Snow, Paper, and British Family

I promised a post about Harlaxton in the snow, so here it is.  As you may have heard in the news, England was graced with many inches of beautiful snow on Sunday night into Monday morning.  Grantham, where I live, got about 3 inches I think.  I didn't really think that the snow was that bad until I started to read the newspaper and found out that this was the worst snow in nearly two decades!!  I am so accustomed to four wheel drive and snow plows that I don't really think it monumental when we get a few inches of snow. Here no one has four wheel drive and snow plows don't really exist either.  School was cancelled for the middle and high school students. This was the view out my window on Monday morning.

London experience nearly a foot of snow.  It debilitated the city.  The underground was practically shut down and none of the red buses ran.  Papers were calling this a "National Snow Day!"  The whole thing was funny to me because people really don't know what to do with this much snow!  

Harlaxton students, many of which are from Wisconsin, just go out and play!  Tomorrow is an all school snowball fight and many students have already made snow men.  One was 8 feet tall!  The manor looks beautiful blanketed in white.  Really it is like I live in Narnia.  I haven't had much of a chance to go play, but I did get out and take a few photos.  I guess 

these are pretty priceless since this much snow probably won't come around again. 

I also wanted to share with you that I am writing the overseas column for the Hilltop Monitor for the beginning of the semester.  I would love for you to read my column (and the rest of the paper) online at www.thehilltopmonitor.com

Finally, I just wanted to share a bit about dinner with my British family tonight.  Part of the Harlaxton experience is the option to be paired up with a local British family. This family often has dinner with the students and they do activities together.  My British family is Marcus and Maureen Pettman.  They are retired and live in Grantham.  I had meet them at the Meet-a-Family reception last Thursday.  That event was at Harlaxton, but tonight was at their house.  There was some concern about the weather, but still got to the manor without trouble to come get me and my "sister."  We ate talked for a while and then ate dinner.  I was surprised how interested they were in American politics.  We talked about Barack Obama and alternative energy!  This isn't really my type of conversation, but it was interesting to hear their perspective.  

The family is a bit more formal than at home, but not much. This is a picture of me, Ashley (my sister) and Maureen.  Marcus took the photo. 

We had a chicken pot pie type dish for dinner with vegetables and potatoes.   To drink I had a cordial which is a type of drink that is diluted.  I had never heard of this, but I think it is very popular here.  The one I had was a local variety.  I really liked it.  

They also have an electrical piano and I played a few songs.  Marcus can play piano.  He is very interested in the song of each state from home.  He has the music for the state song for most states.  

On Thursday they are going on a holiday to the Caribbean!  Sounds nice right about now.  They will be gone for a few weeks.  They like to travel a lot.  When they return we are going to walk around Grantham and eat dinner together.  

It was interesting to eat with a British family.  You really get a sense of their normal lives.  I was rather satisfied (that is something they would say).

Destination: Edinburgh

Here I am, back at the blog again.  After quite the demanding academic week, I was pleased to be embarking on weekend trip #3.  Destination: Edinburgh!  It is becoming more real every time I say "This weekend I am going to ________".  Before I actual got here I knew where I was going to go, but it was still hard to really understand all I would see and do.  Honestly I didn't even know what I was going to see in Scotland besides a kilt!  Don't worry-I saw a lot more than men in plaid skirts.Friday morning at 8 am we loaded the coaches.  The ritual is familiar and it is somewhat nice to know that I will have time for a nap and a good read before hitting the Scottish Highlands.  The coach ride was about 6 hours and we hit lots of traffic coming into the Edinburgh City Centre.  I think there was an accident close to our hotel which prolonged unloading and checking in.  Once all that was sorted out, Laurel and I decided to go to the National Gallery first.  This was only a block from our hotel and was free.  There was lots of Scottish art and other art as well.  After we were culturally fulfilled, we went up to the Royal Mile.  Edinburgh is very easy to get around and walkable.  

