London Calling

Had an absolutely brilliant time in London this weekend. I saw so much and yet at the same time have seen so little of what it has to offer. It was freezing cold, winter has officially set in here, brrrr. Walked around Hyde park, saw Buckingham Palace, Natural History Museum, it was all so amazing. While in Hyde park came across the Winter Wonderland which is a carnival of sorts, rides, food, etc... Lots of things to buy, but I restrained myself and just took photos instead. Oh the life of a broke uni student, haha. It was a really good weekend I enjoyed seeing more of the city I can't wait to go again. Next time I want to take one of those London tours where you sit on the top of the bus and they take you to all the important sites in London. Well here are some pics of what I saw while I was there. Enjoy!!!

More Christmas Pics

More Christmas pics!

Merry Christmas

Had an excellent Christmas. Mum brought a small tree that we decorated and put in the corner, also got some garland and strung it across the bookshelves above so the place looks a bit more cheery. Christmas eve we went into town to the cathedral and went to the Christmas service. It was amazing, hearing the carols sung in the cathedral, the sound was just indescribable. It was definitely by far one of the coolest things I have done here so far. Mum and I came home and decided to see if we could find any Christmas movies to watch, I was able to find Its a Wonderful Life online so we watched that. Made it feel more like Christmas.
Today Mum and I got up and opened presents, then started making Christmas dinner. We had chicken (turkey was way to expensive), potatoes, stuffing, cranberry salad, pistachio salad, the typical dinner. We invited my flatmate Nora and my friend Shenah to take part in the feast. It was nice having others to share the meal with. We talked and laughed, it was nice. I really miss home, especially my family right now. I love being here in England, going to school, seeing new things, etc.. but I miss my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and friends. Mum is only here for a few more days then I'm on my own again. I think this will be the most difficult goodbye as I won't see her again for quite sometime. The week has gone by to quicky I feel as if she just got here and she's already getting ready to go home. This has a been a holiday of old and new traditions. New friends and family, I'm truly blessed. Merry Christmas!

Dear Sandman

Dear Sandman,
Bring me a dream.... I fear I may have done something to offend you as you have not visited me in quite sometime now. Perhaps it was that comment several weeks back and several times since that I made about no one really needing sleep. Are you now teaching me a lesson? Is this why I find myself unable to close my eyes and find my way to dream land? If this be the case, lesson learned. I'm sorry; it is obvious to me now that it is impossible to survive without sleep. That being said, I'm going to tuck myself into bed and wait for your arrival. Please do not disappoint, I hear by promise to never again doubt your importance.
Your sleepless fan,
Carli

Film Progress

I've been working on this short film for weeks now, actually its almost a month I think. Who would have thought 10 minutes of film could be so much work. Well I do know how much work a film takes as this is my third one. I have never had so much trouble making a film though. In the past it has come together quite quickly. This one seems to elude me, I've spent many a sleepless night stressing over the progress. Critiquing each and every scene, wondering how to make it better. Right now I have a general framework, but it needs a lot of help. Nothing is smooth, there is no flow. Its just a mess. I finally let Ruth and Shenah two of my classmates see it. I've not let anyone watch it so far other than the lecturer. Each time she looks at it I brace myself for the worst. I fear how critical she's going to be on grading. She's looked at my film and various stages, critiques and criticizes then I start over. I need to make a film that lives up to her standard, something I have been unable to do so far. I worry about what she's going to say when she sees the latest version. There are still a lot of flaws in it, poor sound, weak story, its just doesn't flow right.
I'm definitely going to be living in the visual anthropology room for the next few days. I have to get this film perfect and ready to turn in by Wednesday. I'm not sure if it can be done but I'm going to do my best. If anyone wants to have a go at editing my film for me. Please feel free, it can only get better.

All Nighter Numero 2!!

So I survived the second all nighter of the term, only have one more I think then I'm golden until the following term. This one went much better than the last, I'm unsure whether this is because this one was less stress or what but its over and done with and I'm glad. Jenn and I tried a new plan this time rather than staying in our rooms and working solo (and constantly tempted by the internet) we relocated to the kitchen. We both wrote over 25 pages in less than 24 hours. The other flatmates came and went through out the night, Except Rob, haven't seen him in at least a week, I hear from Jenn though he is still alive as he checks in with her. Tom came into the kitchen around 5 am to make dinner, and yes it was pasta haha. But seriously 5 am for dinner? Yea dude, more like breakfast.
Raphaelle came in this morning, wow I had no idea that girl got up so early. I mean I hear her when she leaves her room but I've never looked at the clock to see what time it is. Its early, way earlier than I ever get up at least of my own accord. I'm not sure but I think she thought that we had gotten up early to work on our essays. We explained to her that we hadn't even go to bed yet. Haha. Oh pg life. Love it or hate it. Personally I'm loving it right now, its a trip and there are times I want to scream but its okay.
For this deadline we were given a choice of assignments (I know right!) The stands 2000 word essay or we could take what we had been learning all term and put it into practice (ie, participant observation plus and interview or pilot a questionaire). A bunch of us decided it would be less work to do the assignment as opposed to the essay. Wow were we wrong, really really wrong. When I handed mine in it was 35 pages (granted 20+ pages were the appendices but still that's a lot of typing my fingers had to do last night). Final word count was 10,950 that's over half of how long my dissertation is supposed to be. Jenn and I figure this means we can write our dissertations in 2 days. So we're good. Haha no but seriously it was a good thing Jenn and I spent the night working in the kitchen. Last time I had numerous breakdowns lots of deleting and more stress than I care to experience again. While this assignment had stresses of its own (for example coding an interview and participant observation). For the most part it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Only problem is I fear what I've written may be absolute rubbish. My only hope is that the markers go easy and give me a passing grade. If not, guess what I'm doing over Christmas break.
Well I think that's the update on whats what for now. I should be exhausted and trust me "I look like sick" (haha, that was a phrase Jose used once, told Jenn she looked like sick, she had to explain to him that he was saying she looked like vomit. Oh Jose, how I love your grasp of the English language-really I do, its cute) but I'm wide awake right now. So I think I'm going to work on my readings for lecture this afternoon. Oh and if this blog really makes no sense sorry, but just remember I've been awake since around 10 am yesterday, so.... :-P
Later days

Visa Update

I've turned in the last bit of paperwork the student centre needs to send off my visa renewal application again. Yes again, don't ask, please. Now I have to wait patiently for my appointment in Croydon so I can go there and do all the biometric scans that they require now. Yea because that's what I want to be trying to schedule in the last two weeks of the term. Sheesh.
I spent 2 hours on Wednesday with one of the advisers going over the application, we tried to cover all the bases. I wrote a letter explaining last years circumstances, I included bank statements, loan agreements, everything I could possibly think of. The only thing I can do now is wait.
This has been so much stress and of course since I'm having to resubmit everything again this means I am not going home for Christmas. No passport equally stuck in England. I suppose it could be worse, I just hope I get my visa renewed. I've been having nightmares that I am rejected once again and have to return home. Everyone keep your fingers, toes, and whatever else crossed.