Finally back in Michigan, and it feels good. Sorry I didn't write much in the last couple of weeks. Our (otherwise AMAZING) apartment in London didn't have wireless, and then we also didn't have the internet at his aunt and uncle's in Harpenden.
So, I'll give a quick run-down of what I can remember in my current jet-lagged state of mind.
- ***Got Engaged!*** Sean proposed on the "forbidden lawn" at Brasenose, right before we left for London. It was terrific, and I didn't really expect it until the last 10 or so seconds. It made the rest of the trip sooo much better, since neither of us were anxious about it after that. YAY!
- London was fabulous. The apartment was more of a resort, complete with Romanesque marble 2-story indoor pool, full kitchen, and everything only a 5 minute walk from our door. Far better than a hotel!
- Saw a very cool exhibit at the Imperial War Museum! It was all about the London children of WW2, and I could have spent the whole weekend there! In fact, I wish I could go back. Plus, I found Rhubarb Wine for Mom and Dad.
- I bought so many books that I wasn't sure if I would be able to close my suitcase!
- We got upgraded on the flight home by a very nice BA employee. It's probably all because Sean mentioned the engagement, so that's awesome! It made the long trip home much more enjoyable.
- I have a mountain of laundry to do, and tons of other things on a list.
Can't think of much to write about right now, which is probably a good thing. I've gotta get moving! Hopefully I'll see you all soon!
Showing posts with label blonde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blonde. Show all posts
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
stalling.
Well, I'm getting down to my final hours here in Oxford. I can't say that I'm happy to go, but I don't really want to stay here much longer, either. I'm not homesick, but I do miss home. I think, mostly, I'm just missing Sean, and my sister. Throughout the trip, I've stopped at odd places and laughed at jokes, thinking how much they would have loved to be here and experience the same things. And, how much more I would enjoy it if they were here with me.
Even though I sound a bit forlorn, I really have had a ton of fun. Our group got along brilliantly, and managed to stay out of any really serious trouble. We were ordered to "disperse" a few times by the porters, and tiptoed across the forbidden lawn when we thought no one was looking. Tom led a sing (and dance) a-long on Cornmarket Street at midnight. We finally found out that the well-endowed unicorn in the great hall is meant to symbolize virginity. It's rained more than it's been sunny, but we've made the most of it. Joe's room became a piano bar, and the roof became "Boots". The guys managed to find the only place in town which would sell us Americans coffee after 3 in the afternoon, and they're greatly profiting off of our addictions. AHH! GIANT PARAGRAPH! Steve's luggage never made it to Oxford, but it did spend time in Paris, London, Africa, Romania, and probably Baghdad. Copa became our home. We learned the difference between candy and sweets. Angie knit hats in the bar - very sexy. We saw the Harry Potter release come and go, and have been lamenting on the book ever since. (By the way, good book - terrible epilogue.) I've made fantastic friends, who I'll be sure to still hang out with once I get back to Oakland. A lot of us have made some pretty big changes in our lives. Some people ended relationships, some people began new ones. I've learned a bit about myself, and made some decisions about what I want to do in life, and where I'm going next. I've spent too much money and eaten too much chocolate, and I've developed a strong attachment to coffee and mochas. We learned to pick out tourists in a crowd, and despise them for taking over "our" city. Shopping in Oxford is amazing, and I wish I had come with an extra $6000 to spend just in Primark and Next Clearance.
There's loads more. Lots of sheep and rain. I've had a great time, but I'm ready to move on to the next thing. Sean flies in tomorrow morning, and I'm going out to the airport to meet him. We'll come out to Oxford at some point and pack up all of my junk, and then I'll leave Brasenose. I'm shocked that it's over already, but I'm also glad. Well, I will be if I ever get my paper finished. It's awful, and I'm just dragging it on longer by doing this blog instead.
Anyway, here's the plan for the next few days. Sean and I will be in London starting on Friday. We have some friends in town we might meet up with, but other than that we're just going to hang out and do touristy things, and catch up. That's what I'm most excited for. I'll finally have someone here who I can share the trip with. I've made some great friends while here, but it's just not the same. Anyway. London until the 3rd, and then we're spending the weekend in Paris. After that, it's back to London, and then north to Sean's aunt's house until Wednesday. We fly out of Heathrow that afternoon, and I should be back in Michigan Wednesday night. Hooray for 5-hour time differences!
The only thing holding me back right now is this stupid paper. I hate it with a passion, and until it's finished I'll feel like I'm in this awful limbo. Bah humbug. Back to work. While I sit and think about it, the list of things I need to do before I leave expands like Oxford in a flood. Back to work!
