"Such a mixture of the old and the new." TB

Well guys, for those of you who do not know my mom (you should… she is kinda the best) she is absurd in the best way possible. She is my best friend. So, I was beyond excited for her to visit!! It was her first visit to Europe, and I could not wait!!

I picked her up from the airport, and we grabbed lunch and shopped around at Camden. It was so fun, and some legit gifts were bought (you lucky ones)!! We had lunch on the water while sitting on old mopeds… it is one of my favorite spots in London. There is just nothing like it. We checked into the hotel and took a bit of a rest, but not for long… Wicked was waiting!! I had not seen the show here or in the States, so I was just as excited as Tonj. Plus, it was a great way to beat the jet lag. The show was fantastic, and I loved every minute of it.

The second day I had class… aka lamessssssss. Tonj was very independent though. She rode the tube, went to the Tower of London, and got lunch all on her own!! Beyond proud. She met our class at the Royal Academy for the Degas exhibit (Shout out to Munster for the ticket)!! Okay, you have to know I am obsessed with Degas. I saw his work for the first time my junior of high school, and I have been obsessed ever since. His prints line my walls, so I was so excited to see such a large exhibit and experience with my mom. It was beyond my expectations, and of course a few items had to be purchased in the gift shop. Haha!! How could you resist? We couldn’t. When we got back to the DH, I had a card from the Robinsons waiting for me, and inside was a London Pass!! I had also won a pass the previous week, so Tonja and I could both get into all the great sights for free (huge blessing)!!!!!!!! Guess what? Laura had two passes as well… aka she and Rex came with us!!

We started at Wimbledon. It was so legit. I mean center court and hey Roddick is pretty attractive. No complaining here. The tour was fantastic and some true Kodak moments were shared. Of course, I spotted the local Cath Kidston store, so I convinced everyone to stop! Win for Christine!! I am obsessed with it all… I legit screamed I want it all at one point. Haha! Don’t worry we just picked up an agenda, postcards, eye class case, and an iPhone cover… not the whole store. Now that we had our fix of Cath, the Abbey was calling us. I visited Westminster during high school, so it was all about Tonja (which she did not have a problem with… I mean she refers to herself as the queen aka she was in her natural habitat). After the Abbey, I found this tour of London Bridge that was rated the number 4 attraction. We got of the tube and were immediately greeted by a man dressed as a zombie, to which Laura replied “Oh no, I am not doing this.” Love her. Aka it was a fail. But, we just walked to the Tower Bridge and got an incredible view of the city. I love that about this city… there is always something right around the corner. While in the Tower Bridge Tonja exclaims, “It is just such a mixture of old and new.” Wise Words Tonj. Love it. We then took the boat tour (Water makes Rex happy… all types) back to Westminster and grabbed some food at a pub. It was such a great day, filled with sweet memories and dear friends.

The next day was Saturday, and Saturday in London means MARKETSSSS!!! We started at Portobello, had lunch at Borough, got some tea and The Coffee and Tea festival, and finished off with the Christmas Markets!! It was my kinda day… a shopping day. We then walked along the South Bank and took in the city via The London Eye! It was my very first time, and it was so great. And hey the 4D experience movie, was just as delightful!! I loved getting to show my mom all the places I love in London and just having her in the city with me!!

Sunday was out last day, so of course a visit to the palace was necessary. I mean it is Tonja. Buckingham was not open for the season, so we just got to the see the outside. It was still great. From there a visit to the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery had to be done!! The Monets, Renoirs, Turners, and Constables were just as breathtaking as ever. Another stop at the gift shop was also needed! New impressionist placemats for the win!! We ended the evening with joint family dinner. The Hutchesons were also in town aka a joint family dinner had to occur, and Laura came too!! Dinner was full of laughter as we all exchanged stories of our visits and our lives. I am pretty sure our moms could not have been more precious bonding!! Love it!! After dinner, we made it to the HTB night service… man it might have been my favorite part of my mom’s visit. I was standing there with my mom, two great friends, and Jane Marie’s delightful mother and beyond sweet sister praising our Abba together… a moment I will cherish dearly. Our God blows me away, and I am forever thankful for the moments her shares his love for me through the people he surrounds me with. Blessed. Yes mam.  After church we finished packing, and of course had to go for a light night McDonald’s run with Rex. What visit would be complete without that? And I must tell you Tonja did say it was her favorite part… there you go Rexy.  For real, it was a truly great way to end the trip just enjoying each other, and of course they swapped absurd/needy Christine stories…. Sigh sigh sighhhhhhhhhhh…….