Scotland is known for lots of distinctive things-shortbread, family clans, kilts, bagpipes, wool, cashmere, plaid.  One of the most distinctive things is whiskey.  There are pubs everywhere and the people are very proud of their whiskey. So to get the full Scottish experience, Laurel and I went to the "Scotch Whiskey Experience." Normally this is an exhibit where you learn about how whiskey is made and the history behind the drink.  It even includes a ride in a whiskey barrel!  We were awfully excited about the ride in the whiskey barrel! Sadly, when we arrived at the place, the man at the counter told us that the attraction was under renovation and it was only a presentation and tasting-no ride.  Disappointed we still did the presentation and the tasting.  It did turn out to be interesting and I learned a lot about whiskey production.  We tasted two whiskeys-both were so strong!  The leader showed us how to examine the color, swirl the drink in the glass, smell the flavor, and then drink up! I haven't really gained an

 affinity for the whiskey, but it was an experience and we even got a souvenir whiskey glass-can't go wrong with that take home prize.

By this time our stomachs were wanting a little more than a sip of whiskey.  It was dinner time.  Now eating while traveling is very much an art.  Everywhere we have been so far American chains line the streets.  Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and KFC are all around and oh so tempting, but I determined to withstand them.  I refuse (at least so far) to eat at these places (I have only had one Starbucks drink too!).  I want to get a feel for the culture and the best way to do that is to eat where the locals do.  The other trick to this tedious task is to find a place

 within a traveling college student's budget.  This can prove difficult, but it is doable with some careful preparation.  Like I said, Edinburgh is an easy city to navigate and so it makes it even easier to find eateries just a bit off the beaten path.  I had read online about this place called the "Mosque Kitchen."  The review claimed that this place provided large amounts of food for cheap prices-right up my alley!  After a little bit of a directional challenge we found the Mosque (yes this place was literally in a mosque), but we were unsure about where the food was.  Laurel asked a man coming out of the Mosque and told us it was around back.  We eventually found it.  You went in to order and ate outside in a covered, yet exposed area.  

It was so interesting.  This was right on the edge of the University of Edinburgh and there were a few tables of college students as well as other locals and some people just finishing worship at the Mosque I think.  

The food was very good.  I had chicken curry and vegetables. The bowl of food was more than I could eat and I was happy to find a place that was a unique, hidden gem.  We get a gold star in the "Experienced Cultural Diversity" box!

We wanted to get a taste of true Scottish culture too, and what better way to do that than a pub with live music.  By this time is was about 7 pm and we were ready for some music before going back to the hotel.  I had read about a pub that was supposedly the best place to hear Scottish music in Edinburgh.  We quickly found it, ordered our drinks and sat down.  The place was so little!  There was no music and I was highly confused how a band of any kind would fit in here, but here we were experiencing Scotland.  After a time we asked when the music would start.  The bar tender said 9:30 pm!  That was in 2 hours!  This was a great people watching place, but not for 2 hours.  So we went back to the hotel and watched some hilarious British TV and

 waited until 10 or so to go back.  Once we got back the pub was quite full and there were some musicians stuffed in the back corner.  We kind of just stood around (remember we have been here once already and this is a small place-we stick out!).  Soon enough two older men start talking to us.  They wanted to know where we were from, why we were here, and on and on.  They bought us a drink (although we didn't really want one because we had had one before) and we talked for quite awhile.  It was one of the most hilarious hours of my life because the accent is so hard to understand and the people are so funny-this made for an interesting conversation.  These men had an opinion about everything, and truly provided a look into a normal Scottish mindset.  Eventually we left there having made new friends and laughing all the way back to the hotel.  Another gold star for "Chatted it up with crazy, old Scottish men." 

The Royal Mile is situated between the most visible landmarks in Edinburgh, the castle and Arthur's Seat.  Day 2 first item of business: Climb Arthur's Seat.  Arthur's Seat is an old, inactive volcano and provides wonderful views of the city from on top.  I had read that the hike to the top only took 20 minutes.  Looking at the big hill and reading the guide book you wouldn't think that is would be that difficult to reach the top-you would be mistaken.  After taking a path that wasn't really necessary, we finally got going the right direction.  We walked around the base of the hill and eventually started to look at the literature from the park service and realized that it was 20 minute hike from a certain path to the top.  It had taken us about an hour to get to the path.  Still, we wanted to get to the top!  Off we go.  It is pretty steep all the way up and it gets fairly rocky as well.  The  main factor that made this trip such a struggle was the wind.  Oh goodness.  The wind was CRAZY!!  Once we got to the top I had to hold on to the rock so that I didn't fall over.  It was nearly impossible to take pictures.  My hat flew off as we were trying to snap a picture.  

