So...
A lot of people told me when I got back to the States how much they missed my updates. And they really wanted to know what happened for the rest of the time I was over there. So, this will be my attempt to:
A) Update to the best of my memory and,
B) Use as a transition to whatever happens this year in my journey to post-SNC years.
Enjoy!
Preview: The next trip was Paris! Oh la la!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
"But I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
Dublin. My last stop. My first night in Dublin was rather uneventful, but I started off my first full day in Dublin with a bang—nice and early. After having a quick breakfast I switched hostels to one closer to the river and by the Temple Bar/Christchurch area. This was probably my second favorite hostel I stayed at, after Edinburgh. I then headed out on a walking tour that was filled with Spaniards on break (there were a TON of Spaniards in Dublin). The tour was all right, but I could tell the guide was new and wasn’t nearly informative as the one in Dublin. Needless to say, I still managed to see a lot of the sights as well get a pretty good lay out of the city where there were things I wanted to see. I have to say, I was pretty lazy in Dublin compared to how jam packed my days were in London and in Edinburgh; the traveling was beginning to catch up with me. Later that night, I watched the France versus Wales game of the 6 Nations Rugby Cup. Let me tell you, rugby was a serious business this weekend in Dublin and I totally get it. I think I might actually (gasp) prefer it to American football. Dublin proved to me how small of a world it really is since while watching the game I met a couple of people from the States that were studying in Spain. They happened to be at the UVA program in Valencia and first, knew several St. Norbert people, as well as a couple of them were from Michigan State (but from Detroit… I kept telling them I was from East Grand Rapids, not East Kentwood. There’s a difference). And finally the end of my night was translating between the two British girls in the hostel room, Jess and Sarah, to the several other French in the room trying to figure out if anyone had a cigarette (no one did). I was pretty glad to be speaking in French and actually holding a conversation. And (bonus), the French guy was very impressed that I had driven a manual car and that I could (attempt) to speak a second language.
My second day in Dublin is really nothing to write home about for the day. It was mostly me recapping what I saw the day before and that was it. That evening, the English played the Irish in the Six Nations Cup so I decided this would be the best time to go down to a local pub for a pint or two of Guinness, because… I just had to support the Irish team over the English. Ireland ended up winning the game and I have to say the reaction was a bit of a let down as there was more excitement during the game rather than afterwards. Even more later that night, I joined the two British girls and we went out to Temple Bar. Temple Bar is an area of Dublin that has a cultural center (the “birthplace” of U2 they claim) to it but it is also very well known for the bars around this area. The three of us ended up going out to several bars this night and what interesting people we met. I don’t know if I really preferred that to my relaxed, calm other bars, but it was sure an experience. There was some good music played, some horrible music played as well as a bit of Christmas music for some reason. Finally, the night ended around 4 AM when the girls of the room found our other Swiss roommates in the middle of Temple Bar Square and stumbled back to the room (them, not me… don’t worry).
I almost wish the two Swiss guys didn’t come simply because the lack of hostel etiquette. I mean, I think it’s basic knowledge that you don’t set your alarm for 7:45 AM and then allow it to have a snooze button all the way till 10 AM. One that just goes off every 15 minutes and almost made me want to chuck a shoe across the room. Not cool. My day ended up getting dramatically better when Kelsey, Alyssa and Mike arrived in Dublin. Yes, the same people from London. No, we didn’t know this when we planned our separate trips. We went around Temple Bar where we met up before heading over to St. Stephen’s Green (looked at a ton of sculptures), Gaffton Street, Irish Parliament and the Irish Natural History Museum before hitting O’Connell Street to walk past Trinity College and the glorious souvenirs shop. Later that night, we went out to dinner in Temple Bar in hopes of trying to find some traditional music in at least one of the bars. No such luck really, but there was some pretty good musicians in the streets. Always seems to be the case, I’ve found. After saying goodbye, I went back to my hostel for my last night there. I ended up spending a lot of time in the room talking to two other guys that were staying there—an ex-priest from Chicago who lived in Italy and now lives in Cork and a guy from Minnesota (it was a Midwest reunion). The ex-priest and I were talking about a lot of the cultural difference but also things that you don’t realize that you would miss, but actually do. Me: Ranch dressing and Dr. Pepper (which I found in the UK!) to name a few. Him: root beer and a bureaucracy that is understandable. I then mentioned that I went to St. Norbert and (surprise, surprise) he started jabbering on and on about how beautiful the campus is and about the old friends he had that taught there. If you can’t tell, the guy liked to talk.