5:30 came early the next morning… who even knew the tube ran that early… I didn’t. We made the trip to Heathrow, and goodbyes were swapped… but not for long!! I will be home in less than a month… weird to think about. Anyways, back on topic. Tonja’s visit was a success!! I am so blessed to have a mom that is not only a role model but my best friend. Love her.

Here’s to Tonja. enough said. 

Tonj is hittin up London town!!!

TB will officially be hoppin that pond tonight.

London prepare yourself.

Here’s to Tonj! The best mom evaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Midnight Mcdonalds

Okay, so at Samford midnight sonic runs are a weekly occurrence. London is kinda lacking in Sonics, but last night we all (almost) took to the golden arches. It was wonderful. McFlurries and stories abounded. Laughter was constant, and it was the perfect break from writing our final papers!!

I am so lucky to have these wonderful friends and share this adventure with them.

Here's to random cravings!

It's Always Sunny in Oxford

Oxford

The Cotwolds. Dover. Canterbury. Oxford. Can it all be done in one weekend? Well, yes it can. It was indeed my weekend (this post is a lil late that intended, so it was two weekends ago) It is Wednesday, and I am still recovering a bit. Worth it? Oh, yes!!

The Cotswolds were amazing. The countryside was beautiful, and the shopping was great. So duh... I fell in love with it. The quaint towns were a breath of fresh air to the constant movement of London. Katie our house manger planned the trip, so almost everyone went aka crazy times occurred. Kathleen made grown men cry, Isaac became the star of the group (Really when is he not… he is just that cute), and we cliffed, dated, and married.  I have been so blessed this semester to have such great friends to share this experience with.

Dover and Canterbury was the next day. Remember how I’m in a class that focuses on expats and exiles… well my group planned the fieldtrip to Dover Castle and Canterbury Cathedral for class. Dover Castle was by far the best castle I have been to, and the white cliffs (I only saw them from a far) were beautiful. We didn’t really spend that much time in Dover, but we did have a TTM (total tourist moment). As we were riding down from the castle, We spotted some sheep and were so amazed out taxi driver pulled over and let us out to take pictures...hey sometimes you just have to be a tourist. Off to Canterbury we went. Evensong at the cathedral was out first stop. It was a beautiful service, and the boys choir was ahhhhmazing!! We then explored the cathedral some and then rest of Canterbury. Cath Kidston was found, and I am pretty sure I fell in love with about every item.

Harvest at Oxford

Roger!

Now, Oxford. Remember Roger? He is our precious neighbor who made us shake our fists at The Holiday Inn. Well, he attended Magdalen College in Oxford where C.S. Lewis taught. Roger graciously offered to take a group of us with him to Oxford. I visited Oxford the first time I came to London, but I was beyond excited about this trip!! Roger met us on our doorstep and announced he had a surprise. The annual antique car race from London to Brighton was today!! So, we took a detour to Westminster Bridge, and saw the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang like cars. It was magical, watching cars that are older than my country drive by Westminster, Big Ben, The House of Parliament, and The London Eye. Once, we had our fill of the cars, we headed to Oxford. 

As you can imagine, I was exhausted. I am pretty sure it took me all of about 10 minutes to fall asleep. The sleep was wonderful, but I was soon awoken by the words “it is always sunny in Oxford” and Roger’s huge smile. We arrived in Oxford and immediately got down to business. We saw around six collages, climbed the tower, and visited the Eagle and Child where C.S. Lewis wrote. It all went by so fast, but by the best part was Roger. He is so knowledgeable, and the visit to his alma mater was spectacular.

