Entry 3: July 19, 2010

Another great and busy week! On Monday we did a tour of Parliament, which I think we all really enjoyed. It was incredible to learn about and be inside one of the oldest and most famous buildings in the world. So much history has taken place on these grounds and it was a great experience. On Tuesday, we traveled to the famous Globe Theatre to see Henry VIII. We had been studying this play in our Shakespeare class. It was a very good production, but we had to stand for the whole thing—3 hours long. I think a few of us struggled with that, but I'm definitely glad we went.

On Wednesday, a handful of us went to see the play Lilies on the Land. It was about four women who worked the lands of England during World War II. It was a powerful show, with humor, sadness, and incredible stories. I laughed and cried and left with a real appreciation for those women. That night, Amanda and I went to see Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre. I absolutely love musicals, but was a little skeptical about seeing such a dark and tragic show. However, I absolutely loved it and I am now obsessed with all of its music. I can't wait to see another show this week!

Thursday, a few of us went to tour Westminster Abbey. Gorgeous! I enjoyed the audio tour. Then we went to the Cabinet War Rooms and the Winston Churchill Museum. I thought it was fascinating. The rooms have supposedly been left exactly like they were at the end of the war in 1945. This was one of the coolest things I'd seen yet. We had a nice little Italian dinner, then Amanda and I went to a little cafe on High Kensington for some pastries and Hot Chocolate. Yum!

On Friday we went to the British Museum where we saw many interesting artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone. We also went to Harrods! What an overwhelming store. One trip was enough for me. I'm not much of a shopper.

Saturday a group of us went to Brighton for the day! The beach has pebbles instead of sand. It was a bit chilly, but we had a great time relaxing and spending time together. On Sunday a few of us went to Oxford. What a quaint and beautiful little town! The campus in all its age is magnificent. I really enjoyed getting to see it. And I got myself an Oxford sweatshirt! I am looking forward to our last full week. I miss home, but I'm not ready to leave!

Entry 2: July 13, 2010

I can't believe we've been here for two weeks! Time is flying by and we still have so much to do. We've been to so many museums, including the V&A, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Imperial War Museum. We have enjoyed eating at so many different restaurants and seeing various spots in London. One of my favorite spots I've visited is the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens.

This past weekend, a few of us went to Paris to see some other friends who are studying abroad there. While Paris was absolutely beautiful, we were so excited and happy to come back “home” to London. We missed it so much and are so thankful for every opportunity we get here. This coming week we are going on a tour of Parliament, going to see Henry VIII at the Globe Theatre, and next weekend we hope to go on day trips to other places around England such as Brighton and Oxford. So excited about the busy week ahead!

Entry 1: July 2, 2010

What an amazing experience we have had so far here in London! The first day we arrived is kind of a blur with getting off the plane and spending the rest of the day getting settled into our rooms, going on a bus and boat tour and then finally coming home. I think we were all awake for at least 30 hours before we were able to go to sleep, and we are all definitely still adjusting to the time change. The next day we had our first classes and a group of us went to visit the famous Tower of London! This was a fascinating experience. We were able to see the crown jewels, see all of the royal armory, and see all of the towers were the prisoners were held. Seeing where Anne Boleyn was held, executed, and buried really put all of the history of the royals into perspective. Very interesting stuff.

Yesterday after class, a group of us attempted to go see Wimbledon but we ended up not being able to get inside without paying a very pricey fee. We ended up visiting the Imperial War Museum. This was also a very cool experience, seeing the World War from a British point of view. We spent most of our time in the Holocaust exhibit and also visited an exhibit made to show the children of WWII and their point of view. The weather here has been really nice. We had one really hot day, only one or two morning rain showers, and the rest has been mostly sunny with a few clouds and in the 70s. Very different from the hot weather back home, and definitely a nice change.

Tonight we are off to see the play Romeo and Juliet! This is the play we have been studying right now in our Shakespeare class and I think we are all very excited about it. One thing I especially have enjoyed so far and will continue to enjoy is the history. The United States is such a new county and while we have a ton of important history, the amount we have doesn't compare to Europe's. It is so fascinating to see so many old buildings and hear so many old stories, all dating back to farther than we have at home. I can't wait to see and hear and learn more and more and more. I am so grateful to be here and despite the still occurring jet lag, I am having the time of my life. I will post again soon!