Two Week Update

As I promised here is an epic update about my time with my Mom and Libby on their vacation to London.

Monday: My mom flew into london early in the morning while I was at my internship. Because I couldn't leave my TFF she had to get herself to the hotel all by herself. In all honesty I was a little nervous that she would get lost or that the airplane would have problems but, to my surprise she made it to the Grover Hotel (near the Paddington Station) in one piece. After my internship I hurried over to meet her in the lobby of the hotel. While she was waiting for me she struck up a friendship with the desk worker. Libby and I referrer to him as her "bff" because she didn't know his real name. Her "bff" let her into the room early and even gave her an upgrade because we were going to be staying so long. He also carried up her bag...up 59 flights of stairs (yes she counted) and while waiting for me she found out some interesting information about his sexual past...all I'm going to say is that it involved an animal....

I met her at the hotel and we proceeded to walk through Hyde Park to my flat and our dinner destination. That night we ate at Da Mario, a little italian restaurant down the street from my flat. The restaurant is know for the excellent bread and they serve a pizza at the weekends which is named after Princess Diana, who used to visit often with her children. My mom is very proud that she took her child where the Princess took her children.

Tuesday: I went to my internship by Libby flew in early and met my mom at the hotel at 9:15ish. After libby took a short nap, they went out to get an oyster card to allow them to travel on the underground. The funny thing about this was when I got back to the hotel she told me proudly that she got a "clam card" all by herself. Thus it turned into a joke for the rest of the trip. They visited around the city and for dinner we went to the Gloucester Arm's pub (also

near my flat) and all had fish and chips and strongbows. After a lovely meal we walked back to the hotel while I was anticipating sharing with them my love of

Big Brother. The t.v. was just starting when I decided that my phone needed to get charged because the battery was getting low. So, I plugged the charger in and we saw a white light and heard a pop...I blew a fuse we had no power for the rest of the night.

Wednesday: I went to my internship in the morning and met the ladies in the afternoon for some shopping and afternoon tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. Getting to tea proved more difficult that it should have been. We got stuck in a lift and libby had to push the emergency button and I had to talk to the underground workers, after 20 minutes we were all thrilled for fresh air (but not the 127+ stairs we had to climb up). That night I also formally introduced them to Big Brother, because the hotel got our power working again...they mocked my addiction.

Thursday: I had to go to class in the morning. For my British Life and Culture Class we had the opportunity to get a guided tour of Parliament. I was very impressed by the whole experience and the building in general. From the outside the building looks extensive and I guess I was a little taken back by how small it was from the inside. I know that we didn't get a tour of the entire building the differences were quite shocking to me. Anyways while I was in class my mom bravely entered the city (all by herself) to get us tickets to a show for the evening. After both of my classes I met the ladies at the V & A and then went to enjoy some cupcakes. We then proceeded to go to dinner at a small Italian place before going to see Oliver. It was an amazing performance and I was quite impressed with the entire performance from the singing, costumes and most of all the sets. It was by far the best choice my mom could have made for a show!

Friday: Started out early with a ride on the London Eye. It was an amazing experience and my mom and I were both amazed at the size of London. The ride gave me an entirely new perspective on the city and its sheer size. It didn't hit me until then how big and impressive it truly is. After our trip on the London Eye, Libby went to a performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theater while my mom and I went to Fuller's Griffin Brewery and got a tour. We went though the brewery and learned the materials they use to make their various beers and the long process that they go through. the best part was at the end we got a tasting of some of their products. After our individual adventures Libby and I ventured out into the city to go on a "Blood and Tears" walk. The walk features Jack the Ripper and other london serial killers, grave-robbers, witches and whatnot. Overall it was really interesting and I learned a lot of random (and creepy) facts.

Saturday: We went to Portabello Road and did some shopping in the morning and then went our separate ways for lunch. Libby went to the park and read some Harry Potter while my mom and I went out to pizza. Overall it was an enjoyable afternoon with great weather, we couldn't have asked for anything more. That night was all about libby and we went to eat at her favorite restaurant (Aladin) at Brick Lane for Indian Food.

Sunday: We were suppose to go on a boat tour of the Tames but we were unable to because of boat technical difficulties. Instead we went and got some of the world's greatest cookies at Ben's Cookies before walking to Harrods. At 3:30 we attended a service at Westminster Abby. My blog previously stated a certain opinion about the church and I can say that after the service it was severely changed. We had another pub dinner sunday evening and of course watched more Big Brother, and at this point they were both addicted.

