Class and exploration

Tuesday night I had my first class, Economics with Justice. I loved it, I could seriously take that class every day and be completely happy. We have barely scratched the surface of what we will discuss in the weeks to come, but I am loving it. I am a bit less certain about the Philosophy class that I am going to tonight, we are discussing how ancient philosophers are their thought are still applicable today. Interesting...

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was amazing. They had the coolest exhibits that were unlike any history or art museum. I spent literally an hour in the Jewelry exhibit that had jewelry dating back to 1500 BC! It was spectacular. There was an exhibit with costumes from plays and concerts that was really fun as well.

Random note. They pick up trash like 6 times a day here. Weird.

Crash course in being a Brit

So I arrived safely in London yesterday morning and was met by a driver with a sign "Jennifer Schuster" to take me to Lauren's flat in style, an Audi! It was very nice and much more comfortable than the plane. Oh how I wish I could travel in business class with their reclining seats.
So I unpacked and do think I brought entirely too many things, mainly clothes, because I was very good about the shoes. We went to Wagamama for lunch, see the picture for my lunch.

We came back to the flat and were totally engrossed in the Top 50 Number 1 of the Century So Far. This is what I have learned... the Brits LOVE singing groups, not bands. Take That, Westlife, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, S Club 7, the Spice Girls, you name it. Most have never crossed the pond but are TREMENDOUSLY popular here. The LOVE dance music. In the 90s, when the US was grunging it up, the Brits were dancing their pants off. It just amazed me that nothing in the Top 10 was from earlier that 1990 - what century were they looking at? Strange.

Have to finish a paper before classes start on Tuesday! EEKK

Excitement and aprehension

It is finally here. I leave for London on Friday for 3 months. I have been dreaming of how exciting it was going to be for so many months, and it is now right on the horizon. I have a myriad of emotions swirling through my head. I am so excited to see everything and live in London. They posted the syllabus for my class and it looks so amazing that I can't wait to get in there.
My last day of work is on Wednesday and I am SO excited to leave workers' compensation but sad to leave the people I have grown to love. I am scared as hell to be quitting my job, and the security I have become accustomed to. Most of all, I am broken up about leaving my family, since I graduated from college, I have lived with them and really gotten close to them - more so than when I was a kid. I love and appreciate the unwavering support and unconditional love they have provided me with and I will miss them desperately. They are my rock and while I am so happy to be setting my feet upon the road to begin the rest of my life, I am sad to leave without them.

Tell me all your thoughts on God

I was driving home tonight in the rain and listening to some U2 as I had just been talking to Eunice and Melissa LawPenrose about U2 - Melissa and I telling Eunice how awesome they are. I started to think about my thoughts on God and religion. I have had the feeling that the more I have learned about the world, the less I know about my beliefs.
Here is what I do know:
I believe in God and pray often.
The God I believe in doesn't judge people based on their race, sexual orientation or system of belief.
This God made humans in its likeness, and therefore we are all the same.
This God also gave humans intelligence and the ability to create things to help others, we should embrace this search for knowledge and not fear it.
I believe that God entrusts humanity to humans, and we are to help our fellow man.
I believe that the Lord has been trying to tell me what I should be doing with my life for a very long time, it has just taken me a long time to hear the message.
I believe in the possibilities of Christianity and am frightened by the limitation and prejudices that organized religion puts into place.
I think that sometimes religion gets in the way of God.