I’m really bad at this…

It’s difficult to get myself to decide to sit down and write in here, but I am so anxious to tell everyone about all the things I’m doing here. Words cannot express more than my enthusiastic face could….

^^moments before traveling up the eiffel tower

I’ve written about my 11 day excursion in a notebook, which I plan on transferring to this blog at some point. It will happen, but for now I’ll just tell you how much I enjoyed it.

Without a doubt, the best consecutive 11 days in my entire life. (I think everyone I was with would say the same for themselves.) People were asking what my favorite city was and I honestly cannot choose. They were all very different and I liked them all for different reasons.

Dublin was really beautiful. It was much smaller than the other cities, and everything was walkable. The pubs were so much fun and EXACTLY how I had imagined the Ireland culture to be like. Everyone was so joyous and just enjoying everybody around them, it was magnificient. I had my first pint of Guinness on Halloween and now I’m hooked, I actually enjoy it now. We ventured to the Guinness Factory where I learned how to pour the perfect pint and then drink it (I drank it for my Dad, of course)

Amsterdam was just a DIFFERENT place. Again, the people there were super nice and chilled out (mmmmhmmmmm). We went to the redlight district..which was insane. I always heard about it, and how women stand in the windows, prostituting themselves. I never thought that it actually worked that way…but it does. It’s exactly that. It was crazy and for my eyes, I did not reallylike the idea of it all, but still appreciated the culture and I understand that so many places and ideas are different everywhere. Surprisingly enough, the place I felt the safest was in Amsterdam. The atmosphere was not dirty or creepy, there are barely any homeless people at all and everyones too..chilled…to care. I’m avoiding saying what the main pasttime in Amsterdam is only because my family reads this, but I’m an honest person, hay! haha, google it : ). Besides the attractions in Amsterdam, the city itself is flawless. It’s gorgeous. Canals all over and bikers riding through everywhere. Can I mention that we all rented bikes for the 3 days we were there to ride around like the locals? We may have rode bikes like the locals but that does not mean we didn’t stick out like tourists ..stopping every 10 blocks or so to look at a map because we were lost, or the 6 of us riding in a straight line with out ‘rent a bike’ logos on the fronts of our bikes. It was quite a sight…

Paris. Yeah…A lot of Paris was exactly what I had expected. Beautiful, not understanding the language, shaking my head with wide eyes when people tried to talk to me in French and looking frantically around for Chris, Kate or Karen because they knew some French. However, Paris was a lot dingier than I expected, especially where our hostel was. It was dirty and made me appreciate the cleanliness of London. Still, with all of that, it had some of the most beautiful sights. Without describing, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Pere Lachaise, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, the Lourve,  Moulin Rouge etc etc etc. Yes we did all of that in a matter of 3 full days.  Including the market, eating a lot of croissants, drinking some wine, reading cosmopolitan, waking people up, and mainly coughing.

Three beautiful, beautiful, beautiful places.
Yet we cheered when we arrived back in New Cross.
It is nice to have your own room, away from the same 5 people you’ve shared everything with for the past week and a half without a minute of privacy. It is nice to have your own bathroom with shampoo AND conditioner AND bodywash! (WOW!)  hahaha. and..towels. It was THE most amazing experience ever. However, I’m still so happy that I chose to come to London (it’s my favorite). I am leaving in four weeks and I’m not looking forward to it, but then again I am. I’m excited to see my family and friends and Range. I just wish I could explain everything I’ve done here by showing them. Even a camera cannot capture all I’ve seen and done. I’m surprisingly not homesick at all, but I think I owe that to my friends here who’ve become more than just friends, they have been my family for the past two months, and I love them all.

Daria

10 minutes before my departure..

Here I go…

Backpacking through Dublin, Amsterdam and Paris.

 

What did I do to deserve this?
I just keep pinching myself.

See you in eleven days, London

One Month

I have been absolutely horrible with keeping up with this…

I was planning on posting another day2day..

However…too many days have passed, even if I’ve written it all down.
Maybe I’ll post those descripitions another time.

