This continues from a previous post found here.

1. Use the little pieces of time. My daily life in London involves a ton of public transport. It also means I get little bursts of time, about 20 minutes or less, where I have pretty much nothing to do besides wait for the tube or bus to bring me to my next stop. I’ve figured out a great use of my time: reading e-books. Luckily, my old iPhone that I brought with me is able to access Amazon’s Kindle services. Now, every bus or tube ride can become a short little break to enjoy a good book. I’ve read some great financial and psychology books, exercise-advice books, cookbooks, and a great deal of Sherlock Holmes stories. (I am only a few tube stops from Baker Street!) It makes the ride go more quickly and I get to enjoy a little bit of pleasure reading, a precious experience in these hectic days. On the other hand, looking out the window has its merits. I am always seeing something incredible or previously unnoticed with each ride. Either way, my time spent traveling is never being wasted.

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2. There are a ton of free things to do/explore. London, while outrageously expensive on some things, also has a wealth of incredible resources available for free. This includes so many museums, parks, and galleries. I am so impressed by the quality of the museums. I feel like I am practically getting a second education just by wandering into and through the many museums I see each day. For instance, I have been to the Bank of England Museum a few times now. It is so amazing to see the progression of money and currency throughout the centuries. There are incredible displays featuring old collections of currency, bank artifacts, and even an authentic gold bar (highly caged and protected…) that you can lift! (It weighs nearly 30 pounds and is worth over a half a million dollars…)

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3. Skype is a wonderful creation. I’m not going to lie. Even with all of the amazing adventures and incredible experiences, I still get homesick from time to time. However, Skype really helps. Just being able to call my friends and family and be connected back to home over the computer really helps. I had some great Skype conversations tonight with Delia, Hannah, and Emily. Seeing and talking to my friends and girlfriend isn’t as good as being there for real, but it does help ease the homesickness a bit. Even with a stuttering Internet connection at times, Skype makes my world a little smaller.

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4. Cooking creatively is a fun challenge. Until I started making my own food every day, I never quite grasped how much thought has to go into making dishes that don’t become stale with routine. It’s a challenge I am gladly embracing, because I love to cook (and eat!). However, I just want to give a shout out to my mom, who managed to stock my brain with a huge number of different healthy dishes throughout the years. So thanks Mom, I’m eating well thanks to your awesome cooking skills. I’ve also found that I am starting to eat even more healthfully as I continue to make my own food. When I am seeing every ingredient that goes into my meals, I am much more careful. Also, it feels way better to eat a meal filled with vegetables than fatty fried foods. I’m excited to see where my cooking leads as the semester marches on. Tomorrow I am making myself a new challenge meal: Pan-fried salmon with cilantro rice and tomato basil soup. Wish me luck!

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5. Apartment living is fun. All my life, I’ve either lived in a house or a dorm room. I’ve never had the experience of living in an apartment, but I’m finding it really enjoyable. I like having everything within a short reach. I also feel like it keeps my flatmates and me more connected. We have learned to share the space really well, and it feels almost like a family. We eat together, head to class together, and generally spend our evenings hanging out and chatting. This space is a nice balance between the smallness of dorm living and the spaciousness of a house.

6. Bricks are really cool. This last one may sound a touch ridiculous, but its something I have been noticing more and more. Before London, I had pretty much written bricks off as nondescript. However, here in London, the bricks are amazing. I’m always marveling at the way the bricks have aged or the way different buildings from different centuries are bricked differently. I love looking at the way the bricks can almost tell a story of the time that has passed. Lastly, there are so many different types of brick that I am simply astonished. Like I’ve often said, it’s the simple things that are the most interesting.

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Every day is a new adventure, with new lessons to be learned. Onward!