emilyslifeinlondon

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Tuesday May 9-Sunday May 14 Woohoo, today's the day Mary comes!!! After graduating from UConn on Sunday the 7th, Mary unpacked all of her college belongings only to re-pack for London. A few of the many things we did over the last 5 days: -Stonehenge 🗿 -Sketch -Oxford St 🛍 -Westminster -Platform 9 3/4 -Bowling w CIEE 🎳 -Afternoon tea at The Orangery 🍵 -Matilda 🔮 -221B Baker St -SSE Women's Cup Final ⚽️🏆 I took the tube to Heathrow and ended up picking Mary up at her terminal. I (as well as the Heathrow staff) was confused about whether or not a flight from Dublin was considered international or not, so I stood on the opposite side of where I was supposed to be until Mary texted me saying she had collected her luggage and was waiting. She also said she hadn't gone through customs and wasn't sure if she should go back in. I was shocked since border control is quite strict in the U.K., but since Dublin isn't considered an international flight, Mary had technically gone through customs in Ireland. We took the tube back home and went straight to King's Cross/St. Pancras to board a train to Salisbury, en route to Stonehenge! The train ride was about 1 1/2 hours and before we knew it, we were in Salisbury. We boarded the Stonehenge tour bus (it takes about 10-15 minutes to get to the Visitor's Center) and got to listen to some audio that gave us more information about the site and neighboring town. We hopped off at the visitor's center and grabbed a quick bite to eat. I got a steak pie which was delicious, and Mary got a sandwich that she really enjoyed! We picked up our tickets and boarded a golden bus to the actual rocks. The ride was short and once we got off the bus, the rocks were only 100 feet in front of us. I had heard that the audio tour was something worth getting, so we had our little telephone like sets and made our way around the area; since the ground isn't stable enough to support thousands of people, you can't actually walk through the rocks, but you can get pretty close. We listened, took a break sitting, snapped lots of pics, and had a great afternoon! We spent some time in Salisbury and went to The King's Head (pub recommended by the bus driver) for dinner and I got tomato soup and (spicy 🌶) wings. We boarded the train back to Waterloo in London, and only 15 minutes later I couldn't find my phone. I went through my whole backpack and checked under my seat and it wasn't there. I was panicking and knew it had to be at the train station since I had used my phone for directions from the pub to the train station. We got off at the next stop and had to wait and excruciating 40 minutes for the next train back to Salisbury. I ran through the station back to the bench we had been sitting on before we got onto the train and my phone was sitting right there where I had left it. God, am I lucky or what?! It's safe to say I had a good night's sleep that night. We got back to London an hour later than we had anticipated and went right to bed. The next morning we met up with Christine and Amanda at Sketch, a fancy restaurant in London right off of Oxford street. Sketch is known for its pink tea room and egg pod bathrooms. I had toast and bacon for breakfast which was good but nothing special. After waiting until the tea took opened, we finally made our way to the iconic bathroom. It was so cool! I accidentally used the men's side but how can you really tell when the pods all look the same? We took lots of pics and then Mary and I walked around Oxford and Bond street. Mary bought some Chelsea boots and Schuh and I got some tanks and a pair of jeans at New Look. I also got a waffle with chocolate sauce, strawberries, and Nutella ice cream which was delicious! I had class in the afternoon, so Mary went to the British Museum which is conveniently right across from CIEE, where I have class. We went to Pizza Union for dinner and then headed to Chinatown after for bubblewrap, basically ice cream in a waffle. The line wasn't too long, maybe 25 minutes or so, and the dessert was so good! I was surprised by how tasty the waffle was- it was sweet, warm, and soft. We walked around Chinatown/Soho for a little bit but it was chilly so we headed back to Chapter afterwards. On Thursday morning I had class, so Mary slept in and went to the British Library (only a 5-10 minute walk from Chapter). We explored Westminster, walking by the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and ended up at Buckingham Palace after walking through Saint James Park, enjoying all of the birds and ducks. After getting off at King's Cross we waited in line to get our picture at Platform 9 3/4. Mary and I got our jumping pic. We were both exhausted and rested for a few minutes before walking back to CIEE in Bloomsbury for the farewell dinner. We met up with everyone and walked to dinner which was at a bowling alley! We were served lots of small appetizers ranging from crab cakes, pulled pork sandwiches, fried chicken on skewers, and fried mac & cheese balls. I had a handful of pulled pork and chicken as well as a beer and 1/3 a (fruity & delicious) cider I shared with Mary. After eating, we all picked teams and started bowling. Although I hadn't been bowling in some 5-10 years, I was better than I thought I would be. There were no bumpers, and I ended up with 70. Pretty bad but I was happy I actually knocked some pins down. We were exhausted after waiting