On Monday, I war ready to leave. I made sure that I actually got a breakfast of something other than toast (a bagel with cream cheese and bacon) and headed to the Dublin airport. This is where things started to go downhill. I was forced to check my bag in with IKEA Airlines (aka RyanAir). I got in line early, so I manage to snag a window seat where I can lean my head against (bonus). And then… Brussels airport. So it says we arrive in Charles le Roi airport, but they’re missing “Sud” on the end. And I didn’t realize how far south we were. And there is only an hourly bus ride that comes to pick up stranded travelers at the airport to actually bring them into the city (never mind the sign that says there’s a bus to Lille… there isn’t). So I wait for the damn bus for a good half an hour before getting on the bus and driving another 45 minutes or so to get to Brussels-Midi. Now, I know it’s kind of late after waiting for the bus and then the bus ride but it doesn’t quite hit me how late it is until the ticket man tells me that there are no more trains back to Lille for tonight and the ticket window is closed for the night. I’d have to stay the night in the train station until the ticket window opened and I could buy the ticket and catch the change. Oh, but the Catch-22 here was that I might be kicked out since to stay in the train station I’d have to have a ticket…but they weren’t going to sell me a ticket. It was a risk I was going to have to take. So I called Dan to let him know to email my mom telling her I wouldn’t be home that night. And what a long night I thought it was going to be! Luckily (and THANK YOU soooo much, Dan and Barb!), Dan and Barb booked me a room at a hotel for the night so there was no chance of getting kicked out of the Brussels train station in the middle of the night. Sure, I got more than lost on the way to the hotel. I might have been crying my eyes out because once I got to the hotel, I couldn’t get the (side) doors to open and the fact that I didn’t know how to work the elevator at first freaked me out… but by this time I was tired and sick of traveling. That bed (a big, nice, fluffy hotel bed) never looked so good and I thoroughly enjoyed my last night away from Lille. Thanks again, Dan and Barb! Relatives in Europe = Total Blessing
The trip back to Lille from Brussels the next day was relatively painless, carefree and quick. Thank goodness.
Why, Yes It Does!: Guinness in Ireland does taste different...better. You choose the better adjective.
My second day in Dublin is really nothing to write home about for the day. It was mostly me recapping what I saw the day before and that was it. That evening, the English played the Irish in the Six Nations Cup so I decided this would be the best time to go down to a local pub for a pint or two of Guinness, because… I just had to support the Irish team over the English. Ireland ended up winning the game and I have to say the reaction was a bit of a let down as there was more excitement during the game rather than afterwards. Even more later that night, I joined the two British girls and we went out to Temple Bar. Temple Bar is an area of Dublin that has a cultural center (the “birthplace” of U2 they claim) to it but it is also very well known for the bars around this area. The three of us ended up going out to several bars this night and what interesting people we met. I don’t know if I really preferred that to my relaxed, calm other bars, but it was sure an experience. There was some good music played, some horrible music played as well as a bit of Christmas music for some reason. Finally, the night ended around 4 AM when the girls of the room found our other Swiss roommates in the middle of Temple Bar Square and stumbled back to the room (them, not me… don’t worry).
I almost wish the two Swiss guys didn’t come simply because the lack of hostel etiquette. I mean, I think it’s basic knowledge that you don’t set your alarm for 7:45 AM and then allow it to have a snooze button all the way till 10 AM. One that just goes off every 15 minutes and almost made me want to chuck a shoe across the room. Not cool. My day ended up getting dramatically better when Kelsey, Alyssa and Mike arrived in Dublin. Yes, the same people from London. No, we didn’t know this when we planned our separate trips. We went around Temple Bar where we met up before heading over to St. Stephen’s Green (looked at a ton of sculptures), Gaffton Street, Irish Parliament and the Irish Natural History Museum before hitting O’Connell Street to walk past Trinity College and the glorious souvenirs shop. Later that night, we went out to dinner in Temple Bar in hopes of trying to find some traditional music in at least one of the bars. No such luck really, but there was some pretty good musicians in the streets. Always seems to be the case, I’ve found. After saying goodbye, I went back to my hostel for my last night there. I ended up spending a lot of time in the room talking to two other guys that were staying there—an ex-priest from Chicago who lived in Italy and now lives in Cork and a guy from Minnesota (it was a Midwest reunion). The ex-priest and I were talking about a lot of the cultural difference but also things that you don’t realize that you would miss, but actually do. Me: Ranch dressing and Dr. Pepper (which I found in the UK!) to name a few. Him: root beer and a bureaucracy that is understandable. I then mentioned that I went to St. Norbert and (surprise, surprise) he started jabbering on and on about how beautiful the campus is and about the old friends he had that taught there. If you can’t tell, the guy liked to talk.
On Monday, I war ready to leave. I made sure that I actually got a breakfast of something other than toast (a bagel with cream cheese and bacon) and headed to the Dublin airport. This is where things started to go downhill. I was forced to check my bag in with IKEA Airlines (aka RyanAir). I got in line early, so I manage to snag a window seat where I can lean my head against (bonus). And then… Brussels airport. So it says we arrive in Charles le Roi airport, but they’re missing “Sud” on the end. And I didn’t realize how far south we were. And there is only an hourly bus ride that comes to pick up stranded travelers at the airport to actually bring them into the city (never mind the sign that says there’s a bus to Lille… there isn’t). So I wait for the damn bus for a good half an hour before getting on the bus and driving another 45 minutes or so to get to Brussels-Midi. Now, I know it’s kind of late after waiting for the bus and then the bus ride but it doesn’t quite hit me how late it is until the ticket man tells me that there are no more trains back to Lille for tonight and the ticket window is closed for the night. I’d have to stay the night in the train station until the ticket window opened and I could buy the ticket and catch the change. Oh, but the Catch-22 here was that I might be kicked out since to stay in the train station I’d have to have a ticket…but they weren’t going to sell me a ticket. It was a risk I was going to have to take. So I called Dan to let him know to email my mom telling her I wouldn’t be home that night. And what a long night I thought it was going to be! Luckily (and THANK YOU soooo much, Dan and Barb!), Dan and Barb booked me a room at a hotel for the night so there was no chance of getting kicked out of the Brussels train station in the middle of the night. Sure, I got more than lost on the way to the hotel. I might have been crying my eyes out because once I got to the hotel, I couldn’t get the (side) doors to open and the fact that I didn’t know how to work the elevator at first freaked me out… but by this time I was tired and sick of traveling. That bed (a big, nice, fluffy hotel bed) never looked so good and I thoroughly enjoyed my last night away from Lille. Thanks again, Dan and Barb! Relatives in Europe = Total Blessing
The trip back to Lille from Brussels the next day was relatively painless, carefree and quick. Thank goodness.
