I am writing this entry in Heathrow Aiport.Yes...I am sitting at the arrivals terminal behind a Costa coffee,next to a sad Christmas tree on my laptop.
For those of you who don't know,on Dec 17th,London began its epic fail.It began with snow.5 cm of snow.I know...KILLER.My flight to Salzburg was canceled and I was devastated.I spent the night with the help of my friends trying to figure out how to get there,eventually giving up on Austria altogether and booking a bus to Scotland.
Then came the next day.More snow...that stopped in the afternoon.But the damage was done.London has crumbled.I spent all day in front of the computer only to find out my bus was canceled.But that was nothing compared to my friends who tried to leave for the U.S. on Saturday.They ended up stuck on planes for 6 hours...flights canceled...thousands of people sleeping in Heathrow...barely any blankets...barely any food vouchers or water.It was like a war zone.Worst of all,there was no information.
It only continued through Sunday and Monday.Terminals got so full that no one was being allowed in.People were trapped.Anyone whose flight was canceled was disregarded.People who had flights on the 18th or 19th couldn't get flights until the 25th or 26th.
Roads closed.Yesterday,trains suddenly got hit hard.Eurostar had a 6 hour line of people waiting out in the cold at King's Cross Station.They canceled many trains today.
And then today,I finally experienced the nightmare.I woke up after only 3 1/2 hours of sleep,making sure I could get to Heathrow by 7:30 AM.My flight was not canceled.I got into departures and it was chaos.They set up check points at the front of the terminal so no one could get to the desks.There was a giant mass of people - pushing,worried,yelling.Then once you made it through the checkpoint you were sent....OUTSIDE.TO.A.TENT.The tent was warmer than the actual outside but not by much.There were no chairs.Just people waiting.And waiting.Every so often an airport worker would come in and announce a flight and some people would leave.One man had shown up at 8 AM for his 6 PM flight and was told he wouldn't be able to get inside until 5 PM.He had 7 hours in the cold ahead.It was horrible.
But even worse was when I suddenly looked in a hidden corner of my tent and found a giant piece of paper with my flight number and the word 'CANCELED' scribbled in 5 year old's handwriting.I approached a worker and asked about he and he told me the flight was still on.When I brought him over to the sign he responded with,"Oh...I guess you're right".I was simply given a number of Lufthansa and sent on my way.I begged to get somewhere to use wifi but was told I was not allowed in the Departures Terminal.I pleaded and then burst into tears infront of a worker who took pity on me and brought me to the arrivals terminal where I could use the wifi.
And so here I am.I spent 30 pounds calling the Lufthansa number where I was sometimes not connected,sometimes put on hold,sometimes hung up on,and sometimes transferred to numbers of people who were not even connected to Lufthansa (my favorite story: being connected to Irish Information Services where upon getting an answer I asked,"Is this Lufthansa?" and was met with the response,"Um....no")
I am exhausted,frustrated,and overall numb.It's maddening not being able to do ANYTHING.Airport workers are trying their best but it's horrible to see how people are being treated.It has been FIVE days....for FIVE cm of snow.The fact that Heathrow and the government are making excuses is the worst.First off,this is not alot of snow.In the U.S,this would never happen.But yes...we all understand...bad weather DOES happen.The fact that the government/Heathrow think this is the only reason people are upset is crazy.People are upset that they can't make it out for Christmas...but also that:
a) There is no visible progress being made.
b) They are being given no information
c) They are being ignored
d) They are being treated like animals
Bad weather happens.But disregard for human beings should not.It is a horrible situation and for all Americans,it has left a bad taste in our mouths.I love London.I've had an amazing time.But this is why I don't think I could ever leave here long term.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Beginning of the End
My time in London is coming to an end.
Two weeks ago and even at the beginning of this week,I was thinking about it but it really hasn't set in until now.I feel like there are so many adventures left to have with my London friends and now as it is the beginning of the end,I feel an overwhelming sadness and disbelief.
This week has been full of work for me.Having barely any work during the semester seems awesome until you have four 4,000 word essays at the end.4,000 words is a lot more than you think it is.
In between all this work though I have had little moments of realizing how much I'm going to miss London.Last week I went ice skating with friends at the Natural History Museum and it was spectacular,beautiful,and just fun (student night means chugging your free beer right before you skate so you don't waste your skating time!).I also said goodbye to one of my very very good friends after going to see the Nutcracker and the gorgeous English National Opera.We were also forced to say goodbye to one of my favorite pubs,The Princess Louise.
This weekend was my last true London weekend (any other remaining weekend,I'll be in another country or flying home) and it was full of joy: introducing friends to Rocky Horror Picture Show,making friends with the guy at the liquor store,a Goodbye Party at a flat I don't even live at (thrown by one of my friend's lovely British flatmates),going out to a big London nightclub I had missed for a friend's birthday,and finishing with British Chinese food while watching the British Jersey Shore (no joke - amazing).
