In a matter of years the handwork from college is going to fade and soon I will enter the working world. I'll just be another average person waking up Monday morning to be at work by 8AM or - maybe not. Figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life is difficult as a young adult. I have learned to seek new opportunities, adapt, and learn. After I had returned from living abroad, I knew I would never be content with a position where I could not travel. I had come to realize that I would not be satisfied if I wasn't able to seek new places, meet new people in countries I had never been to. I have essentially given up something I'm talented at, in order to satisfy my passion for exploration.
I am slowly figuring out that it is more important to focus on the next ten to fifteen years of my life, instead of focusing on what I need to do for the rest of my life. I am setting high expectations for myself to gain the experiences I want and to challenge myself in various foreign situations, but it is also a journey to get to that point. I am still in school gaining "knowledge" in my specific career field to help make myself more employable but as my Winterim class begins, I think to myself: I can't wait to travel.
"There is a whole world full of opportunity and if you don't take a chance - you never know what you'll find." -ACL Scotland 2014
Friday, December 26, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Running on Empty
A title that says it all. I am Running on Empty.
Although I am packing up my belongings, I still have quite a few destinations to check off my list until I return home. Four years ago (almost to the day), I was 17. I boarded a plane to jet set to the Czech Republic. When my few months ended in the Czech Republic, I told my host family that I would be back within five years. With a lot of hard work, watching my bank account depreciate, and with the blessing from my parents I am going to be returning to the Czech Republic.
Prior to my arrival in Czech I will be traveling to Istanbul, Athens, and Milan. Destinations that I have seen in pictures, read about, but now it's my opportunity to experience and see these places on my own. I am sure my adventures sound like a grand time, but honestly it is a lot of hard work. Traveling to countries where they don't speak English is quite difficult. From my Spring Holiday travels and for the respect to the country I am traveling to, I try to learn the basic phrases to show effort of trying to fit in. I am trying to meet their basic customs instead of the locals always meeting my customs. I have learned that the locals appreciate it when you try to speak their native tongue. They don't often laugh at you, but they smile and applaud.
Last week we had a meeting that had us students reflect on our time here and what it is going to be like returning the the States. I am not looking forward to reverse culture shock, but I know it's coming. I have become so accustomed to the norms here, that I don't think twice. My phrases are often different and I don't even notice it. Although - I have yet to nail my Scottish accent! During our meeting we were asked a few questions that we will receive when we get home. What was your favorite part of your trip? How was it?
When people ask me about my study abroad experience, I am not even sure where to begin. I am sitting here realising I have visited ten countries, had food that was good and bad, met people from all around the world, yet I can't figure out the right way to answer a simple question. Instead when you ask me, I am going to respond with what I have learned and what the different experiences taught me.
I haven't quite decided if I am ready to return. I don't want to settle into the normal routine. I want to keep this pace of life. I want to keep my day filled with activities, learning something new, going to a new place. I sure do miss my family and friends, but often wish I could just bring you all over here. Cheers.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Siezing the Moment
It has been quite awhile since I have done a blog update. I apologize for not being up to date with the world, but traveling is time consuming. These past few weeks have been unbelievable. I am traveling and seeing places I never thought I would get to so quickly after my last study abroad adventure. Realizing that I am a 21 year old student taking a Spring Holiday to the Mediterranean - Sometimes it is quite difficult to wrap my head around the whole concept, but I am truly grateful and blessed for this.
Thursday March 20th we took off from our beloved home in Dalkeith to venture to Barcelona to embark on our cruise. We landed in Barcelona late Thursday evening and spent Friday wandering the streets of Barcelona embracing its beauty the city has to offer. The buildings stood tall with wonderful architecture, detail, and color. We walked through a market where there was fresh fruit, juice, meat, seafood, and practically anything you could imagine. I got four stacked strawberries covered in chocolate! Yummy! The hustle and bustle did not matter at this point for wandering slowly and constantly looking up and around to what was around us. I fell in love. Around two o'clock we made our way to the port lugging our rolling suitcases through the floral printed sidewalks. The stares from those around us made the 30 minute walk to the port humorous - We arrived in awe at this giant ship we were going to be living on for the next eight days.
