Remember that little thing called homework that I've haven't mentioned much this term? Yep, it has finally caught up with me and is making the most of it's time in charge of my life. As a result, I've been an abysmal blogger and for that I apologize. Just to get you interested, here are a few of the things I've done since Nov 17 that I will blog about in the future:
1. My visit to Prague with Elissa and co. It was such a beautiful city, I loved it despite the brevity of our visit.
2. I saw the newest Harry Potter movie installment in London. LONDON! I was very pleased.
3. I attended the Freshers' Orientation Night for water polo, a fun filled evening that I will definitely remember.
4. I visited Celina in Copenhagen (with Elissa in tow, of course), and we had a wonderful time. Who wouldn't want to visit Hamlet's castle, bake Christmas cookies, or visit the "theme park" that inspired Walt Disney? Again, Copenhagen was a beautiful city and I wish I could have explored/visited with Celina for longer.
Alas, life goes on. Tonight alone I have 2 chapters for economics to read, must research for 2 English essays, and have an hour of water polo practice. Crunch time, indeed.
More fun things to come include: water polo Christmas dinner on Wednesday night, Stratford-upon-Avon over the weekend, and a visit from my Mom on the 15th!!
Cheers
Yep, I'm back in dreary, chilly London and have been since Saturday. Of course, in the week I was gone, London decided "yep, let's get this winter season into full swing! No more of this silly autumn stuff. That's for sissies." When I got back from Rome, I hit the ground running with my homework and water polo and didn't have time to update on my final days in Rome.
Last Thursday morning I woke up and, you guessed it, it was raining again. Seriously. Thankfully, I was strategically taking a guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel that kept me inside until noon. By then, the rain had stopped and the afternoon turned into a beautiful one. I went to see St. Peter's Basilica after the Vatican, but the line was too long for me to get into the church. I just toured the piazza and then met up with my friend Ethan. I met him through my London room mate, and he was staying in my hotel room for two nights. We dropped his stuff off and explored northern Rome a bit till we ended up at the Spanish Steps. There, a vendor tried to sell me some roses, but I refused. When he said it was a gift, I took one and Ethan and I meandered off. The vendor followed us, though, and demanded payment! Well, I wasn't going to do that, so I simply gave the rose back. I don't think the guy was too pleased, but that was his problem, lol. For dinner, Ethan and I met up with some of his Kenyon friends studying in Rome at a pizza restaurant. We decided to go out that evening, and the Kenyon people took us to a street of clubs right next to the Colosseum...it was incredible! The Colosseum is beautiful in the evening, lit up and all, and I kept looking at it and getting a goofy little smile on my face.
Friday I slept in and meandered down to the Colosseum area to see it in the daylight. Many of the major Roman ruins are in that one area, which makes seeing it all easy. I saw the inside of the Colosseum and wasn't disappointed. it gave me chills to think that people actually sat there once, and that gladiators fought there...so much fun to see it all. Walking back to my hotel, I meandered my way through Rome and did some souvenir shopping along the way. For dinner I met up with the Kenyon Co. again before heading back to my hotel for an earlier night.
When I woke up on Saturday, I didn't have much time before I had to catch my flight. I took a short walk to the Piazza Del Popolo for a little bit of sight seeing and then was off to the airport. It was so nice to be back in London, knowing my way around and understanding the language and all. I've really come to consider London home after two months here, and it was comforting to come back.
Since then, I've finished my Moderns essay and competed in my first water polo match! The game was on Monday and went well from my point of view. Though we lost, I had lots of fun. I've learned that my swimming background/my ability to still swim (to a degree) gives me a major advantage over other players. I was able to get clear of the girl guarding me a number of times, and was passed the ball as a result. The sad thing there, though, is that I'm not good at shooting on the goal, and the goalie caught the two or three shots I took. I clearly have room to improve, and since I've only been playing for about a month I'm not worried. I had so much fun I'm even thinking about joining the water polo club team back at Vanderbilt for something new to do.
At the moment, I'm just ordering my life a bit so that I can get everything done before the end of term. I feel like I still have so much I want to see and do, but time if flying by! Next weekend, for example, I am going to Prague for two days and will see Harry Potter when I get back. Then I have a weekend in London, and the following I'm going to visit Celina, a friend of mine from high school/Vanderbilt in Copenhagen. I'm going to have a whirl-wind end to a crazy European adventure.
Rain has been the common theme of the last few days. Both Tuesday and Wednesday morning in Florence started incredibly rainy, but (thankfully) ended with a bit of sun.
On Tuesday, I took advantage of the rain to get into the Academy Gallery where Michelangelo's David is on display. I got there about an hour after opening and expected a line, but I waltzed right in. It was a great way to get out of the rain for an hour and see some magnificent art; by the time I left, it was barely drizzling and the line was around the block. From there, I meandered around to a number of different sites. I saw Dante's home and the church in which he (reportedly) saw Beatrice. Since I'd been mostly in the western part of the city on Tuesday, I went into the eastern half and explored some more piazzas and all the high fashion shopping streets. I also did a good amount of shopping in some more inexpensive stores trying to find a leather jacket for myself. Leather is a big thing in Florence, and there are leather shops and street vendors everywhere. Sadly, no luck on that front (though I've got my fingers crossed for Rome). In the afternoon I went to the Uffizi Gallery with a guided tour. The Birth of Venus, Raphael, Michelangelo, Davinci; I saw all the big pieces and they were all fabulous. There was even a special exhibit on Caravaggio that we saw, with his Medusa shield and a few pieces by Artemisa Gentileschi (one of my favorite painters).