some 20 minutes for the tube home. Since it was the last night everyone in the program would be together, we all went out. Mary decided to stay in, and as much as I wanted to join her I knew that I would have regretted it had I not gone. I also had a lot of tequila and a whole bottle of wine that I didn't want to waste. Our group basically took up half the dance floor at some point, and we got 2 free shots since they overcharged me at the door. That morning Mary and I got afternoon tea at The Orangery. I wasn't able to make my 9 am class, but don't worry, it was only a walking tour and James had said that it wasn't mandatory. I had book an appointment for 11:15 am, but they didn't start afternoon tea until noon, so we had something small to hold us over until 12:00. I got some Royal something (I forget the name, lol) tea and it was delicious! I never used to be a fan of tea, but I enjoyed it the last time I was in London two years ago. We had little sandwiches, scones, and desserts. They portions are tiny but with all of the food you're sure to be full at the end. After tea, we walked around Hyde Park for a bit before heading to Harrods. I wasn't able to go the last time I was in London and although I can't afford anything in the department store, it was cool walking around and starting at all of the chocolates that cost £90 a box. We headed back to Chapter afterwards and rested for a few minutes before walking back to the GI for my last class! We just watched some British news comedy show for an hour or so before he ended class early (thank god). We met up with Christine and Rex at a pub nearby for fish & chips before heading to Cambridge Theatre to see Matilda. Matilda is quite new to the stage and everyone at the ticket office had said that it was wonderful and that they highly recommended it. I'm not sure where to begin by describing the play, I'll start by saying that it was somewhat strange but in a good way. Some of the music numbers were fantastic and the choreography was well done! Most of the cast consisted of children, and Miss Truchbull was played by a man. The play was very funny at times and the actors that played Miss Trunchbull and Mr. Wormwood were perfect for the role. We also got some Oreo McFlurries after the show! It was so stressful packing the night before moving out but thankfully Mary was able to fit a good amount of my winter clothes and jackets into her suitcase! After scrambling around to fit three month's worth of stuff into a mere two suitcases and a backpack, alas I got the suitcases zipped by sitting on them! However, my large suitcase was a jaw dropping 72 lbs! I was dying laughing. How did I possibly accumulate more than 25 lbs worth of stuff?! I bought a few jackets and clothes, but I didn't think they would have amassed a shocking 25-30 lbs. Who knows. We left our bags behind the front desk and walked around Covent Garden, where we got brunch at a cute diner. I was exhausted after getting about 5 hours of sleep, so thanks to Mary's suggestion, I got a mocha to help wake me up. I was surprised that I liked it! We both had a great breakfast and proceeded to make our way to the Covent Garden market area. Mary had some Ben's Cookies (so delicious & gooey) and then we took the tube to Baker Street (221 B) aka the Sherlock Holmes door. We got our pics and then headed back to Chapter to grab our bags to check into our Airbnb. Silly us, we took the tube and DRL with all of our luggage when we should have just taken an Uber and paid the £20some pounds it would've cost. Lugging my freaking heavy suitcase up and down stairs at the tube stations was a nightmare. Luckily, some people helped me out a lot by carrying my large luggage for me since the lifts were under construction, of course. We finally checked in and had a little while to rest before leaving for Wembley Stadium. We had ticket to see the SSE Women's FA Final Cup! I had hoped to go to a premier league men's football game but either the game was too far away or too expensive (£250+ per ticket). Regardless, we were both really excited. It took a while to get there since there was so much traffic, but we made it a few minutes after the game started. When they announced that Carli Lloyd had scored one of the goals for Manchester City against Birmingham, Mary and I turned to each other in shock and I quickly googled her to see if it was indeed her! We love watching the World Cup, and both love the USA Women's Soccer Team! After finding out that Carli Lloyd was playing on the field only 50 feet in front of us, we were a lot more engaged and excited. During halftime, we got hotdogs (mine was a pulled pork dog) and were surprised that halftime was only 15 minutes or so. The final score was 4-1 Manchester City v Birmingham, and the game brought in a record crowd of over 35,000. We got ice cream on the way back at a gas station (there were no restaurants/ice cream shops near the Airbnb) and hung out/packed since Mary was set to leave early the next morning. 6 am came all too early when we had to wake up, and learning from our mistake, we took an Uber to the airport. I dropped Mary off at her terminal, said goodbye, and walked to the next terminal to wait for Emily to arrive! It was a whirlwind of week with Mary! We did so much in only 5 days, didn't get enough sleep, ate a lot of food, saw Stonehenge, and had an amazing week! I was so glad (and really excited) that I got to share a place so important to me with my sister.

