Termination is a term that is used in therapy when the therapist feels the client has achieved their goal. At this point, the therapist explains that they believe the client has come to the end of the therapeutic relationship. A very bleak term- I must admit- but yes it means things are coming to an end.
Five months have come and gone and now I am all packed and ready to come back home. Its hard to believe it is almost 2016; I feel like I just arrived here in this city. There have been many ups and downs during my stay here, but as a whole- I have enjoyed this opportunity. Being here, in London, has allowed me to take in many new experiences, while also learning about myself (cliché, but very true). As I explained previously, being disconnected from many things/people back home has been challenging and rewarding in many ways. It has given me a chance to grow as a person and also figure out how to branch out and make connections in a new environment. Being here has allowed me to develop meaningful relationships with co-workers- which I hope I am able to keep in touch with in the future. I could use this time to go through the many things that I learned, but I think that it would be too much to write about.
Over these last few weeks, I have finished up with my internship and said my goodbyes to many people. Other than that, I have been in my room- trying to motivate myself to finish these final assignments I have for my classes. Now that I am just about finished with my assignments, I finally feel ready to be back home.
I can definitely say that I had a great time as a student here. Although the internship was not exactly the work I plan to do in the future- I have learned so much in the short amount of time that I have been here. I will miss being part of the disabilities team and working with the young people I have been supporting these last few months. The school system here was also quite different from what I am used to, and it was nice having that experience and also meeting the students in the program. I think what I will miss the most about being here are the connections I have made thus far. Being here I have missed my connections back home so much, but now that it’s time to go I know I will miss the connections I made here as well. Of course the city of London is an amazing place too- but I will miss the people I have gotten to know more than the city itself.
I don’t really have much else to say now, other than it has been enjoyable writing over these past few months- even when I didn’t feel like I had much to share. Thank you for reading and checking on me! I do not plan on keeping a blog while I am back in the states, so I this is my final goodbye. See you on the other side of the water.
Things I learned:
Tipple- an alcoholic drink
Hyde park is bigger than I thought
Boxing day is busy
Happy Holidays is an American thing to say
Mince pie is a traditional Christmas dish
Sticky toffee pudding is pretty good
The 24 hour bus isn’t 24 hours
Saying “pitcher” of water is not a thing – say jug
Borough Market is my favorite food market
The Eye and WestminsterNewer double deckerOlder double deckerMy favorite placeShard
Hope everyone is doing alright. As I am nearing the end of my trip, time seems to be speeding up. I can’t believe how quickly November has come and gone. The work that I am doing here is slowly coming to a close- I have finished my classes, and am starting to wrap up the work I am doing with the two individuals and also with my group. It’s weird to think that my time here is coming to an end, but I do believe I am ready to come home. As with therapy, I thought I would let yall know that my next post will be my final one. I think since I have been here I have experienced so much- some of which I can freely share on the internet, some of which I cannot. But it has been a great learning experience for me! A little more on that next time- but, at the very least, I thought I would let you know that I am winding down and my blog is coming to an end soon.
So two weeks ago, I only spent two days in the office. I didn’t have any sessions that week, so I used those days to catch up with me case notes. Midweek, I had my last day of class. We spoke about how to manage risk when working with adult service users (clients). This is an area that I am not as familiar with since my work here has been with young adults, so I found this to be an interesting topic. On Thanksgiving, I was fortunate enough to have my girlfriend, Colleen, come visit me. Honestly, that was the happiest few days I have had in months. Although she was only here for a couple of days, we managed to do many things around the city during her visit. Her visit made me realize just how homesick I am after all these months.
Last week, after getting over the fact that Colleen had left, I noticed how quickly I was running out of time at my internship. My last day of my internship is on the December 18th, which (as of today) gives me 10 days left in the office. I realized on Monday just how much I needed to do in the time I had left and started to organize my schedule in a way that I was able to complete everything (including my casenotes). This past week, I played more catchup with my casenotes, planned and went to two individual sessions, planned and went to my group session, and went to a training about sexual health for people with learning disabilities. Other than that, my week went pretty well. Thanks everyone who wished me happy birthday =). I had a relaxing and lowkey birthday this year- which is really all I wanted so I was happy about that.
