I Left My Heart..in Ireland

Upon arriving in Dublin, Ireland we quickly hopped onto a bus to Galway.  We had a friend to meet there and wanted to get there as soon as possible.  It was a long bus ride, a little over 4 hours, but comfortable and spacious enough that we all were able to lay down and sleep most of the way there.  When we got there we met up with Kate B's friend, Siobhan.  She was very welcoming and too kind to allow 8 people to stay in her small apartment for a weekend.

The night that we got to Galway we went out to a club nearby and had the time of our lives, although the club was very different than the ones we are used to in Kingston it was still a lot of fun.  We instantly regretted the decision to go out so late in the morning when we had to wake up early to get on a bus to go and explore The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher as long as the coast of Ireland.

We got on the bus and we were all feeling the effects of a late night.  Our first stop was a cave tour, which we all chose not to embark on because it cost extra money.  Instead we stayed outside and explored the area surrounding the cave.  We got a birds eye view of the Burren and the area that we were about to explore.  We also got to eat, which made us all feel a lot better.  Then it was back on the bus for the next part of our excursion.

In the next part of our tour we found ourselves winding up a road that was certainly not built for a bus the size we were traveling in.  It was a winding road up a hill that was much like the road in San Francisco.  At the top we all got out to take pictures of the road and the view from the top of the hill we just climbed.  Then it was back on the bus to our stop at the Cliffs of Moher.  Although it was windy and raining, the view was absolutely fantastic!  It was just simply breathtaking and a little nerve-wracking because of how close to the edge the pathway was.  We walked along the path to O'Briens Castle.  After exploring the "castle" that is more like a Tower we kept walking over to another part of the cliffs.  Again we were all speechless.  It is a wonderful sight and something that I could have only dreamed of being able to see.

After an hour or so at the cliff we again got back on the bus along the countryside.  We saw the Aran Islands and passed a couple more castles.  We also passed a lot of rabbits, baby sheep, baby calves and all kinds of other animals, much to the delight of our bus driver who made sure to stop at every opportunity to point out how cute all these animals were.  I must admit, the newborn baby sheep and cows were simply adorable but after a while I got sick of stopping just to stare at them since they were around every corner.

We were off the bus again at a very beautiful coastline.  The water was so rough, however, that it was coming over the sides of the rocks and spraying everyone.  Since it was already so cold and wet out, everyone took their pictures and very quickly got back on the bus.  We stopped at a couple more castles and to see yet some more rabbits and then we were back to where we had started.  It was a long day, but extremely wonderful and I would not have traded it for the world.  We also met some really cool people that were sitting around us on the bus and being able to talk to them was an experience I would not have traded for the world.

After getting back to Galway we went to see the University of Galway with Siobhan.  It is an absolutely beautiful campus.  That night Siobhan had a house party because it was the end of the semester for the kids in Ireland.  We all decided to crash early despite the loud music because we all knew we had to get back on a bus to Dublin in the morning and we did not want a repeat of the bus trip around the Burrens.

We arrived in Dublin early afternoon and went and did all the exploring that all people that would visit Dublin would do.  We saw the spire and the Guinness Factory.  What was most amazing about this was the gravity bar at the top that allowed us to see Dublin from the top of the city, the skyline.  While we were admiring the skyline we saw a rainbow in the distance.  It was a good feeling to see a rainbow in the place where the idea of leprechauns started.  We passed a couple churches and Christ Church as well as a few other famous landmarks before getting stuck in a rain and hail storm that was the hardest rain we have seen since being in Europe.  We were standing under the overhang to the "Castle of Dublin: which was nothing more than a couple arches before deciding to run back to the hostel.  It was there we stayed to dry off and get ready to go out for a pub crawl that night.

The pub crawl was great because Lena and Sarah and I ended up in a pub that was full of live music, like in the movie PS I Love You.  It was a wonderful experience and I really enjoyed the live music a lot more than I thought I would.  We headed back to the hostel as soon as the music was over and went to bed before our flight back to England in the morning.

Stonehenge and Bath

This was the last class trip of the British Life and Culture class I was taking during my studies at Kingston. The girls and I woke up early, and reluctantly made our way to the bus stop.

The bus ride to Stonehenge was long, but we all slept the entire way because of how early our day started. We could see Stonehenge on the road as drove up to the place and I am sad to say that I was disappointed. I saw ropes and guards around the structure and realized that we would not be able to get anywhere near the stones.  That was going to be the best part of the trip.  We walked around and passed the time as best we could, taking pictures and enjoying the view and although it was beautiful and amazing it was not the eerie experience I was expecting.  I thought that Stonehenge was going to be a type of religious or spiritual experience and I did not get what I wanted.  All in all, I was glad I was able to see it, but the rest of the day proved to be a much better experience than a walk around a couple of amazing, gigantic stones stuck in the ground. Just as everyone was getting tired of Stonehenge it was time to get back on the bus and head to Bath.

Bath was amazing! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see the Roman Baths.  The first thing that we did when we got to Bath was take a walking tour of the town.  We saw how the town changed and the architecture changed according to the time period the buildings were built.  There were Roman buildings, Modern buildings and buildings that were built in an age of functionality over artistic aesthetics.  We saw the Royal Crescent and buildings that were based on the Roman Coliseum.  Bath is a beautiful town a long history of change, however, the people seem to be able to embrace the change and the different periods of history that are embodied in the little town.