I have never been on a cruise before, so I was a wee bit nervous about becoming sea sick or what exactly to expect. After we went through security, checked in, and were handed fresh fruit juice as we walked into the giant fore which included a large chandelier, sparkly princess steps, and a grand piano. Holiday had officially started. I felt like a kid in a candy store wandering around the ship, exploring new spaces. We found our room (13193) on the 13th floor with sea view from our balcony. I felt very spoiled. The evening chimed in with relaxation, laughter, and a buffet that went on forever - food!
The next day we woke up in Marseilles, France. It was rainy and cloudy, which dampened the mood - but nonetheless we ventured out to find whatever what was awaiting us. We stumbled upon a beautiful church named Cathedrale de la Major. Part of the church was built in the 12th century, but then they added on what you see today in the late 18th century. The beauty and history that these churches in Europe hold are breath taking - did I mention I saw a live confession! We went to a museum that over looked the sea and we enjoyed walking the streets prior to heading back to the ship.
That evening we discovered the fine dining. Right up my alley! We enjoyed five course meals the whole week and it was so nice to have fresh seafood, pasta, unique appetizers, and delicious desserts! We also attended weekly shows in the theater that included dancing, singing, acrobatics, and many unexpected surprises. We also eventually found our way to the bars and lounges too.
Sunday we arrived in Genoa, Italy. We were very close to the city thankfully and walked along a boardwalk until we saw a train tour around and through the city. Since it was cheaply priced at seven euro, we went for it. It was a great idea because then we were able to see areas we wanted to explore more once the tour had ended. The train tour lasted about an hour and then we wandered up into a beautiful green space that included endless views of the sea, harbor, and the city. It also included a waterfall - refreshing. From there we walked to the church where Christopher Columbus was baptized (he also was born in Genoa) and along the main pathways. We got to the city centre where there was a grand fountain and walked down the street and got some delicious gelato. We then took a glance at the Cattedral di San Lorenzo - Dunomo di Genoa which was near the centre. After our gelato we returned to the boat. At each port after exploring each day, I always sat and reflected. We always looked forward to our fine dinners with great company.
At our dinner table we met two other couples from England. Thomas, Elaine, Bill, and Eirlys probably made the holiday even more special. To meet such splendid people who bought wine each night for us and said, "You have truly made our holiday." You never know who you're going to meet and who will make an impact on you and these four special people who happen to be at our table were a pleasure to dine with.
Monday we arrived in Naples. Our time on shore was brief that day, but we were able to make the most of it by finding gelato again! It started to rain at one point so my friend and I hustled back to the ship where there was plenty to do. Tuesday we arrived in Messina, Sicily. When we woke up that morning and opened our blinds we asked ourselves if we were docked on shore we were so close! The views each morning from our deck were very neat. From our room we were able to see a overlook that we knew we wanted to get to. Once we got off the ship it only took us an hour of walking and once we got to the top, the views were spectacular. We were able to see the city as a whole and our ship actually looked small. From there we went to the city centre and stood in front of the Cathedral of Messina where there was a bell tower and astronomical clock. At noon, there were figurines that moved - the whole presentation lasted about ten minutes. From there we went back on to the ship to play cards and relax.
Wednesday we arrived in Tunis, Tunisia where we were greeted with camels, drumming, and a trumpet. We walked off the ship to ride camels and walk through the local shopping market. We decided not to go into the city because it was a 30 minute taxi ride away. That day we got back onto the ship, gathered with other students that also went on the cruise to play cards. I also decided to splurge and myself and two other ladies got a massage - and it was worth it. That evening we attended dinner and the show.
Thursday we were at sea. And the waves were rocking. Walking through the ship you could not walk in a straight line. As you walked you would sway to one side and then the other. I felt a bit sea sick and we mostly spent the day relaxing in our beds enjoying our last days of not being busy.
Friday we docked and got off the ship mid morning, lugged our luggage to the BCN Hostel to store it and went to go around the city. We decided to take a bus tour. The tour allowed you to "hop on and off" at certain points. This was a nice feature that I had not encountered before. We were able to see specific places that we wanted to. We went to the Placa Catalunya, Passeig Colom, Jardins de Mramar, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, Casa Batllo, La Barceloneta (beach), and Sagrada Familia. The tour took us nearly seven or eight hours. By the time we got back to our hostel I was ready for bed. We did not get a lot of sleep because our flight was at six in the morning. We arrived back in Dalkeith Saturday mid afternoon and I was happy to be home and in my own bed.