This week I had no classes but was up to my eyeballs in work.Still,I feel like suddenly the fact that I'm leaving is hitting me...at random small moments.I walked through Borough Market to pick up my favorite fudge for my hallmates as a goodbye present and realized how the place has become part of my daily life - I stop by once a week if not more.I spent 2 days in my favorite coffee shop Cafe Amano and realized I am a regular; one barista gives me free things (though I'm pretty sure he's continuously trying to pick me up).I went to my favorite pancake place My Old Dutch with my friends for our last Pancake Night and the woman recognized and commented on how we come every week.I went out tonight with the biggest group of people ever to Brick Lane,an long street in London with TONS of Indian places for authentic Chicken Madras,good American and British friends,and a hipster-ish bar afterward that may or may not have been having a gay night.And it was just good.These are moments I take for granted because I take the feeling of just plain quiet peace and happiness for granted.
Tomorrow is Friday and tomorrow night is a Goodbye London Dinner which I literally just organized this morning.I refuse to admit it's goodbye though.I still feel like next week I'm going to have adventures in London with my friends even though all but two of them will be gone by the time I get back from my non-London adventures.It really can't be over,CAN IT?!
At the same time,I am super excited about Salzburg,Vienna,and Sweden.I am excited to travel alone (but get the company of an old friend in Vienna and family in Sweden).It comes at a nice time because I will be forced not to sit around and mope about how sad I am about the end being near.
I go home in two weeks.One of those weeks will be spent in other countries.Tonight at our massive Indian dinner,many of the Brits kept asking me if I was excited to be going home.It was a hard question to answer and I did struggle.I am excited to see family and friends,my lovely NYC,and my home away from home Wesleyan.But London has become a home away from home as well and hey,it's always sad to leave home,isn't it?
:(
Two weeks ago and even at the beginning of this week,I was thinking about it but it really hasn't set in until now.I feel like there are so many adventures left to have with my London friends and now as it is the beginning of the end,I feel an overwhelming sadness and disbelief.
This week has been full of work for me.Having barely any work during the semester seems awesome until you have four 4,000 word essays at the end.4,000 words is a lot more than you think it is.
In between all this work though I have had little moments of realizing how much I'm going to miss London.Last week I went ice skating with friends at the Natural History Museum and it was spectacular,beautiful,and just fun (student night means chugging your free beer right before you skate so you don't waste your skating time!).I also said goodbye to one of my very very good friends after going to see the Nutcracker and the gorgeous English National Opera.We were also forced to say goodbye to one of my favorite pubs,The Princess Louise.
This weekend was my last true London weekend (any other remaining weekend,I'll be in another country or flying home) and it was full of joy: introducing friends to Rocky Horror Picture Show,making friends with the guy at the liquor store,a Goodbye Party at a flat I don't even live at (thrown by one of my friend's lovely British flatmates),going out to a big London nightclub I had missed for a friend's birthday,and finishing with British Chinese food while watching the British Jersey Shore (no joke - amazing).
This week I had no classes but was up to my eyeballs in work.Still,I feel like suddenly the fact that I'm leaving is hitting me...at random small moments.I walked through Borough Market to pick up my favorite fudge for my hallmates as a goodbye present and realized how the place has become part of my daily life - I stop by once a week if not more.I spent 2 days in my favorite coffee shop Cafe Amano and realized I am a regular; one barista gives me free things (though I'm pretty sure he's continuously trying to pick me up).I went to my favorite pancake place My Old Dutch with my friends for our last Pancake Night and the woman recognized and commented on how we come every week.I went out tonight with the biggest group of people ever to Brick Lane,an long street in London with TONS of Indian places for authentic Chicken Madras,good American and British friends,and a hipster-ish bar afterward that may or may not have been having a gay night.And it was just good.These are moments I take for granted because I take the feeling of just plain quiet peace and happiness for granted.
Tomorrow is Friday and tomorrow night is a Goodbye London Dinner which I literally just organized this morning.I refuse to admit it's goodbye though.I still feel like next week I'm going to have adventures in London with my friends even though all but two of them will be gone by the time I get back from my non-London adventures.It really can't be over,CAN IT?!
At the same time,I am super excited about Salzburg,Vienna,and Sweden.I am excited to travel alone (but get the company of an old friend in Vienna and family in Sweden).It comes at a nice time because I will be forced not to sit around and mope about how sad I am about the end being near.
I go home in two weeks.One of those weeks will be spent in other countries.Tonight at our massive Indian dinner,many of the Brits kept asking me if I was excited to be going home.It was a hard question to answer and I did struggle.I am excited to see family and friends,my lovely NYC,and my home away from home Wesleyan.But London has become a home away from home as well and hey,it's always sad to leave home,isn't it?
:(
Monday, December 6, 2010
Plans For The Future
So I still need to do a post about Madrid but since I just got my final travel plans figured out,I thought I would them...I really don't have much time left and here's what I'll be doing with the rest of my time:
Dec 6th - 12th --> Last real school week in London; Ice skating,Christmas shopping; celebrating two birthdays and one goodbye party; last real London weekend!
Dec 13th - 17th --> "Essay Consultation" week; extreme paper writing; saying goodbye to friends
Dec 18th --> At 7:15,I fly out of London to Salzburg,Austria - home of the Sound of Music and apparently Austria's "crown jewel" - I get in at 10:10 AM and will spend the day sightseeing until my 6:10 train to Vienna.At around 9:00 PM,I arrive in Vienna where I will meet up with my old Columbia friend,who is traveling with two of her friends from Oxford.