Monday: I had my internship in the morning while the ladies spent the day shopping. That evening I met Libby at Pizza Express before making our way over to see Phantom of the Opera. The show was a "graduation" present (for libby and a "pre-graduation" present for me) from my mom. Honestly she knew that it was something that I had always wanted to see but would have never spent the money to see it in London. We had quite an experience and it was a fabulous show, with only a few exceptions. While we were at the show my mom had a chat with her "bff" he wanted more info on libby and I and our availability because he was interested in obtaining a green card. Thanks to my mother her "bff" thinks that libby is her step daughter and I am "practically engaged"...for the rest of the trip libby and I then proceeded to seek out possible "green card" candidates.

Tuesday: While I was at my internship my mom and libby went to see the state rooms at Buckingham Palace. Now, my mom is hard to please when it comes to museums and whatnot so I was very surprise to hear how much she enjoyed the tour. I met the ladies for dinner and afterwards we walked through the park and I took them to get gelato at my favorite place. Before returning to our hotel for the night libby and I stopped at "The Swan" to have a drink.

Wednesday: This was the last official vacation day. Instead of going to my internship this morning, opting to go in on thursday instead, we went on our "boat tour" of the Thames. For the most part when you look on the river you see the tour cruises and that what I expected to be going on. WRONG. We were on a 12 person speedboat that went at the highest possible speeds. I doubted libby at first and overall really had a great time for it was a once in a life time experience. We had a quick lunch and then I was off to watch the Queen for class while they went to Tate Modern before meeting up for a steak dinner and a night of Big Brother watching.

Overall I had an amazing time with my ladies. it is safe to say that we all had many first experiences and enjoyed the weather, city, attractions and company of one another. With them safely back in WI (I just called my mom) I now officially have less than two weeks left. Boy does time fly.

GUEST BLOG ENTRY

I once again apologize for the lack of blogging but for the past week my mom and good friend libby have been on a "gay-cation" here with me in London. While I have been staying with them in a hotel, I have not had access to internet and thus could not add any entries. So, as soon as I return to my flat I will have a full update on the last week. Until then enjoy the thoughts of my guest bloger...

LIBBY’S FREAKING AWESOME GUEST BLOG ENTRY

So as an avid reader of this blog, when emily asked me to write a wee update on my visit, I obviouslyyyy said yes. This is my third visit to London, as I was lucky enough to study abroad here during my sophomore and junior years. However, this has been one of my best trips by far. London is an incredible city any time of the year, but during the summer it is truly exceptional. Seeing all the parks and gardens in full bloom is really amazing. Even though I have previously spent quite a bit of time in London I still had several “firsts” on this trip. I saw Phantom of the Opera for the first time (something I have always wanted to do), I got trapped in a lift (elevator) for the first time, saw Romeo and Juliet in the Globe theatre, saw Sweeny Todd’s pie shop and most importantly I finally, FINALLY started to understand the appeal of Big Brother. We have been spending a lot of time walking around the city, shopping, going up stairs, catching up, drinking strongbow and EATING. I have basically dragged emily and mrs. mohr on a tour of libby’s favorite London restaurants.

There has really only been one tiny little glitch, and that is what I affectionately call Snorefest 2009. We were all a bit surprised to realize that mrs. mohr snores like a bulldozer when she is really tired. Luckily Boots (my favorite pharmacy) sells cheap earplugs.

I am sure that em will give a full update of all the trouble we have been causing, pints we have been stealing and men we have become “practically engaged to” but I just wanted to tell everyone what a women of the world emily has turned into. She navigates the tube and the streets of London like a pro. I can’t believe how much she has accomplished and how much she has grown up living here. I am so proud of her for coming here and making her own way. I am also quite glad that she is here in my favorite city in the world so I can come visit and see her lovely face.

cheers!!!

love,

libby

p.s. THIS IS A MESSAGE FOR TUNA WOLB

ERG: T!!! just wanted to write you a little note to tell you that I have begun a little project that I like to call “where in the world is tuna’s jacket.” don’t even worry, it has not only accompanied me to Bloomington, but it also made the trip across the pond. it is really thriving here in London. it went on the London eye, went on a boat tour on the thames, and met several celebrities…

I suppose you can finally have it back once I get home. eventually.

p.p.s. HI SMAITSY! I LOVEEE YOU.

the streets of london

one of the may reasons I have learned to love london is because you can walk down the street and always find something fun or entertaining (or somethings that make you miss home)...

and yes those are ghostbusters....

A week in retrospect

It's been awhile sorry...

