Au revior Europe, Hello Florida!

Well, I've arrived home! Wednesday night the internet was being funky, so I just decided to sleep and post when I got some real internet. I'm glad to be back, but I definitely miss everything and everyone in the program. Wednesday, despite the ominous coming of Thursday and our farewells, was a pretty good day. The weather was nice, and whipped out the dress for our last day. Notre Dame was beautiful; being there reminded me of London. I was slightly disappointed at the lack of a hunchback. It really did look like it did in the Disney movie. The cruise was really great- I saw everything! Paris really is quite beautiful, with its buildings and parks and street life. And I definitely made a wish under that famous wish bridge thingy.

This little girl is sitting with her dad, begging for money. She reminded me of my youngest little brother; I think this is my best shot from the last day. There are so many homeless and street people, and I think they are just as much a part of the city as the historical surroundings.

I was really looking foward to dinner all day; I wanted to just sit, talk, relax, and have a good time with everyone. I realized while I was sitting there that I was going to miss everyone and everything. Paris. London. Wales. I've done more amazing things and seen more amazing things in the past 3 weeks than some ever do or see. First of all, I couldn't have been luckier. Secondly, I've learned so much. Not necessarily about blogs or podcasts or lame internet connections, but about people, relationships, attitudes, cultures... I feel a little bit older, a little bit smarter. Yes, I'm still "little bits" of the group, and I'm not trying to get all smoochy here, its just spewing out. I seriously feel like this trip has given me so much more than I could ever imagine it giving me. And I thank everyone who helped me to go to a seriously huge extent. And everyone I've met, talked to, hung out with, everyone.I think this was my other favorite shot. This little girl was trying just as hard as the rest of us to get that perfect shot. I hope she got it.
Well, I'll have a few more posts, but I'm going to move to a new one soon (I'll be sure and post my other blog). Ciao!

"They're like playhouses for dead people."- Nate

Cemetery Kitty!

While trying to avoid the Sixth Sense cliche, I saw lots of dead people today. Pere Lachaise is the resting grounds of quite a few famous people, of which I saw Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Marcel Proust. No telling how many I walked by unknowingly. I think this may be my shot of the day. Creepy, but they put those spikes up so birds won't land and poop all over the walls.
Like Nate said, some of the graves had little houses (for prayer maybe?) with the family names on it, and it was a bit creepy. Oscar Wilde's grave is covered in kisses, so I got a pic kissing the grave (it says clearly not to leave a lipstick kiss on the grave) as well as one with Jim Morrison's grave,though it was surrounded by little fences to keep people off. Thankfully, these graves did not include little houses with them.
After a very nice lunch of crepe salee, which I am determined to bring back to the states because they're awesome, and gelato, we went to Moulin Rouge and then Montmartre, where we were bombarded with crowds and people trying to sell things. Heather practically got harrassed by one guy trying to sell her a bracelet and all the girls had to protect her! It was intense. The hill is very pretty though, I just wish they're weren't so many people so I could actually distinguish the scene from Amelie.
Afterwards, we headed back to the Hotel to recooperate before Bastille Day! I am excited though not quite ready to come back home. Throughout these posts I've tried to demonstrate some kind of personal growth, something new I've learned everyday or someone new I've connected with. In Paris, its much harder than it was in London to connect with locals. However, I'm feeling much more comfortable with the girls in my group. Yes, I'm much younger than them, and they are protective of me and call me "little bits" sometimes, and they do remind me I am still very young. I'm having a lot of fun with them though; going out the past few nights, we've all just had a great time eating, drinking, and last night there was even a bit of dancing to celebrate Bastille Day. I was glad I didn't go by myself, because at one point when this guy was trying to get me to dance with him, I would push his hands away and he'd just go right back for it, so the girls pulled me back and circled around me, creating a baracade! I've never been baracaded in before, but it was not a bad experience :) So, a big thanks to them for being awesome protectors!
Well, I'm going to run up and down the stairs and maybe burn off a few of those baguettes. How do these French women do it?
Au revoir!

I'm talking to you Madame.