This morning, I got up with only a few hours in Florence. I finished up my shopping in the San Lorenzo market and meandered through the city for the last time. I was so sad to leave, but Rome was calling! I got into Rome around 1:30 and finally got to my hotel around 2:30. Of course, it had started to rain again while looking for the hotel on the Via Tacito, so there was a great deal of relief when I finally found it. After getting a map, I set off on foot to hit a few of the major sites. I found the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, a delicious pizza place (I have a new faith in olives), a few churches that had their doors open and the Piazza Del Republica. I also thought I might check out the opera tonight, since it's next to the Piazza d. Rep, but no luck. Either I was way too early when I got there at 6, or there's nothing going on tonight. As I was all the way on the other side of town, I took the metro back to my hotel and have been doing some internet stuff every since. My stomach is rumbling though, and I think I'm going to get a pizza and bring it back to my room.
On the plus side, tomorrow and Friday should be sunny and warm...keep your fingers crossed anyways! I'm taking a guided tour of the Vatican tomorrow morning including the museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. I'm not sure what I'll do in the afternoon, but some of my friends from UCL ill be in town and hopefully I can hook up with them for dinner or something.
Ciao!
I had a much better second day in Genoa, starting off with a delicious croissant filled with Nutella. It was a day filled with narrow alleyways and hidden gems. One of these was a two story tall fountain hidden within the entrance way of a museum. I went into another church, but I was wearing a skirt that showed my knees and this nun in the entryway glared at me in a very severe tone of voice. I decided it wasn't worth it to cause an uproar for a few photos and left quickly. I found a restaurant for dinner at 5:45, but since they didn't open until 7 I was forced to occupy myself with some gelato. I know, dessert before dinner and all...but it was delicious! Anyways, for dinner I had a linguine-esque pasta in pesto sauce and it was incredible; simply divine. Afterwards, I meandered back to my hotel and watched a movie on my iTunes before bed.
Up at 7, I caught a 9:00 train from Genoa to Florence. I arrived around 12:30 and found my hotel shortly thereafter. To my great delight, my room is on the fifth floor of my hotel and has a view of the Duomo. The DUOMO! Imagine my delight, I was so excited that I couldn't stay in my room long. I (basically) ran out to the street and, all of a sudden, found myself in front of the Duomo. I seriously couldn't believe it. The church is beautiful, in a mix of blackish-green, pale red, and white stone; the detail is exquisite. I walked around and then inside for a bit before heading to the south of town. I got a pizza and ate it in a plaza surrounded by statues (I still can't believe I'm actually in Florence). The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur of hill top views from Piazzale Michelangelo, gelato (I can't get enough of this stuff!), and a million and a half leather vendors. I bought myself a purse, but the perfect leather jacket proved elusive. Dinner was a fun affair as well, with ravioli, a traditional T-bone steak second course, and some local dessert recommended by my waiter.
Now I'm off to bed. I plan on getting in line for the Accademia tomorrow morning to see David. I'm also going to the Uffizi hotel in the afternoon on a guided tour and plan on doing some more shopping in between : ) I'll update later.
The enormity of traveling through a foreign country on my own didnà t hit me until I touched down in Genoa earlier today.
Italy is an incredibly challenging experience when one doesn't know the language (or what the keys mean on an international keyboard!). I went to Mexico once, but that doesn't really count as a foreign language experience. So much of Genoa looks like what I've seen in the US or UK...some of the architecture is different, and the cars all look kind of funny, but it's got the same basic set-up.
It's the language that gets me. I'm completely surrounded by people yet utterly alone. I've got a few phrases in my guide books and that I printed from the internet, but I'm definitley not as prepared as I would like to be. For example, I realized that I don't know how to say "and." This makes ordering a piece of pizza AND a bottle of water rather difficult (in fact I bought my water at another store because I wasn't on the ball enough when this developed). The language barrier isn't a negative situation or one that detracts from my visit; it simply makes for a more memorable experience. I've realized that if I'm too timid, I could end up eating pizza and gelato the entire time I'm in Italy because those are very easy to point to (lol)! I reslove, therefore, to go to a real restaurant tomorrow and have something delicious.
Flying into Genoa was uneventful, though I got an amazing view of the city as we flew into the airport. From there, I took a shuttle bus to the city center train station. There it took me (quite) a few minutes to get my bearings, but once I did it was only a fifteen minute walk to my hotel. It's a little B&B place, owned by a family that lives on the first floor. They consist (so far), of three middle-aged women, one man, a tween aged girl, an old lady that watches a baby that wails like a cat being given a bath, and a dog. I like the dog, he's really cute.
Once settled, I ventured into the city! Genoa is very compact in the city center, so I walked through a few piazas, explored an antique fair in the Ducal Palace, saw Christopher Columbus's childhood home, and attended part of a mass in the San Lorenzo Cathedral. All in about two hours. There was some sort of international science fair being held around the Palace as well, and I picked up some delicious cheese focaccia from an outdoor vendor. It was absolutely the best piece of cheesy-bread-deliciousness I've ever tasted.
I called it an early night at got back to my hotel room around 7, but I don't want to stay out too late on my own here and I'm tired after a full day of travel. I'm up bright and early tomorrow, and promise to post some photos when I can get them in better light.
Ciao!
At least I don't feel that way any more. I've gotten into the rhythm of things here and am starting to feel like I'm a normal Londoner. Of course, this isn't always the case; I still have to watch when I'm crossing the street and study the tube maps when I'm heading somewhere new. Overall though, homework is starting to limit my explorations in London and I'm not visiting as many tourist locations.
Over the past two weeks, a few things have happened to me...
I got sick two weekends ago with a major fever and sinus infection. A sad day, I was forced to stay inside and watch tv shows online (aka Mad Men, my new obsession). I caught up on a bit of sleep though, so it wasn't a waste of a weekend. I also went to Camden Town Market on Sunday for a bit. I wanted to get out and walk around, and this market is a really cutting edge, artsy market for clothing and crafts. I definitely want to head back; it was difficult to actually do any shopping while I just took everything in on my first visit.
