Days 4-10

If you don't want to read everything, just know that I'm having the time of my life and soaking everything up!! Miss you all! I hope I can remember everything that has happened in the last week:

Saturday, 8 January 2011:

(L-R) Taylor, Kaylee, Holly, Jamie, Sharon, Carly, Kinsey,
Me, Liz, Ramzi, Annie, Elyse, Paige, Emily, Ashley,
Michelle, and Heather on our Central Parks walk!

Changing of the guard day at Buckingham palace. We were like 1.5 minutes late and apparently missed the whole thing!! So stupid. But it was super crowded so we probably wouldn't have been able to see anything anyways. This was also our first day of NO RAIN!! however, don't let that fool you, sunny days are the coldest days here in L-Towne. We did our first walk this day as well, through the Central Parks, which included St. James's park, Green park, Hyde park, and Kensington gardens. Pretty cool in some parts but was just long and boring and FREEZING! On our way through Kensington Gardens, we stopped at the Serpentine gallery to watch this exhibit that was probably the weirdest thing of my life. I can't even begin to explain.. So strange. Then we came home and had lunch and I decided I WILL GET MY PHONE TO WORK. So I did:) However, it resulted in me not realizing that we had to leave for the play at 3:15 and not getting off the phone till 3:25. But I wasn't the only one not ready on time, so not entirely my fault. However, we left at 3:30, were supposed to be in our seats at 3:45, and when we got off the Tube, had no clue where the theatre was. So we ran around for like 10 minutes asking random people here and there where the FORTUNE THEATRE was. Nothing. But eventually we found it and were taken in late. Turns out, I LOVE THIS PLAY!! So flippin scary, I loved it. So many people screamed out loud and I'm proud to say, that I did not, I held it in:) But I did jump haha. So GOOD!!
Then we stopped at a Kebab place on the way home and it was pretty good. And that's pretty much it.

Sunday, 9 January 2011:  Church. I, along with half of our group, am in the Hyde Park Stake and didn't have our ward assignments yet so we just had to go with Professor Dursteler to the Stake Center. It was pleasant. I was surprised at how many Americans there were, ugh! Kind of a disappointed.. Then we got our ward assignments. I'm in the Stratford Ward. mmmm, so British:) So yeah, I'm excited about that. mostly a pretty chill day.

Monday, 10 January 2011: Today, classes started but not for me!! Me and Em went to Boots (Walgreens) and Tesco (Grocery Store) to get all the crap I needed. And some food so that I'm not eating out every 5 seconds! But then we proceeded to go out to lunch hahaha at this AMAZING bakery down the street from us called Paul Rhodes. So YUM! I got a ham and cheese croissant that they warm up and is absolutely fabulous! Then we came home, I cleaned/arranged everything and then took a nap from 3-4 and then woke up for dinner which was FISH and NO ONE ate it. so sad. I just had some veggies and these hash brown things dipped in ketchup so I was still hungry. So me and Carly went to get pizza and we each got a 7 inch pizza for 1.50 pound! And it was delicious! Then we came home and a bunch of us went to Oxford Street where there's like this outdoor strip mall thing called Liberty. Our first stop? H&M. My first time ever. and it was? A SUCCESS. I found so many cute things, it was dangerous. That store is my new best friend:)
Then we hopped on the Tube and stopped at High Street Kensington and went to this little crepe place called Cremerie Creperie. Ahh! So cute! And so good!
Then we came home and planned on going to see a show tomorrow night (hopefully Chicago) and got some good news! So instead of going to see Oliver! as a group (because it ends before we scheduled) we get to go see Wicked on the 18th!!!!!!!! I'm so excited! AND! Instead of going to a LAME soccer game (because it was like 100 DOLLARS per person) we're going to FRANCE!! The North of France for a weekend trip in March as a group to a few WWI monuments. It's going to be amazing!! We are very very lucky:)

Tuesday, 11 January 2011 aka 11-1-11: Today was my first day of classes; History 201: World Civ, and History 323: The History of England. I'm pretty excited about the History 201 class, it's going to be a piece of cake! No tests or finals hahahahah!! Awesome! And the Hist 323 class will be fairly easy, a paper and final but, honestly, it's gonna be way way cool. This is how the class works: We talked about the beginning of time pretty much and then moved on to a little bit of Stonehenge and talked about it and the theories and the people and everything and then on Wednesday, we're going to GO SEE IT! This is what we do for every class. And the Hist 201 class? Same concept except in museums. So he'll talk for half the class about something and then the 2nd half, we get to got to, brace yourself, THE BRITISH MUSEUM and see objects that relate to the topic we just discussed! And we get to go to others too like The Jewish Museum of Britain, The Victoria and Albert Museum, etc. But, seriously? Every Tuesday in the Brit Musee? Yeah, legit. I can't wait!

