"Whats the best thing to come out of England? The road to Scotland!"

If you are ever looking for a get away that includes rolling hills full of sheep, cobblestone roads, beautiful architecture, gorgeous scenery, and pretty hilarious people, Scotland is definitely your destination of choice.

A couple friends and I were able to squeeze in a 3 day trip to Scotland for the last of our traveling. And I would say we saved the best for last. Scotland was a perfect way to end the last of our major travels.

We traveled by train to Edinburgh, Scotland. The train ride was about 4.5 hours long but was totally every second. The scenery was amazing. There were fields and fields full of sheep for as far as you could see. We also traveled through some other bigger cities such as York and New Castle, so it was nice to be able to catch a glimpse of those beautiful city surroundings as well.

The first night in Edinburgh we checked into our hostel and headed out to wander the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh and find a place for dinner. We settled on a pub on one of the more popular streets called Market Street. There was a sign outside that said there would be live music so we figured that would be our best bet. We ordered some food and got some drinks and then realized the sign said that the live music wouldn't start for another 2 hours... but we still decided to wait it out. As soon as we started to talk about leaving and finding another place a giant group of about 20 guys walked in and sat at the large table next to us. Before we knew it we were being introduced to our first dose of Scottish sarcasm as they pulled our table over to join theres. It turned out that they were all members of the British Army. To say the least, it was very interesting to talk to all of them and they had many jokes and stories to tell. A little bit later another group of people came in and sat on the other side of us. They asked us to take a picture of them and while we were making some small talk, we found out that they were from Ann Arbor, Michigan! When I told them I was also from Michigan they got really excited and yelled 'GO BLUE' for all of the pub to hear! We ended up having so much fun with all of the new people we met. Needless to say it was a perfect first night in Scotland.

The next morning we went on a free walking tour that our hostel offered around Edinburgh. The tour guide was great and had a lot of really cool stories to tell, and we learned a lot about the different landmarks and buildings in Edinburgh. During the tour we also went to a famous graveyard called Greyfriars where we heard the story of Greyfriars Bobby. There we found the gravestone of Tom Riddle which J.K Rowling used to write Harry Potter. We also saw the school which Hogwarts was based off of. For lunch we went to a famous cafe called the Elephant House. This is the cafe where J.K Rowling wrote the first two Harry Potter books, and if you didn't know that fun fact you would have known as soon as you walked into the bathroom. The place is famous for its bathroom walls which are coated with signatures, quotes, drawings and about anything about Harry Potter. Everything from the door, to mirror, to sink were absolutely covered! The cafe itself was also very cute and everything there was about elephants.

After lunch we headed to Holyrood Park to climb to the top of a small mountain to get to Arthur's Seat. On the way there we saw a little candy shop and stopped to get some candy for the walk. We ended up talking to the owner for quite awhile and she gave us tips on the best way to get to Arthurs Seat! She said if we went the hard way we would each need to bring about a gallon of water with us and some hiking shoes, but if we waited until there was a fork in the road and started to head up the mountain, it was a much easier walk. She was so friendly. She also sold buttons, pendants, and magnets all made of maps. And crazily enough, we all found a button that had Kingston (where our university is) and London on it! Also, my friend who has lived in England before, found one button with the small town she had lived in on it! After we purchased some souvenirs and some candy of course, we got back on track and headed for Arthur's Seat.

Long story short, we ended up venturing up the side of the mountain when we saw what we thought to be the fork in the road. But after about 45 minutes and a couple breaks to look at the view (to catch our breath) we realized that that was far from the fork in the road the lady had told us about. Keep in mind we all had our purses and other stuff we had carried around for the day and we were nowhere near dressed for an intense hike up a mountain. We saw a couple walking down towards us and as we got closer we saw that they were definitely dressed for the occasion; hiking sticks and all. When they told us it was at least another 30 minutes if steep walking to the top. To say the least, we got our workout in for the day and it was quite the adventure. We were all very glad we decided to take that way up because the views the whole way up were spectacular.

When we finally made it to the top the views were absolutely breathtaking. All around us was a beautiful panorama of all Edinburgh. Although I will say that I am to blame for what started to happen within seconds of us reaching the top. On the way up I had commented on how lucky we were that it was not raining, because it was supposed to rain the whole time we were there. And sure enough, once we reached the top, not only rain came down on us, but mother nature decided to throw some hail and hurricane winds in there as well. We were holding on to rocks and quickly began taking pictures and then hurried down the 'correct' side of the mountain where it was a very easy walk. But the hike and the weather still could not make us say one bad thing about that adventure. We had so much fun singing silly songs on the way up like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "The Climb". And the view was my most favorite thing about the whole trip.

Once we reached the bottom, we found ourselves in a little area of Edinburgh called Duddington. The lady we had met earlier that day had told us about a little pub there that we needed to check out if we had the time. After a little bit of wandering we found it once a runner ran past us, noticed where we were headed and said "the only thing that way is a pub!"And we said that was exactly what we were looking for. We were freezing and wet from all the rain and we needed somewhere to unthaw. Once we got there, we found out that it was the first pub in Edinburgh! It was really cute and the people were very nice.

