Tonight made me happy. We went to the pub with the whole study abroad group (well, except a couple people who were sick, which totally sucks) and it made me happy to get to know everyone a little bit better.
We're all so different here. I know there's stupid drama or whatever, but luckily, I don't dislike anyone, and I do my best not to piss anyone off, so I think I'm in a good place.
This is what London is about: making new friends. We might not be best buddies, and we might not always get along, but we're in this experience together, and I don't want to spend a single minute of it dwelling on drama.
Tonight was great. :)
08 July 2011
I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again
I have a bit of catching up to do, since the past few days have been quite crazy, so I'll break this post down into three neat little sections.
WEDNESDAY, 6 JULY:
Class today was informative again, discussing further the events leading up to WWI. I love that all of this is new to me. No sarcasm there, I'm serious; if this was a repetition of things I already knew, I wouldn't enjoy class as much as I do (not to say school is my favorite thing ever...but still, it's interesting here).
After class we heading to the Imperial War Museum and saw some eye-opening exhibits. First and foremost, missiles are SO HUGE. I never anticipated them being so large; for some reason, in my head, they were much smaller. The tanks and planes and guns and subs were all pretty cool, since I've never seen anything like that before (not that I can recall, anyway).
But then we got to the Holocaust Exhibit. It took every effort not to cry. I've learned about the Holocaust over and over, but seeing the pictures...the model of Auschwitz...the pile of shoes taken from gassed Jews...it all made me sick. Literally ill. Men, women, and children massacred like cattle, shot into pits, tortured and starved. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the rest of the world was oblivious to that sort of horror. I just can't understand it. People on the home front, disconnected from the war, sure; but Allied soldiers in Germany, they have no excuse in my opinion. I know they didn't have the convenience of internet and television to give instant news, but still. I can't fathom it. It disgusts me that such an atrocity could take place without any notice.
On to happier things, before I start crying/yelling...
Wednesday night, Kalen and Tiffany and I hopped over to the Queen's Arms Pub on the corner of our street and FINALLY got fish and chips! It was absolutely delicious and totally worth it. The owner of the pub recognized us as "the Americans that live down the way" (since MSU puts up students in the same flats every year) and told us we were welcome to make his pub our second home. Free wi-fi, great cider, and a great pub atmosphere...definitely going to be our second home, sir.
THURSDAY, 7 JULY:
Class was a movie today, Joyeux Noel. It was about the Christmas Truce of 1914, where some of the soldiers on the front called a truce just for Christmas Eve and all hung out together. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen, and also a true story (except for the glorified bits that Hollywood threw in just for fun). Unfortunately, everyone who participated in that fraternization was punished, and none of them lived to see the end of the war. After Magee told us that, I was super angry. Here was a chance for peace--clearly, all sides were capable of tolerating each other--and the leaders could not let it be. WWI was such a strange war... Nobody knew what they were fighting for, they just knew they had to go and be slaughtered for their country. I can't wrap my head around that. Maybe because I'm not really patriotic, I don't know.
Then we had a free afternoon to wander wherever we wanted (alliteration much?). Tiffany, Kalen, and I headed down to Piccadilly Circus to do some souvenir shopping (Lillywhite's and Cool Brittania!) and just to check out the hubbub down there. We had a great time buying presents for everyone! The guy at the register was pretty shocked that I spent £100 on things that weren't for me, lol. But it was worth it!
And that night, we celebrated the end of the first school week with class, following the customs of the city. We headed to our pub for some tequila sunrise(s) and then went back to the flat to play some games and have a good time. The four of us--me, Tiffany, Kalen, and Kristine--had a splendid night.
FRIDAY, 8 JULY:
Our first full free day of the trip! We woke up a little later than expected to find a man entering the room to check the fire alarm. While it was a little disconcerting, he did indeed check the alarm (woke me up a bit) and then left.
Tiffany, Kalen, and I headed out for a day in the southwest side of town, visiting the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both were spectacular sights; we spent longer there than anywhere else so far. We couldn't take pictures at the Gallery, but we got to see paintings from as far back as the Tudors and as recent as Will & Harry (who looks absolutely dashing in oil paint, let me tell you!). We joked around about how weird it would be for them to come to the museum...talk about a family history lesson! No need for photo albums, just build a museum, yes?
The V&A was pretty awesome as well. We saw plenty of marble statues, which never cease to amaze me; I cannot for the life of me figure out how they make everything so intricate and so beautiful. It blows my mind. How can you make a hair braid out of MARBLE?! We also saw a lot of "typical" English furnishings (lots of gold, intense draperies, big dresses and wigs, etc.) which are always fun for me, really.
In between the museums, we wandered to Harrod's, which is an ENORMOUS department store specializing in all things entirely unaffordable. Everyone says you have to see it once, though, so we did. They had a chocolate/tea/pastry shop that reminded me of a posh Willy Wonka; we got three truffles--coffee mint, Bailey's, and white Russian--and they were delightful! I'm always a sucker for chocolate, though. But this was particularly good chocolate! We grabbed lunch at a French cafe (Patisserie Valerie) and I had a ham and cheese croissant. I'm not a ham person, but for some reason I really like it here (I've eaten it probably 3 times already!).