Things I’ve learned:
The concept of Mac & Cheese and Turkey for Thanksgiving is surprising
Cornbread is not really a thing here
Nutella and Banana Crepes are great
Camden Market is much cooler than I thought
Borough Market is my favorite food market
West End shows are an amazing experience
The view from the shard is great, try not to pick a day with fog though
People at my office know me as the person that loves food
Clothes here are expensive
I have more awareness of my own culture and what I value about it
Hyde park is a great place to visit around Christmas time
Book ice skating tickets in advance
Cheesecake at JW Steakhouse is (really sweet but) great
Tate Modern is an awesome museum
Christmas lights in London are lovely
Morrison’s has inexpensive groceries
How to get to the airport
Not really an insightful post this week, but just catching you all up to speed as things are coming to an end. As I said last time, I would add a few pictures this post. Well…here are two
I don’t have much to share this week- so instead, I will share videos =). I have done a fair share of public speaking over these past few weeks- either running group sessions or doing presentations. Its been a busy two weeks, but I think it would be boring to write about- so I’m not gonna. I promise to have at least a few pictures in my next post. I hope you all are doing well. Happy Thanksgiving!
For those that are still uncertain what Child Sexual Exploitation is, this video does a good job of covering it. I posted a similar video in this series a few weeks ago (that one was about perpetrators).
This second video is one that is a part of my organizations current campaign.
These past two weeks have been quite eventful at my internship. My first case is picking up now and my second case is just starting up. Unfortunately the group work that was supposed to begin last week was pushed back to this upcoming week, so I am still looking forward to that. I had a chance to fill in for a different group during a session which I thought was an enjoyable experience. Group work is something that I find interesting and want to learn more about it. Other than those cases, my internship has been pretty busy for me- I just have a lot of casework that I am behind on. School these last two weeks has also been going well. Recently I had a presentation in my policy class that was pretty interesting to work on. Aside from my internship and school, my life has been quite simple.
One important skill that I have been working on improving is learning how to be a self-advocate. I feel like in almost all situations/settings in my life I am able to be my own advocate- except when I am at work. A quote that I read during my first week at this internship read, “Sometimes you need to say no to others in order to say yes to yourself.” As cliché as that might sound, I have found that in many situations, especially in the office, I am one to say yes to many things- even things that I should say no to. That is something that I am working on and hopefully am able to continue improving. I think it is a valuable skill to have both at work and in everyday life.
Welp, that’s all I have for you this week. Until next time folks.
Things I learned:
Gummy candy (except bears) = sweets
Pumpkin isn’t really big here in the autumn
American cereal is over priced
There are a good number of North American students here
I have officially entered the latter half of my trip. Time has gone by so quickly, I can’t believe it is almost November. These past two weeks have been drastically different- the first was very relaxed, the second very hectic. Two weeks ago, I had my first one on one session which went excellent! With the exception of that, the week was pretty dull. I was able to complete a few interviews over the phone, but nothing too crazy. Last week, was when everything became more hectic. I had previously volunteered to speak at an event with my supervisor and what I thought would only be 30 people, ended up being 90 professionals at a conference. So, on Wednesday morning my supervisor Amy and I gave an hour-long presentation on Sexual Exploitation of Children with Learning Difficulties. Afterwards, we sat for a ten minute questions panel- luckily no one asked me questions lol. In the afternoon, other co-workers and I ran four hour-long workshops for the professionals on information that mirrored the earlier presentation. After the conference, I went to another event to support my organization. As you can see, Wednesday was a very long day. One great thing about Wednesday was the positive feedback from the professionals that I presented to. It was very encouraging hearing that people enjoyed the presentation and my presenting style, especially since I was nervous the whole time. Other than that day, the only other significant thing I did was have my second one to one session- which ended well. The young person I am working with is great to work with! I wish I could talk more about it- but just know the young person is wonderful =)! I also received a referral for one to one work with someone new- which should be starting in the near future.
