June 21st - 27th

June 21st - 27th

Nine days.  Single digits!

Sunday

I went to Hyde Park to soak up some sun, then got some lunch and went to Baker Street to get a hair cut.  I ran into Jemima on my way out and we planned to get drinks next weekend hopefully with James and Pete too (my last weekend in London!)  I stayed in for the rest of the day trying to tackle as much of this final project as I could.  Kate and I are going to Nia's sometime this week for dinner too, so I will be able to get out and enjoy London a bit, instead of working so much in the coming week.  Tomorrow is when we hear the day we have to teach our accent on, either Tuesday or Thursday.  This will also determine when we're going to Thorpe Park (amusement park).  

A little too short, but it's just hair, right?  I've gotten mixed reviews.

Monday

At seminar we were told that everyone is going to be presenting their accent/teaching on Thursday.  Katerina handed out the briefing paper for the MA Portfolio (i.e. my dissertation) and it took her about an hour to get through the explanation of what is required of us.  It's pretty intense, but I think I can handle it.  

After seminar I met with Katerina to discuss job options for next term...here's the good news: the school I've been having my teaching placement at - Trinity Laban asked for my CV because they would like to offer me a couple days a week in the fall for their new BA Musical Theatre program.  I would be writing the curriculum, teaching accents, doing show support - basically everything I'd like in a job.  Katerina flipped when I told her, and then I was ballsy enough to ask her if I could teach the Limbers (warm-ups) next term to the new MAVS group.  I also offered up my skills teaching programs like Audacity, Garage Band, etc. and general computer skills - as that was a massive issue for this year's group.  I did many, many tutorials for free and just thought maybe she'd fit me into the timetable.  She was thrilled and couldn't have been more supportive.  Afterwards I had lunch with Kate and then we had the second half of seminar: 

  

  

We had a 3 hour movement class afterwards, but about an hour into it I was feeling really anxious.  I had to leave actually, I had an anxiety attack in the bathroom.  Poor Thomas and Kate came in to see if I was okay and I could barely say, "Please leave me be."  It scared me because I haven't had a severe one in a while and this was full blown...I am convinced it was because we were doing very structured breathing exercises and my whole IPP (final presentation) has been about freeing my habitual patterns of holding/managing my breath.  So maybe it was muscle memory but about 20 minutes into these breathing exercises my whole body was shouting at me, "You should NOT be here right now."  So I left.  When I was okay to come back I got my things and left.  I did not feel up to finishing the class.  I treated myself a big dinner and went home to relax.  I talked to Nia on the phone who was still out because of her operation last weekend.  I told her about Trinity and the Limbers at CSSD...I proposed I could help her with the rent if she'd let me stay in the spare room.  She also flipped out and insisted I stay with her even if I couldn't afford to pay rent for a little while, whilst getting myself set up.  How is it that everything seems to be falling into place now?  

Tuesday

Slept horribly so I tried to sleep late, but I couldn't because it was too bright and noisy out.  I went to school to work on and finish the Alumni DVD.  Accomplished.  Can I get paid now?  Then went to a session with Nia to learn the song we're singing at the Alumni Event - a gorgeous African song.  I offered to be an honorary bass part because there are a lot of divas in the group when it comes to singing.  This is really frustrating from a group who are supposed to be teachers.  Not performers.  But anytime they get the chance to perform the egos fly in to full gear and it's a competition.  It makes me cringe and reminds me of MMC.  Thank GOD I am a teacher.  

However, my patience was running really low today though so I almost left, but stuck it out until the end.  We learned a poem as well that we're performing at the event.  

Came home afterwards and went to boxing with Kate from 8pm-9pm.  We stayed until 10pm though, working more voice-to-boxing and recording some more clips.  I was thinking too much about it, but think I found a good sound - finally opened up, thanks to Kate.  She really talked me through what I was doing and how it was getting better.  When I watched the film back though I was disgusted by how much weight I've put on since I've been here.  It's been yo-yo-ing for the last few months as I've been upping my exercise and then getting sick or plagued with migraines, but then do really well...it's been about 5-8 lbs on and off for the last few months.  It's so frustrating, but my mom reassured me that I will be back to my healthy shakes and big salads when I get home, which is so true; it made me feel a bit better.

When something goes right, oh it's likely to lose me, it's apt to confuse me....it's such an unusual sight.  

Oh, I swear, I can't get used to something so right...

Wednesday

I had a leisure day today.  (In my head I know that I should pronounce that LEEzure, but it's been drilled into my head as LEHzure - rhyming with the word measure)...sigh.  It will take a few months to undo my British-isms I'm sure...