This past Sunday my roommate, her boyfriend and I went on a day sightseeing trip to  Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonhenge. We started at the castle and took a tour of the state rooms and the general estate. Unfortunately we went on a Sunday so we weren't allowed inside the church (which I think would have been amazing to see).

Between Windsor Castle and Bath we had a two hour bus ride. I was very fortunate that no one on the bus was sitting next to me so needlessly to say I fell asleep immediately and slept for about an hour. Upon arriving at Bath we took a walking tour of the city with our guide. We walked through the city and saw the house in which Jane Austin grew up and did her writing. We got to walk across the Pulteney Bridge and visited the Royal Crescent and its surrounding gardens. Lastly we visited the Roman Baths. The baths use the natural resource of a hot spring from the waters of the surrounding hills and in its prime it served as a spa attraction for the aristocrats. 

After another bus ride we made our way to Stonhenge. In short Stonehenge speaks for itself. While it was a long day it was truly epic and enjoyable. Overall it was nice to see different places of Europe and I think the best part of my day was just the drive through the country. It was such a nice day (weather wise) to get out of city and see some grassy fields and rolling landscapes. 

This week at my internship I had the opportunity to spend most of it out of the office, which was quite enjoyable. On Tuesday I traveled to the Jewish Cultural Center in Golders Green. In the morning I sat in on two different presentations one on general "street safety" and the other on generational changes.  In the afternoon 3ff hosted two programs one on how to deal with dialogue and the other on Beauty, Modesty and Image. I was lucky enough to be a speaker in the secession, overall it went really well and I learned a lot throughout the entire day. On Wednesday I attended a drama workshop at George Green School in Isle of Dogs. The presenters work for a non-profit organization which used drama, improve and comedy to deal with, talk about and resolve conflict. I was there mostly as a spy for 3ff but overall really enjoyed the day and watching the different interactions between the kids. 

I had class on Thursday and today (Friday) I spent a great deal of my day on busses. The weather for this weekend is just rain but I still wanted to go and explore the city and this was the best way to do it. I really enjoy riding on busses (especially double-decker ones) because it allows you to travel and still gives you the opportunity to people watch. Right now I'm watching Big Brother, I'm a little addicted. 

Since I have arrived in London I have received a shit ton of letters and cards from my father and my grandparents, in all honesty my mailbox is rarely empty (and for this I am so grateful). But today when I went to do my laundry I also picked up my mail and was quite surprised to find a letter from my good friends white and kocher from lu. Literally it made my day because I miss my lu ladies so much and while they have both now graduated (which breaks my heart) I am fully anticipating the visit of kocher (along with my MOM) to LONDON next week. Overall I am adjusting better than suspected and enjoying some alone time this weekend (with out my roommates) and looking forward to the next two weeks here.  

Mid trip-Mid week

Every Wednesday I only have a half a day at my internship, which is great because it gives me the opportunity to explore the city for the other half of the day. After a quick lunch I decided to make my way over to Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery. The National Gallery displays one of the finest and most comprehensive collection of European paintings. Currently at the gallery is a display called Corot to Monet. This display was of mostly oil painting by 19th century men of natural landscapes of various areas throughout Europe and it was by far my favorite part of the gallery. Outside in Traflagar Square a lot of events were going on. Right outside of the gallery was on open area in

 which individuals could draw/write with chalk on the ground. Overa

ll, some of the things created were quite interesting. Many RIP's to MJ, so-in-so loves so-in-so for ever, flags, animals and inspirational quotes my favorite being pictured on this page! 

Additionally for 100 days londoners are having the opportunity to stand on the fourth plinth in the square. Traditionally the fourth plinth on the northwest corner of the square (which was built in 1841) has remained emptied (due to insufficient funds at the time 

it was built) but, now 2,400 people have the opportunity to change this. While I was in the square two people took the plinth both spending their hour quite differently and that's what I like most about this event. It allows all participants to spend their hour however they like. One individual spoke out against smoking, a stay-at-home mother spoke out, the director of the National gallery sketched london from the plinth and some are up their just to perform.

After a rainy bus ride back to my flat some of my roommates decided to go out shopping for a birthday outfit (we were going to celebrate a 21st birthday that night and of course they both wanted new outfits). So we ended up shopping for an hour and a half and i ended up getting nothing but a swollen knee. Being the clumsy that I am I ended up hitting a bench/end table 

and it absolutely killed my knee (and still had to walk home and hobble up a million flights of stairs...) and unfortunately did not even get to go out and celebrate.