You can see Edinburgh Castle in the distance. It took a bit to get down from the top, but we did and it was worth the amazing view of the city.  That took quite a while and by now we were hungry (somehow it always comes back to the food).  I had read about a cheap place called Tempting Tatties.  We found it easily.  We first tried to open the door and were baffled that it was locked (if we would have read the sign we would have known that the place opened in 10 minutes).  The owner let us in and pondered the menu.  There were so many toppings and they all went on a baked potato.  I finally decided on a potato with Chicken, sweet corn, red onions, and mayonnaise.  Imagine a well cooked potato with lots of butter, cheddar cheese, and three scoops of mayonnaise salad-that was my lunch.  It probably weighed at least 2 pounds.  I could hardly eat 1/3 of it.  It was delicious and I was happy to have found the place.  The whole meal was only 4.50 pounds (that included a bottled drink).  Yep-I should have my own tv show. 

A little shopping and a long trip to the Edinburgh Castle filled up the afternoon.  The castle houses the Scottish Crown Jewels and has lots of other great things to see.  It also provided a good view of the city.  Back to the hotel we went.  Nap time followed by a good dinner at Pizza Express.  This place is a lot nicer than it sounds and Laurel and I both had great food.  

Day 3.  Destination: Harlaxton Manor w/detours.  We boarded the coach early the next morning (only after we overslept a bit...oops!).  The first on route stop was a stone that said Scotland on one side and England on the other.  It was very cold and windy again, so we think as a group that we probably had a record for the most pictures at the stone in the least amount of time.  On to Hadrian's Wall.  This wall was built nearly 2000 years ago around the time of the Roman invasion.  It marked the northern boarder of England.  It is amazing to think that the stones I stood on had been there for thousands of years!  You can see the wall stretch across the countryside.  The wall is shorter than it was in its time, but the magnitude of the structure is amazing.  Of course, this was cold and windy too! Back to the bus.  

This is me at Hadrian's wall.  You can see how the wall keeps going into the distance.

Next stop: Durham.  This was the lunch stop and you could also go see the Cathedral and Castle or just shop and look around.  We had a good lunch at an Italian place and made our way to the Cathedral in time to snap a few photos, grab a take-away (this is how they say to-go) mocha, and hit the road back to Harlaxton.  Throughout the whole day we traveled through the beautiful Scottish countryside.  I had trouble focusing on my reading because it was so nice just to stare out the window and enjoy the tunes on my iPod.  

This is me in front of Durham Cathedral.  

Edinburgh was a place preserved in time through the traditions that make it unique.  I enjoyed the people so much and loved the scenery as well.  Despite the wind it was a wonderful trip!  Coming up next on this blog: Harlaxton in the Snow.

Coventry and Stratford

After a field trip to Lincoln, it was time to discover Shakespeare.  Dates and times are getting incredibly confused in my head because in British Studies we are about 300 years behind my Shakespeare class.  So fast-forward 300 years from yesterday's Cathedral and find yourself in Stratford peering into the life of Shakespeare.  On Saturday I boarded the coach once again (this is a weekly ritual by now) to make our way through Coventry and then to the prized destination: Stratford.  This was a school day trip and is required by my Shakespeare professor.  She is wonderful and I really enjoy going on trips with her.  She actually received her PhD in Stratford, so she knows the town well.  Before we went to discover Shakespeare we made a stop at Coventry.  

Coventry has nothing to do with Shakespeare.  Conveniently on the way to Stratford, Coventry is the site of bombed out cathedral ruins and the modern rebuilt cathedral.  We only spent an hour here, but it was enough time to feel the eeriness.  The ruins consist of the outside of the cathedral.  It is bare and stark.  What remains has moss growing and has become a lasting symbol of what war is capable.  The feeling that falls over the people roaming around the bare middle of the cathedral is one of despare and disbelief. The wind blows freely through the walls and it is another reminder of the loss and emptiness.  It was only yesterday that we visited beautiful Lincoln Cathedral.  The majesty of that building is amazing and it only

 further emphasizes the impact that the bombing of the Cathedral at Coventry has had on all who visit.  At one end there was a cross assembled from wooden rods and the words "Father Forgive Us" was on the wall behind.  This simple alter becomes for all of us a way to see the brokenness that characterizes humanity.  We can only live again through the Father's reconciliation.   

I think those people who lived and worshiped at Coventry understood this as well.  Although the ruins still stand, next door also stands a beautifully modern and dignified Cathedral.  