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Monday April 24-Monday May 8

Some highlights over these 2 weeks:

-The Parent Trap House (23 eggerton terrace aka 7 Pembroke Lane) 🏠 -Phantom of the Opera 🎭 -Hackney 5.5K 👟🏅 -Wicked 🌵 -Prime Meridian ⏱ -Arsenal Stadium Tour ⚽️ -Maltby Market round II 🍩🎂

I finally made it to Hyde park and the Kensington Palace area! We saw the palace gardens and walked around the park exploring South Kensington a bit. After, Brooke, Delaney, and I made our way to The Parent Trap House! This was something on the London to do list, since I love the movie and the house was just in London! After we spotted 23 Eggerton Terrace, I exclaimed how happy I was that the gate was open. There was a man in a black suit standing nearby outside a car and I assumed that he might be a driver since this area was extremely wealthy. He chuckled with a friendly smile and said to take as many pictures as I wanted. I was going on and on about how much I knew about the house (I had stumbled upon an article when looking up the address) until Delaney or Brooke asked if he lived there; and of course, he smiled and said yes. I literally died laughing/out of embarrassment. The man was extremely friendly and I’m so glad I finally got to see the house!

We (Brooke, Amanda, Christine, Sitong, and I) booked tickets to see Phantom of the Opera on Tuesday the 25th and went to an Italian place for dinner. Instead of getting pizza, I chicken and potato fish with a mushroom sauce. It was fantastic!!! We had to rush through dinner in order to get to the theatre in time, but we made it. I had known the basic storyline of Phantom, but didn’t know any of the music and had heard it was beautiful. I was blown away by the whole experience. The set was amazing and the actors were incredible! I listened to the album on repeat for the next two days. It was nice to see a play that I hadn’t already seen/known since I had no expectations.

Becca came to visit that Friday since she had to leave the Schengen zone in order to not go over her number of days. We got to catch up over Pizza Union, of course. 😊 That night we went to Koko, a club in London that used to be a theatre. We danced the night away until 4 am when the club closed. The following afternoon, we got brunch and then explored more of Shoreditch. That night I went to bed semi-early (by midnight) since I had a 5.5K in the early afternoon. Christine and I took a train to Hackney (we were running the Hackney 5.5K) which took forever to walk to. The village was about a mile from the train station, and none of the staff seemed to know about the 5.5K since there had just been a half marathon that morning. After finally making it to the village, we checked in and stretched before our 3.4 mile run. I was excited since I had never run any type of marathon. We decided to start behind the jog line and soon enough, the run had started! I started to feel tired about a mile in, but the other runners kept me motivated. It was cool experiencing a race from the other side; I had some water about 1/3 through and was sigh every time I saw an incline coming. Before I knew it, I saw the .10 mile sign. I was so excited that I picked up my pace and ran as fast as I could until I crossed the finish line. Christine and I crossed at the same time and finished in 31:51. We ended up 214/215 out of 503 for women. We got our medals and a whole bunch of “free” snacks and drinks! The weather was perfect (cloudy with lots of wind) and I’m so glad that I challenged myself to sign up. I had a great time and hope to run a 10K within the next year.

Although my legs and feet were exhausted and in pain, we went out anyway. We only had one weekend left so why not?! Back to Koko it was. We had a lot of fun and were quite annoyed when the club closed at 3 am instead of 4 am the previous Friday.

Becca and I bought tickets on Monday morning to see Wicked. We got £125 tickets for £54! Like Phantom, I had never seen Wicked. I only knew a few of the songs, which included Dancing Through Life, Popular, and Defying Gravity. Before the play, a bunch of us went to Dishoom (a popular Indian restaurant that you have to book weeks in advance) and shared a bunch of small dishes. I know I say this about a lot of food, but it was really good! I’d only had Indian food twice before and it wasn’t my favorite. I was pleasantly surprised and as always, we were running late to the show. We made it (after making Becca run from the tube station) and were sweating profusely as the show started. We were halfway to our seats when the lights dimmed and Becca legit threw herself into her seat (I was trying not to laugh). I was a bit scatterbrained for the first few minutes of the show, but relaxed after I cooled down. I had not seen one bad play in London and I loved Wicked as well! The actress who played Elphaba was fantastic! I was blown away by Defying Gravity and enjoyed the storyline of the play as well. Next time I watch The Wizard of Oz, I’ll have some sympathy for the Witch of the West. Becca left very early the next morning, so we said our goodbyes and I passed out in bed I was so tired.

In my British Industrial Revolution class we went to some astronomy site and some garden (that ended up being closed, lol) and got to stand on the Prime Meridian. I was quite excited since I had learned about Greenwich and how to use the Prime Meridian in calculations in my Oceanography course. We took some class photos and a few of us got brunch on the way back. I opted for oatmeal with bananas which is probably the most healthy brunch I had gotten during the whole trip! Go me!

On Saturday, Christine and I had signed up for the CIEE Arsenal Stadium Tour but it turns out it had been cancelled since no one besides us had signed up. We decided to go anyway (and got a refund from the program) and I had a blast! It was cool seeing such a famous stadium where a premier league football team plays right in the heart of London. We got to see the directors box, locker rooms, press conference rooms, and field. We learned a lot about the history of the stadium as well as the fact that the Arsenal tube stop is the only stop named after a team. We definitely felt like Arsenal fans that day.

The following day Christine, Amanda, and I headed to Maltby market. I was the only one who had been before and it was by far my favorite. I had fish and chips (again) and Dhan Eggs (again as well- I really need to try new things) for dessert which were delicious! We stayed for a bit and then I went back to Chapter in order to work on my 2 final papers so that I wouldn’t have any work when Mary came!

The next blog post will be filled with all the sites/activities from Mary’s 5 day visit!

