The 61 steps

Today I was forced to do laundry. Our flats offer washers and dryers at no charge, though the process takes a while, especially on the drying end.

It took me seven trips up and down the stairs to get everything washed, changed over, and sufficiently dried (three cycles). By trip six, I had counted and learned that it was 122 stairsteps round trip for each clothing check.

That's 854 steps (not including the time I completely bypassed our flat and went up to the next floor by accident). Is it enough to justify having a second Mint Truffle bar from Marks and Spencer? Probably not.

Settling in for classes in London

Today the Florida State Multimedia Students arrived at the London Study Centre, which is located in a building that dates to the 1680s in what was then a fashionable neighborhood for the aristocracy. One of my classmates, Jackie Saavedra, posted this shot of the center on her Facebook page.

The London Study Centre at 99 Great Russell Street. Photo by Jackie Saavedra.

Most of us are librarians or library students who are taking two classes to learn about Web 2.0 applications in libraries. A brief description from the FSU International Programs website:

Coursework examines theory, concepts and techniques, while using London as the subject matter on which practical projects are based. Particular emphasis is given to settings from children's books. Students plan, design and create websites, podcasts, short films, digital photographs, personalized books, and other multi-media presentations. Guest lectures by professionals from schools and libraries provide an international perspective on current practices and career prospects. In addition, excursions to other parts of the United Kingdom and a day in Paris are included.

So you'll see a lot of updates and information about classwork on the blog and my Facebook page for the next three weeks. You can also "Like" our Facebook page, FSU Multimedia 2011, to see what my fellow classmates are posting, too.

Group photo of all 19 students in my program. I am way in the back with the turquoise scarf, and my eyes are closed (of course). Photo by Nancy Everhart.

The London Study Centre is actually so busy that we're staying nearby in flats that are usually assigned to faculty. It's an interesting neighborhood and I'll post more about it this weekend. In the meantime, here are a few quick photos of our flat:

The flat I'm sharing with four of my classmates.

Our flat is on the third floor. I was very grateful to get help carrying my suitcase up these stairs. 

My bed and dresser in the triple I'm sharing.