Those days were a whirlwind, but I fell in love with Barcelona - and I know my future will bring me there again. The end of the semester is fast approaching with five weeks left. My "todo" list is endless and there is still so much left I want to accomplish. I am managing my time as best as possible to complete the "wants" on my list for Scotland.
Off to Ireland Friday morning. Let the traveling continue :)
Thursday March 20th we took off from our beloved home in Dalkeith to venture to Barcelona to embark on our cruise. We landed in Barcelona late Thursday evening and spent Friday wandering the streets of Barcelona embracing its beauty the city has to offer. The buildings stood tall with wonderful architecture, detail, and color. We walked through a market where there was fresh fruit, juice, meat, seafood, and practically anything you could imagine. I got four stacked strawberries covered in chocolate! Yummy! The hustle and bustle did not matter at this point for wandering slowly and constantly looking up and around to what was around us. I fell in love. Around two o'clock we made our way to the port lugging our rolling suitcases through the floral printed sidewalks. The stares from those around us made the 30 minute walk to the port humorous - We arrived in awe at this giant ship we were going to be living on for the next eight days.
I have never been on a cruise before, so I was a wee bit nervous about becoming sea sick or what exactly to expect. After we went through security, checked in, and were handed fresh fruit juice as we walked into the giant fore which included a large chandelier, sparkly princess steps, and a grand piano. Holiday had officially started. I felt like a kid in a candy store wandering around the ship, exploring new spaces. We found our room (13193) on the 13th floor with sea view from our balcony. I felt very spoiled. The evening chimed in with relaxation, laughter, and a buffet that went on forever - food!
The next day we woke up in Marseilles, France. It was rainy and cloudy, which dampened the mood - but nonetheless we ventured out to find whatever what was awaiting us. We stumbled upon a beautiful church named Cathedrale de la Major. Part of the church was built in the 12th century, but then they added on what you see today in the late 18th century. The beauty and history that these churches in Europe hold are breath taking - did I mention I saw a live confession! We went to a museum that over looked the sea and we enjoyed walking the streets prior to heading back to the ship.
That evening we discovered the fine dining. Right up my alley! We enjoyed five course meals the whole week and it was so nice to have fresh seafood, pasta, unique appetizers, and delicious desserts! We also attended weekly shows in the theater that included dancing, singing, acrobatics, and many unexpected surprises. We also eventually found our way to the bars and lounges too.
Sunday we arrived in Genoa, Italy. We were very close to the city thankfully and walked along a boardwalk until we saw a train tour around and through the city. Since it was cheaply priced at seven euro, we went for it. It was a great idea because then we were able to see areas we wanted to explore more once the tour had ended. The train tour lasted about an hour and then we wandered up into a beautiful green space that included endless views of the sea, harbor, and the city. It also included a waterfall - refreshing. From there we walked to the church where Christopher Columbus was baptized (he also was born in Genoa) and along the main pathways. We got to the city centre where there was a grand fountain and walked down the street and got some delicious gelato. We then took a glance at the Cattedral di San Lorenzo - Dunomo di Genoa which was near the centre. After our gelato we returned to the boat. At each port after exploring each day, I always sat and reflected. We always looked forward to our fine dinners with great company.
At our dinner table we met two other couples from England. Thomas, Elaine, Bill, and Eirlys probably made the holiday even more special. To meet such splendid people who bought wine each night for us and said, "You have truly made our holiday." You never know who you're going to meet and who will make an impact on you and these four special people who happen to be at our table were a pleasure to dine with.
Monday we arrived in Naples. Our time on shore was brief that day, but we were able to make the most of it by finding gelato again! It started to rain at one point so my friend and I hustled back to the ship where there was plenty to do. Tuesday we arrived in Messina, Sicily. When we woke up that morning and opened our blinds we asked ourselves if we were docked on shore we were so close! The views each morning from our deck were very neat. From our room we were able to see a overlook that we knew we wanted to get to. Once we got off the ship it only took us an hour of walking and once we got to the top, the views were spectacular. We were able to see the city as a whole and our ship actually looked small. From there we went to the city centre and stood in front of the Cathedral of Messina where there was a bell tower and astronomical clock. At noon, there were figurines that moved - the whole presentation lasted about ten minutes. From there we went back on to the ship to play cards and relax.