Family Photo

Here’s to people who just make you smile.

Cheers Mates.   

White Powder, White Briefs... Fall Break Finally.

Okay Okay... I have failed you. But, You have to get me some credit for admitting it, and you most definitely have to believe me when I say busy does not even begin to explain my past few weeks (Just ask Tonja). So where did we leave off... oh yeah I groped a complete stranger, had a fantastic harvest themed weekend in this beautiful city, and promised fall break stories...

Well here we go, but first some framework.

I travelled to Venice with Rex (and no... we are not married). After a few days we met our friend Laura in Milan, and onward the three of us went to the beach in Nice!!  Now, that we have the basics done lets jump into the good part... the stories.

sums us up. 

Rex and I left the Daniel House around 2:30 (in the morning) took two night buses, one coach, an airplane, and another bus before we even arrived in Venice. Oh man, was it insane and remember that coach we took to get to the airport, oh yeah we missed our first one, tried to run it down, failed, and bought a new ticket for the next  coach. But hey... we made some memories.

San Marco Square 

Venice was absolutely wonderful. The water. The art. The architecture. It was fantastic. A definite highlight for me was the Peggy Guggenheim Museum where many Jackson Pollock’s and Picasso’s are displayed (Word up). We also took a day trip a smaller island, which specialized in blown glass... amazing. Our hostel was interesting... both young children and the elderly were sprinkled amongst the college aged travelers.  However, our room was separated from all the other travelers... well except for the second night when a mother and son joined our room at around two in morning. I was awoken by the throwing off clothes as the teenaged son decided to strip down to white briefs and then make his bed... which conveniently was facing my direction... it was a definite experience. The hostel was actually really great in the world of hostels... it was five minutes from San Marco Square, had free breakfast, and was clean (Shout out to Rex for booking that one… I still think we should have stayed in the precious, little hotel... haha).

The Grand Canal

Beautiful

Now, onward to Milano!!! Well actually onward to our train ride to Milano. This might be the best story so brace yourself. Okay, we get to train station in plenty of time, ask which platform our train arrives in, and are directed towards platform 1. About half an hour passes (Rex has paced back and forth this entire time because our train is not there), and no train has showed. He goes and checks the board it still says platform 1, so I’m all like calm down man. Fifteen more minutes pass... No train. I am secretly a little worried (but, there is no way I’m telling Rex that after I have told him to calm down so many time haha!!). Rex decided to go check the board one more time... and about three minutes later I see him raising his arms in a panic...I grab his bag, my bag, and start running towards. Side note...I have been beyond sick, so my lungs are legit on fire. I give him his bag and just follow. We reach platform ten, jump on a train (I am presuming this is out train), and it starts moving within ten seconds of his getting on. Crazy... so lesson learned... stay in front of the platform board.  We take our seats across from each other, and try and get settled. However, the train had other plans for us. The child next to me played his Gameboy on full volume while his mom talked on her phone the entire ride, the girl across from Rex had an exploding bottle of Fanta, and the girl with the white powder. She entered the train with her hands cupped and full of white powder (Cocaine, Anthrax, your guess is as good as mine). She proceeds to throw the powder in the air Ke$ha glitter style. The train is silent... except for the Gameboy sounds. It was out of control.

Milano

Despite the insane train ride... we make it to Milan!! It was wonderful to see Laura and be in a new city. Milan is obviously known for its shopping, and if you know me than you also know that is something I have in common with this fashion capital. The shops were perfect! Although, this broke backpacker had no money to buy anything. Milan is also home to The Last Supper... and somehow Rex managed to get us tickets. How? I do not know. They have very strict rules, and you are supposed to book online about three months in advance, but he managed to get us in. Oh man!! Was it amazing!!! It is very bad condition, but who cares... it is The Last Supper. The fifteen minutes you are allotted to look at the painting flew by and I found myself utterly entranced by the piece.

