August 13, 2009

I'm a big believer that success is when preparation meets opportunity and that when opportunities do present themselves, you should accept them despite the challenge and throw yourself into them wholeheartedly. When I accepted the job offer in London five months ago, I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. I realized that I would have to be away from home and even tougher, from my family, for another whole summer. I waDinner with Syeda and the roommatess aware of the fact that I knew no one in London, would have to share a flat with 5 people I did not know, would have to work 10-hour shifts after just finishing a very busy semester armed only with my severe incapability of reading maps. I was truly sad to leave Miami after the one week I got to go home. Looking into my mother's glistening eyes as I rode up the escalator, I struggled to convince myself I had made the right decision in choosing to leave. 

After a moment, I shook the thoughts away and reflected on the Greek quote that my father has often told me when I have come to regret a choice I've made, rough translation: "You've entered the dance, so now dance." So I swallowed down the pain of leaving behind the three people I love most that always rises despite my love for adventure, and I promised myself I would do great things this summer, for myself, and for my family.

Upon arriving in London, I immediately created a google calendar (feel free to mock me at this point) writing down all the things I wanted to see in London, jotting down the dates of festivals and markets, and noting major British landmarks and places. I explored the city every single day after 5, regardless of how exhausted I was from work or how hardMe at the Eiffel Tower I attempted to convince myself that my bed was more appealing, and slowly - and unexpectedly - this city began to feel like home. My daily adventures allowed me to see shows like Wicked (with British accents!), Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare's reconstructed Globe Theatre, All's Well That Ends Well in the National Theatre, the Opera in Trafalgar Square, and Harry Potter in the Odeon Cinema. I wandered through countless markets, buying watermelon (imported from Greece!) at every single one before running to a park and setting up picnics. I visited most museums, including the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Tates, and the White Cube Gallery. I went for cheesy tour visitsto everywhere I could manage including Canterbury, Wimbledon (watched a match!), Leeds, Dover, Brighton, Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor Castle, Oxford (entered the Harry Potter set!), and Cambridge. I spent a weekend in Venice with my closest friend from Greece and her family. 

Then one day as I was walking home from work, I heard a woman shouting in French on her mobile and realized that it might just be the only language that sounds elegant even in a shrill tone. I decided I absolutely had to visit Paris, and so I went. The city captured me and enthralled me to the point that I now know people do not exaggerate when they say that Paris takes one's breath away. I spent a day in Ireland and a day in Scotland, sleeping in the airport in between in order to avoid the 15 pound bus cost to go to the flat. And despite the dirty airport chairs and the creepy stares from other nightly inhabitants of Stansted airport, the trips were well worth the trouble. Dublin was adorable and Scotland, with its vibrant blue waters dancing along the rolling green hills, well - I don't think I need to describe the beauty that treated my eyes in this instant.

Although a city that allows me to travel so easily could capture my heart without any trouble, this is not the reason I feel so comfortable in London.

I worked at Film London every day for 8 weeks from 8 in the morning to around 5 at night, some days longer if I was helping with a shoot. The beginning was tough because I had to learn the ropes and rather quickly - people in the film industry do not like to wait for answers.  The middle was hard because Visiting Richmond Parkmany of the members of my team were assigned to various projects so I had to hold down the fort. The end was difficult because my team learned what I could do and I did not want to let them down. The bulk of my work involved helping directors and producers find locations in London that suited the scenes they were shooting for their movies and assisting on different shoots, but I also helped run film festivals across London. I read scripts for films that are now shooting and will be in cinema in the fall and I helped organize networking events for the Location Managers and the members of Film London. Some nights I worked late because shoots were still in session and some mornings I arrived early in order to finish permission forms for films that had sooner deadlines. And the toughest part about all of it? Having to leave... My team members were absolutely wonderful and although the work was long and tiring, there wasn't one moment when I felt bored or useless. I was assigned the same work as the rest of the team and the more I accomplished, the higher profile cases I received. I felt important and I loved what I was doing, so when my last day came and my team threw me a surprise tea party, I was actually sad to go.

Now I head to Greece for vacation almost reluctantly, leaving behind new friends, wonderful places, and an amazing job. I am thrilled to see cousins, aunts, uncles, my grandfather, and my friends, but this city is truly unique in that it has captured me in such a short time. 

