tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17929870892304676342024-03-14T02:52:22.404-07:00Molly in LondonMolly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-84209336854934054852012-12-21T22:39:00.000-08:002012-12-21T22:39:58.653-08:00Well, that about wraps it up<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main source of my travels: South Kensington Station</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In my last week in London, I knew I wouldn't see very many new things, so I wanted to simply revisit my favorite places. I ate at my favorite shops and cafes, shopped along the best streets, walked through my favorite gardens and in the area around my flat. I said goodbye to Buckingham Palace and Big Ben and all of those other monumental aspects of the City of London. I made my peace with the city, and I will miss every part of it. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A positive outlook: not an "exit" but a "way out"</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">London thus far has more than exceeded my expectations. I arrived a tourist, eager to do everything and see everything, but I have transformed into a resident. Of course I don’t know all of the best, hottest spots in London just because I’ve been here for four months, but I know all of my own favourites. I’ll miss the little corner cafes, quiet enough to read or just think about whatever is on your mind. I’ll miss the gardens and the parks strewn throughout the bustling city streets, I’ll miss walking through them and gazing at London’s nature. I’ll miss having free or at least relatively cheap, access to museums and galleries easily whenever I want to learn something new when I’m feeling dull. I’ll miss the quirky, dry humour of the general British population that parallels my own in a way I never expected. I’ll miss the quick, easy transportation into Europe, with deals I may never again find. They allowed me to see parts of the world that now mean so much to me, that living in the U.S. has deprived me from. Believe it or not, I will miss the public transportation. It was so well-organized, clean and usually dependable. I don’t know what I’ll do without all of the trendy fashion Londoners tend to sport, as I doubt I’ll be able to pull it off at the country club that is Elon. The secret shops down narrow alleyways will forever possess my desire to be an edgy fashionista, and there is no replacement that could be found in the U.S. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See: London policemen doing their jobs without guns! We could all learn something here...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glorious Round Pond in Kensington Gardens</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I’ve truly enjoyed my classes, even though I actually found them quite difficult at times, contrary to my study abroad predecessors, who claimed this would be the easiest semester of my life. I really had to work hard and study and think about what I was writing to adhere to British standards, and it forced me to analyze my own thoughts and views to allow me to improve upon them. My internship has also taught me a great deal both culturally and professionally. For instance, I never knew I could drink so much tea and coffee in a day, or that I really don’t understand British English and I need to ask people multiple times to repeat themselves. Obviously this has been a frustrating aspect, feeling as though I can’t comprehend my native language. However, I realized that happened to me even in Elon when I was totally confused by thick Southern accents, so that justified the issue. In all seriousness, my placement in my internship at The Children’s Society has taught me an exponential amount about both British culture and my hopeful career in media. Although my role was based largely on Public Relations and press contacts during these past seven weeks, the fact that I was able to gain knowledge in the communications industry in general was good enough for me. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT YOUR DELICIOUS GOODIES</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The greatest gift of mankind. Boots Pharmacy. </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I have always been a wanderer, making this city the perfect setting for my curiosity and desire to learn. There was never something that I just went and gazed at just for the sake of saying I'd been there and seen whatever it was. I took away something from absolutely every statue I saw, every painting I tried to interpret, every pub I went to and every person I met. Each was unique and inspiring and altered my perception of the world and my placement in it. I am baffled as to how I will be able to go on without each of these at my fingertips for the rest of my life, but I really don't have to. I am leaving London with the knowledge that I really can go out and find things to do on a Monday afternoon when I have nothing else going on. There will always be some poet that needs to be pondered or some road that needs to be walked down. If you seek out knowledge and passion, you will find it. If you want to teach and invoke that passion, you can achieve it. I can't say I expected London to enrich my life in the way it did, but I also can't say I'm not content with that enrichment. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The quintessentially-British phone booth at Queen's Gate of Kensington Gardens</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The only way I can express my adoration and appreciation for London is entirely through cliches: It changed my life. It made me who I am today. It was the experience of a lifetime. It is irreplaceable. I may never know what my outlook on life might be had I not chosen London out of the many Fall 2012 Study Abroad options. Would I be impacted positively if I had decided on Florence, or Barcelona or Munich? Of course, but it would not be in the same way. I can never say I had any regrets about my time here because if I hadn't had those imminent struggles along the way, it would have been too perfect and I would've assumed something strange was going on. I'm almost all packed up, ready to print my tickets and get on the plane to see the friends and family I've missed so much. Of course the sense of bittersweetness we often apply to these situations holds true, but I'd say it's mostly sweet. Not that I won't miss London, but I'm so happy with all I've done here and I'm content knowing I wouldn't have it any other way. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much shopping</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even more shopping...</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">London really has a way with making its visitors (and natives) fall in love with it, and I am certainly one of them .I have no idea how much more there is for me to see, and I’m sure I could spend my life here never having seen half of the historical, cultural, social and simply entertaining aspects of the city. I have made the best of my life in London, and I say goodbye knowing that I had an experience that was mine to hold onto. London will have a special place in my heart, and I only hope I am lucky enough to return someday. Cheers, London, you are everything to me and I'll miss you every day that I'm away!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful home of the last four months, 123 Queen's Gate</td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-63877289025731130772012-12-19T17:43:00.000-08:002012-12-20T06:45:43.149-08:00Happenings in LondonI have so little time left here in London, yet I have so many updates! As usual, I have spent these past few weeks staying busy, seeing as much of the city as possible. Despite my love for The City, I decided to venture outwards into another part of England, perhaps just as well-known as London itself. Courtney and I wanted one last trip before we ended our time here, and after a few failed attempts at attempting to leave the country, we agreed Oxford was the best bet. Oxford is home to so much history and beauty, both of which I had not expected to be so rich within such a small area. On our way, we had to take the train out of the station made famous by a personified stuffed bear, Paddington Railway. Of course, the station isn't much to ponder, but there was a great gift shop featuring that precious bear, and we absolutely had to give one of them a big hug! (That was really cheesy, sorry.)<br />