And then, thoroughly worn out, we took the tube home and then to Regent's, where we're uploading pictures and blogging and catching up on homework. Heading home in a few, where I can hopefully catch up on emails and reading...
Like I told Facebook...I don't think I want to come home. I love it here. So, so much. I miss you all, but this is home now. My place. I have no idea why.
WEDNESDAY, 6 JULY:
Class today was informative again, discussing further the events leading up to WWI. I love that all of this is new to me. No sarcasm there, I'm serious; if this was a repetition of things I already knew, I wouldn't enjoy class as much as I do (not to say school is my favorite thing ever...but still, it's interesting here).
After class we heading to the Imperial War Museum and saw some eye-opening exhibits. First and foremost, missiles are SO HUGE. I never anticipated them being so large; for some reason, in my head, they were much smaller. The tanks and planes and guns and subs were all pretty cool, since I've never seen anything like that before (not that I can recall, anyway).
But then we got to the Holocaust Exhibit. It took every effort not to cry. I've learned about the Holocaust over and over, but seeing the pictures...the model of Auschwitz...the pile of shoes taken from gassed Jews...it all made me sick. Literally ill. Men, women, and children massacred like cattle, shot into pits, tortured and starved. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the rest of the world was oblivious to that sort of horror. I just can't understand it. People on the home front, disconnected from the war, sure; but Allied soldiers in Germany, they have no excuse in my opinion. I know they didn't have the convenience of internet and television to give instant news, but still. I can't fathom it. It disgusts me that such an atrocity could take place without any notice.
On to happier things, before I start crying/yelling...
Wednesday night, Kalen and Tiffany and I hopped over to the Queen's Arms Pub on the corner of our street and FINALLY got fish and chips! It was absolutely delicious and totally worth it. The owner of the pub recognized us as "the Americans that live down the way" (since MSU puts up students in the same flats every year) and told us we were welcome to make his pub our second home. Free wi-fi, great cider, and a great pub atmosphere...definitely going to be our second home, sir.
THURSDAY, 7 JULY:
Class was a movie today, Joyeux Noel. It was about the Christmas Truce of 1914, where some of the soldiers on the front called a truce just for Christmas Eve and all hung out together. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen, and also a true story (except for the glorified bits that Hollywood threw in just for fun). Unfortunately, everyone who participated in that fraternization was punished, and none of them lived to see the end of the war. After Magee told us that, I was super angry. Here was a chance for peace--clearly, all sides were capable of tolerating each other--and the leaders could not let it be. WWI was such a strange war... Nobody knew what they were fighting for, they just knew they had to go and be slaughtered for their country. I can't wrap my head around that. Maybe because I'm not really patriotic, I don't know.
Then we had a free afternoon to wander wherever we wanted (alliteration much?). Tiffany, Kalen, and I headed down to Piccadilly Circus to do some souvenir shopping (Lillywhite's and Cool Brittania!) and just to check out the hubbub down there. We had a great time buying presents for everyone! The guy at the register was pretty shocked that I spent £100 on things that weren't for me, lol. But it was worth it!
And that night, we celebrated the end of the first school week with class, following the customs of the city. We headed to our pub for some tequila sunrise(s) and then went back to the flat to play some games and have a good time. The four of us--me, Tiffany, Kalen, and Kristine--had a splendid night.
FRIDAY, 8 JULY:
Our first full free day of the trip! We woke up a little later than expected to find a man entering the room to check the fire alarm. While it was a little disconcerting, he did indeed check the alarm (woke me up a bit) and then left.
Tiffany, Kalen, and I headed out for a day in the southwest side of town, visiting the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both were spectacular sights; we spent longer there than anywhere else so far. We couldn't take pictures at the Gallery, but we got to see paintings from as far back as the Tudors and as recent as Will & Harry (who looks absolutely dashing in oil paint, let me tell you!). We joked around about how weird it would be for them to come to the museum...talk about a family history lesson! No need for photo albums, just build a museum, yes?
The V&A was pretty awesome as well. We saw plenty of marble statues, which never cease to amaze me; I cannot for the life of me figure out how they make everything so intricate and so beautiful. It blows my mind. How can you make a hair braid out of MARBLE?! We also saw a lot of "typical" English furnishings (lots of gold, intense draperies, big dresses and wigs, etc.) which are always fun for me, really.
In between the museums, we wandered to Harrod's, which is an ENORMOUS department store specializing in all things entirely unaffordable. Everyone says you have to see it once, though, so we did. They had a chocolate/tea/pastry shop that reminded me of a posh Willy Wonka; we got three truffles--coffee mint, Bailey's, and white Russian--and they were delightful! I'm always a sucker for chocolate, though. But this was particularly good chocolate! We grabbed lunch at a French cafe (Patisserie Valerie) and I had a ham and cheese croissant. I'm not a ham person, but for some reason I really like it here (I've eaten it probably 3 times already!).
