Tuesday, June 3, 2014

This Is The End

Listen up ya'll I'm about to get mushy.
I decided that a long blog post would be better than a 5 page Facebook status.
You can all thank me later.

So this is it.
The last day.
I just finished my last final exam (crushed it, hopefully) and now it's just a waiting game until I board my plane tomorrow.
I don't even know how to begin describing or explaining what I am feeling right now.
The excitement and anticipation of coming home is mixed and confused with the absolute devastation of leaving this city and the people I have fell in love with.
I don't know what to say to my friends as I am about to leave them.
It's more than I will miss them.
It's more like I will miss the part of my soul I am leaving with each of them.
They all hold a piece of me now and when we are together I feel whole.
These people have been through one of the biggest changes in my life.
I feel like I have made lifetime friends because we all share the similar passion of traveling no matter how different we may be.
I just need them to know that I love them with my whole heart and that there is always a friend in me.

Now I know some people at home may be reading this and be thinking, "Well why don't we make you feel whole?"
Trust me, you do!
It's just a different kind of wholesomeness.
When I am with the people at home I feel safe and secure in the familiarity of love and family.
Being away from everyone these past 6 months has been indescribable.
There hasn't been one day where I don't think of home and how much I miss it.
Iberia has been and always will be my home.
When I think of home my heart sings because I know that's where I truly belong.
Maybe not permanently, but my heart and soul will always be holding onto that town.
I have learned so much about myself while being here.
I know 100% without a single doubt that I am a country girl through and through.
This won't stop me from exploring other cities, but I don't see myself living in one indefinitely.
I am so thankful that I have such awesome and supporting friends, family, and community who push me to go after my goals.
I love that I know that there will always be someone I know somewhere asking me how I'm doing.
Community is something I miss the most from home.
I am beyond ecstatic to get back to the good ole USA.

Now I kind of want to warn people what to expect when I come home.
When I left I told myself that I wouldn't change that much.
Don't worry life and reality shut down that thought pretty dang quick.
I just need people at home to understand that I won't be the same person anymore.
I have different views than when I left.
I have more of a cultural look at things and I am actually very thankful of that.
If you notice that I don't always agree with an American point of view, please be patient.
It's just I have seen how others live and how other governments work.
I still love the US but I have realized that there are many many flaws in our government and society.
I have also become more open minded about things and I may get a little upset when I don't feel understood for my point of view.
I can't help the stubbornness, I tried and I lost.
Don't think that all I want to talk about is myself and my experiences.
I will be MORE THAN happy to tell you all about it because I have stories galore.
But I want to hear how all of you are and what you have been up to since I left.
Your lives are important to me as well.
Don't forget I missed out on a lot being gone and I will want to feel included in it too!
Try and remember that this was my life for 6 months.
When we talk and spend time together I will compare things to what happened here.
Don't get mad and understand that I do the same thing here with things from home.
It's our human nature to always compare and contrast things.
Oh and please don't call this a vacation.
This wasn't a vacation for me.
Sure some of my trips made looked like that but trust me I never had the vacation state of mind.
I was traveling and learning the entire time.
Not to mention I was in actual school while here.

I know this may seem excessive but this is what has been running through my mind for about the past month now.
I hope everyone can read this and understand where I am coming from and where I will be heading in the future.
Now aren't you glad I didn't make it a Facebook post? :)
Sadly there will be no until next time.
This is the end and the beginning at the same time.
Isn't it beautiful?

xoxoxo
Sam

Friday, May 16, 2014

Wanderlust

wanderlust
noun:
A strong desire to travel

I was on my way back from Brighton last weekend and a question from our London coordinator got me to thinking.
I was talking about how excited I am to go home, but how living in London has changed my views so much.
She then asked me a question that I haven't been able to get out of my head.
"Do you think you have lost your wanderlust now that you have studied abroad?"
My immediate answer was "No! Of course not!"
Later on that night I kept coming back to this conversation.
I made myself take a look at where I'm headed in life and to think about if I will ever lose my wanderlust.

I rehashed this conversation with my aunt during a Skype session and she made a very good point.
She said at my age and this point in my life I want to see the world, but at her age she wants to vacation.
I thought it was so interesting because when you think about it they're not really the same thing.
There are those who travel and those who vaca.
So then I started thinking about what are the differences.
When you travel you are going for the experience.
Most likely this is a never ending adventure without many breaks.
You are constantly doing and seeing.
When you vacation you are escaping away from responsibilities.
You usually spend more cash so that you have to make little efforts throughout the day.
When you travel, you are on a budget and everyone knows it (Hello hostels!)
There are many other differences between the two and some may disagree.
I would be more than confident to say that I have been travelling for the past 6 months. 

So after much speculation and careful thinking.
No, I have not lost my wanderlust.
If anything studying abroad has created this insatiable hole in my soul that can only be satisfied with new adventures and new places.
I now know that I want to travel the world.
I want to see the world. 
I want to experience things outside of my comfort zone. 
I want to gain a further appreciation and understanding for other cultures. 
I want to have stories so crazy nobody would ever believe them. 
I want to use my experiences to help others. 
I want to road trip with my friends across America just because we can.
I want to go to Africa and work with children. 
I want to spend the night in a jungle, preferably one that won't have spiders. 
I want to hold a baby gorilla and have it cling to my arms and my heart forever.
I want to visit temples in parts of Asia. 
I want to visit a native tribe and learn something new from them. 
I want to meet new people who will become a part of my life, even if it is for a short while. 
My point is that I'm not done travelling. 
When I come home I hope that I am preparing for the next adventure no matter what it may be. 
I never want to lose my sense of wanderlust. 

Monday, April 28, 2014

I'm Going To Miss. . .

6 weeks.
I only have 6 weeks out of 6 months left here in London.
I can't believe the things I have experienced while being abroad.
I honestly wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world.
My life is forever changed because of this opportunity.
I am thanking God every single day for the chances I get to take.
I know when I am missing home all I can think about are the things that I miss from the U.S..
But there are so many things I will miss once I leave London.
I figure I should tell the world so they know what kind of awesomeness I am leaving behind to come home.

1. My friends!
The people I have met while abroad are some of the greatest most unique people I will ever know.
When you come over here you are forced to make friend.
It's that or hate your life.
I am so lucky to have met the best of the best.
I will never forget these humans.
Ever.

2. Caramel Waffles
It's a UK thing.

3. The pubs
The atmosphere in these places is so much fun.
Plus it is a great way to people watch.

4. The milk at Tesco Express.
Let me explain.
This milk is only 1 GBP for 4 pints.
That's so cheap for London.
 I buy two at a time.