After that we made the long walk back to our hostel to meet up with another friend who came to join us. After we went out and got some dinner we called it a early night and headed back to the hostel. We stayed in a 10 person dorm so when we got there we met some of our roommates. We met 2 Scottish guys who were our age. They had really thick accents so we found ourselves saying 'what' more than having an actual conversation. They laughed every time we couldn't understand them and it truly was quite funny because it wasn't like they were speaking in another language or anything. We quizzed them on some American slang and their guesses were quite funny. But as soon as they turned it around and started quizzing us, we also made some pretty silly guesses. And the fact that they used the popular Scottish slang and refereed to us as lassies was also pretty funny.

The next day we had a very early start and headed to Edinburgh Castle to meet for our all day bus tour through the Highlands. We boarded a coach at 7:45 am and did not get back until almost 9:00pm, it was a long day, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

There were many stops along the way and the scenery around us was breathtaking. The highlands surrounding us the whole way was filled with valleys, hiking trails, trickling waterfalls, and beautiful vegetation. It looked as though we were just traveling through a movie scene the entire way! We made frequent 'photo op stops' and stopped at some popular landmarks as well. Our tour guide was hilarious and made the tour so much fun! He had enough interesting information, fun facts, and of course jokes and sarcasm to last us the whole day! He had many jokes about England, on of my favorites being the one I used as a title for this blog. He even wore a kilt and played bagpipe music throughout the tour as well!

Some of our stops, and sights of the tour included Fort William, Stirling Castle, Great Glen, Britain's highest mountain (Ben Nevis), Fort Augustus, Glencoe, Inverness (Capital of the Highlands), Grampian Mountains, Pitlochry, Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness. We also were able to meet many people on this tour! We met a couple American families, but the coach was filled with many different languages being spoken.

My personal favorite was stoping at Loch Ness and taking a beautiful boat tour out on the 24 mile long, and 700 feet deep loch. Of course, we spent most of our time trying to spot the famous Loch Ness Monster (Nessie), but we figured he was probably just taking a nap.

Although it was a long day, we did not let that stop us from enjoying our last night in Scotland. We headed out to a pub for some dinner, and after going in and out of many, finally found one with an available table. In one of the pubs we were in and out of, we ran into one of the American families that was on our tour!!! We laughed about it for awhile, but we never thought we would end up running into them 2 more times the next day! Perfect proof that it really is a small world!

The pub where we at dinner was blasting Scottish music and because it was a Saturday night and getting late, many Hen and Stag parties (Bachelor/Bachelorette parties) were making there way in to enjoy their nights. So we decided to head to another pub. There we tried some famous Scottish Highland whiskey (I don't recommend it!!!) and ended up meeting 2 other study abroad students from America who were traveling! (Again small world) Also, one of them was celebrating her birthday! We ended up hanging out with them, and playing card games at the pub, and dancing for the rest of the night. It was so awesome to be able to meet new friends and have so much fun on our last night in Scotland. The only downfall of the night, was finding out that those who say that Scottish men wear nothing under their kilts are 110% correct. Needless to say we left after a Scottish man in a kilt decided to prove that rumor to be true to everyone around.

The next day was quite rainy, so we spent it wondering around some more and huddling under umbrellas. We decided to go to the National Museum of Scotland (which was free)! We spent a few hours there and it was an awesome museum! There we again ran into the American family from the tour, TWO separate times... It was quite crazy, and funny. At the museum we were able to see Dolly, the first cloned mammal ever, and some other interesting treasures and displays. We then headed to the top floor terrace of the museum where we were able to get yet another incredible view of the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

The long train ride home was just as beautiful as the long train ride there as we passed through many fields full of sheep and other landscapes. We all had a wonderful time in Scotland, and I definitely hope to go back someday! The people were great, and always telling jokes, and everything about Edinburgh was beautiful! I was sad it was our last major trip outside of England, but I was glad we saved the best for last.


As soon as I was home I spent much of my time studying for my last exam which I just had today! So my summer has officially started. I will say I wasn't exactly as thrilled as everyone else was who was cheering and throwing papers as they left Kingston University. Yes of course, I am happy to have a break from school for awhile. But being done at Kingston University was the first sign that makes it real that I am really coming home. Time has gone by so incredibly fast that sometimes I almost forget that I will be home in just a couple weeks. I had such an amazing experience at Kingston University and came out learning so much more than just lecture material. I am happy with the opportunity that Kingston University offered and the students and faculty I was able to meet, but I still can not get over that fact the it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was anxiously awaiting my acceptance letter.