The combination of history and technology, the easy access to the arts, the over-abundance of culture, and the charisma that flows through the heart of London in the River Thames will be missed, as will the delicious Thai and Indian food I have incorporated into my daily cuisine. I guess my sudden love for this city can only mean one thing... This is not Goodbye London. It's See You Soon

Looking over at the Tower Bridge

June 23, 2009

About a week ago, I walked home from dinner with a friend. We had dined on Southbank, which meant in order to get home to Farringdon Road I just had to cross Blackfriar's Bridge over the Thames River, and walk for a bit longer. As I walked home, I peered over the dock at the coast along the river water and saw a man sculpting the deep golden sand.  He worked restlessly, his hands quickly jotting here and there and leaving traces of forms behind over and over again until her form was clear.  He had sculpted The Statue of Liberty.  I blinked in disbelief.  I stood above him watching for minutes that melted into a half hour.  He completed his sculpture so gracefully, ignoring the people gawking, the coins thrown down to him in appreciation, the sunlight that was slowly dwindling as the day danced over the horizon. When he finished, he looked up at me. I smiled. He winked.

I walked slowly on purpose, kicking at pebbles on the boardwalk and giggling as I passed one couple dancing in the meek luminescence of the moon.  A few short months ago I waved goodbye to The Statue of Liberty as I boarded my flight to Europe. Now, she had followed me to London.  I had always believed the refined beauty of this city would appeal to me, as would the afternoon teas, the Sunday picnics, the vintage markets, and the centuries of history embedded into the modernity of my generation. I simply underestimated the affect they would have on me.  In two weeks, I watched the British form of New York's hit Broadway show, Wicked, attended an outdoor opera of Il barbiere di Siviglia, went to Harry Potter with hundreds of immensely enthusiastic fans, visited the Oxford and Cambridge colleges, experienced Shakespeare'sIn the Harry Potter Dining Room at Oxford All's Well That Ends Well at the National Theatre, and became a regular customer at of one Thai Cart right outside Film London.  It is now impossible to approach the cart without the Thai women ordering my typical rice and vegetable curry for me and then escorting me to my usual table, removing any other people who have tried to sit there.

I am almost home as the stars begin to leap across the purple sky above me.  I try to understand what it is about London that makes me feel so at ease, so comfortable, so at home.  Is it the vast history that ties so many nations together? Is it the Thai women who shower me with questions about my life, my hopes, and my dreams? Is it the museums that contain an entire planet's gems? I have almost crossed the bridge entirely, totally absorbed in thought, and as I finally turn my head to look, it all makes sense. The river waves crash into each other, creating a peaceful soundtrack in a sometimes hectic city. The bank is lined with stunning monuments such as Big Ben, Parliament, and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre that create an incredible juxtaposition with the gray and rainy backdrop of any typical day.  The air is crisp and cool as it leaps off the water's surface and into my overwhelmed eyes, and I know that it is the combination of all these things that I love.  I suddenly realize that my knuckles are white from my tight grip on the smooth granite bridge.  It may be my body's way of telling me that I am not yet ready to leave this new home and for 2 more weeks, I don't have to.

July 9, 2009

As my fourth week in London begins to wind down, I can barely understand how the time passes so quickly.  My days with Film London have been nothing short of incredible. In the last twenty days, I have participated in three different shoots, even being cast in two of them.  On the phone, I smile as I hear an exasperated person on the other end sigh in relief aMe, Matt, Gelseigh, and Graham at Primrose Hill on a picnics I offer some locations for an immediate shoot.  Feeling fully incorporated in such a new work environment is truly a gift. 

Embarking from work, I face the daily internal struggle of where I should go for my post-work adventure.  The greatest challenge I have experienced in London is managing my time with all of the activities that intrigue me.  During the Wimbledon semi-finals, I traveled to the popular site just to view it from the outside.  However, upon arriving to the tennis courts, I realize tickets are being sold at the gates and hurry to buy one.  I watch an exhausted Venus defeat yet another opponent and clap heartily with the woman standing to my left.  She turns to me. "Quite a match, wasn't it? Can you imagine missing such a thing?"  I shake my head and grin feeling the profound truth of her simple statement as she walks away. 

