My Weekend With Maylen

There was (unfortunately) significantly less Eddie Redmayne in my weekend with Maylen than in his week with Marilyn, but it was spectacular nonetheless. Maylen is currently studying away in Grenada, Spain, and we decided to do a little inter country exchange. So she came down for the weekend and I'm headed to Spain with my roommate Jordanne for spring break.

I made sure that Maylen got the English essentials: fish and chips, tea, and a visit to a pub (the Sherlock Holmes pub, so even better). We also got up earlier than should really be technically allowed for a weekend to wait in line to get tickets to Matilda. IT WAS WORTH IT. First of all, the tickets only cost £5, so that's a steal considering the usual rate of £30+. Seeing the musical just made me remember what an important story Matilda is for children to read and see, because Roald Dahl doesn't sugar coat it. He tells it like it is. Sometimes school sucks and parents suck and people are mean. But equally, sometimes we have friends and teachers and experiences that are wonderful. Not to mention the fact that the 10 year olds in the cast were more talented than I'll ever be.

Her being here also made me really think about what I like about London, what I want to do with people when they come here, what I want to show them. Because living here it just becomes home. I go to work, I got to class, go about my daily routine without really thinking about the parts that I like or hate about London. But seeing through Maylen's eyes made me appreciate the city again, from a whole new angle than I used to. My initial love was based on wide eyed awe and the newness of being here. Now I have favorite places and don't have to look at a map and love it because it feels like home.