5. Being able to walk anywhere.
I am in walking distance from the greatest parts of London.
How can you not love that?

6. Public Transportation
So I do miss my own car and being able to just drive.
But I also miss only paying less than $4 for a 30 minute trip.
Not buying gas is amazing.

7. Travel opportunities
Here it is SO EASY to travel to other countries.
Also, it's pretty cheap.
In the U.S. we can travel to other states but it's not the same.
While here I have been to 9 countries so far.
That's insane and completely amazing.

8. Primark
I am not even going to try and lie to myself.
I will miss this place.

9. Pret A Manger
This is like the UK version of a Panera, except slightly less awesome.
It's still my go to for picnics.

10. Susannah
This is our on-site coordinator in London.
This woman was an angel with us KEI kids.
She always makes sure we are getting the most for our money and the best experiences we can have.
She is always looking for ways to help us.
This trip wouldn't have been the same without her.

These are just some of the things I will miss when I leave London.
It's hard to list them all because many of them are material things.
I can't even explain to others back home how it is.
The only ones who can really understand are my friends here.
They share the same feelings and emotions I do about leaving.
All I can say is that I like who I've become while living abroad.
I'm going to miss it all so much.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

My Moment

I have been doing so much thinking lately.
I debated sharing this with people but I feel like I need to.
I had this incredible moment in Greece while sitting on the edge of a cliff.
I was sitting there with my feet hanging over the water and rocks below.
I had my moment.
Let me explain this to you.
Before I came over to England I thought about the things I wanted to get out of my trip.
These things varied from meeting One Direction to having an authentic pub experience.
One of the things I wanted was to have my moment.
I didn't know what kind of moment it would be or where it would be.
But sitting on that cliff in Santorini I had my moment.

I was sitting there staring out across the water and it was endless.
I could see nothing but water for miles.
Then I would look down at the waves crashing against the rocks.
This in itself was a huge feat because I am TERRIFIED of heights.
While sitting there I just felt at peace and it was so surreal.
All I could think about was how this doesn't happen to girls from Iberia, Missouri.
I could have never pictured this moment in my life.
I never would have guessed it would happen to me.
But it did.
As I was sitting there I just kept thinking about how God has blessed me more than I deserve.
I mean here I was doing something most people I know will never do.
How do you not feel humbled in that moment?

Then I realized how insignificant I am in this huge world.
At the same time I realized that I am more significant than I know.
What I do matters, and so does how I do it.
Sitting on that cliff you think about how vast the world really is.
I am one in 7 billion.
What makes me so special that God gave me this opportunity to explore a different part of the world?
Why did he lay it on my heart to pursue studying abroad?
I saw it in this moment.
Looking out I got to see the beauty that God has created for us.
It is truly amazing.
No picture or description can give you that moment.
I won't even try.

My moment was one of clarity.
How bad are my problems really?
I have my faith and the freedom to express it to others without persecution.
I have my family, no matter how scattered it may be, they are there.
I have friends who will support me and have my back in every situation.
I have myself, I know what I am capable of and I know what I want.
I also know that I will do everything to achieve my dreams and goals.

We all had moments up on that cliff.
It hit us all at a different time and in a different way.
But my moment was my moment.
Nobody shared it with me and nobody got to have a part of that moment.
I was silent and still.
This may be the greatest moment of my entire trip.
It beats all the hangouts, nights out, celeb run-ins, trips, and souvenirs.
This was my moment.

Until next time,
xoxoxo Sam

Friday, March 28, 2014

Halfway There

So I'm trying to keep up with my blog and I'm currently looking to do anything but my American Politics essay.
Procrastination at its best.
I am now halfway done with my semester abroad.
I cannot believe how fast time has flown.
I feel like it was just yesterday when I was arriving and settling in.
When I look back at everything I have done since I have arrived I am astonished and thankful.
I have had opportunities of a lifetime and I can't imagine what the next half holds.
I also cannot believe how easily and quickly I caught on to navigating one of the world's biggest cities.
Coming from such a small town this was a huge feat for me.
I could actually live here if you know I was filthy rich and didn't hate crowds and cement.
I came here with so many misconceptions of England and London.
Sure there are things where I was right about, but I want to focus on the myths that I or people back home believe.

1. Contrary to what we believe Brits do not walk around saying "cheerio" or "bloody hell".
 I'm sorry to break all your hearts but the most common phrases are things like "cheers".

2. THEY DO NOT DRINK WARM BEER!
I need to make this point for all the boys out there (Steven Mallow) who believe that they drink warm beer.
Their beer or ales are actually at cellar temperature which is about 40 degrees F.
This is relatively cool and honestly it's better because you can taste the flavor more.

3. That if you travel to London you will get taken.
Yeah I didn't get taken nor have I felt like I was going to.
Except for the brief instant when I was walking to the bus station at 3 am by myself.

4. All they eat is fish n' chips. Even though this is one of their most well-known foods it is not the only thing they eat.
The food here is very diverse and delicious.
Indian food is actually incredibly popular.

5. They hate Americans.
On the contrary, they LOVE us.
Our accents, our food, our money, and our politics.
I have not found one person who says they hate America.

Now these are just a few myths about things I have learned living here.
It is incredible all the things I have learned in such a short amount of time.
I hope after I leave that this isn't the end of my visits to London.
It is an incredible historical and culture packed city.
If you ever have the chance to come to England, DO IT!

Until next time,
xoxoxoxo Sam

Thursday, March 27, 2014

There Are No Whales In Wales

Hello everyone!
It has been quite awhile since I have posted.
I have just been so busy with school and trips.
This entire month has been filled with adventures and plans.
This past weekend was another chance for me to tick off another country on my list.
We went to Wales on Saturday and Sunday.
Basically the whole trip was a bus ride and no sleep.
It was awesome.

Saturday:
We started out by meeting at the tube station to get on our coach bus.
Because of our early start I slept the entire time until we got to our first part.
(Let me just pause for a minute and say that I don't have a single clue to where we were the entire weekend.
I know we were in Wales and that's it.
I was extremely disoriented because every time I woke up on the bus I was in a different city or town.
So please don't ask where I went in Wales because I will not be able to tell you. )
The first place we went were Roman barracks.
It was cool but there wasn't much left so you really had to use your imagination.
I imagined myself not falling down the muddy hills.
I was successful.
Then we walked over to a Roman amphitheater.
This was so cool!
We all pretended we were gladiators and Kings (or Queens) of the world.
I also got to climb parts of it.
Basically I was Roman.
You cannot tell me any different.
Then it was back on the bus to somewhere new.

