A Final Cheers

So now I'm writing an entry not in the BFI Library, not during my Philosophy class, not on my lofted bed, but on my sunny patio back home in Mequon, Wisconsin.  

Being home is funny.  I like falling asleep in my own bed to my sound machine, but (oddly) I miss waking up and rummaging through our dishes to find a clean pan for my eggs.  I love always having toilet paper now, but I miss catching up with my roommates as we waited for one of our two bathrooms.  I love having real grocery stores here, but I miss being harassed to use the self-checkout.  I love being able to drive, but I miss walking.  I love being able to run again, (without pedestrians or bridges!) but I miss doing workout tapes with my roommates.  I love the comfort of my home, but I miss the uneasiness of new cities.  Most importantly, I love being surrounded by the people I love the most, but I miss developing friendships with my fellow students in the program and officemates at Parliament.

I think I have figured out why I feel so conflicted: I fell in love with London.  That city took me in and turned me into a confident and adventurous woman.  For this, London will always have part of my heart.  I think every person in our 130-person program changed for the better this semester, all developing in different ways. For me, it made me more open-minded.  I will eat random things now.  I'm cool with letting things develop without a plan.  I think I'm becoming more and more the best (*most relaxed, more patient) version of the person God intended me to become.

And for this, Mom and Dad, I owe you the world.  Thank you for your financial and emotional support.  Thank you for trusting me so much that you'd ship me 4,000 miles away to go live on my own.  Thank you for visiting me.  Thank you for being so flexible in terms of my ability to text and call you.  Thank you for your unceasing love.

And to you, thank you for reading this.  Thanks for coming on this amazing journey with me.  I hope you loved it as much as I did:)  Knowing I had the support and interest of my family and friends helped me to never feel alone.  It was because of you I kept writing; it was because of you I kept traveling.  Most importantly, it was because of you I kept growing.

For now and forever, Cheers.

C

Reunited and it feels so good!

My main man.

And I hope to continue reading many, many more pages for as long as I live.

Been There, Done That

As I look back on my time in London, I thought it'd be fun to list everything I did and saw in my four-month home.  Yes, everything-- museums, attractions, pubs, bars and restaurants.

So here's my list!  Four months in London, and I've got this to show for it:)  I would try to distinguish my favorite attractions, but honestly I've loved them all, so that'd be pointless.  I'd recommend nearly everything on this list.  

Museums

Museum of London

Museum of London- Docklands

Victoria and Albert Museum

British Museum

National Gallery

National Portrait Gallery

Natural History Museum

Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising

Churchill War Rooms

Other Attractions

Westminster Abbey

Tower of London, including seeing the Crown Jewels

Houses of Parliament

Courts of Wimbledon

Evensong at St. Paul’s Cathedral

Seeing Margaret Thatcher’s corpse in the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft

Prime Minister’s Questions

Big Ben Bell Tower Tour

Westminster Cathedral

Kensington Symphony Orchestra on the South Bank

Trafalgar Square

Mass at Brompton Oratory

Camden Market

Spitalfields Market

South Bank Market

Regents Park

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Hyde Park

One Republic concert at the O2 arena

St. James’ Park

Institute Francais Cinema

Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace

Changing of the horse guard

Afternoon tea at Kensington Palace

Musicals- Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre) and Jersey Boys (Prince Edward Theatre)

Notting Hill

Shopping on Oxford Street

Stonehenge

Borough Market

Liverpool Street Tour

Bath, England

Oxford, England

Harrods

Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station

Cruise on the River Thames

Pubs

The Wellington

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Punch and Judy’s

King George Inn

The Harp

The Windmill

Knight’s Templar

Ye Olde London

The Willow Walk

Ye Olde Cock Tavern

The Thirsty Bear

Princess Louise

The Chandos Opera Room

Hole in the Wall

White Heart

Bars/Clubs

The Monarch

Los Locos

Walkabout

Gordon’s Wine Bar

The Prop Store

O’Neills

Blues Kitchen

Wheelbarrow

KOKO

Adventure Bar

Zoo Bar

Piccadilly Institute

The Shoreditch

Cargo

Floripa

Roxy

Porterhouse

Ain’t Nothing But

Sports Café

Restaurants

Giraffe

Wahaca

Bar Boloud

Brasserie Blanc

Zizzi

Made in Italy

The Diner

The Bank of England

The Table Café

Las Iguanas

Azzurro

So that's what I've got.  Considering I balanced international travels, an internship, five classes and a limited budget, I am so proud of all I accomplished in London.  If you ever find yourself headed to Britain, please let me know and I can make some recommendations for you:)

Cheers,
C

The Final Countdown

To my chagrin, after Barcelona it became apparent that my time in London was rapidly coming to an end.  My laundry pile in the corner grew exponentially, and my food supply dwindled down to granola crumbs.  Believe me, it was all quite depressing!  To top it off, I was caught in quite a pickle: should I spend my last weeks in London prepping for final exams or roaming around this amazing city?  Don't fret, that pickle lasted about ten seconds.  The solution: I was to artfully balance studying and exploring.  Let's get to it.

