London and World Changer Travels

End of Indy!

2009-06-28T21:42:00.003+01:00

Sorry it has been so long. Indy has been great. The project was awesome and the city here is so great to enjoy. We are heading to chicago tomorrow morning. Ready for a new city and a new challenge. Can't wait!

2009-06-11T23:38:00.002+01:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKraWQ8_cHk

Just copy and paste this into the internet!

2009-06-11T23:38:00.001+01:00

Rules video for the summer!

2009-06-11T23:35:00.001+01:00

Here is a link to our rules video on youtube! Check it out!

Team is doing great. We are heading to Nashville on Saturday. We will be of there until Thursday when we head to indianapolis for our first project.

Staff Video

2009-06-09T04:57:00.002+01:00

Lexi did an amazing job. Let me know what you think!

Womp, Womp!

2009-06-06T16:02:00.002+01:00

Hey everyone. Since I last blogged lots has happened. My team and I have been doing a lot of stuff with other teams who are still in the area. We went to the Coke Factory and I tried almost all 64 flavors that coke produces. A little nasty at points. My favorite was the watermelon produced in china. Then we went to the Braves game. here is the Womp Womp, moment. It was pouring down rain and so we trudged through the rain to the stadium and then when we got there I opened my coat pocket to find a flood and my phone was soaked. Therefore, I no longer have a phone that works until Tuesday. However, because of my awesome dad, I will have a phone on Tuesday that this time i will not ruin. This whole situation is a real big OOOOPS! Other than that my team has been hanging in and around Atlanta and Alpharetta GA just getting to know each other. Will upload a picture of the team soon.

In Atlanta, well Cleveland, GA

2009-06-03T17:34:00.002+01:00

Well, training is done and was so much fun. Enjoyed getting to see everyone again from last summer and helping to teach those new staffers what World Changers is all about. Yesterday was Mock Set-Up and it went really well. My team did a good job. We were a little slow putting stuff together, but with time will come speed. From today until saturday, we are staying in Alpharetta which is right outside of Atlanta having a little fun in Atlanta this week. We have some cool things planned, so i am very excited for team bonding!

In Atlanta, well Cleveland, GA

2009-05-26T18:21:00.001+01:00

Hey everyone, I am here and ready to train. We are having registration this afternoon and then training begins tonight! Updates will continue this summer!

Home Sweet Home

2009-05-12T02:30:00.001+01:00

I am back and sitting on my living room couch. It is definitely good to be home!

Homeward Bound

2009-05-10T13:27:00.002+01:00

London has been an amazing experience. I have made so many new friends and developed so many friendships. I have seen the sights and lived the city life. However, now it is time to pack up and head home to the Old North State and see family and friends. Yes it is sad to leave what we have had here behind, but it is wonderful to look the future what else is in store. It is now Sunday at 1:30, and I we fly out at 11 am tomorrow morning. Will be back soon.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday!

2009-05-08T17:14:00.003+01:00

Hey Everyone! Have not had time this week, trying to live it up my last week in London.

Monday

Today was a great day. Kinsey and I spent the day hitting some spots in London that we have not had time to do yet. We went to the V&A where there are many cool objects detailing history throughout time. We found some interesting items. As we were walking through we found a bust of a man and I said "Hey Kinsey, i think I recognize this man." It turned out that the plaque stated "Unknown Man". Guess I did not know who he was. Then after the V&A we went to Harrods. Unbelievable. The money was ridiculous. However, Kinsey and I managed to get our last real Gelato. I got Lemon and Lime, my all time favorite. Just a little bit of reminding before we go back.

Tuesday

Today was the last day of classes. We had two exams and a class discussion. It was great. After class we went out to celebrate Cinco De Mayo at the Texas Embassy, which serves Mexican food, and then headed to our flats to just relax the rest of the night.

Wednesday

Today was fun. I woke up without an alarm for the first time in a long time and it was great. After this I went to art class with the girls from Flat D. Since I had invested a lot of time in their projects and helping them think up ideas, I felt it was necessary to see the final products. Then Jordan, Kinsey, and I went to steak night at Warwick Castle Pub. It was so much fun. The girls said they ate like "real men". :) Again tonight we went to hang out in the flats.

Thursday

This morning started with a trip to the London Eye. Chelsey, Megan, Kinsey, Natalie, and I went. We had fun finding all the places that we were used to going throughout our trip. We then walked along from the London Eye to Big Ben and then down to Trafalgar Square. We stopped by to climb on top of the lions and get pictures. Then we went to China Town one last time to get some good food. Then comes the best part. We went to the locking of the keys ceremony at the Tower of London at 10pm. It was awesome. We got to see all the guards and it was soooo cool. Will describe this better later when you ask me because words cannot describe.

It is almost time to come home. It is Bitter Sweet. Miss everyone.

Wednesday to Sunday!

2009-05-03T22:06:00.003+01:00

Wednesday

On Wednesday, I WORKED AND WORKED AND WORKED! Natalie and I had a joint sociology paper due on Thursday, and I sat in the flat and did some work on our paper, formatting and sourcing. Other than that, we went to our las play of the year called "Tusk, Tusk", which was written by a 20 year old playwright and was awesome.

Thursday

This morning we went to the HMS Belfast with out GST class. It wass really cool to see a battleship that was no loner in operation but still allowed to fly the flags of the British Royal Navy. The inside of the boat had many wax figures which looked very very very real and scary a points. After this I went back to the flats for lunch and then headed to school for sociology presentations. Natalie and I did pretty well. I think it went well. We will see when we get grades back. Being exhausted from two hours of presentations, I went back to the flats and hung out for the rest of the night.

Friday

Today I woke up and headed to Notting Hill with Megan, Kinsey, and Amanda. We went to Churchill Arms for lunch which was the best Thai food I have ever had. We then went to the Book WHarehouse, which was a discount bookstore. I bought a good book about the life of George and Laura Bush. Can't wait to get into it! We then went to Portabella Market. Lots of antiques and shops and Fresh food stands. Great day overall.

Saturday

Today was FABULOUS! We went to Kew Gardens. I got some of the best pictures of flowers that i have gotten here in London. Kinsey, Natalie, Elizabeth, Courtney, Amanda, Heather, and Amelia all went with me. We found a carnival and some people rode the swings. Inside the garden we saw multiple cool things, the best being the peacock which I got in full fan form on video. Will share after this blog. Other than that a great day.

Sunday

Today was great. Courtney, Amelia and I went to two different markets and just had fun hanging out. Tonight a group of us went back to HTB and worshipped. It was great to once again worship our Lord and know how awesome He truly is. Can't wait to relax and study a little tomorrow for final exams on Tuesday. Tomorrow marks a week left. CRAZY!

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday

2009-04-29T00:26:00.002+01:00

Sunday was a marathon of a day. We went to see the running of the London marathon. So many people dressed in costumes to run the race. I do not know how they even made it one mile with some of the outfits they wore. A couple of us walked to the end of the course, about three miles, to catch a glimpse of the finish line, and then went on our way. Sunday night I went to church with a group of people to Holy Trinity Brompton, Tim Hughes Church.

Monday was also a great day. It started by standing in line to get front row tickets to Hairspray. After this, I went back to my flats for awhile and then went with a group of people to see Parliament in action. We got to see some protesters glue themselves together inside and multiple police try and solve the situation. Inside, we got to watch the House of Commons debate budget, and talk about the recent Swine Flu outbreak. As always with politicians, there were really no outcomes, just scrutiny for each other. Then began night one of two nights to always remember. A group of us went to Hairspray and sat on the front row. AMAZING!!! I actually got to interact with one of the characters in the play as she climbed over us trying to get to the stage. Afterwards, we stood outside the stage door and saw all the actors and actresses emerge and sign autographs.

Tuesday was filed with class. After today there is now only two days left of classes for me. CRAZY! AFter classes finished today, I went to dinner and then night two of awesomeness ensued. We went to see Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theatre. We got standing tickets, so we had to stand in line early so that we could get a good spot near the stage. Some of us ended up getting there around 6:30. The doors opened at seven and we rushed in and got in the second and third rows of standing people right up against the stage. I have to say it was quite cool. Although we stood for 4 hours (6:30-10:30), it was quite worth it. Overall, it was great!