Today I was able to breathe and take this all in ..
I have been here for a month now.
It feels like a night and it feels like 10 years. there’s no better way of explaining the excitement and the homelieness of it all. I still want to take pictures of my lil room but it doesn’t tend to stay clean..not sure why. HA. and I need to take a second and take a picture of the view from my window. The view that I open my eyes to every morning. Every morning (or afternoon, more likely) when I wake up, I brush away those curtains, open my window and breathe in to make sure that this is still real. There’s no possible way that this is my life, it cannot be possible.
When I look out my window and see the city in the distance, the New Cross Gate train station in clear site, the Hobgoblin beer garden right under my window, and the double deckers passing by the street…this IS my life and I am the luckiest person alive.

I have to wake up in two and a half hours but my eyes don’t want to go to bed.
I am going to York for the weekend with CEA. Four hour bus ride..which is also keeping me from sleeping, bc I want to sleep the whole way on that bus.

There’s nothing I enjoy more than the recaps of everyone’s days at dinner. Even though most of us spent ours together, we let each other know our favorite and least favorite part of our days and that of course leads to hours of conversation at the table (where we spend most of our time..eating..). It’s amazing how much we’ve learned about each other. The ones I’ve known for a matter of 4 weeks … I feel like I’ve known for my entire life. I couldn’t ask for better people to surround myself with.

Thinking about this one month anniversary of being here…
I don’t want to. I don’t want this to be over. It is too good to be true. Too good to be happening to me. Everyone deserves this. It’s far from an escape, but it might as well be.

I miss everyone at home and I’ll be happy to see them all but I cannot imagine going home just yet. I have so much left to do. I’m going to stop thinking about that though, because I still have 2/3 of the way to go. That’s quite some time! I am so excited to see what else happens..

I have fallen in love with London.
It loves me back, I know it.

xDaria

Week One

Ok Ok so I was finally able to get out with my camera and explore London.
Hmm since my last post, it has just been the same thing everyday, just at different places:

Walk somewhere for hours upon hours.
Come back home, get ready, go out.
Repeat.

My legs are dying but they love me nonetheless, my calves are rock solid hahaha.
Let me try and remember my days…

Monday was an orientation and then we went and finally got cell phones from “Carphone Warehouse” which has everything so you can compare and choose and la dee daaa. I got pay as you go and I feel a lot better with a cell phone now that I can communicate with people. (and also know the time…)

It was kind of interesting however, to not have a cell phone or internet, or a way of knowing the time. It was nice to be unattached but I have to say that I appreciate knowing what’s going on. Monday is also the day we were finally able to figure out the internet. WOOO!

Later that night I went to the Hobgoblin (the local pub that is conveniently my view when I look out my window) where I saw a couple people I knew, and then saw the majority of my flatmates there so I decided to hang out with them. It was fun.

Tuesday
First we had departmental meetings which lasted about 15 mins each that just made me tired from waking up so early for them.
We went on an adventure to find towels and we ended up finding them at the Lewisham Shopping Centre which is about a 15 min bus ride. It looked like a normal mall that you could find in the states, only different names of stores, a supermarket inside and people spoke in accents. Other than that, I could say I went over to the Brunswick Square Mall. However, I am quite glad to not say that.
Tuesday night…we decided we wanted to go into the city to check out the scene there and go to pubs and whatnot. We traveled over on a (free) train then took the underground to Piccadilly Circus:

piccadilly circus daytime

We found a pub in Chinatown to go to. O’Neills, an Irish pub in Chinatown in London. Perfection. It was a lot of fun and there was a live band playing and they were entertaining. We were there for some time and then we decided to go to another place. We arrived to “Onanon” and paid 5 quid to go in, but it was well worth it. After we had drinks, we went upstairs and they were playing all hip hop/pop/r&b/rap/fun musics to dance to. and we danced and danced and danced for a few hours and it was so much fun. We figured out the night bus to take us home and the night ended at around 3.

Wednesday I finally got to sleep in…I had nothing to wake up for, which is wonderful. All that I had was a proper British Tea at 230 in Central. So my CEA friends and I found our way to central and even though we left about an hour and a half early, we still only made it with 15 mins to spare. I had a scone for the first time ever and it was DELICIOUS, with jam and british cream,yumyumyum.

Wednesday night we went to the Student Union club because every Wednesday is “Club Sandwich” there which just means that they open up the dance floor and it becomes more of a club than just a bar. Everyone came over to my flat beforehand and then we went over to the club. It was ridiculously packed because it was the first night but it was so much fun!!!! We just danced, met people and had a good time.