In my first blog post, I expressed to you all that I was trying to find my voice in these blog posts. I planned on using this page as a way to keep everyone informed about what I have been up to and see pictures of some of the sites/landmarks I have visited in my travels. Recently, I have traveled much less, worked more, and spent much of my free time by myself. I once looked at these posts as a chore- or something that I felt obligated to keep up to date so that friends and family would know what it is I am doing from week to week. Now my view of this blog has changed. I don’t feel this blog is solely about feeding back information. With each post, I feel like the blog has become more of a reflective tool for me during this trip, which I have found to be helpful. I really enjoy writing and I think this blog has given me an opportunity to express some of my thoughts and feelings in a way that makes sense to me. I wouldn’t say this has taken the place of journaling for me, but it is a space where I think I am able to be real.
Since I have been in this country, I have been alone more than any other period in my lifetime. I generally like to think of myself as a social person- so being alone this much isn’t really in my comfort zone. Because of this, much of this solitude was uncomfortable in the beginning; I didn’t feel like I was really connecting with people here the way I would have liked, there weren’t many people to connect with, I missed my friends etc… However after some time, I began to enjoy the fact that I didn’t need to be overly social- I began to learn how to be comfortable by myself. As a whole, this abroad experience has allowed me to focus more on myself, the kind of person I am, the kind of person I would like to be, goals/dreams and all that. These past few months I have really given myself a chance to figure myself out and find my voice. I can definitely say I have a different outlook on my life and what it is that I want in my future- which I can credit that to being in this new culture/environment and also to giving myself a chance to be still. In the short time I have been here I believe I have really grown as a person (sorry for sounding cliché). I look forward to seeing how this second half of my trip plays out.
That being said- again no pictures this week. Maybe next time!
There isn’t much for me to share this post. I feel like these two weeks went by very quickly and I didn’t really do anything fun/exciting outside of school and my internship. I had my first face to face return home interview two weeks ago which (after many calls back and forth) went very well. That week, my co-workers and I delivered a training on child sexual exploitation to psychiatric nurses- which also went well. Those were the two highlights of my week. This past week, I didn’t really do much at the office or in class. Tomorrow is when I begin my short-term individual sessions, and I am really looking forward to that.
Because this post is so short (I don’t even have pictures)- I will make it a little educational. Below are some videos that I have come across in the past week.
These past two weeks have been quite interesting. Often, when my two weeks come and it is time for me to post, I don’t have much to talk about. I feel this time around there is plenty that I can share. Two weeks ago I had an opportunity to go to Derby (which is North of London) for a forum hosted by NWG about sexual exploitation of boys and young men in the UK. The forum was very informative and introduced me to some of the complex issues many of these practitioners are facing. It was also nice getting to see another part of England and hearing northern accents, which seem to be much thicker than the accent I am used to hearing in London. That same week I completed a number of phone call interviews with children that have returned home and I feel more comfortable doing the calls now after getting a few under my belt. A faculty member from Maryland (Dr. Burry) came to visit all the students (that are in the study abroad program with me) to make sure that everything was going well with our internships and school. At the end of the week, some of the other students and I went to a restaurant with Dr. Burry for a chance to catch up and talk informally. Also that week I found out the date that my parents are coming to visit next month, and I look forward to seeing them and showing them around!