Can't believe this journey is almost over. It feels like it was yesterday when I said all my goodbyes. Less than two weeks now. WOW TIME HAS FLOWN BY!

Camden Market

2009-04-25T20:04:00.002+01:00

Today Kinsey, Natalie, and I went to Camden Market. We had loads of fun. Stayed there for like five hours, but really did not buy much. However, I was productive today. Finished my final theatre paper and I am half way done with my GST take home portion of the final. So, classes are winding down, and I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Which is both scary and exciting!

Oxford

2009-04-24T21:32:00.002+01:00

Today I went to Oxford. I went to see Christ Church and St. Mary's Church. However, it took me a few minutes to get the concept of Oxford University. Oxford University is a conglomeration of over 30 colleges that are all under the umbrella of Oxford University. The University has departments for each major subject like mathematics, and then they send professors out to each college to teach the classes. Therefore, each professor can teach at multiple colleges. Of course I got the Oxford University memorabilia, and walked around in the town. It was fun to just go and have no plan but to walk and see pretty sites. Overall, today was a great day. This week has been great, but I have realized that we are exactly 16 days away from coming home. This is good because I miss people, but it will be sad to leave London.

A little more fun and then USA!

2009-04-17T22:51:00.000+01:00

Wednesday
Today was a great day! We started today off by heading out to the Tower of London. This is where you can find the quarters of Sir Walter Raleigh while he was being held for acts of treason. Also, this is where people like King Henry VIII’s wives were put before killed such as Anne Boelyn. More importantly, this is where the crown jewels are kept. All the crowns and scepters, of past and the present Queen Elizabeth II are kept in a locked vault that you are allowed to walk through. Also, the coronation robe of Queen Elizabeth II is here to. After this we went to lunch and headed to St. Pauls. GORGEOUS and AWESOME! We climbed two the top of the dome and looked down into the church as well as up into the dome. Mom and I climbed another level and were able to walk around the top of the dome outside and see across London. St. Paul’s was pretty incredible. Then we went on two small adventures before heading back to the hotel to change before supper and Mamma Mia. First we went and found the branch of First Citizens in London for Dad. The security guard was not very nice, and it was obvious that he was not going to let us go upstairs and see. Next we went to King’s Cross where Harry Potter’s Platform 9 and ¾ is. Mom got a picture pushing the cart through the wall just like Harry Potter. Then we headed to the hotel and got changed. We went to dinner with Kinsey in Chinatown and got some real good food. After this Mom and I set off on the best night ever. We went and saw Mamma Mia, which was absolutely fabulous. It was so much fun.

Thursday
This morning I had class so Mom and Dad headed by themselves to the Changing of the Guard. They made it on their own in the London Tube. They have succeeded. They got to see a smaller version of Changing of the Guard without the bands because it was misting, but they at least can say they saw it. They met me at my school’s tube station and we headed to lunch. We went to one of my favorite pub, and Dad got fish and chips for the last time. Next we went to the British Library and Mom was in her element. Just ask, and I am sure she will share all the details from the Library with you. Next it was time to go shopping. We headed to Oxford Street and we went to the Clarks store and mom got a nice new pair of shoes. Then we went to Marks and Spencer where mom found some nice clothing and a very comfortable pair of new shoes for work. Then we headed back to my place, got my stuff that I was sending home with mom and headed back to the hotel where mom commenced the packing for their departure on Friday. We went to Picadilly Circus to eat dinner and hit up all the souvenir shops. We got a lot of cool things and mom of course got two teapots to add to her collection. Finally, to end their London experience, we got on the top of a double-decker bus in the front row and rode back to the hotel one last time. I stayed with them for a while just hanging out and then let them go to bed because they are going to have a long day tomorrow.

Friday
Today I woke up at 6:15 and went to see my parents off. They got on the train at 7:00 and headed to the airport. I of course went back to sleep immediately after their train left and I got back to my flat. I woke up again around 11 and headed off for my day. Natalie and I went out to Lambeth this afternoon to do research for our sociology class and had loads of fun. Then, Kinsey, Natalie and I went to see 17 again. It was actually a really good movie. Who knew? I came back and checked on my parent’s flight and saw they had landed in Norfolk. I gave them a call and they were picking up their suitcases and were about to head out to the car and home, so the made it back safely. All is well in London.

Mom and Dad

2009-04-16T22:59:00.001+01:00

Sad to say, mom and dads stay is over. They have absolutely worn me out these past two days. I will be getting up to see them off in the morning. Will update our adventures tomorrow when i have a little more sleep and energy!

Monday Adventures with my Parents

2009-04-13T21:28:00.002+01:00

Well, today was again a day to remember. We started by heading to Buckingham to try and see Changing of the Guards again. Turns out they are still on the every other day cycle, so Mom and Dad will have to go Thursday while I am in class. After this disappointment, we went into the guards museum which goes through time and tells the stories of all the different uniforms of guards that have guarded the front of Buckingham. Next, we stopped at Westminster Abbey. All I can say is amazing. The inside was really cool and we say lots of really cool tombs of Kings and Queens. Also inside was the coronation chair for all the Kings and Queens since 1300. We also saw Poet's corner, which is a part of Westminster that has tombs of famous authors and writers. People like Jane Austen, Handel, who wrote the Messiah, and Rudyard Kippling were buried here. Finally, before we left Westminster we saw the tomb of the unknown soldier and Darwin. After Westminster we went to lunch at a Pub and mom and dad had their first taste of Fish and Chips. They loved it. Then mom had the crazy idea to go ride the London Eye! For those of you who do not know this is a giant ferris wheel with 20 person compartments that allows you to see al of london from the air in thirty minutes. Dad did no go. He chickened out because he is not a fan of heights. We then headed over to Kensington Palace in Hyde Park. This is where Diana lived when she was alive. The gardens were absolutely awesome, and we enjoyed walking through the park. We also found the memorial fountain for Diana, which was full of little kids playing in the water, just how she would like it. It was now time for dinner. We tried Hard Rock but it was a two hour wait. I don't think so. So we went to Picadilly Circus and ate at TGI Friday's. I know US dinner, but after our day of long walks and fun, we all needed a little bit of home. I then took mom and dad back to the hotel so they could get some rest because they will be heading out early to see Stonehenge and Bath, while I have school tomorrow. Will update again Wednesday.

Saturday and Sunday

2009-04-12T22:40:00.000+01:00

Saturday
It all began with mom and dad coming around the corner in Paddington station after a long flight and train ride into central London. I greeted mom with a stuffed Paddington Bear, and we headed to the hotel to drop off their bags. After this we grabbed a bit of breakfast from a little café in Paddington station and then headed off to start our day. Today will be very short of events because mom and dad were very jet lagged and tired. We started by a quick trip to my flat and showing my parents around the area I live in. Then we headed of to Changing of the Guard. We walked through St. James Park and Green Park, and then down to Westminster and Big Ben before heading to Buckingham palace. However, when we got to Buckingham we found out that Changing of the Guards was cancelled because of the rainy misty weather. BUMMER! Will try again on Monday. After this we went to see my school and I showed them around the area and ended up getting lunch at a nice little cafe down the street from my school. After lunch we went to the British Museum, which was next door. We walked around for awhile and mom and dad were a little overwhelmed with all the multitudes of artifacts in this museum so we decided to leave after seeing a little over half of it. Next it was time to check into the hotel. We went back and they were not quite ready so we sat in the lobby for a while and went and got toothpaste from the store because theirs got taken at the airport. When we finally checked into the hotel, mom and dad took naps while I ran back to my flat to grab some things. When I got back mom woke up and we talked for a good hour and a half while dad slept some more. Eventually dad woke up and we went across the street from the hotel and got dinner from the Aberdeen Steakhouse, and then went back to the hotel. Turned on the TV for a little and dad got disappointed because there was not a lot of US shows, DUH! I let them go to bed early because we are going to get a little early start tomorrow.