Dec 19th --> Fun in Vienna!
Dec 20th --> Another day of fun in Vienna; fly out of Vienna back to London at 8:44 PM,arriving at 10:22 PM and head home to a (mostly) empty hall.
Dec 21st --> After a good night sleep,leave for Stockholm,Sweden for a 11:45 AM flight; hour and a half connection in Frankfurt,Germany and then arrive in Stockholm at 6:00 PM; picked up by my cousin and staying at his house 30 min outside of Stockholm.
Dec 22nd --> Sightseeing day in Stockholm!
Dec 23rd --> Drive with my cousin and his family up to his wife's parent's house 20 min north of Uppsala,Sweden; begin packed house (with mostly people I don't know haha) Christmas celebrations!!!
Dec 24th --> Swedish Christmas!!!
Dec 25h --> Soak up last bits of Sweden before leaving for London at 4:05 PM; 2hr connection in Zurich,Switzerland; arrive back in London at 9:15 and return to a completely empty dorm.
Dec 26th - 30th --> Last days in London to do everything I haven't done,including last museum trips,potentially more paper works,and maybe a few day trips outside of London; general sadness
Dec 31st --> Fly back to NYC on 4:05 PM flight; celebrate NYE; STUDY ABROAD IS OVER
It's amazing how in 24 days I will be home.I have been planning this semester for years and now I feel so many things as it ends.I know I'm going to experience some post study abroad blues when I return home (even though I am looking forward to seeing everyone again).Basically,I can't emphasize enough how much everyone should go abroad! It's been an amazing semester and having some active traveling plans before I actually leave will help me not focus on how I will miss it.
I leave you with...a list of places I (will) have visited while here:
Stonehenge
Bath
Oxford
Windsor
Eton
Cotswolds
Amsterdam
Bruges
Brussels
Rome
Paris
Madrid
Salzburg
Vienna
Stockholm
Uppsala
(and i guess technically Frankfurt and Zurich but I'm not counting airports lol)
LONDON
Dec 6th - 12th --> Last real school week in London; Ice skating,Christmas shopping; celebrating two birthdays and one goodbye party; last real London weekend!
Dec 13th - 17th --> "Essay Consultation" week; extreme paper writing; saying goodbye to friends
Dec 18th --> At 7:15,I fly out of London to Salzburg,Austria - home of the Sound of Music and apparently Austria's "crown jewel" - I get in at 10:10 AM and will spend the day sightseeing until my 6:10 train to Vienna.At around 9:00 PM,I arrive in Vienna where I will meet up with my old Columbia friend,who is traveling with two of her friends from Oxford.
Dec 19th --> Fun in Vienna!
Dec 20th --> Another day of fun in Vienna; fly out of Vienna back to London at 8:44 PM,arriving at 10:22 PM and head home to a (mostly) empty hall.
Dec 21st --> After a good night sleep,leave for Stockholm,Sweden for a 11:45 AM flight; hour and a half connection in Frankfurt,Germany and then arrive in Stockholm at 6:00 PM; picked up by my cousin and staying at his house 30 min outside of Stockholm.
Dec 22nd --> Sightseeing day in Stockholm!
Dec 23rd --> Drive with my cousin and his family up to his wife's parent's house 20 min north of Uppsala,Sweden; begin packed house (with mostly people I don't know haha) Christmas celebrations!!!
Dec 24th --> Swedish Christmas!!!
Dec 25h --> Soak up last bits of Sweden before leaving for London at 4:05 PM; 2hr connection in Zurich,Switzerland; arrive back in London at 9:15 and return to a completely empty dorm.
Dec 26th - 30th --> Last days in London to do everything I haven't done,including last museum trips,potentially more paper works,and maybe a few day trips outside of London; general sadness
Dec 31st --> Fly back to NYC on 4:05 PM flight; celebrate NYE; STUDY ABROAD IS OVER
It's amazing how in 24 days I will be home.I have been planning this semester for years and now I feel so many things as it ends.I know I'm going to experience some post study abroad blues when I return home (even though I am looking forward to seeing everyone again).Basically,I can't emphasize enough how much everyone should go abroad! It's been an amazing semester and having some active traveling plans before I actually leave will help me not focus on how I will miss it.
I leave you with...a list of places I (will) have visited while here:
Stonehenge
Bath
Oxford
Windsor
Eton
Cotswolds
Amsterdam
Bruges
Brussels
Rome
Paris
Madrid
Salzburg
Vienna
Stockholm
Uppsala
(and i guess technically Frankfurt and Zurich but I'm not counting airports lol)
LONDON
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Weeks ??? - The Magic of Reading Week
So let's just be real about this: I'm kind of a blog failure! Ok,I admit it.From now on,I think I will just try to do small updates when I get the chance.The fact that I've lost track of the weeks means my current blog strategy is not working lol.