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Friday April 21st-Sunday April 23rd Another early morning! After waking up at 5 am, we stopped at Starbucks and McDonald's on our way to King's Cross. I got a bowl of fruit and a bacon bagel with a hash brown. After a few minutes of waiting for the hagglers in our program, we boarded out train to Edinburgh. A few highlights of the trip: -Hike up Arthur's Seat at sunrise 🌅 -National Museum of Scotland -Edinburgh Castle -3 Sisters 🍻 -The royal mile 👟 The train ride was a little over 4 hours. I talked, slept, and read and it was a very smooth ride. After arriving in Scotland, we dropped our stuff off at the hostel and headed to lunch. The lunch was all-you-can-eat buffet style and amazing! They had almost any food you could imagine; I think I had chicken nuggets, chips, lo mein, teriyaki chicken, fried rice, chicken and sweet corn soup, ice cream, lychee (so good!), jelly beans, and gummy bears. Overall, quite a healthy and well-balanced meal, right? After lunch, we had a walking tour of the neighborhood but I was so exhausted and could only think about getting back to my room and taking a nap. We walked near the castle and the Royal mile (street that runs down the middle of the city connecting all of the different parts) which was filled with restaurants and shops. Once we got to the hostel (we were in rooms of 6), we all passed out for an hour and then headed to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I got a quesadilla but it was too spicy for me. I also tried guacamole and had a frozen margarita which was delicious. We all went to bed early since we had decided to wake up at 4 am to hike up Arthur's Seat to watch the sunrise. Man, it was hard to wake up. All of our alarms were going off, but none of us wanted to get it. Finally, we mobilized around 4:20 am and had 15 minutes to get ready and head out if we wanted to make it in time. The hike was only half a mile, but then you had to hike up the mountain. We took the long way around, and walked up the steepest part of the mountain of course. I was huffing and puffing on the way up, not sure how we were going to get down. It was chilly and quite windy, but the sunrise was beautiful. We climbed a little medal figure and took some pictures, and then headed down the correct side of the mountain. The views were beautiful and we stopped by St. Anthony's Chapel on the way back which was built around the 15th century! It was somewhat hidden but a true gem to find. Our whole group went to the National Museum of Scotland which was a lot more interactive and entertaining than I thought it would be. We saw Dolly the Sheep (first successfully cloned mammal), got to run in a life-sized hamster wheel, and eat ice cream at the cafe. Later, we toured the castle and the tour was awesome. I was never interested in going on a guided tour, but I learned a lot about Scottish culture. If you thought the Irish were brutal, you need to hear the stories about the Scottish! That night we went to 3 sisters, and indoor and outdoor pub/club and had a blast. I just wanted to eat and go to bed, but we had a few ciders (and a pitcher or two) and danced the night away. Two random guys wanted a picture with Brooke and myself for some reason, I couldn't really understand them. I almost lost my sweater (I had taken it off since I had a tank top underneath) but grabbed from the bathroom in time and got free chips! They only took cash, and when I told him I only had a credit card, he gave them to me! How kind. I don't think we want to bed until 3 am, and had to wake up in order to check out by 10 am. We had free breakfast at the hostel (the hash browns were delicious) and walked around the royal mile. I got some souvenirs and before we knew it, it was time to catch the train back to London. The ride back went just as smoothly as the ride there and we got pizza union on the way back since no one felt like "cooking." Although time flew by so quickly, I think I liked Edinburgh more than Dublin. It was far less touristy and I loved all of the architecture. Another successful weekend trip!

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Thursday April 6th-Thursday April 20th Of course it was sad leaving Greece, but it was nice to get back home and back to my normal routine. Some highlights of these past few weeks: -Brixton Market 🍦 -Passion of Jesus 🙏🏼 -Brighton, England 🎢 -Carnaby Street 🛍 -Mahiki Monday 🍹 After getting back and unpacking most of my things, I got drinks with a few new students who had previously been in Rome for block II. It was nice getting to know a few others, since many people left London for Berlin for the last block. The following week, we went to the Science Museum with the British Industrial Revolution class. Some of the exhibit looked really cool, but we were only there to learn about steam engines...sigh. On Tuesday, I signed up for the Notting Hill Walking tour. I got to meet a few other new students which was fun, but didn't actually get to see the colorful houses so I'll be going back sometime soon! My classes this block aren't nearly as enjoyable as my previous ones, but they're only 5.5 weeks so they'll be over before I know it. (I've been late writing these posts, and we have just over a week and a half left!!! Wow, time flies.) I went to Brixton Market that weekend with Christine, Amanda and Brooke (new this block) and had so much fun! We had some Jamaican food and got gelato afterwards, of course! We went to Trafalgar Square to watch a live performance of the Passion of Jesus. I'm not super religious, but it was really cool seeing thousands of Londoners come together to watch. That evening, Christine and I had fish and chips with Rose (who was visiting for one night and had been in London for block II before heading home. It was so good!! Fish and chips are quite popular here in London, and I'm not comparing one bit. We woke up early the next morning to catch our train to Brighton for the day. The ride was about 1.5 hours which wasn't bad at all. Brighton is east of London and right on the coast. From its famous pier to the quaint English shops not as crowded as they are here in London, Brighton makes for the prefer day trip. It wasn't the warmest of days, but the sun did pop out every once in a while. There was no sand on this beach (only pebbles that were actually quite hard to walk on) which seems to be a European/UK thing. We went to a grocery and bought some ciders/beers and all were definitely buzzed (to say the least) since one of the ciders was 8.2%! We hung out for a few hours and then got some fish and chips. The fish was as large as my head and I ate it all (abroad bod at its best). We walked along the beach and then went to the pier. Delaney (was in Rome for blocks I and II) and I were the only ones who felt well enough to go on the rides so we went on 2 upside down ones. As soon as we were buckled in, I joked that I had hoped we wouldn't throw up on the little ones. But no worries, we were both fine and got some great views of the beach! Afterwards we were all pretty tired and went to a coffee shop while waiting for our train. The hot chocolate I had was one of the best cups I have had! In Brighton there's also this building (Royal Pavillion) that looks like it was taken right out of India and placed randomly in the center of this town. It was wicked cool! Easter Sunday was definitely a day. We went to a modern service that surprisingly wasn't in a church at all. Most of the service contained people singing religious songs; but these songs weren't like any other ordinary hymns. They had an actual band with drums and electric guitars. It was the longest 1.5 hours of my life. But at least they were all friendly and had donuts! We went to brunch at the breakfast club afterwards and the food was okay, nothing special and I didn't like the pancakes. I haven't been to many brunch places, so I was glad to try one out! Brooke and I went to the tall ships regatta (a ship race from London to Boston) that afternoon and saw a few of the ships! We took the wrong tube line and were running late so we were glad we didn't miss anything! It was so cool and reminded me of being back home in Boston on the harbor. Since there are a lot of holidays this month, we had Monday off and spent it in and around Carnaby Street. I saw some wooden postcards (you can actually mail them) and of course had to buy some! I also got a white cropped basic tee for only £6. BUT, everything turned out to be twice as much since I left my bags on the bus. Luckily I was able to repurchase those items and didn't forget my backpack on the bus. Carnaby was full of little shops and one store had the craziest shoes I've ever seen!!! They had little stuffed animals and fruits on them, and even little dolls in the heels. Borough market was closed but a few vendors outside were open. I had a steak baguette which was tasty (but would've been better had the meat been cut so I could eat it in small pieces) and some chips. I really should stop eating chips at least 3x a week. Anyway, we went to Mahiki Monday that night with a promoter so we didn't pay a cover and got about £200 worth of free drinks!! There was a treasure chest with sparklers and more than 4 rounds of drinks. It was a really fun night and a great way to get excited for our trip to Edinburgh, Scotland!