And then, thoroughly worn out, we took the tube home and then to Regent's, where we're uploading pictures and blogging and catching up on homework. Heading home in a few, where I can hopefully catch up on emails and reading...
Like I told Facebook...I don't think I want to come home. I love it here. So, so much. I miss you all, but this is home now. My place. I have no idea why.
05 July 2011
Walk like an Egyptian
Another fun day in London! We had our first "real" class this morning, and it actually kept my attention pretty well. I'm not a history buff, so I was a bit worried about how class would be for me...but taking notes keeps me focused, and the content interests me because I've never learned it before and it's being presented very well. Magee and Rebekka really know their stuff, which is definitely nice. I can't stand it when professors have no idea what's going on...
After class (which got out early), we grabbed lunch at Regent's. Tiffany and I both got croissants with Brie, rockets, tomato, and pesto from the Brasserie, and they were absolutely DELICIOUS. Definitely doing that again. In general, the food at Regent's is pretty good, although usually we have no idea what the hot meal is supposed to be (too many words we don't understand). Everything is so healthy and so fresh. It's a nice change.
By the way, the escalators here in the tube stations are terrifying. The tallest one is 27 metres and looking down/up is probably the scariest thing ever. (See how I slipped that British spelling in there? I'm slowly morphing, I can feel it.) On a slightly related note, I have shin splints, because we are CONSTANTLY taking stairs to a million places and all of the walking is really giving me a workout. I'm going to lose weight here, if I haven't already.
Today's class activity was the British Museum, which is SO BIG. I stuck with Tiffany and Kalen; we saw the Egypt section and the Greece section, and that didn't even cover half the museum. I got to see the Rosetta Stone--which is pretty cool, if you ask me--and a TON of mummies. I've never really been into mummies, but it was excellent to see them.
After Kalen misplaced her wallet and then found it again, we headed down the road back to Tottenham Court and found a little restaurant called Munchkins. Soda sounded wonderful at the time, so we all got drinks...and I paid £1.95 for half a can of Fanta. Probably the most overpriced thing I've purchased here. Food at the grocery is NOT expensive--in fact, it's super cheap and kind of exhilarating to purchase because you can get so much--and the pubs near Kilburn (where we live) are not expensive at all, since we're quite a distance from the City. Our location is really growing on me... When we got off the tube, it was raining, so we ducked into Starbucks for a bit and chatted about literally everything in our lives.
Our intent had been to go to Piccadilly tonight, but the rain quashed that idea, and studying/postcard writing/uploading pictures became the new goal. I wandered to Tesco with Tiffany, Kalen, and Kristine to get ourselves some dinner. Spinach and ricotta tortellini with four cheese sauce and tomatoes, with fresh bread and a bottle of wine... We know how to be classy! It was delicious. And although our gas hob is possibly the scariest one I've ever seen, we succeeded in cooking on it, which makes me feel assured that yes, we can survive here, lol.
We also got to talk to our roommates a bit more tonight, which was really nice, since it seems like none of us are ever home at the same time. Everyone here is cool, in my opinion--no complaints. There are a few "groups" that have formed, and I love the friends I'm making.
So I uploaded more pictures to Facebook, wrote out some postcards for my family, and FINALLY got past 1916 in the dreadful Taylor book (The First World War...most boring piece of literature I have ever picked up). I'll be getting through Wuthering Heights next, since I have to write a paper on the "complexity of life in stately English homes of that time" in the next two weeks. Good thing I've read it before...
One last interesting tidbit.
BIZARRE LITTLE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IN LONDON THAT ARE TAKING ME FOREVER TO GET USED TO (BUT I AM):
1. Faucets. You have to turn them in a complete circle multiple times to get water to come out. It's so weird. In public places, it's usually more like home, but not in our flat.
2. Cars being on the left. This is getting more normal for me...but then when I'm back in the states, I'll probably get hit by a car.
3. Walking on the left of staircases, sidewalks, hallways, etc. I always start on the right and quickly merge over before I get hit. Now we're to the point where we get really angry if someone (especially an American) is walking on the right, because it screws up the traffic.
4. Calling the bathroom a "loo." This one isn't so bad, but it's one of the things where if you mess up, you actually get sent to the wrong room. I don't need a shower, I need to pee.
5. Not using just the index finger to point. Apparently it's rude here; the English point with their full hand. Gotta get used to that.
6. The money. I pay with cash so infrequently that I still don't know the coins. Ugh.
7. Not having a cell phone and internet at my fingertips. I feel "phantom phone vibrations" about 4 times every day, thinking someone is texting or calling. Never happens, since our phones are pay-as-you-go.
And last, but not least,
8. Feeling not like a tourist but not like a native. We don't know what we are here. When we talk, the words come out in an American accent, but we use the British words to get used to using them...and they sound super weird rolling off our tongues. And we HATE tourists (especially by Madame Tussaud's, ARGH!) but technically, we're tourists too. So weird.
I've written enough, I think. More tomorrow, yes?
