My day began with rushing through the flat in Kensington, getting bedding on the twin XL's and keys in the envelopes for the undergrads that were to arrive this morning! I left the flat at 8am, walked the brief block to my bus stop, and hopped the 14 to Warren Street (yes, ENG, you're old stomping grounds!). While the bus is about 20 pence cheaper than the tube, the ride is more than 20 minutes longer. I climbed the steps to the top of the quintessential double-decker, and swapped my view every two minutes between out the window and at my watch. I think I'll be sticking to the tube from now on...the 20 pence seems worth it when the sacrifice is my sanity each morning.
After arriving at Warren Street, and gazing with nostalgia at ENG's old residence when she studied at UCL (which she oh-so-generously let me intrude upon back in 2008), I walked the few blocks to Bedford Square and met the rest of the Sotheby's students outside the institute. We were escorted to UCL's campus, where we were given the opportunity to "network" with each other for an hour (which, for us, meant an hour to play the name game if you were from the States, and a few uncomfortable "can you repeat that's" when attempting conversation with the students from other parts of the EU and from Asia). Between sips of all-too-awful coffee and bites of biscuit, I met a few really interesting people. It's unbelievable how diverse the program is; students from 50 countries, representing 6 continents...definitely not something Stonehill appropriately equipped all of us 2010's for (our idea of "diversity" defined as: Anyone west of the Connecticut River, including the oh-so-easily identifiable ilovermont-ers).
We moved into one of the lecture halls, and sat for hour after hour, legs crossing and re-crossing, heads bobbing in jet-lagged deliriousness. It seems that the one thing all of the students do have in common is the adept ability to recognize that Sotheby's isn't the most organized with their new students. The best news all day was learning that we were all in the same boat, which brought on a new level of comfort with classes beginning next week, all of us still in the blue about what we're to do before then in terms of preparation.
The afternoon lectures were actually very helpful. There was a panel of 2011 graduates, who spoke with us at length about both academic and social expectations. We also had about an hour with James Stourton, the director of Sotheby's London Auction House, which was insightful and entertaining, offering some comic relief before our departure to the auction showroom on Bond Street.
The lot of us new students, from Art Business to East Asian Arts to Fine and Deco Arts, piled into 4 coach buses and were driven the few minutes across town, where we filed one by one into the glamorous building. White walls with glossy frames for contemporary photographs...high ceilings with gold filigree...and flutes filled to the brim with champagne. Yes, I know, I DO have the hardest life.
In addition to the retail-repeat-offender status that Princess Kate has made so acceptable, I do believe that I will begin to take on her royal disposition for champagne as well...I mean, if it's good enough for the Princess...
After a few hours touring the pristine showroom and meeting my shoulder-rubbing/nitwit-network dialogue quota for one day, I said my goodbye's to my new-found friends and hopped back on the tube westward to Earl's Court. I walked into my flat to find 7 smiling faces, all exhausted physically and emotionally. Oh, to be a junior in college, abroad for the first time...cue another round of nostalgia. They're all very young and excited, and I think they will be a great group to work with! A lot of them want to do touristy things this weekend, and I can never get enough of Big Ben (the clocktower in this case, not the pseudo, stand in, all-around boyfriend of CMR), so I think I'll be leading the way towards the Thames come Saturday!
Time to shower up, settle in, and give these piggies a rest. I started the day in flats and converted to heels for the cocktail hour (read "hours) per SUP's advice...only to end the day with blistered heels and bleeding toes (too much?). And let me tell you, these dogs are BARKIN'. The good news? Tomorrow is supposed to reach 75, so I'll be breaking out those essential gold Jacks for one last round (to give my heels a break).
On tap for tomorrow is a few more lectures, some Q&A sessions, more coffee and to wrap it all up, I'm sure, networking (yes, yes, I can tell all the way from a few hours ahead and a few miles abroad that you're all quite shocked about that).
Happy Thursday, everyone!
Cheers!
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