Even though I sound a bit forlorn, I really have had a ton of fun. Our group got along brilliantly, and managed to stay out of any really serious trouble. We were ordered to "disperse" a few times by the porters, and tiptoed across the forbidden lawn when we thought no one was looking. Tom led a sing (and dance) a-long on Cornmarket Street at midnight. We finally found out that the well-endowed unicorn in the great hall is meant to symbolize virginity. It's rained more than it's been sunny, but we've made the most of it. Joe's room became a piano bar, and the roof became "Boots". The guys managed to find the only place in town which would sell us Americans coffee after 3 in the afternoon, and they're greatly profiting off of our addictions. AHH! GIANT PARAGRAPH! Steve's luggage never made it to Oxford, but it did spend time in Paris, London, Africa, Romania, and probably Baghdad. Copa became our home. We learned the difference between candy and sweets. Angie knit hats in the bar - very sexy. We saw the Harry Potter release come and go, and have been lamenting on the book ever since. (By the way, good book - terrible epilogue.) I've made fantastic friends, who I'll be sure to still hang out with once I get back to Oakland. A lot of us have made some pretty big changes in our lives. Some people ended relationships, some people began new ones. I've learned a bit about myself, and made some decisions about what I want to do in life, and where I'm going next. I've spent too much money and eaten too much chocolate, and I've developed a strong attachment to coffee and mochas. We learned to pick out tourists in a crowd, and despise them for taking over "our" city. Shopping in Oxford is amazing, and I wish I had come with an extra $6000 to spend just in Primark and Next Clearance.
There's loads more. Lots of sheep and rain. I've had a great time, but I'm ready to move on to the next thing. Sean flies in tomorrow morning, and I'm going out to the airport to meet him. We'll come out to Oxford at some point and pack up all of my junk, and then I'll leave Brasenose. I'm shocked that it's over already, but I'm also glad. Well, I will be if I ever get my paper finished. It's awful, and I'm just dragging it on longer by doing this blog instead.
Anyway, here's the plan for the next few days. Sean and I will be in London starting on Friday. We have some friends in town we might meet up with, but other than that we're just going to hang out and do touristy things, and catch up. That's what I'm most excited for. I'll finally have someone here who I can share the trip with. I've made some great friends while here, but it's just not the same. Anyway. London until the 3rd, and then we're spending the weekend in Paris. After that, it's back to London, and then north to Sean's aunt's house until Wednesday. We fly out of Heathrow that afternoon, and I should be back in Michigan Wednesday night. Hooray for 5-hour time differences!
The only thing holding me back right now is this stupid paper. I hate it with a passion, and until it's finished I'll feel like I'm in this awful limbo. Bah humbug. Back to work. While I sit and think about it, the list of things I need to do before I leave expands like Oxford in a flood. Back to work!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Hooray!
A quick post before I go back to work on my homework. The horrific flooding around England hasn't caused me too much grief, yet. I was caught in London during some serious flash-flooding, and I'll try to get the videos of that up as soon as I can.
Harry Potter. Amazing on so many levels.
Went to London for the HUGE line party, where people had been sleeping out on the cement at the doors of Waterstones for days, from all around the world. It was pretty much a block party in the center of London with thousands of people dressed up and singing and chanting and holding up hilarious signs.
Finished the book almost exactly 24 hours after I got it into my hands.
It was well written, entertaining, and brought nearly complete closure. I still have some questions, but it was good! Worst part was the epilogue, hands down. I was expecting so much more.
Anyway, just writing to say that I'm alive. Once I plow through the homework I have piled up again, I'll write more.
Harry Potter. Amazing on so many levels.
Went to London for the HUGE line party, where people had been sleeping out on the cement at the doors of Waterstones for days, from all around the world. It was pretty much a block party in the center of London with thousands of people dressed up and singing and chanting and holding up hilarious signs.
Finished the book almost exactly 24 hours after I got it into my hands.
It was well written, entertaining, and brought nearly complete closure. I still have some questions, but it was good! Worst part was the epilogue, hands down. I was expecting so much more.
Anyway, just writing to say that I'm alive. Once I plow through the homework I have piled up again, I'll write more.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Tut, tut. Looks like rain...
Sorry for the posting delay. I've been busy trying to get ahead on my homework. This Friday (for those who live under a rock) is the release of the final Harry Potter novel, and I intend on reading it all weekend. So, I'm trying to get all of my homework out of the way before then. I just got back from an early dinner at "Old Orleans", which is the most American restaurant in town. Best thing is - the prices are cheap! Of course, there's a KFC, McDonald's, and Burger King... but who wants to come all the way across the ocean to eat there?! We're all missing Taco Bell very much, though. England would be much better off with some Taco Bell.
Next week is my last week. AH! It's flown by so incredibly quickly. I want to stay!