On Friday, I was able to knock off one last museum from my list:  The British Museum, which was apparently named the 5th best museum in the world (how they judge that, I don't know).  I did think it was pretty cool, though!  I saw the Rosetta Stone, the key to the deciphering of hieroglyphics, and a very interesting exhibit about counterfeit money.  

Not your average museum, huh?  

The next morning one of my flatmates and I woke up early and walked two miles down the Thames, past the Borough, to find a local bakery that makes the world's most amazing and  elusive doughnuts.  St. John's Bakery only makes doughnuts from 9-11 am on Saturday mornings, so there was no time for kidding around.   We were women on a mission, and you could imagine our delight when we succeeded.  We each snagged both a lemon and a custard doughnut, and they were FREAKING fabulous. 

We go nuts for doughnuts.

When my stomach returned from its nirvana, I set off for Euston and wandered towards the Camden Market, a famous hub for hipsters.  I purchased super cool shorts for 15 pounds that satiated my never-ending attempt to always look "more British."  While in that area, my boyfriend and I checked out the gorgeous Regents Park, which was in full bloom.    

So many shops, so little time! (Don't worry, I am up for the challenge.)

Sigh.  Finally it is springtime in Regents Park.

Small mouse in front of *quite* a large flowerpot.

Mine eyes have seen FLOWERS!

On Sunday I spent the majority of my time studying and preparing my essays for final exams.  This may sound boring, but it did relieve some stress knowing I made big strides in finishing my work.  I did my studying at the BFI Library, a study space connected to the film institute on the South Bank.  This environment is perfect: quiet, with ample Wi-Fi and a muffin café right outside.

The studiousness continued on Monday, but not without a little fun!  To celebrate our last day of class (and the gorgeous London sun), some of my friends headed to an outdoor beer garden.  We cheered the amazing, once-in-a-lifetime circumstance that brought us together, and we celebrated finishing 75% of our college careers.

Smiles all around.

With four of my beautiful roommates.

I spent the rest of the night studying, but I took a break the next morning when I fulfilled a dream of my dad's: going to Wimbledon.  I'm not the most enthusiastic tennis fan, but I still loved it (get it? Like love, the tennis score?!).  The area was quaint, the tour was fabulous and the museum was really cool.  As an added bonus, our guide was quintessentially British, and that charmed me:)  As part of the tour, we got to take some fun pictures on Centre Court and behind the media desk. 

Following in my mama's footsteps!

Centre Court, where all the magic happens.

When that excursion ended Tuesday afternoon, I retreated back to Central London to (you guessed it) study.  But when I took my first exam on Wednesday, I was really pleased with how it went:)  Before hitting the books in preparation for the next day's exam, a few of my flatmates and I lounged in the sun under the London Eye.  We soaked in the rays and ate ice cream cones, unable to believe how close summer was.  Only two more days of exam cramming, luggage packing and general exhaustion stood between us and the pure bliss of summer.  

Tanning the back of your calves is very important, in case you didn't know. 

We could only afford to be reflective for so long, because there was still so much work to do!  That night I packed up the majority of my clothes and souvenirs.  Let me tell you, that was a crazy feeling.  

The next day I had my history exam, and I'm pleased to say that one went well also.  Plus after the test, I grabbed a roommate and went to Evensong at St. Paul's Cathedral, crossing yet another sight off my London bucket list.  The celebration was Anglican, so of course we didn't connect with it as much as we would have if it were Catholic, but I still enjoyed hearing the beautiful choir and seeing the gorgeous church.  (We also felt quite savvy, because unless you attend a service at St. Paul's the entrance fee is upwards of 20 pound!)

Studying for my final exam (Macroeconomics...blargh) was one of the hardest things I did all semester.  Every fibre of my being told me to do anything but study, including packing, running, and throwing away the 240 wine bottles our apartment had accumulated this semester.  What does 240 bottles look like, you ask?  Let me help you imagine:  

Clifton Fadiman said, "A bottle of wine begs to be shared."  We in 201 concur wholeheartedly.