The Mediterranean 

Now let’s hit up Nice!! Nice might be tied for my favorite. It was beautiful. The Mediterranean Sea... was so blue and yes I did get in. However, I did not make it far. We decided to not really do anything touristy in Nice and just relax and explore the beautiful city. It was breathtaking.

Okay, so there you have it... fall break in a nutshell. But, let me just say the places were amazing; however, the friends were better. Late night talks take it or leave it, and even the miserable moments were all perfect because of them. I have been blessed. And hey, you should get to know these two as well... It will make your life!

Here’s to discovering.

Miss you guys. 

p.s. We used Laura's camera in Milan and Nice... so check the book for those pics!!

"Falling" in love with London

*Portobello Market

*Great Finds

*Sunshine

*Feta Cheese

*Borough Market

*Pumpkin Cupcakes

*Leaves Changing

*Friendship

*Pumpkin Carving

*Apple Cider

*Memories

...This is harvest.

Here’s to the simple joy a season can bring.

"Of course he was nice to you; he thought you were coming on to him!"

Here is a little story for those of you who miss my absurdity... Okay so let me set the scene. We all went to a play last night and the theatre was rather dark. During the first half of the play, there were moment when I would jump and grab the person next to me... okay no big deal right? The play breaks for intermission, and as we re-enter the theatre we are directed to a new location. The second location is even darker from the first, and somehow I get separated from the group... but, I see Rex (he’s kinda tall...) and walk in that direction. Someone is sitting in the seat right next to him, so I just assume it is someone in our group and sit next to him. Before the play begins, I turn to him and say:

 “Sorry if I do this (grab his upper thigh) during the play... I was really scared in the first half.”

To which I receive this lovely response, “Oh that is totally fine. I think they are going for the scared aspect.” All of this is in a British Accent... I strain my eyes and notice that it indeed is a complete stranger...

Humiliated. Yes.

I don’t even know how to recover from that aka I stumble over an, “I’m sorry... I thought I knew you...”

He kindly responded, “Oh no worries. If you still need to that is fine.”

Needless to say, I kept my hands in my lap (a safe distance away from his upper thigh) the whole time.

 Here’s  to absurd moments that become great stories!

Fall break stories soon... and don't worry they are absurd too!!!!!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!

Fall break is here!! And what does that mean... Venice, Milan, and Nice!!! Is this real life?? I still can’t believe it, but I bet in five hours (oh that’s right we are leaving at 2:30… in the morning) reality will hit!! Get prepared for some pretty legit stories... let’s just say neither Rex nor I know Italian, we basically have no set plans, and well we are sharing a room with 14 of our closest friends... aka strangers. So, I feel pretty confident in the fact that some fantastic things will occur. Can’t wait to share em!! I have to go finish packing in super legit new European backpacker’s backpack...  that’s right, I’m hardcore... gotta do it like a boss!

Here’s to memories, exploring, and laughter!!

Catch ya in ohh ten days!

Paris: the dramatic conclusion to the door mystery.

Okay so where did we leave off? Oh the knock on the door... that’s right. Who was it? Why Jane Marie and Caroline of course... just checking to make sure I was awake. I was not.  Here is the exchange:

Me: “Oh, my gosh!!!”

Caroline: “It’s okay... let us in.”

I threw open the door and gasped, “Oh, my gosh!!!”

Clothes go flying everywhere and the only words I can manage to say are “Oh, my gosh!” Caroline shoves things in my backpack, and Jane Marie literally puts deodorant on me as I brush my teeth (true friendship eh?) Somehow I manage to make it downstairs (with a little help from my friends) dressed and ready in four minutes... not looking my best, but hey I made it. The entire tube ride to the train station I was in complete shock, and I had not even seen my hair yet. We arrived at the station with about an hour of time until boarding began, so what do I decide to do? Wash my hair in the sink. Now, most of you are probably thinking I am insane or being silly, but girls with the curls will feel me. There is nothing you can do when it reaches a certain point, except wash it. So, I threw my head over that bathroom sink and washed it.  A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I finished washing my hair and joined the group to walk over to security. I am not sure if it was the soaking wet hair or maybe the frantic look from this morning had not left my face, but I was of course the one to get randomly searched. As they pulled every last item out of bag (and I mean every last item), the only thought going through my head was, “Of course this happening, at this rate why should I even be surprised.”