This past week has been somewhat of a roller coaster. It seems like a lot has happened in such a short period of time. The week started with a meeting centered on information that Alicia (another Maryland student) and I gathered in a literature review. The information we have found, in addition to information collected by a co-worker, is being used in the early stages of program development for the organization. Hopefully we can see something come of our literature review by the time we leave in December. Midweek, my supervisor and I had a meeting and were finally able to set up seven group sessions for young people, as well as sessions for parents and educators. I was also given my first one on one referral that day! Later that week, I went for a walk around Olympic Park- which is close to my office. On the weekend, I had a chance to go to the British Museum (which is free) and then wandered to Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and Westminster. Today, I went to Greenwich and wandered around for a bit.
As well as things went this past week- emotionally I just wasn’t there. On Sunday, I had a chance to speak with my family about my Uncle Gary Gray and realized that his conditions had gotten worse. For those of you that do not know, a close family friend of mine had been battling brain cancer for the past few years. Not only was he an important member of my church- he also belonged to a large family (many of which were the church), was one of my first coaches ever, and I believe he changed the lives of many people (co-workers, family members, athletes, friends, etc). He was a very hard-working man, and seeing him slowdown was hard to watch. I think I owe a lot of who I am today to him- he paid a very positive role in my life growing up. After speaking with my family on the weekend- the beginning of the week felt like I was just going through the motions. My mind wasn’t really with me in class, my internship, or my meetings. On Wednesday afternoon, after the great meeting setting up the group work and my first one on one referral, I found out that uncle had passed away.
There have been two times in my life where I have felt isolated. When I first started attending undergrad was one of those times. I think that was the first time in my life that I felt I really had to re-define the person that I thought I was, and I had no clue how to do that. The most terrifying thing for me was that everything that I had identified with in high school was gone. I didn’t have sports anymore, didn’t play music, didn’t have church, didn’t live at home, didn’t feel like I had close friendships, didn’t really know anybody, and school wasn’t easy anymore. I just felt alone, and didn’t understand why my peers were able to do so well in class and I was not. It was very frustrating and challenging. The conclusion I came to at that point in my life was that I had to change myself.
I think when most people think about changing themselves or changing other people- they automatically think negatively. However, I also find if someone says they want to change the world- it is seen positively. In undergrad I was at a point in my life where I saw changing myself as negative and was very reluctant to do so. I fought changing myself, but wanted everything around me to change. It wasn’t until I was left with what I felt was no choice, that I decided to change myself. I changed my habits and expectations for myself and the things around me began to change for the better.
That was the first period in my life that I truly felt by myself. The second period has been here abroad. I wouldn’t call it homesickness. As I said in a previous post- I only miss some of yall (kind of a joke, but not really)… I think this is another point in my life where I am re-defining myself. This time, it is not as frightening as before- but it is still difficult. The thing I find most difficult about being abroad is being disconnected from my life back home. When I learned about my uncle passing away- all I wanted to do was be there with the family and be supportive- but I am unable to do so. I was unable to say goodbye and I will be unable to attend the funeral. The emotional support system I would normally turn to is located on a different continent. The support I was able to give over the past two months was minimal due to the ocean separating me from everyone else. Those are all very difficult pills to swallow, but it is my reality- no matter how much I don’t want it to be. After learning about my uncle’s passing on Wednesday, it was suggested by my supervisor that if I didn’t feel up to it- I shouldn’t go to class on Thursday or work Friday and that I should just take time to myself. Later that day, I had a chance to speak to Aunt Tracey and the Gray family on the phone and they assured me that Uncle Gary passed away peacefully and wasn’t in pain anymore. There were a number of family, friends, and church members around to support the family. My mom was also there and had been visiting every day for the past few weeks helping the Gray family out. I also had a chance to speak with my brother, a few friends, and my girlfriend that day which lifted my spirits.