This entry is extra special because it's all about Reading Week (the past week and a half I just had).I spent my reading week in Brussels,Rome,and Paris and it was crazy amazing! Here is a breakdown:
- Spent the week before reading week (two weeks ago) just being crazy busy and realizing how much I love London sometimes and my London friends.We discovered a pub near my friend's dorm called "The Princess Louise" which had the coolest design (little compartments) and then learned that apparently it's a famous pub! You gotta love that about London!
- Thurs/Fri - My parents came to London! On Thursday,we went out for dinner at a fancy place with amazing desserts and then went to see the West End Oscar Wilde play "The Ideal Husband" which had an ok first act but a really good second act.On Friday,I took the parents around - we went to see a really great ballet exhibit at the V&A Museum (which I realize I need to return to because I missed like half the museum) then we went to Afternoon Tea! YES! I need to have Afternoon Tea every day of my life.By the end,I was stuffed and satisfied.Friday was Guy Fawkes Day which is a holiday in England - kind of like July 4th but with a different story.I went with "someone" to Primrose Hill,an amazing location to see all the fireworks around the city.It downpoured but it was spectacular.
- Sat/Sun - I set off with my parents to Brussels.We took a comfortable train there and arrived in the morning.Brussels was FAB.The first day we walked around alot and took in the sights.We went to the famous Manneken Pis (Peeing Boy). We also went to the Magritte Museum,tested out the Metro,went to a famous Art Deco house,and ate at an amazing Belgian restaurant.The next day we went to the Brussels National Museum where we saw Manneken Pis costumes (there are a million of them!) and then spent the rest of the day in Gent,a city about 45 min from Brussels.We filled our days with alot but it was excellent! Monday morning I was headed back to London to pack for...
- Monday/Tues/Wed - Flew off to Rome with three of my friends! Our first time with Ryan Air and it wasn't bad except for the pilot was like also a salesman and every five seconds there was an advertisement for something.We arrived in Rome...and it was raining but our hostel was easy to locate and pretty clean.The first night we found a cute place to eat,bought some Italian wine,and our roommates were two men in their thirties from Devon.Awkward.The next morning we woke up bright and early for our free breakfast and I mapped out our whole day which was JAM PACKED.We saw a million churches,cathedrals,basilicas - a crypt with dead monks skeletons (some with the skin still visible!) and lots more.We returned to our room for a quick rest to find an Australian couple had moved in.Then we were off to the Piazza Navona,a wonderful square packed full of restaurants where we found another cute Italian place where we were one of the last groups of people to leave! The next day was even more jam packed - the Colosseum,Roman Forum,Museum Capotoline (right before it closed so we felt like the only people there),lunch at an amazing tiny Italian place with the best prix-fixe meal ever,Vatican,Cat Sanctuary where dozens and dozens of cats roam around old Roman ruins and finally a good meal and gelato back in Piazza Navona,complete with new Italian friends cheering with us while watching a football match.Couldn't have been better!
- Thurs/Fri/Sat - Thursday morning I had a bit of a freak out when I realized I forgot my boarding pass to fly to Paris.I then ended up asking three different people for directions to an internet cafe (Italians really don't understand the concept of non-vague directions) before finally finding one and then heading on a train to the Rome airport where I got to experience the joy of a Rome airport security line - hint: it doesn't exist.My flight was excellent though and magically,I found my friend,Vivian waiting for me at the gate.Ultimately,this was the most relaxing part of my reading week.Having been to Paris before,I just enjoyed Parisian life with Viv.We ate yummy cookies called lunettes,walked through many gorgeous parks,saw lots of lovely paintings at the L'Orangerie where I ended up being sneaky and getting in for free.We had lovely French dinners,walked around at night in the Latin Quarter,rode the Metro to death,and even cooked our own dinner one night! Part of the fun was also getting to stay in her host mom's apartment which was just awesome after a hostel.Seeing Viv made me definitely start thinking about Wesleyan which I hadn't been doing at all before Reading Week.
Sunday - I bid Vivian goodbye and made my way back to London where,of course,it was raining.Went out on a second date which was kind of lame and ultimately tried to finish my work I hadn't done before Reading Week.
Overall,it was an amazing week! When I look back at it,I can't believe I really did all that in a week's time.I love traveling so much and it's one of the best parts of Study Abroad.
Pictures in their own post to follow...
This entry is extra special because it's all about Reading Week (the past week and a half I just had).I spent my reading week in Brussels,Rome,and Paris and it was crazy amazing! Here is a breakdown:
- Spent the week before reading week (two weeks ago) just being crazy busy and realizing how much I love London sometimes and my London friends.We discovered a pub near my friend's dorm called "The Princess Louise" which had the coolest design (little compartments) and then learned that apparently it's a famous pub! You gotta love that about London!
- Thurs/Fri - My parents came to London! On Thursday,we went out for dinner at a fancy place with amazing desserts and then went to see the West End Oscar Wilde play "The Ideal Husband" which had an ok first act but a really good second act.On Friday,I took the parents around - we went to see a really great ballet exhibit at the V&A Museum (which I realize I need to return to because I missed like half the museum) then we went to Afternoon Tea! YES! I need to have Afternoon Tea every day of my life.By the end,I was stuffed and satisfied.Friday was Guy Fawkes Day which is a holiday in England - kind of like July 4th but with a different story.I went with "someone" to Primrose Hill,an amazing location to see all the fireworks around the city.It downpoured but it was spectacular.
