I am home.

Samuel Johnson once said, "By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show." While I know I have so much more of the world to see, London has been a truly great place. I immersed myself into a culture completely unknown, and gained so much in return. I will miss a million things, for instance; catching the bus to Shoreditch, wandering around Covent Garden and eating at Food for Thought, running in Regents Park, walking along the Thames, braving the crowds on Oxford Street, the hot and sweaty tube, my morning coffee and walks to class, nights out @ GBK with the boys, cheesy chips after a night of drinking, and most of all, laughing the nights away with my sweetheart.

My last night in London was very memorable. And while forcing myself passed security was so incredibly hard, I have to believe that the best is yet to come. My love affair with London is now over, and one more chapter in my life is complete. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, London for giving me so much this fall and for introducing me to some of the most amazing people I have ever met. It will not be long till you see my face again.

Why do all good things come to an end?

I leave London tomorrow afternoon. I am in shock over how fast this semester has gone by. I'm sad to leave this amazing city, and to have to say goodbye to someone that has been by my side through it all. I have had an unbelievable experience, one so great it's almost hard to put it into words. I feel as though I have done a lot of growing up here, and have learned a lot about life. I have had the opportunity to be completely on own. I have laughed a lot, seen so much more of the world, and have finally found myself. I am such a better person because of this experience, and for that I will always be grateful.

Professional Ice Skaters

Yes, we went again. This time to the rink @ Kew Gardens.

Sunday (FUNday)

Yesterday was a very exciting day, as I got to finally got to take a ride on the London Eye and go ice skating at the beautiful Somerset House. Before the Eye, we wandered through a German christmas market on the Thames, and had a Bratwurst sandwich and mulled wine. On the ice rink, although not the most graceful of skaters, Luke and I managed to make it the entire hour without falling! I was very pleased to say the least. It was a very very fun and memorable night...
THE LONDON EYE






ICE SKATING @ SOMERSET HOUSE

Punk, again.

Only two more weeks,

I only have two weeks left in London. I really cannot believe how quickly time has flown by. I'm very excited to get home for Christmas, and to see my family and my friends (both of whom I miss SO MUCH) However, I'm going to miss it here more than I could have ever imagined. I have truly been having the time of my life. I haven't been this happy in a long time and I truly cannot express into words just how grateful I am for this experience, and for these lovely people:

Thanksgiving in Brighton

This past weekend, a group of us headed to Luke's house in Brighton, where Hannah and I cooked the most amazing faux Thanksgiving meal, complete with all the holiday favorites. I can honestly say we surpassed my expectations, as each dish came out just right and everyone was more than satisfied with the outcome. It was delicious! After dinner we indulged in homemade pumpkin pie, that Hannah and I made as well the night before. It was quite a struggle trying to find certain ingredients in English supermarkets, but it definitely gave us quite a laugh and added to the experience.

After our meal, we put our dancing shoes on and headed out into the cold for a night out on the town. I had a blast dancing the night away. After a breakfast hash and some roaming around town, we had some tea and headed back into London. It was nice to be somewhere different for the night and so much fun spending time with such amazing people.
Here are some photos of our meal, yummy.

I have so much to be thankful for.

As Thanksgiving rolls around, I feel somewhat sad that i'll be in class all day and won't be sitting down to a well cooked turkey come the late afternoon. However, Hannah and I will attempt to cook a proper Thanksgiving meal on Saturday, in Brighton. I'm looking forward to cooking my favorite dishes for the first time, especially for my favorite people, and praying they turn out well. No matter where I am and when I celebrate it, I will be surrounded by people that I care about, and that is all that matters. I am truly grateful for the wonderful life I have been given.

I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for my happiness.
I am thankful for this experience.
I am thankful for you.

The Cold Keep Getting Colder

Time has been flying by over the last few weeks, unfortunately. Last Saturday Luke and I went to Borough Market, walked along the Thames, and spent the earlier part of the evening walking with the masses down Regents Street. It was a lovely day and the Christmas lights and snowmen were beautiful. This week I had a difficult ethics essay due, but Hannah managed to score us VIP passes to Death Cab. I hadn't seen then play in a few years, it was a great show and definitely brought back a lot of memories. I only have a few more weeks lefts and I am trying to make the most of every single minute. Lots of things coming up- Ice Skating at Somerset House, London Eye, and many fun nights ahead.
It has suddenly gotten so incredibly cold, I can't stop talking about it. It's about thirty degrees every night, and never gets over 45 degrees in the day. I'll admit I was excited to leave the LA sunshine for a while, but any cold to that degree is pretty unbearable, especially for someone used to wearing her sunglasses everyday of the year. Last night, after waiting for a bus for twenty minutes with Hannah and Mike on the way home from Keston Lodge, we decided to walk a few miles home. I am pretty sure none of us will forget how cold that air was against our face, toes, and everywhere in between. Here are some photos from last night:

A week of no class, family, sightseeing, and great food is the perfect way to sum up my fall break. Stories and photos to soon follow.

History Has Most Definitely Been Made

On November 5, 2008 Barack Obama won the Presidential Election, and finally, the future of America is looking up. I am proud to say that I voted for this man, mailing in my absentee ballot all the way from London. As a young American, Obama represents my future and will hopefully implement the change very much needed around the country. The economy has plummeted and people are losing their jobs left and right. Parents are having trouble paying for their children's college tuition, and many are finding it difficult to afford the healthcare they so desperately need. Bush's policies brought sadness and poverty to many Americans, ended thousands of lives in war, and made it more than difficult for anyone but the wealthy to advance.