Today, when I stepped out of Brasenose (in order to return a jacket at FCUK ((French Connection U.K.)) which I decided was superfluous) there were movie cameras in my face!!! It was as if I had stepped into the 1900s, and I was surrounded by strapping young Oxford scholars, riding turn of the century bikes and being all-together adorable. Turns out, today, the re-make of Brideshead Revisited is being filmed right out in the Radcliffe Camera. I didn't spot any stars, but there were plenty of extras to giggle at. Speaking of celebs, though, some friends spotted Kiera Knightly in London the other day. That's pretty nifty.
I still haven't been to the museums, here. I feel so guilty! There's a natural history one, a history one, and then a huge jumble of art at the Ashmoleon. I'll try to do one or two this week, after class. They're supposed to be a lot of fun, but I've just been to busy doing other things!
Last night was our James Bond night at dinner - complete with Tom the Brit singing Golden Eye and a few other songs. It was so much fun! We all dressed up in black (I bought the afore-mentioned jacket for last night) and had shrimp, steak, and sorbet. Then, Black Russians at the pub with more entertainment. I ended up leaving early to work on the Sheridan play we're reading, but it was a ton of fun nonetheless.
Tonight, we're going to see A Midsummer Night's Dream at a neighboring college. It's supposed to rain, but right now the sun looks promising, so maybe we'll get lucky. Tomorrow is the last day of class for the week, and then I'm off to London early Friday morning! Angie and I bought witch hats, since we're Harry Potter geeks. I'll be on the look out for a cool souvineer for Katie, of course.
Speaking of souvineers, if anyone wants one - tell me! I don't want to spend a ton, but I'll do my best. There's a flea market sort of thing going on tomorrow and there's always cool stuff there.
And for the parents: I've been getting pretty good grades on my papers, nothing below a 3.8 so far. I got your package yesterday - THANK YOU!!! It definitely made me miss you guys, though. I've yet to have a pasty here that can compare to the ones back home. But, I've seen lots of adorable dogs that I'd love to bring back with me!
Next week is my last week. AH! It's flown by so incredibly quickly. I want to stay!
Today, when I stepped out of Brasenose (in order to return a jacket at FCUK ((French Connection U.K.)) which I decided was superfluous) there were movie cameras in my face!!! It was as if I had stepped into the 1900s, and I was surrounded by strapping young Oxford scholars, riding turn of the century bikes and being all-together adorable. Turns out, today, the re-make of Brideshead Revisited is being filmed right out in the Radcliffe Camera. I didn't spot any stars, but there were plenty of extras to giggle at. Speaking of celebs, though, some friends spotted Kiera Knightly in London the other day. That's pretty nifty.
I still haven't been to the museums, here. I feel so guilty! There's a natural history one, a history one, and then a huge jumble of art at the Ashmoleon. I'll try to do one or two this week, after class. They're supposed to be a lot of fun, but I've just been to busy doing other things!
Last night was our James Bond night at dinner - complete with Tom the Brit singing Golden Eye and a few other songs. It was so much fun! We all dressed up in black (I bought the afore-mentioned jacket for last night) and had shrimp, steak, and sorbet. Then, Black Russians at the pub with more entertainment. I ended up leaving early to work on the Sheridan play we're reading, but it was a ton of fun nonetheless.
Tonight, we're going to see A Midsummer Night's Dream at a neighboring college. It's supposed to rain, but right now the sun looks promising, so maybe we'll get lucky. Tomorrow is the last day of class for the week, and then I'm off to London early Friday morning! Angie and I bought witch hats, since we're Harry Potter geeks. I'll be on the look out for a cool souvineer for Katie, of course.
Speaking of souvineers, if anyone wants one - tell me! I don't want to spend a ton, but I'll do my best. There's a flea market sort of thing going on tomorrow and there's always cool stuff there.
And for the parents: I've been getting pretty good grades on my papers, nothing below a 3.8 so far. I got your package yesterday - THANK YOU!!! It definitely made me miss you guys, though. I've yet to have a pasty here that can compare to the ones back home. But, I've seen lots of adorable dogs that I'd love to bring back with me!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
I checked - London Bridge is still standing.
Another Sunday has rolled into Oxford, and with it comes clouds. The radio says we'll have a rather nasty storm later today. I was going to go down to Sainsbury's and get a few groceries and some medicine for my cold, but at the moment it might be better to stay in and in doing so, stay dry! It isn't raining yet, but it'll start soon.
On second thought, I think I WILL go before the storm hits. Sainsbury's is in a mall. If I have to be stuck indoors during a storm, a mall is far more interesting than my room here at Brasenose. :)
I've been listening to the main radio station here, FOX. I found it last night on my clock radio, and ever since I've turned it on, I've known about 80% of the hit songs they play. About a month before I left for Oxford, I started listening to all of the popular British music I could get my hands on. It's paid off!