The new Cathedral is unlike any I have ever seen.  It has stained glass panels that capture a sense of peace and tranquility.  The structure is still majestic, but the feel is one of reconciliation.  Images of the old cathedral are prevalent.  There stands a cross made from nails saved from the old Cathedral and reconstructed stained glass also are on display.  

This part of the day was short, but the impact will last much longer. 

While eating our lunches on the coach, we departed for Stratford-Upon-Avon.  As I said earlier, this is Shakespeare's birthplace.  This a tourist site-the best of its kind.  As part of the school trip we were given a ticket for admittance into Shakespeare's Birthplace, his daughter's home, and his granddaughter's home.  We also went to the church in which he is buried.  The three properties we went to were all interesting, but semi began to mold together in my head.  All of them were very old and sparsely furnished and they each had gardens.  These were very touristy, but the houses did provide lots of contextual information about Shakespeare's life.  In between getting to these properties the girls that I walked around with and I went shopping.  There are tons of small specialty shops.  I bought truffles for my Meet-a-Family as a gift.  I even got to pick out the ones I wanted from the counter.  I enjoyed the day and it was nice not to be too rushed. 

This is me in one of the gardens we saw at the Shakespeare properties.

As dinner time approached, we decided that after the sack lunches from the refectory (cafeteria) we needed a good dinner.  Cafe Pasta to the rescue!  The pasta was excellent.  I had a gorgonzola and spinach penne dish.  It was wonderful.  The atmosphere was quite nice as well.  

After dinner it was time for the main point of the trip: the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Romeo and Juliet.  I didn't realize until we got to the theatre that the company was placing Romeo and Juliet in the 1940's.  The costumes and attitudes of the characters reflected that time.  Since it was the Royal Shakespeare Company, the dialogue was still Shakespeare's original words.  I was amazed at how much more I noticed with in the complex workings of the play as I watched the skilled actors.  Kim Harris, the theatre director at Jewell, always tells people that it is not the audience's fault if they can't understand Shakespeare; the understanding is completely the actor's responsibility.  The Royal Shakespeare Company truly followed this statement.  I understood so much.  It was a wonderful performance that brought a fresh perspective to a play that is over 400 years old!

Overall the day was wonderful.  I am happy to say that I have shown my love for Shakespeare by experiencing the place that takes his life to the max (everything is some how related to Shakespeare in Stratford)!  Although it was a good experience, I was very happy to see Harlaxton Manor even if it was at 1:00 am!  Needless to say, I slept in on Sunday and awoke to lots of homework and preparations for this week. The academic rigor is not compromised around here and one cannot take any time for granted.  Hence, I must conclude this post and study for some of my upcoming exams.  Good Night!

Lincoln

British Studies, the cornerstone of a Harlaxton educations, brings together historical, cultural, and political aspects of Britain in one course.  We begin in 8000 BC and go on from there.  Obviously we don't have too much time to go into much depth on anything, but we cover lots.  In the four lectures and seminars that we have had we have actually discussed events that happened over 4,000 years! That is a lot to swallow.  We have a textbook and LOTS of secondary sources and you would never have time to read and comprehend it all, so we are encouraged to pick and choose those sources we find most important.  This can be difficult!  So much to choose from.  The course even has a booklet (written by the professors who teach it) that is 126 pages long.  The booklet is just to explain the basics of the course!  Despite all this, I am really loving British Studies.  I especially love this class because we can live what we learn.On Friday we traveled to Lincoln.  This has nothing to do with Abraham Lincoln.  Lincoln is about 40 miles away from Harlaxton and it is a wonderful town.  With cobblestone roads, tea rooms, and cute shops galore, Lincoln has lots to offer.  I should add to the list a magnificent Cathedral and Castle as well.  The latter two are why our British Studies professors insist that we take a field trip to Lincoln.  

After a bit of a delay (our coaches were late), we venture into the rainy, cold morning.  Once exiting the coach it is very cold and very windy and very rainy!!  This makes for a miserable start to the day.  I am very glad that my first group is the Cathedral.  Even though the Cathedral is very cold, it is inside, out of the rain.  

On a trip to Washington D.C. with my family we went to the National Cathedral and that was my favorite part of the trip.  I loved the grandeur and majesty of the building.  I had never seen anything like that building.  I can remember it vividly-the stone columns, the huge stained glass windows, and the overall large scale.  It was amazing. I really had no idea that a land far away had even more buildings like this.  

