The beginning of classes & interning

Monday I had my first class from 2-5pm. I'm taking a really cool Art & Architecture course where we travel to different sites every week. The first hour was rough (due to being in the cold for so long) and we learned about the area of Whitehall from standing on the street and learning about the buildings. Since we're standing while our professor speaks I use my blackberry to take notes and I email them to myself (which is much more complicated than one would imagine). We then went into the Banqueting House, which was part of Whitehall Palace before it burnt down. (The building was acquired from Cardinal Wosely by King Henry VIII but brought into its glory by the Stuarts).

We learned all about the function of the building and then we interpreted the paintings which was really cool. The paintings were put in under Charles I in honor of his father James I and was full of allegory and obviously message about King's divine rights. I then went back to school since we had a reception with our professors at school, which the school gave us wine (its weird drinking with your professors but you feel much older!) and then my friends and I went to McDonalds....again.

Tuesday I had my first day of interning with The Citizenship Foundation under which I really enjoyed. I was given an office tour and I learned more about what I will be doing this semester - scanning the newspapers for political & educational articles, searching databases for articles, tweeting, blogging, working events and doing small projects. Most of my office is very young and "hip" and their really nice and friendly. Oh and I get my lunch paid for, which is cool considering things cost so much here!

Today I slept in a little and then woke up and went for a run to High Street Kensington (where there are a lot of shops) and picked up some more towels and pillow cases. By that time I had to get ready to go to my first event for my internship which was a tea at the House of Commons at Parliament. The charity I intern for works for keeping this class British kids have to take called Citizenship in the curriculum (since it could be cut due to financial deficits) so there were Lords, Baronesses, and Members of Parliament that were all there and I got check their names off of the list and give them name tags.

(This is me at Parliament, note the sweet name tag with my photo, going through security was like at the airport!)

I then went out for a drink with some of the people from work down the road and now I'm back watching Notting Hill...which is fun considering I live in Notting Hill :)