Today (thursday) started out bright and early with another class field trip to Westminster Abbey. While I was extremely impressed by the church in its entirety, I guess I was a little disappointed overall. The Abbey is a working church with a daily

 cycle of prayer and worship but in my opinion the tombs and monuments made the building seem more like a museum than a holy place of worship. 

Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed learning about the history of London (through the changes in religion and rulers) I had different expectations for our visit than what actually occurred and hope that will the time I still have left here I can attend one of their services (and hopefully find a more religious feeling). One of the most impressive things about the building is its sheer size and its architectural design and with each new century something "new" is added to the building. In general, I had an amazing time at the Abbey and am so grateful to have gotten a private guided tour. The rest of the day did not live up to the morning with another FIE class to go to (it is truly the bane on my existence). Today for the first time did I step far out of my comfort zone and attended a book signing and Q&A hosted by the World Congress of Faiths. While I was the youngest person in the crowd, I really enjoyed what the authors had to say about their books and the inspirations behind them. The rest of the night was spent in the company of my roommates and some badly inspired british tv (which I hate to say it but I actually enjoy).

Day....

I have recently be informed that I have not been blogging enough. sorry. I would like to say that it because of some epic reason but that would just be a lie (and right now I don't think I could fabricate one).

Anyways these past few days have been filled with watching Wimbledon finals (men's and women's (singles and doubles)) and am very proud to be an American after watching the greats play their best. While we all knew that the W-sisters would go all the way...I can only say that the best play I saw on the court did not win (yes its Andy Roddick). In my opinion, he played with all of his heart and got robbed at the end but more important than his playing was his post playing speech. He was gracious and humble, which is so refreshing to see on T.V. I truly hope that one day he will join the greats and win Wimbledon (or any other grand slam).

My days here have been filled with rain, walking, walking in the rain (sorry no singing to report), my internship, Big Brother (the version here sucks compared to the American one(but it is hilarious)), gelato, reading and bus rides.

My internship yesterday was uneventful but today it went by very quickly. I've been working on researching Muslim girls Schools in and around London, so that the leader of the project can contact them to pitch the Faith and fashion project to them. Thus far she has been unsuccessful because many of the schools are out and aren't planing events for next year yet...not my problem. Then six of us (three interns and three 3ff staff members) went out to eat to celebrate one of the interns birthday. This may have been the best part of my time here. While it was nice to relax and just chill out, I continue to find that when people who are all invested in one subject come together, they can't stop talking about that subject. Over pizza I talked with the program director and the birthday boy about religious differences and what is happening to change them, cultural differences that we have/are facing (due to the fact that none of us are British) and the difference between the areas we have lived in and the education and religious backgrounds we have had. I honestly had a blast. After getting back to the office I was asked to call individuals working on a Muslim/Jewish group to find a meeting time to set up a "working group" while I have NO clue what that is, calling individuals was quite a task that I was unprepared for (but still managed to pull off). At the end of the day I was given an interesting task to work on. I was asked to go through the May 1st 2008 House of Lords Debate (on interfaith dialogue) and while I didn't get very far into it, it seems pretty interesting thus far. 

Made more brownies, making it a great end to the tonight.

Day Fifteen -Brownies

After a sluggish start to the morning, I decided to go and explore a new area of the city St. John's Wood. For the most part I had hoped to visit some religious sites and talk to various people to loved or worshiped there. I first went to the Christian church in the town which was named after the saint and got to have a peak inside the building but, was unable to find anyone to chat with. The church was decorated meekly compared to some of the other churches I have visited here but the gardens (and cemetery) were truly amazing. Moving on I walked towards the London Central Mosque but it was quite obvious before I even got there that I was going to be unable to go in at that time. The number of Muslims on the street had increased numerously coming to the mosque on foot, from taxis and the bus because it was the day of gathering (a Friday) when Muslims of the mosque come together to pray and hear a sermon. Due to my terrible timing, and security was being very particular to who was even on that block, their was no way that I could get anywhere close to the building (sad day). I next moved on to find the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, which is suppose to be a short walk away. To my surprise it was quite a hard building to find for,  it blended into the residential and business area that surrounded it. These religious building were all in a relatively close area (it was only a 10 min walk from the furthest buildings) also, when i was their it was unlike other areas that I went to as their seemed to be no religious affiliation of the particular town (for example, on tuesday when I went to the Catholic School it was quite evident that it didn't belong in the highly Jewish community) which was quite interesting. Also in the area were many restaurants, hotels and the Lord's Cricket Ground which was another interesting place to visit. 