Today, I had my first winery tour. Uh, awesome just doesn't cut it. Epernay was beautiful, I had a great, inexpensive (for France) lunch, some awesome gelato, and then washed all down with some first class Moet & Chandon champagne. I was going to get my family some champagne and send it back, but it was quite expensive and its all stuff you can get in the states, so I didn't see the point. The stuff we were told on the tour was amazing! I mean, they store some of that wine for 7-50 years to allow full maturation. My favorite, however, was when the tour guide was attempting to answer Dr. E's question and she was kind of lost in her thoughts, and the guide said, "Excuse me, Madame, I am talking to you." I thought it was hilarious. Anyways, we just got back from celebrating Bastille Day! The music was fabulous, and I even got to dance! Though it was with an old grandpa type of guy that didn't speak English. About three or four guys came up to each of us and told us we were beautiful, so I'm guessing they do that with every girl they see? It was great though, just to see people all coming together to dance and get lost in the music. There were mothers with children, guys, girls, couples, everybody just danced. There was even French rap which basically blew my mind. I feel really happy knowing we were a part of the celebration! I'm very tired though!
Awesome. Well, a good ending to a fabulous day.

The Internet Fails

Proof I was there :)

Pic of the Day!

So, I've been trying to get things posted up here, but where as most of my group has trouble uploading their pictures, I have trouble uploading anything or even getting to the website. Annoying, to say the least.
So, my post from yesterday was all typed up and the internet timed out. I'm not going to lie, I was so frustrated I just closed my computer and went to sleep. So, I was hoping I could post two days worth in one post. Yesterday was our free day, and I slept in quite a bit ;) Afterward, I headed out to see the Arc de Triomphe. I wanted to meet some of the girls to go eat so I didn't have enough time to climb to the top, but I did walk all around and meet some people from London. The view around the Arc is just about as impressive as the Arc itself. I found the way there, navigated the metro and figured out where I should be going, and I was quite proud of myself. One of the things I'm learning about myself is that I'm actually quite independent. I like going places and figuring things out. Its a big self confidence boost :) Later that evening Alexis and I went to a bar nearby and had a wonderful time meeting people, two of which were members of the foreign legion training for the parade on Bastille Day. They told us all about the fireworks and I'm really excited about it!
Today was also a really cool day. I was tired, didn't feel cute (I'm a young girl from the States surrounded by fancy French dames and their Gucci bags, its understandable), and did not want to wait in the god awful lines that lay before us. They were horrendous actually; we placed bets on how long it would take, and the line to get tickets was an hour and a half, then there was the line to actually get in the Castle, and that was about an hour I think, and then there was another line for the audio guides. And you can add a few more lines to the menu because if you had to go to the bathroom? 15 minute line at least. Hungry, thirsty? I wanted water and it took 45 minutes of waiting in line just for some god-forsaken liquid.
So basically, I was in a bad mood. I walked all through the Castle and saw all the rooms, but there were so many people I almost felt claustrophobic and I don't think I've ever held on to my purse with quite the death grip I had today. My favorite room was the Battle Room, or Room of the Battles or whatever. It was a large hall with huge paintings of Battles hanging on the walls, and they have added photographs and displays of more recent battles, like WWII, the Vietnam War, and even the Abu Ghraib photos. Then, I headed out to the Gardens...
I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the 8 euros to tour the gardens, I didn't realize I'd have to pay extra for that. Basically, if you ever go to Versailles and you see long lines for the castle, screw it. Just go to the Gardens. They were absolutely breathtaking. I just wandered around to all of the fountains, saw the Grand Canal and watched people boat and ride their bikes around. The scenery completely changed my mood. I was no longer in a rush to get home, though I was a bit disappointed I didn't have time to go to Marie Antoinette's Estate. Though I saved 10 euros not going and it leaves me with a reason to come back! It was just such a beautiful place, somewhere you'd like to take a loved one and have a picnic, or take kids and let them run around. I loved the way the paths were arranged in the Orangerie, it was beautiful!
I'm actually starting to get the hang of the metro here, its not very different than in London, I just wish I could speak French!
Tomorrow will be very entertaining, I'm off to a winery with the ladies and Nate :)

Bonjour!!!

The view from the Eiffel Tower, my personal favorite pic :)

Ah yes, the Eiffel Tower at night is a beautiful sight...