After class (which got out early), we grabbed lunch at Regent's. Tiffany and I both got croissants with Brie, rockets, tomato, and pesto from the Brasserie, and they were absolutely DELICIOUS. Definitely doing that again. In general, the food at Regent's is pretty good, although usually we have no idea what the hot meal is supposed to be (too many words we don't understand). Everything is so healthy and so fresh. It's a nice change.
By the way, the escalators here in the tube stations are terrifying. The tallest one is 27 metres and looking down/up is probably the scariest thing ever. (See how I slipped that British spelling in there? I'm slowly morphing, I can feel it.) On a slightly related note, I have shin splints, because we are CONSTANTLY taking stairs to a million places and all of the walking is really giving me a workout. I'm going to lose weight here, if I haven't already.
Today's class activity was the British Museum, which is SO BIG. I stuck with Tiffany and Kalen; we saw the Egypt section and the Greece section, and that didn't even cover half the museum. I got to see the Rosetta Stone--which is pretty cool, if you ask me--and a TON of mummies. I've never really been into mummies, but it was excellent to see them.
After Kalen misplaced her wallet and then found it again, we headed down the road back to Tottenham Court and found a little restaurant called Munchkins. Soda sounded wonderful at the time, so we all got drinks...and I paid £1.95 for half a can of Fanta. Probably the most overpriced thing I've purchased here. Food at the grocery is NOT expensive--in fact, it's super cheap and kind of exhilarating to purchase because you can get so much--and the pubs near Kilburn (where we live) are not expensive at all, since we're quite a distance from the City. Our location is really growing on me... When we got off the tube, it was raining, so we ducked into Starbucks for a bit and chatted about literally everything in our lives.
Our intent had been to go to Piccadilly tonight, but the rain quashed that idea, and studying/postcard writing/uploading pictures became the new goal. I wandered to Tesco with Tiffany, Kalen, and Kristine to get ourselves some dinner. Spinach and ricotta tortellini with four cheese sauce and tomatoes, with fresh bread and a bottle of wine... We know how to be classy! It was delicious. And although our gas hob is possibly the scariest one I've ever seen, we succeeded in cooking on it, which makes me feel assured that yes, we can survive here, lol.
We also got to talk to our roommates a bit more tonight, which was really nice, since it seems like none of us are ever home at the same time. Everyone here is cool, in my opinion--no complaints. There are a few "groups" that have formed, and I love the friends I'm making.
So I uploaded more pictures to Facebook, wrote out some postcards for my family, and FINALLY got past 1916 in the dreadful Taylor book (The First World War...most boring piece of literature I have ever picked up). I'll be getting through Wuthering Heights next, since I have to write a paper on the "complexity of life in stately English homes of that time" in the next two weeks. Good thing I've read it before...
One last interesting tidbit.
BIZARRE LITTLE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IN LONDON THAT ARE TAKING ME FOREVER TO GET USED TO (BUT I AM):
1. Faucets. You have to turn them in a complete circle multiple times to get water to come out. It's so weird. In public places, it's usually more like home, but not in our flat.
2. Cars being on the left. This is getting more normal for me...but then when I'm back in the states, I'll probably get hit by a car.
3. Walking on the left of staircases, sidewalks, hallways, etc. I always start on the right and quickly merge over before I get hit. Now we're to the point where we get really angry if someone (especially an American) is walking on the right, because it screws up the traffic.
4. Calling the bathroom a "loo." This one isn't so bad, but it's one of the things where if you mess up, you actually get sent to the wrong room. I don't need a shower, I need to pee.
5. Not using just the index finger to point. Apparently it's rude here; the English point with their full hand. Gotta get used to that.
6. The money. I pay with cash so infrequently that I still don't know the coins. Ugh.
7. Not having a cell phone and internet at my fingertips. I feel "phantom phone vibrations" about 4 times every day, thinking someone is texting or calling. Never happens, since our phones are pay-as-you-go.
And last, but not least,
8. Feeling not like a tourist but not like a native. We don't know what we are here. When we talk, the words come out in an American accent, but we use the British words to get used to using them...and they sound super weird rolling off our tongues. And we HATE tourists (especially by Madame Tussaud's, ARGH!) but technically, we're tourists too. So weird.
I've written enough, I think. More tomorrow, yes?
04 July 2011
Woke up in London yesterday, found myself in the city near Piccadilly
Perfect song title. Yes, I have been waiting a month to use that as my title on the day after I woke up in London for the first time. No judgment.
Today was pretty sweet! We had class this morning, which was actually really cool. I'm super into poetry, and we had a guest lecturer from Regent's (a Brit, of course) come in and talk to us about some famous WWI poems. Brooke, Sassoon, Owen. Our instructor was so animated about it and so lively. It was excellent. Even the people who hate poetry were getting into it, and he actually stimulated a class discussion. It made me pretty happy!
After class we grabbed lunch at the refectory (I'm trying very hard not to call it a caf, it's not called a caf here) and zoomed home on the tube to drop off our laptops and other heavy items. We had a walking tour that started at 2, so my main group and I (that's Tiffany, Kalen, Alyssa, and Kristine) headed over to Charing Cross and got a real tube riding experience. The tube gets a wee bit hot during the middle of the day, with so many people and such poor ventilation, so by the time we emerged into the hot sun, we were already pretty toasty. Our whole group met up with Magee and Rebekka, and then they unleashed us upon the city.