Now you're probably thinking, 'Wine bottles? Give me a break, C.  That is not intellectual or cool, which contradicts everything you have been all semester long.'  But let me introduce a new spin on a stereotypical college picture, okay?   These wine bottles are a representation of the time our flat spent around our kitchen table getting to know each other.  So many friends were met over those bottles and such great conversations were shared.  I think these bottles show how our flat was different from the others.  Instead of coming home and asking each other, "How was your day?" we could go, "Hey, did your theology professor up your grade?" or "Hey, did your sister like the care package you sent her?"  We really invested time in getting to know each other, and that's a lot considering there were twelve of us!  So yes, as goofy as this myriad of wine bottles looks, it represents our love of fun and our love of each other.  

As you can imagine, carrying those bottles down six flights of stairs took FOREVER.  Also my arms wanted to fall right off!  So luckily I became tired enough to devote a few hours for some Econ review.  The studying really paid off on Friday, as turning in that exam at 3:30 was potentially the greatest feeling in the world.  Immediately I headed to a rooftop bar in Covent Market with two of my roommates to celebrate.  We headed home, finished packing and began the laborious task of eating all of our leftover food....so naturally, I was in heaven.

On top of the world (or at least on top of the bar).

Simply, Covent Garden is way too cool for me.

Around 11 we headed to the South Bank to check out The Prop Store, a makeshift bar created by the National Theatre entirely out of its old props.  How cool is that?  We danced for hours, and to top it off, we stopped by the local grill on the way home to indulge in our last order of cheesy chips ever :(  I question, how is possible for something to be that bad and that good at the same time?

One amazing semester, countless new friends.

When we came back to Conway, we had one thing to do: clean.  In three hours the rectors would come to take away our ID cards and help us load onto the bus.  It was a reality were were unwilling to accept.  In our hearts we were never leaving.

Cheers and I'll see you on the other side of the pond,

C

Vamos a La Playa

So now I have just returned from Barcelona, Spain, my last trip of the entire semester (tear!).  But boy, did I save the best for last!

My boyfriend and I arrived in Barcelona Thursday night, and we promptly noticed one thing: the signs were not in Spanish! What the heck!  They were actually in Catalan, a language from this Catalonia region of Spain, which mixes Spanish with a heavy French influence.  Therefore, it was really odd that we couldn’t read any of the signs.  Thankfully, the locals understood Spanish, so we were able to get on just fine.  

This sign demonstrates Barca's multilingual culture: you'll see welcome messages in Spanish, English, Catalan and French.  

At least at our hostel, speaking Spanish was unnecessary, since the workers were friendly and spoke flawless English.  One employee ensured us that even though it was nearly 11 pm, it wasn’t too late for dinner, so we walked about a mile away to an authentic Spanish place.  I talked a little with the waiter in Spanish, particularly asking him what was in a certain dish.  He answered so quickly that I could not understand him, but I didn’t want to seem stupid, so I just thanked him for the explanation and ordered the next dish I saw: paella marinara.  Paella is a traditional Spanish dish normally packed with rice and seafood, but I ordered the marinara kind, so it should just be rice and marinara sauce...right? WRONG.  OH SO WRONG.  Marinara, apparently, means seafood.  So I got the whole enchilada (figure of speech, not actually an enchilada): shrimp and mussels and all.  But the good news is I actually ate it!  It was pretty good, too, although I don’t know when I’ll order it again :)  This anecdote was just another example of how study abroad has made me more open to trying new things!

Not exactly what I had in mind, but I'll roll with it.

Friday, our first real day in Spain, was a doozie!  We woke up quite early and grabbed a fast breakfast, which for me will always be cafe y croissant con chocolate.  We then headed to La Sagrada Familia, a beautiful basilica the work of Antoni Gaudi.  What makes this cathedral so cool, besides its Art Nouveau architecture, is the fact it’s not done yet!  Construction began in 1882 and is expected to continue until the mid 21^st century.  The parts that were done, though, floored me.  The outside of the cathedral consists of three different facades, two of which are complete. The detailed and naturalistic Nativity Facade depicts Jesus’ birth; the harsh and bony Passion Facade shows scenes of Jesus’ death.  Yet the inside of the church is absolutely the most spectacular.  The architecture and light was something I had never seen before.  But don’t take my word for it!  Art critic Rainer Zerbst once said "it is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art.”  Not too shabby praise, eh?

Too cute to drink.  Just kidding, I downed it in ten seconds.

Outside La Sagrada Familia.

The Passion Facade was my favorite.  This scene in particular shows Pilate's worry and uncertainty as he condemns Jesus to death.

In the words of Gaudi, "The amount of light should be just right-- not too much, not too little-- since having too much or too little light can both cause blindness."

HOLY COW!

We then walked uphill to Park Guell, another Guadi work, which was constructed from 1900-1914.  The park was intended to be another city within Barcelona built only for the elite, where they could live free of smoke and city congestion.  Yet when that idea failed, they made the enclosed area a park.  Lucky us!  The park seemed to go on forever; it was filled with winding paths that led to gorgeous views of the city.  Interestingly enough, it also contained the world’s largest continuous bench, which was totally made of mosaics.