I changed one of my economics courses. The initial class, market structure, was intensely math based at a level that I was simply not prepared to battle with. So I dropped a third year econ elective for an introductory level economics survey class called the world economy. It's a pretty basic class for me, but taking a class like this makes changing so late in the term easier.
Last Thursday I went to dinner with Elissa's parents who were in town for a week. The four of us went to a local bar called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, open since the mid-1600s. It was fun to catch up with people from Glen Ellyn and talk about my London experience with them.
Yesterday was my 21st birthday! A little anti-climactic in the scheme of life, but I had a great night out with my friends. I started at a restaurant called Little Bay for dinner, where the waiters sang Happy Birthday and Elissa gave me some fabulous little gifts from Bath inspired by Jane Austen. There was a slight snafu when we went to a bar that was closing upon our arrival, but then we went to a club in Soho with student cover called Moonie's. It was one of those kinda cheesy places with lots of light strips and a smoke machine, but fun music for dancing. All-in-all, it was a great nice of relaxed fun. Definitely the way I wanted to spend the night.
Now, I'm looking forward to my Italian Adventure! I have reading week next week which translate into a time for me to travel, and I'm doing a tour of Italy. I'm flying into Genoa, then traveling to Florence and Rome. I'm going to be alone for Genoa and Florence because my travel buddy had problems obtaining a visa (she's Pakistani and had issues with red tape), but I'm meeting one of my friends Ethan in Rome. This means that I'm going to be careful and aware of what's going on around me; not staying out too late; staying to the major tourist areas. I think it will be nice to have a few days to myself though (and in hotel rooms!), since I really enjoy having personal time to recoup from life. I also have a paper due the Tuesday after I get back, so I'll have to do some studying/reading abroad (just like the name implies, I guess).
Hmm...the only other thing between then and now is lots of work on my English paper (the meaning of the soul in Picture of Dorian Gray and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man...which might be edited down to one book depending on the time available) and having some fun on Friday, November 5th. "Remember, remember, the 5th of November," AKA Bonfire Night. I'll let you know how it goes later this week.
Basically, there are sheep everywhere in the lake district (think northern England, almost Scotland). Big ones, little ones, black and white and spotted ones, they were all corralled off on beautiful rolling hills by these little stone fences…it was so picturesque I couldn’t believe it! I’m not sure how nice they would have been, but I really wanted to pet one. As you may have guessed, I just got back from a trip there that was coordinated by IFSA-Butler, so all meals and housing and activities were paid for. We stayed at a hotel that caters to outdoor events and programming, including sight seeing tours, hiking, mountain climbing and boating activities.
On Friday, we made the seven hour drive to the resort well provisioned with movies and homework (side note: I’m so proud of myself for getting work done! I read two plays and wrote 9/10 pages in my Henry IV rough draft. Not too shabby for bus rides and full days of activities). After a bit of free time at the hotel, we had an amazing gourmet dinner and finished off the evening with a pub quiz. The quiz was so much fun; we grouped off and answered questions from six different categories. My team made an amazing recovery from a low first-round score to win this first segment of the game. Sadly, we didn’t show so well in the sudden death round and ended up taking third overall.
Saturday was packed with activities. I took a full day tour of the lake district, including stops at the houses where William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter lived and wrote their best works. It was so nice to go into the houses and see the original set up…there’s nothing like it in the States. There was very little plexiglass and few ropes to separate visitors from the objects. Overall, it contributed to a more intimate and organic viewing experience. I especially enjoyed Beatrix Potter’s house because there were copies of her books opened to specific illustrations that showed her inspiration for the drawings was her own home. In one of the towns we passed through, Grasmere, we had some of the most amazing gingerbread I have ever eaten. Apparently it’s quite famous, so I’m glad we stopped by! In the evening, we had a dance party in the main room, DJ, flashing lights, and awkwardness included. To be honest, it wasn’t that awkward; much better than a high school dance, for example. Once everyone relaxed a bit – as in people had a drink or two – and the music took off it was a lot of fun.
Bright and early Sunday morning then (AKA 9 am), everyone took off for a morning activity. I went on a hike through the nearest hills. It was a great day for walking: cool air and a bit of sun shifting through the clouds. Though it was hard work, it was definitely worth it. I couldn’t believe the sights from the top! Around noon we were back at the hotel and packing the vans for the return trip to London. I just got in now, about 9 pm, and am off for a shower before I get down to some heavy revisions of my essay.
That is the sound my soul is currently making (though I'm trying to zen out right now for a few minutes painting my nails and watching Gossip Girl). I can't believe how much homework has landed on my head all at once. First, I'm writing an English paper due next Tuesday for Shakespeare that included enough research that I'm only beginning to outline now. I also just learned that an Economics assignment is due on Thursday, rather than next Monday. And, of course, I won't be in town this weekend because I'm going on an Adventure Weekend with Butler to the lake district. *Sigh* I feel much better now.
With that said, the past few days have been rather low key. On Sunday evening, I cooked dinner for myself, Elissa, my room mate (Lily), a friend of her's who was visiting from Barcelona, and another friend of Lily's who's studying in London as well (Ethan). We made baked ziti and garlic bread, both of which thankfully turned out spectacularly.
Yesterday was devoted to work and some water polo in the evening. I bought some Staedtler erasers along with various other school supplies, and the erasers definitely made my day. They are absolutely the best ever, I couldn't imagine doing an Economics assignment without them!
I must say, though, that the one thing that indicated to me that I'm back at school was my desperate need to use the OED online. At Vanderbilt, I use it all the time in planning my English essays; so much so that I have a link saved to the website in my tool bar. Imagine my horror, then, when I tried to access the site in my flat and realized that my Vanderbilt subscription didn't carry all the way across the pond! It was a tragic moment, stricken with the bitter knowledge that any other definition must be faulty (by definition). To my utmost joy, I found that UCL has an online subscription too. It was easy enough from there to find the varied definitions of "honor," and, believe me, I will definitely be relying on them in my essay on I Henry IV.