We wandered down Strand Street and saw so many things...telephone booths, the gorgeous Charing Cross Station, plenty of theatres (I took lots of pictures for my brother, since he's a big theatre nut!), very old buildings, some very new buildings, statues of strange things, a Tesco (of course)...
We stopped at the Waterloo Bridge, which is the very best view of London. On your left you can see the "egg building," the financial district, and more bridges; on your right, Parliament, Big Ben, more bridges, and the London Eye. It was beautiful. I could have stood there for hours just watching, just staring. Particularly at Big Ben and Parliament. For some reason, that image is just wonderful to me. I can't wait to get closer and get more pictures.
Something else interesting we saw was a church that has now been turned into an RAF memorial, after it was blitzed during WWII (St. Clement Danes). The feeling I got staring at a building that I know has been through hell was just...fascinating. I mean, I know plenty of other buildings were blitzed and all that, but it just felt really neat to see it and know that that's what it survived.
And of course, we saw TONS of pubs, most of which I would love to come back and visit again!
Then we had to get back to the tube, which proved to be more difficult than expected. The nearest station (Blackfriars) is closed as part of the Upgrade Plan, which is London's revamping of the tube for the 2012 Olympics and such. So we had to wander around and find Temple Station, which we assumed would not be too far away (since the Bakerloo stations up near our flats are all pretty close together). WRONG. Temple Station was VERY FAR AWAY, and we had to walk past about 10 signs saying Temple Station with an arrow pointing us further on. We were miserably hot at this point, so there was much complaining. But eventually we found the station, climbed into the steamy tube, and made our way toward Leicester Square to meet the others.
Just kidding. We didn't get the Leicester Square as planned. The Northern Line, we learned, splits off into TWO separate tube lines, and from our entry point we were on the wrong one. Excellent. So we had to take a rather long way to Leicester...
By the time we arrived at The Cambridge, the pub where our professor was waiting to buy us all a drink, we were sweating to death and kind of cranky. Beer and cider were necessary. I, however, underestimated the potency of hard cider...and boy, that lightened all our moods. Exponentially. It was absolutely delicious, too. I wish that was more readily accessible in the USA.
So we staggered home--I mean, walked home confidently without any giggling--and rested for a few while Kalen waited for her luggage to FINALLY show up. It did (thank goodness) and then we headed up to Regent's for dinner and free wi-fi. No dinner, since the refectory was closed, but we ordered pizza (the same as from Saturday, lol) and chilled in the courtyard.
I skyped my mom and brother, and it was great to see their faces. Even Lulu made an appearance (and gave the computer a very strange look when she recognized my voice). I hope in the next week to skype my dad and Mo, and my best friends back home too. Elli and Caryn better set up a time as well so I can see the English countryside!
In sum, I am exhausted, but today was pretty great, as far as first days of school go. Tiffany and I just uploaded pictures onto Facebook (check 'em out mate!) and made a list of everything we want to see/do this weekend and next, and it's LONG, so we will be VERY busy. Busy is good, though. Busy is what I came here for!
Much love to everyone back home. Oh, also, as I'm typing this, I'm hearing it in my head in a British accent, since that's all I hear all day long. It's going to start coming out of my mouth that I way, I guarantee it...
Bedtime for those of us in GMT (00:19! How late! How confusing!). G'night, loves.
PS. Happy 4th of July, everyone! :)
Today was pretty sweet! We had class this morning, which was actually really cool. I'm super into poetry, and we had a guest lecturer from Regent's (a Brit, of course) come in and talk to us about some famous WWI poems. Brooke, Sassoon, Owen. Our instructor was so animated about it and so lively. It was excellent. Even the people who hate poetry were getting into it, and he actually stimulated a class discussion. It made me pretty happy!
After class we grabbed lunch at the refectory (I'm trying very hard not to call it a caf, it's not called a caf here) and zoomed home on the tube to drop off our laptops and other heavy items. We had a walking tour that started at 2, so my main group and I (that's Tiffany, Kalen, Alyssa, and Kristine) headed over to Charing Cross and got a real tube riding experience. The tube gets a wee bit hot during the middle of the day, with so many people and such poor ventilation, so by the time we emerged into the hot sun, we were already pretty toasty. Our whole group met up with Magee and Rebekka, and then they unleashed us upon the city.
We wandered down Strand Street and saw so many things...telephone booths, the gorgeous Charing Cross Station, plenty of theatres (I took lots of pictures for my brother, since he's a big theatre nut!), very old buildings, some very new buildings, statues of strange things, a Tesco (of course)...
We stopped at the Waterloo Bridge, which is the very best view of London. On your left you can see the "egg building," the financial district, and more bridges; on your right, Parliament, Big Ben, more bridges, and the London Eye. It was beautiful. I could have stood there for hours just watching, just staring. Particularly at Big Ben and Parliament. For some reason, that image is just wonderful to me. I can't wait to get closer and get more pictures.