So (I promise you I am almost finished), I took Saturday and Sunday to reflect on my life: how I see myself, how others may see me, my relationships, my goals. I feel like I do this every so often, but this time it was a more thorough reflection. I came to the following conclusion- even without the things that I would have normally identified myself with (my relationships, music, sports, etc.), I am still me. Rather than solely identify myself with things that are external- I should direct much of my focus internally. That is something that is changing. This experience has really forced me to look at myself, how I handle difficult circumstances. It has also given me a chance to figure out what it is I consider meaningful relationships. I am a friendly person, but am also hard person to get close to. I have many friends, but I do not have many close friends. When I learned how my mom visited and/or called Aunt Tracey every day that meant a lot to me; I feel like that’s what friendship is all about. I hope to have meaningful and genuine relationships like that throughout my life.
Last night, as I was wandering through London, I came across two people that made an impression on me. The first person was a street performer. I heard his guitar and followed the music until I was standing in front of him (I almost always stop and listen if I see live music). The song I first heard was Isn’t she lovely. As I got closer (and pulled my iPhone out) he ended that song and played Eric Clapton’s Change the world. For the rest of the night that song was stuck in my head. After listening to the guitarist, I wandered some more just to clear my head. Shortly after, I came across the Admiralty Arch and thought it seemed like a great landmark to take a picture of. Because it was nighttime (and because I am not a photographer/have no knowledge how to use my camera) I was having a difficult time getting a good shot. A stranger taking a picture next to me asked if I wanted help- I declined. Then a few minutes later he again offered to help- and this time I accepted (his camera looked much nicer so I figured he knew more than I did). With his help, I was able to learn some new tricks on my camera and get a great shot! One of the biggest changes I have started making in my life is to allow myself to be helped. When I found out the news about my uncle, my supervisor, Amy, was really the only person in London that knew what was going on with me. She was the only person I felt comfortable enough with sharing what I was feeling and I found her to be very helpful over the past two months, especially with in this situation. And I am very grateful for that. As someone in the helping field, I am slowly learning how to be more open to the receiving end of the advice. It is easy to get caught up trying to help others and neglect taking care of ourselves. That is something I am learning to pay more attention to. I find being open suggestions opens up a world of possibilities, and provides room for change. And as I change, hopefully I am able to have the same effect on others and shaping their world as they see it. The same way my Uncle Gary had an effect shaping my world. RIP.
Things I learned
Can’t find Pillsbury biscuits here
Peri (piri) chicken is a big thing
Trinity College music program is on Greenwich campus- but is not affiliated- they will kick you out for wandering
Brazilian food is pretty good
People do play American football here
Stratford was really fixed up for the Olympics
Ways to save money going to Stratford
Cheez-its aren’t really found here
Neither are graham crackers
Smores don’t seem to be a thing either.
Olympic 2012 poolBritish Museum with my roommates Hilary and AliciaRamesses IICovent Garden MarketCovent Garden MarketChinatownAdmiralty ArchUniversity of GreenwichNational Observatory
This is going to be a short post- I really don’t have much to talk about. These past few weeks have been pretty good for me. Last week I went to a training workshop titled Sex, Pressure, and Social Media. It was actually very insightful. It is still weird to be in an internship where my job is to help young people; I still consider myself a young person. In the small group attending the training, I realized I was the youngest person there. Over the years, I have gotten used to being one of the youngest people in my peer group. Now that I am in graduate school and actually interning etc., it is an odd feeling- being in a room of professionals and contributing to conversations etc. It just still feels weird to me. Not in the sense that I have to prove myself, but that I am not sure I really have enough experience to bring valuable information to the table. That thought has stuck with me over the last two weeks, so I guess there is no harm writing about it. The training was enjoyable though! I met some nice people and found it interesting how some professionals approach their work and clients. Some that I agreed with, some that I disagreed with. I guess the most valuable takeaway I had from that training is that even with experience, there is always something you can learn. That weekend I went to Brighton, which is an area in south England with a beach. The day we went was a little chilly, but it was nice overall. The beach did not have any sand though- just rocks. However, they did have buckets and pales at shops along the beach- which was confusing.