Although all the way across the pond, I can feel the happiness and relief of millions of Americans. I am looking forward to returning to a nation that represents an equality and prosperity that has been absent for far too long. It's been a hard struggle, but finally, we will have a Democrat in the White House come January, a nation more respected around the world, and hopefully less Americans struggling to keep their families off the streets.

Influence

When I get back to the States in December, this will most definitely be one of my first purchases, or hopefully a Christmas stocking stuffer! I feel as though I've been waiting years for this beautiful and intellectual piece to hit bookstores, and now that it has I can't get my hands on it here in the UK. Nonetheless, I'm sure its amazing, and will be a great addition to our coffee table. P.S. My rainy day existed of Winning London, an Olsen twin classic, and Closer. Now that I know this city pretty much inside and out, it's fun seeing it in films.

Fall Break Begins

Well, time has been flying by. It's already Fall break, I truly can't believe it. Only a little more than six weeks left in London and I feel as though there is still so much I need to do/see/experience before I leave. Anyways, no class this week is going to be a delight, especially because my mom and aunt arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to show them this amazing city, and share with them my favorite little places, as well as the tourist sites. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Halloween came and went. There was no carving of pumpkins, no handing out candy to adorable little trick-or treaters, no tea and pumpkin pie by the fireplace, and no limo rides to Hollywood with the girls, but that was expected. They just do not celebrate this holiday the way we do in the States. However, Hannah and I made the most of it. We put on our fanciest of dresses and went out to an amazing little lounge called Keston Lodge, where we chatted and enjoyed generous glasses of wine. It was a perfect grown-ups Halloween if I do say so.

Today the weather isn't so great. The rain makes me just want to stay indoors and watch films, so I think that's what i'll be doing. And i've already had my daily Crystal and Carolee fix so I am a happy girl. Can't wait to enjoy London this week, and venture off to Paris this weekend.
I am very very lucky.

Halloween Snapshots:

Random Thoughts and Weekly Recap

Yesterday morning I got up early and walked to Upper, a cute and
unique street in the Angel/Islington area, not too far from me at all.
I got a coffee and sat in the coffeeshop reading my book for a few hours.
I was completely content.

Oh, and then after a beautiful and sunny day, it SNOWED last night!
It was surreal, and very very, very cold.
The paper today said it was the first October snow in 70 years.

Today I did some necessary errands and took the bus to Covent Garden.
I got Food for Thought and people watched for an hour or so.
Then I wandered around and finally made my way to Trafalgar Square.

Fall break begins tomorrow once I have finished my two classes of the day.
I'm so excited for my mom and aunt to arrive. It will be so awesome to show
them everything and take them to all of my favorite London spots.
Then, come the weekend, we are off to Paris, which should be more than lovely.

I chatted with Beth through email the other day, yesterday I got to talk to Lizzy, and today I skyped with Natasha.
It was so nice to hear their voices. I'm still completely in love with London,
but definitely missing my girls.

xx

Amsterdam; the city of bicycles, sweet scents, and clogs!

Amsterdam was very different than I had expected, but definitely in a good way. We arrived easily off the Eurostar, and quickly began to navigate our way around the city. Upon arrival, we visited Anne Frank's house, a depressing, but at the same time unbelievable experience, and wandered around aimlessly through the canals. We visited coffee shops, ate exceptional Indonesian food, and passed (very rapidly) through the famed Red Light District. It was quite interesting to see the way in which people live their lives in places throughout the world, as it is so drastically different than life back home. While many disagree, and I of course can not even fathom their daily routine, it was still a very enlightening experience. Anyways, on Saturday we had the best breakfast bagels and lattes to date and then headed to the Van Gogh Museum. From there, we explored everywhere, walking and walking for hours till we had ended up back at our accommodation. I think this is the best way to see a city, especially one so small. While it is useful to have a map and a guidebook, sometimes there is that great little vintage shop you come across just taking a stroll, or a moment you encounter off the map that will stay with you a lifetime. Saturday night we found a classy little bar, had some good wine, and sat under the heaters listening to the sounds of the city. Surrounded by water, Amsterdam was an amazing experience. It was cultural, lively, and at the same time adorable. It's definitely much more than grass and prostitutes, that's for sure.

Two Weekends, Two Different Countries

It comes as no surprise that traveling the world has always been a dream of mine, as I'm sure its a dream everyone possesses at some time in their life. However, from the States it's not quite so easy to hop on a train to France or catch a quick flight to Spain, but from London, it's all suddenly very possible. Therefore, a few of us decided to journey to Barcelona last weekend, and to Belgium and Amsterdam this past weekend. Overall, both trips allowed me to experience cultures very different than my own and gave me access to beautiful and historical sites, new languages, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Barcelona, although we encountered some traveling stress and not so ideal weather, was gorgeous. We enjoyed delicious dinners consisting of seafood paella, tapas, and the best sangria I had ever tasted. We saw the famous and almost surreal works of Gaudí, such as de Sagrada Família and Park Güell, and wandered around many of the unique districts the city has to offer. Oh, and in true Barcelona style, we went to the beach clubs in the early morning and ran barefoot on the soft sand. All in all, it was a city that I will never forget.
Barcelona Photos