Wednesday we arrived in Tunis, Tunisia where we were greeted with camels, drumming, and a trumpet. We walked off the ship to ride camels and walk through the local shopping market. We decided not to go into the city because it was a 30 minute taxi ride away. That day we got back onto the ship, gathered with other students that also went on the cruise to play cards. I also decided to splurge and myself and two other ladies got a massage - and it was worth it. That evening we attended dinner and the show.
Thursday we were at sea. And the waves were rocking. Walking through the ship you could not walk in a straight line. As you walked you would sway to one side and then the other. I felt a bit sea sick and we mostly spent the day relaxing in our beds enjoying our last days of not being busy.
Friday we docked and got off the ship mid morning, lugged our luggage to the BCN Hostel to store it and went to go around the city. We decided to take a bus tour. The tour allowed you to "hop on and off" at certain points. This was a nice feature that I had not encountered before. We were able to see specific places that we wanted to. We went to the Placa Catalunya, Passeig Colom, Jardins de Mramar, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, Casa Batllo, La Barceloneta (beach), and Sagrada Familia. The tour took us nearly seven or eight hours. By the time we got back to our hostel I was ready for bed. We did not get a lot of sleep because our flight was at six in the morning. We arrived back in Dalkeith Saturday mid afternoon and I was happy to be home and in my own bed.
Those days were a whirlwind, but I fell in love with Barcelona - and I know my future will bring me there again. The end of the semester is fast approaching with five weeks left. My "todo" list is endless and there is still so much left I want to accomplish. I am managing my time as best as possible to complete the "wants" on my list for Scotland.
Off to Ireland Friday morning. Let the traveling continue :)
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Oh yeah, I'm still a student & Visits from Mary
I have now been out of the States for five weeks. Every weekend has been filled with house trips and field trips for classes, but I need to remember that I am a student too. I have been on the go so much that I have been working a lot on time management so I can fully immerse myself into each and every opportunity that comes a knocking.
I have had a lot of mandatory outside of class assignments. This past week I attended a historical ballet, Giselle. It was quite interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Earlier that evening we went to a quaint Italian restaurant and I enjoyed tortellini stuffed with spinach and ricotta, talk about some home cooking! I miss my mama and papas cooking! Boy, I am a spoiled child when it comes to food! On Friday, I attended a the Edinburgh’s Rugby Match. It was outside and reminded me of high school football games. I was quite happy I read about rugby prior to attending a match so I knew what was going on. And oh boy - the men were pretty good looking! :) Oh, and we won!
I spent Saturday running errands, doing laundry, and being productive. We have numerous papers and assignments that need to be accompished sooner rather than later. I have been working tremendously hard on getting a lot of papers done during the week so I could enjoy my weekends.
This past week I finally got into a good rhythm and picked out the perfect study area in the palace - the ballroom. The ballroom is grand, but is not used for dancing any longer because the springs in the floor because the chandeliers below will shake. Nonetheless, nobody really utilizes that area so I have become fond of my quiet area to accomplish what’s on my daily to do list.
It’s time to incorporate my new friend, Mary - the “ghost.” Since we have been living in Dalkeith we have had many interesting encounters here, in room 103. And out of my four other roommates, Mary seems to like … ME! Here are a few examples of what we’ve encountered.
The second night I was at Dalkeith, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like there was a face staring at me. I could not sleep the rest of the night.
A week later, our light started not to work. One night, after being fed up with only having our side lamps, I jokingly said, “Mary, will you please turn on our light?” Not even 5 seconds later, our light turned on!
During the end of our second week myself and one of my other roommates (Kate) were still awake, but had all the lights turned off. I was laying in my bed on my side and first we saw the overhead light flicker and then our side lights flickered on and off. It was brief, but we looked at each other freaked out and practically started crying.
During these past two weeks we have not had any encounters with Mary, but others have. Upstairs on the third floor, Amy was just washing her hands in the ladies bathroom. She heard a shower turn on and went to look, but nobody was there. All of a sudden the lights flickered on, then off and they would not turn back on.