Yesterday, I went to London with Catie, Joe, and Stephanie. We got into town around 9am, I think, and then wandered around Kensington and Hyde Park while shops opened up. After breakfast at the Hyde Park Cafe (right on the Serpentine - beautiful) we headed for Knightsbridge for some window shopping. Probably not Joe's first choice, but we saw lots of shiny cars along the way and he snapped pictures of them all.
After lunch at Cafe Nero, we all went down into Kensington to meet the girl I'm renting an apartment from after the program at Oxford ends. The place is AMAZING!!! Ground floor, outdoor patio, full kitchen, nice showers and baths, beautiful view, cosy livingroom, safe and friendly complex with porters at the front gate, a gym, and a pool that looks like a Roman bath (complete with pillars and marble). I was in awe. I almost want to skip the rest of Oxford and spend the rest of my trip in Kensington!
After that, we headed for Belgravia to look for Stephanie's hostel, and to rest a bit. Then, we split into pairs. Catie and I headed for Covent Garden, which was SO MUCH FUN! It was packed, of course, but we had a delicious pizza at Cafe Pasta, and then wandered around watching street performers and looking in the covered market. I definitely want to go back with Sean! We left London, completely exhausted, around 7pm and I was in bed by 11. I tried to stay up to do homework, but I kept falling asleep sitting up.
This morning I work up feeling awful. This cold will NOT go away! But, if I get this Lemsip stuff at Sainsbury's, it's supposed to help a lot. My ankle's taken a beating this trip, too. I've been wearing the brace I brought for well over a week, and now my skin is all irritated from it. So, today I'll go without it and see how I do. It feels (and looks) much better, so I think I'll be alright.
Hello to everyone back home! I love you all very much. I apologize for not getting postcards out to a lot of you yet. I ran out of stamps! Eek! I'll try to find more this week. Plus, the sunflowers that Sean sent during the first week have finally been tossed. They looked sort-of okay last night, but they really looked awful this morning. I'll probably pick up some flowers in the covered market tomorrow. (I've been wanting to buy flowers, anyway.) My bangs are growing out, and I think I might have lost some weight. Double yay! I love you all very much, and I hope you're all doing well. Sorry for the random postings. I know they don't make a lot of sense sometimes. :P
On second thought, I think I WILL go before the storm hits. Sainsbury's is in a mall. If I have to be stuck indoors during a storm, a mall is far more interesting than my room here at Brasenose. :)
I've been listening to the main radio station here, FOX. I found it last night on my clock radio, and ever since I've turned it on, I've known about 80% of the hit songs they play. About a month before I left for Oxford, I started listening to all of the popular British music I could get my hands on. It's paid off!
Yesterday, I went to London with Catie, Joe, and Stephanie. We got into town around 9am, I think, and then wandered around Kensington and Hyde Park while shops opened up. After breakfast at the Hyde Park Cafe (right on the Serpentine - beautiful) we headed for Knightsbridge for some window shopping. Probably not Joe's first choice, but we saw lots of shiny cars along the way and he snapped pictures of them all.
After lunch at Cafe Nero, we all went down into Kensington to meet the girl I'm renting an apartment from after the program at Oxford ends. The place is AMAZING!!! Ground floor, outdoor patio, full kitchen, nice showers and baths, beautiful view, cosy livingroom, safe and friendly complex with porters at the front gate, a gym, and a pool that looks like a Roman bath (complete with pillars and marble). I was in awe. I almost want to skip the rest of Oxford and spend the rest of my trip in Kensington!
After that, we headed for Belgravia to look for Stephanie's hostel, and to rest a bit. Then, we split into pairs. Catie and I headed for Covent Garden, which was SO MUCH FUN! It was packed, of course, but we had a delicious pizza at Cafe Pasta, and then wandered around watching street performers and looking in the covered market. I definitely want to go back with Sean! We left London, completely exhausted, around 7pm and I was in bed by 11. I tried to stay up to do homework, but I kept falling asleep sitting up.
This morning I work up feeling awful. This cold will NOT go away! But, if I get this Lemsip stuff at Sainsbury's, it's supposed to help a lot. My ankle's taken a beating this trip, too. I've been wearing the brace I brought for well over a week, and now my skin is all irritated from it. So, today I'll go without it and see how I do. It feels (and looks) much better, so I think I'll be alright.
Hello to everyone back home! I love you all very much. I apologize for not getting postcards out to a lot of you yet. I ran out of stamps! Eek! I'll try to find more this week. Plus, the sunflowers that Sean sent during the first week have finally been tossed. They looked sort-of okay last night, but they really looked awful this morning. I'll probably pick up some flowers in the covered market tomorrow. (I've been wanting to buy flowers, anyway.) My bangs are growing out, and I think I might have lost some weight. Double yay! I love you all very much, and I hope you're all doing well. Sorry for the random postings. I know they don't make a lot of sense sometimes. :P
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Just to prove my geekiness...
