”

Week Four: Studio Tour

Week Four: Studio Tour

This week, I had one dream die and one dream come true. This past Tuesday, I saw The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies again in theaters (IMAX this time) and it was even better than the last time I saw it. I think what made it better yet bittersweet was that it finally hit me that the journey of Middle Earth is over. I have been on this ride since 2001 when The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released and it has finally come to a close. I’m so grateful to have had this as a part of my life. It has honestly contributed to my love for film and really set a standard for literary fantasies turned into cinematic experiences. This childhood resurgence didn’t end there, however, as I had the privilege of going to the Warner Bros. Studio for the Harry Potter tour. It was honestly life-changing. Continue reading “Week Four: Studio Tour”

Week Three: The Ultimate Tourist

Week Three: The Ultimate Tourist

Third week in and I still can’t think of a clever title for my posts, but I think keeping it simple is the best I can do anyway because there’s not really a title that can sum up or describe all the things we do in a week. With all of the time I spend in bed, I’m surprised when I realized how much I’ve accomplished when it feels like I haven’t moved in days. This week, for example, I took a lot of time to sit at home and rest and enjoy having leisure time I wouldn’t normally have during the school year, but with the planned outings, there’s never really “time off.” We’re always planning around something or going for dinner or just running back and forth to the “grocery store” (I use quotations because these mini marts that define central London shouldn’t be considered grocery stores). This post may be fairly long so I apologize if you’re not in the interest of reading, you can go ahead and scroll down to the pictures, but I’m trying to make this experience as vivid as possible for those of you who aren’t here with me. 😀 Continue reading “Week Three: The Ultimate Tourist”