Celebrating the 4th of July in Britain certainly is an ironic experience.  As I sit with my mentors in the park, I cannot help but wonder what the British citizens are thinking as they pass the American flag waving proudly in the field.  I glance around the beautiful park and close my eyes to soak up the sun. A moment later, a small finger pokes my shoulder.  I turn my face to view my intAt Leeds Castleruder and see a little girl, a beaming smile on her face, holding out a solitary flower in an outstretched fist.  I take her flower and she bounces away.  I enjoy the rest of the American Independence Day Picnic in the park, thinking the whole time about the freedom, liberty, and the unity of people across all nations.

As I walk home from work one Tuesday, a drop of water on my nose foreshadows the event to come.  I barely make it ten more steps before the downpour occurs.  My umbrella is open and my rain boots are on but the water is still coming at me from all angles. I try to battle the temperamental storm for two more minutes before I stop, fold up my umbrella, and walk home in the downpour.  I take my time, jump in the puddles, and open my mouth to taste the clean raindrops.  Turns out London showers aren't so bad and maybe, just a little bit, they bring out the kid in me.

June 25, 2009

My mother always advises me to eliminate majestic expectations when going into a new experience. "You're going to disappoint yourself," she warns me. "Stop being dissatisfied about what's different than your expectations and enjoy what actually is."  Time and time again I hear these words, but armed with the typical know-it-all-matter-of-fact-ness of any young adult, I rarely listen.  And just this once, I'm right.  My expectations of my experience in London have actually triumphed over these warnings witFellow CEO London interns Matt, Martha, Graham, and me at the British Museum.h reality.

Entering the apartment on my first day in London, sweat drips from my forehead to my chin, marking a glimmering path on my frowning lips.  I am hot, tired, and miserable from a long flight.  My roommate Faye and I step into a dim hallway, and I sigh in relief as I drop my stuffed suitcases on the floor. I am home.  The flat feels cozy and welcoming and, although I have only just now walked in, it feels familiar.  Faye and I unpack and wait for the rest of the crew to join us.

By Monday all the other CEO London interns have moved in, and I wonder whether I should advise The Real World that they are missing a filming opportunity that would turn into their best season yet. Instead, I turn on the camera snapping shots of Matt with his microwave Indian meals, Gelseigh chopping up her vegetables, Ishaan advising us to incorporate ‘chap' into our lingo, Martha laughing at Arrested Development on the couch, and Graham relaxing on the couch in his business suits.  The photos show smiles, but they hardly convey the laughter that falls between the shots that are taken.

After a week and a half at work, I cannot find a single complaint with my internship.  This summer, I am interning at Film London, where I help producers, directors, and their prospective filming teams find the ideal location for a shoot by working with them and compiling picture folios of my suggestions. I also help Locations Managers on various commercial and film shoots.  Being sent to commercial shoots, I learn the real work that goes into the thirty second snippets we all complain about while watching television.  On one shoot, I am asked to sit on the steps of Piccadilly Circus where the actors are being filmed. In amused bewilderment, I turn towards the director to question him. 

"But if I sit on the steps, won'tMe behind the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum I be in the shot?"  The director laughs. "Tick tock, Moysidis. We don't have time to answer your questions. Go sit, look bloody surprised, and don't make this advert ghastly."  At the office, I am constantly busy with assignments that thrill me to the point that I rarely realize when it is time to leave.  Reading scripts of films that are yet to be produced, I giggle in anticipation of what will happen in the fall when I watch it in cinemas and tell my friends that I know the ending.  (This is a typical reaction for a wannabee know-it-all, but this time, I will be telling the truth!)  Answering queries on the phone, I strain to understand some of the heavy British accents.  However, upon leaving the office, I shock myself when my apologetic "sorry!" for bumping into a woman on the street is unintentionally declared with a British accent.  I doubt I'll make it back to the States without a thorough change in vocabulary choices.  Surely "bloody hell" and "lovely" will creep their way into my diction.

The evening I meet my alumni mentors, Len and Victoria, I hardly contain my genuine excitement at our vast overlapping interests.  Travel, film, sports, and life choices occupy our thoughts and conversations for so long that we forget to grab food at the lovely Brown's Restaurant in Covent Garden.  The room is filled with caring mentors and enthusiastic students and I can't help but grin as I realize my expectations have been exceeded - traveling to the passionate city of London, feeling daily enthusiasm for my job, meeting people who can share their life tales with me and show me the ropes to create my own adventures, and sharing the entire experience with a group of Columbia students all unique and fascinating who laugh along with me as we live and we learn.