Of course between studying I managed to find a day to take a break and explore London with a friend who was leaving the next day. We managed to check the rest of the things off of her 'to do in London' list including strolling across Abbey road just like the Beatles, having lunch and riding bicycles through Hyde Park, doing some last minute souvenir shopping and some last minute wandering through the city, touring Little Venice, climbing to the top of Primrose Hill, and of course saying goodbye to Big Ben. It was another wonderful day in London to add to many. We ended the night at our favorite pub and met up with some friends to say goodbye. She is the first of my friends to leave, and that was another shot of reality that soon I will have to leave too. We were all very sad, but I can't wait to visit her in the Fall at her school in New York! I was so thankful to have met such a great friend across an entire ocean and find out that she lives just over 6 hours away from me at home. Another study break we were able to make was one last trip to Richmond which was gorgeous as always. And I can only wish to be back and living there someday. It is by far my most favorite part of London.

Some other highlights of the past 2 weeks include me going to a park with Emily and teaching her how to ride a bike! I had so much fun with her and some other members of the family that day! It was a gorgeous day and I will definitely miss her when I am home! I also decided to leave a little bit of myself behind and donate 8 inches of my hair to the Little Princess's Trust which makes wigs for little girls with cancer.

Tomorrow I am going to start my summer off right by exploring London for the day! The more I realize that the time is ticking the more I am making sure that every second counts. 

Here is the URL for my 'Final Countdown' photo album of my last weeks in London
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201073892346394.1073741832.1140914263&type=3

Also here is the link for my album of Scotland pictures!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201032801919159.1073741831.1140914263&type=3

Here Comes The Sun

Another gorgeous London sunset!

Another week has flown by. I can not get over how fast the time has gone and the fact that I only have 7 weeks left! Everything has gone by so fast that it all seems like a blur... so I am glad I have lots of pictures to remember it by.

Last Sunday, my host family asked me to join them for a family barbecue in a nearby town. It was the first beautiful warm day in England. Apparently the first nice day of every Spring, my host family and their family members get together and have a barbecue! It was wonderful! I was able to meet some more family members, and of course hang out with their 6 year old granddaughter Emily. We played Chinese Whispers (or 'telephone' as it is called in the U.S), and some tether ball. We had hotdogs, and burgers on the grill and sat outside in the warm sunshine. On the way back, we drove through Wimbledon so I could see what it looked like. My host dad is a driver for Wimbledon players during the tournament and has driven many players who have made it to the final rounds. He picks up players and brings them to the courts. So he was able to tell me all about the area and the courts and the inside of them where we weren't able to see. He also was explaining how hard it is to get a ticket now because it has become such a popular tournament. Wimbledon was a gorgeous area, and there were many people out and about walking and sitting in the grass enjoying the warm day.

Some of the many deer in Richmond Park! 

Monday was the first day back to school after 3 weeks so it felt like quite a long day, especially after finishing and turning in a 33 page report for one of my classes. I had a lot of things due this week: the grade in all my classes depends on only a few assignments so after doing mostly reading all semester it felt like a lot of work. After 2 research papers were turned in, and a presentation was done and over with, it was finally Friday. Although I can't complain about the work I do here, because living in London makes it bearable.

On Friday, I saw a friend at a cafe where I was working on some homework, and she asked me to go to Richmond park with her. Although I was not dressed for it, I said yes without the thought of walking miles through a park with my heavy backpack. But it was worth every second and my very sore back the next day. Richmond park is the largest of all the royal parks in London and it is perfect. It is also where part of the course for the 2012 Olympic cycling race was held. We walked through it for about 3 hours. It had everything! We saw some people galloping through on horses, we saw a ton of deer and sometimes you could get really close to them, even though there were signs everywhere that said not to. We stopped at a cafe and banquet area we found where a wedding was being held, and had some coffee on a large hillside where you could look down on all of Richmond.

Alex looking through the telescope at Thames Valley! 

Then we made our way to what is called King Henry's Mound in the park. The mound is the highest point in the park with amazing views. There is a telescope placed in the middle for even better views. One one side of the mound you look down on Thames valley. There are arrows on the ground pointing to monuments such as Windsor Castle and telling how many miles away.

We had heard that there was an excellent view of the famous St. Paul's Cathedral from the mound! We were looking through the telescope and couldn't find anything or any signs! Suddenly we looked behind us and saw a hole through the bushes behind the telescope, then we looked down and saw an arrow in front of the bushes pointing towards the hole that read 'St. Paul's Cathedral - 10 miles'. As we looked through, and then realized the telescope could be turned around, we were able to look through it, past a distance of 10 miles and see St. Paul's Cathedral. It was gorgeous. The view is protected, so although there is park all around, you look through that hole in the bushes, and see 10 miles of clear pathway so you can see the cathedral.

After squinting through the telescope for awhile we decided to walk towards it. It didn't take us long until we came to this gate that was installed in 2012 to celebrate the tercentenary of St. Paul's cathedral. The gates looked like something that belonged in a fairy tale. It was beautiful and at the top were the words 'The Way'.

A tee-pee we found in the park! 