In England there are lots of Cathedrals and they easily rival the National Cathedral.  First, England's Cathedrals are very old and were built to show the King's power and his connection to God.  The bigger the Cathedral, the better the King.  Here you can see some of the views from inside the Cathedral.  It was amazing. 

We learned some basics about the architecture and the different parts of the Cathedral and then we moved on to the next tour.  

Long time ago (50 AD!) the Romans invaded Britain and established a society here.  They lived here peacefully (well eventually it was peaceful) for about 400 years.  They they had some problems and had to pack up and go home.  In the years that they were here, the Romans left their mark.  In Lincoln you can see Roman ruins and understand a bit how the towns were set up.  This part of the day was very cold because we were outside the whole time!  Here is a Roman arch that was made about 1500 years ago! 

Did you know that the arches would be about 8-10 feet higher than they stand today?  This is because of the roads, powerlines, and water systems we have put in the ground.  We pilled 8-10 feet of stuff on the roads since the Romans were here.  That is pretty crazy!  

The last part of the day was a tour of the Lincoln Castle.  I was expecting to go to a castle like in Cinderella's Castle in Disney World, but this Castle is nothing like that!  Lincoln Castle was were the ruling King could look out over his land and watch for invaders.  The castle was on a large hill and had mounds around the edge.  There were also look out posts where one would watch for enemies.  If you were in the castle walls you were safe, but if you were outside you were at risk for attack.  The castles symbolized the strength of the King and his people.  Our tour pretty much stuck with the edge of the castle.  We walked up to look out posts and walked around the wall.  It was high up!  Here are some good pictures of the Cathedral from upon the Castle wall.  

This is the end of my day at Lincoln.  Overall, it was a great field trip because I saw so much of what I had been studying!  Today I am off to Coventry to see another Cathedral.  This time it is going to be a contemporary one though!  I am also going to Stratford.  This is where Shakespeare was born so that should be great!  I am seeing a production of Romeo and Juliet by the Royal Shakespeare Company.  Check back for more on that!

History is History Even Across the Ocean

As the afternoon turned to evening and England focused its eyes on the television, America was posed to mark another milestone in history.  Of course, I couldn't watch the ceremonies on American channels, so I tuned into the BBC with other members of the Harlaxton community ready to witness this event.  Our principal, Dr. Kingsley, had invited all to the Bistro (the eatery/bar area in the basement) for a big screen viewing.  It was so fascinating to listen to the commentators excitement for the inauguration.  BBC broadcasters couldn't stop talking about the crowds and how monumental this day would be.  Echos of John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were murmured as people compared this day with other outstanding inaugurations.  

Honestly, I wasn't even sure if the BBC would carry the event.  I thought it was possible, but it wasn't until I sat watching the energy of the British newscasters that I understood yesterday's global impact.  The broadcasters said there were people in attendance from all over the world.  This surprised me.  I may be a bit politically apathetic, but I always classified myself as competent enough in regard to politics.  I had little understanding of the way that the rest of the world watches the United States.  

I have been skimming the British newspapers that come to the manor everyday.  President Obama has been front page news for days.  One even used his good health and exercise regimen as a lead into a story about New Year's exercise plans!  Again, this surprises me.  

Last night I went to a briefing for Meet-a-Family program.  I am assigned a British family with whom I will eat dinner, visit their home, and share a bit about my life as an American with them.  The retired local man that came and spoke to us about the program began by saying that he remembers four major events in history.  I can't remember two of them (sorry!), but the last two were the fall of the Berlin Wall and the inauguration of Barack Obama.  He gave such importance to this event and it wasn't even his country.  He congratulated us all and was thrilled to visit Americans on such an important day.  

As I learn more about the United Kingdom, my home for four months, I am overwhelmed by the amount I learn about my actual home, the United States. 