The classroom I have class in every day was used as Dumbledore's office in the first Harry Potter movie!
!!!
So cool!!!
!!!
So cool!!!
Just to Clarify...
Hello, everyone!
I hope you're all doing well and having a relaxing July back in the States. I heard it's been really, really hot there. I hate to say it, but I'm wearing long sleeves right now (Reason #436 why I want to live in England). It's a pretty lazy day here in Oxford. Lots of tourist groups going around the colleges, so it's easier to stay indoors than to battle the crowds. I just got back from Boots, which is like a glorified CVS. I had to pick up some Germolene (which is like neosporen), and it burns like the Dickens!!! I felt like such a baby when I put it on and yelped. But, I'm tough. I can take it. (Mommy... will you kiss my boo-boo?)
So, yes. Today's rather slow. However, last night was the official Brasenose/American pub crawl. It was a flop, to be honest. Most of the pubs we stopped at were either closed, too busy, or refused to serve our gigantic group. There was supposed to be a designated drink at each pub (stuff like gin and tonics, and other lethal drinks), but I just opted for a cheap beer here and there. After about an hour I left early and was in bed by midnight.
Tonight, though, is Jessica's birthday! We've reserved the top floor of a wine bar (Copa) a few blocks away and that should be pretty fun. I'll probably stick to water or Pimm's tonight since we have a LONG day in London tomorrow! In fact, now that I think about it, I'll most likely sneak out early.
So, to clarify, I'm not in a constant drunken stupor here in Oxford. And, to clarify even further, each time I've mangled my ankle was completely without the aid of alcohol. And, I was even on flat ground. For some reason, I ankle just gives out without warning. It's bruised. I think that means it's healing. And, to clarify to the extreme, I've not become obsessed with shopping. Yes, I've bought 4 pairs of shoes. BUT (still with me, Dad?), it's all within reason. Really. I had to get a pair of slide-on flats since my air cast doesn't fit in my normal pair. I found a sale, two pairs for 15 pounds. The salesman was really nice and we chatted for quite a while, and as I was leaving he offered me a third pair for free. So, you see? Good price! And, they're sturdy and have cushioning.
As for getting all of my junk home, I think I've got it covered as well. No worries!
For those of you who care, but didn't know, I posted about 50 pictures on my Flickr account yesterday. This address should get you there: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auddieellie/sets/72157600700932911/
Tomorrow is London! I'm very excited. We're leaving in the morning (no class!) and eventually seeing Love's Labours Lost at The Globe! It isn't my first choice of Shakespeare's plays, but it'll be fun nonetheless. Right now we're reading Midsummer Night's Dream, which I love. I wish we could see THAT at the Globe! Instead, we'll be seeing it next week at Trinity College, here in Oxford.
Speaking of which, I need to work on my Midsummer essay. I'd love to hear how all of you are doing! Leave a comment and tell me what you've been up to, if you have the time.
I hope you're all doing well and having a relaxing July back in the States. I heard it's been really, really hot there. I hate to say it, but I'm wearing long sleeves right now (Reason #436 why I want to live in England). It's a pretty lazy day here in Oxford. Lots of tourist groups going around the colleges, so it's easier to stay indoors than to battle the crowds. I just got back from Boots, which is like a glorified CVS. I had to pick up some Germolene (which is like neosporen), and it burns like the Dickens!!! I felt like such a baby when I put it on and yelped. But, I'm tough. I can take it. (Mommy... will you kiss my boo-boo?)
So, yes. Today's rather slow. However, last night was the official Brasenose/American pub crawl. It was a flop, to be honest. Most of the pubs we stopped at were either closed, too busy, or refused to serve our gigantic group. There was supposed to be a designated drink at each pub (stuff like gin and tonics, and other lethal drinks), but I just opted for a cheap beer here and there. After about an hour I left early and was in bed by midnight.
Tonight, though, is Jessica's birthday! We've reserved the top floor of a wine bar (Copa) a few blocks away and that should be pretty fun. I'll probably stick to water or Pimm's tonight since we have a LONG day in London tomorrow! In fact, now that I think about it, I'll most likely sneak out early.
So, to clarify, I'm not in a constant drunken stupor here in Oxford. And, to clarify even further, each time I've mangled my ankle was completely without the aid of alcohol. And, I was even on flat ground. For some reason, I ankle just gives out without warning. It's bruised. I think that means it's healing. And, to clarify to the extreme, I've not become obsessed with shopping. Yes, I've bought 4 pairs of shoes. BUT (still with me, Dad?), it's all within reason. Really. I had to get a pair of slide-on flats since my air cast doesn't fit in my normal pair. I found a sale, two pairs for 15 pounds. The salesman was really nice and we chatted for quite a while, and as I was leaving he offered me a third pair for free. So, you see? Good price! And, they're sturdy and have cushioning.
