Such a title could mean something happened to me. Bleah, as usually I tend to use my gossip style titles to present such a boring subject as school. Maybe for others as today I worked on the first project in a team with my colleagues. Kinda reminded me of pitch presentation nights, when we would just stay, eat pizza, drink bear and write stuff, good or bad, doesn’t matter.

After a few hours of reading on interactivity, bergsonism and new media, we managed to come up with a 20 slide presentation on interactivity. What’s the fuss about it? Dears, check out the November British edition of Wired about the new XBox 360 launch and then you’ll understand why interactivity it’s not just a nice word to impress clients in digital media pitches. Or interactive media as many Romanian professionals would like to call the industry they work for. But do not worry. Even if you would use those concepts in your presentations, you might find it quite difficult to integrate the theory learnt in school into the corporate blah blah every marketeer is mentally prepared for reading.

Somehow the experience earned in the agencies we worked for somehow helped us summarize the theory concepts we had. Indeed, tomorrow is a big day, first project, first school presentation. Hope we won’t mess it up dramatically

Mario Vargas Llosa won the Nobel prize for literature this year. It’s on the news but being one of my favorite writers makes me so happy. He’s an amazing writer and thank God I discovered him in a period of my life when his work could inspire me and shape me up as a human being. Same with Jose Saramago but unfortunately he passed away. These are writers anyone should read. Some of my friends consider Saramago a difficult writer to read but v time I read his books, I feel I’m inside his characters’ minds. It’s such an amazing feeling, I don’t recall any reading experience that could lead you to such sensation.

Anyway, great to be in school. Got tons of reading, tons of unknown words, tons of heavy books. But, hey, this is all about learning. Yesterday we had the first seminar for the second course this term and we got involved in such amazing discussions with our professor…great feeling to be a student!

Keep you posted. I have been writing a material on self esteem and being fat but it’s so “unpopular” and I won’t publish it. People tend to react extremely harsh when touching such sensitive topics….

Starting tomorrow evening, the London Underground workers are on strike. Until Monday evening. So I’ll get to school by train and by bus. Welcome to London, baby!

More here, if interested.

I was never a mall fan as I usually buy my stuff online, check my friends at Ollie or buy from Berlin sneakers or other nice stuff I don’t find at home. That’s why I am not used t the Saturday chaos hitting the shops. Today I went to buy some milk and bread and I ended up on the High Street. It’s not a mall as it’s in the open air but it’s a pedestrian area where you can find fast food and shops. And the entire town is there, despite the bad weather. I was in shock seeing so many people around me, hearing so many languages as if I was in bloody Babylon. But thank God, I ran to Tesco, bought milk, bread, flowers and apples and headed back home. Took a deep breath, had a Coke and started looking for jobs and houses.

So nothing special today, just a glimpse on the British lifestyle.

I love Berlin with all my heart and I’m gonna learn to love London as well. I got one year to spend here and I’m gonna love this city as much as I love Berlin.

And that’s the end of the subject.

PS: I’m discovering some places that made me see London in another light and I liked it

Everybody is so excited that I’m in London and starting my MA. Looking through my search results on my blog, I’ve seen that there are people looking for student advice in London. Here are some things you should know, whether you are a student or not.

1. The bloody weather: if it rains, the rain is so cold that if you are half protected by umbrella and coat, your jeans will definetely get wet. I was caught by rain and got soaked up, despite having rain shoes (tested already in Berlin), rain coat, winter jeans. If it doesn’t rain, it’s the wind. It literally messes up your life. I went to Tate Modern and I had lots of clothes on me and I was cold because of the wind. Actually, I caught a cold as now I am in bed sneezing. Do not ever under estimate the weather in the country you’re gonna live in. I love cold weather but the London cold wind gets into your bones. Although I have winter clothes with me, now I must invest money  in heat tech and waterproof clothing in order not to get really sick.
2. Transportation costs: I bought the most expensive bus ticket in my entire life. 2 pounds!!!!! The transportation is great in London except the south where you have only trains, buses, a few overground and underground stations and this is it. There are large areas in the south of London where you can only get by bus. I’m focusing on the south as my school is there and I must find a home around the school, with good transportation. Be prepared as a student to pay full price until you get your student card from the uni. Buy an Oyster card as you have discounted transportation fees.
3. Home: unless you are lucky to get a room in student house, you must look on Gumtree (best solution until now) and choose adverts with pictures. Be careful to “amazing room in lovely house”. Nothing amazing, quite filthy and incredible small rooms Be careful to the areas you choose to live in, to the landlord, to the people staying in the house. Best checking: bathroom and kitchen as these are areas to be used by everybody in the house. DO not pay in advance without having a contract signed. Do not give your card details without having a contract signed. Be just careful and with your eyes wide open as you are not at home and nobody can save you. Superman doesn’t exist.

I’ll keep these posts coming as some of you wish to know how to apply and what to write in your applications.

PS: get used to rain. Literally.

They say Goldsmiths has one of the best media departments from UK universities. After seeing my teachers today in the induction course presentation, I may say they may be right.

Anyway, the highlight of this day was being stuck in the subway for 30 min and being sick and panicked…Hurray for that.  Thank God for WIRED and a bottle of cold water.

Horrible back pains but they can be solved and a cold. Nothing special. I’m starting school tomorrow.

Fuckin bloody rain and wind! Hell broke loose in the past 2 days. Yesterday I put on my rain outfit, already tested in Berlin last November. Are u kiddin me?!!?? Rain like in Berlin? Not in London, people, not in London. In 10 minutes, I was soaking wet, hurrying up to the station, wishing to catch up the train to London. Seen a home , looking great but too far from school. Had to reconsider my options.

Lucky me, the rain stopped and I could dry up a little bit. The rain is so cold that gets inside your soul. It’s like gloomy November rainy days back at home. Plus the cold wind. Not fun for me, I wished for some cold and some snow, not rain, duh!!!

Maybe I should have chosen Finland? Or Norway?

Well, today was a different story. Lots of wind, lost 2 pounds because I didn’t know I can use my travel card on the bus too and I bought a ticket but went to King’s College student fair. Wow, loved it, from this perspective a student’s life seems so much fun but I’m too old for crazy partying and drinking and I’m not in the mood for this lifestyle; but I did sign up for their Italian club as they have cooking nights

Next Monday, it’s enrolment day at my university. Keep you posted, tomorrow I may see a house and crash in at Tate.

I won’t keep counting the days spent here as it makes me feel like I’m having a deadline to accomplish.

What’s new: the sunny warm days are over, welcome London weather! It’s 9:35 and it’s raining. Like somebody told me, enjoy any day of sunny and warm weather as if it was your last.

Yesterday was a base camp day, didn’t go to London. Finally found the classic parsley we all know, at Tesco and bought like…1 kilo!!!! 3 huge bunches for 1.50 pounds. They have already been chopped and put into the freezer to be used in the next days for cooking.

But the most amazing thing happened yesterday was going plane watching at Heathrow. OMG, fucking unbelievable!!!! Staying on the side of the road and seeing the flying beasts flying over your head and roaring like hell. WOW WOW WOW! Loved it so much. Next stop, terminal 5, the last masterpiece of the airport. Huge, just huge and so…light. I kinda felt pity for the cleaning service that has to wipe off all those windows…huge windows

As it rains, today I hope I’ll get to Tate Modern, first museum in London for me. After that, house hunting again Keep your fingers crossed