Our next stop was a castle in another city ( I told you I have no idea where I was).
I know the name of the castle was Caerphilly.
Don't quote me on that because I read the sign in Welsh and it could very well be goat or something.
Anyways this castle was so cool.
Honestly if I keep seeing castles I am going to refuse to come home until someone builds me one of my own and names me the princess.
I don't think that's an outrageous demand.
I did have an issue with the small spiral staircases.
The fear of heights and claustrophobia kicked in big time.
But we had fun and I watched some of my friends dance around like idiots while talking in a British accent.
It was a jolly good time.
And you guessed it, back on the bus!

The next place we went was the Museum of Welsh Life.
This was pretty cool because it is set up like an old small town.
It even had their own sheep.
AND THEY HAD BABIES!
The lambs were seriously the highlight of my life.
They were cute and cuddly, but I couldn't get close to them.
Also this museum was set in the woods so I felt like I was taking a walk back home.
We weren't here for long and I mostly stood outside and stared at the lambs.
Then back on the bus!

Our final destination was our hotel!
Thank goodness because we were all exhausted!
We had free time as soon as we checked in and the night was ours.
I ended up having dinner with Taylor, Natasha, and Tori.
Then we had a night out on the town.
I saw some pretty sweet characters in Swansea that night.
This included an Elmo, a group of Smurf women, a group of pirate women, women dressed as Disney princesses, and tons of CUTE boys dressed in togas.
It was quite an interesting night and turned out to be one of the best nights I have had abroad.
A huge thanks to my sweet girls for that because it could of been awful.
It was a late night and an even earlier morning.
Back to the bus!

Sunday
We had breakfast at the hotel and let me just say it was probably one of the best hotel brekkies (I say this, deal with it) I have had in like forever.
Our first stop after we left Swansea ( I remembered the city) was a coal mine.
It is called Big Pit and then it has a more elaborate name in Welsh that I do not know how to say therefore I do not know it.
We got to go down in the mine 300 feet below the ground.
I was semi-freaking out because our guide told us that it was still an active mine.
This means that we weren't allowed to have any electronics just in case we hit a methane pocket.
COOL.
I'm 300 feet underground with no escape except this unbearably slow elevator that you can fit 30 people in. Basically my worst nightmare.
I was planning the whole time how I could survive a methane explosion.
Fun fact I learned on my tour, you don't survive it.
See where I'm getting at.
Honestly though it was a really cool experience and our guide was incredible!
He was a sassy and sweet old man.
We all wanted him to be our grandpa.
We did the tour and some walking around then it was back on the bus!

The next place we went was Tintern Abbey.
This is an old monastery and it was gorgeous.
Seriously how they built these beautiful places amazes me.
Even now it is just ruins many of the walls were still standing.
I was in awe and wanted one for myself.
Of course I would call it my castle.
Here they had monks and they basically had no clothes and only got one meal a day.
That's no life for me.
After we toured the Abbey it was time to go home.
Honestly we were all ready and exhausted.
I kept falling asleep on the bus but would wake up when I smacked my head on the window or fell out of my seat.
Before I leave the UK I will master the perfect sleep on a coach bus and plane.


I just want to say thanks to everyone who keeps reading my posts and liking my pictures.
I say I miss home and can't wait to come home, and I do!
But this is a once in a lifetime chance that I will never get again.
I am enjoying every second and loving it here.
I have made friends that I will never forget and I'm lucky that a lot of them are coming home with me.
I will try to post more frequently after I get all my essays done.
Which is exactly what I'm avoiding by writing this post.
Priorities!
This weekend is Oxford and the Cotswolds on Saturday.
Then it's HARRY POTTER STUDIOS on Sunday!
I have been waiting my whole life for this experience.
I plan on drinking my weight in Butterbeer and having a wand-off with Taylor.
Prepare for the pictures.
Then next Friday I'm off to Greece!
You can bet that there will be hundreds of pictures a day.
Thanks for reading all!


xoxo
Sam

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Missing Home

Okay, so I said I wouldn't do this but I need to.
I feel like this is the only way I can feel better.
The homesickness has hit me guys.
Hit me hard too.
You want to know what triggered it?
Beautiful weather in London.
How crazy is that?
I should be out enjoying it but I can't because I procrastinated on homework.
Yeah yeah save the lecture.
I had to binge watch Chicago Fire.
I don't regret it.

Seriously though, I am really missing home this weekend.
I just keep thinking that if I was home with this weather about all the things I would be doing.
I would go fishing with my dad.
I would meet my family for lunch at the lake.
I would go visit my Nike fam.
I would sit outside with homemade lemonade, my nook, and the sunshine.
I would go down to the creek with my nieces and play with them.
I would go on a Sonic run with Jess and Caroline blasting our music and acting like the idiots we are.
I would be doing something with someone I love.

I am just really missing home and the things I do when there.
I am craving hearing birds tweeting and Jack barking rather than buses, cars, and sirens.
I know I have no right to complain and trust me I do not in any way regret coming to London.
I never will.
I just needed to share this.
It doesn't help that my flatmates are in Amsterdam this weekend...
That probably isn't helping at all actually.
I'm glad they're having fun though!

I think I need a visit to an animal shelter or farm for a day.
I feel like that is going to be my next Google search.
I just want everyone at home to know that I love and miss them all very much.
I am so thankful for everyone who makes weekly and even daily efforts (Jess) to talk to me and check on me.
You guys are the reason why I know I am so lucky to be here.
It may sound weird, but I am eternally happy that I have people and things that make me so homesick.
I think that says tremendous things about my town and my family.
Now that I got this little homesick session over I'm going to take a deep breath and remember how awesome my life is.
That and the fact that I'm seeing Les Miserables on Broadway this week.
Nobody can be upset about that.
So after you read just take a minute to think about how awesome it is to have a great family and friends around you.
I know I will.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

This Weekend

Hey everyone!

So this weekend I was a busy bee!
I felt like I was on the move every single day.
That's probably because I was.
I'm going to split this by each day so bear with me.

Friday:
Turns out none of my American friends have class on Fridays.
Yipee for us!
This meant that we wanted to get out and explore.
The first place we went was Abbey Road.
If you do not know what this is or the significance of it, well I can't even imagine how that's possible.
It was legendary.
I was literally standing on an enormous piece of British iconic history.
It was amazing.
I have no doubt that in 1969 the Beatles had no clue what they would do with that picture.
Unfortunately Abbey Road is still a working road.
People drive it everyday.
And let me just say they do not like stopping!
People were honking and were really impatient.
I mean I could see where they were coming from because it would be annoying to have to wait for people to take pictures on the crosswalk.
Then again you KNOW the meaning of that place and that people will want the iconic picture.
Drive a different route if it bothers you that much.
I guess that's just my opinion because I am that person who was in awe standing there.