As for getting all of my junk home, I think I've got it covered as well. No worries!
For those of you who care, but didn't know, I posted about 50 pictures on my Flickr account yesterday. This address should get you there: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auddieellie/sets/72157600700932911/
Tomorrow is London! I'm very excited. We're leaving in the morning (no class!) and eventually seeing Love's Labours Lost at The Globe! It isn't my first choice of Shakespeare's plays, but it'll be fun nonetheless. Right now we're reading Midsummer Night's Dream, which I love. I wish we could see THAT at the Globe! Instead, we'll be seeing it next week at Trinity College, here in Oxford.
Speaking of which, I need to work on my Midsummer essay. I'd love to hear how all of you are doing! Leave a comment and tell me what you've been up to, if you have the time.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Happy Birthday, America!
I think tonight might be something of a slower night for me. We'll see. For now, I have a few moments to write! Every day in Oxford gets better and better, but every day I spend out on the town means more work is piling up back at BNC. Tonight I'll have to crank out two papers, finish reading Macbeth, read Love's Labours Lost, and then start on a paper about that as well. Being a slacker is not safe when you have a whole semester's worth of work to do in a few weeks!
So. Yesterday was America Day! Hooray! We celebrated by running around the quad with sparklers, being extremely loud, and playing flip cup and beer pong. Good stuff! Even better - me and Angie won! Wooot!!!
After that, we all headed into the BNC pub. That's right, folks. The pub is about a 30 second walk from the door of my room. I love it. Jessica and I sat with about a dozen of the British BNC kids and tried to follow along with their really bizzare drinking games. It was absolutely hilarious. Plus, they go and play every night, so Jessica and I will probably go back for a few hours tonight. (Don't worry. Plenty of time for homework.) The two main people we met were AK and Tim - who challenged us Americans to a cricket match! Mwahahahahaha. I'm so stoked. Tonight, I think we're teaching them Thumper or beer pong. Or both. Should be fun.
After that, the Oakland gang all wandered around, looking for a pub or bar that was open past 11pm and had people our age in it. No luck. We ended up at a wine bar, where we were definitely the loudest people (that's usually the case). There was a bar that was supposed to be an America, down-home southern food sort of place... but it sucked. I left early with a few of the other girls and was asleep by midnight.
I got the cutest shoes today!!! I know, you're all thrilled, right? They're awesome. I took pictures. If I can figure it out, I'll start posting pics from all the things I've been doing. (I know I've been saying that for days, but I really mean it!) Everything here is ridiculously expensive. If it doesn't warm up soon, I'll break down and buy some sort of fleece pull-over. I see loads of locals bundled up in coats and scarves, whereas I'm just in a sweatshirt.
Speaking of which - hoodies. Apparently, they're the ultimate tourist indication. Only Americans and tourists wear hoodies here. And backpacks, but that's more understandable. So, I'm trying to stay away from my hoodies as much as possible. Thank goodness I brought a sweater! Plus, every girl here wears cut canvas flats (like my Rocket Dogs, if ya know what I mean). They're in every store, and not too expensive!
It's raining again, but I think it's hilarious. British weather makes me laugh. Plus, I don't mind the rain, so it's all good. Even better, now that I've waterproofed all of my shoes and I'll do my bags as well.
Great. Now I feel guilty for writing in this instead of working on my paper(s). I'll do another update once I'm more caught up.
So. Yesterday was America Day! Hooray! We celebrated by running around the quad with sparklers, being extremely loud, and playing flip cup and beer pong. Good stuff! Even better - me and Angie won! Wooot!!!
After that, we all headed into the BNC pub. That's right, folks. The pub is about a 30 second walk from the door of my room. I love it. Jessica and I sat with about a dozen of the British BNC kids and tried to follow along with their really bizzare drinking games. It was absolutely hilarious. Plus, they go and play every night, so Jessica and I will probably go back for a few hours tonight. (Don't worry. Plenty of time for homework.) The two main people we met were AK and Tim - who challenged us Americans to a cricket match! Mwahahahahaha. I'm so stoked. Tonight, I think we're teaching them Thumper or beer pong. Or both. Should be fun.
After that, the Oakland gang all wandered around, looking for a pub or bar that was open past 11pm and had people our age in it. No luck. We ended up at a wine bar, where we were definitely the loudest people (that's usually the case). There was a bar that was supposed to be an America, down-home southern food sort of place... but it sucked. I left early with a few of the other girls and was asleep by midnight.
I got the cutest shoes today!!! I know, you're all thrilled, right? They're awesome. I took pictures. If I can figure it out, I'll start posting pics from all the things I've been doing. (I know I've been saying that for days, but I really mean it!) Everything here is ridiculously expensive. If it doesn't warm up soon, I'll break down and buy some sort of fleece pull-over. I see loads of locals bundled up in coats and scarves, whereas I'm just in a sweatshirt.