Sunday
This morning I woke up and headed to get mom and dad. I was a little early so we grabbed some breakfast before heading out. We went to church together for Easter Sunday at Holy Trinity Brompton and it was really good. We then went back to my flat so I could change, and mom and dad met the girls from Flat D that I spend oh so much time with. We went back to their hotel, and then got lunch at a pub outside of Paddington. Then it was off to Greenwich for the afternoon. Due to some construction on the underground, we had to go a different route than I normally had gone and so there was a bit of confusion and I got off the bus a little to early, but it was all good. I actually asked for directions. We finally got to Greenwich and I showed the parents around. We went to see all the lovely items such as the painted hall, the chapel and the Queens house as well as the Royal Observatory. Then we went to the Greenwich market and dad had a great idea. We decided to take a boat ride down the Thames river back into London and ended up at Westminster. We walked form here to Trfalgar Square and then stopped for some dinner at the Texas Embassy. After dinner dad said he was refreshed so walking would be good, so we walked to Picadilly Circus and Oxford Circus. Enough walking for one day, so we headed back to the hotel, where to dad’s delight he found the Masters on TV and we watched that for a while. Still a little jet lagged, I left them to sleep, and now I am getting ready to head to bed myself.

The first two days have been crazy but fun and exciting. I cannot believe they are actually here!

Parents are Here

2009-04-11T08:39:00.001+01:00

Mom and Dad are in London! Made it here safely.

Flying over the pond!

2009-04-11T00:07:00.002+01:00

As a write this message my parents are currently on a plane flying over the great pond we call the Atlantic Ocean. They will be here in the morning and I am super excited. I can't wait to show them all I know about London for a whole week! Hope everyone is doing good. Will update when my parents have arrived and throughout the week while they are here.

Update!

2009-04-07T22:19:00.001+01:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know London is going great. I am sill deep in work, but enjoying London as always. Mom and Dad will be here on Saturday. Trying to do some planning for their trip here. Can't wait. Will blog soon when i have more to say. Miss you all!

Venice Pictures

2009-04-03T22:40:00.008+01:00

Today was great. We went to Kensington Palace. This is where people like Queen Victoria lived before their reign in England, also Princess Diana lived here as well. We actually got to see some of her old dresses on display. Really cool. Here are the last of my spring break pictures.

All I needed was one more "E" and it would have been Samuel Lee!

Gondola Ride! SOOOOOO Cool!

Our Hostel Room!

San Marco!

Churches in Venice.

Waterways in Venice. So Many! Ryan, here is your bridge!

Pictures from Florence

2009-03-31T19:43:00.011+01:00

Today was good. The first two days back have been hard, but it will soon be time for my parents to be here! APRIL 10th!

Lanscapes

Churches in Florence

Galileo's Tomb

Our Room in Florence!

The Market

Pictures from Siena

2009-03-29T18:39:00.005+01:00

These were our rooms.

Kinsey and I found a garden on a mountain in Sienna. The above pictures were our scenic views and fun pictures from the garden.

The Duomo in Sienna. Unbelievably gorgeous outside and in.

These two are from Kinsey and I in Sienna. We found a nice big courtyard where they used to have horse races in the summer and sat to just relax.

Spring Break All Together

2009-03-28T23:25:00.002Z

Saturday - Rome to Sienna

Saturday morning Kinsey and I woke up bright and early to be the first ones in line at 8:30 to get into the colosseum, we wanted to make sure that we got in and saw everything we wanted before we were scheduled to move on to Siena. We were literally ten people back in line and got in right when the gates opened. I was glad to have Kinsey with me on this adventure, because I have to admit I really did not have a lot of prior knowledge of the colosseum. Kinsey, once again being the history major had all the answers to my questions and knew most of what everything was that we saw. We then moved out of the colosseum and across the road to a park full of ancient ruins. We really did not know what most of the stuff was because it was all in Italian, but it was still pretty cool to see how the items could last and stay for so long. After that Kinsey and I said our goodbyes to Rome, went and grabbed our bags and headed to the train station. We got tickets to Siena and got on our first train where I became a little stressed. We had to change trains once and we kept going further and further past where I thought the stop was and it never came. I tried to communicate with the train attendant, but she did not speak English well. Eventually the stop came and we made it to Sienna safe, it was just a little stressful. In Siena, Kinsey and I had to figure out how to get a bus to the city because that was all the direction we were given by the B&B that we stayed at. Finally after much walking around with our heavy bags we found the bus and took it into the city. Then we went through the same ordeal with trying to find the B&B but this time we walked quite a long way. We found the B&B and then ended up having to go to another location to actually get our rooms. After we got settled in we went out to find a place that had been recommended by our B&B owner. It was fabulous. Kinsey and I both got pasta and I have to say it was some of the best I have ever had. We then walked around the city centre for a while made our payment to the owner at her personal house, and then we once again found gelato. This time I got mint. So good once again! The day ended with Kinsey and I sharing pictures on our computers and of course SLEEP!

Sunday - Sienna

All I can say is wow! Siena is absolutely gorgeous. I now know why everyone raves about Siena and its beauty. Kinsey and I really had no plan today, and that was the best. We woke up ate our interesting breakfast from the B&B and headed out to walk and sight see. We started by seeing a church and then began to wander. As we wandered we found other churches and buildings that popped out from around corners. It was so much fun to see what was going to be around the next corner. We had lunch at a really cool pizzeria and then went to the city centre and sat in the sun. It was really cool to just be able to sit back, relax and just let time go by while enjoying the landscape. After this Kinsey and I went to the Duomo, which is the Cathedral in Siena. Indescribable. Pictures are included below. After this we really had nothing else that we wanted to see so we began to wander again. We found a place that was absolutely amazing. It was a set of gardens high up on a mountaintop that overlooked the city of Siena on one side and the mountain ranges and Tuscan landscapes on the other side. We stayed here for almost an hour and a half. It was beautiful. Then we went back to the B&B and took a brief nap before dinner. After dinner we went and once again got gelato. Just note this will be a recurring theme of our days. This time I got Limone (Lemon). It was really good, but really tart. Loved every bite of it. Basically Siena was great and Kinsey and I did not want to leave on Monday.

Monday - Sienna to Florence

On Monday, Kinsey and I got up and headed to the train station. We had a little difficulty finding a bus to get there, but we did it. When we got to the station we had to wait about an hour until our train left so we both went and got big bottles of water so that we could refill our little bottles for a couple of days. However, Kinsey learned the lesson between Frizante and Naturale. Frizante means with gas or carbonated water. She tried to drink it and just could not handle it, so she had to get another bottle of water and throw that one away. Our train ride to Florence was uneventful, except for some sleeping and beautiful countryside. Upon arriving I Florence we headed straight to the Hostel to check in. “Right on Time” said the hostel owner as he showed us that we had put down one as our arrival time. We got all settled in and received the map of Florence with some circled items and we off. We started once again by just wandering. This wandering led us to a very nice pizzeria. 5 Euros for an eight-inch wide pizza! GREAT! Then we turned the corner by the pizzeria and hit the market. We walked through multiple streets of vendors and saw many cool items, but in the end bought none. This wandering put us out right at the front of the Duomo in Florence. Of course, we took many pictures and walked right inside. The inside was phenomenal just like every other church we have seen thus far on our trip. After visiting the Duomo we began to wander again and Kinsey decided she wanted to go see the water. By this time the sun was starting to set and we got a great view of the river with the sun beginning to set. We also found a bridge that dated back to 973 but rebuilt in the late 13th century. This bridge was so cool. It was formed by buildings and had the most expensive jewelry stores Kinsey and I have ever seen. After crossing the bridge Kinsey and I realized we were in the wrong side of town as far as money went and were sure to cross back over the next bridge. We found a nice place to eat diner after this. Our waiter was absolutely hilarious and kept us entertained for a good hour. I had a chicken breast covered in mozzarella sauce, with asparagus cooked in butter and cheese. AMAZING and DELICIOUS! After this we again went to find gelato per the suggestion of our waiter this time I got Peanut Butter, which was actually pretty good and even had real peanuts in it. Kinsey and I then returned to the Hostel because we knew that Tuesday was going to be an early day.