So much to say after two days! Well, Thursday morning we awoke bright and earlier to head off to the British Library, which was actually surprisingly awesome. I saw the Magna Carta and ancient Buddhist documents, among other things, but most notably, they had a little window of hand written song lyrics and original records by the Beatles! I actually have seen the handwriting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. That was by far my favorite part. The train ride was alright since I have this awesome super power of being able to sleep anywhere. And then, we arrived in Paris.
I didn't understand anyone. We got yelled at to move out of the way. I had to pee and it cost a euro to use the bathroom!!! Apparently its like that all over Europe, but I vow unto you at this very moment, dear reader, that I will not, unless under extreme circumstances, pay to use the bathroom. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to peeing behind bushes!
On our way out of the metro, there were three people at the top of the stairs smoking, not a ciggarette, which I don't think you can smoke in the metro, but a marijuana ciggarette. Uh, do cops not ride the metro? Some of the ladies in my group were a little concerned, but then they started to help us get our bags up the stairs and were very kind, so everyone seemed a little less disturbed. Oh, it was quite funny.
After being approached by two gypsies, I was a little freaked out, but made it safely back to the hotel. After the amazing trip to the Eiffel Tower, we encountered our first robbery foiled by the police. It was so random, a guy pushed me to go past me and a cop jumped in front of him (and me) and he started to run back before giving in. As if I wasn't freaked out enough already... Its really not that bad here, I know my grandma and my mom and dad are all reading this, saying their prayers and losing sleep over my wellbeing, but fear not! I'm the baby of the group, everyone's taking care of me. For our first meal in Paris, a shameless vending machine occured, many a chocolate and chip were purchased.
After the first day in Paris, I'm feeling a bit more comfortable, a little less homesick for London. The Louvre was really very cool, but my camera died after about two and a half hours! It was very upsetting. But I decided it was actually a good thing it died. I'd been walking around, totally focused on finding a statue that would be perfect for my picture focus for today without actually looking at and appreciating the amazing art around me. I mean, I saw work by Michelangelo, Da Vinci , jewelry, sphinxes, and cat mummies of the Egyptians, even the Mona Lisa (which was almost as impressive as the rowdy crowd surrounding the Mona Lisa). It felt really cool to be looking at such historical artwork. The sculptures were quite beautiful, and this one I think was my favorite, I just love how real and sultry she looks...
I am starting to like Paris more, and I know how to use the metro, so that makes me feel a lot more secure. I seriously just wish I knew the language, then I'd at least know what the crazy gypsies on the side of the road were saying, or the guys that walk past and say things to me, obviously hitting on me but I would never know. The creepiest though is when you walk down the sidewalk and a guy walks by you, walking kind of close to you despite the ample space on the other side of the sidewalk and as he passes he says something under his breathe, as if talking to himself. I don't know what it means, what he's saying or anything, but I know I get the death grip on my purse and ignore him. Really, that's about the worst I've encountered.
Oh, a few extra pics are in order now that the internets working.
Mummy Cat!
And dude, check out these buns!Now those are quite the glutes...
Tomorrow's our free day, I'm sleeping in :)

Time Flies...

Harrods is huge. Absolutely insane. I mean, anything is worth more than everything I own, but it was kind of fun to look at. Even the food. I got soup that was really good and then a cupcake that was pretty but mediocre in taste. But the toy store? Mind blowing. Every possible toy in the world exists there.
The day started with Princess Di's Playground area, which was a lot of fun. I got to be 5 again! And the park was way cool. There were dogs running around everywhere and it was a really beautiful area.
Well, tomorrow we leave for Paris. I was thinking all day about how this is my last day in London, and I'm actually kind of sad. Not really, I just wish I had a few more days before we left. I'd feel that way in a few days though as well. Paris is going to be a blast, though I'm a little concerned about meeting new people with the language barrier... I'll have more to say tomorrow, I'm hitting up the town to celebrate the last night!