London

After one week of classes, lots of reading and a major time adjustment it is time for a weekend in London!  I know this sounds quick but here at Harlaxton there really isn't much time to waste in terms of travel at least.  The school held a trip briefing in which I learned all the tourist spots to hit and received a great little plan that we could follow.  London was sounding easy enough.  I was going to hit all the hot spots with time to spare for the all important shopping adventures.  Since this was a Harlaxton trip (we paid Harlaxton to do all the travel arrangements) all I had to do was show up with my backpack ready and board the coach.  After the 3 hour coach ride to central London we were forced to take a "coach tour," otherwise known as "lets drive around in the London traffic while the leaders check the group in."  Ahh the joy of traveling in a group of 150 people.  Finally the boring coach tour came to an end and we took our things to our room.  After one week of trekking myself up and down the stairs to the fifth corridor at Harlaxton, I was extremely happy to find that my room was on the first floor!  Excited for the prospect of a new adventure, Laurel and I hastily assembled our maps and trusty plan from Gordon (our principal) began to conquer London.  Out the front doors of our 1600 room hotel we go and the conversation begins:

"Which way do we go?" said Laurel

"I don't really know.  We just need to get to the British Museum because that it is the first thing on the plan," I reply

"Well where is that?" 

"I am not sure.  Gordon said something about a square and then seeing the British Museum

.  Do you see a square?"

"No," answer Laurel

"Well I lets go right.  That has to be right because it is in the right direction," I conclude.

This is how the first few hours 

of London go.  We obviously have not totally got a hold on the street system and it doesn't help that the street signs are on the buildings periodically instead of clearly marked.  The fact that we have tickets for the London Eye at 4 pm doesn't help things either.  We are running a circle around our hotel and don't really know how to get much of anywhere except this underground stop we seem to keep running into.  By now the time is getting late and we really need to get to the Eye to take our "flight." The walking thing has obviously failed and we must move on to another plan.  Remember that underground?  The Tube to the rescue!!  Laurel and descend to the underground station and quickly figure out a whole new world.  We buy what we think is the right ticket, ask the operator the route to take, and hop on the next train.  Strangely enough, this worked!  We emerged from the tube station to see that the Eye was right there.  We board the wheel and take a "flight."  All of London is visible from so high in the sky and we are amused by the Russians who make up the rest of the people in our pod.  Finally it hits me-I am in London.  This city is teeming with energy and buzz.  I have a day to take

 advantage of it.  This flight revealed the multinational flair that is London.  There were no other Americans within this glass pod, yet we all enjoyed the ride and all were bubbling over with excitement to em

bark on the places we saw from behind the glass of the pod.  

As the sun set over Big Ben, my flight c

ame to a stop.  Here we were again.  Where to go?  What to eat?  How to get there? 

With less time pressures, Laurel and I walked across the bridge and saw Big Ben up close and personal for the first time.  Of course it was dark, but the city was just waking up to the excitement that night brings.  We eventually found a pub with an open table. We sat down figured out the way things work.  I never tasted food so good!  (this may be an exaggeration as I hadn't eaten since 11 am!).  The atmosphere was unmistakably British.  More walking followed that dinner and eventually we found our way back to the hotel.  A little planning for the next day was necessary and we quickly fell asleep to the sound hum of the city.  Sometimes the hum grew to a complete shout or siren, remember that we were on the first floor of the hotel!  

Day two was as full as a day can get.  Every hour, every minute was all about soaking in London.  First matter of business was to buy an all day pass on the Tube.  The single we purchased the day before was 4 pounds while the all day pass was only 5.60 pound.  If any of you are going to London soon you should buy a Tube pass.  Through the trains that ran underground we saw all of London.  The locals use them at all hours and they often provide much needed entertainment as local thoughts and exchanges are overheard.  

Laurel and I did it all (at least it seemed like we did!).  I won't bore you with the play by play of every nook and cranny of London we discovered. Here are some highlights:

1. Visiting Buckingham Palace before the crowds descended on the area.  We walked through a green space that was lovely and it just reminded me the grandeur that is all around.  

We saw the palace and large fountains, but I was just as impressed by the sun pouring through the trees on the way to the palace. There is a picture of the trees below.

2. Piccadilly Circus was fantastic.  I felt like I was in New York City.  The big electronic billboards surrounded by a few thousand ways to spend lots of money.  Like I said, it felt like home.

3. Visiting Paperchase.  A three-story store of just stationary!  My dream come true.  It was a cool place.  This leads me to my next thing...

4. Eating at Nando's.  You all need to eat at this place.  It is Portuguese and it is so good.  The

 chicken was amazing!!  I also had corn on the cob and spicy rice.  Very reasonably priced too!  That was recommendation from the man working at Paperchase (another reason they are so fabulous: good restaurant  recommendations!)

5. Hoping on a tour at the Globe Theatre.  We were confused and accidentally ended up on a non-free tour, but we didn't pay!  Ooops!  Oh well.  We honestly didn't know!  