Myself at the Scottish lowlands, overlooking Scott's favorite view. Apparently, he always stopped to take in the view during his travels.
Elissa outside Melrose Abbey. Check out the pink hued stone! Sadly, it's now in ruins.
Part of Rosslyn Chapel.
Detail on one of the doorways. I really loved the gargoyle-esque figures...I think they're having a grand ol' time.
Posted by
Jackie
1:04 PM
Sunday in Edinburgh was a blast. Elissa and I cleared out of the hostel around 9 to take a tour (with the company) of the Scottish lowlands and Rosslyn Chapel. (Side note: we tried haggis on Saturday morning and beans on toast on Sunday. The haggis wasn't bad; one of those things where if you'd grown up with it you'd really enjoy it but, if not, you weren't really taken with it. Beans on toast wasn't anything extraordinary either, just very hearty.) The coach took us about an hour outside of Edinburgh to a beautiful view overlooking the River Tweed, apparently a spot favored by Sir Walter Scott. Then, we stopped at Melrose Abbey for an hour to walk around the town (if you've ever wondered what Redwall Abbey looks like, this abbey is it. Elissa was extremely excited.). Then we went to Rosslyn, the main destination. It was stunningly beautiful, with carvings of exquisite complexity and splendor. Sadly, no photos were allowed. After a short look around and a guided-ish lecture, we got back on the bus and we dropped off at the train station. Getting back into London was actually rather stressful; our first train ran late and we had 8 minutes to change to our second. Additionally, the second train was overbooked, so there were a lot of people on the train. Repeat, a LOT. Thankfully, the company with which Elissa and I were traveling had actually reserved seats for us on the train so, despite a decent amount of pushing and arguing, we got some seats. I don't think I've ever been so glad to get back to my own home after traveling; just lying down in my bed without anyone else in the room, with my pillow, and no stress to go anywhere, was the perfect end to an excellent trip.
Since then, I've finally started class. Who'd thought I ACTUALLY had to do that? They all went well, as most lectures do the first time. I'm particularly excited about my Shakespeare course. I Henry IV is on the syllabus, and I just saw its performance at the Globe Theater this afternoon. It was fabulous! The whole experience of watching Shakespeare in the Globe with British actors was unbelievable. I wish the season would go on longer, but the last performances are this weekend.
My last piece of news on the UCL front is that I've decided to join the water polo club team! I wanted to find something that would help me stay active and meet British students, and water polo seems to be the perfect blend of that. My swimming background gives me an advantage over the other polo beginners, which will hopefully get me some more playing time, and all practices and competitions take place between Monday and Thursday. Not only does the club train together, though, they have social events every Wednesday. Last night, for example, we got together at a UCL student pub to mix and mingle.
I'm off now to scour the internet (only reputable sites, of course) to prepare writing a critique essay of Henry IV/Shakespeare reproductions/whatever else appeals to me as an essay topic. I have about a week to get it turned in, so better start early.
Before I leave though, I want to wish a (day early) Happy Birthday to Mom! I doubt I'll post tomorrow, so I hope you have a wonderful day and I can't wait to see you in London in December!
Posted by
Jackie
6:05 PM
If I could move tomorrow, it would be to Edinburgh. Castles, ghost stories, beautiful little cafes, J. K. Rowling, hills throughout the city, and beautiful monuments combine to make Edinburgh a glorious city of culture and history.
On Friday, Elissa and I met with the travel guide for our group at Kings Cross Station at 6 AM. There was some initial - ahem a lot - of stress on getting to the station as I overslept my alarm and only woke up when Elissa called me. Thankfully, I had already packed my bags and laid out my clothes, so it was the work of minutes to get to the station. As the train traveled north, we watched the sun rise over beautifully rolling hills and fields that looked suspiciously like large broccoli plants. We pulled into Edinburgh shortly after 11 and were taken on a brief coach tour of the city. Elissa and I spent the evening leisurely walking through the city, most importantly finding all sites Adam Smith. In particular, we spent nearly an hour searching an old grave yard for his grave - it was one of the last ones we looked at. A few photos later, we were attending a "Ghost and Ghouls" tour. The tour guide stayed in spooky character the entire time and we explored some old underground vaults as well as historically scary spots on the Royal Mile (the main tourist street).
Elissa and I spent Saturday entirely on our own in Edinburgh. The morning was spent in climbing a mountain. Well, a hill, I guess, but it was incredibly high nonetheless. It's called Arthur's Seat and is one of the highest points in Edinburgh. Even though Elissa and I didn't have the proper footwear in the least (I was wearing TOMS without traction, and Elissa's shoes weren't much better), it was a spectacular way to start the day and see the city. Upon reaching the bottom, we visited the Elephant House tea shop, AKA the place where J. K. Rowling began writing Harry Potter way back in the day. We took some touristy photos; it was great! A quick detour took us into the National Museum of Scotland where we saw some old Celtic stuff, in particular some amazing swords and old weapons. A scarfed down jacket potato later - that's a baked potato with any topping you could think of - we explored Edinburgh Castle. Inside, references to William Wallace and Robert the Bruce were absolutely everywhere. It was rather surprising, actually. Turns out that the two of them are really big characters in Scottish history, despite a general dislike of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. We left the castle and, after a quick stop for hot chocolate, continued on to the main shopping street. As we learned, however, most everything closes in Edinburgh at 6 so there was little for us to do in the retail area of town. We stopped at a pub called The World's End, known as such because in olden days the Edinburgh town wall was at that exact spot. For the locals, the wall really marked the end of the world. After a pint, we devoured some amazing fish and chips and split a fried mars bar (also delicious!) before going back to the hostel for a relatively early evening (for students, anyways).
Sunday was excellent as well, though my update on that will have to wait. I'm tired now and need to get some beauty sleep for class tomorrow; it'll be my first one! Till tomorrow.