Tuesday - Florence

The reason I say Tuesday was an early start is because Kinsey and I woke up at seven to get showers and make sure we got in line at the Academia. Why you ask? Because this is where Michelangelo’s David is housed. We stood in line for thirty minutes and were in the museum very shortly after the doors opened. We walked around for a while and then rounded the corner. There it was. My first thought was, wow that is a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The sculpture of David was just so cool and very detailed. The detail was so incredible. Even to the point where the muscle in the back of the knee was poking out like it normally does when someone bends his or her knee. CRAZY AWESOME!! We spent a good hour in this museum and loved every minute of it. Then we again decided to wander and find some cool churches and other buildings. One of these we ran across was the Basilica of Santa Crose. At first we decided not to go in and just walk around the church. As we walked around we saw a cool view of the river with a mini waterfall. This is where Kinsey took the map from me and decided that there would be no more stress of where we were going and how long it would take, we were just going to see where and when we got places. Best decision ever!! After making the slight detour, Kinsey and I decided to go inside the church. Good plan! Inside we found the tombs of Galileo Galilee and Dante. Who knew? The church was unbelievable and really stunning. After this we began to look for a pizza place that our professor Dr. Smith had recommended. We found it and it was really good. Four-cheese pizza is a lot better over here. Then we walked straight across the street to a Gelato place that had been recommended to us by two people from the US and two from Italy. Here I got Nutella gelato. For those of you not up on Nutella, it is a Hazelnut chocolate spread that we have in the US, but that is really popular in Europe. Then we looked around some more and found items such as Dante’s church, and a really cool military arch. About 2 it began to rain a little a Kinsey had forgotten her coat and umbrella, so we headed back to the hostel to get these items. When we got to the hostel the rain had started to become substantial so we decided to wait it out. This included talking and more importantly an hour-long nap for the both of us. After the rain stopped about 4:30 Kinsey and I headed back out for more fun. We walked around and just looked at the sites and sounds of Florence for some time and again looked at the river at sunset. We found a really cool authentic place for supper and both got Fettuccini Alfredo. Once again, we headed for Gelato. Just a side note, all these are small two scoop cups of ice cream, not big cones like the first day in Rome. This time I got a mix of chocolate and coconut. There were actual chocolate chips and coconut pieces in the gelato. Once again so good, there is no way I can eat ice cream when I get back to the US. We finished our day by walking back to the hostel and sharing our pictures from the lat few days with each other.

Wednesday - Florence

Today was a much more relaxed day for Kinsey and I. We started out later today because we really just wanted to enjoy the sun and scenery of Florence. We began by going through the market areas one last time and getting all those last minute souvenirs that we just had to have and spend money on. After the markets we began our true journey for the day. Since we had covered pretty much all the important and worthwhile items the day before, we decided to cross the river and enjoy the countryside. We found a road that took you up on a mount that overlooked the city of Florence on one side and the Tuscany countryside on the other. We found a nice café and sat down for a long and leisurely lunch. After lunch, we tried our hand at some more gelato. The flavor for me this time was cookies and cream. After this we found a nice bench in a garden area in full sunlight and sat for an hour. It was the best time we have had. So relaxing and peaceful to sit and listen to the bird’s chirp and see the pretty landscape. We then made our way up to this really cool church that had a HUGE cemetery. Kinsey and I stayed in there for a while looking at all the tombs and gravestones. There were a lot of buildings built around people’s graves and there were all done in a different and unique way so it was really cool to see. We then started our climb back down the mount only to start climbing up another. You see, Kinsey and I had decided today was a no map day so we just wandered. I saw a sign that said castle and church to the right. We turned and began our trek. Little did we know that when we rounded the corner we would find a very steep and high road. We were committed at this point so we just went on with our journey. My calf muscles will be hurting tomorrow from this journey. We got to the top only to find the castle was closed. So we continued on to find the church. After walking a long way surrounded by brick walls with glass on the top to keep people from climbing over the walls, we decided to turn around and come back down the mountain. At the bottom we stopped for a rest and to make a plan for the rest of the evening since it was 4:30. We decided to go back to the hostel and put our stuff down rest a few and then head back out. For dinner we found a nice restaurant where I got some nice pasta with zucchini and Kinsey got lasagna. Once again like all nights after dinner we had gelato for dessert. Again another flavor for me, so I got a scoop of lemon and a scoop of melon. I have to say that the melon tasted exactly like cantaloupe and it reminded be so much of North Carolina and those good home grown Rocky Hock cantaloupes. We then made our way back to the Hostel, ran into the manager in the middle of a random street, and now we are sitting catching up on blogs for all you people to read. Enjoy! Tomorrow we catch a train to Venice for our final stay until Saturday.

Thursday - Florence to Venice

Whirl wind of a day. Today Kinsey and I left Florence. We went to the train station to find our train and as we were about to get on our train we ran into Elon Teaching Fellow friends. They were heading to Rome and us to Venice, so it was nice to see familiar faces. We then got on the train and rode for three hours to Venice. Upon arriving in Venice we came out of the train station and found a boat to take us to our hostel! Yes a boat. This city is absolutely awesome because it operates on boats and waterways. No cars at all. We found our way to the hostel, settled in and then began on our way. Because there are no cars, the streets are much more narrower and look a lot more sketchier. However, the first thing we did was to find a place that sold maps and got one to use. As my brother forewarned me, the maps here are not exactly accurate and true to what actually is in front of you. Kinsey and I decided though to not use a map. We took one glace to see where we were and the general area that we wanted to head towards and set off. We walked for a while and then would sit and enjoy the scenery. Every corner we turned there was another walkway and bridge to cross over another small canal. We eventually made it to the tip of the island and saw San Marco Basilica from across the Grand Canal running through Venice. It was remarkable. We then made our way over to the Basilica to view it and the courtyards surrounding it at sunset. After this we found a nice place for dinner where I had cheese pizza. We were too full and exhausted so there was no Gelato tonight. We made it back to our hostel, hung out, and went to sleep.

Friday - Venice

Great day right at the end. Today Kinsey and I started a little later because breakfast was served at our hostel this morning. We had eggs with lots of pepper, and toast. I also had hot tea to drink, which is becoming a favorite staple for me during the day when I am in London. We decided to start at San Marco this morning to actually see the inside, and decided to not use the map to get there but to wander once again. After an hour of walking and passing over many bridges, we finally found San Marco. We stood in line and we inside within thirty minutes. The inside was absolutely remarkable. Gold plated ceilings with biblical characters, the Basilica left me awestruck. No pictures were allowed, but that is something that I can never forget. After this, Kinsey and I had seen all we really wanted to see as far as we were concerned so we decided to pick an area on the map and wander. We found a nice place for lunch, and then we got Gelato. This time I got Vanilla and Chocolate. Again we set of to wandering and found a really nice park. We sat and started talking and watching the birds, and ended up staying in the park for about an hour and a half. We set of to walking again and made our way around to one of the bridges, there are only four that actually cross the Grand Canal, which runs directly through the center of Venice. This bridge, the rialto, dates back to the 16th century. When we got here Kinsey and I made a tourist decision, but it was worth it. We went on a gondola boat ride. Kinsey was disappointed because our man did not sing, but other than that it was really cool. We wandered again after the boat ride and found ourselves back by the train station. It was approaching dinnertime and Kinsey and I knew exactly what we wanted. We went back to the Rialto Bridge and found a restaurant that sat on the Grand Canal and had our last dinner in Italy. Yes, it was very sad because our trip is almost over, but great food. After dinner we went a found Gelato again. Chocolate and Mint for me this time. We sat in front of a church for about an hour in the dark and just enjoyed the nice weather. We looked up and could even see the stars. It was very nice. Tomorrow is the bittersweet ending to our break. Glad to go back to London and get back to school, but not as glad to end this amazing week in Italy.

Saturday - Venice to London

Wow, it is over. Today Kinsey and I knew we would be leaving, so we packed al our bags and sat them downstairs in a holding place while we went out into Venice for a while before we left. While out in Venice we did some wandering around the last bit of the island we had not seen yet. We found some really cool churches and sat in two different benched areas to just relax and recap our trip. We ate lunch at a pizzeria and got Italian pizza for the last time. Then it was time to get one more thing of Gelato before we left. I got a mix of mint and nutella. We then slowly walked back to our hostel to pick up our luggage. We walked to the bus station, after thirty minutes of searching found our bus and headed to the airport. We waited for the plane for about an hour and headed back to London. Glad to say we are back in London. Spring break was great and I loved every minute of it.