The park was a perfect get away. There were many times when we were walking through areas where it was only the 2 of us, and a few deer. It was quiet and nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a little while. We were so excited to just be walking through woods and fields, that it made me realize how much I take my surroundings, and ability to walk through woods, or by the lake at home for granted. After our legs couldn't take anymore walking we exited out of the Richmond gate which led us to the city of Richmond.

Richmond is known as one of the wealthiest areas of the United Kingdom, so of course everything was perfectly placed and incredibly beautiful. Another fun fact I learned about Richmond is that it was also assessed as one of the happiest places to live in the United Kingdom, and after walking through I would not doubt that one bit. Every little park we passed, or outside cafe was full of people sitting outside enjoying the day. We walked along the river and passed some people making boats, and many little river side cafes. We stopped at a busy little pub along the riverside and sat and told each other we would be back in Richmond park as soon as possible, except next time maybe with bikes.

Saturday morning came to early. We met at the school and hopped on the coach (I got in trouble from the driver for calling it a bus...) and we were off on our last class field trip to Stonehenge and Bath. It took us about an hour and a half to reach stonehenge, but the scenery from the top of the double decker coach was stunning. It was all rolling hills of country side. Fields, little cottages, and sheep were all you could see. It looked like it was all from a movie scene.

Although I had heard and knew what Stonehenge was, I did not know much about the facts or reasoning behind it. Nor did I know what to expect as we got there. But as our coach pulled into a field parking lot, and we got the first glimpse of Stonehenge, it was another thing that looked so surreal. Against the green grass and blue sky, there was the formation of rocks. There was a roped off area all around it that people walked around. So we were not allowed to get close.

While our professor was explaining some of the facts to us about the stones, it occurred to me that it was ok that I did not know much about them, because neither do archeologists, scientists, or anyone else for that matter. They have guessed that the earliest building of this world famous monument probably started in 3100BC. It is also known that it has served as a giant burial ground. People are unsure why this area was so significant, but more importantly how people made this formation so long ago. The total of all the stones is equivalent to about 84 elephants. So the thought of this formation being built that long ago with out any technology or equipment we have today is astounding.

After walking around Stonehenge, we hopped back on the 'coach' and headed to the city of Bath. On the way, we all had to practice saying Bath, because it is not at all pronounced like 'bath' as in a "bubble bath". It is pronounced more like' Bah-th'. So the whole coach full of students rehearsed pronouncing it on the way.

Once we arrived, we were free to go anywhere we liked for lunch. One of our friends is vegetarian, so we all decided on a cute little vegetarian pub we found. Of course, they all ordered vegetarian food, and I ordered the only non-vegetarian thing on the menu...a burger. We were able to sit outside and take in some of the city of Bath.

After we wandered through some of the streets and then headed to meet for our walking tour through the city. Bath is an incredibly old city. Also it is incredibly beautiful. All of the buildings built are of the same color so the city is uniform. All buildings that are built in Bath must match this golden color of stone. In our tour we were able to learn about much of Bath's history. We also walked into the Royal Cresent which is a very popular area of Bath which includes a famous 5 star hotel where many celebrities such as Tom Cruise have stayed. We also passed a house in Bath which was owned by Nicholas Cage that he sold only months ago.

The main reason for our visit to Bath was our tour of the Roman Bath's. Which is a giant spa area where (much like it sounds) the Romans used to bathe. There were four main features we were allowed to tour: the sacred spring, the Roman temple, the Roman Bath house, and the museum itself which held many artifacts and objects found there. The natural bubbling water which averages at about 150 degrees Fahrenheit or above, fills the Roman bathing area and gushes out of the natural hot springs. There is now a spa in Bath that accommodates this hot spring that people can use. It was advised not to touch the water in the Roman Bath because of the temperature and contaminants. To say the least, it did not look like anything I would want to bathe in. But like everything else in the city of Bath, it was gorgeous and truly unbelievable.

Yesterday (Sunday), was yet another sunny day, and I was able to spread a blanket out in the garden (backyard, they call it the garden here) and do some studying in the fresh air and then go for a long run through some areas that I have not been yet. Also I have booked my tickets to Scotland that will be coming up very soon on May 8th through the 11th!

I also have a Tigger update. He is now to the point where when he hears my voice when I come in, he comes running to me. I can always count on him to be in the kitchen keeping me company when I make dinner, and also sitting in the chair next to me at the table purring away. The other morning I again woke up to him on my bed laying on his back waiting to be pet. I told my host parents about this and they were completely shocked. Apparently he usually doesn't like the students that stay and has never done that before. They even said that now when I come through the door, he will even jump off his favorite spot by them on the couch to come and see me. So basically, I will be secretly bringing Tigger back in my suitcase. Although I highly doubt he would fit...

This week is another busy one with school work. I have a big presentation tomorrow, as well as a couple more reports due and some studying for an exam next week. It is so hard to believe that there is only 2 weeks of school left! Time flies.

Here is the link to my album of Stonehenge & Bath photos! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200918854630548.1073741830.1140914263&type=1

"I figure life's a gift, & I don't intend on wasting it..."