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Friday March 31st-Wednesday April 5th

I’m back from Greece and all I can say is that I can’t wait to book my next trip back! Santorini and Mykonos had some breathtaking views and the food was fantastic (which is surprising, since those of you who know me know I’m picky).

Some of the highlights of my trip were:

Santorini -fish massage 🐟 -donkeys -Nea Kameni (volcanic island) 🗻 -sunset 🌄

Mykonos -Old Town Mykonos -Little Venice -Paradise Beach 🌊 -gyros 😋

Two flights and 7 hours later (London ➡️Athens ➡️ Santorini) we finally arrived in Santorini. We stayed at Sweet Pop, a small cutesy hotel right in the middle of Thira (a town in central Santorini). We arrived after the front desk closed, so there was a note with directions and information on getting the key to our room. Although the room was quite small, it was very clean and well decorated. Everything was pink from the beds to the walls and even the bathroom. There were three twin beds, so we each had our own (small) space!

In the morning, we got some breakfast and I surprised to discover that Greek sausage is basically just a hotdog. I wasn’t expecting that for breakfast. The crepe (Nutella with strawberries) I had was delicious! I ended up getting a fish massage afterwards, which was a really cool experience! These little tropical fish do not have teeth and essentially eat the dead skin off of your feet. Yes, it sounds a bit weird but had to try it. After all, I was in Greece! After walking around, we made it towards the edge of the island and discovered a truly breathtaking view. After walking down some steps and past a few shops, we were looking down at the iconic white houses perfectly placed along the edges of Santorini! Although I was able to capture some amazing views in Greece, none of them do them justice.

After walking down 587 steps (I didn’t actually count them, there was a sign), we made it to the bottom of the steep cliff side. I knew that Greece was made of up islands, but I never realized how steep they were. We stopped a few times on our way down to take some pictures with the many donkeys lined up. You could ride the donkeys up or down the stairs for only €5. We didn’t do this, but looking back I wish I had.

We needed up taking a boat to a nearby volcanic island (nea kameni) and hot springs. We hiked up the volcano and saw many volcanic rocks! I was completely winded by the time that we got to the top, and immediately had to make our way down so that we wouldn’t miss the boat. The boat stopped at the hot springs for about 30 minutes and a few people swam in the water. It was too windy and cold for me, and I didn’t have my bathing suit. After getting back to Thira, we got a quick snack. I got a chicken kabob (surprisingly popular here) a some chips, of course. We took a cab to Oia that evening to watch the sunset, and my goodness it was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen! We got some drinks and sat on the edge of some rocks with hundreds of other people. I could’ve spent hours there. From the views to the atmosphere created by sharing this once in a lifetime moment with others who had also traveled thousands of miles to be here, I will never forget this special evening. After the sun had set, everyone was clapping and made their way around the little town. We got dinner at one the the few open restaurants and I tried a traditional pork dish with yogurt-like sauce and yellow rice. The pork was delicious and whatever alcohol they marinated it in made the pork extra tender. I also tried calamari and realized that it would probably be the last time I ate it as well.

The following day we took a ferry to Mykonos. It took about two hours, so I was able to sleep for a bit. We arrived at our white villa, which turned out to be in the middle of nowhere. We needed up taking a taxi everywhere we went, but the house itself was very nice. There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and dining room. I had my own room which was very spacious! We went to the old town/little Venice area and had lunch with a spectacular view. I ordered lamb with a side of chips and my oh my, one of the best meals I’ve had abroad. I had only tried lamb once, but they sure do know how to cook it in Greece! Almost everything in Mykonos is white, particularly the buildings and floors. They’re painted this way particularly for tourists, but I loved it. We got lost several times within the shopping area since everything looked the same. Apparently the way the buildings were constructed was to confuse the pirates who would come to the island hundreds of years ago. It definitely was confusing!

