The amazing adventures of Megan, Katie, and Rachael (and other short stories)

Hello all! I'm terribly sorry it's been so long since I've written, we had a busy first week of classes and then last week when I was going to write, I found out that my converter refused to charge my laptop anymore, so I've been unable to put anything up for a while... But it's working now, so here I go!

Our first week of classes was pleasant. I managed to take the tube into my first class on Monday and not get lost, and I even had time to get some coffee from Cafe Nero. Cafe Nero for all my coffee loving people, is rather like Starbucks in the states (although they still have plenty of Starbucks' here) although I'd actually say they make better coffee than the average Starbucks...

I have class Monday, Tuesday and Thursday here. Each class is three hours, which is why I only have one class of each a week. It's a bit wearying to sit in one class for three hours, but sometimes we have tea and cakes half-way through, and that does brighten ones perspective.

On Monday I have Contemporary Britain which is essentially a poli-sci class on... contemporary Britain. Yeah. It's quite interesting and the prof is amusing and interesting. On Tuesday I have  Medieval History (Of Britain) with Katie and Rachael. That one is also interesting, and a class I really need since I've recently added a history minor to my degree. On Thursday I have Shakespeare in the morning, then Media in Britain in the afternoon. My comm class is great so far and Shakespeare... well is Shakespeare. I'm not sure how much I'm enjoying the prof in that class. She's young, barely older than we are and I'm not sure how much teaching experience she actually has. But, we shall see. The great thing about the Shakespeare course is that we get to go see performances (which, in my opinion, is the only way people should really experience Shakespeare...) We had our first performance that first week, on Thursday. It was a performance of Henry V with Jude Law playing Henry. It was really good, and I've decided that I can enjoy Shakespeare if I can see it performed. It was a packed theater in West End (The theater district in London) but we all really enjoyed it.

So, that was our first week of classes.

Last weekend we had a group trip to Bath which was fabulous. The non-fabulous part was our frantic flight to get to the train station. Katie, Rachael and I left with what we thought was plenty of time to get where we were going. However as we were walking there Rachael says, "Are you sure it's the Waterloo station?" We checked and saw that she was indeed correct, we were meeting at Paddington, not Waterloo. We felt a flutter of nervousness, but it was okay, we still had time. After huffing and puffing our way to our tube station we arrived to find it closed. We looked at each other in dismay, but a kind gentleman told us we could catch the bus to the next tube station, "Just over there" he says, motioning toward a gentle incline behind us. We start up this incline. This sweet little hill that was actually Mount Everest in disguise. We gasped our way up this mountain, dragging our suitcases behind us and wondering if we shouldn't just give up and flop down in defeat. We didn't however, and we finally made it to the top after at least four minutes of terrible exertion. We found the bus. Well, we found a bus. Which we thought was our bus, but we weren't terribly sure. We got on it anyway and ended up finding the next tube station. We were seated comfortably on the tube, but as we looked at the map, despair started eating at our hearts. There was no way we were going to make it in time. We were waiting at one of the stops, almost ready to move again when Rachael says, "GET OUT HERE." We dash of the tube, barely making it past the doors sliding shut behind us. Rachael says, "We can go another way." So, after getting through a terrible maze of signs and stairs we find the correct tube line. We get on it, jiggling our heels and glancing with agony at our watches (Well, cell phones...). We make it to Paddington station, squeeze into the lift and dash out. We can't find anyone. Our group is nowhere to be seen. At this point I was ready to get a coffee and sob bitter tears into it. Rachael however, had more presence of mind and decided to call a friend. Thankfully she answered and we found our group. Our relief was palpable. However that relief turned to annoyance/frustration/life isn't fair/irony when our group leader told us we needn't have hurried.

Our train was late. 

 After this traumatic experience we arrived in Bath! We saw the ancient Roman baths that have been there for 1,000 (?) years. We saw a bunch of signs claiming Jane Austen fame (which actually annoyed me because Austen hated Bath, but, whatever ;) ) and we saw the Royal Crescent (Very expensive houses arranged in a crescent shape overlooking a large garden) and the cathedral in the city. It was nice to see everything, and to get out of London. The next day we went to Longleat House, the home of  the Marquis of... something. It was a lovely house, surrounded by acres and acres of grass and trees. That in itself was refreshing to me. After nothing but city and buildings and concrete it refreshed my soul to see green hills and blue sky. We spent the afternoon in Wells, a cute little town which is actually a city, but only because it has a huge cathedral. We saw the cathedral, wandered around the town, and went into the Bishop's Palace. The gardens around this place were breathtaking. At one point we came upon an acre of land that was completely carpeted in purple crocuses, white snowdrops and violets. It was magical. We left for London that evening, weary, but happy.