This past week, I began my classes. It was a surprise to find out that my program consisted of 21 students total (including the six from Maryland). I am one of two guys. Everyone has the same classes together. This is drastically different than what I am used to back home, but it is nice knowing everyone and not having to learn more names outside the people that I met last week. I also went to another training this past week- this time in Birmingham, which is the second largest city in the UK. The training was pretty good and they provided food which made it that much better. I didn’t have much time to explore the city, but from what I saw of it, I liked it! At my internship this past week I received my first referrals for phone call interviews. With all of those, I need to follow up with more phone calls this coming week. Still haven’t had any face to face work yet, but I am slowly easing my way into that.
Other than that, these past two weeks have not been too exciting: I made a budget so I know how much I can spend while I am here, I binge watched Netflix and continue to do so, and the freshman are starting to move in. There is actually a party going on right now in the building directly across from mine. I know this blog is rather short, I hope I have more to talk about next time. Until then, take care!
Things I learned:
Chocka – Full/packed/crowded
Quid- one pound
Sat nav- navigation system
British printer paper is a different size- its longer and more narrow
“Freshers week” I noisier than expected
How to make a budget
Chocolate sauce = Chocolate syrup
Dinonuggets are generally not sold here
BrightonBrightonBrighton PierBirmingham Museum and Art Gallery
These past two weeks have flown by; I still can’t believe that it’s time to write another post. I will admit I am not really in the writing mood at the moment, but I will try my best to stick to posting every other week to keep yall updated. So last week I had the opportunity to travel to different places in the city and throughout England. During the week I had the opportunity to visit Camden Market, which is a popular, “open-air market area with stalls, shops, pubs and restaurants” (via camdenlock.net). It was a pretty interesting area and I think I will go there a few more times during my stay here. That weekend, I had the opportunity to leave the city/metropolitan area and take a bus tour to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge. This was an all day trip, but definitely worth it- all the sights were great to visit. Also driving through small towns in the more rural areas of England was lovely; many of the buildings were old and made with stones etc. All in all the trip was fun!
The weekend concluded with me going to church. Some of my roommates have been attending church these past few weeks, but I will admit I have been slacking. So I decided last week that I would start going. I got out of bed a little later than my roommate and told her I would meet her at church. When I finally made my way into church, I realized that the church I entered was not the same one my roommate had told me about- but since I was already there I decided to stay. It was a very interesting service; I believe everyone in the church was African (many from Nigeria and Uganda). I felt it was interesting to compare to the experience I have at my home church in Damascus, Maryland (11225 Mountain View Road- if any of yall are looking for a church). At the end of the service, I had a chance to speak to the minister that delivered the message, only to find out he often visits family in Temple Hills, Maryland. Small world.
This past week, I finally registered for my classes (which start September 7th), I received my work phone (which isn’t activated yet), went over my lesson plans, and received my first referral for a client. Just a reminder, my role is to help individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism that are at risk for sexual exploitation. I am excited to have my first referral, and will hopefully be able to start doing more hands on work this coming week! As for the group work, that is still a work in progress- but we do have a meeting in line for next month. This past weekend, I went to a tapas restaurant which was really good. We got complimentary sangria and paella (that’s what got me in the door). Also after dinner, there was flamenco dancing- which made me want to visit Spain even more (I plan to make a trip to Madrid in the coming months). Today, I went to church and helped out with their annual community outreach bbq. After talking to the right people at the bbq- the pastor (who is also a piano player) let me borrow one of his old keyboards. So now I am set until December and can play music as I please. After the bbq, I went to the Notting Hill Carnival (which is like a big Caribbean carnival in London). The event was nice, however I didn’t stay very long ( I was by myself and after some time I didn’t want to be around so many people).
So the best news I heard in the past two weeks was that Colleen is going to get to come visit me during thanksgiving =D. That definitely lifted my spirits this week and I am excited that she is going to have a chance to come here and spend time with me in the city. There are other potential visitors coming to visit- but their dates aren’t set in stone yet. If you are heading this way let me know- I can’t promise that I will see you, but I can promise that I will try my best! Well, that’s all I have to say this week… until next time.