Speaking of which - hoodies. Apparently, they're the ultimate tourist indication. Only Americans and tourists wear hoodies here. And backpacks, but that's more understandable. So, I'm trying to stay away from my hoodies as much as possible. Thank goodness I brought a sweater! Plus, every girl here wears cut canvas flats (like my Rocket Dogs, if ya know what I mean). They're in every store, and not too expensive!
It's raining again, but I think it's hilarious. British weather makes me laugh. Plus, I don't mind the rain, so it's all good. Even better, now that I've waterproofed all of my shoes and I'll do my bags as well.
Great. Now I feel guilty for writing in this instead of working on my paper(s). I'll do another update once I'm more caught up.
Monday, July 2, 2007
The Update
So, here's a run-down of happenings.
Took a little tour of the town today, led by Connery. It's much more compact than I thought. Plus, the weather gets better each day. The weekend is supposed to be beautiful!
Alright, I'm going to go and try to get ahold of my parents, or something. I'll start posting pictures soon, hopefully!
- Got my internet to work!
- Got my luggage (finally) from Northwest/British Airways with nearly everything intact. Some nail polish opened up, but nothing was ruined.
- Skipped going to the pub in order to do homework. Blah.
- Decided that my best course of action will be to get a pay-as-you-go cell for about 30 pounds, since my cell phone is a piece of junk. (And, I can get a cute new phone!)
- Oxford is AMAZING!
- Moved into Brasenose College (BNC). My room has an awesome view of a gigantic stained glass window belonging to the church next door. Once I get a chance, I'll post pictures of the room, and whatever else is on my camera.
- Bought a present for daddy!
- Mailed out postcards to relatives and the guys. Still have to do that for everyone else.
- Figured out the general layout of the city.
- Got tix to the HP5 movie, for next week, with Christie. Should be cool. Did you know that when you buy movie tix, they even tell you what part of the theatre you have to sit in? Bizzare.
- Also bizzare - the UK has about 38,000 Elvis impersonators. Just so ya know.
- Saw real, live British guys playing cricket in the park!
- Also saw BNC guys playing croquet on the quad. How pimp is that?!
Took a little tour of the town today, led by Connery. It's much more compact than I thought. Plus, the weather gets better each day. The weekend is supposed to be beautiful!
Alright, I'm going to go and try to get ahold of my parents, or something. I'll start posting pictures soon, hopefully!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Ridiculousness
Alright. I think I’m actually going to survive the next day and half, and find myself in
And, if you’ve seen the itinerary that I sent out, the flight numbers posted there are wrong. What happened was, NWA canceled my flight to
After a few hours, I got it all straightened out with NWA (they were very nice about it), and now I’m back to the original plan of going to
Also, the plans for renting an apartment in
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Cant Take the STRESS! *tweaks out*
Ahhh! So stressed out.
I leave Thursday afternoon.
I still have to:
Get dressed.
Get all of my stuff from Sean's place.
Write 3 essays.
Haggle over grades with 2 professors.
Visit my grandparents.
Return crap at Target.
Set up my computer for my little sister.
Get to Oakland from State.
Return library books.
Do Laundry.
MOVE OUT OF APARTMENT BEFORE 9pm tonight.
Find an extra few thousand dollars for my trip.
PACK/figure out what the hell to take
waterproof my shoes
figure out a cell phone solution
find a few thousand more dollars
get on the freakin' plane
I don't know if I'll make it. I have so much to do before I fly out!
Hah. So instead, I'm writing on this thing.
Wish me luck!
I leave Thursday afternoon.
I still have to:
Get dressed.
Get all of my stuff from Sean's place.
Write 3 essays.
Haggle over grades with 2 professors.
Visit my grandparents.
Return crap at Target.
Set up my computer for my little sister.
Get to Oakland from State.
Return library books.
Do Laundry.
MOVE OUT OF APARTMENT BEFORE 9pm tonight.
Find an extra few thousand dollars for my trip.
PACK/figure out what the hell to take
waterproof my shoes
figure out a cell phone solution
find a few thousand more dollars
get on the freakin' plane
I don't know if I'll make it. I have so much to do before I fly out!
Hah. So instead, I'm writing on this thing.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Travel Journal Entry Numero Uno!
So, here's the deal-io.
This is going to be my shiny new TRAVEL JOURNAL!
I know, you're all dancing around unable to contain your excitment.
Calm down! It's much easier to read when you're sitting still.
I'm writing this not only for my own record, but also for the handful of people who want to live vicariously through me while I'm abroad. Friends, family, co-workers, strangers ... you're all welcome to watch for updates. Hopefully I'll be able to upload pictures pretty regularly, especially since I'm bringing my nifty laptop with me.