Then Mary decided to visit the second floors mens bathroom. One of my friends Brady, was in the showers when the lights went off. He did not freak out at all! Jokingly he asked Mary to turn the lights back on and they came on!
This afternoon we have had two encounters with Mary. My roommate Jenna and I were studying in the ballroom when one of the lights above was making a loud, annoying sound. I simply started talking to Mary telling her we are not here to harm her or where she wanders. I asked her to leave the light alone and the sound subsided.
About an hour after dinner I returned to my room where I found Jenna sitting on her bed in the dark for at least ten minutes. I realized the light switch was in the on position, so I automatically had a feeling Mary had to be apart of it. Within five seconds of my presence in the room, I placed my hand near the light switch and the light came on. I yelled Thank You Mary!
I have had a lot of mandatory outside of class assignments. This past week I attended a historical ballet, Giselle. It was quite interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Earlier that evening we went to a quaint Italian restaurant and I enjoyed tortellini stuffed with spinach and ricotta, talk about some home cooking! I miss my mama and papas cooking! Boy, I am a spoiled child when it comes to food! On Friday, I attended a the Edinburgh’s Rugby Match. It was outside and reminded me of high school football games. I was quite happy I read about rugby prior to attending a match so I knew what was going on. And oh boy - the men were pretty good looking! :) Oh, and we won!
Rugby
16 MORE DAYS UNTIL SPRING HOLIDAY
I spent Saturday running errands, doing laundry, and being productive. We have numerous papers and assignments that need to be accompished sooner rather than later. I have been working tremendously hard on getting a lot of papers done during the week so I could enjoy my weekends.
This past week I finally got into a good rhythm and picked out the perfect study area in the palace - the ballroom. The ballroom is grand, but is not used for dancing any longer because the springs in the floor because the chandeliers below will shake. Nonetheless, nobody really utilizes that area so I have become fond of my quiet area to accomplish what’s on my daily to do list.
It’s time to incorporate my new friend, Mary - the “ghost.” Since we have been living in Dalkeith we have had many interesting encounters here, in room 103. And out of my four other roommates, Mary seems to like … ME! Here are a few examples of what we’ve encountered.
The second night I was at Dalkeith, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like there was a face staring at me. I could not sleep the rest of the night.
A week later, our light started not to work. One night, after being fed up with only having our side lamps, I jokingly said, “Mary, will you please turn on our light?” Not even 5 seconds later, our light turned on!
During the end of our second week myself and one of my other roommates (Kate) were still awake, but had all the lights turned off. I was laying in my bed on my side and first we saw the overhead light flicker and then our side lights flickered on and off. It was brief, but we looked at each other freaked out and practically started crying.
During these past two weeks we have not had any encounters with Mary, but others have. Upstairs on the third floor, Amy was just washing her hands in the ladies bathroom. She heard a shower turn on and went to look, but nobody was there. All of a sudden the lights flickered on, then off and they would not turn back on.
Then Mary decided to visit the second floors mens bathroom. One of my friends Brady, was in the showers when the lights went off. He did not freak out at all! Jokingly he asked Mary to turn the lights back on and they came on!
This afternoon we have had two encounters with Mary. My roommate Jenna and I were studying in the ballroom when one of the lights above was making a loud, annoying sound. I simply started talking to Mary telling her we are not here to harm her or where she wanders. I asked her to leave the light alone and the sound subsided.
About an hour after dinner I returned to my room where I found Jenna sitting on her bed in the dark for at least ten minutes. I realized the light switch was in the on position, so I automatically had a feeling Mary had to be apart of it. Within five seconds of my presence in the room, I placed my hand near the light switch and the light came on. I yelled Thank You Mary!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Feeling at Home
It is amazing how quickly you can settle into a new place and call it home. After the past few weekends and day trips I have come to realize how much I have set my own roots and started calling the Dalkeith Palace my home.
