Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Goodbye England!

Just a little video about my thoughts on leaving. Hope you Enjoy.

xoxo,

Em

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Instead of Revising...

I'm not sure exactly who I want to be yet, but last night, cooking a big meal of baked ziti for some of the best friends I'll ever have and eating it straight out of the pan, felt pretty right.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Thanksgiving...In May...In England

Sarah and Laura had the brilliant idea of cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the Brits. It was kind of funny to watch them stare at all of the food in amazement that they were supposed to eat all of it!

I also loved fielding questions like "Do you give presents at Thanksgiving?"

It really gets you thinking about how silly the Thanksgiving traditions are though and it was definitely an experience I'll never forget.

Christina, Phil, and I decided to match for the event. Go England!

Mmm. Salad :) Greens, walnuts, dried cranberries, oranges, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and greek dressing!

Garlic mashed potatoes!

L.C. rolling green beans in bacon.

Learnin' up on how to carve a Turkey!

Look at the spread!

Eat up!


Love to all!

Trip to The Ashton Memorial

Way back in my entries that were still concerned with giving you history lessons about Lancaster, I mentioned that Lancaster was famous for its linoleum. Well, the man behind that industry, Lord Ashton, has a memorial dedicated to him on the top of a beautifully high hill in Lancaster.

A couple of weeks ago, Laura, Sarah and I hiked up there to meet Toni and her visiting friend, Emily, for a picnic and an afternoon of taking in the views.

The walk up was spectacular. We had to walk through these woods that seriously reminded me of an enchanted forest.



I'm beginning to understand the allure of British summers. Even though most days are still very cold, the few warm days are incredible and the sky here is a shade of blue we just don't have in Missouri.




There is also a butterfly house and a small zoo on the grounds. We found the most adorable snuggly birds!



I didn't have my camera this day, so all the photo credit goes to Sarah. I hope you can appreciate how beautiful it was!

Love to all.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

It's Spring! Sort of...

England is a strange place. It's May. The flowers are out. But it's still 50 degrees here every day.

My essay scores are starting to roll in, and I'm so far pleased with the results. I'm starting to study for my finals, and am starting to get excited about this semester (well, two terms, really) to be over and to enjoy those beautiful summer months where there is little hanging over my head.

At least the flowers are really, really pretty.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Barcelona

So I realize I'm writing this almost an entire month after I was in Barcelona, but I hope you'll forgive me. I just really hated giving up any moment I had with Erin to do much of anything.

Luckily, Barcelona was so fantastic it literally feels as though I was there just a few days ago. The entire experience was so incredible. I mean, come on. A European vacation with Erin? There isn't really anything better.

We started our journey unbelievably early in the morning (3:30 am!) with a cab ride to Liverpool. We had a lovely driver named John who was prompt, nice, and let us sleep peacefully in the back seat. We were so excited (especially Erin) when we got to the airport and realized it was the John Lennon Airport. The motto is "Above Us Only Sky." How cool is that?


We flew EasyJet to Barcelona which ended up being lovely because it meant we got to walk on the runway at the Barcelona Airport. It was literally the first time in 6 months I had been outside without a coat on. It was amazing.

We took the Aerobus into Barcelona. We were a little confused about how to request a stop, so we ended up getting off at Plaza Catalanya, instead of Plaza Espagna, where our hotel was located. It was so beautiful and we were so excited, though, that we didn't mind the lovely 30 minute walk through the heart of the city.



When we got to the hotel, my friends Christina and Laura (who were at the beginning of what ended up being a 5 week backpacking trip around Europe...thanks again volcano!) were already waiting for us. I was so happy that Erin got to meet some of my friends and we all got to spend some time in Barcelona together.

We started our journey by walking back to La Rambla (which is by Plaza Catalanya) and having our picture taken over and over again by Laura Clark who decided to be Erin and I's personal paparazzo. We walked for what seemed like forever until settling on lunch at this nice restaurant by the beach. Luckily, the journey there was filled with awesome street performers and wonderful views. Enter our first pitcher of Sangria and an amazing sandwich and salad.