Then, after classes, and after dinner, Carly, Liz, Heather, Jamie, Lyse, and I decided to go to

CHICAGO!!

Liz, Me, Jamie, Lyse, and Carly after Chicago!

And OH MY GOODNESS, was it amazing! Excellent choice for my first (and definitely not last) show here in London! It was a great Girl's Night Out. Just what I needed because I love those girls:)

Wednesday, 12 January 2011: Today was our first full day trip. We went to Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, and Bath. We left at the butt-crack of dawn and came back in time for bed. Literally. But I slept on the bus a little bit, I guess. But can I just say that, like, as much as I LOVE London and have no problems with it, this trip was a fantastic break from the city. The countryside is GORGEOUS! Like, greener than anything I've ever seen and just so peaceful and homey. I absolutely loved it. 

(L-R) Britteny, Heather, Megan, Blake, Jamie,
Sharon, Me, Carly, Ashley, Liz, Annie, Paige,
Ramzi, and Emily at Stonehenge!
(Only like half our group)

Okay so, Stonehenge. What an amazing concept. Like, yeah, we drove up and were sorta like, "oh look there it is, neat". haha but, really, once you get out and walk around it, and really think to yourself like, "What were they thinking" you realize you have no idea. And how they got it there? Who knows? It's amazing that with the world as advanced as it is today, there are still mysteries out there. And I'm pretty sure, we'll probably never know why, but that's the beauty behind it. 

Then we went to Bath and saw the Roman Baths. These were extremely cool. The Romans came and conquered the Celts here in Britain and found this ONE and ONLY hot spring and built a public bath around it, like they do best, and worshiped here. I loved walking through because there are still so many remains that they could build it up to look like the original building so I felt like I was walking through the actual place. Plus, it was super Roman and I felt like I was there.. In Rome, I mean. Which, did I mention, I'm going there for Travel Week??!! When I have my heart set on something, it happens haha!

Me, Kinsey, and Elyse at Roman Baths

Then, we just walked around the town of Bath for a bit and did some window shopping and got something to eat. I got cookies from Ben's Cookies!! They were so good and you know how I'm not a total cookie person, so that's saying something. I got the Peanut Butter and the Milk Chocolate Chunk. Both really good but I preferred the Peanut Butter one. i could eat those for the rest of my life. Real, whole peanuts inside and so soft and delicious!

Thursday, 13 January 2011: BOUGHT MY TICKET TO ITALY!! so stoked! there's like 13 of us going and we're gonna fly out March 2nd (Wednesday), be based in Rome and then do day trips to Venice and probably Florence! then fly home Sunday. okay today, we had our first Fine Arts class and Religion class. Fine Arts was fun and I think will be pretty easy but Religion. That class is gonna be cool. It's all about "The History of the Church in the British Isles" so we started by talking about 1837 when the missionaries first came to London and how Queen Victoria was ruling then and let them come and like it was amazing!! The building we met in (and that I went to church in on Sunday), the Hyde Park Stake Center, was the first church building and Stake center building in all of the UK. I was in shock. It's beautiful and right in the middle of this beautiful area that is like devoted to the memory of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. SO yeah, I'm excited.

Today, 14 January 2011: Had the whole day off, slept in, missed breakfast, got ready, went to the British Museum to take care of business, led one of our required walks for our Walks Class, got lost. crazy fun, though. when we got off the Tube station at home, it was pouring and then started HAILING!! it was quite the adventure. Got home for dinner and now homework for probably the rest of the weekend:) also, 3 MONTHS LEFT! 

Me and Emily, ya know, being tourists:)

So, I hope I got everything.. well the highlights at least. I'm loving every second here and still can't believe how lucky and BLESSED I really am! I love this place and my life and all of you for being my amazing friends! Miss you all, THREE MONTHS!!