My latest adventure was a weekend trip into Wales. With Elissa and two of her Notre Dame friends, Grace and Katie, I went to the unofficial Welsh capital of Cardiff. We took a train from Paddington Station, and it only took us two hours to get to Cardiff. Elissa and I had fun watching the British country-side fly by and compare it with our knowledge of the UK from Jasper Fforde novels (which is really not much at all). Once off the train, we were a twenty minute walk to our hostel. We left our bags there and headed out to the city center for the evening.
Overall, Cardiff reminded me of a smaller, quieter version of London. I guess I should have expected it, with Cardiff being run by the same overall government as London, but it pleasantly surprised me nonetheless. There was a small shopping area on a more modern street when, lo and behold, we ran into a castle! Yep, Castle Cardiff, standing since the 11th century, was smack dab in the middle of Cardiff. After asking for a restaurant recommendation at the castle gift shop, we wandered around till we found the Owain Glyndwr pub. We stopped there mainly because it had an awesome name and partly because we wanted some traditional pub fare. After an excellent meal of fish and chips, we headed over to a pub called The Goat Major. Apparently, back in the day, troop regiments would have a mascot animal that would actually go into battle with them. The Royal 41st regiment of Wales carried a live goat through the Crimean War and actually introduced it to Queen Victoria.
The pub drew a crowd as crazy as its name (excepting current company, of course). While there, a group of office buddies came in to enjoy the rugby game after a day at work. One of the guys came over and asked for our best pick-up line (aka a "chat-up line" in Anglo-English. Totally threw us off for a second). This led to a rousing conversation with a few of the other guys, in which I was asked
1. If I was Canadian;
2. If I knew Jerry Springer (after they learned I was from Chicago);
3. If I'd slept with my brother;
4. If I lived in a trailer.
Interesting, to say the least. Right before we left, one of the men offered us each a fake rose that he had bought just outside the pub (imagine what you might have bought at a gas station). It was sweet, yet not enough to make us stay! Passing by the countless clubs in Cardiff - we didn't want to stay out late because we had an early morning planned - we settled for desert at a small italian restaurant on our way back to the hostel.
The next morning we were up and out of the hostel by 10 because we had big things ahead. First, some intense shopping along the way to Cardiff Castle. The castle was our ultimate destination, however, as there was a massive British Cheese Festival! Just imagine my delight, eating fabulous British cheese in a beautiful castle in Wales. We had so much fun, doing tastings and walking through the cheese market and around the castle. At one point, we laid down on the grass and napped a bit to digest from all the delicious food. Cheese can only support one for so long, however, and we left after a few hours to see some more of Cardiff. We made our way down to the bay area, where there are a few shops and restaurants. It was nice to see the water for a bit, but after a while of sitting and chatting we decided to grab a train back home.
Since then, I've mainly been resting my feet. I spent Sunday and Monday reading ahead for my Modern Lit class. Today, I explored around UCL before a meeting with the Economics department. My next outing is to Edinburgh next weekend, so look for a update soon after.
Today has been a lazy-ish day for me. I don't have any more orientation activities until Tuesday, and classes don't start until Oct 4, so I decided to read a bit and explore London today. After an abrupt awakening by the cleaning staff (who arrived unannounced at 9am), I lounged around for a bit and read The Picture of Dorian Gray. It was a lovely day to stay in, the first day we've had with rain and very gloomy looking clouds, but I really wanted to walk around. I had no firm location in mind. I headed first towards Soho and an area known for its book shops. I searched through one for a bit, but I didn't want to buy anything without consulting my reading lists first - both of my English classes have impressively long lists, and I need to focus on those for the next few weeks rather than any free reading! I meandered back towards Oxfords Street from there, just looking for a place to eat and read (of course I brought Dorian Gray with me), and getting my shoes thoroughly wet. I didn't plan my footwear so well, but I need to break in the rest of my rain appropriate shoes a bit more before I go frolicking through the city. Off of the main road, I found a cafe where I bought a baguette sandwich and soda for only #2.80. It was delicious, and I'm glad I found something so inexpensive after a week of indulgences. Now, I'm relaxing in my room...going to read a bit more momentarily...and then off to Elissa's for dinner and a night out with her Notre Dame friends.
Here are a few photos from my visit to Windsor. Though it was a chilly day, with the threat of rain always hoovering on the horizon, the crowds were out in true British fashion.
I was actually surprised to see some of the beaver-hatted guards out and about since the queen was absent. This gentleman was extremely diligent in his duties, despite the relentless rotation of tourists who took their photo with him.
This is a detail photo of the carvings on the outside of St. George's Chapel. Some of the gargoyles have eroded over time and, in their spots, current artists have installed new creations.
This is the center of the castle complex and has been used since William the Conqueror established fortifications in 1066. The tower rests on the original defensive mound he constructed, and the flower garden would have been a moat in his day. Windsor, as it turns out, is the longest continually used castle in the world.
This is the exit from the castle complex. The walls are very imposing, and I would definitely think twice about storming the castle (with anything less than a wooden rabbit, that is).
My feet have had enough from the past few days, and I’m glad that everything is closed on Sunday evening so I am forced to stay in and give them a little rest.
The torture for my feet began on Friday night, when I went out with my roommate and a few other IFSA-Butler UCL students. We went to a club called Fabric with an outrageous cover fee and overpriced drinks. It was an experience though, to be sure, to be in a three-story club with multiple dance floors…a little overwhelming at times. The initial damage was done to my feet here when, instead of being sensible, I wore heels. A few blisters later, I was happy to pass out in bed after a long night.