I spent a good part of the afternoon watching Wimbledon mens single tennis (with an epic win by Andy Roddick) and I made some brownies. The brownie making was inspired by the picture here on my page (taken from my sophomore year when my girls lived in soundboard house (one night we decided to cook for dinner and had brownies for dessert and while some chocolate ended on my face the bekster decided it was a good idea to lick it off...)). Prior to leaving the states I went to walgreens and printed off various pictures of my friends and I and each day I change pictures and this was the one to come up today (thus why I made brownies). While as many of you know chocolate isn't one of my favorite things to eat, this small pan of warm delicious brownies just made my day!

Later that night some of us from the FIE program went to see Avenue Q (and coincidentally sat in row Q). This was my first time seeing the theater production and to be frank, I had an amazing time. The music was great and some of the scenes were just hilarious and it was the perfect end to the night.

Day Thirteen

Things I am learning to love while in London...

-Cooking

This is the first time that I have really had to fend for myself when it comes to making food. While downer never had the best meals available (and always had cold bread) they were always prepared for you. In the past during summers I either had the opportunity to eat at work, go out with the family or have food cooked by my parents. As most of you know I have never been a culinary chief (and will never claim to be) but during my time here I am certainly learning and trying new things.

-Stairs

I have no choice, I have to walk up six flights anyways so I may as well learn to love them.

-Gelato

While back at home I am very partial to raspberry shakes or strawberry sundaes I have found that the best alternative to them is going out for gelato. There is a cute little shop that sells a variety of flavors (which changes all the time) that is across the park from us. One of my roommates and I went on a stroll to get some...today I chose strawberry and vanilla (in a dish) so I could get both flavors in each scoop!

-Flats

I have an obsession with my Birkenstocks. But, it seems like that it isn't the appropriate footwear for skirts or dresses so I have begun to wear flats. While they do not give me the support that I usually enjoy, they are quite cute and did not take much room up in my suitcase. 

-Phone calls

Talking on the phone has never been one of my favorite forms of communications it is the only thing that is keeping me close to my friends and family. While I love getting to work and having a full email box, what I have begun to enjoy more is the fact that I get to come home after "work" and talk to my mom or my toppers lover or my palindrome (happy 21st to hannah). 

-Blogging

Imagine that.

Day Eleven and Twelve -First Days

I promise that I will not normally wait two or three days to blog but these past two have just flown by and I just now have had a minute to sit down. On monday (day eleven) I started my internship at Three Faiths Forum (http://www.threefaithsforum.org.uk/index.html) which is in Kentish Town here is London. All day Monday and Tuesday with a half a day on Wednesday I spend in their office and out in the city, either working on paperwork and research or attending and observing education programs for first and secondary schools. 

Most of my day Monday morning was spent reading over handbooks, educational material, newsletters and whatnot (honestly it was pretty boring). Later in the day after a chat with my supervisor I began to work on one of their projects called Faith and Fashion. Here is the main objection of this project.

"This project is a powerful stepping-stone in enabling young Muslim women to demonstrate their understanding of and commitment to Islam, which they will pass on to future generations – through their own families, community leadership and engagement with wider society. It will help them shape how future generations understand British Muslim identities, helping others to make informed choices about their appearance. The publicity for this project will help shift the public discourse on Islamic women’s clothing to one of Muslim women’s leadership within the community. "

I am currently adding on to the work that one of their past interns had started by looking into Muslim fashion that have walked the run way and the clothing history that Muslim women have worn. My main assignment for day two had been to research fashion and clothing from the Abbasid period. I examined particular aspects of clothing from fabrics, dyes and cuts used in particular garments and from certain types of individuals. For example I found out that it was typical of dancers to wear garments made out of materials of silk or cotton in shades of green, red or pink.

On Tuesday I also had the opportunity to visit Our Lady's Convent High School for an educational secession. The topic for today was Image, Modesty and Clothing. The students break into three groups and read Jewish, Christian and Muslim texts on the topic and then have a short discussion with a speaker from each of the religions. This being a christian/catholic school (and their last day) it was quite surprising to me how open all of the girls were to ask questions. For many of them it was based off of the words they were given. In one group we were examining a Jewish text from proverbs and it said "Fear in the Lord" in conjunction with how a woman should live their life. Many students questioned this. It seemed like a few of the students were ignorant to the fact that many of the holy texts have been translated quite a few times before they could read it in English and thus certain passages and words have a different meanings and connotations. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and one of the students said that she liked my accent :) which almost made my day.