We went to Paradise beach and although a lot of the night life was closed because we were visiting too early in the season, the beach was nice and quiet. There were lounge chairs and a few restaurants open so I didn’t have to sit on the ground! The water was crystal clear and extremely calm. It was also quite cold so I only went in to my ankles. It was also sunny for a few hours which I appreciated since it was only 60 degrees. I had chicken nuggets (YAY, finally a place that had them) and peach iced tea. I’ve realized abroad that I really like cold iced tea as well as Nutella. This is off topic, but Nutella is the reason why I love kinder chocolate so much!

Just about every meal we had in Mykonos was on the water, and we were able to watch the sunsets which were almost as amazing as the one we saw in Oia. One of my favorite meals was the gyro I had! It’s basically a pita wrap with meat and a bunch of other things. I had chicken, onions, and chips (yes, fries inside!!!) in mine. It was delicious and I’ll definitely be getting another here in London. I took hundreds of photos, ate way too many chicken kebabs and chips, and tried to enjoy every moment I had in Greece. Although I never planned on visiting Santorini and Mykonos, I am so glad I took advantage of the opportunity to come!

μέχρι την επόμ��νη φορά (until next time) 🇬🇷

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Wednesday March 17th-Thursday March 30th

I have officially finished my first block of classes! 6 weeks finished, and 6 more to go. I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed.

Some of the things I’ve done over the past few weeks:

-London Eye at night 🎡 -Met Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter!!! ⚡️ -Maltby Market -Drinks at The Shard 🍸 -Ice Bar ❄️ -Harry Potter Studio Tour

After not being let onto the London Eye a few weeks ago (our reservation was for 6:00 pm and we arrived at 5:59 pm), we decided to go one night. The London skyline was beautiful, but due to the glare from the glass pods the pictures didn’t turn out nearly as well as I had hoped. Nonetheless, it was nice booking the London Eye in the evening since I had done it in the afternoon two years ago.

On March 20th, Becca and I went to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at The Old Vic. I had read the play in high school, and was familiar with Hamlet so I was able to get most of the humor. However, the play was weird (which I knew it would be). Becca hadn’t heard of the play and we both really went to see it since Danielle Radcliffe was playing Rosencrantz; she feel asleep about halfway through the play and I was trying not to laugh. I got a gin & tonic and some mint chocolate ice cream which made the play all the more enjoyable. Afterwards, we waited in line outside of the theatre with our tickets for 15 minutes or so and finally got to meet Daniel! I was getting nervous and Becca told me to play it cool, but I couldn’t quite remember my words for a few seconds so I let others line up before me. Daniel was so down to earth and just a really nice person in general. Almost every night, he spends the time meeting everyone who came to see the play as well as others who just want to meet him. I was star struck and got a few pictures with him. He also signed my play ticket! It was such an amazing night and I remember leaving the theatre with a huge smile on my face being giddy with Becca; after all, we had met the boy who lived!

Em and I spent the following weekend exploring some of the many markets within London. One of my favorites was Maltby Market. I got some mediocre cod and chips, but loved the Dhan eggs that I got. This snack is a mix between a donut, waffle, and cake that you can add toppings to. I got 4 eggs topped with Nutella, lavender honey, and caramel. They were delicious and came in a little egg carton, which was aesthetically pleasing and insta-worthy. We ended up at The Shard and went to The Aqua Shard for drinks; it was a beautiful, clear day so the views were amazing. We looked over Thames and London Bridge. I asked for and ended up getting ‘the sweetest drink that they had’. I really enjoyed it and am glad, since it was £19.00! Yikes. They also had a £900.00 bottle of wine and Em and I thought about splitting it. 😏 Not really, but it’s nice to dream.

On Tuesday, a handful of us went to the Ice Bar in London. I had heard of it and looked up pictures and it looked really cool (get it, lol). It was a lot smaller than I had expected, but the jackets and gloves they gave us were perfect for the experience. The drinks were served in glasses made of ice, and yes I was definitely cold in there. After our reservation ended, we went to some club and got free shots, and then went to Zoo Bar. I hate tequila but I had 3 shots since they’re more inexpensive than some drinks and get ya to that good point, if you know what I mean. 😬 Almost everyone in our program ended up there that night, so that was pretty cool. Em and I got McDonald’s before getting on the bus home which was delicious. I’m always down for nuggets and fries, or rather chips.

Yesterday, Becca, Natalie, and I went to The Harry Potter Studio Tour. Until then, I had not left zones 1 and 2, and this place was located in zone 8 which tells you how far it was. We took the tube, a train, and a bus to get there. We were late but still had 2 hours to walk around. I hadn’t realized that the dining hall scenes as well as many of the others had been filmed here! One second you’re in Dumbledore’s office and you turn around and you’re in Snape’s potion class. Some of the magic is lost when you see how small the sets actually are, but it was so cool seeing the actually props, costumes, and sets from the series. Some of the highlights were: 4 Privet Drive, the Weasley’s blue car, Platform 9 ¾, Diagon Alley, and Hermione’s dress from the Yule Ball. I had some butterbeer ice cream and chips for dinner. How healthy. I also bought a chocolate frog and hope there’s a Dumbledore card in there!