After Abbey Road we went to Covent Gardens.
It's a really cool shopping are and has markets and things like that.
PLUS they have a FIVE GUYS!
That was probably one of my greatest discoveries in London.
We all know how I love my Five Guys.
We were in a ice cream shop that night and the girl behind the counter overheard us talking about it.
She had the nerve to say that she didn't really care for it.
I was ready to fight with that statement.
You can't not like Five Guys.
Especially when you don't have delicious burger joints like it.
After that we were all exhausted and headed home for the night.
Oh, I also found another Nike.
This one is a regular store which means my bank account will hate me soon.

Saturday:
Today we had our trip around London.
It was a very Royal day on our tour.
Our first stop was Westminster Abbey.
Unfortunately you're not allowed to take pictures because it is still a church.
I understood but was a little sad.
I saw the graves of people like Shakespeare, the Unknown Soldier, and so many more.
It was incredibly creepy.
I was walking on dead people the entire time and I am not a fan.
Back home it's disrespectful to walk on someone's grave.
There you would have to fly to avoid it.
The coolest thing about this church is that it is wear the coronations of Kings and Queens take place.
Also, the Royal Wedding!
I was fangirling because I got to walk the exact path Kate did when she got married.
Just call me a princess now!

After the Abbey it was to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard.
This was so cool.
I don't want offend the queen, but her guards look like the guards off of the Wizard of Oz.
Sorry to speak the truth.
I was waiting to hear the chants like in the movie.
Sadly they never came...
It was so crowded for the guard changing and the queen wasn't even home!
There were hundreds of people there to watch.
I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but you can't actually be face to face with the guards.
So in movies how you see them standing perfectly still while people do anything to make them move.
It's not possible.
It's all a lie.
I'm sorry...

After the Palace it was to Tower of London.
Basically this is a huge fortress where a lot of people have died.
It was kind of creepy.
I would definitely not want to be there at night.
I got to see where Anne Boelyn was beheaded so I guess that's a win...
After the tour we had a long walk home.
I was exhausted.
We finished the night by playing cards in our kitchen and just hanging out.
Friends at home I have a couple new card games for our infamous card nights!
I will prevail at these games!

Sunday:
Today was girls day.
My flatmates and I joined up with two other KEI girls and we went to the markets.
In East London there are tons of markets!
We visited 3 huge ones.
Our final destination was Brick Lane which is considered the Little India of London.
There was so much to see.
Food, vintage, and more food.
I have decided that what people here consider vintage is stuff that we would never think of wearing.
Mom should of kept all those old Levi jeans...
I tried some amazing food and enjoyed the great company.
I plan on making this a regular Sunday thing with the hopes that I don't go broke or gain tons of weight from all the delicious food.

This was my weekend in a nutshell.
I saw and did so much that I am still exhausted just thinking about it.
I can't complaint though because that is exactly why I chose London for study abroad.
There is always something to do and you can never say you are bored.
There are a few times when I want to be bored.
I love this city and I love exploring the different parts.

Until next time,
xoxoxo

Monday, February 17, 2014

Sláinte

Wow, I cannot believe the weekend I just had. 
It was absolutely incredible!
Ireland is a beautiful country full of history and culture. 
I fell in love the first day. 
First off, those accents. 
Nothing, I mean nothing beats an Irish accent. 
When they would speak I would just stare. 
Now let's get down to talking about the trip. 

We arrived on Thursday night to our hostel.
Now to the grownups freaking out because I stayed in a hostel, it was okay.
We were in a hostel that was ranked 4.5/5. 
This is basically the best you can get. 
It was super clean and had an amazing staff. 
Plus they served probably the best cheeseburger I have ever had. 
Seriously I'm still thinking about it. 
So we had checked in and then went to bed.

Friday morning was a 3 hour walking tour of London. 
It turns out it rains in Ireland, a lot. 
It was sprinkling when we left the hostel and just got worse. 
It was windy, freezing, and raining. 
You couldn't even use an umbrella because of the rain. 
When we met up with our tour guide she informed us that it was the worst storm they have had in 16 years. 
Brilliant!
3 hours of walking in the worst storm in Dublin. 
COOL!
I'm sad to say because of the weather I really didn't get a lot of pictures from the day.
Honestly I didn't even see it myself because I had my head down to shield it from the rain. 
After we were all thoroughly soaked and freezing we stopped for lunch in a pub called O'Neills. 
This place was incredible. 
It's an old traditional pub and it was beautiful inside, not to mention WARM!
I ordered a traditional Irish stew.
Some of you know I'm not the biggest fan of stew. 
It's just the texture of cooked veggies sicks me out. 
Let me go on record and say this was the best stew I have ever had!
It was incredible. 
The meat was so tender that it just fell off. 
I could probably eat it for the rest of my life and be content. 
Tell me that doesn't look amazing and mouthwatering. 
After lunch we headed to our tour of the Guinness factory. 
This was really cool and our guide's accent was incredible of course. 
We got to see how Guinness is made and learned why it's "black" beer. 
Fun fact: It's not really black, it's red. 
Another fact: I tasted it and hated it. Go figure. 
At the end of the tour our guide taught us some Gaelic, which brings me to the title of this post. 
Sláinte means 'cheers' in Gaelic. It is pronounced slawncha. 
It is also my new favorite word. 
Friends at home be prepared for me to say it ALL the time. 
After the Guinness tour it was off to the hostel to get ready for the pub crawl that night. 

This pub crawl consisted of 5 pubs and there were probably 40 of us.
There was our huge group of American students and then these rando people. 
A huge group of German guys joined us at the first bar. 
They were an interesting bunch to meet. 
I love the pubs over here. 
They all have an awesome atmosphere and live bands. 
The first live band we saw was incredible.
Their name was Mick Heslin and I fell in love.
I'm sure you all saw my pictures of them on Facebook. 
They were also wicked talented. 
The next bar was a place called the Porter House that brews their own beer. 
They had this kind called Fruilini and it's a Strawberry beer.
It was so yummy. 
Then the last bar was actually O'Neills where we had ate lunch. 
The atmosphere was completely different. 
It was packed full and they also had a live band. 
This band was somewhat older and playing more traditional stuff. 
We got to learn an Irish clapping song that we all loved. 
We couldn't actually understand a word being said though. 
Then it was off to bed because we had an early start the next morning. 