Flying Baby Demon Mermaids With DDs and the Tale of Sir Verde

Today was quite rainy, but I'm glad it was a more laid back excursion rather than one of our long days. We took a train our to Hampton Court Palace and toured all over the building, from the rooms to the gardens and even the kitchens. I thought the kitchens were the most impressive, and I've determined I don't think I would've liked even being a king back in the 1500s. Henry VIII ate so much meat he likely had scurvy because the more meat you ate, the more money it signified to the rest of the world that you had to spend on that meat. It was like 70% of his diet. And the amount of dishes? Man, I complain about dishes at my house, its a good thing there are only five of us and not an entire palace of plates. I really like how they had everything set up as it might have been in their times, and how even the cafe was in one of the old kitchen areas.
Today's photography focus was to tell a digital story, so I used my mascot as an easy way to tell a silly little story I made up. There were some weird paintings and sculptures, like the one I used in my story, that were oddly sexual. I mean, for example, what the hell is this supposed to be?
Little demon baby mermaids?! With huge knockers?! What kind of drugs were the artists in this era doing exactly??? And are they spitting something at each other?! I was obviously a little disturbed by this one, and it wasn't like a little fixture somewhere, it was on the ceiling!
Anyways, I must reveal to you my story.
Sir Verde, the snake of Bloomsbury Borough (all you librarians out there should know the children's book I'm referencing with the snake's name, it was one of my little brother's favorites) was in love with a the fair Elizabeth of Hampton Court, who was found upon the breast of another... Woman!
(If you can't see it, there's a small snake more or less biting this woman's breast. Why? Um... ?)Sir Verde found evidence of his lovers infidelity on the internet, and was devastated. Sir Verde was a noble snake, but crumbled when his one true love was lost, seeking comfort in his refrigerator... to drown away his sorrows...
Poor, dear old Sir Verde passed out, depressed and left alone in a drunken stupor. Fear not, for tomorrow shall bring sweet reptilian maids to his side, and this night of sorrow shall become a distant memory.


Hope this rain clears up soon, two days til Paris!

Podcast Time, Baby

First off, its podcast time! Finally uploaded and ready to go.
Today was alright, though I was tired. Lots of walking, but it was leisurely so it didn't wake me up much. We flew kites up on Primrose Hill, like Mary Poppins, and walked through Regents Park, which was beautiful. The weather was annoying though, right when you get your jacket on it gets hot, then it gets cold again, then it rains, then it stops. I think the most memorable part of the day was Abbey Road though. I walked across the Zebra Crossing, went shoeless and with a cigarette in hand so I could be like Paul. I took a picture of where the Beatles recorded that album and signed the wall in front. I think my Dad would be proud to hear that :)
Billy Elliot was this evening, and I enjoyed that, though I think we should've seen it before Wicked because that's just not fair competition. I was quite impressed with Billy though, he was an amazingly talented kid. I think I liked the dancing more than anything.
I think I just really miss Wales. I know I wasn't there very long, but it was just so much fun and s different from anything I'd ever done before. To go back to walking around a big city with lots of people is kind of disappointing, though, don't get me wrong I'm thrilled to be here. I just think I'm realizing that I'm less of a city girl than I thought. It's all about knowing thyself, is it not? Well, I'm off to bed, cheers!

I'm going back to Wales as soon as possible.