Thursday I went to Greenwich Park with my flatmate Taryn and Kelly. It was absolutely breathtaking. It’s just a huge park and it was just so beautiful, and at the top of the hill you can see the the city..it’s amazing.

Looks unreal..

After Greenwich, we got back and then started to get ready to go into central to our fav. pub…O’Neills…an Irish pub (its a chain) but our fav one happens to lie in the midst of Chinatown, which is AWESOME btw. Everythings so much more festive. There was a live band playing and it was ridiculously fun and entertaining. There was a bunch of us who went, most of the kids from CEA and the majority of my flatmates:

Friday was the fresher’s fayre which included all the clubs and societies chillin at one spot so we could go through and decide what clubs/societies we wanted to join. I am more than likely going to join the Drama Society so that should be fun and a good way to meet more people : ).
Friday night we went to the Hobgoblin pub that is around the corner from halls and it was fun, we just sat around and met new people and had a good time.
I am in love with New Cross because of the people around here. Everyone is so friendly (for the most part) and it is so quirky that I feel anyone is accepted. I love the people I’ve been surrounding myself with and I am just so excited and anxious to bring more people into my life.

Saturday will go down as one of my best days in my life- I got to tour Buckingham Palace…the Queen’s home. It was surreal and unbelievable. Everything I looked at, walked on, by, touched, …is all history. It has all been  here for so long and it is so crazy to be able to see all of it and experience it all and learn everything. I have never felt more interested in these experiences. I am appreciating the small things so much more just by not wanting to close my eyes. At home I will allow things to fly by me without taking a peek but here..I never want to close my eyes, I want to see everything and imbed it into my brain in hopes that I’ll be back and recognize it. The most beautiful things appear when you take a second to look, and if there’s any lesson i’ve learned here so far, that is it.

After Buckingham palace, we went to go get dinner and I had my first fish and chips!! It was delicious : ). Then afterwards I found my way to the theater to meet Karen for Wicked. Oh my god, it was such a good show and so much fun, I really really enjoyed it. I went home and went to sleep because Sunday was a very early, busy day.

Sunday morning I woke up at 630 because we had a CEA trip to Oxford. It was early, bu not too horrible. We took the bus to Paddington Station to meet with our tourguide. Once we got there, we had to take a 2 hour train ride to Oxford. The ride was not bad and as soon as we got there, my mouth couldn’t stay closed. I was in awe ..every single building in that city is absolutely breathtaking. Again, the history is incredible, and how I would looooooove to attend school there. haha. Or I’ll just wait because they give out honorary degrees to people..who are famous..and do great things..so I’ll just wait for that.

This is where they go to school there….

Seriously?!?!? Why can’t Montclair look like this?!

All in all, Oxford is GORGEOUS and amazing. We took a walking tour and we went into beautiful churches and the place where Harry Potter was filmed and it was really really cool. I am blown away here. Absolutely. I love it.

Me in front of Buckingham Palace

 

My computer is being ridiculously slow so I will post more pics later!!

Finally got some internet..

So we finally were able to figure out some internet! wooo!!! I already typed up a blog post before I had internet, so keep in mind that it was written Sunday morning. I’m too busy to update anything further than then : P

 