Needless to say as I walked away towards the rest of my group, I was little defeated. I was still in shock. I was tired, cold, and all around exhausted. But, I was determined to not let this get to me... I was spending the weekend in Paris... who gets to say that?! So I shook it off and boarded the train with a new attitude. Little did I know it had only just begun...

We arrived in Paris around lunchtime, so our tour guide pointed us all in the direction of Brassiere near the Eiffel Tower. I picked out a sandwich, and reached into my purse for my wallet... only to find a granola bar and some gum wrappers...What??? How was my wallet missing...where did it go? Was is pickpocketed? Wait, I haven’t been anywhere except the train station... I couldn’t have been pickpocket... or could I? My thoughts were going a million miles a second. I have this tendency to think that when I lose things they are gone forever, so I often times freak out. Well, until somehow my mom finds it... sidenote how do moms do that? Literally I can spend hours (probs ten minutes in reality) looking for something, and Tonj walks in and finds it in two seconds. How??? Anyways back to the story, the wallet was gone...

At this point, I literally could not believe my life... and the tears started. I could not help it; all the stress from the past 4 hours caught up with me, and they just began to fall. Jane Marie turned around gave me hug and responded “Christine, the devil is attacking you. Do not let him Win.” In this moment, I could not have been more appreciative of her words; they were exactly what I needed to hear.  I made the decision to not let him win, I am in Paris with some of my closet friends… I am choosing joy.

So, I told my house manager and professor in residence about my wallet and lack of funds. Oh man, were they wonderful!! Dr. Robinson quickly offered to lend me some money for the weekend, and Katie had a friend come check the Daniel House for my wallet (which was safe and sound on my dresser). What amazing blessings they both were!!

The rest of the trip went pretty smoothly... well except for the time we tried to eat a traditional French dinner, and oh wait that time we got denied at Club Rex (discrimination), and well maybe that time we missed a train to Versailles. But, hey... we were in Paris, and we were together! Things happen, choose joy.

Well, that is the dramatic conclusion to the door mystery... hope it lived up to all your expectations.

Here’s to choosing joy!

Let's Talk Class

Academic class, that is... I know it may seem like I am on a four month vacation, but really I am studying.  Promise. Most classes here in the Daniel House are not what anyone would call traditional; we meet in a parlor, sit on couches, and take fieldtrips almost every day. London is a city full of history... it would be a shame to sit in a room and listen to a lecture, when in all reality that history is right outside our front door. One of the classes, I am taking while in London focuses on the lives of exiles and expatriates in London (Bob Marley, Freud (Psych shout out!), and Van Gogh... just to name a few). Our most recent fieldtrip was to the well-known Highgate Cemetery, which is the burial ground for many famous expats and exiles. Karl Marx, Claudia Jones, and Alexander Litvinenko are all buried within Highgate’s walls.

Highgate Cemetery was opened due to a lack of space for the dead in London; the city was being overtaken by death. The dead had no place to rest, so Parliament decided to open five new cemeteries on the outskirts of London. Thus in 1839, Highgate Cemetery was opened, and 17 new acres of land were available for burials. The cemetery was split into two areas, 15 acres for Church of England burials and 2 acres for other denominations and faiths.[1]

I found Highgate to truly resemble London is so many ways. There were so many cultures and such a variety of people buried within the walls. That is London... the center for numerous people from such a vast background and history; it would only make sense that London would take some of their lives. It is here they came to live, and here they also died. For example, there are areas known as Egyptian Avenue, Circle of Lebanon, and Terrace Catacombs. Even in death, London’s ability to attract people from all walks of life can be seen. Actually seeing all of these different areas was absolutely breathtaking, but what intrigued me even more were the graves left unattended, covered with vines and years of neglect. The cemetery has so many graves, that it would be impossible to care for each and every one, so it is inevitable that some fall to the waist side. London is the place where many come to flourish and seek their dreams, but in reality many are left neglected by the city and overrun. Hence, Highgate also mirrors London in this manner.