Something else interesting we saw was a church that has now been turned into an RAF memorial, after it was blitzed during WWII (St. Clement Danes). The feeling I got staring at a building that I know has been through hell was just...fascinating. I mean, I know plenty of other buildings were blitzed and all that, but it just felt really neat to see it and know that that's what it survived.
And of course, we saw TONS of pubs, most of which I would love to come back and visit again!
Then we had to get back to the tube, which proved to be more difficult than expected. The nearest station (Blackfriars) is closed as part of the Upgrade Plan, which is London's revamping of the tube for the 2012 Olympics and such. So we had to wander around and find Temple Station, which we assumed would not be too far away (since the Bakerloo stations up near our flats are all pretty close together). WRONG. Temple Station was VERY FAR AWAY, and we had to walk past about 10 signs saying Temple Station with an arrow pointing us further on. We were miserably hot at this point, so there was much complaining. But eventually we found the station, climbed into the steamy tube, and made our way toward Leicester Square to meet the others.
Just kidding. We didn't get the Leicester Square as planned. The Northern Line, we learned, splits off into TWO separate tube lines, and from our entry point we were on the wrong one. Excellent. So we had to take a rather long way to Leicester...
By the time we arrived at The Cambridge, the pub where our professor was waiting to buy us all a drink, we were sweating to death and kind of cranky. Beer and cider were necessary. I, however, underestimated the potency of hard cider...and boy, that lightened all our moods. Exponentially. It was absolutely delicious, too. I wish that was more readily accessible in the USA.
So we staggered home--I mean, walked home confidently without any giggling--and rested for a few while Kalen waited for her luggage to FINALLY show up. It did (thank goodness) and then we headed up to Regent's for dinner and free wi-fi. No dinner, since the refectory was closed, but we ordered pizza (the same as from Saturday, lol) and chilled in the courtyard.
I skyped my mom and brother, and it was great to see their faces. Even Lulu made an appearance (and gave the computer a very strange look when she recognized my voice). I hope in the next week to skype my dad and Mo, and my best friends back home too. Elli and Caryn better set up a time as well so I can see the English countryside!
In sum, I am exhausted, but today was pretty great, as far as first days of school go. Tiffany and I just uploaded pictures onto Facebook (check 'em out mate!) and made a list of everything we want to see/do this weekend and next, and it's LONG, so we will be VERY busy. Busy is good, though. Busy is what I came here for!
Much love to everyone back home. Oh, also, as I'm typing this, I'm hearing it in my head in a British accent, since that's all I hear all day long. It's going to start coming out of my mouth that I way, I guarantee it...
Bedtime for those of us in GMT (00:19! How late! How confusing!). G'night, loves.
PS. Happy 4th of July, everyone! :)
03 July 2011
We're painting the roses red, we're painting the roses red
After yesterday's homesickness, today was definitely the cure. Still struggling a little to grasp the fact that yes, I am really here--it's not a dream. But I think eventually it will kick in, and this crazy tall flat will feel like a home.
Tiffany and I went with a group of other people today for the make-up orientation, which wasn't too much of a big deal. Just your typical this-is-what's-up sort of thing. The hall warden gave us some great tips on places to go, and we got to eat at Regent's for the first time. It was amazingly cheap and actually pretty good.
Tiff and I then went to explore Queen Mary's Garden in Regent's Park, and it was GORGEOUS. They have roses in literally every color. My favorite was probably the orange and pink, or maybe the ones that looked exactly like those in Alice in Wonderland. White with red splashes. So beautiful.
After that we went and wandered. We strolled down Baker Street and stopped at 221b, where they've ironically built the Sherlock Holmes museum. It was pretty cool, with some really creepy mannequins acting out the scenes.
After wandering Baker, we ran over to get cell phones from Carphone Warehouse. I couldn't understand a single word the guy said, but he definitely hit on us the entire time, and it was pretty funny. He asked what we were doing literally every day of the week... He was hilarious. I wish I knew half of what he said to us, lol. Such a heavy accent!
Later Tiffany and I went to the pub with Kalen and Alyssa. Pints!! I'm not exactly a beer person, so it was a learning experience. I already knew I liked Fosters, so I tried Carling... It was okay, I guess. Fosters is definitely better!
And now I'm up super late, blogging in the dark because Tiffany and I can't sleep. So tired, but jet lag says it's evening! Ugh.
More blogging tomorrow... All out of things to say today! :)
Tiffany and I went with a group of other people today for the make-up orientation, which wasn't too much of a big deal. Just your typical this-is-what's-up sort of thing. The hall warden gave us some great tips on places to go, and we got to eat at Regent's for the first time. It was amazingly cheap and actually pretty good.
Tiff and I then went to explore Queen Mary's Garden in Regent's Park, and it was GORGEOUS. They have roses in literally every color. My favorite was probably the orange and pink, or maybe the ones that looked exactly like those in Alice in Wonderland. White with red splashes. So beautiful.