Today I knew I needed to balance play and work at the moment as to not lose my mind in the next seven days.  Just think - one week from today I will be home.  Home!  

Last trip to the very center of the city - Charing Cross/Trafalgar Square to pick up some cards and such...

Thursday

Accent Assessment

I spent the whole morning stressing about this assessment.  Having to teach a German accent to my peers for 20 minutes in front of an intimidating panel.  I went in to teach at 2:30pm, and honestly - it flew by.  I didn't do anything out of the box, like some people did, but I accomplished my objectives because they were leaving my 20 minute class with a really good handle on this German accent.  I was a bit self-deprecating right after it was over, but it faded as I realized how much the students had retained.  I got good peer-feedback, which lightened me up too.  Then I had to stay and be taught - I learned Geordie (twice), Sheffield, Liverpool and Edinburgh.  We celebrated afterwards with a little wine at the Hampstead theatre, sitting out back as the sun went down.  I was starting to really watch my classmates and try to soak them in because I will miss them terribly when I leave...

Friday

Thorpe Park!!  

Colin and I went to Thorpe Park today.  I wish I had more energy to write about it, but I will say this: we had a great time.  We only got to ride a few rides because the wait was about 1.5-2 hours per ride and it closed at 6pm (we only wanted to go on the big rollercoasters)...That was the point.  To see if I could really let go on the rollercoaster...as a part of my IPP...I wrapped my camera around my wrist and filmed myself.  The footage, despite a horrible double-chin-y angle, came out well.  It's actually really funny because my expression goes from complete horror to joy to horror and back.  Colin said the footage is perfect, and I've got to admit - I was really pleased with what we got from it.  It was also nice to just NOT be doing work for a day.  To chat with Colin and be in the sun for a little bit.  I wasn't going to put the footage on here because it's a little embarrassing, but it's about letting go so why not:

!!!!!

  

Thorpe Park map...it's like a really small version of Six Flags...

  

Ride #1 - Collossus.  1.5 hour wait... 

  

Ride #2: Saw - The Ride.  2 hour wait.  I look like a ten year old :(  A happy one though.  My hair started to flip out like Mary Tyler Moore after the first rollercoaster, haha.  It was all downhill from there (no pun intended)...

  

The ride from afar...and then us on the ride. (Turn volume down!)

Last Ride: Nemesis Inferno.  1 hour wait...

  

Colin getting "sherbert" which I had to explain to him is not really sherbert...it's just sweet/sour powdered sugar.  Silly Brits.

Saturday

I got up early to make it to Nia's lesson.   She had to have her teaching placement filmed and no one showed up, so she asked a few of us to come in and be taught on film for her assessment.  I was happy to; I love her and she is a phenomenal teacher.  Then I ran home to close my bank account, only to find out I basically couldn't until Monday...then came home for a hot second to change into nicer clothes for the Alumni event.  It was ridiculously humid out today....

I got back to school around 2pm and got to work doing all of my tasks as techno-wiz as they've been calling me...easy stuff like setting up the DVD player and making sure the audio was okay, helping the tech guy figure out how to hook his mac up to the TV and get the audio to work...(yes, I realize how backwards that sounds).  After everyone arrived and we mingled for about an hour Katerina, David Carey and Patsy Rodenburg spoke.  Patsy's speech was the best: off-the-cuff, pacing and physical...totally passionate and just on fire about education and voice...I was really impressed.  They showed the DVD that I've been slaving over for the last 2 months of all the alumni pictures from the 1940's to now.  Everyone really enjoyed it.  Then we got to perform our Zulu song that Nia had taught us; also well-received.  Then we mingled a bit more, networking and such...I got to speak to Joan Melton (Fitzmaurice Master teacher) who I'll be working with all summer.  She was like, "Oh, I knew you looked familiar!"  She is quite intimidating though, she was talking to me and playing with my earrings the whole time.  Lovely woman though and very glamorous So-Cal.  

Me and "Uncle" Chris.  Going to miss him so much.

  

Me and Nia.  I love this girl!!

  

Kate smiling!  Finally!  Colin and Kate.

  

Me and Thomas.  Mette, Mel, Alex, me and Colin.

  
Drinks afterwards at Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Pub (could it have a more ridiculous name?)  Alex striking a pose.  Bex and I (RMO tutor and MAVS Alumna).  

  

Alex and Bex, chatting about tattoos.  Nia and Kate.

Then Nia spoiled me tonight.  She loudly proclaimed she was buying all the wine and then decided she would pay for my cab ride home.  She's too much.  That girl has more generosity in one breath than most people could hope to have in their entire lives.  Then home to send some emails and collapse!  Tomorrow is the start of my last week here!  4 days left (including Wednesday)!!!