After the walking tour we moved on to see the Roman Bath which was uncovered not too long ago but has been around for quite some time.  The Roman Baths were really cool to see and the girls and I enjoyed them for as long as we could before having to get back on the bus.  We were told not to touch the water because of fears of getting meningitis but the girls and I touched it because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We made sure to wash our hands 1000x over when we were done though and went on our way to get ice cream before getting on the bus.

We got some of the best ice cream I have ever had in my life and then we went and looked a souvenirs before getting on the bus.  While walking to the bus we heard a rugby match from the local team, Bath.  It was awesome to hear all of that cheering and I thought for a moment I was back in Clemson during a football game.  I got goosebumps and realized how important Clemson was to me at that moment.

Bath was awesome and I was so happy to have seen it, however disappointed I was by the trip to Stonehenge.

A Day in Hampton Court

Before we went to Ireland Kate and I met up with her cousin Tessa at Hampton Court Palace for a walk through the place where King Henry VIII stayed.

Kate and I were very excited to be able to see this place because of what huge nerds we can be sometimes.

Hampton Court is not like the other extravagent palaces that are found through London and is actually very understated on the outside.  However, the inside and the gardens are something else entirely.

As we walked through Hampton Court Palace we were amazed to see that they were acting out what it was like to be living in the time of King Henry VIII, so Kate, Tessa and I sat down and enjoyed the show.  Little did I know that sitting down and enjoying the show would include being a part of the show.  One of the women asked me if I would like to present a complaint to King Henry VIII asking that he come up with a dowry for my sister.  It was a very strange thing but I went along with it and made a fool of myself.

After the show, we went outside to see the gardens.  They are vast and beautiful and it could take a person all day to explore them.  Unforunately for us, it was quite cold outside and we could not enjoy them as much as we wanted to.  However, we did make sure to run through the huge hedge maze that is found in Hampton Court.  It was a very large and very confusing maze but somehow we made it out before it got too dark outside. It was too early in the year to be able to see the place where tennis started, but to know it is there was enough for me.  The first Wimbledon games started at the tennis courts in Hampton Court Palace and was based on raising funds for the monarchy.

All in all it was an educational and fun day, but it had to end eventually.  Kate and I said goodbye to Tessa and headed back home on a bus ride that literally takes about 10 minutes we are so close to the Palace.

When The Weather is Warm.....

As the weather gets warmer in England it becomes increasingly easy and enjoyable to spend long and lazy days in London.  The girls and I have gotten to see so much and I am truly blessed to be able to have all of these experiences. The one thing that I had not yet seen, but heard so much about was the changing of the guard.  So the girls and I decided to head into London early one day to be able to experience that.

We bullied our way to the front of the rails so that we would be able to see better and just when we thought that nothing was going to happen, we heard the faint sound of music.  A band! And it was approaching quite rapidly.  We all caught ourselves marching in place to the music as we heard the band approaching.  It was great to be able to see the changing of the guard and I was so taken aback by how rigid and rehearsed the ceremony is.

After the changing of the guard we had a little picnic in St. James' Park before continuing our journey around London.  Somehow we ended up in Kensington Park and wandered the park for a couple of hours trying to find the Peter Pan statue.  When we finally did find it, we were swarmed by a couple little French girls in red bonnets and red dresses who were screaming the characters names in Peter Pan.  This was the only thing that we could make out, as they were speaking French and none of the rest of us understand French.

Kensington was beautiful and after Peter Pan we went over to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.  The Fountain was glistening in the sunset and we all decided to stick our feet into the water.  It was a beautiful moment and I was proud to be able to say that I was in a place that must have been important to Princess Diana.

Although there are very extravangent and expensive things to be seen in London, sometimes the best things are free.  Like a day in the park with a couple of good friends and a viewing of a moment in history.

The Random Events between Larger Events

My time in London has largely been defined by large events and big travel plans.  But there is plenty that happens when I am not taking pictures and this post is going to try to tell a little bit about the smaller things that have happened while I have been here.

First, I went to see the play Frankenstein in the National Theatre and it was one of the most amazing displays of acting I have ever seen in my life.  Not to mention the ability of the stage itself, which could move and twist, could have trains running through it, could hide people under the floor, could raise and lower itself and had a bell, that to my dissatisfaction was right above my poor little ears and each time it went off my head would ring for a good ten minutes. After the play, the girls and I met up with a couple of friends in Central London for drinks and to catch up on the good times (there is going to be a lot of catching up with drinks in this post)....

Classes were cancelled a couple of times during the year because of random events.  One day we had a chemistry student purposely start a fire in the JG building, where all of the classes are by rolling a roll of toilet paper that was on fire down the hallway.  I was glad classes were cancelled that day because my least favourite class, British Life and Culture was during that time.  We also didn't go to school on another day because the teachers were on strike regarding their pensions.  It has been an interesting semester at Kingston and although classes have officially drawn to a close, I still have a couple more finals and papers to worry about before I can say that I am home-free.

Although I eat a lot of candy here, I cannot say that I have gained any weight.  I think this is because of all the walking and the occasional run I have done since I have been in Engand.  Everyone walks everywhere and that is good for the old tummy in making sure that it doesnt get any larger than it is right now.

The girls and I go out to socialize and drink with friends a lot.  It is great to be able to do that in a culture where drinking is part of the process.  I definitely have my favourites and I will miss being able to do this when I go back to the States.  I will be counting down the days until I am 21 and can go out with friends again and just get a couple drinks and shoot the breeze.

Adventures in France

The girls and I decided to take a weekend trip out to Paris, France to see the Eiffel Tower and the culture that France has to offer.

We took a VERY early train into Paris, which was nice because we were able to catch up on a lot of sleep on the train ride over.  Upon arrival we were shocked by how actually uninviting the French people were to us.  I thought that this was a myth, but it was true what they say, the French do not seem to be very fond of Americans.