After that we went and wandered. We strolled down Baker Street and stopped at 221b, where they've ironically built the Sherlock Holmes museum. It was pretty cool, with some really creepy mannequins acting out the scenes.
After wandering Baker, we ran over to get cell phones from Carphone Warehouse. I couldn't understand a single word the guy said, but he definitely hit on us the entire time, and it was pretty funny. He asked what we were doing literally every day of the week... He was hilarious. I wish I knew half of what he said to us, lol. Such a heavy accent!
Later Tiffany and I went to the pub with Kalen and Alyssa. Pints!! I'm not exactly a beer person, so it was a learning experience. I already knew I liked Fosters, so I tried Carling... It was okay, I guess. Fosters is definitely better!
And now I'm up super late, blogging in the dark because Tiffany and I can't sleep. So tired, but jet lag says it's evening! Ugh.
More blogging tomorrow... All out of things to say today! :)
02 July 2011
Don't ever look back
A few “ground rules,” for people who haven’t been reading my blog posts/writing since high school:
Every title is a song lyric, as a rule. Not to be funny or witty, just because I find it important to share the current song stuck in my head with the world. Not always relevant to the post subject.
Comments are fine with me, but I probably will not respond to them. It’s nothing against you, I promise. I just don’t pay much attention to the comment box, lol.
I also use “lol” and “haha” a lot. That’s about it for acronyms though. Oh, and lots of ellipses...since my thoughts frequently trail off...
I also put a full line between paragraphs on posts. It drives me nuts that there’s no indent, so I double-enter instead.
Most importantly, unless a post is intended to be educational, it will probably be full of biting sarcasm and/or stupid puns and jokes.
And now, the story you’ve all been waiting for...
HOW WE FINALLY MADE IT TO LONDON.
The background: Our original flight was supposed to be to Boston, with an hour and a half layover before getting on a plane to Heathrow. I was flying with Tiffany, Emily, and Victoria.
The problem: Our flight to Boston got delayed. And then delayed again. And then delayed again.
How it played out: We spent two hours working with a Delta lady to find a new flight. It was a complicated mess, I assure you. While she did indeed find a flight that all four of us could sit on, it would get us to London at 5:30pm...four and a half hours after orientation.
No matter, we said. We just want to GET THERE. This new route would take us to Amsterdam (which our parents were a little leery about) and then to UK.
Went through security. We all made it through, except Tiffany’s phone. No idea what happened. Someone out there probably has a new phone.
Dinner at Max & Erma’s. No idea what we were getting ourselves into. We thought it couldn’t get any worse. Lol...that’s funny.
Plane to Amsterdam. All went well in the beginning. I successfully slept through two movies.
And then the flight attendant came over the loudspeaker and asked if there were any doctors on the plane. My first thought (sadly) was Airplane, with the doc with his stethoscope. You taught me well, Grandpa. :) But our flight was not so funny… A guy ended up having heart problems or a heart attack or something along those lines, and we had to make an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland so the paramedics could get him off the plane.
We seriously considered asking to be let off the plane at that point. SO close to England.
Waited a few hours, and then finally took off for Amsterdam again. They gave us some weird breakfast sandwich to make up for the inconvenience, but it had some weird cream-cheesy sauce on it, and anyone who knows me knows that that is just not okay...
Amsterdam. Bought a shotglass (because it’s Amsterdam, duh). Waited again...went through security again...finally got on a plane going to the right place.
I passed out mid-sentence talking to the kid next to me. In retrospect, I feel a bit bad for that. But I was too tired to care.
TOUCHED DOWN IN LONDON. I gripped the arm of the chair in excitement, and the poor kid next to me honestly thought I was crazy. Not too far off.
The lady who shooed me through customs was a very, very, very unhappy person. Something about my face must have offended her, because she put me through the wringer. I got in, though. And I did not cry, although the exhaustion was starting to set in and it would not have surprised me (or my mother) if I had just thrown my passport at the woman and requested to go home. Pat on the back for Krista keeping it together!
Then the tube. We met a wonderful lady and her boyfriend (I presume) and they chattered away at us about America and England and accents and what we wanted to do with our lives. It made the ride so much more fun than the rest of our travels had been.
We ran people over to get off the tube, but nobody seemed to mind too much. Everyone is so nice here. A man carried my suitcase up the stairs for me at Piccadilly Circus because it was starting to break at the edges (and so were my arms) and I probably looked like a crazy woman. Again, not too far off.
Found Regent’s College after much searching and complaining about how hungry we were. Found out we were locked out of our apartment, so we got cozy in the reception area and ordered pizza. Best food I’ve ever had...or at least the most appreciated.
And now, 26 hours after kissing my mom and brother goodbye in Detroit, I am sitting on my bed in my and Tiffany’s little room at the top of the flat (fourth floor!) and being super happy I stole my Delta blanket off the plane, because one sheet is just not gonna cut it.
I am so happy to be here. Even though the last 26 hours have tried and tested every single ounce of patience I possess, I am excited. A little homesick from the stress and a little isolated without my cell phone, but excited.