Today was the day for the Cliffs of Moher and Galway. 
We were praying for good weather and had been told we should get some. 
When we left the hostel it was raining and gloomy. 
Luckily the Cliffs of Moher are 2 hours outside of Dublin. 
I slept the entire way so it wasn't bad except I'm pretty sure our bus driver loves his break pedal way too much. 
When we arrived it was sunny and gorgeous. 
I was thanking God for such beautiful weather. 
The Cliffs of Moher were breathtaking.
I can't even put in words how perfect it was. 
I could seriously go there everyday and never get sick of it. 
Fun fact: The Cliffs are in Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince.
When Harry and Dumbledore are standing outside the cave where the horcrux is and the water is splashing all around them. 
Just another reason I love them. 
Honestly, I am so thankful that I got to see them and have such beautiful weather to do it in. 
I did so some rule breaking and jump the fence to take a picture with the cliffs. 
I was afraid of falling the entire time. 
You can go to my Facebook album for the blog and see all my pictures. 
After the Cliffs it was another 2 hour drive to Galway. 
Galway is a cultural center and a lot of residents still speak Gaelic. 
I must say I wasn't too impressed with Galway.
We were in the touristy shopping streets and didn't really get to see the actual city. 
I was a little disappointed but I had an amazing pub lunch at a place called The King's Head. 
After we left Galway we came back to Dublin and just explored the night and ended up at pubs listening to music the entire night. 
This is my new favorite thing about going out.
Especially when they play American songs!

Sunday was free time. 
We were done with our tour group and could go on our own. 
I had a traditional Irish breakfast without the baked beans.
I don't get why these people think baked beans are a breakfast food but I can't do it. 
After that we went to find St. Patrick's Cathedral. 
We found it and it was gorgeous!
The park behind it was green and so peaceful.
We tried to catch a stray dog but it ran away from us. 
So I want to introduce you all to my friends over here. 
These are my American friends, excluding Sean(Sleepy Hollow) who is taking the picture. 
From left to right: Me, Deanna(Brooklyn), Erika(Connecticut), Taylor(Kentucky), Natasha(Chicago), and Tori(Long Island). 
Taylor, Natasha, and Tori are my flatmates and the other three live across the hall. 
I am so happy to have these people over here. 
We do pretty much everything together. 
I just wanted you all to see my friends and know who they were since I will be talking about them a lot. 

All in all I had an amazing weekend and can't wait to go back to Ireland. 
It was beautiful and I could definitely live there. 
Plus they have cows!
COWS people!
That right there already pushes them for a win!
I'm so thankful that I got to experience everything on this trip and had an amazing time.
Make sure to check out the Facebook album for my blog to see more pictures. 

Until next time, 
xoxoxo



Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Stonehenge & Bath

As most of you know through Facebook, Sunday I had another adventure.
We went to Stonehenge and Bath and it was absolutely incredible.
We all like to joke that we saw the world's oldest and biggest bathtub, and a bunch of famous rocks.
In reality, I was in awe of the history before me in both places.

We started our day by getting on a coach bus and heading to Bath.
We had to pick up some random study abroad kids along the way that had signed up for the tour.
It was early in the morning and about a 2 hour drive so I put the headphones in.
It was so cool to go from the city, to the suburbs, and then to the countryside.
England is a beautiful country.
I will say though that their fields and countryside have nothing on home.

We finally arrived in Bath and it was like stepping back in time.
The architecture and buildings were absolutely gorgeous.
For those of you who don't know, Bath is home to the Roman baths.
It was the place to vaca to back in Georgian times.
Since it was built for Romans it looks a lot like streets in Italy.
I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it all is.

We started our tour of the Roman baths and honestly it was amazing.
Now the real Roman built baths are about 30 feet under the present one but it was still really awesome to see the baths that have been here for so long.
We were allowed to walk around on our own and see whatever we wanted.
The museum gives you a handheld walkie that gives you stories the entire way through the tour.
I stopped using mine because I was already on information overload.
I got tons of pictures and at the end I even got to drink the healing hot spring water.
It was hot and tasted like blood.
Absolutely disgusting!

After we left the museum we went and found some lunch.
For dessert we went to a place called Ben's Cookies.
Oh. My. Goodness.
This place is amazing.
If you are ever in the UK find one and revel in the magnificence that is this place.
You will thank me.
Then it was onto Stonehenge.
Another fun fact, when I was in Bath I was only 45 minutes away from Wales!
How incredible is that?!
A 3 hour trip and I can be in another country!
It's absolutely amazing!

So we arrived at Stonehenge about 45 minutes later.
I don't want to break the illusion for everyone, but Stonehenge is in the middle of a field.
Like smack dab in the middle.
There are sheep surrounding it.
We thought about stealing a sheep as a souvenir, but we didn't have a seat for it on the coach. (sigh)
You have to take a land train to reach Stonehenge and it only takes about 3 minutes.
When we pulled up I kind of just stood there.
I couldn't believe that I, a small town country girl, was  seeing a wonder of the world.
It's magnificent.
Also, it was much bigger than I expected.
I have no idea why I had this notion in my head that Stonehenge rocks were somewhat smaller.
They're massive!
Unfortunately you can't get really close to the rocks because they have fallen over.
I guess it's nice they care about our safety but I really just wanted to touch one.
Maybe steal a little piece...
I did luck out however.
We all recognize the normal Stonehenge arrangement.
What many don't know is outside of that circle there is a lone boulder.
I'm not sure how it got out of the formation, many say that the formation changes over the years.
I wasn't too upset because this one I could touch, with a little rule breaking.
So everyone will be thrilled to know I took a rock from Stonehenge and did NOT get arrested.
I felt so cool.
I was terrified one of the tourists would rat me out.
They didn't.
It took about 30 minutes to walk the whole thing.
Plus you have to to get the standard selfie pictures with Stonehenge.
I will admit I was super proud of mine.
After we did the walk I was tired and ready to go home.
Luckily I had a Ben's Cookie waiting on the bus for me.
It's the little things in life that make me happy.

On our way home I tried to nap a little.
I just ended up banging my head on the window.
When we finally arrived at home I went to a local pub for dinner.
We were really wanting a Sunday Roast which is a huge thing over here.
No such luck for us.
I ended ordering a burger and it was delicious.
They were a little skimpy with the chips though.
So I now have a place to get a good burger here.