We walked into a cafe to eat and were shocked to find a very large, very unfriendly German Shepherd sitting behind the counter with the food.  The women that owned the place seemed to also own the dog and kept it there with her even though the dog did not seem to be too fond of the people that were coming into the cafe.  It was here that we got the first taste of how expensive everything in Paris was going to be.  From the cafe we continued on to our hotel, where we were finally able to put down our heavy bags so that we could explore the town around us.

The first stop that we made was to Notre Dame, which is a beautiful cathedral in Paris.  I was overwhelmed by how ornate the outside of the cathedral was.  The inside is even more overwhelming, with gargolyes and angels everywhere, looking over the people that are walking into the cathedral.  The stained glass windows inside took my breath away.  They are massive and very detailed and and bring attention to the altar that is placed in the center of the cathedral.  All of the stained glass pieces represent stories from the Bible and although I could not get close enough pictures that you are able to tell what the stories are, in real life they will take your breath away.  The time and detail that has gone into the making of these windows is absolutely incredible.  Inside of the cathedral there are also many statues and a large chandelier that is on display.

After Notre Dame we moved on to see other parts of Paris before settling down for the night.  We saw Paris' political hub, another very beautiful building surrounded by fountains.  All of the buildings in Paris  have wonderful statues surrounding them and seem to be famous people in the history of Paris.  Some seem to be angels or gargoyles and others seem to be saints or religious figures.  On a bus trip through Paris to see other sites, we happened to pass the statue that marked the storming of the Bastille.  I was excited to see these monuments to points in history that I thought I would only be able to imagine while talking about them in history class.

The most amazing part of Paris for me in first impressions was the waterways and how they are used to the advantage of the city.  It becomes clear that in previous parts of history water was very important and that is why all of the important places in the cities are built on the water.  I also loved the fountain of St. Michael that was found upon getting out of the metro on our first stop in Paris, the Notre Dame.

After going to Notre Dame we took the bus to the Louvre.  We were all very excited to be able to see the glass pyramids that are so famous in this city.  They were beautiful and did not disappoint.  There was also the beautiful fountains that surround the glass pyramids and add to the beautiful ambience of the museum.  The inside of the Louvre might have been even more impressive than the outside.  A huge, imposing building that seemed to never end.  The amount of history in this art was incredible and there were so many pieces of art that I could never have imagined being able to see.  I was most excited to be able to see in real life the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci and the Captive sculptures by Michelangelo.  There was also Aphrodite, Hammurabi's Code, Winged Victory, Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss and many other statues that I loved to have the opportunity to look at.  Although I am not an art person, this was a wonderful experience and I am so glad I took the time to be able to see all of these things.

It was raining about the we left the Louvre and we were all starving so we stopped at a cafe to eat dinner, it was a delicious meal and we were all quite satisfied at the end.  We collapsed into our beds after a whirlwind of a day and we prepared ourselves for our next long day at Versailles.

We arrived at Versailles on a train and walked to the Golden Gates.  They were everything I wanted them to be and more, beautiful, extravagant and holding in a history that I could not wait to explore.  We spent a good hour or so outside of the building itself just taking pictures and taking it everything that there was to see on the inside.  Finally, we decided to go inside and what we found was more extravangence waiting for our arrival.  The inside of the building was beautiful and although I didn't want to rush the experience, I could not wait to see the Hall of Mirrors.  It is even bigger and more gorgeous when you get to see it in person than when you see it in pictures in history books.  Everything about it was wonderful and I couldn't get enough of the Hall of Mirrors.  I took plenty of pictures in it, and while it was a wonderful place to be I was even more taken aback by the paintings on the ceilings of the rooms and their significance.  All of the rooms had these painted ceilings with images of Mars and other Gods that meant peace or prosperity, thus making it the perfect place to house the signing of the Peace Treaty.

Finally we got to the gardens which were even more immense than the inside of Versailles.  It could take a person all day to explore the entirety of the Gardens, but we tried to get in as much as we can.  After wandering around there for a while we decided that we wanted to be able to see Marie Antionette's house.  Although we got lost and ended up walking around for a good hour and a half before coming across her house, it was well worth the wait.  The cottage and the surrounding area was just stunning and we took our time exploring the area where this very famous lady once stayed.  She was obviously a very private person because of how far out her house was and she also obviously cared for animals because of how much useable farm land she surrounded herself with.  She did not want visitors apparently either, as there is a large mote the surrounds her abode to this day.

After the tour of Marie Antionette's house we were all very tired.  It was getting towards dinner time so we decided to head back towards our hotel.  Our feet hurt and we just wanted to be able to sit down for a bit.  We ate at a small cafe that was by our hotel and the food was even better than the food that we had the day before.  Then, Kate, Kate, Lena and I decided that we wanted to go and see the Eiffel Tower at night and what an experience that turned out to be!!  Upon arriving at the Eiffel Tower, tears filled our eyes as at night the place becomes magical.  It has such a romantic feel to it and the tower lit up is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life.  We just stood in the same spot and stared at the Tower for as long as we wanted.  Then, to our shock and amazment a light show began at the Tower and led us all to sit where we were originally standing and just take in the sight.  It was AMAZING.  I can not describe how wonderful it felt to be able to say that I was enjoying a light show at the Eiffel Tower.  The only thing that ruined the experience was a creepy vendor who kept touching me and kept asking me questions about myself.  But I was determined not to let that ruin my experience and put his presence out of my mind.  We decided that the Eiffel Tower was something that we would want to explore the next day and went back to our hotel room happy that we had that experience.  To top it all off, we later learned that the beautiful moon we saw peaking through the Eiffel Tower's legs was a moon that is only seen every couple of decades, making it an even more special experience.