Why, Yes It Does!: Guinness in Ireland does taste different...better. You choose the better adjective.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
"And We Live in a Beautiful World, Yeah We Do"
High-ho, high-ho, it’s off to Scotland I go! I left London on Monday the 23rd for Edinburgh. Now, when I originally planned this trip I didn’t included Scotland in my intinerary but I am so glad that I did. I love this city no matter what. Getting to Edinburgh was a bit more difficult than getting to London despite taking the same method of transportation. Just outside Newcastle, England the train’s brakes began to fail so the train sat on the rails for a while to get some makeshift solution together. After about 40 minutes of just sitting there, we started cruising along at about a speed comparable to American trains (aka not very fast). So we pulled into a small town right over the border on the coast called Alnmouth and I ended up getting into Edinburgh about 2 to 3 hours late with no idea of where I was going… luckily the hostel gave excellent directions and I managed to find it without a hitch. That night, I hunted out a pub for dinner and watched for the first time a complete soccer game on TV. It was Hull City vs. Tottenham (Tottenham was the winner, 2-1, if anyone cares). My seeming relatively easy day of traveling up to Edinburgh was complete.
My hostel was right off of the Royal Mile: The Place To Be. Yes, it deserves all those capital letters because it was such a central part of Edinburgh in the revitalized Old Town. I decided to go on the free walking tour of the city despite my aversion to tours in foreign cities, which was probably the best decision I made this trip. The entire tour took over three hours walking around most of Old Town as well as part of New Town. The city of Edinburgh wasn’t anything what I was expecting. People had told me how beautiful it was, but I didn’t fully believe them. I mean, everyone has their own opinions. It seems the majority opinion is more than correct when it comes to the city. On the tour, I had met up with several other people that were traveling alone, which was very nice. We ended up all grabbing a bite to eat for dinner. Someone ordered a side of haggis for all of us to share and I swear… I was going to try it. But if anyone knows my eating pickiness, haggis would definitely go on my “No Way in Hell”. It’s still there. However, I did manage to successfully cross off another local specialty off my list—fried Mars bar. It was quite interesting, very good and I could definitely eat one again… just give me about a year to get this one through my system. Later that night, an Australian girl (that I met on the tour) and I took a night/ghost tour of Edinburgh. It was okay… I’m sure there are better ones out there, but I still saw a lot more of Edinburgh and ended the night with a free pint… not a bad end to my first day.
My second full day in Scotland was when I decided to actually “do” some of the sites. My first major site was Edinburgh Castle, which just dominates the landscape of the city. It sits at the beginning of the Royal Mile. You just have to respect it because it has an amazing view and is basically on the edge of a cliff. I looked over the side of the railing and it was just a straight drop down. I did end up going into the Castle and it was even more impressive. The way they showcase the Scottish Royal Jewels is really interesting because they tell you their history. I definitely noticed a difference over the British (anally protecting them in the Tower of London) or the French (showcasing them in the Louvre), but in Scotland there’s just a reverence in between the two. And it’s probably best I compare them between the French and the British because they Scots always seem to be stuck in between them in history—as learned in class and reinforced by the history in Edinburgh. I went into the Writer’s Museum also, which was kind of special for me. Now, I’m not THAT interested in Scottish writers, but the actual museum is through an alley and faces Wardrop’s Court. It’s very weird seeing a name that is so familiar to me on a sign in Scotland, but I’m so glad I found it. The actual museum itself was dedicated to Burns, Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. I know who all the authors are and what they wrote, but I’m ashamed to say that when I was going through the museum I kept going back to the versions I had seen of the books done by Wishbone or The Muppets.
My second day probably included one of the most memorable moments for me. I was hiking up to the top of Carlton Hill, which was said to be the closest point between the faerie realm and the mortal realm for the Celts. This is where they have the Beltane flame and all that. Anyways, when I got to the top of the hill, it really began to get windy and rain pretty hard. All of the sudden, a huge and bright rainbow broke out of the sky right over the hill. It was pretty and it lasted forever. All I could do is just sit and watch it because it was so beautiful I feel like I’ll keep repeating myself, but you gotta wonder if the Celts maybe knew something that we don’t… After I climbed down, I was feeling adventurous so I decided to hike up the dead volcano at the edge of Old Town, close to the Scottish Parliament and the Queen’s Residence. It was such a long walk and it felt like I was totally out of the city. I mean completely. And the weather got worse when I was out but I still enjoyed every moment of it and I realized that I don’t actually mind hiking (I’m keeping that in my memory box for future usage or when my feet get tired).