I have had another hectic week with classes, and mandatory out of class field trips (not complaining). On Thursday evening, we went to an Italian Opera called Don Pasquale. We rode the bus into Edinburgh after dinner Thursday evening and walked into the Theatre to find ourselves among a very older crowd to say it nicely. We had excellent centered seats on the floor area. Once the Opera had started, I wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoyed it for awhile, then it got tiring to nod up and down to try and glance at the English subtitles that were displayed in the upper sections. I attended the Opera for my Intercultural Class. Since, this is a 'high class' event I am now more cultured and accepted within the community... ha! It was an experience and all of the opera singers did a fabulous job!
Friday morning we had a mandatory field trip for my Scotland: Society & Globalization class. We took a coach to Glasgow, which is about an hour away from Edinburgh. We arrived in Glasgow quite early in the morning. We had a bus tour and then went to the Celtic Football Stadium. We had a tour of the locker rooms, memorabilia, the stadium, and watched a short film in the conference room. From there we went to two cultural events. The first museum we stopped at was called the Riverside Transport Museum. It was located on the banks of River Clyde. The museum was more modern and reminded me of a walk through time. They had trains, cars, ambulances, clothing, and many items that reflect the era. They had a ship outside that we were allowed to explore - and that was probably the best part!
We got back onto the coach and went to the Kelvingrove Museum. This was a Art Gallery, displaying many pieces of art, paintings, sculptures, and animals. It was a grand venue to say the least. After we left the museum we went to the Glasgow Town Centre and we went to George Square and walking in Buchanan Galleries, which is a indoor shopping mall. Our retail therapy did not last long - we were exhausted from running place to place and were ready to head back to Dalkeith. At the end of the day I was happy to return. I realized Glasgow was very industrialized, too large, and not as quaint as I would have hoped it would be. I was happy to have the experience to visit Glasgow, learn about the rich history, and tour the Celtic Football Stadium.
Yesterday, we spent a quiet day indoors working on homework and accomplishing papers, presentations, and speeches. I listened to WJOB and watched the Birkie live all day. Last night I went out with ladies from the palace in Dalkeith. We went to Maysons and Blacksmith Forge. I decided that since I could not be at Lutsen to have a few with my family and friends, might as well go out and celebrate here!
This week I had my first awful feeling in my gut of being homesick. The thought that Clare and Michael are home, missing the Birkie events, and our annual Lutsen vacation hit me hard. It is difficult to realize I am missing out on cherished family time, but I know I have been blessed with an amazing opportunity here and I am using it to my advantage. I am most looking forward to our upcoming Holiday in 25 days. Myself, my roommates, and a few other ladies are all going on a Mediterranean Cruise. This Cruise goes to Spain, France, Italy, Cicily, and Africa. I know many of you had heard about it, but I am just to excited to contain myself. It seemed like a wonderful opportunity to see many locations on a budget.
This upcoming week is also going to be busy. Tuesday I am attending a Ballet, Friday I am going to a Rugby Game, Saturday we are touring a Castle, and on Sunday we are going to a world dance festival. Cheers!
I have had another hectic week with classes, and mandatory out of class field trips (not complaining). On Thursday evening, we went to an Italian Opera called Don Pasquale. We rode the bus into Edinburgh after dinner Thursday evening and walked into the Theatre to find ourselves among a very older crowd to say it nicely. We had excellent centered seats on the floor area. Once the Opera had started, I wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoyed it for awhile, then it got tiring to nod up and down to try and glance at the English subtitles that were displayed in the upper sections. I attended the Opera for my Intercultural Class. Since, this is a 'high class' event I am now more cultured and accepted within the community... ha! It was an experience and all of the opera singers did a fabulous job!
Friday morning we had a mandatory field trip for my Scotland: Society & Globalization class. We took a coach to Glasgow, which is about an hour away from Edinburgh. We arrived in Glasgow quite early in the morning. We had a bus tour and then went to the Celtic Football Stadium. We had a tour of the locker rooms, memorabilia, the stadium, and watched a short film in the conference room. From there we went to two cultural events. The first museum we stopped at was called the Riverside Transport Museum. It was located on the banks of River Clyde. The museum was more modern and reminded me of a walk through time. They had trains, cars, ambulances, clothing, and many items that reflect the era. They had a ship outside that we were allowed to explore - and that was probably the best part!
