London’s East End

The East End of London is getting a lot of attention with the start of the 2012 Olympic Games.  Famous soccer player (ehem, footballer) and East London native, David Beckham, made a grand entrance during the opening ceremonies showing his pride for the neighborhood he grew up in.  As you probably have heard, in the not so recent past, the area was still in need of some “polishing”.  Even before the arrival of the Olympics, the East End started to get a facelift, and locals would tell you the neighborhood is well past the “up and coming” phase. Parks, arenas, and new roadways transformed London‘s East End in preparation for the Games. To top it off, a new Eurorail station brings visitors in and out of the East End to and from Paris and Brussels.

Another Place, Another End but I’ll Hold On…

So a question I’ve been hearing a lot is “Are you ready to go home?” The answer unfortunately isn’t that easy to give. On so many levels I’m not done with this place—the people, the traveling, the experience. But it has made me realize some important things about the US.

I will always be tied to the US because that’s where not only my family is, but also where I was shaped into the person I am today. Not saying that living here in Belfast hasn’t also shaped me, but my foundation, as a person, was built in the US. So as much as I love this city and this country, it will probably never bear the same sort of attachments as the US.

The Vuvuzela is Here to Stay!

A Vuvuzela, or stadium horn, is a blowing horn that is commonly used by fans at football matches in South Africa. The instrument, originally made out of tin became popular in the 1990s. In 2001, South African company, Masincedane Sport began mass producing plastic versions of the instrument. The origin of the Vuvuzela’s use has been disputed, but is said to have been rooted in African history where a similar horn was used to call villagers to meetings.

Soccer (Or Football) Mania

World Cup drawings took place an hour ago. USA drew England, Algeria and Slovenia. Hype starts today for South Africa 2010!