And now what most of the people have been waiting for… this is also the night where my beloved Coach wristlet was stolen. Looking back, I think I’m most mad at the fact that it was that wristlet. I bought that thing with my graduation money almost four years ago now. A moment of silence, please… Anyways, that night I had gone down to the bar in the hostel and ended up talking about cultural differences with two guys, one from Argentina and another from New Zealand. However, when I left I also left my wristlet. I got up to my room (maybe like 1.4 minutes later) and realize I had left my wristlet, so I go back and check and it’s gone… this is when my trip really starts to get interesting.
The next day all I had was the money in my pocket, my passport, copies of my credit cards, my ipod, and my camera. And the money in my pocket amounted to 2 pounds, 30 pence. The bus to the airport costs a lovely 2 pounds, 50 pence. Luckily, everyone in the hostel was very, very nice and helpful, but especially the guy from New Zealand who lent me money and even offered to buy me breakfast that morning. I took him up on the money for the bus, but just stuck to the toast the hostel gave me. However, his niceness now makes me want to go to New Zealand (after Canada)! When I got to the airport, it was go time to try and figure out what I was going to do. I ended up calling up American Express and talking to a lovely woman who ended helping me out tremendously. She found a place to wire me money and made sure I’d be fine for the rest of my trip (which at this point I still had 4 days, okay 5 but I didn’t know that at the time, to go). Then came the security questions. The most bogus part of the day and the only thing that really drove me up the wall, I mean, seriously…
I’ll Be Back: Edinburgh was by far my favorite city and I cannot wait to go back (whenever that is). There’s so much more I want to do in the city and in the countryside
My hostel was right off of the Royal Mile: The Place To Be. Yes, it deserves all those capital letters because it was such a central part of Edinburgh in the revitalized Old Town. I decided to go on the free walking tour of the city despite my aversion to tours in foreign cities, which was probably the best decision I made this trip. The entire tour took over three hours walking around most of Old Town as well as part of New Town. The city of Edinburgh wasn’t anything what I was expecting. People had told me how beautiful it was, but I didn’t fully believe them. I mean, everyone has their own opinions. It seems the majority opinion is more than correct when it comes to the city. On the tour, I had met up with several other people that were traveling alone, which was very nice. We ended up all grabbing a bite to eat for dinner. Someone ordered a side of haggis for all of us to share and I swear… I was going to try it. But if anyone knows my eating pickiness, haggis would definitely go on my “No Way in Hell”. It’s still there. However, I did manage to successfully cross off another local specialty off my list—fried Mars bar. It was quite interesting, very good and I could definitely eat one again… just give me about a year to get this one through my system. Later that night, an Australian girl (that I met on the tour) and I took a night/ghost tour of Edinburgh. It was okay… I’m sure there are better ones out there, but I still saw a lot more of Edinburgh and ended the night with a free pint… not a bad end to my first day.
My second full day in Scotland was when I decided to actually “do” some of the sites. My first major site was Edinburgh Castle, which just dominates the landscape of the city. It sits at the beginning of the Royal Mile. You just have to respect it because it has an amazing view and is basically on the edge of a cliff. I looked over the side of the railing and it was just a straight drop down. I did end up going into the Castle and it was even more impressive. The way they showcase the Scottish Royal Jewels is really interesting because they tell you their history. I definitely noticed a difference over the British (anally protecting them in the Tower of London) or the French (showcasing them in the Louvre), but in Scotland there’s just a reverence in between the two. And it’s probably best I compare them between the French and the British because they Scots always seem to be stuck in between them in history—as learned in class and reinforced by the history in Edinburgh. I went into the Writer’s Museum also, which was kind of special for me. Now, I’m not THAT interested in Scottish writers, but the actual museum is through an alley and faces Wardrop’s Court. It’s very weird seeing a name that is so familiar to me on a sign in Scotland, but I’m so glad I found it. The actual museum itself was dedicated to Burns, Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. I know who all the authors are and what they wrote, but I’m ashamed to say that when I was going through the museum I kept going back to the versions I had seen of the books done by Wishbone or The Muppets.
My second day probably included one of the most memorable moments for me. I was hiking up to the top of Carlton Hill, which was said to be the closest point between the faerie realm and the mortal realm for the Celts. This is where they have the Beltane flame and all that. Anyways, when I got to the top of the hill, it really began to get windy and rain pretty hard. All of the sudden, a huge and bright rainbow broke out of the sky right over the hill. It was pretty and it lasted forever. All I could do is just sit and watch it because it was so beautiful I feel like I’ll keep repeating myself, but you gotta wonder if the Celts maybe knew something that we don’t… After I climbed down, I was feeling adventurous so I decided to hike up the dead volcano at the edge of Old Town, close to the Scottish Parliament and the Queen’s Residence. It was such a long walk and it felt like I was totally out of the city. I mean completely. And the weather got worse when I was out but I still enjoyed every moment of it and I realized that I don’t actually mind hiking (I’m keeping that in my memory box for future usage or when my feet get tired).
And now what most of the people have been waiting for… this is also the night where my beloved Coach wristlet was stolen. Looking back, I think I’m most mad at the fact that it was that wristlet. I bought that thing with my graduation money almost four years ago now. A moment of silence, please… Anyways, that night I had gone down to the bar in the hostel and ended up talking about cultural differences with two guys, one from Argentina and another from New Zealand. However, when I left I also left my wristlet. I got up to my room (maybe like 1.4 minutes later) and realize I had left my wristlet, so I go back and check and it’s gone… this is when my trip really starts to get interesting.