It is safe to say I have had one of the most inspiring, eye-opening, and motivational trips of my lifetime. And it all took place in Poland.

Yes, Poland. When I said I was spending my first few days of break in Poland many people asked me why. And to be honest, I was not exactly sure. Myself, and another friend tagged along with a friend of mine who was meeting some of her family in Poland for the first time! All we had really planned was to tour Auschwitz, but beyond that we did not really know what to expect.

Trains run through the middle
of the streets!

When we arrived Saturday night we were met by my friends cousin who happens to be our age! He was incredibly kind and we were also able to meet his girlfriend who ended up spending time with us on our trip as well! We went home to a beautiful home and met my friends grand aunt who was an incredibly sweet old lady who spoke no english. She greeted us warmly with many smiles although we weren't exactly sure what she was saying. That night we stayed up talking about some of the differences between Poland and the U.S and compared things to London as well! We also tried to learn some Polish terms, but it was not as easy as we thought. We also ended up skyping my friends family who still lives in the US. It was so inspiring to see her family be so proud of her for making the trip to Poland to meet her family. You could tell they were so happy for her to be in the country where her grandparents grew up.

The next day we woke up to a beautiful breakfast prepared for us! It was delicious and I believe that is when we started to realize we would be suffering from food comas throughout our entire stay in Poland. The family was extremely hospitable and there was always some sort of polish food around for us to try. After breakfast we headed to a little village called Tylmanowa. It was a wonderful sunny day which made the town itself look like a fake village you would see at Christmas time! All of the houses were colorful, and a beautiful river and mountains created the landscape all around them. We found a place to park and we started walking up a large hill. Once we got to the top, we found ourselves at a cute little house. It turns out that that house was the very house where my friends grandpa had grown up. Because there was no one living in there, we were able to go inside and look around. It was really cool for my friend to see all of that and she was so excited which was really inspring. It really made me want to figure out my family tree and pin points places I could see as well!

Mountain Cheese!

After that, we headed into a tourist village called Zakopane. There were many little shops that lined the streets and many people selling what was called mountain cheese. Of course, we had to try some. The best way I could explain how it tasted, is to compare it to string cheese. It tasted much like that, but smoked. We stopped at some street venders and got some postcards and some other touristy stuff. Then decided it was time to go inside and warm up. It was so cold that when we walked into a restaurant and ordered coffee, they were only able to get us tea, because the pipes were frozen and they couldn't make anything else. After we walked around a bit more we headed into another restaurant to try some traditional polish food. My friends ordered pierogi's and I ordered a different dish which I can not recall the name of. It was all very good and very polish considering we couldn't read the menus and my friends cousin had to order for us.

Polish Pierogi's!

After we ate, we headed to some mountains and a tram that would take us up to the top where another little village of tourist shops were located.

Once we were on top of the mountains the view was spectacular. We spent the time taking pictures and soaking up all the gorgeous scenery around us. After our memory cards were full of images of mountain tops we headed back down the mountain and headed home. On the way back we stopped at a little shop to try out some Polish chocolate. We all got different kinds and tried each others. One of my friends immediately made a face once she tried a creme filled chocolate. We all tried it and immediately regretted it. It had a really strong taste and we kept trying to guess what flavor it could be. Finally after searching the wrapper we found a sentence in English stating 'this chocolate bar contains alcohol'. We laughed about it for a long time and so did my friends family.

trying to create a CMU mountain picture!

That night we hung out at the house and talked more about Poland and the U.S. Although I have been to Paris where there were many people who did not speak English, I felt as though I was having a much harder time understanding people, and finding people that understood me, in Poland. When I was in Paris, I was with a tour group with other study abroad students that knew English. And although I was with my 2 friends who speak English, and my friends cousin who also knew some English, it was a very different experience in Poland. It really made me realize how much I wish I would have learned other languages. It is very interesting how in many places people are required to know English, (such as schools in Poland) but there are many many students in America who don't fully know another language, myself included.

Polish Menu!

The next day we got up and headed to Auschwitz. There is not much I can say about that day besides I believe my whole view on life has changed because of it, and everyday I am on this earth I will try my hardest to not complain about anything ever again. I know as students, we learn a lot about the holocaust in school, and we maybe even visit a museum, or watch movies and read documentaries. But until you walk where they walked, and hear the stories from that camp, and until you walk through the barracks and see how they lived, and until you walk through one of the gas chambers where women and children were sent, you have no idea what the holocaust meant. It was the most eye-opening, and terrifying experience of my life. Although some people in the tour took pictures, I did not feel comfortable doing so. So you will have to trust my word. I am very glad I went, but nothing will ever be able to erase the images of what I saw as I walked through Auschwitz and Birkenau.

This water was so salty, that if you were
to jump in, you could would only float
and not go below the surface.

