Main Character Moments

After orientation, I was finally free to explore my new home, so it might come as a surprise when I tell you that one of the first things I did was return to the United States. Well, technically, US soil, as I had the honor of visiting the US Embassy in London. The Fulbright grantees in London were invited to a talk with Krista Tippett at the Embassy. Getting to visit the Embassy was an incredible experience and a poignant reminder that while all of us Fulbrighters are here to pursue specific research, we also carry the responsibility of being a positive force in our new communities.

At the US Embassy

Out and About

Essentially, I’ve had about two weeks of downtime after the end of orientation before moving into my dorm at Roehampton and starting induction week. I decided that during this time, I would take every opportunity to do all of the London things that I could. I went to museums, plays, tours, gardens, palaces, bookshops, and, of course, dance classes all over the city. Most nights I would think to myself, okay, what do I want to do tomorrow?, figure out how to get there via public transport, and then wake up the next day and simply go. Occasionally, I would meet up with other Fulbrighters, but for the most part, I went alone.

As much as I enjoyed sharing these experiences with others, there’s something unmistakably liberating about going out on your own and doing something simply because you want to. When I studied abroad, this was something that I would do on a smaller scale all the time in Oxford. I jokingly called these outings “main character moments” because I saw them as a way to exercise independence by choosing to do something with my time solely because I wanted to and by electing to spend that time with myself. After our classes were over, I spent many afternoons exploring the various museums, coffee shops, and bookstores that Oxford had to offer. Truthfully, I probably should have been using that time to do homework, but two years later, I don’t remember as much about my assignments as I do about the impact that the Degas statue in the Ashmolean had on me.

This was something that I attempted to continue to do in Tuscaloosa. While I certainly saw my fair share of shows, drank a lot of cappuccinos at Monarch, and patronized the local bookstore Ernest and Hadley, it’s difficult to have that many “main character moments” when you’re trying to juggle a full class load, plus rehearsals, plus the multitude of extracurriculars that I was involved with. So, when I knew that I would have this extra time in London with no plans, I decided to be a tourist in my own city and see and do whatever I wanted.

Art

In the past two weeks, I have been to four different museums in London: the Victoria & Albert, Tate Britain, the National Gallery, and the Wallace Collection. One of the great things about the UK is that most of their publicly funded museums have free admission. This means that as long as you have the means to get there (a.k.a. money for the tube), you can walk into any of these museums and see masterpieces for free.

I am very fortunate to have been to some of the world's great museums and see some very famous works. This also means that, inevitably, I have been disappointed by the experience of finally getting to see a famous painting only to have the experience ruined by the hoards of tourists trying to get their pictures for Instagram (looking at you Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus). However, I have been able to view some works while in London that, upon seeing them in person, managed to leave me breathless.

I want to briefly touch on one of those experiences: viewing The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche at the National Gallery.

Below are two images of the painting. The image on the left is a poorly made wide shot angle from my iPhone. While this image shows the full painting in context, the art is flattened through the pixalization of digital photography which obscures the lush details and three-dimensionality of the work. Additionally, you, as the viewer of the photo are severaly limited in choice when it comes to how you interact with the painting. You are not able to move around and examine it from multiple angles. I, as the shoddy photographer, have already made that decision for you.

Now, look at the image on the right. This is a closer angle on the subject of the painting. See how you can better appreciate the details of the fabric, the contrast of light and darkness between Lady Jane Grey and her executioner, and the tragic innocence of LJG being guided to the execution block. The Execution of Lady Jane Grey is a masterpiece—and I do not use that term lightly—that exudes emotion through the details and I feel incredibly lucky that I am only a bus, train, and tube ride away from it.

Parting Words

Consider this your call to have your own “main character moment” this week. Go be a tourist in your town. Read a book at your local coffee shop, have a picnic in the park, go to an open mic night, or visit a local art gallery. I promise that you will walk away feeling more connected to your community and yourself. I know that I always do.