Geography and Identity

So tomorrow I am embarking on a ten day trip to Rome, Florence, Milan and Geneva. Flying from London to Rome, then taking trains and buses all the way to Geneva, Switzerland, while stopping in Florence and Milan. Since I was a little kid I've been wanting to go to Italy, and now it's actually happening. As a geography major I spend a lot of time on Google Earth, just staring at maps, zooming in and out, doing street view of places I've never been like Tokyo, or middle of nowhere Alaska. Yeah,

A window in to Amsterdam

So this past weekend I went to Amsterdam. Yes, Amsterdam. Now, when I mentioned this to a couple of Americans here in London, their immediate reaction was, "OMG, you are going to have so much fun at the coffee shops". Well, that's when it got awkward, mainly because I've never done pot, so I responded, "I don't think I'm even going to go to a coffee shop". They were taken aback by this and asked, "Is there anything else to do in Amsterdam?". Yup, it's sad how we

A view from the Balcony

 One of the main reasons why I chose London to study abroad was because of the theatre scene. There are so many productions going on in London, it's crazy! Every week a production ends and one begins; so many options, from big musicals, to small plays, it's all in one city, and affordable (compared to Broadway). Anyways, since I've been here I've been to six theater productions, saw The Little Dog Laughed, Daisy Pulls It Off, The Whisky Taster, Billy Elliot, Priscilla and Enron, and this we

Awkward People

 So get this, in EVERY bathroom I have been in the United Kingdom, there is an awkward person standing by the door. Don't get me wrong, it's not that this country is full of creepers, but all the contrary, it's their job to stand there, turn on the faucet for you, hand you a paper towel and if need be, hand you a cologne, gum, mouthwash or lollipop from their array of supplies. I don't want to generalize, but I will, and it seems like most of these are minority immigrants, which i

Long time no see

 Wow, so it's been a long time since my last post. A lot of stuff has happened. I'll mention some and go into details about others. Let's begin by Syracuse's Love London Weekend. I went to see Billy Elliot, not that great of a musical like some people say. Maybe my expectations were to high, but it is definitely not the "best musical on the London stage". Don't get me wrong, it was good, but nothing extraordinary. The best thing about it was the set and the little kid dancing, apa

Poor and living in Bloomsbury

 Short post, but I've noticed a trend here in London. Not a lot of people live in central london, and if you do, then you've got money. I'm living in Bloomsbury, a nice area in central London, about a ten minute walk from Soho, Covent Garden, Leicester Sqr and Picadilly Circus, which are some of the busiest areas of the city. So anyways, every time we go out and meet locals, and they ask us where we live, we casually say Bloomsbury, by Russell Square, and each time people are in shock. One

Poking Holes

 After poking holes in the American Bubble, I've found out that I LOVE this country, especially the city of London. It's so vibrant and busy, there is literally something to do every day. I can go out to a club on a monday night and there will be a line outside, or I can go to a theater performance on a tuesday night and it will be packed; I love it. Not only that, but it is truly an international city. I mean, I once thought Washington, DC was international, but DC is such a small city tha

Bursting the Bubble

 A week has passed and sometimes it feels like I never left the USA. At times London feels like another US city, where people just drive on the other side of the road. For example, if you turn on the tv here in London, you will find a variety of American shows. I have seen Monk, Two and A Half Men, Glee, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, FBI Case Files, L.A. Hard Hats, Lost, Law and Order: UK, among others. At the same time, you turn on BBC news and hear about Obama all day long. You can go do

Almost 21

 I am turning 21 tomorrow (Jan 24). For most of my life, 21 was a random number that didn’t mean anything, after all, the drinking age in Puerto Rico is 18, so after that you are considered an adult, which really wasn’t a big deal for me since I didn’t drink in Puerto Rico, so there was only the feeling of being older. Now, that I’ve lived in the states for two and a half years, the number 21 has gained more importance, it signifies “maturity”, “adu

To Shakespeares Head and Back

 Wow! I’ve only been here for a day and I’m already in love with London. At first I was doubting myself and why I am here, but that mainly was because I was walking around the city alone while I waited for it to be time to check-in to my apartment. After an hour of walking around the neighborhood of Holborn and Bloomsbury (wikipedia it), I was able to check in to my apartment at Bedford Place. I was kind of nervous about it, thought it was going to be a small apartment, but

Do not wait up for me London

 These last few days in Puerto Rico have been interesting, to say the least. I went out last night for a couple of drinks with an old dear friend of mine (drinking age in Puerto Rico is 18) and after a few drinks and an interesting conversation about the future and life as an undergrad, we headed over to the nearby casino (legal age to participate is 18 also) and played a couple of rounds of roulette. It wasn't my friends first time playing, but it certainly was mine, which I'm sure everyon

Enjoying the warm weather and the beach

Hey everyone! My name is Ricardo Muñiz, a junior at the George Washington University, from the tiny Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. I am double majoring in International Affairs and Geography. This upcoming semester I will be studying abroad in London with Syracuse University. Sometimes I think I should have gone somewhere more exotic, where I didn't know the language, but I decided that one of my priorities while abroad is to immerse myself in the culture of the country without any prob