Travel adventure complete. Real adventure begins tomorrow!
Every title is a song lyric, as a rule. Not to be funny or witty, just because I find it important to share the current song stuck in my head with the world. Not always relevant to the post subject.
Comments are fine with me, but I probably will not respond to them. It’s nothing against you, I promise. I just don’t pay much attention to the comment box, lol.
I also use “lol” and “haha” a lot. That’s about it for acronyms though. Oh, and lots of ellipses...since my thoughts frequently trail off...
I also put a full line between paragraphs on posts. It drives me nuts that there’s no indent, so I double-enter instead.
Most importantly, unless a post is intended to be educational, it will probably be full of biting sarcasm and/or stupid puns and jokes.
And now, the story you’ve all been waiting for...
HOW WE FINALLY MADE IT TO LONDON.
The background: Our original flight was supposed to be to Boston, with an hour and a half layover before getting on a plane to Heathrow. I was flying with Tiffany, Emily, and Victoria.
The problem: Our flight to Boston got delayed. And then delayed again. And then delayed again.
How it played out: We spent two hours working with a Delta lady to find a new flight. It was a complicated mess, I assure you. While she did indeed find a flight that all four of us could sit on, it would get us to London at 5:30pm...four and a half hours after orientation.
No matter, we said. We just want to GET THERE. This new route would take us to Amsterdam (which our parents were a little leery about) and then to UK.
Went through security. We all made it through, except Tiffany’s phone. No idea what happened. Someone out there probably has a new phone.
Dinner at Max & Erma’s. No idea what we were getting ourselves into. We thought it couldn’t get any worse. Lol...that’s funny.
Plane to Amsterdam. All went well in the beginning. I successfully slept through two movies.
And then the flight attendant came over the loudspeaker and asked if there were any doctors on the plane. My first thought (sadly) was Airplane, with the doc with his stethoscope. You taught me well, Grandpa. :) But our flight was not so funny… A guy ended up having heart problems or a heart attack or something along those lines, and we had to make an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland so the paramedics could get him off the plane.
We seriously considered asking to be let off the plane at that point. SO close to England.
Waited a few hours, and then finally took off for Amsterdam again. They gave us some weird breakfast sandwich to make up for the inconvenience, but it had some weird cream-cheesy sauce on it, and anyone who knows me knows that that is just not okay...
Amsterdam. Bought a shotglass (because it’s Amsterdam, duh). Waited again...went through security again...finally got on a plane going to the right place.
I passed out mid-sentence talking to the kid next to me. In retrospect, I feel a bit bad for that. But I was too tired to care.
TOUCHED DOWN IN LONDON. I gripped the arm of the chair in excitement, and the poor kid next to me honestly thought I was crazy. Not too far off.
The lady who shooed me through customs was a very, very, very unhappy person. Something about my face must have offended her, because she put me through the wringer. I got in, though. And I did not cry, although the exhaustion was starting to set in and it would not have surprised me (or my mother) if I had just thrown my passport at the woman and requested to go home. Pat on the back for Krista keeping it together!
Then the tube. We met a wonderful lady and her boyfriend (I presume) and they chattered away at us about America and England and accents and what we wanted to do with our lives. It made the ride so much more fun than the rest of our travels had been.
We ran people over to get off the tube, but nobody seemed to mind too much. Everyone is so nice here. A man carried my suitcase up the stairs for me at Piccadilly Circus because it was starting to break at the edges (and so were my arms) and I probably looked like a crazy woman. Again, not too far off.
Found Regent’s College after much searching and complaining about how hungry we were. Found out we were locked out of our apartment, so we got cozy in the reception area and ordered pizza. Best food I’ve ever had...or at least the most appreciated.
And now, 26 hours after kissing my mom and brother goodbye in Detroit, I am sitting on my bed in my and Tiffany’s little room at the top of the flat (fourth floor!) and being super happy I stole my Delta blanket off the plane, because one sheet is just not gonna cut it.
I am so happy to be here. Even though the last 26 hours have tried and tested every single ounce of patience I possess, I am excited. A little homesick from the stress and a little isolated without my cell phone, but excited.
Travel adventure complete. Real adventure begins tomorrow!
21 June 2011
A few small changes
So the tentative schedule posted previously was exactly that...tentative. There have been a few changes, namely in staff. Here's a bit of an update.
I'll be doing Dublin with Tiffany and Kalen on our last free weekend (4 days!!) and Dr. Daniels will no longer be joining our study abroad group. Liverpool is still an idea, but nothing concrete. The class schedule may be a bit different than listed...but honestly, I have no idea what's up with that. And most people reading this probably don't care when I have class, anyway.
ELEVEN DAYS!
I'll be doing Dublin with Tiffany and Kalen on our last free weekend (4 days!!) and Dr. Daniels will no longer be joining our study abroad group. Liverpool is still an idea, but nothing concrete. The class schedule may be a bit different than listed...but honestly, I have no idea what's up with that. And most people reading this probably don't care when I have class, anyway.
ELEVEN DAYS!
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