PICTURES TO COME!!!

Quick Update

2009-03-24T19:39:00.000Z

I thought I would have free internet in Florence but it is not, so i just wanted to let everyone know that Kinsey and I are doing great and the updates will come when we get to Venice because we definitely have free internet there. Will be in Venice Thursday!

All Roads Lead to Rome

2009-03-20T20:26:00.003Z

All roads may lead to Rome, but Kinsey and I conquered the streets of Rome today. We left our Hostel this morning at around 8:30 and headed off to the Metro station. On our way we stopped at a small shop on the side of the road that had very nice pastries for Breakfast. Then it was of to the Vatican City. We got on the Metro and crowded in with all the locals for a few stops. We had begun. We first walked down to St. Pietro or St. Peter's where all the dead popes are buried and where the Pope addresses the nation when we see him on TV in the United States. Inside St. Peter's was absolutely gorgeous and I have put some pictures with this of the inside. When coming out of the Basilica, we were happy to see that we had gotten such an early start as there was a crazy line to get in. Our next stop was the Vatican City museum. We stood in line here for an hour and a half. It was well worth our wait. Inside we saw things such as the painting School of Athens and of course the Sistine Chapel. I have to say I have seen so many pictures of it and heard so many stories that i was expecting so much from the Sistine Chapel, that I really was not amazed by it. I have included pictures of the chapel as well. Don't get me wrong, it was still great to it and was amazing to think that he laid on his back for so long to complete the chapel. Overall, Vatican City and St. Peter's are a definite must when in Rome.

From here, Kinsey and I really had no plans. We had already decided we wanted to finish our night by seeing the colosseum at night, because we will be seeing it tomorrow morning in the daylight. So, we decided to use the map given to us by our hostel manager and visit some of the sights he suggested. Of course as the saying goes, when in Rome do what the Romans do. We did. We found a cool pizzeria right around the corner from St. Peter's and got some of the best pizza I have ever had. Then we headed off and saw a cool looking castle where Kinsey and I learned the idea of tricking tourists. Two men dressed as roman soldiers came to us and said take pictures with us. Duh, we took pictures with them and had fun, oops they forget to mention it was 5 euros. We both decided it was well spent money and moved on away from that area. Then came the tricky part, finding the Pantheon. Kinsey and I got lost a time or two, but it was a good lost. We got to find things in Rome that we would not have seen otherwise so it was really great. We got to the Pantheon just in time before it closed and got to take some pictures of the tomb of the first King of Italy Victor Emmanuel. After leaving the Pantheon we headed to get Gelato (ice cream) and it was the best I have ever had. So creamy and rich. I do not know that I will ever be able to eat it in the US again without thinking of Gelato.

Next we happened upon a really cool fountain which we later found out was one of the signature fountains to see as a tourist in Rome. We also headed by the government buildings which were really cool. We then headed down towards the area our hostel manager told us we could get cheap but authentic italian food. On our way we ran into the monument to honor the first King Victor Emmanuel and it was HUGE! We then stumbled across ancient ruins that were from AD 160 and Kinsey, history major, had a minor freak out in a good way. Dinner came next. We found a quiet little place near the river and had pasta! I had a pasta with oil, bacon and cheese. Amazing. Then comes the best part of the day. Seeing Kinsey's face of shock when we turned the corner and saw the Colosseum for the first time. I was gorgeous lit up at night. We walked around it and found where the Gladiator's trained and then walked under the tunnel to go to the Colosseum. We are now back in the hostel getting ready to get some sleep so that we can make an early start to the Colosseum tomorrow morning before we train ride to Siena tomorrow at lunch time. We checked and will not have internet access in Siena, but when we get to Florence on Monday I will be sure to update you on all our adventures. Can't wait.

We have arrived!

2009-03-19T22:30:00.001Z

Kinsey and I are in Rome, Italy. It is currently 11:30 pm here. Cannot believe we are actually here and going to see things like the Vatican and Colosseum. Well, that is it for now, we are safe and sleep is necessary!

SPRING BREAK!

2009-03-19T00:40:00.002Z

As of right now I am one class away from getting on a plane tomorrow and heading to italy. Kinsey and I will be starting in Rome and moving through Siena, Venice, and Florence for our spring break. I am so excited to get to see Italy and all the cool sights to see. I will have some internet access, so I will be able to update a little so that it is not so much at once when I get back to London. I will try and let everyone know I am safe in Rome as soon as possible, as you know Mom is the first priority. I fly out at 6 London time and land at 8, so I will be in the air from 2-4 US time. Please pray for Kinsey and I's safety throughout our week and a half of travel. Off we go!

Exciting Adventure!

2009-03-15T16:16:00.002Z

This morning started out with a trip to church. We went to Hillsong church again this morning. For all you Hillsong lovers, yes this is the music group Hillsong, it is one of fourteen churches they have created out of their main church in Australia. The speaker this morning was really interesting. He was a child soldier in Sudan and then was smuggled out. He is now about my age and going around telling of his story and raising money to build a school in his home town in Sudan. He believes that educating young people will be the solution to turning around this warfare and child soldier issues in Sudan. Next we went to the St. Patrick's Day festival in London. There were live bands playing irish music and many booths set up with authentic Irish food. There was also a parade. Then the exciting part of my day began. Megan and I decided we needed haircuts, because our hair had gotten really long. We found a place that would cut and wash for 6 pounds or about $9. So we walked in and I went first. The guy asked me what I wanted and then he began cutting. Everything was great until he got to my bangs. He cut them in a "V" and then put gel in my hair, to make my bangs straight across. Needless to say I immediately came home washed out the gel and cut my bangs straight across. Now they are fine and my hair looks good too. Close call, but all in all it was fun.

For all you basketball fans, yes we can get the games over here. Saw the Tarheels lose yesterday what a shame. Ha. Anyways, Kinsey and I are very excited about spring break. We have booked our plane tickets and we leave Thursday night. We will be going to Rome, Sienna, Florence, and Venice in Italy and will return the following Saturday. A week and a half in Italy! I am super excited. Hope this finds everyone doing good. Cheers!

Adventures of the Day

2009-03-12T20:10:00.002Z

Hey All! Today was fun. Started at the Museum of Docklands, which is a museum about the docklands in London and the role they played in trade and still play in trade and commerce today. This was very interesting. Then, I went to a Hindu Temple with my sociology class. We were able to tour the temple and learn about hinduism and what exactly it consisted of. They were some of the nicest and welcoming people I have ever meet. It was interesting and fun to learn how others view religion besides myself. Now, i have to write papers and do homework because midterms are next week.

Paris (Going to be long but Fun!)

2009-03-09T16:21:00.002Z

So we left early Friday morning and got on the Eurostar! This is the train that goes through the chunnel to France. The ride was fun and enjoyable, but definitely got some sleep for the long day that was to come. As soon as we got off the train we got on a coach bus and went on a three hour tour of Paris, highlighting all the major sights that we should see while in Paris. Then we were dropped off at the hotel and got 30 minutes to unpack and freshen up. Then we went with our tour guide Gary on a guided tour of the Latin Quarter. This included my first ride on the metro in Paris which is much nastier than the tube here in london. Just so you know, if you smell something nasty it might be the dog pee on the walls. The tour included the church from the Davinci code where we got the true story of the rose line and what it means. Basically it is used to tell the seasons and time, nothing to do with what the book actually states. We then walked across other parts of London to find the house of senate, the Pantheon and Notre Dame!!!! It was late so we did not get to go in but do not worry, we will work that in soon! Then we found out that the Louvre was open for free to students under 26 until 10pm on Friday! So we got to see the Mona Lisa, Egyptian art, and Napolean's apartments. All of the above were absolutely amazing and gorgeous. Then we were all exhausted so we found a mall cafe, got desert, planned out Saturday and went back to the hotel and crashed!