Another aspect that intrigued me was the inscriptions; the way someone can capture a person by an inscription is truly remarkable. How weighty those words are that will remain on a stone for eternity... declaring who this person was, their passions, and those they left behind. It is such an intimate aspect of death, yet we fleetingly glance at them in passing instead of truly understanding the weight these words hold. As I was walking through Highgate, Claudia Jones’ gravestone caught my attention. It reads:

valiant fighter against racism and imperialism who dedicated her life to the progress of socialism and the liberation of her own black people.

I read it and reread it. Such powerful words. Jones can truly be admired for her persistent seeking of equality among races. She fought for Civil Rights in New York and became a member of the communist party, but she was eventually deported from the states.  Thus, she fled to London, but she continued her pursuit for equality. She did not let even exile come between her passions for the human race. She is to be truly admired for such unceasing efforts; her gravestone’s inscription perfectly captures the essence of who Claudia Jones was and what she believed in. [2]

However, it would be quite easy for someone to overlook her beautiful inscription due to the extremely large bust of Karl Marx prominently protruding from his grave just right of her own. Marx is obviously the founder of communist ideology, but you may be wondering why he is buried in London...  Marx found refuge in London, after being exiled from Paris. He had published a newspaper that received quite a bit of backlash, so he decided to settle in London as an exile. While in London, Marx continued to write political pamphlets, but the most well-known of his writing while in London was The Capital, a book outlining capitalist process of production and labor theory. Although Marx only published Volume I, both Volume II and III were published after his death.  Marx died in 1883, and was buried in Highgate Cemetery three days later. [3]

If someone had asked me a few weeks ago if I would enjoy visiting a cemetery for class, I probably would have responded with negative.  However after visiting Highgate Cemetery, I would most definitely have to retract that response. It was truly an enlightening and interesting visit. I was able to visually associate pictures, graves, and words with the exiles and expatriates I have been studying. Even without the class aspect, I enjoyed getting to see a part of London’s history that does not make it on the typical tourist itinerary. London is such a remarkable city that holds a vast amount of knowledge even in the lives of those it has claimed, and to see this first hand allowed for my visit to evolve from a class activity to a personal understanding of London and those who have called it home. 

---

[1] Highgate Cemetery, “A History of Highgate Cemetery,” Highgate Cemetery, http://www.highgate-cemetery.org/index.php/history (accessed on 10 October 2011).

[2] Highgate Cemetery, “Inscriptions – the touching, poetic and bizarre,” Highgate Cemetery, http://www.highgate-cemetery.org/index.php/inscriptions (accessed on 10 October 2011).

[3] History Guide, “Karl Marx, 1818-1883,” History Guide, http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_citationguide.html (accessed on 10 October 2011).

Reunited

The laptop is here... aka let the blogging commence!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh, I am so excited to be reunited and share my stories with you all again. First, I must say I’m a little overwhelmed... so much has happened. I do not really think I could do it justice... I will try though, no worries. Second before I get into the past month, I have to write a blog for one of my classes. Just a heads up... it will be about Highgate Cemetery here in London. Okay, that is all for now; I have to go write the post for class. I leave you with a preview of what is to come...

It is 6:11 on a Friday morning; we are leaving the Daniel House at 6:15 for Paris... there is a knock on my door... hooked?

Hope so!

Cheers Mates. 

Bind Our Hearts

 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

 Proverbs 3:3

Isn't it amazing how God works? I am still in awe daily by the way Abba weaves aspects of our lives together to form something so much bigger than what we see.  This week I have been so encouraged by this but also by the people I now share a home with. It all started when Deb asked if we could have a weekly Bible study, so we choose Wednesday nights and decided the first one would be more of a sharing time then study. We decided this because we were all ready to move beyond surface level and truly get to know and understand each other on a deep level.