After getting back a little before 10:30 pm, I was running around frantically trying to finish my Trans-Atlantic paper, pack, and figure out my fall courses. I went to bed a little after 2:00 am so I was exhausted after having to wake up at 7:15 am for class. I got McDonald’s after class which was just what I needed, said bye to Becca, and headed to the airport. I’m off to Greece (Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos) until Wednesday so my next post will be all about my Grecian adventures! 🇺🇾

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Tuesday March 7th-Thursday March 16th

Although it took a few days to adjust living here in London, each week gets more and more exciting! Not only that, but the weeks seem to fly by. Two and a half more weeks, and then I’m off the Greece for 5 days before my last block of classes start!

Just some more noteworthy things I have done since my last post:

- Camden Market 😋 - Dublin (and Trim Castle and the Hill of Slane) 🍀 - Guinness Storehouse 🍻 - Irish Pub Crawl 🇮🇪 - Tate Modern Art Gallery - Les Misérables 😍

I can only say good things about Camden Market; there are more than a few markets here in London, and I was very pleased with this one. The market is both indoors and outdoors, with vendors left and right eagerly welcoming you into their shops. You can find souvenirs, Glass Turkish lamps, handmade leather goods, clothing, and my favorite of course, food. I got some delicious milk chocolate covered strawberries and the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Funny story, we were just walking past a Chinese vendor and she offered us free chicken. I wasn’t about to pass up free food, so just thanking her I took a piece and started to walk away. Once I put it in my mouth, I turned around her and asked how much a container was. It was that good!! I definitely need to go back another time to get more of that chicken.

On Friday morning, I had to wake up at 4 am to catch the train to the airport to then catch our flight to Dublin! I had been looking forward to this weekend since I applied to the program. Everything went smoothly and I even got a bit of sleep. A few minutes prior to landing, I swear I saw the Cliffs of Moher! I was told we wouldn’t have time to see them on this trip (it’s a day trip at least), so I was ecstatic to see them from the plane. We took a bus to our hostel, and then walked to The Hairy Lemon (funny name, huh?) I got the Beef & Guinness Pie- oh my was it delicious!! We then headed to the Guinness Storehouse and got to see how the beer was made. I was even able to pour my own pint! I have to say, I’m not a fan of Guinness at all (way too bitter) but I was glad I got to try it. We needed up eating at an Italian restaurant for dinner since all of the pubs were packed due to the rugby game.

The following day we went to the outskirts of Dublin and got a tour of Trim Castle. Our tour guide was fantastic and I loved seeing the countryside, especially since I was surprised how modern Dublin actually was. Where were the sheep? The green fields? One of my favorite parts of Ireland was the Hill of Slane. This site sits atop a hill and is essentially ruins and contains a small graveyard of children who had passed away before being christened. You are able to climb up into the ruins and get an amazing view of the countryside! That night we went to an Irish pub and I had amazing fish and chips. Boy, do the Irish know how to cook cod! A few of us went out that night and ended up joining a pub crawl. I never thought I would do one since I’m not the biggest fan of beer, but it ended up being a lot of fun! The first pub we went to definitely lived up to my expectations of what an Irish pub would be like; there were wooden tables and chairs, live music, and some essence in the room that I can’t quite describe that made me take in all that Dublin had to offer. We ended up a two more pubs/clubs, had a few drinks, and a fun night. I didn’t end up going to bed until 3:30 am, but didn’t expect to get much sleep that weekend.

In the morning, Becca and I got up and packed, checked out of the hostel, and met my friend Kaitlyn from UMass and her friend for brunch. We went to a small Irish restaurant where I had home fries, sausage, bacon, Guinness soda bread, and a croissant. I had to get something “local” and the bread was delicious!! We then went to a local jewelry store and Pandora. I try to get a charm whenever I can if the city I’m visiting has a charm exclusively for that city. I got a four leaf clover, of course! We ran back to the hostel, hopped on the bus, and then got on the plane back to London. I was exhausted that evening and got Dominos. What a surprise.

On Tuesday a few of us went to the Tate Modern Art Gallery. I can say after visiting it that modern art is not my forte. One of the exhibits looked like literal droppings of s**t. It was just weird.

Last night we went to see Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre. We went to a nice Chinese restaurant beforehand and I had yummy some pork teriyaki and egg fried rice. I’m loving the food in London if you can’t already tell! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the London production of Les Mis. From the music and cast to the emotions of the audience, it was a thrilling and wonderful experience. I’ve only seen a few productions before, and I know I’ll always remember this one! Out of thousands of things to do in London, Les Mis is at the top of the list. We got bubble tea and Cinnabon afterwards, so it was definitely one of my favorite nights thus far.

Today we had an excursion for my Trans Atlantic class and went to see some bell (has some relation to the Liberty Bell) and a statue (where the Mayflower took off). Most of the class ended up going back to Chapter (our housing) or their next class, but four of us waited a few minutes outside of Mayflower (a pub right near the statue) with James (our teacher) until it opened. Our teacher bought us all drinks so I had a gin & tonic at 11 am! Honestly, what a great start to the day. Can’t wait to take The British Industrial Revolution with him next block!

That’s all for now, but I have a lot of exciting things planned for the next few weeks so stay tuned!