The next morning began early again.  Kate, Kate, Lena, Catalina and I again decided that we wanted to see the Eiffel Tower in the daylight.  We trekked over and got in line to get to the top of the Tower.  We didn't have to wait long before we were on our way up in an elevator.  You have to change elevators 3 times before you get to the top and each seems to get progressively smaller.  There is not a chance for any individuals to get to the top of the tower by climbing, all progress past a certain point has to be in an elevator.  We finally made it to the top and the sight we saw was to die for.  It was amazing and we got to see all of Paris from where we were standing.  We took in the sights from the top of the Eiffel Tower and reveled in our ability to say that we had been to the top of the Eiffel Tower!  We then began our descent with huge smiles on our faces and an idea of where to go next thanks to the fact that we got to see a birds eye view of the entirety of Paris.

We continued our trek on to see the Arc de Triomphe and took in the sights that there were to see in that area.  Although we couldn't stay long I was glad that we were able to enjoy this sight.  We then just explored the town of Paris and got a couple souvenirs for our friends and families. We then made a quick stop over to see the Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge! Both of which were amazing sights to be able to see, for very different reasons.  The Sacre Coeur is a beautiful religious place that sits on top of a hill and is very commanding.  It was a wonderful, beautiful day and it was topped off by the view of a beautiful building.  Two minutes away was the redlight district of Paris where Moulin Rouge is situated.  It sits among a very eclectic gathering of sex shops and strip clubs in a very busy part of town.  I was glad we were able to see the other side to Paris before we left. We took in as many sights as we could before we had to go and collect our bags from our hotel. It was time to go back to the train station and catch the train back to London.  Although Paris was a wonderful city, I could not wait to get on that train back to London.  London is a place that feels more like home than anything to me now and I could not wait to be able to sleep in my own bed and speak the native language in the country.  I also couldn't wait to be able to eat something other than pastries, because although they are delicious they are not as filling or as healthy as I would like.

We arrived safely back into London and we all collapsed into our beds because although it was a very successful weekend, it was a weekend that was very trying on the nerves and a killer on the feet.  My feet still hurt thinking about all the walking that I did in Paris on a pair of heels that broke 30 minutes into the trip on the first day.


Cheers!

The Most Famous School in England

So, this is really late, but better late than never!

Finals are finally over for now, and I have time to sit here and update my blog and look back at everything that has happened this semester, as my time in England is rapidly coming to an end.

Oxford, a school trip that we took back in February? maybe March, was a trip to remember.

We started our tour of the town of Oxford in the same exact place that all member of the different schools in Oxford start their journey through Uni.  The ceiling was painted with a beautiful portrayal of wisdom and ignorance and we began the tour that would shed all the ignorance we had.  After the hall that all the individuals going to Oxford are inducted and graduate from, we climbed the staircase to the top of the building that allowed us to see the skyline of Oxford.  It was a beautiful sight and I took pictures of all the old, gothic buildings that hold history I can only imagine.

Skyline

The ceiling of Ignorance and Wisdom

After the tour of the building, we started the tour of the town of Oxford on foot.  Good thing I wore my comfortable shoes!  We saw some of the buildings that house historic classrooms and historic events.  Even a Jacobian style building that was home to the birth of science!

We then passed the Rhodes Building, which houses the Rhodes scholars, people like Bill Clinton and many other famous individuals that are some of the best and brightest in the nation.  I was thrilled to be able to see where the Rhodes scholars are inducted!

To please my literary minded self, we then saw the Eagle and Child, were J.R, Tolkien and and C.S. Lewis came up with their ideas for The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.  We continued on to see the place that the Protestants were burned at the cross for their beliefs.  The other highlights of the walking tour were the large Oxford library where millions of books sit under the ground in what is supposed to be a car park.

I fell in love with the architecture of Oxford, especially this round building which I have included..... The place was just beautiful and all the buildings were so lovely in their own right.

I loved this building

We continued on to Christ Church, where Harry Potter is filmed.  This is where the Great Hall exists, and Harry Potter walked up the very steps that I walked up and down throughout the day.  This was also the location of the scene from the second movie, The Chamber of Secrets, where Harry has to deal with the snake and Tom Riddle.

After the tour, the girls and I went to get ice cream from McDonalds and feasted on this wonderful treat while waiting for the buses to come and pick us up and take us home.  Catalina and I ended up in a museum that had many different stories to it, and although we wanted to be able to explore more, it was time to get on the bus.  We saw all sorts of Roman and Greek art and saw the hands of Buddha.

Christ Church

That was the trip to Oxford, a place that I would have loved to be able to spend more time at.

Nanny's Visit Part 2

The second leg of Nanny's visit again began on Thursday.

Thursday afternoon after my class, Nanny met me in Kingston and we walked around and had lunch and then I showed her some of the highlights of Kingston.  Then we both decided that we were going to take the buses back to West Drayton and so we spent about 2 hours on a bus.  Finally we were home and I got to see Chunk and the rest of the family and hang out once again!