- Sat/Sun - I set off with my parents to Brussels.We took a comfortable train there and arrived in the morning.Brussels was FAB.The first day we walked around alot and took in the sights.We went to the famous Manneken Pis (Peeing Boy). We also went to the Magritte Museum,tested out the Metro,went to a famous Art Deco house,and ate at an amazing Belgian restaurant.The next day we went to the Brussels National Museum where we saw Manneken Pis costumes (there are a million of them!) and then spent the rest of the day in Gent,a city about 45 min from Brussels.We filled our days with alot but it was excellent! Monday morning I was headed back to London to pack for...
- Monday/Tues/Wed - Flew off to Rome with three of my friends! Our first time with Ryan Air and it wasn't bad except for the pilot was like also a salesman and every five seconds there was an advertisement for something.We arrived in Rome...and it was raining but our hostel was easy to locate and pretty clean.The first night we found a cute place to eat,bought some Italian wine,and our roommates were two men in their thirties from Devon.Awkward.The next morning we woke up bright and early for our free breakfast and I mapped out our whole day which was JAM PACKED.We saw a million churches,cathedrals,basilicas - a crypt with dead monks skeletons (some with the skin still visible!) and lots more.We returned to our room for a quick rest to find an Australian couple had moved in.Then we were off to the Piazza Navona,a wonderful square packed full of restaurants where we found another cute Italian place where we were one of the last groups of people to leave! The next day was even more jam packed - the Colosseum,Roman Forum,Museum Capotoline (right before it closed so we felt like the only people there),lunch at an amazing tiny Italian place with the best prix-fixe meal ever,Vatican,Cat Sanctuary where dozens and dozens of cats roam around old Roman ruins and finally a good meal and gelato back in Piazza Navona,complete with new Italian friends cheering with us while watching a football match.Couldn't have been better!
- Thurs/Fri/Sat - Thursday morning I had a bit of a freak out when I realized I forgot my boarding pass to fly to Paris.I then ended up asking three different people for directions to an internet cafe (Italians really don't understand the concept of non-vague directions) before finally finding one and then heading on a train to the Rome airport where I got to experience the joy of a Rome airport security line - hint: it doesn't exist.My flight was excellent though and magically,I found my friend,Vivian waiting for me at the gate.Ultimately,this was the most relaxing part of my reading week.Having been to Paris before,I just enjoyed Parisian life with Viv.We ate yummy cookies called lunettes,walked through many gorgeous parks,saw lots of lovely paintings at the L'Orangerie where I ended up being sneaky and getting in for free.We had lovely French dinners,walked around at night in the Latin Quarter,rode the Metro to death,and even cooked our own dinner one night! Part of the fun was also getting to stay in her host mom's apartment which was just awesome after a hostel.Seeing Viv made me definitely start thinking about Wesleyan which I hadn't been doing at all before Reading Week.
Sunday - I bid Vivian goodbye and made my way back to London where,of course,it was raining.Went out on a second date which was kind of lame and ultimately tried to finish my work I hadn't done before Reading Week.
Overall,it was an amazing week! When I look back at it,I can't believe I really did all that in a week's time.I love traveling so much and it's one of the best parts of Study Abroad.
Pictures in their own post to follow...
Monday, November 1, 2010
Special Edition - Picture Time!
To make up for my lack of keeping up to date,I present....pictures! Not in chronological order...just a select bunch.Credit goes to Jen,Lauren,Jennie,and Dustin for some of the photos that are not mine :)
Haz-mat suits at The Science Museum Late Night
Me infront of the biggest tire in the U.K. at the Science Museum
Gorgeous Bruges,along the water.
Walking the streets of Bruges,ice still visible.
Hee hee...giant clogs at the clog making factory outside of Amsterdam
Outside of Windsor Castle
A night carnival at the center of Amsterdam a.k.a. the best picture I've ever taken
Me infront of Parliament,on our way inside
You can never have too many pictures of Big Ben...with the London Eye peeking out!
Haz-mat suits at The Science Museum Late Night
Me infront of the biggest tire in the U.K. at the Science Museum
In Bruges,along the canal! Beautiful sunshine!
Gorgeous Bruges,along the water.
A cool looking building in Amsterdam,as we were walking to the Van Gogh Museum
Walking the streets of Bruges,ice still visible.
With friends,walking along the water towards Tower Bridge
Hee hee...giant clogs at the clog making factory outside of Amsterdam
Cheese and clogs!
Outside of Windsor Castle
A night carnival at the center of Amsterdam a.k.a. the best picture I've ever taken
Me infront of Parliament,on our way inside
You can never have too many pictures of Big Ben...with the London Eye peeking out!
Weeks 5 & 6 - Catching Up
So I'm cheating.Once again,I find myself behind on blog posts and I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore (Network reference) so I'm going to do a cheating catch up and just mention some fun things that happened to be in the last two weeks...then delight you all by making another post right away with some pictures.So here are some highlights from my past two weeks:
- I discovered 5 pound giant pancakes! They are actually a cross between crepes and American pancakes but they're SO big and yummy! I have already experienced two pancakes nights (only on Mondays) and I will say everyone loves them.