I must say that I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to study abroad.
I am even more thankful for the opportunities I get within it.
The places and things I see are amazing and beautiful.
I am realizing that I will see things that most people will never have the chance to.
It's very humbling and makes me very happy I'm getting those chances.

Stay alert because this month there are some exciting things coming!
Tomorrow I do the London Eye.
It's a huge Ferris Wheel type contraption that gives you a view of London.
I'm very nervous because of my fear of heights.
Then at the end of the month I am off to Germany.
I am visiting Kristin and I am SO EXCITED!
I have really missed her and can't wait to see her in her home.

Here are some pictures from Bath and Stonehenge.





Until next time, 
xoxo

Friday, January 31, 2014

First Week of Classes

I finally have my first week of classes under my belt.
Let me just say this, I appreciate the American education system more than ever.
I'm not sure if it's just this college or the country, but it's kind of madness.

Let's just start with the fact that I didn't know the classes I was in until last Friday and we started on Monday.
All those who know me know I don't do chaos and unorganized.
Just no!
I got all my classes figured out and moved around to where I liked them.
The first two went by great.
Did I mention I have 4 hour long classes?
Disgusting I know.
Then came Wednesday.
I was supposed to have Macroeconomics at 9am.
I went online to check the building because it wasn't listed in my previous schedule.
I was looking and it said it had been moved to Thursday!
So of course I start FREAKING out!
I email the professor and my director trying to find out what's going on.
Turns out they changed the day last minute!
Well the American over here was NOT okay with that.
You can't just change it without notifying people.
Are you starting to see where I turn Team America?

This caused a hiccup in my schedule though because I already had a Thursday class.
So I had to drop macroeconomics (how sad).
I finally got my schedule figured out after constant back and forth emailing with Gemma.

Then came Thursday class time.
My first class was Politics of the US.
Many of you will read that and think I am taking the easy class or cheating.
WRONG!
After getting lost in the massive building where this class takes place I finally get settled in.
There is one other study abroad student from America named Peter.
Of course we bonded over our nationality (typical).
So our teacher is lecturing and telling us about our course.
Then he asks if any of us had been to America.
Stupidly, I raise my hand without thinking.
I did not want to be known as the American kid.
I tried to put it down before the professor saw, but now such luck.
I finally tell the class that I live there and all that jazz.
He then proceeds to tell me that if he gets anything wrong during lectures to correct him.
As if!
He obviously does not know how American children are raised.
Then Peter didn't fess up to being American either!
I am now plotting ways to sell him out.
I am not being mean, I just don't like being alone when the professor looks to me and asks me random questions about America.

We finally get along with the lecture.
I am continuously being asked questions about our politics system and way of life in America.
I must say though, these Brits LOVE America.
They absolutely love it.
Which I guess is good for me.
The saddest part is when the teacher would ask questions these British kids know more about recent politics and people than I do!
Obviously I'm not voluntarily answering a question in this class ever!
There were two kids who I'm pretty sure sit around and read American politics books for fun!
They knew every answer to every question.
This is why I plan on selling Peter out.
His plan is to tell them he's German.
He doesn't speak, look, or sound German.
Foolproof plan!
Finally this class was over!
I had a small break until my next one.

My last class is Literature of the Romantic Period.
I thought this class would be fun and easy because I had something similar in America.
Plus how awesome would it be to go see the legendary places these writers lived and wrote about!
Boy was I wrong!
First, this class is not easy or fun.
Our first "warm-up" exercise was dissecting 5 poems.
I could only do one.
Thank God for William Blake.
Needless to say, if I don't fall asleep each class it will be a miracle.
Thankfully I have Fridays off!

The school system here is just so different from back home.
It's not even that I have 3-4 hour long classes.
This does really suck.
It's just that there isn't a lot of structure in it.
I LIKE STRUCTURE!
I am interested to see how it works out though.
Being a future educator makes me curious to see how other schools work, even at the college level.
So far, not impressed.
Maybe they will surprise me.
The one perk is that I don't have to buy books!
I can but it's only suggested.
So in college terms, I'm not buying books.
So the first week was a little stressful and I'm just ready for it to get better.
I know it will because once I get a routine down I will be able to breathe again.

Until next time,
xoxo

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

My Manifesto

Hey all!
So this is the first week of classes here at LSBU. 
I am actually loving the buildings here! 
They are very modern and all quite close. 
I haven't really had "real" classes yet. 
I will post about those this weekend after I have had them. 

This post is based on my first class that is required for study abroad students. 
It's called London: City of Change. 
Basically I walk a lot and learn about London. 
Coolest. Class. Ever. 
Back to class. 
We had to make a manifesto in class on the first day. 
Our manifesto could be anything we wanted but it had to do with our time here in London. 
I really loved the activity because it made me think about what I want to get out of this program. 
I decided to revise my group manifesto and share it with you all. 
So here we go. 

My Manifesto:

I want to explore the parts that others look over. 
I want to leave here a better and more open-minded person.
I want people to look at me after it's all said and done and be able to see the change in me. 
I want that change to for the better. 
I want to diversify myself and learn and love other cultures. 
I want to also remember where I came from and what it has taught me. 
I want to take what I have learned here and apply it to my life in the future. 
I want to accept and love others no matter their differences.

I don't want to fall under a typical stereotype or put others under one. 
I don't want to forget the friends and connections I made here. 
I don't want to gain nothing from this experience. 
I don't want to lose my sense of wanderlust. 
I don't want to forget my friends back home. 
I don't want to squander my time here. 

So this is my manifesto. 
I am sure by the time I leave here it will change. 
I kind of hope not because these are all very important to me. 
I suggest this to everyone.
It's cool to sit down and think about what you want out of life. 
Some of your answers could surprise you. 

Until next time, 
xoxo

Saturday, January 25, 2014

The Little Things

It feels like a month since I lasted made a post. 
Things are going really great in London.
I can't believe I have almost been here a full week. 
I am still missing home, but I am so thankful to be here. 
I have started to notice the little things that I miss.
They will seem very strange to people back home. 

Besides family and friends which I doubt I will ever stop missing.
I miss the small conveniences we have. 
First off, the prices. 
You would not believe how much it is over here. 
It blows my mind when I think about it. 
Plus there is living on a budget that makes it more terrifying. 
Gotta love being in college.

I also miss WalMart a ridiculous amount. 
They don't have stores like that. 
Since the city is so large and packed they don't have places where you can go get everything you need. 
Instead you walk to 3 or 4 different places to pick up everything. 
It's so weird. 
We have explained WalMart to them and they are baffled by that concept. 
I think I need to have a talk with WalMart execs. 