Friday was a beautiful, warm day and Nanny and I decided that we were going to get to Windsor Castle.  We went and I was so glad that we did.  We spent the day walking around the grounds of the castle and seeing all that there was to see.  We barely missed the changing of the guard, but we did not let that deter us.  We went around and looked at the gardens and the chapel, the doll's houses and the rest of the state apartments.  I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Windsor Castle but it didn't end there.  After we went into the Castle we went to get some lunch and then we were off on our feet again to the Eton Boys School.  It is quite famous here and around the world and so we went to see the grounds.  It was a beautiful place and it was nice to see.  I am glad that I got to say that I saw it.  We then walked back to the city of Windsor and just took in the sights and walked around and did a little shopping.  After, we hopped back on the trains like experts and we got home and took a quick nap before everyone got home.

Saturday Nanny and I went to see my Aunt Josie and my Aunts Jackie and Georginia.  We also saw their kids, Angela and Andrew.  It was a good time again and it was a wonderful visit.  Josie remembered Nanny, regardless of the fact that she is suffering from dementia and I saw that they enjoyed each other's company.  We then went back to Josie's house and caught up with all of the family and just enjoyed each other.  It was a good day and they all went out of their way to make sure that I felt like I was welcome in their house and made sure to make me feel like I would be able to get back there anytime I needed to.

Sunday, Mark, Sam, Nanny and I went into London.  It was a day full of strange occurences but I was a lot of fun and I wouldn't have traded it for the world, even though I did freeze throughout the entire day. First, there was a man that was a street performer that called me over and kissed a card and gave it to me.....it was very strange.

Then we went into a store and shopped around for a little bit, and then finally we decided to leave.  On the way out this teddy bear mascot caught me and took my hand and dragged me back to this man that was on stilts.  I took a picture with them and the teddy bear kept hugging me.  It was very strange, but a lot of fun and a picture that will always make me smile.

After that, we went walking down the road and we saw these people that were dressed in very strange ways.  They were dressed to raise money and my nanny was very excited to see them.  I got a picture with them as well.  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, besides the couple of birds that got so close that I got scared and started screaming. I HATE birds and I HATE when they get close so I was very scared because of that.

After that, on Monday Nanny and I went to visit my Aunt Pat.  We hung out with her for the day and I got a new pair of boots.  After that, we dropped Pat off and we went back to the house.  We hung out for a little bit and then Sam and Mark came home and we hung out with them for a while.  After that Andrew came over and said goodbye to Nanny and we got to see the kids again.  It was a very good time and it was sad that it all had to come to an end.

I had to say goodbye to Nanny after that, something I was not looking forward to, but something that had to happen eventually.

I am glad that she got to visit and I am glad that she got to enjoy her time here!

Cheers!

Nanny's Visit Part 1

The weekend before Nanny's visit I had a visit from my uncle Andrew and his girlfriend Stella and their son Jimmy.  My Aunt Pat was also there and we went to eat dinner together and went shopping.  We just caught up and then, before I knew it, it was dark out and it was time for them to go home.  It was a great way to spend the weekend and then it was time for Nanny to come!

The weekend after we went to St. Paul's. Nanny was here and she came to visit!!!

I arrived at Mark's on Thursday night and Nanny and I tried to decide what we were going to do for the rest of the weekend.  We went out with Mark and Sam that night and had a delicious meal at the Plough.

One of the days we went to see my Uncle John at his house and went out to lunch with him.  We went to my Uncle Gary's house after and met his kids, Matt and Emily.  It was a good time and we had yet another delicious meal and talked.  The only problem was that I could not stop coughing all day and found myself to be pretty annoying.  It was a good day and it was great to spend a lot of time with my family.

The day after we went to see my cousin Andrew and his girlfriend Stella, and their son Jimmy.  We hung out for most of the day and just spent time together, we made plans for the next day to go out with Stella and her sister to go shopping in the largest shopping centre in Europe!

We got to the shopping center called Westfield's and walked around all day.  It was so nice to see all the shops and to go into the really posh shops and just pretend that I could afford the things that were inside! It was a great day out and I really enjoyed myself.

That night, Kate, Catalina and I went to see Trey Songz perform at the local club here, McClusky's.  It was a lot of fun, but it was really crowded and a lot of the people that were there were really quite rude and aggressive about being close to Trey.  Kate and I ended up just hanging out in the background and enjoying herself like we always do!

The next day we just hung out and then, before I knew it, it was time for me to go home again and go back to classes.

Classes were okay, but what was even better was the play that we went to see on Wednesday.  We saw Frankenstein and it was the greatest play I have seen in a REALLY long time.  It was just amazing and the way that they depicted the creature in a sympathetic light was totally awesome and I loved every minute of the experience.  It would be too much to try to explain why I loved it so much, but it was beautifully written and acted and I wish that I could have recorded the whole thing so that I could play it again and again.

After the play, we met up with one of my friend's friends, Charlie.  We went out in London and had a drink at a pub and watched the soccer games that were on that night.  We then came home and it was time again to go back to Mark's house and see Nanny!

St. Pauls

A couple weekends ago I went to St. Paul's Cathedral with Kate.  The other girls were in Portugal so we decided to make a weekend for ourselves and go do something that we have been talking about doing since we got to London.

St. Paul's is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL place and I cannot express how serene and wonderful it was.  The building is so big and so imposing, but the inside is so wonderfully peaceful that you forget how large the place actually is.  Kate and I just walked around the floor for about an hour, looking at everything and soaking it all up.

After, we both decided that we needed to see the tombs and the chambers underneath the Cathedral even though we both knew that we were not going to like what we saw/felt.  We went down for about a split second and decided that the tombs in the ground and the graves were too much to handle and instead we ran back upstairs and made our way to the Whispering Gallery and to the top of the dome!

The Whispering Gallery is absolutely amazing, you whisper into the wood and anyone around the entire dome can hear what you are saying.  It is amazing and Kate and I sat on opposite sides of the dome and whispered back and forth to one another, being throughly astonished by how the entire system worked.