- I spent three hours being amazed by Harrod's.My friend and I literally took the grand tour and you know what? It beats every department store I've ever been in! Harrod's is like every store you can imagine mixed in one.They even have a pet store inside! What a blast!
- I went to a late night special event at the Science Museum where I realized the Science Museum is awesome.They had TONS of interactive things like 'What Will You Look Like When You're Old' and I got to wear a haz-mat suit! I also visited the Museum of London and the Natural History Museum.I'm slowly but surely hitting all London museums.
- I found Brooklyn in London a.k.a. Shoreditch,where I went to a really cool art event which was a graffiti-ish art war with awesome awesome music.Then I pulled an allnighter by not going to sleep right before my Amsterdam/Bruges trip.Good decisions.
- I watched 1/2 of The History Boys with friends....in London! YES!
- I had an amazing Halloween weekend (dressed up as a mouse) featuring being a VIP at a top London club,visiting a cool part of London called Camden,and going to a "secret party".It was probably one of the best weekends I've experienced in London!
- I went on my amazing Amsterdam/Bruges trip last weekend! Although the weather was really crappy,we had a wonderful time.We literally walked EVERYWHERE in Amsterdam and honestly,it was unlike any city I've been to.It was much smaller than I thought but also very surprising.Getting to see the Red Light District was really crazy.It's crazy to see a completely different kind of culture.I always thought the windows with the prostitutes were up high and separated from people on the street but I was completely wrong.You are literally like inches away from the prostitutes....very strange.The hotel we stayed at through our tour was AWESOME! There was a free bar and also the general place was just cute! We got to go to a nearby cheese and clog making place which was a highlight.
Bruges was also wonderful.We literally experienced every season: first it was sunny but cold,then it rained,then it hailed and the whole ground was covered in ice,then the sun came out and it turned into spring.Bruges was gorgeous,so picturesque and there were some parts of it that were just silent,adding to the 'going back in time' feel.We had a bunch of hours to walk around but we still could've used more.It was like an outdoor museum.Also,I had the best fries ever! Ketchup + some odd and amazing pickle thing.Overall,it was an amazing first international trip.
Life is good as always.I still try to get out and sightsee but I'm also falling into a pattern of living in London.I know my way around now - I know how to beat train traffic,which stalls to go to at Borough Market,the best places to people watch or write,etc.There's something nice about starting to *feel* like a resident and less like a tourist.It helps to have little routines like Pancake Night or Cider Night or our recent Taco Night (made,not purchased,as London doesn't understand Mexican food).
The week to come will kind of be a break from what I'm used to as I have a week off for Reading Week.My parents come into London Thursday night and I'll take them around then go to Brussels with them for the weekend.I get back to London Monday morning,fly out to Rome on Monday night,and then on Thursday it's flying from Rome to Paris to spend a long weekend with my lovely Viv - then back to London on Sunday! Lots of traveling!
Wish me luck!
- I discovered 5 pound giant pancakes! They are actually a cross between crepes and American pancakes but they're SO big and yummy! I have already experienced two pancakes nights (only on Mondays) and I will say everyone loves them.
- I spent three hours being amazed by Harrod's.My friend and I literally took the grand tour and you know what? It beats every department store I've ever been in! Harrod's is like every store you can imagine mixed in one.They even have a pet store inside! What a blast!
- I went to a late night special event at the Science Museum where I realized the Science Museum is awesome.They had TONS of interactive things like 'What Will You Look Like When You're Old' and I got to wear a haz-mat suit! I also visited the Museum of London and the Natural History Museum.I'm slowly but surely hitting all London museums.
- I found Brooklyn in London a.k.a. Shoreditch,where I went to a really cool art event which was a graffiti-ish art war with awesome awesome music.Then I pulled an allnighter by not going to sleep right before my Amsterdam/Bruges trip.Good decisions.
- I watched 1/2 of The History Boys with friends....in London! YES!
- I had an amazing Halloween weekend (dressed up as a mouse) featuring being a VIP at a top London club,visiting a cool part of London called Camden,and going to a "secret party".It was probably one of the best weekends I've experienced in London!
- I went on my amazing Amsterdam/Bruges trip last weekend! Although the weather was really crappy,we had a wonderful time.We literally walked EVERYWHERE in Amsterdam and honestly,it was unlike any city I've been to.It was much smaller than I thought but also very surprising.Getting to see the Red Light District was really crazy.It's crazy to see a completely different kind of culture.I always thought the windows with the prostitutes were up high and separated from people on the street but I was completely wrong.You are literally like inches away from the prostitutes....very strange.The hotel we stayed at through our tour was AWESOME! There was a free bar and also the general place was just cute! We got to go to a nearby cheese and clog making place which was a highlight.