For those of you interested, here's the overview of my next month and a half:
This is going to be my shiny new TRAVEL JOURNAL!
I know, you're all dancing around unable to contain your excitment.
Calm down! It's much easier to read when you're sitting still.
I'm writing this not only for my own record, but also for the handful of people who want to live vicariously through me while I'm abroad. Friends, family, co-workers, strangers ... you're all welcome to watch for updates. Hopefully I'll be able to upload pictures pretty regularly, especially since I'm bringing my nifty laptop with me.
For those of you interested, here's the overview of my next month and a half:
- Fly out to London on June 28th and somehow get to Oxford.
- Throughout the month of July, take a class about British dramas and theatre with Prof. Brian Connery at Brasenose College (BNC), which is part of the University of Oxford.
- Study multiple plays and SEE THEM PERFORMED with the class. So far, I know we're doing Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labours Lost, and Macbeth, along with a few more. Plus, we're going to theatres like the National Theatre, the Globe, and the Swan in Stratford-upon-Avon
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Release Party! I'm totally going. It's in London, and it's pretty impossible to get into. But, I'm sure there will be a few thousand fans hanging around outside, and I'll be one of them! Probably won't dress up, though. That's just a little too much.
- London, Cambridge, Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury, and a few places in between are all on my list of "excursions".
- SEAN! My wonderful boyfriend is joining me out in Oxford at the end of my term. Once that's finished, we'll be staying in either Oxford or London for another week, then we'll go to Paris for a few nights, and then back to northern London to visit his relatives. Seeing him after a month will definitely be the best part of this trip.
- Come home! I'll be back in Michigan on August 8th. That gives me about 40 days to make my mark in England.
So, there you have it. A brief overview. It'll probably change drastically over the next few months. I'll try to post often and keep it somewhat interesting. But, if you don't hear from me for a few days, email me! I might have fallen into the Thames or something.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Shower Epiphany
So in about a year (or less!), I'll be moving out of the student apartments and into a great little apartment complex in Rochester Hills. My friend found it and already toured it and everything.
It's odd. I don't really have many friends who are girls. In fact, right now I live with two guys. That took a bit of getting used to for my boyfriend. Anyway. The girl I might move in with is really nice, and we're really compatible.
Moving off campus would be a nice change, since there isn't any actual college life here. Plus, there's nothing to do for free and in walking distance, save for... well, walking around. Rather pitiful. If I'm not in class or at work (on campus, of course), then I'm sitting in my room being lazy and watching TV or wasting time online. I'm tired of it.
Rochester would be a great change. It's only 4 miles from campus (easy commute), and the area is fantastic. The public library is next door, as is the big park. About a block away is Starbucks and beyond that is the "main drag" of Main St, complete with bars, a bakery, boutiques, and other lovely things. I <3 it.
Back to the epiphany. I've been hankering after a dog for a while now. However, the apartment I live in is not pet-friendly. The apt. complex I'd move to with Marlene takes both cats and dogs! Plus, Marlene wants to get a teacup yorkie. What's better than getting a dog? Why, getting a roommate with a dog! All the playtime I want, next to no responsibilities, and no long-term commitment!
The more I think about it, the more it's shaping up in my mind. This move could be exactly what I need. Right now, I'm riding on the edge of a rut and about to be sucked in. If I can survive another semester or two as an on-campus resident then the move to R-Hills would be excellent.
Enough babbling. Back to Shakespeare. It's exam time.
It's odd. I don't really have many friends who are girls. In fact, right now I live with two guys. That took a bit of getting used to for my boyfriend. Anyway. The girl I might move in with is really nice, and we're really compatible.
Moving off campus would be a nice change, since there isn't any actual college life here. Plus, there's nothing to do for free and in walking distance, save for... well, walking around. Rather pitiful. If I'm not in class or at work (on campus, of course), then I'm sitting in my room being lazy and watching TV or wasting time online. I'm tired of it.
Rochester would be a great change. It's only 4 miles from campus (easy commute), and the area is fantastic. The public library is next door, as is the big park. About a block away is Starbucks and beyond that is the "main drag" of Main St, complete with bars, a bakery, boutiques, and other lovely things. I <3 it.
Back to the epiphany. I've been hankering after a dog for a while now. However, the apartment I live in is not pet-friendly. The apt. complex I'd move to with Marlene takes both cats and dogs! Plus, Marlene wants to get a teacup yorkie. What's better than getting a dog? Why, getting a roommate with a dog! All the playtime I want, next to no responsibilities, and no long-term commitment!
The more I think about it, the more it's shaping up in my mind. This move could be exactly what I need. Right now, I'm riding on the edge of a rut and about to be sucked in. If I can survive another semester or two as an on-campus resident then the move to R-Hills would be excellent.
Enough babbling. Back to Shakespeare. It's exam time.
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