On Saturday I met ELISSA for a fabulous day of touring and sightseeing throughout London. We met in Leicester Square to buy discounted theater tickets for that evening. There is a booth there called “Tkts” that sells all the unsold tickets at half price (or even greater discounts) and we were lucky enough to get seats in the middle of Row M seats to Avenue Q. I couldn’t believe our luck! After that, we did a tour from Trafalgar Square down to Westminster and through St. James Park before stopping for lunch in the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Renovated, thankfully, it was still neat to eat there with the vaulted ceilings and tomb covers inlaid into the floor. After touring the church briefly, we continued on to the National Portrait Gallery. This contains portraits of important British figures from the time of Queen Elizabeth I through the modern era arranged by year. It was fun to see some of the famous works I knew in person, rather than reproduced in a textbook. Elissa and I got dinner in Chinatown, choosing a restaurant at random (with decent prices, of course). The fried rice was amazing, and thankfully the portions were large enough that I brought my leftovers home for an entire second meal! I had a great time walking through Chinatown; it is elaborately decorated and the smells all mingled together to nearly overwhelm the senses. After a “quick” detour to Elissa’s flat to drop off our food, we went to Avenue Q. It was utterly hilarious, enjoyably raunchy, and very touching when it wanted to be. I loved the use of puppets; I’m not sure I can pinpoint why, but I thought the ingenuity behind it was so clever. When Elissa and I returned to her flat, we had quite a job of figuring out how to get me home. Not only does the city close some tube lines over the weekend for construction repairs, but with the Pope in town it seemed that half the city was closed! We figured it out though, and I got back safe and sound. Not to disregard the foot theme, my feet were definitely sore by the end, though thankfully no new blisters had formed. I wore bandaids and socks, which saved me from any more strife.
Today I visited Windsor Castle, the oldest castle to be continuously used (since William the Conqueror took over England in 1066). I took a train about 45 minutes southwest of London straight into town and, lo and behold, straight up to the castle. I had no idea it would be so close, but I literally walked out of the train station, down a short block of shops, and found myself face to face with a very imposing castle wall. I was glad I didn’t have to walk far to get to the castle, my feet were already tired and wearing new-ish flats was shaping up to be a bad idea. Once inside the castle grounds, I picked up an audio tour guide. Its messages corresponded to points around the grounds as well as in the rooms on display. Outdoors was beautiful, and I loved examining the architecture. Only a portion of the castle is open to the public, including the state apartments, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, and a collection of art from the royal collection (in particular a selection of Da Vinci’s sketches!). The whole interior tour was actually a bit overwhelming; after viewing five or six of the ornately decorated rooms I became rather desensitized to the beauty of the rest. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to go back and see it again! My only regret about going today is that St. George Chapel was closed. On Sundays, they need time to prepare for multiple services and are closed to sightseers. Since then, I’ve been recouping and straightening up my room after a few hectic days of throwing things wherever I had room.
I start UCL orientation on Tuesday, which gives me another day to explore tomorrow. I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I know my roommates want to do some more tourist activities in London and check out a breakfast place that serves traditional British fare. Keep your fingers crossed that I’ll enjoy it if I do eat there!
I'm finally here! It seems like it has been a week already, with the time change and being in a massive city and being in LONDON and walking around everywhere. Utterly sublime. Luckily, I moved straight into my flat when I arrived (some students are staying in hotels until they move into their dorms on Saturday). I think it's rather far from UCL, and that I will invest in a student discounted Oyster card to get around on the tube, but I'll have to walk the distance to make sure.
The area surrounding my flat seems nice. There are two small grocery/convenience stores, one open 24 hours, as well as a post office (with free atm machine) and a drug/beauty store. We are about one block from two different tube stops, and a 5 minute walk from a third. Situated half way between Hyde Park and Regent's Park, the area seems to have a high density of muslims...many of the signs on the main thoroughfare, Edgeware Rd, are written in English and Arabic.
The flat itself is fabulous. I feel like I'm on the Commons in its first year again! Apparently, a Russian millionaire bought the place at a time when he bought a number of properties together. He forgot about my building for a few years, and only just renovated the space into modern flats. I am one of the first to live here, and it really shows. There are seven girls in my flat, and I'm in a "double" with Lily, from CA. There is a flat screen TV, massive (and well supplied) kitchen, and three and a half baths. It still seems unreal that I actually live here. I'll make sure to post some photos of it soon.
Since I've been here, I've...
1. Taken the tube a lot. It reminds me of the Boston public transit system, so it hasn't been too hard to figure out.
2. Realized that street signs aren't on anything as uniform as posts, they are on the sides of buildings. And never in the same general location, so one must be diligent in searching the buildings that surround an intersection to determine a street's name.
3. Met Elissa at Trafalgar Square!!!!!!! It was so amazing to see her, and FINALLY be in London together. She had to attend a performance at the Globe that night for her Shakespeare class, so we crossed the Thames and walked all the way there on the South Bank. I can't wait to attend a performance myself!
4. Definitively determined that it is St. Paul's Cathedral, not St. Peter's...Elissa was having a hard time with this :)
5. Got some groceries and a cell phone, and figured out how to work it!
That's the general outline of my past two days. I've spent a lot of time with my roommates and in IFSA Butler meetings. I'm now off to bed, as it is swiftly approaching 1 AM my time and I have to be out the door at 9 for, you guessed it, more meetings.
Please excuse the delay in posting; I've been home for just over a week now and completely forgot to update about the final days of camp.
Camp ended on a bitter sweet note, as most things of this nature seem to do. I was so glad to get home, only be held responsible for myself, live by my schedule. I was sad to leave my girls, however, and all of the wonderful counselors with whom I worked for the summer. Summer camp is one of those crucibles that deepens and expedites life experiences, despite the short amount of time, and the friendships I formed are no exception.
On the last few evenings of camp, we had a banquet where all the summer's achievements were recognized and a few of the oldest leaders gave speeches about the importance of their time at camp. The theme was Winnie the Pooh, and the decorations were so cute!
These were the light decorations on the table.
A close up of my place tag.
The large banner for the banquet.
