Greetings from London, England!

I cannot believe how fast time is flying here! So much has happened within the past few weeks.  I am currently living in an apartment-style flat with my four wonderful roommates in Shepherd’s Bush.  There are multiple housing locations through my CAPA program that you can be randomly assigned to; mine is located in a busy, multicultural neighborhood full of music venues, pubs, and–of course–the Westfield mall.  Shepherd’s Bush is a quick thirty-minute tube ride to both my internship and school location. Most of the students studying here cannot say the same–I am very lucky to have such a short commute in my daily schedule.

My flat here definitely differs from my apartment back in Pittsburgh, the biggest difference being the size of my new home.  Although I am living with four other people, we only have two different bedrooms within our living area. I share a room with two other roommates–something I have never done before–along with two bathrooms and a living room/kitchen space. Instead of a dishwasher in our kitchen, we have a washing machine built in right under the kitchen sink.  Dryers are very uncommon to see in the UK, so we dry all of our clothes on clothing racks in our living room. 

Before I got to London, I had no idea just how big this program is!  I am very thankful to be living with a fantastic group of people on Goldhawk Road.  Throughout the first few weeks of being here, I explored multiple parts of London; including Kensington, Waterloo, Westminster, and Greenwich. During my day-trip to Greenwich through CAPA, I took a boat on River Thames see multiple historic landmarks and explore the royal borough. The picnic I had in Greenwich Park was the highlight of the day, along with the fantastic food I bought from a local festival.

There are multiple goals I have set for myself while abroad–including a few within my internship placement.  I am currently interning with London Live: a local television channel based in London that provides local news, current affairs, sports, arts, events, and entertainment. One of the goals I have set for myself while interning with the company is to get well acquainted with a ten-hour daily work schedule.  Initially, my days at work were challenging to get through, however, I am getting more and more used to my long shifts. I also hope to develop the technical skills necessary to film interviews and edit news packages. 

All in all, my first few weeks in London have been a dream!  I cannot wait to explore more of this wonderful city in the weeks to come.

Until next time,

Charlie