Next, we went and sat on the beach. I've only been to the beach a few times in my life and I was so excited to lay in the sand. It was a bit chilly (hence Christina's hobo getup), and we had some less than polite encounters with the locals, but all in all, it was fun.


Next, we headed to the famous Gaudi Cathedral, the Sagrada Familia and stood in awe of the construction for quite awhile. We got there too late in the evening to really make paying the admission fee worth it, but it was marvelous to look at from the outside.



After the church, we took a break and went for a nap. We bought a T10 card so we could use the subway to get back to our hotel and it was great.

That night, we met up again for dinner and shared some paella and tapas and of course, lots of Sangria. We also booked reservations at Ice Barcelona, a bar made entirely of ice! It was so cold, but a really awesome, once in a lifetime, opportunity. To warm up, we spent our night sitting on the beach, testing each other with Harry Potter trivia (ok, really Erin, Laura and Christina tested each other and I listened) and taking in the experience.




We said our goodbyes to Laura and Christina that night and headed back to the hotel. The next morning, we set our sights high and went out to find Parc Guell without much clue where it was. We also wanted to have a picnic lunch. We finally found the Parc, big loaf of bread, fruit, and olives in hand, and began what would turn out to be one of the most beautiful days of my life.

It's hard to describe how incredibly beautiful Parc Guell is. It was the brainchild of Guadi, and no matter where you look, there is something that catches your eye. Additionally, the view of Barcelona is incredible.




Our last night in Barcelona we spent once more eating tapas, paella, and drinking Sangria. We also spent a good amount of time tending to our blistered and swollen feet-a truly small price to pay for our amazing time.

The next morning, we headed back to cold, windy, rainy England, but I think we both left a bit of ourselves in Barcelona.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Volcanoes

I still need to blog about Barcelona. I suck, I know. I've just been happy and busy.

For now, for those wondering, my travel back to Lancaster is in limbo. I'm hoping to arrive Monday morning, but nothing is for sure. It could be quite a few days until I get out of the states. Stupid volcanoes.

Posts to come once I finish my final essay, get over my jetlag from going back to the UK (when that eventually happens) and have the emotional energy to go through the pictures of Erin and I's time together.

Love to all.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

London Swings

I had an amazing time in London. There are loads of pictures up on facebook, but I'll share some of my adventures here, too.

Day 1

My amazing host, Francisca picked me up from Euston and we headed straight to the British Museum. It was super awesome and I loved seeing my first mummy. Then, we headed out for cocktails and AMAZING Mexican food from Wahaca. It was a great start to my trip.



Day 2

Francisca and I headed into the city early to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The guys with the big furry hats are awesome!

Later, we walked through Hyde Park (in the rain...) and then went to see Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.






Day 3

I went on a free walking tour through the same company as we used in Edinburgh. It was awesome, and I got some great shots of the city.




Day 4

Time to go home! But first, Francisca and I went on a hike of sorts along the North Downs. It was beautiful.


Love to all!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Quick Update

Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to London for a few days. Blog entry and pictures to follow for sure.

Next up, Erin arrives Sunday! (There should be some kind of punctuation for when something is more than exclamation point.)

Monday, we're heading to Barcelona (yeah, yeah, yeah, it was supposed to be a surprise, but I ruin everything).

Friday, we'll both be flying back to the states. Cuz that's right, I'm coming home for a 2 week visit :)

Lots more to come.

Love you all (and see many of you soon!)

Friday, March 12, 2010

Having a bad day?

Here's what gets me through mine:

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Trip to Bath/Stonehenge

Finally! An exciting weekend! (and a blog not about school work!)

This weekend, my friends and I went to Bath and Stonehenge on a trip organized by the University travel agency. We took a bus to Bath, and since we had all had, ahem, a "long night" beforehand, the 8:00 am departure was a bit difficult. But we pushed through and pretended to be all smiles.