Finally, we decided that we were going to make our way up to the top.  We began to climb the 500 odd steps there were to the top.  By the end, however, Kate and I were both so scared that we literally had to drag ourselves up the see-through steps.  I could not feel my legs underneath me but I made it all the way up to the top! I was so proud and then I was so amazed by the view.  It was beautiful and breath taking and ridiculously scary all at the same time.  But we did it, we made it and we got to take all the pictures of the London city skyline.

It was an amazing day, that ended with pizza in front of St. Paul's.  Kate and I had a laugh about that because who eats pizza in front of St. Pauls on a Saturday afternoon!?!

Later, we ventured over to Buckingham Palace.  On the way we walked through St. James' Park and we tried to enjoy ourselves but found ourselves overcome by our fear of the birds.  The birds are ridiculously large and scary.

Buckingham Palace is an absolutely beautiful place, as everything else is here in London.  I loved every minute of our visit even though it was freezing cold!

Anyway, it was a great weekend, nice and calm and relaxing and just what the doctor had ordered.

Cheers!

Learning to Marvel

So, its been a while since I have checked in here but that is because there has been so much going on in the past couple weeks.

Last weekend we went into London and just walked around, explored this place that I now call home.  It is such a diverse place to live and there is so much going on.  We went to Covent Gardens and the market that is there, saw some street performers and just walked around the town because there is so much shopping and so many cool buildings to see (like the blue walled club that is in my facebook album).   Then we ventured over to Trafalgar Square because I had the sudden urge to go and see it.  While there we also visited the National Gallery for a couple of minutes.  You could probably spend all day in the National Gallery, it is huge and it was here that it hit me.  I am in London and there I was, taking in some of the greatest art of all time.  I think it was here that I realized that for the past couple weeks I have been walking around with my mouth open, just amazed by everything that is, London.  I am learning to just appreciate things for what they are, people for who they are and to take everything in stride because it is the only way in which to really appreciate and enjoy something.

While in London we also saw some buildings that I couldn't tell you the names of, but of course all of them were beautiful.  It has been such a fantastic experience being here and having friends and roommates that are willing to just stroll along in the city and see where the wind brings us.  It is from this experience that I have learned so much about the city and learning a lot about myself.  For instance, I have learned that I constantly doubt myself this is especially true when it comes to the buses and the tubes.  It is because you don't want to end up going in the right direction so I am always worried that we are going the wrong way.  Not that this has happened yet, so I don't really know what I am so worried about.

Then of course after the weekend of fun it was back to school and working.  Three days a week is not too bad and the time flies.  Classes are good and easy for me, I find it hard to be motivated to go because they are all mostly review for me, but I go because I know I have to in order to do well in the long run.  I am finding that the teachers here are a lot more chill about everything than the teachers back in the States though.  Or at least the teachers that I have.  At the beginning of the program everyone said that the teachers would be really strict about stuff and that they did not really interact with the students like they do in the states.  I have found this to be completely false, and I actually feel like I know my professors here better than I have gotten to know any of the professors at home because they are so approachable and many of them teach by sitting among the students, not standing in front of us and talking at us.

Friday was one of my favorite days here so far, we went to the Globe Theatre and Parliament.  Had a little walk around Parliament and stood behind the chairs that the House of Lords and the House of Commons sit in on a regular basis.  I got to walk around places that not even the Queen gets to access, it was no big deal.  I got to see Big Ben from the only angle I have not seen him yet as well.  Then of course it was time to go to Shakespeare's Globe.  A beautiful and quaint little building in the center of the hustle and bustle of London.  Everything about it was so old feeling, yet the building was rebuilt only a couple of years ago.  It was a fun experience, especially since I am taking a Shakespeare class right now and am really interested in stuff like that.

After going to the touristy places one of my friends decided to hook up with one of her friends that is also staying in London.  So, we hopped on the tube like champs and found our way to the other side of the city.  We found ourselves on Bank Street which was where all the Sherlock Holmes stories took place.  I actually got to see where Sherlock Holmes was said to have lived, that was pretty cool.  So we walked around London for a bit and went pub hopping (that is all they do here).  It was such a good experience, but after Friday I found that I was starting to feel sick.

That, however, did not stop me from going out on Saturday and having the time of my life..... I should have stayed in and taken care of my throat though... But it will be okay because that is what I plan to do all week so that I am ready for the weekend again.

Sunday I met with some of my family that I have yet to see yet since being here.  Some of them I have never met before.  But we had a traditional English roast at the King's Tun and just enjoyed each others company and began to get to know one another.  I had a good time, despite the horrible weather and I cannot wait to see them again!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and it was by far one of the best Valentine's Days I have ever had.  My roommates and I just hung out, but it was really something special.  We got cupcakes for all of the girls in the house and we made chicken parm for dinner.  It was some of the best chicken I have ever eaten and the dinner was just fantastic.  These girls that I live with are something else, we all get along really well and it is just fun to be around them.

As for the rest of the week, I have to read and write an essay for one of my classes and start to work on a presentation that I have to make next week in one of the classes that was supposed to be easy, but is turning out to be one of the classes that I have the most work for.  O well, you do what you have to I guess.

This weekend I think we might try to make our way to Windsor to hang out and see the castle, or something along those lines.  You never know here, the world is my oyster.

O and as for spring break, I am going to ROME.  Yes, me!  I never thought that I would ever get the chance to do any of this, but I am going to be going on a tour of Italy for about two weeks before coming back for the Royal Wedding.