To lighten the mood that night we decided to go out for some pizza. We ended up at this little restaurant called I Love Pizza and it was completely American themed. The walls were decorated with license plates from the states (sadly Michigan didn't make the cut) and other funny signs in English. The TV was playing MTV and while we were there we were able to hear some Taylor Swift and other American artists. One thing my friends and I have noticed, is that no matter where you go, American music is playing! Even when people do not speak English there is guaranteed to be a Taylor Swift or Justin Beiber song playing on the radio or television. We ate our pizza (with polish sausage, cucumbers (?)), and some other interesting ingredients, and then headed back to get some rest.

There were even Chandeliers made
completely out of salt!

On our last day we headed to a town called Wieliczka to tour some salt mines. We walked down hundreds of steps and walked through the salt tunnels. We saw many different sculptures made entirely of salt and even tasted some of the saltiest water ever. It was really interesting to learn about what miners did to survive the long days. There were many Chapels built underground in the mines which I also found to be very interesting.

After we were done exploring underground, we headed back to the surface and toured Krakow. We went to Krakow Square which is the largest village square in Europe! It was filled with vendors selling knick-knacks, mountain cheese, souvenirs, polish sausages, and just about everything in between. It was also a little bit chilly that day so we ducked in and out of buildings whenever we could. We went into a beautiful church and came face to face with a language barrier issue. My friend and I were walking around taking pictures when suddenly a worker came over and started speaking to us in Polish. She was pointing to my camera and had a very serious look on her face so I figured that photography was not allowed. But as I looked at my friend I found her standing in front of us still snapping photographs! Because we didn't understand what she was saying we couldn't tell she had been talking to us! I would say she wasn't incredibly happy with us after that incident.

a view of Krakow Square

After we toured the Square some more we went to the Wawel Royal Castle. We were able to walk around it and there was an amazing deck on the back where we had a beautiful view of Krakow and the Vistula river. Again we spent time taking many pictures and being tourists, and of course asking my friends cousin how to say different things in Polish. We again went out and got our fill of Polish food and then headed home to pack, so we could be ready to leave early the next morning.

Polish 'fast food'
(much better than the U.S!)

Overall the trip to Poland was beyond great and we had so much fun! When we were saying our goodbyes we even found out that they are hoping we come back again soon, which is always nice to hear. We had a great time getting to know family and exploring Poland, where we had come with no expectations. The entire trip was eye opening in a way I cannot fully explain. Seeing long lost connections being made, being submerged into completely foreign surroundings, and learning so much about such a world changing event was all incredibly inspiring.

When we were touring the castle, and overlooking the river, I went to a spot on the fence and reenacted the famous titanic scene. My friends laughed and snapped a photo, and some nearby tourists giggled and started singing the song. Although the moment was funny, it was memorable because after thinking of the Titanic I had a quote stuck in my head the whole time. It is a quote that all titanic fans, and especially Leonardo DiCarprio fans, love and as cheesy as it may sound, I believe it sums up a lot about what I learned during this trip. It is always good to have a reminder on how precious life truly is.

"I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. 
You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. 
You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count"

-Jack Dawson (The Titanic)

Defying Gravity

It is hard to believe that I have not posted for 2 weeks. The time keeps flying by faster and faster and it is very hard to believe I have already been here for 60 days.

I was able to catch a break on a sunny day last
week and read a book along the river

School these past 2 weeks has been quite busy. Most modules (classes) have one big assignment due either at the end of this week, or right when we come back from holiday break, which starts this weekend and is 3 weeks long. So many students, including myself, have spent many hours in the library and finishing odds and ends so it is possible to have a worry free break! I will say I am beginning to enjoy my classes here more and more. In two of them, the major component of our grade relies on a group project, and it has been fun to work with a groups of students with completely different backgrounds than mine. I feel like I have learned so much.

Last week I was lucky enough to be able to see Wicked in the West End (area known for theatre) of London! It was my second time seeing Wicked, but seeing it again was even more magical than the first time. A group of friends and I went to dinner, had some 'American pizza', then went to the show, and then ended the night on a rooftop of a shopping center near central London. A friend had told us to check it out because of the beautiful view of the city. I will say that seeing city lights at night is one of my most favorite things. So being on a rooftop in the middle of London looking across a sea of sparkling city lights was just as magical as hearing 'Defying Gravity' live for the second time. It was quite an amazing night.

For St. Patricks Day weekend, a few friends and I decided last minute to take a trip to Brighton! It is a beautiful city on the coast and about an hour train trip away. We stayed at a hostel, which happened to be my first one. I was surprised by how pleasant the hostel actually was! We stayed in a room with about 10 other people, all in bunk beds. The employees were very nice and helpful and it was a very comfortable stay. When we got there we went out and explored some of the night life. On St. Patricks day we walked the cobblestone streets, stopping in shops and pubs when whenever we felt like it. The weather was quite rainy and cold and even was hailing at one point. But that did not stop us from having a wonderful time in Brighton. I really look forward to going back when the weather is nicer so I won't have to be so bundled up when walking on the pier and beautiful shoreline.