We got back onto the coach and went to the Kelvingrove Museum. This was a Art Gallery, displaying many pieces of art, paintings, sculptures, and animals. It was a grand venue to say the least. After we left the museum we went to the Glasgow Town Centre and we went to George Square and walking in Buchanan Galleries, which is a indoor shopping mall. Our retail therapy did not last long - we were exhausted from running place to place and were ready to head back to Dalkeith. At the end of the day I was happy to return. I realized Glasgow was very industrialized, too large, and not as quaint as I would have hoped it would be. I was happy to have the experience to visit Glasgow, learn about the rich history, and tour the Celtic Football Stadium.
Yesterday, we spent a quiet day indoors working on homework and accomplishing papers, presentations, and speeches. I listened to WJOB and watched the Birkie live all day. Last night I went out with ladies from the palace in Dalkeith. We went to Maysons and Blacksmith Forge. I decided that since I could not be at Lutsen to have a few with my family and friends, might as well go out and celebrate here!
This week I had my first awful feeling in my gut of being homesick. The thought that Clare and Michael are home, missing the Birkie events, and our annual Lutsen vacation hit me hard. It is difficult to realize I am missing out on cherished family time, but I know I have been blessed with an amazing opportunity here and I am using it to my advantage. I am most looking forward to our upcoming Holiday in 25 days. Myself, my roommates, and a few other ladies are all going on a Mediterranean Cruise. This Cruise goes to Spain, France, Italy, Cicily, and Africa. I know many of you had heard about it, but I am just to excited to contain myself. It seemed like a wonderful opportunity to see many locations on a budget.
This upcoming week is also going to be busy. Tuesday I am attending a Ballet, Friday I am going to a Rugby Game, Saturday we are touring a Castle, and on Sunday we are going to a world dance festival. Cheers!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
A Weekend In London
Whew. This past week has been a whirlwind! Friday morning my alarm clock went off and I practically jumped out of bed. I could not contain my excitement to board the train and head to London. I packed by bag Thursday night because I knew that alarm clock was going off early. In the morning we grabbed a bagged breakfast and lunch from Henry. Be boarded the coach which brought us to the train station in Edinburgh. We got on the train and departed at 07:30. Once the train had started moving, I felt ill. I had been one of the lucky ones with the seat that is backwards. After a while I started to get used to it and my excitement overcame my nausea. We arrived in at King’s Cross in London around noon on Friday. After a short tube ride to Russell Square we walked to The Generator (our hostel).
Patty did a excellent job picking out a great hostel for us to stay in. We were pretty centrally located and it was easy access to the tube. After we got settled, we decided to go to Madame Tussauds which is a wax museum of pop stars, actors, and people from history. It took us about a hour to navigate our way there, in down pouring rain. I always say traveling with your friends is a true step to knowing them. At last, we arrived and enjoyed our time there.
Back at the hostel we were getting ready for a live play called, The 39 Steps. If anyone has not seen it, I highly recommend it. We walked to Piccadilly Circus where the play was located. Once we arrived there, I felt as if I was in a old fashioned time square. The lights, people, live performances were breath taking. We entered the theatre and sat down - did I mention we were in the second row in smack dab in the middle!? It was awesome.
On Saturday we were up early for breakfast at the hostel and had our day pretty much planned to the max. We left our hostel at ten in the morning to walk to Covent Garden and participate in a walking tour of London. On the tour we stopped at many historical places and ended up next to Big Ben and Westminster Abby. The whole time my head was weaving and bobbing back and forth to try and not miss any sights. Our tour guide did a fabulous job with telling us interesting facts and stories along the way.
We then took the tube to Cramond Market. Although, this was not my first choice to go, I went for the street art and for the experience. Cramond Market is a giant flea market where many goods are sold. There are also a lot of touristy stores located along the main drag. We then continued to take the tube back to Piccadilly Circus and walked to Chinatown. We meandered around Chinatown until we stumbled upon a Chinese Restaurant to eat at. We walked up four flights of stairs to find ourselves confused by the menu. I ordered fried rice and sweet and sour chicken. I was keeping my order safe! After dinner we took the tube back to the hostel and crashed. We had been on our feet concurring the beautiful city. I showered and prepared for another long day.