So I think that is it for now, but I cannot wait for this weekend and of course next week when Nanny gets here and I get to meet more family and just hang out with the people that call themselves my family here!

Cheers!

Classes Begin...

So classes began for me on Tuesday and I have to say that the education system here is quite different than the education system at home.  It is true what they say that the classes are shorter and easier, but that a lot of the studying has to be done on your own, outside of the classroom.

What happens at Kingston is that you have an hour or two of lecture and then sometimes for some classes you have an hour of seminar.  That is a maximum of three hours spent in any single class during the week. It also means that most of your classes only meet once a week and the rest of the studying and research has to be done on one's own.

So Tuesday I went to American Literature and it was interesting, my teacher talked a lot about American history and how awful America is right now, it was interesting and kind of off putting to hear the British perspective on American's right now.  Regardless. this class is likely to be a breeze for me because all the required readings I have already completed in school.

Next on Wednesday I went to Shakespeare and American Lit Seminar and my British Life and Culture Class.  Shakespeare is going to be interesting for me because it is a drama class and I am going to have to get up and act out parts of plays.  It will be an experience I think.  American Lit was easy, we just talked about ourselves and our feelings and British Life and Culture was easy but incredibly boring because, unfortunately, the teacher is quite boring.

Lastly on Thursday I had Abnormal Psych and I think this is my favourite class of all.  Again, it is all going to be review because I have already studied all of this in high school but it makes me a little more confident in being able to pass the class.  My teacher is really nice and let me change my seminar from Friday to Thursday which makes my schedule absolutely incredible and will allow me to travel as much or as little as I please.

That is all for now, I don't really have much else to say about classes other than right now they are going well and I like the way that classes are taught here.....

Cheers!

Brighton Beach

So Friday I discovered that I am actually quite good at finding my way around London and Kingston and that I am a whiz at reading Tube maps and finding train stations.  Kate and I went into London to meet her cousin for a day of exploring and pub hopping.  Upon getting to London we went to the Millennium bridge (where the Harry Potter scene with the death eaters and the snapping bridge was filmed) and took tons of pictures of the bridges and could see the Tower Bridge and the London Bridge because they were all in the same area.  We then went to the Tate Modern Museum and saw a bunch of art, most of it which was over my head but I did recognize some artists, like Andy Warhol and Dali.  It was interesting to see a museum like that that is free to the public at all times, not like in the states where we have to pay for everything.... Afterwards we went to the Kings Head Pub which was hopping because it was their grand reopening, so after standing there for quite some time and not getting any closer to the bar we went to a place called O'Neills instead which is somewhat like an Applebees at home.  There Kate's cousin ordered strawberry beer for everyone, which sounds totally disgusting but it turns out that this is really good stuff! I might be addicted.

Saturday was the day to go down to the tip of England and see the little coastal town of Brighton.  It was freezing cold, but enjoyable because of all the things that I got to see and experience.  Brighton has the cutest little shops that are down narrow streets called the Alleys.  There were all kinds of local fare and it was good just to see what people are like on a day to day basis in England. Then we went to the Royal Pavilion where I saw the palace that Queen Victoria sold in spite of her uncle.  It was a Oriental inspired palace, as seen by the pictures that I hope to be able to get on here and it is just beautiful.  Everything about it was so gorgeous but it seemed really out of place in the small town of Brighton.  Then we went to Brighton Pier and got to see what real Fish and Chips and the coast of England looks like.  It was very cold, but very beautiful. I also got to see the hotel that was bombed by the IRA when Margaret Thatcher was PM and the burnt out pier in Brighton that is the center of a lot of controversy right now because while some people want it restored, others want it to remain a historical monument.

Today, classes start for the Uni, but I don't have my first class until tomorrow at 3pm (so 9 am ya'lls time).  It should be an interesting class, its American Literature and I can't wait to see what the books we are going to be reading are..... Then on Wednesday I am off to Shakespeare and my American Lit Seminar followed by my British Life and Culture class. Thursday is Abnormal Psych which I am very excited about and then begins my long weekend once again....

Cheers!

First Full Week Impressions

So, my first full week in England has come to a close and I have to say it is an interesting little place.  I am amazed by the way that everything is broken up into little villages and every village has a High Street or a central shopping street and then there are houses surrounding it.

The roads are funny too and the rules of the road are much, much different than back home.  I have had a couple people ask me if I were going to drive anywhere in England and I keep telling them that I can't imagine driving anywhere.  They have roundabouts and random one way roads, there are places where you have to yield to the other people on the other side of the road and just very strange things.  Not to mention everything about the way that they drive is backwards....I keep trying to get on our passenger side and end up in their drivers side....

Classes and "uni" is different too! Although I haven't yet started classes, I got my schedule and although I am taking about the same hours of class that I would at home, all of my classes only meet once a week, which means that I only have class three times a week.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  It is crazy to think that I am going to have a four day weekend every weekend, but since I have a lot of traveling and things I want to do I think that will work out for the best.  Especially for when Nanny is here to visit, we can get a lot of exploring done in the four days that I have over the weekends.

The Pub scene is great too, as well as the Clubs.  People are a lot of fun here and love American accents as much as we love their British accents. It is just a good time to hang out with people and enjoy each others company.  Often times they show a lot of sporting events while the TV's are on and after a certain time at night it is mostly music and just hanging out.  The big going out nights here for students are weird though, they are often going out on Wednesday and Monday nights.  We tried going out last night (Thursday) but we couldn't because none of the clubs were open.  It is odd, but something that we have to get used to if we want to go out ever......My feet also have to get used to walking long ways in heels through pot holed sidewalks, which is a lot harder than you would think at night....

