January 6th - 11th

January 6th - 11th

Wednesday

I was feeling horribly emotional, just below the surface about Tim leaving, so I rode the train to Gatwick with him and walked with him until I wasn't allowed to go any further.   Hilarity ensued moments after I left.  I was crying, like an idiot because I hate when Tim leaves - it means I won't see him for another six months and he's one of my favorite people in the whole world.  Anyway, I walk up to a train guy, go to ask whether it matters if I take an express train or not...and I think my nose is running so I go to wipe it, next thing I know my hand is covered in blood.  The guy is freaking out, "Oh no!  Are you okay, my love?  Come here, darling, sit down here, darling.  Let me call first aid!  Don't move." Etc., etc.  

He makes me sit there, my nose gushing...for no reason...and this woman comes and gives me like eight billion wet naps to clean my nose, yes they're wet...how does that help me?!  And she's asking me if i've ever had a bloody nose, and am I scared and am I okay...umm...QUOI?  She also hands me a large bandage...for what exactly?  To wrap around my face?!  Clearly I've been crying and she says she'll sit and stay with me until my train comes but I was like, "No no no no I'm fine."  Over and over.  She was so nice and clearly I was upset but not about the bloody nose (which I found hilarious) and she must've thought I was unstable...what's worse is that I was laughing the whole time because it was just so ridiculous...no wonder she thought I wasn't okay.  Hah.  Ah well.  Finally got on the train (not an express) and enjoyed the longer ride home.  

After pulling myself together and getting cleaned up, I went to Alex's (a girl on my course from Australia who I'm doing teaching placement with) for dinner.  And honestly, I'm glad I went to dinner at Alex's.  It was nice to see her and Mel.  She made moussaka.  I brought angel food cake and strawberries (Adrianne's brilliant idea).  Then Mel left after dinner (she's Scottish and really talkative so she didn't leave til like 9:30pm) and then I worked with Alex to brainstorm what we needed to have done for Friday when we meet with Tony Castro, the director of the Musical Theatre department at Trinity Laban.  I finally got home around 11:30pm and exhausted and feeling desperately alone I skyped with my mom and then went to bed :(

Thursday

I got up around 10am, showered and headed out to Tara's (where Tim and I had Christmas Eve dinner) to do some voice work, show her a few things on the computer and best of all - eat lunch.  I was there from 12:30pm and didn't get home until almost 7pm.  She's a talker too, but it's nice to get back into thinking like a voice teacher after having kind of abandoned it over break.  Although, Tim would argue that easily because I was analyzing people's voices left and right.  Delphine asked me what I study while we were in Paris and Tim said something to the effect of, "Don't get her started."  Haha.  I love what I do, what can I say?  

Coming out of the tube station.

Tara did about 45 minutes of voice work on me and then we ate lunch which was delicious: poached salmon with brown rice (with pine nuts and cranberries) and salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Yum.  Then we talked about dyslexia and how there's a really large percentage of MAVS who are (over 65% of us).  I haven't been screened but she urged me to.  Even if I was, I wouldn't get support from CSSD because they don't do any support for international students.  It's just one more thing for me to stress about.  And all they really have been getting are extra tutorials (which take up time when I could be working) and extensions on papers (I don't need them, I'm pretty good with preparing and even overpreparing for things)...so no worries.  Then I got on the tube and came home.  I skyped with Alex to discuss our questionnaire that we wanted to hand out on the first day regarding vocal health, etc.  Tomorrow is the big day - meeting the students we'll be teaching for the next 10 weeks!  Chatted with Adrianne, per usual and went to bed...

Friday

I met Alex at 11am on the platform of the DLR tube.  It took me about an hour total to get from my room to Trinity College.  But at least it's covered on my Oyster card, so I don't have to pay more to travel there.  

  

On the train...

  

Trinity campus...

  

Trinity College of Music/Laban Institute.

  

5 hours later...it's completely dark out.  Except for the glow from the Painted Hall.

Pretty...epic...

Saturday

Saturday was quite boring.  I felt the pang of procrastination and guilt simultaneously.  I got two loads of laundry done, and went to the gym.  I skyped with Gram, the fam and talked to Adrianne, Chris, and Tim.  It's weird not having Tim here.  Did I say that already?  Haha...