99% sure this was the coolest park I will ever see.

Cheesin'

Later, we headed back to the main part of the city and walked down La Rambla, the large, touristy street.  When we turned a corner we found the Boqueria Market—what a gem!  We got fresh fruit smoothies (I had coconut and raspberry), chicken empanadas and a bowl of fresh tropical fruit.  Fueled by our purchases, we explored a little more, including stopping by Plaza Real, checking out the outside of the Cathedral, seeing the Botanical Gardens and walking through Barcelona’s own Arc de Triumpf.  

I can eat it all, no?

Palm tree loving!

Before we knew it, we headed back to the hostel to clean up a bit before our night out on the town.  It began at the Plaza Espana, where we watched a Magic Fountain show, quite similar to what you can see at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.  We then headed to what now is a mall (it used to be an old bullfighting arena) to grab a Catalan dinner.  Guys, this was SO exciting, because after I had some small talk with the waitress (in Spanish, of course), she even asked me if I wanted a Spanish or an English menu!  It was such a compliment :) Alas, I took the English menu, and subsequently I enjoyed a CHICKEN dish.  Now that's what I'm talking about.  We concluded the night by heading back to Plaza Real and seeing a Flamenco show in an intimate Spanish club.  The dancing was so cool and passionate; I just loved it!  We ended the night by strolling up and down the plazas and grabbing some churros con nutella, which were of course sensational but gone way too soon.

Saturday we also wanted an equally jam-packed day, so once again we rose and indulged in cafe y un croissant con chocolate.  We then headed back towards the Plaza Espana area of town, about 20 minutes south of our hostel.  There we walked to the Olympic Stadium, which was built when Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics.  While we were in the area, we checked out the Montjuic Castle, which offered beautiful views of the city.  I enjoyed the castle because it was unlike others we had seen before; it was much more open and simple.  It’s very Barcelona to be against the grain like that, and I like that :)

Inside the Olympic Park... I wanted to run on that track SO badly!

The view from the Montjuic Castle.

We then headed to the boardwalk and strolled along the beach.  We even got to soak in some sun rays on some random beach chairs until a man came up and demanded 6 Euro from us.  It was just SO relaxing...I felt like I was on a vacation!  On the way back to our hostel, we stopped in the Botanical Gardens one more time, where we came across people rowing in a beautiful manmade lake.  So of course we did it too, and I enjoyed a beautiful 30-minute boat ride, a la Little Mermaid in the “Kiss the Girl” scene.  

The beach! Oh, how we've missed you!

Rowing like a champion today

The grateful passenger:)

When it ended, we walked back home through a beautiful organic market, but we unfortunately we could not stop to shop because we had to prep for tonight’s activity: a trip to Camp Nou (Europe’s largest football stadium, which seats nearly 100,000) to watch Barcelona Football Club take on Levante.  I’m not a football fan per se, but calling my boyfriend one would be an understatement.  He was PSYCHED.  We’re talking kid before Christmas, teen before getting a license psyched.  Still, I did have the time of my life.  We had amazing seats (originally 134 Euro a pop!) and only paid 120E total for them.  My boyfriend helped explain all the rules to me, and we even bought a scarf to get truly into the spirit.  It was so fun to how into it the crowd got.  Getting home after the game was kind of an epic, considering Barcelona’s metro system is nowhere near as efficient as London’s Tube.  However, we did eventually make it back to the city, so we stopped for tapas and a drink before calling it a night.

At the market.  I wasn't sure if this man was going to pickpocket me or not, so I did not take the abrazo, but it's a super sweet gesture.

Awwww yeah it's futból time!

The next morning we departed early and headed out to the airport.  By 2 pm we were back in London, and although I was happy to touch down, I was so sad about leaving Barca.  I do not regret one thing we did there— I felt we were extremely efficient and saw a TON.  However, I do feel like there are things I still wanted to do.  I cannot wait to return again someday.  This was certainly my favorite trip and I recommend it wholeheartedly.  The city always felt safe (after all, people stay awake until 5 am here!) and everything seemed cheap compared to London.  On top of that, it is a walkable city—and who doesn’t like to stroll around in the gorgeous sunshine? Sigh.  Just what a spectacular, spectacular way to end my international travels here in Europe.   I will miss you Barca, but be ready because I’ll be back. 

Cheers,
C

PS...Let me also wholeheartedly recommend the Barcelona Central Garden Hostel if you ever go.  It was located in a central part of the city (right by Plaza Catalunya) and was extremely nice, including fans and TVs in the bedrooms and recently renovated bathroom facilities.  Coming from a wannabe hostel expert, this place was the Bomb Diggity.