London day 8

Wow, long day today...but a good one. 

Today I assisted with the training of four young adults who will be traveling into South Africa and Burundi in the next couple of months representing Street Action.  I assisted the Director Joe with misc. tasks and provided my own personal account and recommendations for when they travel to South Africa and work with the NGO Umthombo and street children in Durban.  I think this is a great group of "kids" (I call them kids only because they are in their early 20s).  I have to admit I am a wee bit envious of their journey because they will be in Durban, South Africa for about six weeks and then headed to Burundi to work with New Generation for another six weeks.  This will be an experience that they will never forget and it was an honor to share in a portion of their training.

The training session was from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and I got a little lost getting there since the bus terminated earlier than I had expected.  The London buses often terminate before your stop making you have to get off and then back on another bus on the same route (provided that those buses don't also terminate where you're waiting).  The transit system here is amazing.  But I'm still having a hard time not being turned around and knowing which way is N, S, E and W.  They don't mark their maps indicating which way is which.  It's still a little confusing with everything being on the opposite side as well.  I can totally navigate the Underground and Overground, but the buses I'm still working on. 

Okay, enough about my transit rant.  So today's main focus was on the volunteers training.  After, we all went to the University bar/lounge and had a pint before everyone went their separate ways, most going home.  Not me.  Nope...I went to a lecture given by the Royal African Society addressing the legacy of the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.  This was also at the University of London and started at 6:00 p.m.  It was a great lecture with three speakers from the media field.  It'll be interesting to see if the legacy is positive or negative in the long run economically and socially. 

After the lecture, it was pouring rain.  I didn't mind except I wore the wrong pants and didn't bring my jacket out today.  My cotton lounge pants got soaked as I walked to the bus stop and it got a little chilly without the jacket.  The past week I have been bringing my jacket with me not knowing how cold it might get and I end up sweating my butt off.  So today I said no more.  I'd rather be cold than an icky, sweaty mess.  For once it would have come in handy.  LOL.  So the story goes. 

I popped in to a burger joint to have some dinner before heading back to North London where I'm staying.  No, I didn't have a burger but a grilled chicken, bacon and avocado sandwich.  No more burgers until I get home I swear.  I don't want the disappointment.  I knew that my host wouldn't be home so I took my time.  Dave, my host, has been so kind in making dinner and breakfast each day and when I got in he had left me a small bottle of wine (enough for a glass) to finish my day.  He's the kindest man and I really enjoy chatting with him.  He worked for Shell Oil for 25 years and it really has been refreshing to get his side of how the industry works.

Anyways...so now I'm ready to head off to bed.  I've been dicking around on Google chat for the last couple of hours and now it's well past midnight.  Tomorrow is a low-key day for me.  We have a music fundraiser on Saturday night so tomorrow I need to go back to Hackney and put out some fliers for the event.  Should be another good walking day.  I'm hoping though, seriously hoping, that it won't be raining.  Please, please, please oh weather gods.  Once I'm done I'll probably head back to North London and work on some database data for Street Action.  If not, then I'll work on my french and research for my thesis.

So far this has been a fantastic trip.  It was well worth it and I'm getting even more excited about getting my thesis done and back into the working field...especially in my field of study.  If only I could find my way to London and get a job out here.  I really do like it here.  It's a fast-paced city with such educated and experienced people.  It is exactly where I want to be career wise.  Who knows what the future holds for this crazy and passionate Cali girl?  Whatever it will be...it will be something fulfilling and exciting that will not only make myself proud but my parents and family even more proud (not sure if that's possible right now though with my parents).

Okay...signing off...until tomorrow.