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A Love Letter to London and Paddington Arts

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By: Jake Keller

In the blink of an eye, my time here at Paddington Arts has come to a close. During my stay in London, I have learned countless lessons that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I am incredibly grateful to the people at Paddington Arts who have helped to make this experience better than I ever could have asked for, and I am sad to say goodbye. 

It shocks me to say this, but my short 6-week stay here is the most time I have ever spent outside of my hometown in the United States. I was born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana, and I reluctantly decided to stay there for university as well. Although I am excited to see my loved ones, I don’t want to leave London behind. 

London was not my first choice of a city to live in; it just happened to be the city that my program chose to send me to. I’m glad that this is where I ended up because if it were left to me, I may have never gotten the opportunity to fall in love with this city. I do have a few complaints: London broke my bank account, hayfever nearly killed me, and I have several qualms with the plumbing… However, the list of what I love about London is much longer. 

There’s no time to be bored here, and there are endless activities to do and sights to see. Even on days when I felt like sitting around and doing nothing in my flat, I’d opt instead to make my way to a new park, grab a bite to eat, and just sit and read.  The options for grub are endless here as well, and as a foodie, that spoke to my soul. I made a new best friend in Too Good To Go, scoring deals on Indian, Japanese, and Ethiopian cuisine. The variety of food in London is one of the many benefits of the city’s multicultural spirit. 

The mission of Paddington Arts spoke to me, and I feel like I was meant to find my way to this organization. The arts, particularly theatre, helped me navigate through many challenges growing up. Performing helped me to find myself, and it truly shaped me as a person. Paddington Arts gives children the same opportunity to find themselves and provides them with the support they need to grow. I feel as if working as an intern here has allowed me to give back to the arts what they gave to me, and to pass the baton on to future generations. 

One thing I immediately noticed about Paddington Arts is how dedicated the people here are to the organization. The time and dedication that they give to this cause are beyond admirable, and I’ve been able to see firsthand the impact their work has on the community. 

Looking back on the past six weeks, there is not a single thing I would change, and for that I am thankful. 

I Became a Wedding Crasher on My First Day in London

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By: Jake Keller

After around 12 hours of travel, by car, plane, and foot, I arrived in the illustrious city of London. I only received around 4 hours of less-than-ideal sleep in an airplane seat, but I was told that the best way to overcome jet lag was to make it through the day. Thankfully, I had a plan to fight fatigue and simultaneously immerse myself in the multicultural city: attend an Indian wedding.

My friend and fellow student traveler, Simran, had a sister visiting London for the wedding, and she wanted us to go; we agreed without hesitation. After getting ready, we embarked on our journey, which began with a walk to hop on the Elizabeth line of London’s train system, known as the “Tube” by locals. It should be no surprise that we got on the wrong train, but we persevered, and after traveling about an extra hour than we should have, we made it to the wedding.

In my head, I had pictured a crowded event, but as we entered the doors, I began to feel like a wedding-crasher. Simran left with her sister for the bathroom, and I sat alone at a table, avoiding what I interpreted as strange looks from the guests and the bride who wondered why I was there. I had never been to anything other than a traditional American wedding before. The customs were different from what I was used to, as was the music and the garb. I felt like a bit of an outsider, worrying that I was unwanted, but then, I got invited to the dance floor.

I’ve always hated dancing at weddings. I feel exposed as my lack of skill is on display for all to see. One time I attended a wedding where the pair getting married were clogging instructors, and as you can imagine, everyone took to the dance floor to clog. I was a plus one to that wedding as well, and when my friend dragged me onto the dance floor, I clicked and clacked my heels on the ground like a newborn giraffe. Flashforward, and I was once again forced to dance at a wedding where the style was unfamiliar, but I did my best to mimic the movements of my dance partner. She smiled and laughed as Simran recorded us, and I found myself grinning ear to ear.

I felt included in the wedding of these two people whom I had never met. They did not know my name, yet they welcomed me with open arms. Most of those whom I talked to spoke to me in Punjabi, a language that I don’t know, but that never limited their hospitality. One man in particular kept offering me drinks and asking me if I was having fun. Simran had to translate for me, but his energy was enough to make me feel welcomed.

After we left the wedding, we visited a nearby gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship. Nobody questioned why I was there, despite my knowing nothing about the religion or its customs. Simran’s sister helped me secure a bandana on my head and direct me where to store my shoes before we entered the Darbar Sahib, the prayer hall. We approached the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture, and I copied the motions of those before me: saying a silent prayer, dropping a dollar in the golak, and touching my head to the ground. I then sat criss-crossed on the men’s side of the room for personal reflection.

I reflected on how grateful I was to be in a city surrounded by culture and by people who allowed me to learn about their way of life. I’m not used to being around people from different backgrounds who can walk around speaking different languages and wearing different clothing without being looked at sideways. Although I’ve only been here for a few days, I feel as if London has welcomed me with open arms, and it seems to have done the same for many others.

Kalli Damschen

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I fell in love with London when I was seven years old and 5,000 miles (or 8,000 kilometers) away from the city.

I’d just finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (since apparently us Americans wouldn’t want to read a book with the word “philosopher” in the title), and although I lived alongside the snowy mountains of Utah in the western United States, my mind was full with dreams of King’s Cross Station and double-decker buses and treacle tart. I was barely old enough to fathom life in a foreign country an entire ocean away, but I already dreamed of the day I’d travel to England.

As the years went on, other authors from Jane Austen to J.R.R. Tolkien only provided me with more reasons to long for England, and when I was presented with the opportunity to spend four months studying and working in London, I was ecstatic. Not only would I get to see the places that had shaped some of the stories that changed my life, but I would also have the chance to gain experience through an internship—an ideal opportunity, since I’m a novelist who aspires to a career in publishing or journalism, two fields which both emphasise the importance of work experience in addition to a university education.

This is the road that led me to Paddington Arts, where I’ve spent the last two months writing for Youth Arts Online while lending a hand around the office.

My time in London, both in and out of the workplace, has helped me learn and grow in so many ways. I’ve seen incredible aspects of history and culture. I’ve adapted to life in a different culture, where people are confused when I use the words “college” and “university” interchangeably and give me strange looks if I say “fall” instead of “autumn.” I’ve had the opportunity to speak with some incredibly talented young artists for Youth Arts Online, and I’ve expanded my writing portfolio with all my articles for the website.

Although I’m excited to get home to Utah for the holidays, where I’ll have a white Christmas surrounded by the family and friends I’ve missed over the last four months, I know I’m going to mourn London once I’ve left. In fact, I’ll probably spend the entirety of the holidays crying into a cup of tea by the fireside while eating ridiculously overpriced imported Jaffa Cakes from the one, little British shop in my hometown. Though I already know it will be hard to move on from my experiences in London, I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given this term—for the people I’ve met, and the places I’ve gone, and the things I’ve done.

I’ve learned about the differences between a British and an American office, and I’ve learned how to write in British English (though deleting my Oxford commas always kills me inside!). I’ve learned to be confident, even when stepping outside my comfort zone, to find where I belong 5,000 miles away from everything I know, and I couldn’t have done it without Paddington Arts.