Hello 2010!

Hello 5280 Rotarians and friends!

It's me! Still alive; though surprising given the cold! If it weren't for the fairy tale magic of the SNOWFALL, I would have given up and stayed under my electric blanket today.

Snow at Regent's Park with Newman House friends!

I had quite the New Year's experience in London thanks to Rotary. Paddy, one of the Rotarians in my host club is a past Mayor of Harrow, so she took me to brunch on New Year's day at 1 Whitehall Place with all the Mayors and Past Mayors of the Greater London Boroughs.

Paddy and the current Mayor of Harrow

We then had VIP seats to watch the New Year's Day parade. Apparently they bring in tons of American marching bands and cheerleaders for parades in Europe. It's not really a European thing; the UK just started some cheer squads, but as the host said, "They just don't have the RAZMATAZ of American cheerleaders yet." Ah, razmataz. But yes, it was quite the experience!

All the mayors of the London Boroughs in the London New Year's Day Parade!

I just got back from Jakarta, Indonesia, where I was attending my uncle's 50th wedding anniversary!

Just a few of his grandchildren

It was quite the event, and quite the culture shock to visit Indonesia after 6 years. There's a coherence to the social structure and wealth gap that will undergo much change in the coming years I think. There's some involvement in the new and growing democracy, and a teeny bit of faith in the anti-corruption movements. Overall, it was quite the challenge to process even as a native. But oh, the food! Wow, *faint.* I think more things grow in hot weather too, which allowed for so much variety... And of course, it was so nice to see how close the family is and see the little differences in those of us who have lived in the US or Australia.

I have exams on Tuesday, but they should be fine. Unless we get snowed in and all public transport shuts down. I only have 4 hours of class per week next term (can be stretched to 6 hours per week if I take the extra module), but it's still quite skinny. I'm enrolling in another french course and am definitely looking forward to joining a service/activism movement. Also still doing wushu, my Chinese martial art with the team at Imperial College. I miss Los Angeles because I miss feeling so connected to it. Knowing its challenges, its efforts, its life...but it took more than a year to come to know Los Angeles of course. I hope I can cram in as much as I can in the rest of my time in London. I'm glad I spend quite a bit of time with locals here, it's a much more authentic immersion experience I think. Looking forward to more.

Oh, also, here's a photo with the Harrow Rotary President, Nahid, and a Lord Mayor. Lord Mayors are ceremonial mayors; they "uphold the dignity of the crown," do openings and fundraisers and such. And the other day at the New Year's brunch, someone was talking about their Town Crier. "What's a town crier?" "Well you know, they go into town and they say 'O Yea, O Yea' and then they give you the latest news from the other village'" =D How much fun is that?!?!

Oooh, next term I'll be visiting Lindsey Fyfe in Scotland! Super exciting! She's our Rotary scholars from District 5280 also studying here. I'm also due for a big webcam session with Lindsey and Jamie, our 5280 scholars. Can't wait to hear all about their year.

That's all for now, there's a relatively new blog up, but I'll write a fresh one after exams. Hope all is well with you and yours, please give Los Angeles a hug for me!

Cynthia