Ok, Saturday was epic in many ways! First thing, we decided to claim the Eiffel Tower. And yes, I climbed all 668 stairs to the second floor. I was not a pansy and I did not take the elevator. My calfs did hurt the rest of the weekend, but it was so worth it. the view was absolutely amazing. I saw so many things from above that I would have never seen without climbing it. I saw a great view of their river Seine and saw the statue of Liberty that they made for themselves after giving the US the first one. After finally getting back down from the top, I decided it would be a good idea to fill the empty space i made from walking with French Fries. Yes, it was a staple that had to be done. Next we made it over to The Invalides, which is where Napolean was buried. We did not go inside because of time and money, but the outside was absolutely fantastic. Next, we finally got back over to see Notre Dame. I have never seen such a gorgeous cathedral. Well I guess Canterbury holds it own, but Notre Dame was great. Next we went to meet our tour guide Gary for another guided tour. This time we saw the Moulin Rouge and Sacre Coeur. Sacre Coeur is a most amazingly beautiful church that has a painting of Jesus on the ceiling as you walk in with open arms inviting you into the church. Really cool. Along this walking tour is where the epicness occurred. I went to delete a picture on my camera and my finger slipped. And yes it happened, all 390 pictures were deleted from my camera. Not to worry. I have made contacts and since I took no more pictures on my camera, I can buy a card reader that can retrieve those pictures when I get back to the US. I know, no pictures for now, but I will let you have them when I get them in May. Ok so now that that is over, we then found a place to get French Onion Soup. P.S. in France it is only Onion Soup!! HAHA! Then the most shocking and amazing of all happened. Every on the hour for five minutes the Eiffel Tour sparkles. It is indescribable how magnificently cool the lights were as the bounced off of buildings surrounding the tower. Of course we finished off our night with a Parisian Crepe. I got a chocolate and almond crepe and it was scrumptous. That was Saturday.

Sunday we woke up and it was raining so that was said, but you only get to Paris once in a lifetime, at least maybe I think that because on a teacher salary I might not get there again. We started at the gardens of the Louvre and walked down the famous and widest street in the world Champs Elysees. It was cold and wet but fun. We stopped periodically in shops to get out of the rain but finally made it to the Arc de Triumphe. It was really cool to actually see this in person after learning of it in history class. After this we decided to go on a boat tour of the river Seine. it took us by boat to see al the best tourist sights one more time before leaving Paris. of course no boat ride was complete without cheese and a fresh baguette. We then travelled back to the hotel and waited for our bus back to the train and then returned to London.

Overall Paris Notes:
- Mean Camera
- Gypsies are crazy
- Everything is Gorgeous
- I know why it is the city of Love
- Delicious Food

AU REVOIR!

Paris!

2009-03-08T23:50:00.002Z

Hey everyone. I know you all want to know how Paris was but I just got back and it is 11:00 here and I need to get to sleep because I have to go to Education Practicum tomorrow morning, which means 7 am start. I will try and post my Paris stuff tomorrow! This week is a really long and hectic week, so we will see how that goes. I am safe in the UK though!

WICKED!

2009-03-04T23:04:00.002Z

Today was a day filled of homework. However, the last three hours just made up for it. This morning we stood in Line and got 60 pound front row balcony seats for 25 pounds. The show was called Wicked and was the story of how the Wicked witch and Good Witch became to be. All i can say is Amazing. My mom and I have planned to go in Norfolk when I get back home to the USA! I cannot wait until that day! Well, it will be awhile until you hear from me again! I will be leaving Friday morning for Paris to return on Sunday night! I amy be to tired Sunday night, but look for an update Monday definitely. Hope everyone is doing well!

Traces and Summer Staff

2009-03-03T22:20:00.002Z

Ok so, we had class today and it was not really eventful. Three classes make a really long day. Then after classes a group of us went to a show called Traces. It was a show of circus trained acrobats who did stunts and dance to explain there life stories. It was absolutely amazing and we loved it. Also, today I got an e-mail notifying me of my summer staff team. I am so excited to be with Jordan, Courtney, and Alexa this summer. We will have so much fun!!!!! Can't wait until this summer, but not wishing London away!

You are here to Learn! I am here to teach you! Thank you very much!

2009-03-02T20:21:00.002Z

So you are probably wondering what in the world my blog title today is talking about. Well, that would be a direct quote from the teacher I am shadowing. Today, I once again had practicum. It was basically the same as last week. I saw four classes being taught and got to walk around and help different students with their math problems. I actually learned some new teaching methods and charting methods for certain subjects that I may one day teach. That was fun. Then we had education seminar. We talked about diversity and equality in the school systems in Britain. After that I came home and heated up the rest of my dinner from last night! Jordan and I are good cooks!

Hillsong and a treat from Home!

2009-03-01T22:03:00.002Z

This morning I woke up and went to church. Megan, Amanda, and I went to Hillsong Church which is a branch of the christian group Hillsong. It was one of fourteen of their branch churches and was really cool. The worship was really amazing. Although I did not know any of the songs, it was still awesome to just stand in the presence of God and listen to the noise and voices being lifted up to him. Basically church was really great this morning. This afternoon I started my video chat with my cousin Brianne's special education class. She has set up a site where we can share videos back and forth information about England. This week I shared with them the weather in London. Now for the cool part. I got a little taste of home today when I ate dinner with Amanda Kerr. Amanda and I grew up together in Elizabeth City together and went to church together. She was in London for her spring break! That was exciting. Well now it is time for me to retire to bed soon so that I can get up at the crack of dawn to go to school. Goodnight!

Saturday Walk along the Thames

2009-02-28T17:54:00.002Z

Today I got to sleep in. it was really good to actually get some sleep. After that I went with my group from my GST for our weekly walk of the Thames. This time our walk was a pleasant 3.5 mile walk down the side of a park and the Thames. We had lots of fun and got lots of information and pictures for our project. Our project is about construction along the Thames and how it affects the Thames. We have to do a 45 minute presentation at the end of the class in May that include pictures from our walks and information about our topic. Judging by our three walks so far, we will have plenty of information to fill 45 minutes and we all know that if it does not take that long I can fill in with some talking because I am good at that. I also just added some picture of our class trip to Greenwich the other day. Take a look. I actually stood in two Hemispheres at once, on the Prime Meridian. Until next time! Enjoy!

Greenwich Pictures

2009-02-28T17:45:00.001Z

Natural History

2009-02-27T19:12:00.002Z

Today I had no school so I went to the Natural History museum with Zane and Kinsey. We had so much fun. I would definitely say that this museum was just as good if not better than some of the american museums like the smithsonians. We saw dinosaurs, mammals, birds, and insects. The coolest was the ant colony. They had an actual ant colony that had a queen ant and we could see the ants carrying food and leaves. The colony of ants was brought in from Tanzania. The we went to have chinese food for dinner. I must say china town here is much nicer and cleaner than that of any in the United States. Sweet and Sour chicken is a definite must here! We also visited Lilly Whites which is a great place to get cheap sports gear, especially football (our soccer) jerseys. We came home and I am now working on righting journals for my education practicum. Also, for those of you who have not heard the news, I have been chosen to be an Orientation Leader next year at Elon which means I get to help new students as they prepare at their first week of school. Write again tomorrow.

To the Ghetto and Back!

2009-02-26T20:23:00.002Z

Well today we had two classes. First I had my GST which is called Traveling the Thames. Today we went to Greenwich for this class and got to see the National Observatory and stand in two Hemispheres. We also went to places called the painted hall and the chapel. The artwork in these places were amazing. I will add pictures at a later date. As far as the second class, that is where my title of today's blog comes in. For sociology, we have extended classes every other Thursday in order to actually go out and observe. We went to a place called Hackney on the East Side of London. This was in the ghetto. It was ok though because our teacher lives here so she kept us safe. Here we visited the museum of Hackney and the museum of Childhood. I will have to say that the museum of Childhood was my favorite. It literally took me back to my childhood. I got to go back and remember all the toys I played with as a child. GI Joe's, the race track cars, and many other cool items. Basically today was long but fun.

SNAPE!!!

2009-02-25T22:51:00.003Z

Ok, so today I did not have classes. After lunch we went to a toy store. It was six floors of toys. So incredibly amazing. But, that is not the point of my blog. Tonight we went to the national theater to see "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour". It was really good and there was an orchestra that performed amazingly. Again, not the point of my story. As we sat in the balcony we looked down to find a familiar face. There was no way that it could be him. Oh yes, it was. Alan Rickman. For those of you who do not recognize this name it would be SNAPE from Harry Potter. We found him in the lobby after the play and spoke to him. He would not take a picture because he said he was not allowed to in a venue like this, but still being in his presence was awesome. So basically, the moral of the story is, you never know who you will find walking around London! LOOK OUT!