Things I learned:
Sexual exploitation via the internet is really big here
The queen prefers living in Windsor Castle, not Buckingham Palace
The water in the baths in Bath taste rusty
Avebury is older and bigger than Stonehenge
People of London get many more days off work throughout the year, compared to Americans
Cops don’t have guns here
People don’t have guns here
The Real World was only really a thing in the 90s (as it should have been)
Geordie Shore is a show (yes, there is a British version Jersey Shore)
Flamenco dancing seems to have similarities to tap, and is really interesting to watch
Sangria is better than I once thought
Flapjacks are not pancakes
Windsor CastleSoldierGarden outside of WindsorThis mound is full of skeletons. There are many similar mounds close to Stonehenge and AveburyThe Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, BathEntrance to the bathsPicture from inside the bathsLower level of the bathBathThis tree was planted July 4, 1776 (at least that was told to us)Stonehenge with roommates (Thanks Sam for the picture)
As I begin week 3 of this 21 week experience, I can truly say I miss some of yall. Even in this short period of time, my experience here has been quite interesting. I have really enjoyed the novelty of being in a new city by myself and finding things on my own. It is quite fun wander through London with neither a set agenda nor phone service. Being disconnected is quite a liberating feeling; it allows me to focus more of my attention on whats right in front of me- and I love that. My phone does work in some places though, e.g., my room, places with wifi (mall, Starbucks and a bunch of stores in the city), and pretty soon at my internship. I will also be given a work phone, which means this new found freedom of being off the map may be short lived. But for the time being, I am enjoying my freedom and am not missing some of you.
Last week, I had a chance to go into the city and do more touristy things. During the week, I didn’t have plans so I decided to just go into the city and wander a bit. Before I go on in this story I must say that London’s transportation system is great and pretty easy to navigate. You only need to buy one refillable Oyster Card in order to have access to the public transportation, e.g., buses (including the double-deckers), trains, trams, river services and the Tube (metro). There are many other added benefits to this system- but rather than go into it, I ask that you just take my word that it is better than many other set-ups (looking at you DC).
So during the week, I decided I should do a dry run to figure out how to get to my internship. After taking a bus to North Greenwich station- I visited The O2 (formerly the Millennium Dome), which is this dome that houses a bunch of restaurants, bars, a movie theater, bowling ally, and an arena at its center. There are also many restaurants outside of the dome and (for a fee) people can climb on top of the dome. The O2 reminded me of a mall- but mainly filled with places to eat (there was a Five Guys). After walking around the O2, I hopped on the Tube and headed to Stratford, which is where my internship is located. It took me a few walks around the block to find my office, but once I did I saw that my commute is pretty simple- which is what I was hoping for. Just one bus and one Tube ride followed by a five minute walk. After finding my office and meeting some of my co-workers, I realized I still had a free day ahead of me, so I hopped back on the Tube, and looked on the map for a location I wanted to explore. After looking at all my options, I chose to see London Bridge. However when I finally saw the actual bridge, I felt it was disappointingly anticlimactic. Just a normal bridge yall. Although the bridge wasn’t what I thought it would be, there were things very close to the bridge that I enjoyed very much. I had a chance to stop by both Borough Market and Leadenhall Market- which were great. I also saw the Monument to the Great Fire of London, The Shard, and the Tower Bridge (before last week, I thought this was London Bridge). All in all, despite the clouds, it was an enjoyable day.