The shore line in Brighton

Last night, our British Life & Culture class took a trip to the National Theatre in London. The National Theatre shows on many different performances. We saw a play called 'This House'. It was a political play about MP's in Parliament. Although I will say that most of it was over my head, because of my lack of knowledge of the history of Parliament, it was still enjoyable and just overall a very cool experience.




Tomorrow, I have one more lecture, and then it will be no classes for 3 weeks! I am very excited for this break. On Saturday a couple friends and I leave for Poland and I won't be back until Wednesday. We plan on touring Auschwitz and touring some of the famous salt mines.

Today, while I was talking to a classmate, I was asked if I was glad I came to Kingston, and if there was anything I would have done differently. That question really got me thinking, because if there was anything I would do differently, it would have been to chose the year long option instead of the semester long option. I can not even begin to explain what an incredible experience this has been. Although I miss CMU very much, It is hard to imagine leaving here.

With all my heart, I will tell anyone who is even thinking about studying abroad, to follow through and do it. It will be the best decision you have ever made; guaranteed.

Taylor Swift & Hogwarts.

I have a lot of catching up to do I know, but if you could not already tell by the title, I feel like the past week has been focused around Taylor Swift, Harry Potter and Hogwarts, which just so happen to be some of my favorite things.

Touring Parliament!

I'll rewind a bit to last weekend which I have not blogged about yet. Last Friday, we took another trip for our British Life & Culture class. We started the day by touring Parliament (the big government building attached to Big Ben)! It was incredible how old the building was and how they still make it all work in todays times. Every single room was absolutely beautiful! It was interesting to see the throne that the Queen sits in during the opening of Parliament. While we were touring we caught glimpses of some of the workers and even saw one of the queens 'door openers' who are always there and ready if the Queen should ever decide to visit. The system of government was also very interesting to learn about and I was surprised at some of the differences and similarities there were with our American government. For example, much like the President of the U.S, the Queen must sign and approve every Act of Parliament before it becomes a Law. But, no monarch has refused an Act for the past 300 years

After that we were given our own time for lunch. A group of us headed for an area called Borough Market and it was not what I expected, but I mean that in the best way possible. You could tell you were getting close by all the wonderful smells that filled the streets as we made our way to the Market. I was expecting a large building with maybe a couple different food stands and although my idea was on the right track, it was no where near what the Market really is. Borough Market is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London and offers food from just about every part of the world. There were countless stands with so many different types of breads, and chocolates, and just about any food you can think of! People were queuing (a queue is what they call a line) at every stand and it was quite busy, but It was by far the best food I have had so far in England.

The Globe Theatre!

After that we met up again with our class and toured Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The theatre still puts on performances today and hopefully I will be able to make it to one. Our tour guide was excellent and was full of many fun facts and even told us the story of the cliche "you stole my thunder" which happens to be a pretty funny story. The museum was filled with many interesting things as well from costumes to pages of Shakespeare's will! It was an awesome experience and the place was full of history, trap doors, and props.

After the globe we made our way across the famous Millennium Bridge shown in Harry Potter and ended up on the top floor of a shopping mall a few streets over and watched the sunset in London. It was an absolutely gorgeous view and a perfect way to end another awesome day.

Picasso's Painting

On Saturday, some friends and I went back into London to visit the Tate Museum. It is one of the more popular (and free) museums in London and is filled with mostly modern and contemporary art. It is by far the coolest museum I have been too. My personal favorite was a room filled with Picasso paintings! After that we headed to an area of London called Camden Market. Again it was not what I expected. It was not just a Market, it was basically an entire town with many markets and little tourist shops and countless booths. It was quite fun and we ended up finding some really good deals on souvenirs. It was easy to lose track of time there as we weaved in and out of shop after shop. After we had had enough, we headed back to the train station and headed home.

Shops in Camden Market

On Sunday I woke up to a beautiful sunny day and I thought to myself 'what a perfect day for a walk!' Over 10 miles later, I was not exactly thinking the same thing... I started out knowing exactly where I was going and it was truly beautiful. I walked all around the river and past some beautiful houses and then before I knew it I was entering Hampton Court Park. At first I thought It was somewhere maybe I wasn't supposed to be because there were open fields and woods as far as I could see! It was an escape from city life and it was not that far away! I wandered through and found park maps, so I knew I was in the right place.

Sail boat racing!

 I stumbled across a pond and noticed many small sailboats sailing across it. As I got closer I noticed that there was a group of old men with remote controls racing these sailboats across the pond! It was hysterical. As I got even closer I noticed all there wives sitting in lawn chairs watching. I started taking some pictures and a man who was racing ran by me and said the good action pictures could be taken at the finish line just at the end of the pond. I couldn't help but laugh as I watched him pass the sailboat in front of him to take the lead. After watching for a few more minutes I wandered off again, walking through fields and by some horses. The only time I felt uneasy was when I started to noticed that there were golf balls on the path and realized that I was walking into a driving range, and I quickly changed direction. I kept walking again along the river and shortly found myself in front of Hampton Palace! Out of the castles and palaces I have seen so far, this is the one that felt like one from a movie.