Also, while stuck on the bus, somewhere in The Midlands, we saw the bluest skies we've seen since we got here. Too bad we were stuck on a bus :(



Our first stop in Bath was the Bath Abbey. It was founded in the 7th Century and most of the current construction dates back to the 12th and 16th centuries. As my friends and I commented, there were tiles on the floor with inscriptions "older than America!" Also, the church was absolutely beautiful. It is one of the few remaining Abbeys of its kind that was not severely damaged during WWII. It was pretty awesome.




Next, we stopped at the reason Bath has such a funny name: The Roman Baths. 2000 years ago, when the Romans first took over England, they found the hot springs flowing through Bath and built a temple/bath house/gathering area. (Before that, it is believed the springs were used as a worshipping place of the Ancient Celts.) The Romans believed the waters had healing powers and that Minerva accepted offerings and gave her blessings from the steaming baths. What remains there today is the bath area (still untreated and as true to the Roman form as possible), the drainage system, and a museum that explains all the ruins that remain and how the Baths were used thousands of years ago. It was pretty neat, but we all (ESPECIALLY CHRISTINA) had trouble not diving into the waters to warm up from the frigid weather.




The next morning, we all rallied from our night out (which for Christina, Phil and I really meant sharing a beer and going back to the hostel to play Scrabble) and got on the bus to Stonehenge. Stonehenge was amazing. It's hard to really understand the size of the stones from pictures, but they were massive, and marveling at how in the world it was constructed, let alone the rocks that form it (which are from Ireland and Wales-many of hundreds of miles away) got there was awesome. Plus, getting to see Stonehenge was one of those life goals that I get to check off my list.




This weekend was a much needed a very welcome break from the stress of essay writing and general schoolwork, but now it is back to the books.

Much love to you all!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Coping Mechanisms

Nutella and Oreos may be the only things that get me through this next month and my six papers.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Hmmmm

One of the things they don't really mention a lot when you get ready for studying abroad is that a lot of times you'll be...well, studying.

I know my entries about going on adventures and trips are much more exciting, but I've got five 10+ page papers due in 4 weeks, and apart from my booked-long-ago trip to Bath/Stonehenge in two weeks, I'll mostly be studying and writing for the next month or so.

My apologies for letting you down. I mean, trust me, I wish that studying abroad really just mean going around Europe for 6 months, having adventures, an unlimited bank account, constant internet access, and inexhaustible energy.

But it's doesn't. Also, it's cold. And rainy. I mean really, I knew I was coming to the UK and I couldn't expect nice weather, but the day-to-day climate here is downright depressing.

I can't wait for spring and hikes and studying under trees.

I should have gone to Fiji.

Love to all.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Love!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

I'll be spending the day getting ready for the last performance of Vagina Monologues and wishing I was home with my Valentine.

I know that Valentine's Day can be a contentious issue, but for anyone who doesn't feel like celebrating, I then urge you to remember the important work that the V-Day foundation is doing and spend this day working to end violence against women around the world.

For more information, check out their website: http://www.vday.org/home

Valentine's Day love to all.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Birthday!

So, my apologies for a major fail on postings, but I've been so sick I've had little to report on. I'm finally feeling better and have celebrated the last two days accordingly.

Tonight, we went to 1725, a tapas bar in Lancaster. It was amazingly delicious. One of the highlights was my delicious cocktail.



The other highlight was this amazing fudge cake. Unfortunately, I'd finished the cocktail by the time it arrived and didn't quite have the presence of mind to remember to photograph it for your viewing pleasure.

I've had a really great birthday. Yesterday, the ladies all cooked me dinner and made mimosas. Check out my facebook for pictures of the debauchery. I'm really enjoying not having to end my age with "teen" and excited about this next decade of my life and all the excitement it will hold.

Love to you all.