What make my day was that I got to ride in a CAR. For the past two weeks now I have really been missing cars and knowing the fact that i cannot drive for a while. But prior to leaving the school the Jewish speaker Hazel asked if anyone needed a life and Claire (the TFF leader) and I said that we would love one to the nearest underground. While the drive was only 10 minutes it may have been the best 10 minutes that I have had here thus far. Oh and the other thing is that I found out that the next Harry Potter film will come out in a little over two weeks...eek!

Day Eight to Ten

Day eight started early in the morning, with our first class session. The unique thing about today was that we got to go "field trip" to Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Three FIE groups got to go one a tour of the theater with one of their actors. Overall the tour was very informative and fun by leaning information about the origin of the theaters in London to the plays that were performed during Shakespeare's time to what is happening this summer. After a quick lunch at pizza express (across the street) the ladies and I walked our way around the city looking in local shops and bookstores. 

The warmest day so far was day nine, saturday, and 10 students from our group decided to check out Portobello road. While it took forever to get us out the door (2.5 hours) we took a nice walk through the park to the world's largest antique marketplace. Never in my life have I experienced anything quite like this. Now I'm used to the outdoor markets in Appleton and Sheboygan but they can compare in no way to this one. I'm pretty sure that an individual could find anything they were looking for. Some stalls had clothing (for men women and children), some sold fur coats, some sold antique footballs and telescopes and cameras to silverware to contemporary and antique jewelery (basically whatever you want you could find (even brownies and ice cream)). I personally didn't stay that long because I was sweating balls, I can't wait to go back and buy some items before I leave. 

Due to the heat and humidity, my flatmates and I spent most of the rest of the day inside watching Wimbledon. Due to the success that Andy Murray had been having on the courts, the main "show" that we have been getting on our limited amount of cable are the matches. We watched both Andy Roddick and Murray winning matches back to back. Its very interesting to me to see what kind of coverage sports players get over here. Every newspaper, magazine and tv news report has a story about him. From his past and future matches to what his mom thinks while she watches him, to his girlfriends pin collection, Londoners can't get enough of this man and hope that they will bring the country success. It then makes me think of my own allegiances. Should I have any? If I do is it for my native land or is it for the man of the current country I'm in. Do I really care? This I know is yes, but why? Do I wish I could go (yes) but would I go without my brother (no). Overall it was a great activity to lose myself in on this hot and sunny day. 

Day ten and we again have nothing on our FIE schedule. My flat mates and I decide to go over to Kensington Palace (which is literally across the street from our building). Inside we walked through two of their major exhibits going on right now, the state rooms  (this being the furniture of the bedroom of 18 year old Victoria before she became queen) and a memorial to Princess Diana through the clothing that she wore through her regal time. Overall, the building was just amazing from the artwork to the sculptures, clothing, wallpaper and furniture I was truly amazed. The history of the building seemed more alive then it ever has before. 

While my flat mates when to the supermarket I went back to the flat to skype my parents and more importantly say happy birthday to my father :) It was a great conversation but even better that I got to see their smiling faces, which I really have been missing. The day has been much cooler and am getting excited about starting my internship tomorrow!

Day Six and Seven

The start of day six began with my "interview" at Three Faiths Forum. It was more like a relaxed conversation than an interview which was great for me. I got the internship, met some of the people who work there and will get more information when I go in on Monday, and I start the same time as another intern (which is pretty sweet). 

After a short trip to the grocery store the ladies and I went to Platform 9 3/4 (which hopefully won't be the  highlight of my Harry Potter time while here (we think the movie comes out mid July)). We then made our way to The British Museum, while we didn't stay as long as I wanted but, I was very interested in the Egypt exhibitations. I hope that I can go back later and see other parts of the Museum. 

We had no commitments on Thursday (day

 seven) so set out to see The Temple, The Royal Courts of Justice and Covent Gardens. While I was quite interested in the shops and market stalls the most entertaining part of our time there was the magicians, ballown eater and this guy who could hold a bike on his head.  Also, as shown in the picture I could hold and balance himself on a box with one are and 

he also jumped through another man's arms.

We also visited Saint Paul's (the actors church) in Covent Gardens. Overall, the Church was very interesting as it payed tribute to the famous actors and actresses who attended the church in the past including Charlie Chatmin. In the church was also a book signed and covered by a glass container from when the queen who to a service on Feb. 10th 1988. 