Tuesday!

2009-02-24T20:51:00.002Z

Today was a day full of classes. We started out at 8:30 an our before class trying to get to class. We got about three tube stops away from school and the line we were on shut down because of signal failure. Therefore,we had to get off get onto a bus and ride to the next tube stop, get on another line and get to school. Because of this we were thirty minutes late. However, we were only the second ones there so we were not late. We had a short class and then I had a two hour break. During this two hour break I got to talk to Abby for an hour on Facebook chat and it was cool (That was for you Abby). I finished the day with two more classes and came home at 6:30. This is where it gets fun. Today was national pancake day so we made pancakes, scrambled eggs and hash browns. Dinner was great. Now it is time to relax and get some sleep. Goodnight!

Burlington Danes School

2009-02-23T20:39:00.001Z

Today was the first day of our practicum. Yes, given by the title of my blog I am in a school called Burlington Danes School. Something close to home, well my school home. We took a forty-minute tube ride to our school and walked in with all the children. In the courtyard of the school all the children were joining each other in conversation and playing ping pong. We met with the assistant principal who helped us to find our teachers among the kids out in the courtyard. Most shockingly, the head teacher (principal) blew a whistle when the school bell rang and all the students ran to their teacher and got in lines. At this point each teacher was directed to go down the line of their students and check uniforms. The grade nine kids who I was with were congratulated for their uniform success because there were only three people with bad uniforms compared to the twenty last week. After the uniform check we continued inside for a day starter with the head of grade nine. Here is where I first encountered the school being based on the Church of England. They had prayer before the assembly began and the head teacher stood and made sure every head was bowed before he began.

After the assembly, which happens every morning, we continued to classes. Our teacher, Mr. Thomas, was awesome. He really knew how to keep the discipline under control in the classroom. Then we took a break in the teacher’s lounge that was HUGE! We then had another class. This time I actually got to walk around and help students. This was comical because the students finally realized I was from the US and kept calling me back just to hear my accent. Lunchtime came next, and I sat at the teacher table for the first time in my life. SO COOL! After lunch we received a tour of the school by the assistant principal and headed back to our classes for the last period of the day. In all, this day was awesome and I love the schools here. Students are a little more rambunctious, but overall really awesome. Have a good day!!!

Canterbury

2009-02-22T16:54:00.003Z

Since I wrote you last, I have had an amazing adventure. Yesterday, Saturday, I went to Canterbury with Katie, Katie, Kinsey, Megan, Kaitlin, and Chelsey. All I can say is Wow. We started at 7:45 and took the tube to the bus station. We got on a bus out of London to Canterbury and arrived in Canterbury at 10:30. Upon getting to Canterbury we went exploring. We really had no plans or ideas of what to do, we had just heard it was an amazing town and we wanted to see what we could find. We came across a tourist information station and we found multiple things to do. So, we began our journey by going to an Ancient Roman remains museum. It was underground, and we got to see how they had unsurfaced some of the old ancient roman ruins in Canterbury and what they looked like. After this we decided to go back and retrace our steps to the castle ruins we had seen coming in on the bus. We got on this long wall and actually got to walk along a roman wall that was built in the old days. This wall led us straight to the castle. On the way we saw the whole city overview and it was gorgeous. At the castle ruins we walked up into some of the walls and got views of the grounds. We then left the castle and wandered back down to find somewhere for lunch. While wandering we found a little park with a bandstand and WWII bomb shelters. Of course Kinsey got a little giddy when she saw them because she is a history major.

Because we were being cheap for lunch, we found a subway and ate there for lunch. One of the only places that offers free refills!!! After lunch we headed to Canterbury Cathedral. BREATHTAKING!! For those of you who don’t know this is where Thomas Beckett was slain. The cathedral and grounds were unbelievable. At the cathedral alone, I took 100 pictures. I will leave the describing to some of the pictures I post. After the cathedral we went to the Canterbury Tales house. Based on the book, it was a house that was animated, and you went through and most of the stories were told to you and acted or visually displayed by animated characters. It was really cool. After that we really had no where else to go and it was only 4:00 so we decided to start walking and we got to see the Marlowe Theater and the museum for Rupert the Bear, which is a children’s book series. Then we found a pub for dinner. It was the slowest pub I have been to yet. We got there at 5:30 and did not leave until 7:15. We then walked around and saw that all the stores were closed, evidently stores close a lot earlier over here, so we went into a grocery store and hung out a little bit until our bus arrived and took us back to London. THE END!! Below I have added pictures from the day. Hope you enjoy!!

Yay for a Post!

2009-02-18T21:02:00.000Z

Ok so it has been a long, long, long, long time since I have written in my blog last and I write this for all of you, but more importantly my cousin Abby who checks this daily and hates to not see an update. Abby this is for you! So, starting with Sunday, I was able to attend mass at Westminster Abbey. It was the most gorgeous place I have ever been to. The beauty of the place made worshipping God that much more exciting and meaningful. Ironically the sermon on Sunday was about Abraham Lincoln. It was basically a history lesson, but cool. Other than that Sunday was a day of rest and rejuvenating.

On Monday I woke up to go to a travel agent. A group of us have chosen to take a tour to Paris, France on March 6-8. I am sooo excited. It was weird to make a decision for the first time about a big trip and money without having the parent’s advice. I guess that is what it means to grow up and be on your own. We also went grocery shopping which was very fun and I actually like planning out meals and such.

On Tuesday, I had another long day of classes. After classes we went to a theater production. It was called The Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. It was absolutely awesome other than the costuming. The costuming was a bit off because it flipped from modern to medieval, but other than that the acting was great and the play was quite humorous.

On Wednesday, today, I woke up and had no classes. Wednesday is a break in the middle of the week for me to relax and do some homework. I wrote a journal for my sociology class and that was all the homework I had to do so I went exploring. I went out into London for about four hours and just turned down streets and found my way from the famous Marble Arch all the way to Piccadilly Circus, which is like Time Square in New York. I had lots of fun.
As a closing note I want to say that I have learned one thing. Always buy your phone card from the post office, it is five pounds fro 152 minutes, if you buy it from a sketchy guy on the street it is five pounds for 32 minutes. THE END!

Our Flat, Changing of the Guard and WIMBLEDON!!

2009-02-14T18:51:00.003Z

WIMBLEDON!!! Today I went to Wimbledon and it was the best thing ever for a tennis fan to see. I found a student rate tour that took you all over the facilities and gained me entrance to the museum. I got to walk all through the grounds. I saw Henman Hill, Courts 2- 19, player eating terrace, player press conference room, and finally the tunnel to and inside of court 1. We did not get to see Center Court because they are doing the retractable roof renovations, but that is okay. I got to stand and sit in places that people like Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, John McEnroe, Billy Jean King, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and many other greats have been. Finally we took a tour through the museum where at the end I got to get as close as I will ever be to the Wimbledon trophies. So Cool!!

On Friday we went to changing of the guards. It was amazing. Like our tour guide told us the first few days, we stood by the lamppost and got the best view. We did not see a lot of the changing inside of the gate, but we did see all of the bands, horse drawn carriages and guards marching into and out of the gate. The best part though was when we realized that the Queen’s flag was flying and not the flag of Britain, which meant the queen was at Buckingham while we where watching the changing of the guard. I have added some pictures below of the band, Buckingham and the guards.

Here are pictures of the inside of my flat. My bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and dresser!

Anyways those are my adventures for the past two days. Hope you enjoyed.

Pictures Finaly

2009-02-10T21:48:00.005Z

These Pictures include, Stonehenge, Bath, Our Flats and many others. Feel free to ask what certain pictures are.

First Day of Classes!

