Turn on the telly...to the BBC!!!

After having spent September and October traveling through Eastern Europe at lightning speed, I arrived in London exhausted and physically and emotionally drained. My time in London was originally intended to be a precursor to my return to the states. A sort of two week readjustment phase if you will. However, about a week into my stay, and a week before my original return date, I received a call from the BBC regarding an application for their work placement program that I had submitted way back in August. I had all but forgotten about the application as I was certain that if I had been selected I would have heard long, long ago. Turns out that's not quite how the BBC works. In fact, most work experience placements aren't informed of their selection until 1 to 2 weeks before the start date.

By this time I was pretty committed to returning home. I missed the California sun and London was just starting to get chilly. I was tired of having to meet new people everywhere I went and just wanted to spend time with people who already knew and loved me. I dreamt of putting on something other than the 4 shirts and two pairs of pants I had been wearing for the last 6 weeks. And I really, really, really wanted a Chipotle chicken burrito (fresh tomato and roasted chili-corn salsa, no beans). But alas, this was not to be because when the BBC calls, you damn well better answer.

As it happens, I had been offered a placement on a program that couldn't have been better for me! Imagine, is an arts and culture documentary series that produces mini-documentaries on HUGE artists like film director Werner Herzog and photographer Annie Leibovitz, actress Juliette Binoche and rapstar Jay-Z. It's basically a dream come true.

So here I am. Grabbing the opportunity to explore London for another month, shivering through weather colder than anything I've experienced since I moved from Canada, searching out the best local pubs, hoping to get a jump start on a new career, and pretending I'm a legitimate Londoner as I ride the tube to work in the morning, all the while feeling the slightest tinge of homesickness and (secretly) counting down the days until my return. And, even though I'll be spending most of my time at the BBC offices in White City instead of strolling through unfamiliar streets, I'm sure there will be many everyday adventures to write about.