This past Friday, I was cmpletely stressed out. I went in to pick up my train ticket to Wales and found out it wasn't covered in the cost, which was a misunderstanding on my part apparently (it covered transportation when we got there). I had to run to the ATM and get back before we had to leave. Then, my oyster card, the card to ride the tubes, had to be topped off and I had to make everyone wait for me. On the way to the station I realized I didn't bring any towels or a sweatshirt, which were recommended because it gets chilly. Plus, the train ride took forever. But you know what? Once I was in Wales, I don't think I've ever felt more at home in a new place. The people were amazingly friendly, the food was awesome, and the scenery... There just aren't words in the English language, and pictures don't do it justice. I loved all the guides, they were hilarious! Some would stay after they "worked" and would hang out and have a few beers, eat, and play guitar. They gave me towels, and they had cute sweatshirts for sale, too.
Saturday morning I woke up and went on about a 9 mile hike along the coast and had to continuously pinch myself to make sure it was real... It was supposed to be 7 miles, but we walked past the beach we meant to turn at. It was raining, so I borrowed a waterproof and my jeans were so wet they weighed about 10 pounds, but I could have cared less. It was absolutely breathtaking out there, rocks were jetting out of cliffs into the sea... it was just spectacular. It was just me and Dan, a man from the Choral Studies program at the FSU Center, and we were just dropped off at one spot and found our way back using a map. It was great. After lunch, we went coasteering, which is basically getting geared up in a wetsuit, life vest, helmet and tennis shoes and jumping off cliffs into a lagoon. Guys, I jumped off a cliff about 20 ft high. It was awesome. We climbed up a bunch of the rocks and went swimming in a cave, too... That night we all hung out and talked for a long time with the people there. Caitlin was one of the girls that had come on the trip that was about my age, and I really liked her. We were definitely leading the pack coasteering, and we ever jumped the fence and visited the cows! One guy who helps out at the lodging place is named Charles, and he and I talked for a long time, just about random stuff. He was so interesting; about every two years or so he picks up and moves somewhere new. Helen, whom everyone calls "Hels" is the barwoman, and she is probably the coolest person alive. She told us this story about how one morning, she woke up her kids yelling, "Today, you are not brushing your teeth, not getting dressed and not going to school until every last one of these water balloons here is gone!" She gave the kids a huge tub of water balloons and sent them out into the street at like 7 in the morning for a water balloon fight. I also really liked the two instructors that took us surfing, Libby and John. Libby helps run the place, and she used to be this really posh dancer from a nice part of London, but she realized she hated it when she was injured dancing and starting surfing, cut off her hair, pierced her ears and moved out to Wales. John is a great musician and he would sit out and jam while we all sang along. When he took us surfing with Libby, he came up to me towards the end of the session and asked if I wanted to go out a bit further with him, and it was incredible. The waves were amazingly powerful, really choppy, but I caught a few that were definitely the biggest I've ever caught. It was harder surfing in a wetsuit, and the foam boards were really heavy, but it was unbelievable. I took some rocks from the coast (you know, its where the rocks from Stonehenge came from) and had everyone sign one of them. I told them I wanted to come and work as a yoga teacher at Preseli because it'd be a perfect thing to add for people to sign up and do, and they were all for it! I really, really didn't want to leave (I even cried on the train, shhhh don't say anything) but I'm determined to go back. I have quite a bit of exploring to do, but Wales will always have a special place in my heart because of this weekend, the people I've met, the things I've learned...
Charles summed it up perfectly on the rock I asked him to sign: Live, Love, Laugh.

Who knew C.S. Lewis was such a hottie? We would've gone great together...

Oxford is farther that I thought. It was a very beautiful place, and I think I'll apply, just to get a rejection letter from there. It was awesome seeing all these locations used in Harry Potter, though I feel like such a nerd for being so excited about it. C.S. Lewis' house was adorable too! I loved the style, the little stories they told us about how his room was locked out of the house, so he had to go out the door by the window, then go into the house from the outside to get to his study. There was one room where the guide said they used to sit and smoke their pipes til the room was full of clouds of smoke, and then they'd open the windows and watch the smoke escape... It sounds so romantically quaint and so full of character, I could imagine Lewis sitting with his pipe, watching the fumes billow up and out of the window.
The church and the libraries were neat, but for me, not particularly interesting. The most fun I had all day though, was simply walking around during our free time, when I went into the Covered Market. I just looked at all the shops and took lots of pictures, especially of signs since that was our focus for today. The odd looks I got were quite humorous.
This sign was a favorite of mine, not because the police feel the need to have a sign clarifying this to the general public, but because there's a number to call if for some reason you need assistance... Help, I'm engaging in illegal activity, and I need assistance!
Just joshing.
Tomorrow I'm heading off to Wales, so I better get some sleep!

I climbed over 500 stairs today, nothing can defeat me!

Well, today was pretty awesome!
I've always been a fan of Van Gogh, and I got to see some of his original paintings today, which was amazing. Sunflowers is a personal favorite. While I was in the museum, a weird guy kept looking at me, and I thought nothing of it as I left the room until I bumped into him about three times throughout the museum. The last time, there was a mother, kid about, oh I'd guess 14 years old, and a father. The kid was watching as I passed and then this guy went passed, giving me a strange stare, and I gave him a strange look as if to say, "And what exactly are you staring at?" The kid saw this look and giggled, and I instantly liked this kid.
Oh, yeah, and by the way, I also climbed over 500 stairs to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral today. No biggie, except of course for the last 50 stairs or so that were metal and had cut outs in them so you could see through. Not cool. I was wearing a dress and at first was concerned someone would see up it, and then as the stairs got narrower and spun around, I cared a lot less about the dress and a lot more about hanging on for dear life in case I slipped and fell. But I made it! The way down was actually more scary...
I'm tired, but excited for Oxford in the morning!