Bruges was also wonderful.We literally experienced every season: first it was sunny but cold,then it rained,then it hailed and the whole ground was covered in ice,then the sun came out and it turned into spring.Bruges was gorgeous,so picturesque and there were some parts of it that were just silent,adding to the 'going back in time' feel.We had a bunch of hours to walk around but we still could've used more.It was like an outdoor museum.Also,I had the best fries ever! Ketchup + some odd and amazing pickle thing.Overall,it was an amazing first international trip.
Life is good as always.I still try to get out and sightsee but I'm also falling into a pattern of living in London.I know my way around now - I know how to beat train traffic,which stalls to go to at Borough Market,the best places to people watch or write,etc.There's something nice about starting to *feel* like a resident and less like a tourist.It helps to have little routines like Pancake Night or Cider Night or our recent Taco Night (made,not purchased,as London doesn't understand Mexican food).
The week to come will kind of be a break from what I'm used to as I have a week off for Reading Week.My parents come into London Thursday night and I'll take them around then go to Brussels with them for the weekend.I get back to London Monday morning,fly out to Rome on Monday night,and then on Thursday it's flying from Rome to Paris to spend a long weekend with my lovely Viv - then back to London on Sunday! Lots of traveling!
Wish me luck!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Week Four - Getting Behind On Blogging and Forward in Travels
Ok...so I've been bad.I already am not keeping up with the blog.My lovely Vivian reminded me of this and you know...when someone tells you to update your blog that you're falling behind.I thought I'd split up Weeks 4 and 5...and challenge myself to remember what happened two weeks ago! It's amazing how time flies.After such a rocky start for study abroad,I now just love it.I love doing something new (almost) everyday and I love finally feeling like I'm becoming an expert on another city.There's always a new experience to be had! So here was my Week 4 account:
Monday - The weather was super lovely...I do remember that! I had lovely lunch with a girl from one of my classes and a guy who she lives with.They remind me so much of people I know that it's scary.The guy,Jason,even used the word 'grumpus' (?!?!) We sat out in St. James Park and explored a bit.I actually think St. James is my favorite park.It's the smallest but it's also the cutest! We had yummy ice cream and people watched.
Tuesday - Day off! On Tuesday,we ventured out to the Tate Britain.It was fun...though one of my less favorite museums (although with all the museums being free it's hard to even utter the words 'least favorite').The one thing I LOVED was the room of Whistler paintings because I took an annoying Art History class last year (Milroy) and we focused on Whistler for like two classes so I knew alot about the paintings already.After Tate Britain,we wandered,ate at a pub,went to Westminster Abbey and then ended up wandering to Parliament.One simple inquiry about how much it cost led us to find out it was free and we began our journey into the British govenment.It was to put it simply : AWESOME.The inside of the building was gorgeous and we actually got to sit and watch the House of Commons debate...in all their British faux polite bitchiness.It was a dream.Later that night,I ended up meeting people at a pub called Green Man,somewhat far-ish from where I live,known for their "special cider".The place ended up being super cool with such a nice bartender and we had many adventures that night...ending in me experiencing the joy (sarcasm) of the night buses and getting home laaaaattteee.
Wednesday - Honestly...I can't really remember what happened this day! It's been two weeks,cut me some slack :P
Thursday - Thursday,the day of a million classes is always...interesting.On this Thursday,in my Creative Writing class we ended up doing an excercise where we had to have our shoes off.I told you...interesting.I went with my friend Jen to a U.K. chain called Nando's where our student coupons allowed us to get free half chickens! COUPONS! My day did not end there.I ended up going out with some of my hallmates to a really cheap pub where we had lots of fun times and I introduced them to the word 'pre game' which apparently is a really amazing word for Brits.Who would have thought? I rounded out the night by letting a friend drunkenly convince me to buy last minute tickets for a Saturday day trip.Never a dull moment,never a dull moment.
Friday - Friday was my other day off and it was time to finally head to the Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington - a trip I made with two studnets from different London colleges (I don't discriminate).We represented King's,LSE,and UCL.We had so much fun in the little interactive areas of the museum,where we got to try on Sherlock Holmes coats,make our own coat of arms,and generally be children.Unable to find somewhere to eat lunch,we actually ended up eating in the dining hall of ANOTHER London university.Then we headed down to the Tower of London and walked across the Tower Bridge.I was able to pop home for a second (literally) before heading out to meet a friend at The Old Vic theater where we saw a play called 'Design for Living' that was EXCELLENT.It's set in the 20's/30's and is somewhat risque - about two guys and a girl who all have a relationship.We both loved it and even ate ice cream in our seats (special flavor Hokey Pokey) during intermission! Finally,I had to call it a night because I had to wake up for ...
Saturday - Day trip to Windsor,Eton,Oxford! I was on the tour with about five other Americans.We had an Iranian tour guide who spoke half English but had a crazy personality to make up for it (he said if you came back 7 minutes late,you had to sing a song for the bus and dance...then he made a woman do it later).We went from place to place...walking around Windsor,seeing the uniformed school boys at Eton,going to some tiny tiny town where we fed ducks,and then ending up in Oxford which is too pretty to qualify as a university.It was a busy day (complete with a screening of 'Kate and Leopold' on the bus) and we ended the night back in London,eating at a slightly funky and very cheap pub.I was so exhausted when I got back that I ended up falling asleep pretty quickly.
