March 7: Wednesday

Well, this was a busy day full of administrivia.

I started out packing a large duffel bag with all my winter clothes--except the wool coat, hat, and bits needed for this weekend.  I dragged it from Northwest London to Patty's hotel in East Central. Imagine.  She is taking it home as one of her free perks on American Airlines.

One of the coldest and wettest days since my arrival and me carrying 30+ pounds of an awkward shaped bag-- schlepping train to tube to tube up and down stairs.  I kept thinking it was only a couple miles and better than dragging it across France and Germany at the back end of the trip.

After the 1.5 hours going about 3 miles, I arrived at her hotel and deposited it with the desk.  Off on another tube to meetings on campus from 1--5pm.

It looks like we might have snow in Prague tomorrow and Friday.  Maybe a light dusting.

My morning class tomorrow will be discussing two inequalities:  gender and adult/child relations.  Then we are off to the Children's Museum to critique toys, clothes and what those tell us about concepts of childhood/power and gender over the last 150 years in UK.  Then I take the train to Gatwick for Easy Jet connection to Prague.

These cheap flights restrict bags, so the wardrobe will be very limited.  Nancy is flying to Prague from Madrid and we'll meet at the hotel.

What has happened slowly in the past couple weeks is that I have made a few friends. Genuine connections with three  Brits and one Irish ex-pat  who live here and travel much.  I am slowly feeling more a part of this life than my reality on Songbird Lane and CSU Fullerton.

Strangers ask for directions.  The news about Parliament, the Scottish independence movement and government scandals here are engrossing.  Of course, I continue to follow the serial, comic-tragedy of the Republican Primary in the States.  Nonetheless, there is a shift.
You all better hope and pray that the Scots do not leave the UK.  Although I root for their self-rule, it would tilt the House of Commons away from Labor and I believe that  the USA would lose a strong ally.

There is another odd phenomena.  On weekends, students disperse to cities across the Eurozone and on Tuesdays we have 5-10 minute discussions about the highlights.  It is like people going different directions on an escalator giving tips of what to see.  It is rather jarring, but I admit appreciating the restaurant tips.  Four students concur that the Burger Bar in Amsterdam is the best food they ever tasted.  Of course, it is now on my "must do" list for Amsterdam.

Not knowing what internet connections will be in Czech Republic or Netherlands, I may not make an entry for a couple days.  I promise loads of photos from Prague and Amsterdam.

Ciao.