Day Six -The Lawrence Bubble

Upon exiting the Lawrence University campus I had high hopes that I would leave the so called "bubble" behind. WRONG. During my time here in London I think that I have begun to realize this so called bubble that we like to put ourselves in, can be adapted to almost whatever situation or city an individual might find themselves in.

Public Transportation: In appleton the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city besides the free (walking and biking riding) is the bus. From campus the nearest bus stop is a short walk away and can cost anywhere from a $1.80 to $5. Most students do not consider this too unreasonable for a trip ti buy "real food" or to go out into civilization. Trips are relatively short and while as long as you won't ride during "rush hour" an individual would have a comfortable ride. Here in London public transportation is one thing you cannot avoid. From the buses to the Underground many Londoners make the "great commute" to and from work every day. While for me it doesn't cost a thing (because it is included in my overall program fee) riding the underground (depending upon where you are going) can become very expensive. The other thing that I have noticed is that the worst place to be during "rush hour" is not driving in you car down a street but, riding on one of the trains.

The Rope Children: Besides seeing Professor Goldgar appear outside of Main Hall, the Rope Children of Appleton has become an obsession of LU students. For those of you who are unaware of who the rope children are they are an assortment of YMCA children who for exercise walk around the town holding unto a rope (pretty self explanatory). These past few days in London I have begun to notice a similar trend. While here children do not hold a rope, for exercise they walk around holding another students hand all lined up in a row. I think that I have am coming to accept the fact that somethings in life never change.

Drunk People: Need I say more....well actually yes. While both in appleton and here in London drunk people are ever present I have also noticed too that many of them like to piss in the public. Unlike the LU campus where students feel that it is their privilege to pee on the seals in front of Main Hall, on a frat house or the now popular from the Hurvis crossing's bridge. From telephone booths to walls, fences and much more drunk Londoners also feel the need to "mark" their territory.

Pianos: In all "non-academic" building on the campus an individual is certain to run into a piano and not far away is a connie itching to play. Currently in London is an "attraction" called "Play Me, I'm Yours: London 2009" where 30 street pianos have been installed on streets, in public squares and parks, train stations and markets. The pianos are there for any member of the public to play and engage with, in other words don't bring the connies because we will lose them in the city.

Day Five -Comedy Show

So I finally have an INTERNET connection. I didn’t realize how dependent (these past few years) I have been on my email account and facebook, and it may also be because I am so far away from friends and family. After figuring out what was wrong with my computer we had our finial orientation from FIE, this one being on our internships. While I am not officially confirmed to internship at this place, I have been placed at a non-profit (religious) organization. My interview is on Wed (so wish me luck) and if I get it (there is no “official” guarantee) I will be “working” for them for 17days. I will be sure to share more information, when I actually start doing stuff for/with them.

 

The only other notable thing for the day is that the FIE students (including myself) had the opportunity to see John Buchan’s “The 39 Steps” which I found truly hilarious. The cast totaled four individuals (with two major characters while the other two individuals changed characters to fit the particular scene). I truly enjoyed the evening (probably because I find British humor at least a little funny while many of my classmates (especially the floor boys who came drunk) fell asleep and found it boring (sucks to be them). During these past days I have gotten to meet a lot more of the students studying with me and learn much more about the city and the surrounding area while making plans for the rest of my stay. 

Day Three and Four -The City

So day three started out early with a bus tour of the inner city of London. On the tour we drove past many of the attractions that we had visited the day before but we also saw a few more. The really great thing about going on the bus tour is that we a guide telling us all about the historical facts behind the buildings/areas of the city and also what is happening in various places in the upcoming days/weeks.

We rode past sights including The Tower of London, rode over the London Bridge, saw 007's (British Intelligents) building, and took a short stop at St. Paul's Cathedral. While I didn't get the opportunity to go inside (because we only stopped for 10 minutes) I know that it is a place I will visit later on!

Later in the day we then had a "walking" tour with the same guide as before of the area surrounding our flat. We walked through Hyde Park which is right across the street from us and saw Kensington Palace (and it's gardens). The Palace is best known today as the residence of the late Princess Diana, where she called home up until her death. Later on in the tour we walked past the pizza place where she used to take her boys. We also saw the Royal Albert Hall which is dedicated to Queen Victoria's husband and a statue dedicated to him for putting together the world first all inclusive market hosting countries from Africa, Japan and of course the USA.

After a short nap we and my flat mate and I went to Piccadilly Circus and meet up with some of the other students from their school.