The next day all I had was the money in my pocket, my passport, copies of my credit cards, my ipod, and my camera. And the money in my pocket amounted to 2 pounds, 30 pence. The bus to the airport costs a lovely 2 pounds, 50 pence. Luckily, everyone in the hostel was very, very nice and helpful, but especially the guy from New Zealand who lent me money and even offered to buy me breakfast that morning. I took him up on the money for the bus, but just stuck to the toast the hostel gave me. However, his niceness now makes me want to go to New Zealand (after Canada)! When I got to the airport, it was go time to try and figure out what I was going to do. I ended up calling up American Express and talking to a lovely woman who ended helping me out tremendously. She found a place to wire me money and made sure I’d be fine for the rest of my trip (which at this point I still had 4 days, okay 5 but I didn’t know that at the time, to go). Then came the security questions. The most bogus part of the day and the only thing that really drove me up the wall, I mean, seriously…
• What are all the make/model/year of the vehicles registered at your address? I’m suppose to know the year? We’ve had some of those cars since I was in elementary school!
• What’s the name of the subdivision you live in? I live in a subdivision? No, I don’t! (I almost had a nervous breakdown over this question)
• What’s your driver’s license number? The easiest question… thank God I had a copy of my license.
I eventually ended up boarding the IKEA-esque plane (serious, RyanAir made me feel like I was flying IKEA Airlines) and landed in Dublin where I had Euros awaiting me. A quick stop at customs (along with a joke at the Scots expense) and I was off to my hostel where I had no idea where it was… and apparently no one else did. I walked in wrong directions in the dark, but I managed to find it and couldn’t have been happier. I was in Dublin, finally.• What’s the name of the subdivision you live in? I live in a subdivision? No, I don’t! (I almost had a nervous breakdown over this question)
• What’s your driver’s license number? The easiest question… thank God I had a copy of my license.
I’ll Be Back: Edinburgh was by far my favorite city and I cannot wait to go back (whenever that is). There’s so much more I want to do in the city and in the countryside
"Let Me Take You by the Hand and Lead You Through the Streets of London"
Oh where, oh where, oh where to begin. I suppose the beginning would probably be the best starting place. I left Lille on the 20th to go on my UK/Ireland adventure and I think that the beginning of the trip reflected a lot on the trip overall—lots of ups and downs even at the train station. I have never been grilled so much as I was going through UK customs. I was seriously shocked at the questions the officer was asking me, so I was very nervous when answering them. I’m sure that made me look more suspicious and it probably wasn’t as bad as I remember, but in comparison to the Dutch customs it was like I was entering a country unfriendly to the US. However, once I got through customs it was smooth sailing. A girl from my Lille program was on the same train as me and we end up realizing that we both needed to go to around the same place in London. The train to London was very fast and it was like almost every other train ride I’ve been on, minus the fact that I went under the English Channel. No big deal, going under water like that.
Once I got into London, the first thing was I did was find the hostel out in the Hammersmith area. For a hostel, it was pretty nice, but nothing to write home about. Since I had an all-day metro pass and several hours before meeting up with my fellow SNC-ers, I decided to head out to Westminister to do a little site seeing. I ended up doing a ton of walking that day because it was simply gorgeous out in London, people were wearing t-shirts with no jackets and shorts if that gives you some clue. I walked past Parliament, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey and then I headed towards Trafalger Square and the British National Gallery. As you can probably imagine, it was packed full of people. After hanging around the Square for a bit, I wondered over to Leicester Square and then to the British Museum. Since it was a Friday, everything was packed. The only real notable thing I saw was the Rosetta Stone, but mostly I was practicing the art of people watching. That night I met of up Kelsey and we went back to her dorm where she cooked an amazing stir-fry and I got to see Kelsey, Alyssa, and Mike (all people from SNC)> It was nice to just be around people I knew and we compared our experiences studying abroad versus De Pere. That night we went out to Gloucester Arms—a hang out just a short distance down the road from the dorm. Over all, the first day of the trip started off without any real big hitches and it was very weird (and exciting) to be back in an Anglo-phone country.
My second day in London was probably one of my favorites because Kelsey introduced me to Portabella Road market in Notting Hill. Now, we have markets in Lille but it was nothing like Portabella Road… this was huge with almost anything you could want. And it just went on and on and on. Kelsey and I ended up spending a good portion of the day here. I did make a purchase or two… turns out the London is filled with lots of old records. Now, I’m not someone who plays old records or even collects them—I’m probably the worst of the people, I like them for the sleeves alone. I have one in my room but have always wanted more. Well, I found two more to add on to my collection, an old Bob Dylan and an old Rolling Stones to balance out my Pink Elephant Records that is in my room. The other highlight of the day was the singing falafel owner. Now, we had to wait for a super long time for our falafel, but it was totally worth it as there was more than enough entertainment. The shopping day continued on Carnaby Street where I finally found my walking shoes I had been looking for! It was a very successful shopping day over all and I had an amazing time just being in the city. For that night, Kelsey and I met up with Alyssa and Mike and went to get Indian food. We ended up going to Brick Lane, which reminded me of Little Italy in New York. All these owners were out in the street yelling deals at us to get more customers and we tried to find the best deal that we could. I have to say that the meal was excellent and I definitely had my fill of spicy food. Now, if I could just get some Chinese food…
My last day in London, Kelsey and I went sightseeing some more. We went to all the big sites (St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminister, Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus), but the best thing of the day was at the end when we voyaged out to Wimbledon. Okay, I play tennis, I’m assuming that’s pretty basic knowledge, but I’m not a huge fan of watching it on TV. Just am not. I have to say Wimbledon blew me away. I was able to get so close to some of the lower courts and I was actually eye-level with the grass on the courts. They still had the brackets up from the last tournament and were selling strawberries and cream! I didn’t have any, but glad to know they’re keeping up their standards year-long. I can now say that I have made it to Wimbledon, never mind the slight technicality that I visited as a tourist and not a player in the actual tournament. That night, Kelsey made an excellent dinner of chicken fajitas before Kelsey, Alyssa and I went on a mad search for frozen yogurt. This is something that is not common in Europe, it’s either ice cream or regular yogurt… there is nothing in between. After wondering around trying to find the place, Snog (don’t you love British slang/humor?), we ended up stumbling upon it and had a lovely treat. Overall, it was a great ending to my first city of the trip.