Wednesday came, and we all piled into our parlour room.  We went around one by one sharing our testimonies and how God is working in our lives right now. As I listened to such intimate stories from friends I have known for two years and friends I have known for two weeks, I was so moved. Not only by their stories, but by the way a common thread ran throughout our testimonies. They were all extremely different yet oddly similar. It was such a great example of the way the Lord prepares us all in such different ways, but ways that seem to unite with such ease.

Another, major thing I took away was encouragement. There are a few new believers in our group and the joy and passion they have is so intoxicating. How did I ever lose that?  They are seeking daily the will of the Lord and engrossed in His word, while some days my Bible lays untouched. Why am I not hungry? These were my questions, but these questions soon turned into a conversation of encouragement with my Abba. I encourage you to think about the hunger you had upon first believing. Reign that in and spread that joy.

Our hearts have been bound together through this experience, love and faithfulness. We are seeking a greater purpose here in London. We are seeking a greater purpose amongst ourselves. We are seeking Abba.

A Tourist for a Week

Okay, Okay. I know what you’re all thinking... she is never going to blog again. I promise that is not the case. My laptop just seemed to not be ready to make the leap across the pond (a little nervous of getting beat up at the airport... just my guess) Anyway, it got its way and is safely at Sony headquarters.  However, we will soon be reunited and the blogging will commence!! A huge relief for you all I know!!

Now, on to all the good stuff!!! First, you must know London is amazing. It has only been a week and I have fallen in love with the city. There is everything here. The breath-taking sights, the peaceful parks, the young, the old, the hipsters, and the posh.  Everyone should experience so many opposites in one place at one time. It makes you realize just how vast our world is. So, book that flight and come visit!!

There is no way possible to put into words the first week without this post turning into a book, so I will just hit the highlights. We were basically tourists this week. We took in the famous sights, got to know our neighbourhood (The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea), carried our cameras, and scavenged around the town (FB Video... go watch.). Our neighbour, Roger, took us on walk around the Daniel House. He is 78, and he walked circles around all of us college students. His hardcore walking skills are not even the most impressive thing about Roger. He has a certain something that just makes him special. As we walked by the Holiday Inn (a huge building the colour of pencil lead), he asked us all to raise our fists in disgust. Just as we lowered them he whispered, “I hope they got that on camera!” It is just a certain something. You see.

Oh, what I must tell you about are the markets!! I have died... they are wonderful!! Portobello is an antique market (Notting Hills anyone?), and to say it is mint is an understatement. Seriously. Not to be overshadowed is Borough... a food market. Almost like a farmer’s market... but better. It is huge and every type of food is in one place. LOVE.  Camden is Camden. And no one can do Camden like Camden. Around every corner you see a hardcore Mohawk, a prepster in Oxfords (I do now own a pair... love love loveeeeee em.), and some skinny jeans. It is diversity. It is London.

This post must come to an end soon... you all need to do some homework or something. But, first let’s just chat a bit about the Lion King. Oh man. Fantastic. It was like the movie coming to life. You know how we would all go grab a lion and act out your favourite scene (I just can’t wait to be King... always my favourite) as a child. Yes, yes I know you did it. We all did. It was like that but ohhh so much better. The costumes. The voices. The music. It was simply wonderful.

Now really, I must go... homework for me too. 

The Reason Why

Confession time… I have been holding out on the whole blog fad to go out of style just like those butterfly clips we all wore in middle school, but the fad is holding on strong. Everyone seems to be finding a few minutes to type away at the keys lately. So, here I go… In all fairness, I should share why I am suddenly jumpin’ it to this world of headers, templates, and CSS code (so confusing… just for the record). I am spending the semester in London Town!! I am beyond excited to take in the city, the people, the culture, and to grow. But, most of all I cannot wait to see what my Abba teaches me while my current town (on FB, of course) is changed to London, UK.  So there you have it, the starting point for this little blog. I will keep you all updated on where I go, what I am seeing, and how it is all changing my perspective on this life.