Then there's all the little weird food things that I miss. 
Wheat Thins. 
JIF peanut butter. 
Chef Boyardee Ravioli. 
PopTarts. 
My favorite cereals. 
Just weird little things, but I am finding different things to replace them temporarily. 

I miss manners. 
This may be the rural Midwest girl in me, but these people do not have our manners. 
They're not necessarily rude, okay some are. 
They just don't have the manners drilled into them like we do.
For instance, when someone sneezes they don't say bless you! 
Like what?
You do not do that back home. 
They also don't say excuse me when they bump into you or need to get past. 
They just barrel into you. 
I can't even count how many times I have been pushed or stepped on. 
I have almost had to bring out, as my flatmates call it "The Southern Girl" a couple times. 
Not my fault my parents taught me how to stand up for myself.
They could use a few lessons.  

Even though I miss all of these things I am still happy I came. 
I have experienced quite a bit in the past week and can't even imagine how I can discover more. 
There has been so much going on. 
I'm actually very ready to start classes and get settled into a routine. 
Next weekend we are going to Stonehenge and Bath and I am SO excited! 
You will all get the update from that wonderful day! 
Love you all! 

Until next time, 
xoxo

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Exploring Solo

Today was our first day without our director!
My flat decided we wanted to check out the free museums in South Kensington. 
Two things about that sentence. 
First, the free museums!
Yeah how incredible is that? 
Almost all museums in London are free. 
This is because Queen Victoria and Prince Albert wanted uneducated people to have access to information that would make them smarter. 
Thank God for dumb Londoners back in the day!
Second, South Kensington.
This place is absolutely gorgeous. 
We compared it to the Upper East Side in New York. 
It is very posh, expensive, and nice. 
Many of the residents and shops are French. 
I don't know why but they love South Kensington. 
This is also where Harrods is!
It's massive. 
I didn't have the chance to visit there today. 

So we all woke up and took the tube to South Kensington. 
We were so proud because we maneuvered the stations all on our own! 
It's only day three!
I felt like a pro and I'm sure the residents hate us. 
Finally we made it to South Kensington. 
We decided that the museum we wanted to see today was the Victoria and Albert. 
These are named after the Queen and Prince. 
This museum is so cool. 
It doesn't have a specific theme and you can see almost anything. 
They have jewels, statues, crowns, paintings, and so much more. 
It was so incredible!
I being the little history nerd that I am was in love. 
This place is so massive though that we didn't even see the all the exhibits. 
We figured we will make our way back sometime in the next 6 months. 

After we left the museum we decided we should probably head home. 
So we started our walk to find the Underground Station. 
We ended up walking past this huge Catholic church and decided to take a look. 
I cannot even describe the beauty of this place. 
It was so ornate and gorgeous, the architecture was incredible. 
There was a sign that said no pictures, but I snuck a few on my iPhone. 
You can check those out on my fb page. 
We left the church and figured it was really time to head home. 
We managed to get to the station while realizing we were there during rush hour! 
It was so packed!
Twice we had to wait for another train because of how many people there were.
Finally we got back to our dorm which is where I am now. 
I am so exhausted from a lack of sleep and walking all day. 
We have all decided that we better be in great shape after this much walking.

I am still missing everyone all the time!
I love you guys and love telling you all about my days!
Just keep in mind that this is barely scratching the surface.
I feel like when I come home I will need weeks just to sit down with everyone. 
I also want to thank Mrs. Zink for giving me great advice before I left. 
You told me to make every day an adventure. 
I have set out to do just that. 
I have made a promise to myself to try something new or discover something new each day that I am here. 
Thank you for that challenge!

Until next time, 
xoxo

Orientation&First Night Out

Hey everyone!
So these past few days have been absolute madness!
I wish everyone could be here with me to see what I see. 
I am missing everyone terribly too. 

Okay so day two was a walking tour with our director. 
It was also an orientation of our neighborhood and things that will come in handy during our time here. 
So we started out taking the bus. 
We reached our first destination and learned how to "top up" or "top off" our oyster cards. 
Yeah I'm kind of becoming accustomed to their slang. 
So then we started our walking tour of London. 
We went EVERYWHERE!
I can't even believe how much I have seen and know that I still haven't been everywhere. 
There is so much happening. 
Basically this walk was just to give us a bearing of places we could go on our own.
We didn't really stop in anywhere.
It was mainly a stop, look, and onto the next thing. 
Some of the cool things I did see:
Tower of London, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe theater, all kinds of beautiful architecture, and so much more. 
We finished the tour at a 3 story tall Starbucks for Orientation talks. 
This was all really fun but the best part came that night. 

It turned out that one of the girls turned 21 yesterday. 
We decided that we had to take her out and celebrate. 
As you all know the drinking age here is 18 so we are all age, even the birthday girl. 
We wanted her to have a good time though. 
Plus there are 20 of us and we are all American so we understood. 
So we started out a pub but they stopped serving food. 
Then we tried the next one down the road and they didn't have the space. 
At this point I was ready to find a Mickey D's and call it good. 
Finally we went to a pub called the Blue-Eyed-Maid. 
If you are ever in London I suggest this pub!
So we got there and they actually accommodated us by moving tables around. 
Finally it was time to order. 
Me and another girl were assigned as designated walkers instead of drivers. 
After we left this place we walked around London aimlessly. 
We decided to start heading back to a local place to see if anything was going on. 
We found a pub called Belushi's and it happened to be karaoke night. 

Now people who know me know I DO not sing in public, but I guess last night was an exception. 
The first guy to go was British and could SING!
We were all cheering for him. 
Then we decided we wanted to get up there and show them how Americans do it. 
So naturally we pick the most typical 90's girl song and choose Wannabe by Spice Girls. 
It was so much fun!
I loved singing with two other girls!
Honestly it took everything in myself not to choose some Johnny Cash and get up there and sing away. Don't worry I didn't. 
It's amazing how much fun you have when you don't know a single person in the crowd!
This went on for the entire night. 
We closed it out with my selection of Don't Stop Believin' because I mean it's Journey and you can't not sing to Journey. 
After this it was time to head home. I think I finally got to bed about 2:30 in the morning. 
The time difference is still kicking my butt! 

All in all it was an amazing day with my group! 
We all get along really well and don't have to worry about cliques even though half of them are from the same school.
Until next time!

xoxo

Sunday, January 19, 2014

First Day

So you should think of this post as a sequel to my last post.
Honestly, I'm just trying to stay up so I can beat off jet lag.