Overall, London was a great start to my trip and I loved seeing all the Norbs people (thanks again!).
Excuse My Americanness: I think I had Starbucks everyday in London. I needed American-sized proportions and not a dinky little cup of coffee. And it was delicious.
Once I got into London, the first thing was I did was find the hostel out in the Hammersmith area. For a hostel, it was pretty nice, but nothing to write home about. Since I had an all-day metro pass and several hours before meeting up with my fellow SNC-ers, I decided to head out to Westminister to do a little site seeing. I ended up doing a ton of walking that day because it was simply gorgeous out in London, people were wearing t-shirts with no jackets and shorts if that gives you some clue. I walked past Parliament, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey and then I headed towards Trafalger Square and the British National Gallery. As you can probably imagine, it was packed full of people. After hanging around the Square for a bit, I wondered over to Leicester Square and then to the British Museum. Since it was a Friday, everything was packed. The only real notable thing I saw was the Rosetta Stone, but mostly I was practicing the art of people watching. That night I met of up Kelsey and we went back to her dorm where she cooked an amazing stir-fry and I got to see Kelsey, Alyssa, and Mike (all people from SNC)> It was nice to just be around people I knew and we compared our experiences studying abroad versus De Pere. That night we went out to Gloucester Arms—a hang out just a short distance down the road from the dorm. Over all, the first day of the trip started off without any real big hitches and it was very weird (and exciting) to be back in an Anglo-phone country.
My second day in London was probably one of my favorites because Kelsey introduced me to Portabella Road market in Notting Hill. Now, we have markets in Lille but it was nothing like Portabella Road… this was huge with almost anything you could want. And it just went on and on and on. Kelsey and I ended up spending a good portion of the day here. I did make a purchase or two… turns out the London is filled with lots of old records. Now, I’m not someone who plays old records or even collects them—I’m probably the worst of the people, I like them for the sleeves alone. I have one in my room but have always wanted more. Well, I found two more to add on to my collection, an old Bob Dylan and an old Rolling Stones to balance out my Pink Elephant Records that is in my room. The other highlight of the day was the singing falafel owner. Now, we had to wait for a super long time for our falafel, but it was totally worth it as there was more than enough entertainment. The shopping day continued on Carnaby Street where I finally found my walking shoes I had been looking for! It was a very successful shopping day over all and I had an amazing time just being in the city. For that night, Kelsey and I met up with Alyssa and Mike and went to get Indian food. We ended up going to Brick Lane, which reminded me of Little Italy in New York. All these owners were out in the street yelling deals at us to get more customers and we tried to find the best deal that we could. I have to say that the meal was excellent and I definitely had my fill of spicy food. Now, if I could just get some Chinese food…
My last day in London, Kelsey and I went sightseeing some more. We went to all the big sites (St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminister, Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus), but the best thing of the day was at the end when we voyaged out to Wimbledon. Okay, I play tennis, I’m assuming that’s pretty basic knowledge, but I’m not a huge fan of watching it on TV. Just am not. I have to say Wimbledon blew me away. I was able to get so close to some of the lower courts and I was actually eye-level with the grass on the courts. They still had the brackets up from the last tournament and were selling strawberries and cream! I didn’t have any, but glad to know they’re keeping up their standards year-long. I can now say that I have made it to Wimbledon, never mind the slight technicality that I visited as a tourist and not a player in the actual tournament. That night, Kelsey made an excellent dinner of chicken fajitas before Kelsey, Alyssa and I went on a mad search for frozen yogurt. This is something that is not common in Europe, it’s either ice cream or regular yogurt… there is nothing in between. After wondering around trying to find the place, Snog (don’t you love British slang/humor?), we ended up stumbling upon it and had a lovely treat. Overall, it was a great ending to my first city of the trip.
Overall, London was a great start to my trip and I loved seeing all the Norbs people (thanks again!).
Excuse My Americanness: I think I had Starbucks everyday in London. I needed American-sized proportions and not a dinky little cup of coffee. And it was delicious.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig
I am FINALLY back in Lille after spending the last week and a half living out of a bag and at hostels in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin. I have never looked forward so much to a dorm room as I did this afternoon. This trip was definitely a growing experience for me and I will always remember it for certain reasons more so than others.
The actual posts on the cities will probably come individually at a later time. There's so much I have to just process and look over my notes. I saw a ton and there's more than enough that I want to share. This is more or less just to let certain people know that I am back home, (basically) safe and sound.