There was also a good-bye camp fire on the night before I left. It was very ceremonial, with a few of the campers and staff speaking briefly before we sang songs together. Everyone was also given a piece of birch bark onto which they wrote a wish; this bark was then thrown into the camp fire as everyone left the fire. That evening was tough for the kids. They all signed each others' Pinescripts - the camp's yearbook - and chatted for a while. Around 10:30, they settled down and I tried to sleep as well. The next morning, I was up at 4:45 to shower and finish packing my bags before I left at 6. After a long drive to Boston, I escorted two campers through the airport to their gate. Once the plane took off at 11:30, I left the terminal, got my own luggage, and reentered to wait until my 5:30 flight took off.
Since arriving home, I've been getting lots of R&R. I caught up on (some of) the sleep I missed at camp, saw some of my friends, and - after putting it off for a few days - cleaned out my suitcases. At the moment, I'm enjoying the break and preparing myself to go to London in September. Till then, my updates will be few so check back periodically until I make it abroad.
The lake swim has been cancelled due to the chance of thunderstorms this morning...which in Maine is good call to make. The weather always seems to do something unpleasant when there is a chance of rain. As this is the case, we'll be swimming tomorrow instead. I'm back to bed now to catch up on my lost beauty sleep.
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I can't write to long tonight, since tomorrow morning I'm going to swim 3 miles in the local lake! Yep, you heard me. I will be up at 5:30 to swim at 6 from my camp to Harrison, the town on the other end of the lake, and back. I am special - and slightly crazy - in planning to swim both ways. The lake is only 1.25 miles, but accounting for all the weaving around the lake I'll do it's safer to call it 1.5 miles. I plan on swimming free style to Harrison, hoping to beat 45 minutes (my .5 mile time is 15:30), and to relax on my way back. I'll let you know how I do tomorrow afternoon/evening!
The past few days have gone by so quickly. On Sunday, my last full day off, I went to Kennebunkport, a town just south of Portland. It's basically the perfect coastal town that you would see on a postcard - quaint; nice, old homes; well kept; little beach with a few picturesque rocks sticking out of the surf. I got a few pictures of the Bush Compound (the H. W. Bush summer home), explored the beach, and took a two hour sunset cruise. It was a great way to spend the day.
The campers in my bunk have completely given up on bunk ordering in the past few days. They seem to think that since Ten Day Calendar (aka TDC from now on) started this morning, and since we are counting down the final days of camp, that cleaning the bunk doesn't matter this morning. Thankfully, it got so bad that one of the upper level directors had to make an announcement to the kids. Hopefully, they'll pick it up a little bit now, especially since Jess and I are making the girls clean during rest hour and 5:20 time if the campers' areas aren't clean enough.
The other big thing I've done recently was a bet I made with one of my campers. She bet me a WHOLE pack of the green trident layers (it's something like green apple and pineapple flavored - yum) that I couldn't go a whole day without saying the word "legit." It's not necessarily a good habit to say the word, as it lowers my vocabulary, but I use it nonetheless when I'm excited and want to get my point across quickly. It bothers the stuffing out of some of the girls in my bunk, though, which is why we made the bet. Thankfully, I won...it cost me all my wits to keep from saying the word, but somehow I prevailed! Haha.
As I said, TDC has started and there are new and special things going on every day. I'll keep you posted as we go along! (I can't believe it's only eight more days till I'm back in Illinois!!)
The time is flying now that parents' weekend is over.
Monday was beach day and went quickly because of the change of routine. We had excellent weather and the girls were more than generous with their food and candy. I was part of a lifeguard rotation and had an hour off for every 20 minutes I spent in the water. Otherwise, I hung out with the girls, chatted with the staff, and munched on some awesome treats. The epic find of the day was pretzel M&Ms: they're filled with pretzel centers!! So amazing.
Tuesday was a great day off spent at Old Orchard Beach and diverse locations around Maine - I spent two hours at a Chinese buffet and dance partied in a Walmart parking lot. One of my co-workers, Rachel, has a car here and we went around with another girl, Hannah. It was nice to travel in a small group in a real car, rather than being limited by being part of a 15 seater van. Old Orchard Beach was extremely commercialized, with a host of hotels lining the ocean and a permanent carnival just off the wharf. I think the beach is a common vacation spot for Canadians, as there appeared to be more people who spoke French at the beach than English sometimes. Though the air temperature reached 90 degrees at one point, the water was only 61.2! As a result, we spent the vast majority of our time on the beach and only ran into the water to quickly cool off. Leaving the beach, we did some shopping and then met up with Cara, another staff member, for Chinese. The rest of the night was pretty chill - after stopping for a few items at Walmart, we headed back to camp.
Yesterday, I spent the day in the ski department. One of their staff members went home, and I'm going to become a more regular replacement to maintain the number of staff required. Also, Pinecliffe was being audited by the American Camping Association to maintain its accreditation, and I think the camp wanted a Red Cross lifeguard on the boat if the ACA rep had any questions or requests. It was a nice change from my regular duties, being on the dock, spotting from the boat, meeting more of the campers who I don't interact with normally, and even skiing myself. There was one potential cloud in all of this, however. My co-counselor, Jess, was scheduled to work in small craft and our campers were left without a counselor to chaperon them. We picked one girl to be in charge, however, and make sure that all 7 campers were in the group before going from one activity to the next. As it turns out, the girls came up with a routine: the leader girl would shout "Sound off!" and the other girls would repeat their assigned number to check that each camper was present. I was proud of them for coming up with this, in a very maternal way.
After today spent in the swim department, I only have 13 more days of camp. The time is flying by, and I see the end as a bittersweet moment. Right now, I'm looking forward to the time when I can prepare my own food, wake up when I want, and only be held responsible for myself. At the same time, I can't imagine being parted from my girls after spending nearly every waking moment with them for seven weeks. I'll also miss many of the staff, the adults with whom I've shared my frustrations and joys in the compressed atmosphere of Pinecliffe.