Sunday was as always my work day so not much happened! But thus ends my account of Week 4! I'm writing this as I sit in my college campus's computer lab,waiting for a friend to go have...PANCAKES! Basically my reason for mentioning this is pictures will follow (to be edited in) and an account of my past week,including Amsterdam/Bruges will come shortly.I really am trying to get back on track with my blog...alot does happen though so it makes it hard.
Week 4 rounded out a month of me being in London and it also made me start to realize how I'm going to miss it when I go.There are some things I really miss about America (including family,friends,and Wes) but there are also some really great things about London that I'll miss - mostly it's the experience of being abroad where life is always exciting.I spend most of my days out of my room,have given up day napping,and generally just DO MORE and honestly,I think that's a great way to live life!
Now I must run to eat pancakes!!!
Monday - The weather was super lovely...I do remember that! I had lovely lunch with a girl from one of my classes and a guy who she lives with.They remind me so much of people I know that it's scary.The guy,Jason,even used the word 'grumpus' (?!?!) We sat out in St. James Park and explored a bit.I actually think St. James is my favorite park.It's the smallest but it's also the cutest! We had yummy ice cream and people watched.
Tuesday - Day off! On Tuesday,we ventured out to the Tate Britain.It was fun...though one of my less favorite museums (although with all the museums being free it's hard to even utter the words 'least favorite').The one thing I LOVED was the room of Whistler paintings because I took an annoying Art History class last year (Milroy) and we focused on Whistler for like two classes so I knew alot about the paintings already.After Tate Britain,we wandered,ate at a pub,went to Westminster Abbey and then ended up wandering to Parliament.One simple inquiry about how much it cost led us to find out it was free and we began our journey into the British govenment.It was to put it simply : AWESOME.The inside of the building was gorgeous and we actually got to sit and watch the House of Commons debate...in all their British faux polite bitchiness.It was a dream.Later that night,I ended up meeting people at a pub called Green Man,somewhat far-ish from where I live,known for their "special cider".The place ended up being super cool with such a nice bartender and we had many adventures that night...ending in me experiencing the joy (sarcasm) of the night buses and getting home laaaaattteee.
Wednesday - Honestly...I can't really remember what happened this day! It's been two weeks,cut me some slack :P
Thursday - Thursday,the day of a million classes is always...interesting.On this Thursday,in my Creative Writing class we ended up doing an excercise where we had to have our shoes off.I told you...interesting.I went with my friend Jen to a U.K. chain called Nando's where our student coupons allowed us to get free half chickens! COUPONS! My day did not end there.I ended up going out with some of my hallmates to a really cheap pub where we had lots of fun times and I introduced them to the word 'pre game' which apparently is a really amazing word for Brits.Who would have thought? I rounded out the night by letting a friend drunkenly convince me to buy last minute tickets for a Saturday day trip.Never a dull moment,never a dull moment.
Friday - Friday was my other day off and it was time to finally head to the Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington - a trip I made with two studnets from different London colleges (I don't discriminate).We represented King's,LSE,and UCL.We had so much fun in the little interactive areas of the museum,where we got to try on Sherlock Holmes coats,make our own coat of arms,and generally be children.Unable to find somewhere to eat lunch,we actually ended up eating in the dining hall of ANOTHER London university.Then we headed down to the Tower of London and walked across the Tower Bridge.I was able to pop home for a second (literally) before heading out to meet a friend at The Old Vic theater where we saw a play called 'Design for Living' that was EXCELLENT.It's set in the 20's/30's and is somewhat risque - about two guys and a girl who all have a relationship.We both loved it and even ate ice cream in our seats (special flavor Hokey Pokey) during intermission! Finally,I had to call it a night because I had to wake up for ...
Saturday - Day trip to Windsor,Eton,Oxford! I was on the tour with about five other Americans.We had an Iranian tour guide who spoke half English but had a crazy personality to make up for it (he said if you came back 7 minutes late,you had to sing a song for the bus and dance...then he made a woman do it later).We went from place to place...walking around Windsor,seeing the uniformed school boys at Eton,going to some tiny tiny town where we fed ducks,and then ending up in Oxford which is too pretty to qualify as a university.It was a busy day (complete with a screening of 'Kate and Leopold' on the bus) and we ended the night back in London,eating at a slightly funky and very cheap pub.I was so exhausted when I got back that I ended up falling asleep pretty quickly.
Sunday was as always my work day so not much happened! But thus ends my account of Week 4! I'm writing this as I sit in my college campus's computer lab,waiting for a friend to go have...PANCAKES! Basically my reason for mentioning this is pictures will follow (to be edited in) and an account of my past week,including Amsterdam/Bruges will come shortly.I really am trying to get back on track with my blog...alot does happen though so it makes it hard.
Week 4 rounded out a month of me being in London and it also made me start to realize how I'm going to miss it when I go.There are some things I really miss about America (including family,friends,and Wes) but there are also some really great things about London that I'll miss - mostly it's the experience of being abroad where life is always exciting.I spend most of my days out of my room,have given up day napping,and generally just DO MORE and honestly,I think that's a great way to live life!
Now I must run to eat pancakes!!!
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