Anyway, I am off to London for the day to explore and have a good time!

Cheers!!!

First Weekend

So the first weekend in London was really interesting and a roller coaster of emotions...

When I arrived I found that my suitcase had ripped open, but luckily not enough to cause any real damage...My main concern there was what would I have to put my stuff in when I come back into the States but I guess we will just have to deal with that when it comes.... Heathrow was a really nice airport and the guy that we had to go with us to the shuttle was really wonderful.  When we got into the shuttle it smelled really weird, and we all joked around that it smelled like London, but apparently that really is what London smells like because that is what all the pubs and such smelled like as well.

So the first full day in London I went with the EuroLearn group and we all got a drink at the bar, and to set the record straight English beer is 100X better than American beer but it still tastes like horse piss.  I still don't like it so I will not be drinking it much here....

The second day we went to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.  Westminster is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and I was so mad that I could not take pictures of it but whatever, it is the nicest most beautiful place to look at the what was inside was all history stuff but it was just fanstastic.  Anyway. there was this girl there who when we got to the tomb of the unknown soldier kept saying that she didn't understand why they had one and I tried to explain that we have one as well and she got all pissy and like told me that we don't.  I think she's really dense but their tomb of the unknown soldier for the first world war is just beautiful.  Its a plain black stone in the ground with red poppies surrounding it.  On a lighter note, I also saw poet's corner, which is where all the famous authors are buried or remembered, like Shakespeare and Chaucer and Dickens and Austen and Darwin and all these really cool influential people and I was just in heaven.

After we went to see a play called Billy Elliot because it is a story of the London mines and why they were all closed and Margaret Thatcher and a kid that wants to dance ballet and i was pretty good, really funny, but I was really shocked at how much the little kids curse here.  I found out a lot of pretty neat slang from the show though and I have been sharing it with people here and there because it is quite vulgar.

The second day in England was the Tower of London and Tower Bridge as well as going on a Jack the Ripper tour and we also walked by St. Pauls which I am going to have to go and see again.  Then we went to a Medieval Banquet dinner which was quite the experience.  All of these things are just really filled with history and author's stories and I am so glad that I am here to see it first hand.  Although, I realize more and more how sheltered and stupid we are about the world around us living in America.... It's really sad.

I have noticed from being here that we really are spoiled in every aspect of life and I have grown to appreciate so much more everything it is that America has to offer.  They want to buy our jeans off of our backs most of hte time because we have better jeans..... They also want to steal our things because they are the newest things.  They don't have WiFi like we do at home in most places and they also have different showers and toilers that are much more finicky then our stuff at home.  They have really not modernized at all because all of their money and efforts have gone towards rebuliding after the wars and that has but them really far behind the US in a lot of things.  They get music and movies after we do and its really funny to see that the Black Swan is just coming out here or that Willow Smith has just recently been heard on the radio.  I am learning a lot about history though and a lot more about appreciating what we have in America because everyone in England is quite envious of our way of life over there and that is why many of them think that we are spoiled brats....

It has been a rough adjustment for me but I am finally home where I will be for the next couple months and I finally feel settled.  I am glad of this because I have not been sleeping like I do at home and everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE my sleep.  I cannot wait to just be able to sleep in and get myself all really situated.  I register for classes bright and early in the morning so I am going to wrap this up quick.

I miss everyone at home and I hate not being able to text people random things, its hard not having a phone when you are so used to having it attached at your hip.....

Cheers!!

Preparation

The countdown to England is 8 days, 23 hours and 11 minutes as of the time I have started writing my first blog! It has been a long and frustrating process to get to this point and I don't really feel prepared at all.  There is only so much that Clemson and EuroLearn can help me with and I have fun into a few significant snags in the whole moving across the world for an extended period of time process.

To start STA Travel is THE WORST, WORST, worst, worst, travel company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.  They are rude, untimely, incredibly horrendous to their customers and to top it all off, they don't seem to want to help.  I booked a flight with them back in November and now that my flight is less than a week away, I began to wonder when I was going to get a confirmation of my tickets being purchased.  Upon calling, I found that they had moved my flight from Newark to JFK without ever informing me, and if I were to ask about why I was not informed I was hung up on, told that it was no big deal and then told that it was my fault that I had not received a confirmation.  I will NEVER book again with this company and I highly recommend that all else do the same.  You are better off paying another hundred dollars for better service, nicer people and confirmations of tickets! Especially when those tickets are inclusive of airport changes, time changes and even the risk of putting me of jeopardy of missing my pickup at Heathrow.  In summary, DO NOT go with STA Travel for any of your travel needs, EVER.

On a more positive note, I am actually really excited about England.  Right now I am struggling to deal with the fact that all of my friends are back in the place that my heart truly belongs to, Clemson.  I miss everyone and just the wonderful town so much that I am struggling to be happy about my situation, however, I know that when I get there all of this will be worth it.  I am excited to really do something for myself and to explore a place I have only ever been able to dream about.  I cannot wait to get there and immerse myself into a different culture, find out what is important to me, travel whenever and wherever I can and really get a feel for what it is like to be a student in England.  This is a perfect opportunity for me to really find out who I am and where my place in the world is, and I am so excited to start that journey.  I am a little anxious about what I will find, but, then again I am very excited for what such a huge change can bring to light for me.  I know I should be afraid, but I feel comfort in knowing that I am going to be alone and abroad.  It is a really strange feeling and a strange experience, but I finally feel comfortable enough in myself to know that I can handle this and I will have the time of my life.