Once the morning had arrived, I really wanted to go to the Church Service at Westminster Abby. Jenna and I decided to venture on our own and go. Boy, was it worth it. Jenna and I sat in the front row. I was and am still speechless on how to describe the beauty I saw. The fact that I was able to attend and sit in the front - it was such a humbling experience! Jenna and I walked around the London Eye, Big Ben, and then decided to go find some food. We decided to go and eat at The Crypt. Yes, a Crypt. We ate underground at a burial place. It was a experience to say the least! We then met the girls back at the hostel to meet up before we walked to the train station to go to THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER! I probably have not been so excited in my life. I have read all the books, seen the movies, and now I get to see where they filmed it!? It was a dream come true. Not to mention I may or may not have teared up a bit while waiting in line to enter the tour.
I spent approximately four hours touring and running around like a child - but hey, I am a BIG fan! We got back to our hostel and crashed again - these long days of walking catch up with you real quick! Monday morning we got up at 7, ate breakfast, and checked out. We took our backpacks with us so we wouldn’t have to return to the hostel. We then took the tube to the London Eye. The views were gorgeous! It was about a 35 minute ride all the way around. Once we neared the top, we could feel the wind a bit and more movement. A few people were freaked out to say the least. I didn’t want leave the spectacular views - but I was forced off. We then proceed to grab lunch at The Sherlock Holmes Pub. I only got chips because I wasn’t too hungry at the time. Then we proceeded to King’s Cross where we took pictures at PLATFORM 9 3/4! My Harry Potter adventure was complete!
Overall, London was amazing, but at the end of the day I was happy to be home back in Dalkeith. This past week has been crazy with school, trips, homework, and making time for a social life. I hope I can blog sooner rather then later because there is a lot to update everyone about! Heading to Glasgow on Friday!
Monday, February 10, 2014
On the Go
Boy oh Boy, where has the time gone!? I haven't had time to update my blog for a week! Time has been filled with classes, homework, chores, and activities. Last Thursday after dinner myself and 25 other students went to a traditional Ceilidh. We took the bus to Panacook about 35 minutes away to meet Annabelle (Dance Instructor) and join in on the weekly event. Some Thursdays they have live music and sometimes it's recorded. Annabelle says you never know how many people are going to be attending a Ceilidh until you get there. Traditional Ceilidh are similar to our barn dances. They are routines that you walk through, then do it yourself. I sat out for a few dances and then a older gentleman came and got me to join in on the fun.
Friday we went to Cramond Island. Cramond Island is just outside of Edinburgh located on the North Sea. It's a tidal island in the Firth of Forth reached at low tide by a causeway which extends 3/4 of a mile. There are only certain times you can safely cross the causeway. Cramond Island is uninhabited, but there is significant evidence that prehistoric creatures have lived there. As you approach the Island along the causeway you can see the military defences to your right. There is a lot of old WW1 concrete on the Island with many old significant buildings from it's historic time. The hike was traitorous in my boot, but I made it work. It was worth the trip and this is an area that goes undiscovered to travelers coming through.
After a long hike out, around, and back from Cramond we walked through the village to take a bus back to Edinburgh. We got off the bus on Princes Street and decided we wanted a burger for lunch (traditional American food). We found a excellent burger place on Georgetown street called Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I had a cheese burger with thin cut chips. The burger was okay. It sure doesn't live up to a good old Lehman's burger! The ketchup is much sweeter here then in the United States. We enjoyed a meal outside of the Castle and then decided to go back home to put our feet up after a long day.
Sunday morning we were up early to attend a Carboot Sale. I was really excited to go to a 'flea market,' but once I got there - I really disliked it. It was on the -4th floor of a underground parking garage and people just sold items out of the back of their car. I was sketched out by the experience. Myself and a few other girls decided to leave a bit earlier we got Starbucks and went shopping in Edinburgh. We went to a giant store called Primark. Primark is basically like Forever 21, but better quality and cheaper. They have five levels of women's, children's, accessories, men's, and home accessories. Overwhelming to say the least but we had a blast. We made a few more stops before taking the bus back to Dalkeith. We decided to grab a late lunch at the Black Smith Forge and we watched the rugby match. Sunday I focused on accomplishing homework, tiding my room, and preparing for another busy week ahead.
THREE DAYS UNTIL LONDON & HARRY POTTER!
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