And in case anyone was wondering, Edinburgh was my favorite city on the tour. Nothing could change that.
The actual posts on the cities will probably come individually at a later time. There's so much I have to just process and look over my notes. I saw a ton and there's more than enough that I want to share. This is more or less just to let certain people know that I am back home, (basically) safe and sound.
And in case anyone was wondering, Edinburgh was my favorite city on the tour. Nothing could change that.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Vive La Revolution
Well, Tuesday is over. I've managed to survive (barely). I swear my brain hurts so much and I'm shocked that I didn't get my histories mixed up, considering I was learning both of them at the same time in French. One minute I'd be in 7th Century France and the next minute it'd be a revolution in Paris.
By the way, I noticed a large pattern of revolutions in my French history (not History of France) class. I think we covered and/or referenced a grand total of three revolutions (La Revolution, La Revolution de 1830 and La Revolution de 1848) in five class periods. Something seems fishy here to me because I'm pretty sure just because there's rioting and barricades up in Paris does not mean there's a full-blown revolution. However, I'm not going to bust their bubble about it... I'll keep it to myself.
Alors... vive la revolution! I mean, the vacation. Close enough.
Post Script: This will probably/most likely/100% be my last post before my UK trip. Hopefully when I get back I'll have loads and loads of stories... and then promptly forget them all.
By the way, I noticed a large pattern of revolutions in my French history (not History of France) class. I think we covered and/or referenced a grand total of three revolutions (La Revolution, La Revolution de 1830 and La Revolution de 1848) in five class periods. Something seems fishy here to me because I'm pretty sure just because there's rioting and barricades up in Paris does not mean there's a full-blown revolution. However, I'm not going to bust their bubble about it... I'll keep it to myself.
Alors... vive la revolution! I mean, the vacation. Close enough.
Post Script: This will probably/most likely/100% be my last post before my UK trip. Hopefully when I get back I'll have loads and loads of stories... and then promptly forget them all.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Are There Any Flotation Devices Available?
You know the saying “sink or swim”, well I’ve reached that point in my academic career at La Catho. On Tuesday it’s sink or swim, it's do or die, it’s whatever clever analogy you want to place in here, I have not one but two history tests (midterms, perhaps? This was not explained, surprise, surprise) back-to-back with the same prof. I have already offered her my apologies on butchering the French language. Why am I dwelling on this? Because for the past two days I have been doing nothing but copying notes from her classes. One class, the notes are basic and a smattering of French and English mushed together on a single page. No problem. The other class, oh, that other class. I like it, I honestly love it because it combines not only history but political history. The only problem is that I have two sets of notes for that class one set mainly (98%) in English while the other set is completely in French. And despite only having the class once a week, there are a ton of notes. Times two. I suppose this is mostly hanging over my head because this is the week before our two-week break before March Midterms, rather than March Madness. There could be a little madness going on, but it will have nothing to do with basketball. I’m just concentrating on my two-week vacation.
I have decided to due a 10-day tour of the English speaking countries to my west—thus referred to as the Accent Trifecta—England, Scotland and Ireland. I’m visiting some lovely people from St. Norbert in London for a long weekend. I’m really not sure exactly what I’m going to be doing, it will partially depend where my hostel is, how much things cost and whether or not I feel like revisiting some sites or go to new ones. I’m pretty much playing the entire trip by ear and London is no exception. After the long weekend, I’m taking a train trip up to Edinburgh. I have never been to Scotland and didn’t really think about going until I realized when I was planning this trip that I had that second week off. So, Scotland here I come. It was between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I choose Edinburgh partially because enough people have told me Edinburgh was gorgeous especially compared to Glasgow. We’ll see if they’re right. Finally, it’s off to Dublin. I really don’t know what city I’m more excited for, Edinburgh or Dublin. There’s a couple of things I want to do in Dublin and tomorrow I’m talking with an American who studied there last semester and who is currently studying in Lille. I at least know she’s marking off the “stay out after dark” parts of towns as well as things she learned over the semester she was there. And yes, Grandma, I will have a pint of Harp while I’m there especially for you.
This week was pretty non-eventful in classes despite the fact that the week went so quickly! I have no idea where these weeks are going and I’m almost panicked to think once I get back from my vacation I will have been in Europe for two months. Out of a grand total of five months… almost half way. As much as I bitch (excuse the language) about school and classes and the French bureaucracy, I love just hanging out here. I don’t know if my language skills are improving that much, but I think I’ve reached a disillusionment with the language. I maintain I should have stuck with the Spanish way back in 7th grade at East middle. But then I would have missed making those crazy videos… oh the choices.