This last week was fairly similar to the previous one. Classes, tube rides and runs. Katie and I have been continuing to go running, although sometimes my legs feel like concrete and I want to just lay down and have people run over me.

Yesterday Katie, Rachael and I went to Oxford! It was beautiful. We started out going to the Ashemolean Museum and then went to the Eagle and the Child for lunch. For those of you who aren't as nerdy as me, the Eagle and Child is the pub where the Inklings met. For those of you who didn't gasp in amazement, the Inklings were a group of Oxford professors which included Tolkien, Lewis, and other amazing authors. It was there that the first pages of Lord of the Rings and Narnia were read and discussed. Wow. I felt so inspired sitting there (we actually got to sit in the room where the Inklings sat.) Now I know a lot of you would get excited to see a famous celebrity or something, but for me, sitting in a room where writers who shaped literature in the 20th century sat, was a whole lot cooler. After my definite geek-out moment (which Katie and Rachael tolerated with much grace and good humor) we went to the Botanic garden (the oldest in England) which was lovely. We wandered the streets for a bit, trying to find Christ's Church. We did find it, but it was terribly expensive to get in, so instead we wandered more, walking along a canal and enjoying the breeze and sunshine of an early spring day. We had a delicious cream tea afterward and then wended our way home. It was lovely to walk toward our train station as a silvery-blue twilight fell over beautiful Oxford. It was really amazing to be walking in a place of so much learning and knowledge and beauty.

For those of you who've actually read this whole epic, I applaud you. You either really love me, or are terribly bored. For those of you who are bored, go read a book, or better yet, some poetry. I recommend Seamus Heaney's District and Circle.

I'll try to update more frequently, especially now that I've got my computer working.

Cheers!

I'm Bad at Titles

It's been a fairly relaxed couple of days. Thursday the tube strike was still on, so we slept in and then Katie and I went running! Our plan is to run every other day, and even though we got covered in mud and rain, it was a good time. And I didn't die from my asthma, which made it an even better time! We mostly did nothing that day, just hung out. We did get absolutely delicious margarita pizza for dinner that we watched being cooked in a wood fire oven. It was expensive, but very worth it.

Friday we had a tour of London on a bus. We saw Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. It was really nice. The only bad bit was the coffee I got which was disgusting. Sadly, I can't drink bad coffee 'cause I've not had the experience before... Such are the trials of a Keurig owner...

Yesterday we went to Notting Hill! Now, as many of you probably know, one of my favorite movies is Notting Hill with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. So I dragged Katie and Rachael with me and we went to see the market that runs all the way through it, on Portobello Road. The market was cool, but so terribly crowded with people that it was hard to see anything. Once we moved a bit past the crush of people we wandered around for a bit looking for a place to eat (sadly everything was full) and we happened to bump into the bookstore featured in the movie. I had a moment of sheer excitement and dashed inside. It was "surreal, but nice." If you don't know why I said that, go watch the movie. It was really cool to see the inside of the store. After tearing myself out of the bookstore we went home and did nothing for the rest of the day.

Today I woke up and had muesli for breakfast.  Muesli, for you that don't know, is magic. It's like they combined oatmeal and granola into one magical warm or cold cereal. I was fairly unreasonably excited to eat it. After that, I had a lovely long devotional time and missed worshiping with my dear WBC family. Then we made a trek to a candy shop, which we've spent a fairly substantial time looking for. I got something called Sour Fizz Balls. Not normal. Warheads have nothing on these candies. They are the most sour candies I have ever eaten in my life. They are delicious, but sadly one can't eat more than three without their tongue starting to bleed, so they also have an edge of danger in them that I quite appreciate.

Nothing else planned for today. Tomorrow is the first day of classes (Contemporary Britan). I'm excited to start something more substantial. I'm looking forward to having stuff to do again. I probably will regret those words once I have a ten page paper to do.

I'm enjoying London, but missing home. It's weird to wake up and not sit at the breakfast table with my mom, drinking coffee and chatting (well I drink the coffee, she the tea). I miss it.

Of tube rides and scones

In the four days that I've been here, everyone has talked to me about the weather.

The director of the London program, our American advisor, our tour guide, Dilys, Steve, Gwyneth, Katie and Rachael's homestay people, and well, really anyone British who I've had more than a five second interaction with. "It's flooding in the West country...it's been raining for days... worst weather we've had in ages... we've broken all the records for rain... worst rain in a hundred years..."

I'm not quite sure what to say other than, "Oh... I'm... sorry?"