So I arrived and met my group.
Then we took a charter to our dorms.
While we were on the charter we got a mini tour of a few of the boroughs of London.
Let me just say this so everyone understands.
LONDON IS PERFECT!
It is so incredibly beautiful!
I cannot even believe that I am actually here.
It is so different from anything I have ever seen.
Fellow classmates, we thought NYC was big and incredible. It has nothing on London.

We checked into our dorms and got all our stuff in our rooms.
We had about 30 minutes of downtime.
I used this to lay on my bed and change.
It went by extremely quickly.
Then it was off to meet Susannah (my onsite director) in front of the LSBU Student Centre.
We finally get everyone there and equipped with their oyster cards.
These are cards for the tube and buses. We hopped onto the tube and we were off!

The first stop was shopping. Most of us needed bedding or towels.
I needed towels and pillows because I had bought bedding from a girl here last semester.
We went to BHSmith which is like a Macy's.
It was so weird using British pounds to pay for my items.
Another weird yet cool thing is no taxes.
When an item is 25 pounds you pay just that. Makes learning the currency much easier.
After we were all done shopping it was off to the pub for some grub.

I must add that this entire day was chaos. We kept losing people, oyster cards, and having mishaps. I am amazed by Susannah and her ambition to keep going.
At this point we are all feeling the jet lag hit us, but we are starving.
We end up on London Bridge on the way to the pub. This is the view of the Tower bridge and the Thames river from this spot. Isn't it gorgeous?

NOW it was time for some pub grub! 
I was so excited to experience my first pub. 
It was called the George Inn. 
I wish I could have gotten a picture of the place it was amazing.
It was small and quaint and exactly how you would picture a pub in London. 
I ordered a very traditional dish of fish and chips!
It was delicious. 
Of course before digging in I had to be the typical tourist and take a picture. 
After eating we were all exhausted, but my day was not over. 
Since I had bought things from a previous student, she had to give those things to Susannah. 
So myself and another student had to go to Susannah's house to get our items. 
It was important because I needed the bedding I bought for the night. 
The walk to Susannah's was so cool!
We rode the tube (I think I'm already a pro!)
Then walked the rest of the way.
She lives in a house on a street built in 1792! How cool is that?
It was really a pretty and peaceful walk, except my feet hurt and I wanted to curl up and sleep. 
Being the gem that Susannah is she brought us in her house and introduced us to her family. 
Her husband was really kind and she has the cutest 3 year old twin girls. 
When they would speak I would just smile. British accents are cool, but British accents on a 3 year old is so much better. 
Then it was finally time to make it back to the dorm for the night. 
I am so incredibly thankful to finally relax. It has been a long and stressful two days!
Tomorrow is a walking tour of London and I can't wait to tell you guys about it!

Goodbyes and Hellos

The time has finally come. 
I cannot believe that I left for London yesterday! 
I am writing this from my dorm room and I have so much to say, so let's start with the goodbyes. 

The goodbyes were the hardest yet wonderful. 
I am so lucky to have so many great people on my life to support me and encourage me. 
Thank you to anyone who has given me support and well wishes for this trip. It means the world to me. 
Saturday I said goodbye and was finally on my own to make this journey, it was hard but I was so ready to make it. 

Here's the fun part. 
I had the WORST flight ever. 
First off, I had a delayed flight from STL to Chicago because of low visibility due to snow. My flight was delayed almost 3 hours! By this point I was a frustrated and panicking mess. 
Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do well with chaos and delays. 
I seriously thought about giving up and coming home. I'm glad I didn't. 
Let me just tell you about this oh so wonderful flying experience. Here's the condensed version.
1. Flight from STL to Chicago delayed 3 hours.
2. Miss my flight from Chicago to London because of delay. 
3. Almost miss the second flight from Chicago to London because of the first flight being slow and stupid. 
4. Finally get on a plane to London. 
5. Crying baby on this plane, so cliche!
6. Cannot sleep because of terrible seat. 
7. Worst meals EVER. I ordered pasta, not sure what it was they gave me. 
8. Almost missed my meet time with the KEI group because of late London flight. 

Now those are all my complaints of my interesting experience, but it wasn't all bad. I happen to meet some really interesting people on my flights. 
Most of you know that I'm kind of shy in nature and won't talk to strangers. 
But you put 60 people all upset because they're missing their flights and they start to talk. 
The first person I encountered was an elderly gentleman who sat next to me from St. Louis to Chicago. 
He was the sweetest man ever. 
He asked me questions about my destination and told me about the places he has traveled. 
I returned the favor and asked him where he was headed. 
He had a flight the next day to Shanghai!
This was his 29th trip to China since he has retired!
I thought that was incredible!
Plus there were quite a few other people who swapped stories with me and then wished me good luck. 
Most of them helped me make my flights on time by letting me go ahead of them in some sort of line. 
You have to love that American hospitality. 

Then we get to my London flight. 
My seatmate was an elderly woman who did not say a single word to me until we were outside of London and about to land.
When she did she started asking me questions about my trip and telling me about hers.
She and her sister were renting a flat for 10 days to spend time away in London. 
They go for tea and shop the entire time they are here. 
Basically I make friends with elderly people and I cannot wait to get their age. 

Finally I arrive!
At this point I was ready to drop to my knees and kiss the ground. 
Except, there was no time for that! 
I had to book myself to customs and get through the UK border. 
My agent terrified me and made it seem like I wasn't going to get in.
Sir, if you ever read this. . . HOW RUDE!
I did get through and I finally met up with my group. 
It was a big round of hellos and who are yous. 

I just thank God that he got me here safely and soundly!
It was an interesting trip that I will always have to tell about. 
Thanks for reading!
Check out my next post to learn about the rest of my first day in London!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Post Numero Uno

Hi all!
So as most of you know in a week I am embarking on a great journey abroad.
I have been wanting to do this for a very long time and am so happy that I have finally gotten the opportunity.
In the midst of preparing for my trip I have also been thinking of how I am going to stay in contact with everyone I know.
There are so many people and I can't sit down and call everyone every night to give them updates.
Then it hit me!
Why not have a blog that all your friends and fam can access to follow along with your trip?
It's brilliant.
I also cannot take credit because my advisor at WWU suggested it, but that's our little secret.
So this is my first post telling everyone to check my blog.
I am going to try and keep weekly updates about my experiences and life while over the pond.
I hope you stay tuned for what is to come!
I am incredibly excited for this trip and thankful every day to God for giving me the chance to follow my dream.
Until next time,
Sam a.k.a the broad abroad