Fairy tale trees?

The trees and shrubs were oddly shaped and there were countless gardens, fountains, and statues. I wandered through a bit and heard people talk about how beautiful the place would be in a few weeks when the flowers were blooming. Since it was so close, I decided to just wander through parts of it and come back in a few weeks to see it all. I even walked by a giant maze you can walk through which I definitely plan on going back and doing. After I made my way out and headed back in what I thought the direction of my house was, I realized my phone was dead, I had no idea where I was, and I had no bus pass or had any source of help to me back home. I kept walking and asked a few people where 'Ditton Road' was along the way. Now, that would have been easier if my road was called anything else, but the thing about Ditton Road is that it is not the only Ditton Road! There is Ditton Thames Road, Ditton Hill Road, and many others. So many people were confused when I just wanted plain old Ditton Road, and every time someone knew where it was all they could tell me is that it was far... which after hours of walking wasn't the most comforting words to hear. Eventually, I made it back, still not sure how, but I did, and I was never more thankful to see the sign for Ditton Road.

Now we are at this past week.

On Monday, I booked my tickets to Poland! We plan on visiting Auschwitz and staying with a friends family that she has there at the beginning of Spring Break (which is 3 weeks long).

On Tuesday, I booked my tickets and hostel for Barcelona! I am extremely excited for this trip! I will also be traveling there over Spring Break.

Taylor Swift!!!!

On my way to Hogwarts!

On Wednesday, a couple friends and I decided to travel into London because we knew the BRIT Awards (music awards) were going on at the famous O2 arena and we thought we might be able to catch a glimpse of someone famous. Long story short, suddenly found ourselves standing by the red carpet and seeing countless famous people! We saw Ed Sheeran, FUN, Mumford & Sons, Muse, The Script, and many more including many British pop stars who we weren't familiar to us, but the teenage group of girls in front of us always would scream their names very loudly and we would just follow suit. And of course there was Taylor Swift. We saw her get out of a car across the carpet like every other person did but we were sad to not get a very good glimpse of her. A few minutes later we noticed everyone screaming at one end of the red carpet, and sure enough, Taylor Swift was making her way down autographing and taking pictures with whoever had their arm outstretched with a camera. While I was there, she was the only celebrity to walk down the red carpet and acknowledge everyone. It felt like a dream as she walked right by us smiling and autographing. She gave the girl in front of me a compliment and I swear the girl almost cried of happiness. As soon as she walked by us I looked at my phone and realized I had to leave to make it to the other side of London for a Harry Potter walk I had signed up for! I made it just in time and we were told to follow a lady who was frantically waving a wand above her head. She was quite funny and told us countless stories. We went to platform 9 3/4 and walked around places in London where the movie was filmed. I am very excited to watch the movies again and be able to pick out the places in the film that I have been! It was quite an exciting day and I fell into bed as soon as I got home, and questioned if it had all been a dream.

On Thursday I got my first grade back from a paper I had turned in. At first my heart completely stopped when I saw a 65 at the top of the paper. After having a minor heart attack I thankfully realized that a 65 is an A- here. And I quickly became much more fond of my grade.

Diagon Alley!

Brit Awards!

On Friday I was able to Skype with some of my best friends from school. Thank goodness for Skype and Facetime. It truly makes everything so much easier when with a click of your mouse, you can actually talk to someone and see them. It truly is a piece of technology I do not know what I would do without.

And now we are to this weekend.

The Great Hall

On Saturday we had yet another British Life & Culture field trip. This time the destination was Oxford! I can not imagine going to such a glorious school. There are 23 colleges within Oxford University alone! It was massive and absolutely gorgeous! The whole time I felt as if I was touring Hogwarts! We saw the library where the movie was filmed and Harry wore the invisible cloak, and the Great Hall which the one in Harry Potter was copied from. We saw students in suits and black cloaks and briefcases. We toured the cathedral which was breathtaking. As we walked in, there was a student orchestra rehearsing and they were of course, incredible. As we listened to the sound of violins we walked past the beautiful stained glass windows and monuments. It had us all dreaming of attending Oxford or Hogwarts on the whole trip back home.

Mummies at the British Museum

Today, a group of us went into London and visited two other museums. One was the Museum of London where we were hoping to attend an exhibit but once we got there, the line was 6-7 hours long so they were cutting off the line once we were there. We are hoping to go back on Tuesday to walk through what is known as the 'rain room', where apparently it rains, but when you walk through it, you do not get wet! After that plan failed, we headed to a gigantic conservatory held in the musem. It was gorgeous and it was nice to see a lot of trees, plants and flowers, especially when it was lightly snowing outside. After that we made our way to the British Museum where we toured the Egypt floor and saw countless mummies and even mummified cats!

All in all, it has been quite a busy, and surreal 5 weeks (wait, its already been 5 weeks?!)