Anyways, I do have one story from my history class, the one not for international students but rather the one where I am the only international student in the class. We were discussing changes made during the 2nd République de la France and one of those changes just happened to be outlawing slavery in their colonies in 1848. Good, glad for you France. Glad you could be so perceptive and then mention that the United States was one of the last countries to outlaw slavery. Way to put me on the defensive. And then the big question came “What’s the War of Secession?” (Also known as the Civil War to us Americans). And the prof came to explain it was it was a war over slavery on big plantations with house that had Greco-Roman columns à la Terra in Gone With the Wind. Oh, prof, I really like you and you’re super nice to me, but you cannot boil the Civil War down to slavery and then compare it to a movie. So then when I try to explain, in my limited French, that one, slaves just weren’t found on huge plantations and two, the Civil War wasn’t just about slavery… well, I don’t think it translated very well. And then my limited attempt to explain Dred Scott and the Connecticut Compromise, well I think I’ve had too much constitutional law, American history, and political science classes. Or I should just learn to let it slide in this history class and focus it more on my upcoming presentation in Question Politique where I have to explain the differences of American federalism and European federalism all within 20 minutes. But that’s not until April and I have other stuff much before that to concentrate on…
Side note, Americans + Canadians = Decent North American brunch. It wasn’t fully complete as there was no toast or any type of meat, but it probably the best breakfast I’ve had since… not including last weekend at Dan and Barb’s…leaving. There were eggs, pancakes, grits (there were Southerners at the meal), and hashbrowns (I would be more tempted to call them American fries). I did not venture and try to grits or the eggs. Sorry, not my cup of tea, but I did have an amazing big old cup of coffee that is unheard of in France. It was a wonderful end to the weekend and a good study break since I had been up since 6:30 copying notes. Fun times.
It’s Called Productivity: A lunch break in France is two hours. Two hours to eat a sandwich. I do not see the need for two hours to eat said sandwich when all I need to do is make a bank appointment. Or find shoes. Or pay 195 E for national health insurance, which I do not need but have to get because it’s illegal for me to be here without it. A half an hour should suffice to eat the sandwich and it’s not necessary for everyone to go on lunch break at the same time. At least please do not close the entire bank/store/office to me. Please?
I have decided to due a 10-day tour of the English speaking countries to my west—thus referred to as the Accent Trifecta—England, Scotland and Ireland. I’m visiting some lovely people from St. Norbert in London for a long weekend. I’m really not sure exactly what I’m going to be doing, it will partially depend where my hostel is, how much things cost and whether or not I feel like revisiting some sites or go to new ones. I’m pretty much playing the entire trip by ear and London is no exception. After the long weekend, I’m taking a train trip up to Edinburgh. I have never been to Scotland and didn’t really think about going until I realized when I was planning this trip that I had that second week off. So, Scotland here I come. It was between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I choose Edinburgh partially because enough people have told me Edinburgh was gorgeous especially compared to Glasgow. We’ll see if they’re right. Finally, it’s off to Dublin. I really don’t know what city I’m more excited for, Edinburgh or Dublin. There’s a couple of things I want to do in Dublin and tomorrow I’m talking with an American who studied there last semester and who is currently studying in Lille. I at least know she’s marking off the “stay out after dark” parts of towns as well as things she learned over the semester she was there. And yes, Grandma, I will have a pint of Harp while I’m there especially for you.
This week was pretty non-eventful in classes despite the fact that the week went so quickly! I have no idea where these weeks are going and I’m almost panicked to think once I get back from my vacation I will have been in Europe for two months. Out of a grand total of five months… almost half way. As much as I bitch (excuse the language) about school and classes and the French bureaucracy, I love just hanging out here. I don’t know if my language skills are improving that much, but I think I’ve reached a disillusionment with the language. I maintain I should have stuck with the Spanish way back in 7th grade at East middle. But then I would have missed making those crazy videos… oh the choices.
Anyways, I do have one story from my history class, the one not for international students but rather the one where I am the only international student in the class. We were discussing changes made during the 2nd République de la France and one of those changes just happened to be outlawing slavery in their colonies in 1848. Good, glad for you France. Glad you could be so perceptive and then mention that the United States was one of the last countries to outlaw slavery. Way to put me on the defensive. And then the big question came “What’s the War of Secession?” (Also known as the Civil War to us Americans). And the prof came to explain it was it was a war over slavery on big plantations with house that had Greco-Roman columns à la Terra in Gone With the Wind. Oh, prof, I really like you and you’re super nice to me, but you cannot boil the Civil War down to slavery and then compare it to a movie. So then when I try to explain, in my limited French, that one, slaves just weren’t found on huge plantations and two, the Civil War wasn’t just about slavery… well, I don’t think it translated very well. And then my limited attempt to explain Dred Scott and the Connecticut Compromise, well I think I’ve had too much constitutional law, American history, and political science classes. Or I should just learn to let it slide in this history class and focus it more on my upcoming presentation in Question Politique where I have to explain the differences of American federalism and European federalism all within 20 minutes. But that’s not until April and I have other stuff much before that to concentrate on…
Side note, Americans + Canadians = Decent North American brunch. It wasn’t fully complete as there was no toast or any type of meat, but it probably the best breakfast I’ve had since… not including last weekend at Dan and Barb’s…leaving. There were eggs, pancakes, grits (there were Southerners at the meal), and hashbrowns (I would be more tempted to call them American fries). I did not venture and try to grits or the eggs. Sorry, not my cup of tea, but I did have an amazing big old cup of coffee that is unheard of in France. It was a wonderful end to the weekend and a good study break since I had been up since 6:30 copying notes. Fun times.
It’s Called Productivity: A lunch break in France is two hours. Two hours to eat a sandwich. I do not see the need for two hours to eat said sandwich when all I need to do is make a bank appointment. Or find shoes. Or pay 195 E for national health insurance, which I do not need but have to get because it’s illegal for me to be here without it. A half an hour should suffice to eat the sandwich and it’s not necessary for everyone to go on lunch break at the same time. At least please do not close the entire bank/store/office to me. Please?
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