6. Know that we could get around London!  It is a great feeling to know that you are never really lost and understand that everything around you is interesting.  

On Sunday we went to Hampton Court Palace. This is outside of London and has house several different monarchs and their families. The most famous is of course Henry VIII.  The house is a mix of styles because so many people lived there at different times and had different tastes.  The most impressive part to me were the gardens. The whole ground is full of gardens that are kept in pristine condition.  It was a cold day, but overall it was interesting and a nice change from the bustle of central London.  

That is about all I have for this trip. Keep check back for more posts and more stuff!  Check your mail too :)

Catch Up

Hello all!  Sorry I have been neglecting this.  It is crazy you can find to do in a new place!  Let me just start at the beginning.  

One week ago from today (I can hardly believe it!) I left my house at 6 am. It was difficult to know that I won't be returning to that place until May 2nd.  After being here only a week I am excited about all the things that lie ahead, but I still look at the calendar and think that four months is a long time to be away.  It is a good sign that the days I have been here have gone very quickly!  I am trying to keep up.  Well, back to the travel.  After a drive the St. Louis airport and some anxious waiting, I boarded my first flight alone.  It was a strange feeling to know that I had to do the rest on my own.  I had been planning this whole trip myself, but to know that I didn't have the regular people to answer my questions was a little scary but even more empowering.  After landing in the Chicago airport, I found my good friend Laurel! She is at Harlaxton this semester too.  It was so nice to see a friendly face.  We had lunch in the airport with another girl from William Jewell, Stephanie.  I was very happy to see both of them.  Of course I couldn't hear them very well as my ears were still popping from the flight!  After lunch we made our way to the international terminal.  From this terminal you could go so many places.  Korea, Japan, France...just to name a few.  Our airline, Virgin Atlantic, has a wonderful red theme going.  All the stewardess' are dressed in red suites. The plane is red.  The stuff they give you is red.  It was a long process, but Laurel and I did a really good job mastering all the lines and waiting you have to do to get your boarding pass and get through security.  Eventually we did get to the plane.  I hadn't really thought much about the fact that I was going to be on an airplane with hardly any room for 7 hours.  This was a surprise.  I had to sit in the middle of four seats.  It was tight.  I made it though!  This is also where I had my first true encounter with British people.  Our steward and stewardesses were British.  For awhile I just listened to them asking people about their drinks.  This could provide hours of entertainment.  After having a "lemonade" which is really like a Sprite, I went to sleep.  They mess with your concept of time while on this flight too.  The captain turns the lights off to signal "night" but that only lasts about 4 hours because then it is "morning" and the lights come on.  I think they want you to pretend your body is on the British time clock but really you aren't.  

After the airplane landed, we began the wonderful process of claiming luggage and going through customs.  This part of the trip was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  I was imagining some awful questioning process as I tried to enter the UK, but the officer just looked at my letter of intent and then at my passport.  Suddenly I was really there! I was really into the UK for the next four months.  Wow!  Now I have a stamp in my passport!  It was a pretty amazing feeling.  I won't bore you with the luggage claim and the waiting for the coach (bus is what we call it).  Eventually I rode a coach with all the other students from Harlaxton from London to Harlaxton.  It was a two and a half hour drive and I slept some more.  I was expecting to see some great things on the way there, but the greatest thing were the livestock that were in the fields we passed.  

Finally, we were here! I didn't feel tired or jet-lagged when I saw the 170 year old mansion in the distance.  I was home. It felt like home when I entered the manor to receive my packet and I didn't even have to look for my name.  A familiar face, Dr. Dunham, handed me my packet and his wife Betty asked how Laurel and I were doing.  It was such a relief to see both of them.  The Dunhams are retired professors and are staying at Harlaxton for January.  It will be a sad day when they must return.  I see them most everyday and they are always so friendly.

The manor was finally a reality.  I could touch the stone, taste the food, and explore the grounds.  I found my room.  I will get my exercise as I live on the top floor of rooms! There was so much to learn in the first few days and I felt overwhelmed, but blessed to know that I had traveled so far in such a relatively short time and safely.  I have so much to do and see.  I can already feel the time just melting away!  

Since I have not been good at posting this account of travel is nearly a week in the past.  I have done so much more since I arrived, but that will have to be left for another day.  I hope everyone at home is doing well.  Always appreciate all the mexican food you eat (they don't have any of that here!).