Day four started much later than the other days since my arrival because I got to sleep in :). After a good nights sleep I decided to spend the morning in the Park. For the most part I spent my time walking around seeing where things were and not following any "paths" this way I never got "lost". I ended up for a half an hour sitting across from the fountains, pretending to read my book (but in all actuality I mostly people and dog watched). I general the park surprised me. There are vast amounts of green spaces where people sat and ate lunch with their families, let their dogs run free or played a variety of sports.

Once my flat mates woke up they came and found me in the park and we went out to shop/eat.
It's kinnda been a laid back day but it certainly has been great!

Day Two - Being a Tourist

Today started at 3:24am when I woke up…jet lag…damn.

I guess you could say that the real day started with a brief orientation from our FIE staff members. At orientation we each received our oyster (unde

rground) pass a general map of the city and tons of other information on cheap places to eat/visit. Once orientation was done it safe to say that we all were excited to move around the city and see some sights. After a short stop back to our flat the ladies and I decided to make our way to Westminster. Before coming tourists for the day we found a little hole in the wall to eat at. The food was fairly cheap (but still good) and we all shared a banana split (which our crazy waitress brought out for us first). After our stomachs were full we proceeded to tour the area seeing the House of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey.

We then walked over to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms Museum and while the ladies went inside I opted no to and instead sat in what little sunshine would peak through the clouds. At the beginning of the day the weather was amazing (it was warm enoug

h to wear shorts) but sitting outside I was then glad that I had changed into pants because it had gotten quite chilly and the clouds were starting to move in. All the other kids from the program I’m in are from the California area are quite surprised by my various clothing options. While I was in shorts they were in pants and jackets. I talked about how in WI one of my favorite things is the ever changing weather and the seasons. They’ve told me that they aren’t use to weather under 85 and that instead of a fall se

ason, one day the leaves are green and the next day they are off the trees. While it seems that we have a lot of differences in how/where we grew up to our college educations, I think it can be safe to say that I am already beginning to form a great friendship and am glad that I have gotten to know more about them and where they have come from.

Anyways after a long walk through James’s Park, w

here I was just fascinated with all of the ducks we headed up to Horse Guards and the Old Admiralty and then over to Buckingham Palace. As many of you are aware, the buildings are truly grand and breathtaking but it doesn’t fully hit you until you see them for yourself in person or till you run your hand along the cool marble. We decided to take a long walk home and enjoy the streets of London. For the rest of the night we have decided to have a low key evening because tomorrow is going to be packed with more tourist events planned by FIE.

Day One

So I caved and have decided to keep a blog about my summer experience in London.

 

I started out my travels very early in the morning by flying out of the Midwest to New York. During my time not only did I phone home and to my LND expert but I also caught up on some much-needed people watching skills. It seems to me that once you leave the Lawrence Bubble it’s like seeing real people for the first time. The New York airport was full of a variety of people. I sat next to a family of four until they w

ent to Amsterdam and ate lunch with a golfer that was headed to Minneapolis. After a long 4.5 hours in the airport I finally boarded the plane but we ended up staying taxied for an hour before taking flight. As the LND expert told me the flight was easy and painless and I arrived at Heathrow before I knew it. The plane proceeded to exit and go through the passport line which only took another 1.5 hours because only 5 tellers were working (lets just say that the lines at Disney World were shorter and a whole hell of a lot more enjoyable).

 

After finding my bags I proceeded to attempt my first trip on the Underground. After talking with a very cute old couple form the area I spent my first pounds and got on. For the most part the ride was smooth and didn’t take as long as I had expected it to, which was a great relief at this point. I hoped off the station and went to check myself into the program. It was here that I received my room assignment Flat 6B (hence the name of the blog).

The building that I am staying in is right across the street from Hyde Park and I am already looking forward to exploring it in the next few days but today my main task was to get my luggage (which was very heavy mind you) up to my flat. Some of you may know that recently I had been complaining because my hall director wanted to put me on the fourth floor of my building next year (because I said it was too many stairs to climb). Lets just say karma is kicking my ass from the amount of stairs that I figure I will be climbing this summer. I was the first person to arrive to the Flat and easily found my room. I have a single and the other three ladies (from Santa Clara) are sharing a room. Unlike the rest of the people in our group we also have a personal sitting area, kitchen and two bathrooms (so I guess I should stop complaining about the steps). After a short introduction and tour of the surrounding area we ladies went go and get some food/supplies for the store and proceeded to eat dinner.

 

Sorry that today’s entry is long (and kindda boring) but I promise that in the future I will be having much greater adventures to tell you about.

 

Until then…cheers