We've still got some time left, though, and I plan to take full advantage of it. Up next on the schedule is the "Ten Day Calendar." This is a ten day extravaganza where each day has a different special activity planned. While I would expect this to start on Monday of next week, the official start date is kept secret from all of camp. The morning that it is to begin, the Junglers (our 13 year olds who have finished 8th grade) run around and wake up everyone early for a special activity. I'll let you know what happens once TDC starts!
Check out the awesome ring one of my campers gave me. I wasn't going to be sucked into the silly band phenomenon, but I'm at camp...I couldn't help myself!
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Posted by
Jackie
9:00 AM
Parents' weekend is officially over! It was rather easy to spend the day as a lifeguard for the campers and parents who took advantage of the lake, but long and exhausting to deal with the girls' emotions once the parents left. Yesterday, we took the campers to Sebago Lake where they finished eating all of the candy and junk food that the parents brought over the weekend. though it was a fun way to spend the day, I was nevertheless glad to get back and go to bed at 9:30. At the moment, I'm on my way to Portland to spend the day exploring and at the beach. I'll post more extensively tonight when I have access to my computer again!
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The big three things that have hapened in the past few days:
1) Massive rain storm last night. We canceled the last two activty periods of the day and spent the extra time in the bunk. It wasn't too bad on the scale of rainy weather until 6ish, when everyone was instructed to bring a book, flashlight, and water bottle to main bunk. Needless to say, this was a difficult process with seven 8 year old girls under short notice. Just as we were leaving the bunk, an announcement was made that everyone must stay in the bunk if they hadn't left yet. Thankfully one of the directors, Marcy, came into my bunk to keep us company and told us that the center of the storm was just passing over Pinecliffe. Warry of lightning, they didn't want anyone walking outside. Marcy's presence helped calm the girls, and 45 minutes later when a van came to get us the girls were playing an (innocent) game of truth-or-dare. Once we reached the dining hall, dinner was served. After the meal, we were required to stay in the dining hall for a while and passed the time in a cheer off between the two sides of the dining hall. Without a doubt, this was one of the most memorable nights at camp.
2) I have celebrated 2 birthdays in the last 3 days. At Pinecliffe, this means that the birthday girl gets a "birthday box" full of goodies - plates, cups, party favors, streamers - as well as a made-to-order cake and ice cream for desert. These are shared with the birthday girl's bunk during lunch. The bunk sets up the birthday table before the bugle, so that all is ready for the girl, and it was quite a different experience both times. The first birthday girl didn't have a birthday box, so I had to scramble with the administrative staff at the last minute through the left overs from previous parties. For the second girl, her mom was so organized she included a theme coordinated monogramed banner (and a roll of tape to hang it!). Both girls enjoyed their meal, though, so it all turned out well in the end.
3) preparation for parents' weekend. This means an extensive cleaning of the campers' drawers, beds, and their persons. I won't go into detail tonight - I'm tired and there will be plenty more to write after the parents visit - but the hair was by far the worst part of getting the campers clean. The vast majority of them have wavy/curly hair, and I have been brushing out nore knots than I've seen in my enyire life! I literally brushed one girl's hair for 50 minutes tonight!!! Unreal
All I can say is that I will never again wish (even in passing) for curly hair. My straight hair, that is easy to style and never gets knots is perfectly fine by me.
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Sorry for the delay in posting. Now that camp is in full swing, additional activities have been added all over the place that occupy more and more of my time. These include events such as Brother - Sister camp day, which was yesterday, where the girls invited their brothers who attend local camps to visit for the afternoon. Not that any of these are negative things, but I've definitely been falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and always wanting a cup of coffee in the morning. I also got a little sick last week; a manifestation of my exhaustion now that the initial excitement has worn off.
The campers are starting to feel it too. When they first arrived at camp, my girls would wake up at 6:30 or 7 and have an unlimited source of energy. Now, about half sleep till the bugle at 7:30, and many of them complain of wanting to sleep longer. Hopefully we'll have a "lazy day" soon, where the girls get some extra sleep or bunk time or something...everyone would appreciate it.
I just finished an excellent weekend. On Friday, my dad came into town after a business meeting in Boston. We optimized our time that evening by getting ice cream at a Brookside, a local shop, and chatting outside. The main events took place on Saturday. After my duties ended at 9:30, I showed him around camp and introduced him to some of the other staff. We then drove to North Conway, where I quickly made some exchanges at the outlet mall and we got lunch in the downtown area. I was then excited to go to Verizon, where I finally got a phone that works! My Blackberry had been iffy on the battery life for the first few weeks of camp, and I decided to upgrade. I'm now the proud owner of an LG Ally, a cheaper version of the Droid, and absolutely loving it. (And no, Katie, you cannot play with it all day once I get home.) Portland was our next destination, and after a quick nap at the hotel, Dad and I went to Three Dollar Dewey's. A bar and grill, it had some excellent clam chowder and overlooked the wharf. Wharf, here, is a relative term; the restaurant looked at the docks, but they were so long and crowded that we couldn't see the ocean. To make up for this, Dad and I explored one of the docks and got a very first-hand view of the Portland fishing industry. Afterwards, we drove back to camp through a fantastic lightning storm and only had rain for a brief period. Thankfully, it was dry when my dad and I said goodbye, allowing me a quick getaway into the bunk.
On Sunday, I was in a fabulous mood all day. The girls were rather well behaved, which helped maintain my contentment. In the evening, we watched the 12/13 year olds perform Marry Poppins. Though nothing spectacular, the girls who played Burt and Marry Poppins were well chosen for the parts and the entire camp enjoyed singing along.
Right now, I've got to run and pick up my girls from tennis. A quick Happy Birthday to Victoria! Hope you're having a great day.
I'll write again soon.