On the weekend, I decided to go back into the city- but this time to Trafalgar Square during the London Korean Festival. The whole area was very crowded and there were live performances on the stage set up at the square. This area is relatively close to many attractions and was one of the suggestions that many people (including Colleen) made to me. After arriving to the square- I decided I didn’t want to be in the large crowd of people listening to K-pop so I went to the National Gallery. While inside the gallery, I forgot to turn my flash off at first, so that was interesting- I didn’t get in too much trouble. After leaving the gallery, I headed to Buckingham Palace. In order to get to the palace, I had to walk through The Mall, which was really nice that day. It was nice visiting the palace again and getting a better picture this time. From the palace, I trekked over to see Westminster Abbey, The Palace of Westminster, and The London Eye again for better pictures.
During my time in Westminster, I noticed many people being hustled on the Westminster Bridge and that was very interesting. From con men doing the “three shell and ball” game, to men dressed up as Charlie Chaplin that request to use your camera and take a picture of you in front of a landmark (and then aggressively demand for money according to the internet), it was interesting just walking around observing people. I watched person after person lose their money in the three shell game and get upset (not realizing they were scammed). I also watched the scammers scramble when the cops were near. Watching human nature is interesting- must be the practitioner in me.
After hanging around in the city, I met my roommates back in Stratford at Westfield Mall, which is actually the largest mall in Europe. This mall is also located right next to the Stratford Station, which is down the street from my internship- so I guess its rather convenient to pass the mall everyday if I need anything. After window shopping for about an hour, I met up with my roommates and finally grabbed dinner.
This past week, I was able to finally start my internship and learn what role I would be playing while I am here. With my organisation (as spelled here in the UK) there are many different locations throughout the city, each having a unique focus. As explained in my first blog post, the focus of my office is child exploitation and human trafficking. Within the office, there are multiple projects that going on at once- with exploitation of children/young adults as the common theme. The project that I am particularly going to be a part of focuses on children/young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism that are at risk of exploitation. Our role is to provide an early intervention for these individuals. I will be working with individuals and hopefully (fingers crossed) in learning disability schools doing group work. I will also be doing return home interviews for children/young adults that were once missing but returned to their carers. The point of these interviews is to check in with the children/young adults to make sure the home environment is positive and to try to prevent future incidences. In addition to these, I will aid other projects that my office is involved in and wherever there is interesting work that needs to be done (talking to individuals or facilitating boys groups). So, that is a quick summary of the work I will be doing over here in London. I’m pretty excited to finally get started, but I will admit I am nervous. I will be sure to keep yall up to date with how things are going and how I am doing. Please understand that, due to the nature of my field, I must remain vague and protect the confidentiality of the individuals I am working with. Other than that, feel free to ask me anything about my internship experiences.
I was fortunate enough to meet up with a friend from back home who was visiting the city with her boyfriend and some other friends. We went to dinner in the city and then walked around the city for a little. That was one of the highlights of my week. If anyone else is visiting the city, just let me know and if it is your first time I will show you around as much as I can! Well I guess I have said enough… so I will catch yall next time.
Things I’ve learned these past two weeks:
Don’t get scammed at Westminster
My cameras automatic setting automatically uses the flash
There is a daily cap for public transportation- when you reach this amount, you can travel without having to pay
Bread has a shorter shelf life than expected
People on public assistance receive more money here
Food stamps aren’t used here
There is a Maryland in England
I have an accent
Some grocery stores charge to use shopping carts
Levi’s are over priced: £90= $140
Many people look at the US the same way I look at Europe- vast with many different places to go and explore
Baltimore riots made international news
If you look under 25 you will get carded to buy alcohol or go into a casino
There is a casino in Westfield Mall
I look under 25
Tried to get me to pay to use a cart.Because I’m basic.The O2. To the right you can see the part people climb up to get to the top.Just a normal bridge.The Shard.Tower Bridge. Taken from London Bridge.London Korean Festival at Trafalgar Square.Claude Monet Sea-Roses (Yellow Nirwana). My flash was off at this point.The Mall and Buckingham Palace.Buckingham Palace.London Eye.Westfield Mall.Met up with an old friend and made some new ones while they were visiting the city. Also, this is the bridge where people were being hustled.
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Across the Pond 