More musings

1. I bless my liberal arts education on a daily basis here -- I feel so prepared, actually more than prepared, to tackle the readings assigned and the questions posed to me. I have developed an academic routine that works for me (digesting dense analytical texts, outlining articles, writing essays and preparing for exams) and it seems to be carrying over nicely to my work at the LSE. I am also finding that I have encountered (or at least heard of) a lot of the authors I'll be reading this year. In fact in some instances, I will be re-reading materials. For some kids coming from more vocationally focused schools, these texts feel daunting and new. I feel blessed to have at least a little bit of knowledge in a broad range of topics.
2. There's no shortage of good people in this world. I have been here for three weeks and I can honestly say that I have already made lifelong friends. Friends that finish my sentences, understand my sense of humor, have similar interests, jam to the same tunes, and are equally motivated to travel the world. Friends that I already can't imagine living without.
3. I can be myself wherever I end up. It works for me.
4. Getting used to new surroundings takes time. Although London sometimes feels like a mass of endless pavement and I am often overtaken by aggressively maneuvering pedestrians... it has so much to offer. I haven't even scratched the surface. I have a long list of things I need to conquer before I can authoritatively say I like South Africa better. South Africa was just different...and I had a team of interstudy staffers making sure my transition was seamless.