We've figured out the fastest route from our house to the school, and I've nearly perfected the "I'm a stoic Greek statue" face that most people on the tube have perfected. It's rather fun to practice. Also, the tube is a fabulous place to eavesdrop ( I know that half of you just heard Sam Gamgee in your head...). Yesterday I listened to this fascinating conversation between an Irish girl and a very embarrassed/slightly annoyed/wanting to be helpful British woman. The Irish girl was trying to choose between her head and her heart. I'm not quite sure if she was an actor wanting to be a lawyer, or a lawyer wanting to be an actor... but best wishes for her, and it made for an interesting ride.

Yesterday we went to school terribly early (I had to be up at 815) and had some more orientation stuff. Talked about travel, and then went on a tour around our Bloomsbury (Where our school is). It seems that there was a famous author that lived on every street, or so the plaques say. We saw Dickens' house, and also the pub that housed the famous literary, Bloomsbury Group. It was quite a lovely walk. After that we did a quick tour of the British Museum. I thought the DC museums were big... This was so huge we could fit my whole college campus inside the building. Sadly, my phone died just after we got in, so I only got a few pictures, but we plan on going back often. While there we did get to see the Rosetta Stone (But, unlike the computer program, it did not ask me to recite verbs back at it..), the Elgin Marbles (Bought from the Turks in Greece, by the British, but now the Greeks want them back and there's a big controversy) we also saw some other... Greek things that Tali hyperventilated over, but which I can't remember the name of anymore... they were interesting anyway.

After the British museum we got some coffee and waited around to have a buffet dinner with our profs... well, I would not call it "Dinner" as it was really just some appetizers. Went home after that and slept soundly for many hours.

Today, due to the tube strike (don't ask, something silly about ticket offices...), we had no orientation (or tomorrow) so we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast and then Katie, Rachael and I, walked around Crouch End. I got some yummy scones at a bakery, we had lunch in a nice little cafe, and then got some much needed groceries. We've spent the afternoon trying to figure out where to go for spring break... haven't decided yet, but I'll let you all know once I do, and you guys can tell me how you're eaten up with envy because of it... ;) 

My fingers are really cold because they don't really use heat here. Well they do a bit, but because fuel is so expensive, they don't use it much.

Hope you lot are all safe, don't get hit by any trees in that ice storm(Well, the Maryland-ers). I'll post again in a few days, perhaps after I've gone to the Notting Hill market... then you really should be envious, because it shall be fabulous!

My first day...

Well it was rather miserable. Everyone was lovely and helpful, and my homestay family were so kind and welcoming. But all I wanted to do was sleep. And I knew I couldn't sleep. All anyone told me to do was not sleep, and all that made me do was think about sleeping. There was one point where I was being shown Crouch End (Where I'm living) and I could have fallen asleep with my legs still moving. At about four when I finally got a bit of time alone in my room, I burst into tears and started hating everything about London, only wanting to return home. But, before you guys start awwing me and encouraging me to continue on, let me finish my story ;)

After the irrational tear bit I decided I HAD to take a nap. I did, for about 90 minutes and felt much better once I got up. I skyped my family which also made me feel much more cheerful. I then went downstairs to have dinner with my host family, and that was quite nice. It was me, Steve, Dilys, and Dily's mum Gwyneth. We talked for quite a while, and I had my first taste of Yorkshire pudding, which is not pudding at all, but rather a small... pancake like, round thing. It was tasty. I stayed awake till about 830 and my host family said they were quite impressed with my ability to hold a legible conversation. We discussed Seamus Heaney and Steve and Dily's argued over whether she was Scottish or not. It was most amusing. I then went almost immediately to bed and slept for 12 hours.

I woke up with an incredibly improved aspect. As I was getting tea and munching on toast this morning I decided that London wasn't so bad after all. I met Katie and Rachael (who live three doors down from me) and we walked to the tube station. It's a bit of a walk, about 20 minutes, but it's a rather nice walk and so easy that even I could find it by myself. Our tube trip is about 15 minutes, and then another ten minute walk to school, so all in all, a good commute.We had orientation for a few hours, fairly boring stuff, but not too terrible. After that we returned to our homestays for a bit, and then went back into central London to celebrate Tali's 21st birthday. We ate at a little pub called Prince Authur's, which was quite nice.

Now, I'm home. Sitting in my violently magenta room. The cat seems to like my room the best, which is unfortunate, but other than that it's quite a nice room. Today has greatly improved my aspect and I am now quite sure that this shall be a pleasant few months, even though I still miss everyone back home.

I hope everyone in Maryland enjoys their snow.

It was 50 degrees and sunny here today.