2009-02-10T21:46:00.001Z

It has now been three days since I last wrote an entry. Sorry for all of you who have been checking in every day, it has been a long three days. Sunday, we decided to catch up on all the jet lag sleep. We will commence church going next Sunday possibly going to Westminster Abbey or the church that Tim Hughes is music director at. Monday we had our first education seminar. Our teacher Sue Adler is so awesome. She has been involved in so many aspects of London schools that she really knows what is going on. I have been assigned to the same school as Amanda and Elias two other Teaching Fellows. The school is called Burlington Danes Academy and you can see it at www.burlingtondanes.org . I am really excited to get started learning about how the British system is different from the American school system.

Today, we started classes. I got up at 7:45 and got ready because we had to leave for school at 8:30. It takes an hour during rush hour to get through the tube and to our school. The first class I had was my GST class called Traveling the Thames with my Elon professor. This class is looking to be really fun and learning filled. After that I have a two-hour break in which five of us sit in an empty room and talk, use the internet, and stare at each other. Then we went to my favorite class of the day. LONDON THEATRE! Our teacher is really nice and we found out today we will be reading five plays in their entirety. Best news of the day though was that we are going to our first show tomorrow night. We will be going to see Spring Awakening. Finally, my last class of the day was Diversity in London. We really just did an intro to London and were told that we would be doing things such as “people watching” for two hours. Sounds fun. Anyways, that was my last few days and I look forward to writing again. Until then, be safe!

Stonehenge, Bath, and More!

2009-02-07T23:40:00.001Z

What a day. We got on the bus this morning at 8:30. We started travel out of London and the view of rolling hills and snow came quickly as we left the city. After riding for an hour and a half we came rolling over a hill to a wonderful sight of Stonehenge. Yes, it is sitting in the middle of nowhere and there are no warning signs. I think that is what it made Stonehenge so awesome. I got so many great pictures (soon to come) of the snow-surrounded Stonehenge. In person, it was so much larger than I thought it would be from pictures. However, the best moment came when I turned to walk away and the sun popped out from behind the clouds and it was so gorgeous. Once again I got so many pictures.
Next we moved on to Bath. Just a note to begin with, I will be returning to Bath because it is filled with so many things to do and see. And for all you book lovers, I did get a chance to stop by the Jane Austen place. The most impressive however, me being a math major was the design of the city. The designer used geometric shapes to create the city roads. It went from square, to circus (circle), and then eclipse. It was pretty cool I have to admit. Also, we got to see the Roman baths. We took an hour tour through a museum that was built over and around the old baths. I had fun and found many picture opportunities once again. Overall, I really liked Bath and cannot wait to go back.
Finally when we got back to main city London, we made a quick dinner and headed out for a night on the town. We went and got on the tube and got off at the Westminster stop. As we exited the tube we rose to see Big Ben lit up with a full moon above it. We also got to view Westminster abbey from the back, and after a long walk we spent some time in front of the Queen’s residence better known as Buckingham palace. Other than that, we went and got Cinabon and are now sitting and chatting about things to do in London later in the semester. Until next time! Cherio!

More Fun!

2009-02-06T20:56:00.001Z

Today was AWESOME! We took a bus tour around London to see all the tourist attractions. Our tour guide was very good at showing us the ins and outs of London. I have not actually been and visited these places but we did just ride through and see exactly where they are. Of course we road by Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Diagon Alley (For al you Harry Potter Fans) and much much more. I just wanted to share a brief idea of all that we saw. Oh and other fun news, I cooked tonight. I teamed up with three others and we bought food to cook and only ended up paying 3 pounds ($4.50) a person! Not Bad. It was fun and we will do this much more often. Well that is it for today. Check back tomorrow because I will be going to Stonehenge and Bath.

Time to Explore and Discover

2009-02-05T21:50:00.003Z

What an eventful day. It all started with my alarm at 8am. I got up and got a shower. I know why tell this detail, but showering here is a little different. The water temperature does not follow the normal way it would in the United States. The more you turn each hot or cold knob the worse it gets when the water starts to change temperature. Yes, my water changes temperature every 10 seconds from whatever hot I have it on to whatever cold I have it on. Therefore, I have learned to barely turn each knob and the water stays a pretty neutral temperature. Other than that, I wrote my paper for my GST.
Today we actually got to go to our school building. We had London orientation with the director of our program Lisa Thompson. Once again we got the do’s and don’ts, but this time it was with safety and how the tube. Speaking of the tube, I have found myself walking around saying “Mind the Gap”, which to Londoners means don’t trip or fall in the crack between the tube and the sidewalk. Back to the orientation, I actually got a key for the school building and we got a pamphlet with information on how to get student discounts through our school. The best of these discounts would be that almost any ticket to see musicals and show like Wicked and Grease are only 24 pounds (36 Dollars) where they would normally be 60 pounds.

After all this we decided to go on an adventure. Therefore, we took a double-decker bus towards Oxford Street, which is where all the main shopping in London is. However, we got on the bus and one stop later it was out of service. Therefore, we were left at a bus stop knowing not what to do. When we finally found another bus stop around the corner we had to wait for a bus for 30 minutes. Once we finally got on the bus we headed to Oxford Street. Little did we know that the store we wanted to go to was on the opposite end of the street. Therefore we walked down Oxford for an hour until we found it. The adventure was fun, and we got to see a lot of London. I also went to my first pub tonight. It was fun to experience Londoners in their social environment and not in the tube where they DO NOT talk. Anyways, today was a great learning experience and I got to spend a lot more time wandering. Looking forward to my bus tour and walking tours of London tomorrow!

First Day Adventures

2009-02-04T21:07:00.001Z

Well, I know I have already written today but I had to share some of the whirl wind London that I have been through today. First of all, today I learned that taking a left out of my flats leads me straight into the shanties of London that I do not necessarily want to be in. However, searching for a lunch place, we found a nice quiet and cool place to eat in a local eatery. Kinsey, Natalie, and I sat down and had a helping of Shepherds Pie, well Natalie had some spicy curry, but over all the experience was great. On our excursion we also found the biggest grocery store chain in London and the pound store (equivalent to the dollar store). After that we returned to our flats for a flat orientation with our lovely landlord who was full of don'ts and very little do's. Funny story, we have a neighbor whose last name is Jennings, and she basically calls in complaints every night about the college students next door! GREAT!!! He said just ignore her and she will survive.

As we finished our meeting a group of us decided to go and get our monthly tube pass. Upon getting to the counter, neither my debit or credit card were read. YIKES!! Yet, a phone call to dad back in the United States set it straight and I was able to draw money from the ATM only a few minutes later. Basically, I am glad to have a dad who is a banker. After all the tube pass drama we decided it would be a great idea to get on the tube at 5pm in London and just ride and pick a stop to get off at. First of all, 5pm in London on the tube is worse than rush hour traffic in the US. However, we decided to get off at the Pickadilly Circus stop. When we came up to ground level from the tube we were astonished to see the New York of London. Given our previous experience with shanty town London earlier, our hopes for our semester were lifted greatly. We walked around for awhile and then headed back "home" on the tube.

Now it is 9pm and I have not slept since 10:30 am on Tuesday morning because I got no sleep on the plane. Therefore, I bid you all a goodnight and look forward to telling of my future fun times in London.

IN LONDON!!

2009-02-04T11:37:00.001Z

We have arrived in London! I am sitting in my flat and have unpacked. Pictures to come! A little small but none the less I am in London and it is cold. There is snow on the ground and supposedly there is going to be snow tonight too! Well, it is close to lunch and we are going to go get some food and explore a little this afternoon.

Not in London Yet

2009-02-03T03:12:00.001Z

So, yes there was a blizzard in London today and no it was not the reason our plane ride got cancelled. The plane was missing a part. Therefore, tonight we are in Raleigh in a hotel and will be flying out at the same time tomorrow night at 8:35 pm.

WC Travels

2009-01-23T14:36:00.000Z

WORLD CHANGERS!!!! I have found out where I will be this summer for World Changers when I get back from London. I will be in Indianapolis, Chicago, East Chicago, and Nashville, TN. I am so excited to serve the Lord in these cities.

Welcome!

2009-01-11T20:00:00.000Z

Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog. I have decided that the easiest way for me to share stories, photos, and information about my travel this semester in London and this summer with World Changers, is to use this blog. It is something simple that I can post on and you can enjoy knowing what is going on with me!

Sam