[emilyslifeinlondon]

Monday February 20th-Monday March 6th

What a first few weeks I’ve had here in London! The following are just a few of the many sites/places/landmarks that I have visited during my first two weeks or noteworthy things I have done:

- The London Eye - “Big Ben” - Buckingham Palace - The British Museum - The Tower Bridge - London Fashion Week Festival (ahhh) - St. Paul’s Cathedral - Her Majesty the Queen (👑) - Oxford, Oxfordshire 


It is important to note that moving thousands of miles away from home, to a city you once visited for four days, does not come easy. I was beyond excited when I decided in late-November that I was going to spend three months in a city that I remembered loving when I visited in May of 2015. I said goodbye to my friends and family, and hopped on the plane with two suitcases and a backpack.

I was exhausted after the flight while I was waiting to meet the CIEE (program I am studying through) staff and some students. After arriving at our housing (Chapter at King’s Cross), I was surprised by how small the apartment was! Of course they seemed larger in the photos, but the room consisted of two twin beds close enough in proximity to one another that I could hold hands with my roommate, two desks with a lamp, a tiny tiny tiny kitchen with a sink, two stove tops, a mini-fridge, and a microwave, and a small bathroom; my guess would be that the whole living space is 7.5 x 28 ft.

We had orientation for the next two days which included tips on adjusting to life in London, how to get around on the underground or tube, and what to expect of the classes. Yes, I have to constantly remind myself that I am here to study, hence the term study abroad! For the first block I am taking International Marketing and Transatlantic Relations: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. So far I am loving transatlantic relations! Our British instructor has quite a sense of humor and reminds me of a pretty well known actor whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. He’s quite relaxed and always gives us a much needed 20 minute break during each class. As far as marketing goes, our American instructor knows a lot about marketing and business in general, but she’s not my favorite. I can’t believe I’m already a third into my first block (each block is six weeks and I am here for two blocks). That means that we’re headed to Dublin this weekend, but it also means that my marketing research paper is due in three weeks. Ugh 😫

I’m glad that I have class at 9:00 am on Monday, Thursday, and Friday since it forces me to get up and spend time out and about as opposed to wasting half of the day in bed (which I love to do back home). It takes about 25 minutes to walk from Chapter to the CIEE Global Institute, so I am up by 7:40 am for class. Wednesday mornings are reserved for class site visits (aka field trips) and Tuesday mornings for CIEE related optional events such as walking tours and museum visits. So really, my only days to sleep in are on weekends.

During my first two weeks, I have explored some nearby neighborhoods and have taken the tube more than I had originally expected. Only a few stops away are Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus. The latter is referred to as the Times Square of London. Although it’s much smaller than Times Square, there are some huge billboards and lots of places to spend money! Oxford Street is another story; I have not left at any point without buying something. Spending way more than I had wanted to in one shopping trip to Zara (I had to buy a new outfit for the London Fashion Week Festival), I have been trying to budget my money so that I’m not completely bankrupt when I return home at the end of May.

I’ve been to McDonald’s three times already (I’m slightly ashamed to admit this) as well as KFC once. I’m trying to expand my palate just a bit and try places that are unique to London (or that I can’t find easily back home in Boston). Food definitely isn’t cheap here and can cost upwards of £20-25 for a simple meal! Thank god I don’t have to pay for my own food, or I would probably be approaching bankruptcy already.

During one of the walking tours through Westminster, we saw the Queen! We were just a block away from Buckingham Palace and saw three black cars (one with flashing lights) approaching us. I thought it was a member of parliament, but when I looked up I saw the Queen sitting in the backseat of the car just 30 feet from me! I couldn’t believe it!!! Two weeks into my trip and I already saw the Queen! I wanted to wave but I was in shock and didn’t realize what had hit me until the cars were long gone. Fun fact: when the Queen is home in London the Union Jack flag is replaced with the Royal Standard, representing that her majesty is in town.

Zoey, one of my friends on the program for this block had wanted to hear some music at St. Paul’s Cathedral. You usually pay a small fee to see the Cathedral but because of the performance, admission was free. I thought it would be a nice cultured thing to do on a Sunday afternoon so a few of us walked about 30-40 minutes to get to St. Paul’s. We ended up attending mass and my the choir was magnificent. I cannot describe how beautiful their singing was. I was so glad that I got to experience mass at one of the city’s most well-known and historic cathedrals. Of course I had to tell my Mom, since she attends church on a weekly basis.

On Saturday we went to Oxford. I had no idea that the university was made up of 38 colleges and that students remain loyal to their own college as opposed to the university as a whole. The college town was beautiful; from its architecture to its rich history you could easy spend a few days exploring the little nooks and crannies of the town. JRR Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) are among the many well know authors that studied at Oxford. We had lunch at The Eagle & Child, a pub that Tolkien and Lewis were fond of and could be found at having a few drinks and laughs with friends. Mimi, Becca, and I climbed an extremely small winding staircase to get to the balcony at the top of The University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. From this balcony, you got a birds eye view of Oxford! We got a couple of great photos before it started to downpour on us. It’s not a day in England unless it’s sunny one moment, and windy and rainy the next. After this, we went to a covered market and got amazing milkshakes (I got a peppermint one where they crushed up an actual chocolate bar) and warm, gooey cookies! A day well spent in Oxford if you ask me.

There’s so much more that I could say, but this post would drag on forever. I’ll be back next week for another update on life in London, cheers! 🇬🇧