The plane ride was not bad at all, I just wish that I had gotten some sleep. I tried, but I failllled. I watched one movie, watched some tv, played some games and talked to Kelly. The flight was really smooth and we got to London an hour early. However, that was a tease because once we finally got off the plane, we were introduced to the HUGE line for students to get checked in at customs. Once we waited on that for about an hour, they decided to take those who are only studying for 3 months and we went to a different, much shorter line. Then we got our baggage and went to find the CEA rep.
There was even another girl going to Goldsmiths in the same program who was on the plane and all of us stuck together once we were off the plane. Once we found CEA, she told us she had a budget to feed us so we all got food. My first meal in London- chicken & avocado sandwich. and my first London Diet Coke (for mom and aunt reba). We didn’t have to wait very long for everyone to arrive, probably about an hour or so, then FINALLY we stepped outside. Unfortunately it was in a parking garage, just to get into a van. We all got into 2 seperate vans and drove over to Goldsmiths!
Even though I was exhausted, and others were sleeping in the van, I could not take my eyes away from the windows, just looking for anything to recognize. So far, it was just another highway that looked like it could belong in NJ, but we were just driving on the (wrong) side of the road. Then it started looking different than NJ and I spotted the London Eye. I took out my London book and tried to figure out where we were on a map. I figured it out, but then the road we were on ended in the map so I just waited. Things started sounding more and more familiar once we started getting into New Cross. I recognized names of shops and pubs in the area because Karen told me about them before.
We finally got to Loring and I got my keys to my flat and went straight there! It’s awesome, my own bedroom and my own bathroom. Definitely not used to that, so it’s pretty great except for the fact that I have to clean the bathroom (ew). As of then, no one else was in the flat with me at all, and that stayed true for quite some time. We had to take a walk with the woman from CEA who showed us around the neighborhood and where the supermarket is and everything. It is awesome here because there are just SO many kids my age just walking around hanging out and it’s the perfect atmosphere.Did I mention that I love it here yet? I do.
I went back to my flat and found a roomie! Taryn, from New York. She is very nice, and informed me of our other roommate Sarah who is also from NY, and I met her later on in the night-also very sweet. I’m still hoping for some foreign people to live with me (hopefully males)! There are three apartments left! (yes, there’s only 6 of us) Before coming back to my room, Karen met up with us and we went to her house which is awesome and then we went to Sainsbury (supermarket!) and I bought some necessary items.

 I had a perfect first night in London.

Everybody kept going back and forth from deciding to sleep or to go on. I did not give myself a choice–I knew I was going out, it’s my first night in London!! Mostly everyone decided that they were taking that route as well. We went to the International Student buffet which was in a church. Ironically enough, the pastor kept refilling the table with beers! Free beers! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The dinner was alright and everyone was just mingling and it was fun. Then we went over to another partyon campus at the University club. I bought my first legal drink at a bar!! Strongbow Cider. It was delicious! The club was great fun and I met sooooo many people, it’s WONDERFUL!
After I was at the club for some time, I decided to go to the pub around the corner because Karen and Lewis told me they’d be there. Chris and Emily came with me and I met so many more new people and it was SOOO FUN!!! Then a bunch of us headed back to the Club and danced and had tons of fun. Finally, after hours and hours of fun, I came home to pass out after not sleeping for about 40 hours or so.
I woke up this morning and yup!! still in London. This is like a dream into reality. I love it here.
There are not that many problems when it comes to understanding accents and things that they say here. The only thing that keeps confusing me is that when they ask if you need help, they just say “yew arrright?” and I’m like “yeah! I’m fine.” But then I ask them a question, hahahaha. So far, everyone seems to love me attempting the british accent more than they love my American one. At least I can do the British one better than they can do American…its awful! hahaha.

Phew, this was a really long post (they’re not all going to be like this. Even though I know my mom would like them to be.)
Ive got an orientation to go to! and I’m buying a phone today! yay!

Daria

 

P.S. i got my other 3 roommates. unfortunately all from the states. fortunately, all lovely people. we’re 4 girls and 2 guys. i have a lot more to say about this weekend but im lacking the time..ill just say that i went on a walking tour of central London and got to see so many places and it was AWESOME!!! i really really love it here!

Ranger

So I have decided that this is what I am going to watch when I miss Ranger:

 

Welcome

It is now September 17, 2009. I have been waiting for tomorrow for an extremely long time.

Since the beginning of 2008, plans have been brewing for this study abroad trip and I could not be happier to GO! FINALLY! TOMORROW!

I’ve been counting down since well over 100 days I can’t believe I’m down to 1.
The purpose of this blog is to keep everyone at home updated on my trip and for myself in the future. I s’pose in case I lose my memory or something…highly doubtful.

A few warnings for my family:
Curses (I’ll try not to, but I get excited)
Alcohol consumption (I’m legal over there!!)
Offensive pictures (^^^^^)
Bad grammar/spelling/etc. (try not to notice)
Lack of entries about SCHOOLWORK. (I keep work and play seperate, and keep in mind that this blog is play )

I am so excited to take this journey and will keep this updated for ya’ll to take it with me!

Daria