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Once we got to Oxford after the short train ride, we walked into Oxford's city centre, walking through narrow alleys and streets along the way. It really is such a majestic, picturesque town with trees and fountains and gorgeous buildings throughout. We had planned a few places we knew we definitely wanted to see, but ended up just stumbling upon new things as we traveled in the tiny city. The Ashmolean Museum was the first venue we found and we didn't really feel the need to go inside, as it was absolutely enormous and would've taken us years to get through.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashmolean Musuem</td></tr>
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Next we saw the Admissions Office of the University of Oxford, which was ironically incredibly small and empty; not much to look at. After passing a ton of monuments and statues honoring great English figures, we saw the famous Blackwell Music and of course had to make a stop in the ancient Oxford Varsity Shop. We saw several of the colleges that comprise Oxford University, most notably Trinity College and Queen's College. They were gorgeous in every way, and knowing that some of the world's greatest minds studied there made it so special.</div>
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We continued on to see the Old Bodleian Library and Divinity School, where scenes of Harry Potter were filmed. Christ Church was another Harry Potter locale, but its grandeur and stunning beauty overwhelmed its role in the movie industry.</div>
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Passing through the Covered Market, where various foods and sundries were sold, we ended up at Alice's Shop, located in an area actually mentioned by Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland, and the shop was so adorable.</div>
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Only a few shops down was Cafe Loco, which might sound like some cheesy tourist trap, but it was actually an Alice-themed cafe with Mad Hatter murals and afternoon tea, of which Courtney and I took full advantage.</div>
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Walking past the majestic Carfax Tower and Oxford Castle made a fantastic end to our day, as we said goodbye to the beautiful, historic Oxford and traveled back to South Kensington for a first-night-of-Hannukkah dinner with challah, lox and cream cheese (Note: neither of us actually celebrate Hanukkah...). A wonderful day in a wonderful place, so glad we made it there.</div>
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FIE offered a bunch of different deals on tours, shows and other events within London at the beginning of the semester, and while I signed up for several, I forgot I had signed up for a Beatles Walking Tour! Hosted by the enthusiastic Simon Rodway, with whom I toured the Olympic Arenas, the tour included a photo op at Abbey Road, which I learned absolutely must feature road-crossers with solemn looks away from the camera. It was hilarious watching everyone try to dodge angry drivers as they attempted to drive down the road, but it was so worth inspiring the road rage! We continued on to Abbey Studios, where I signed the wall with the "Strawberry Fields Forever" excerpt, "Let me take you down." Even though they paint over the writings on a regular basis, I like to think I made some sort of mark on the infamous street. We passed other monumental areas, such as Paul McCartney's London residence as well as where he met Linda, the building where John Lennon claimed the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, and the venue where the Beatles played their last show before being shut down by the Savile Row police. It was interesting seeing all of these cool locations, but it was even more interesting hearing about them from such an informative guide-I wish I had toured more of London with this man!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My signature!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I went under Paul's gate with my camera to take this picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"More popular than Jesus"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final Beatles rooftop show</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aww!</td></tr>
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With such little daylight to take advantage of upon the start of my internship, I promised myself I would take as much time as possible exploring London while I still could. I took last week to discover so many new places that I wish I had seen before so I could revisit them, though I'm sure I covered most of them. Little Venice was mentioned by Courtney, and I was so shocked I hadn't really heard of it. I expected a New York Little Italy with pizzerias strewn throughout the streets, but it truly was a Little Venice. Boats lined the Canal running through the small town, and gardens were plentiful. It was such a unique sight, seeing a bit of Italy within London, and I enjoyed every minute of my time spent there.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO PRETTY</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venice in London</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not real.</td></tr>
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I was also able to visit Old Spitalfields Market, which I had been through before, but not to the extent I did on this day. I got to see all of the little trinkets and decorative pieces and clothing and everything that is unique and fun! This was one of MANY markets within London that allows visitors to find things they wouldn't in generic stores, and they provide a great opportunity to see London for what it truly is.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The market!</td></tr>
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I had some time left in my day, so I went to the Brunei Gallery at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, which was showcasing a collection of photographs in a gallery called "Sacred Ink" which basically was a photostory of a variety of tattoos symbolizing not just spirituality, but power and strength as well. I only wish that it were a bit bigger so there was more to see, but it was interesting nonetheless.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">University of London SOAS rooftop gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gallery-this is probably illegal.</td></tr>
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OH the last thing I absolutely must share is the fact that I finally made it to the Hollywood Costumes exhibit at the V&A. I was at this particular museum early in the semester, and figured I'd venture over to the exhibit at some point in time. Not long ago, I re-realized that it existed and I tried to get tickets, but everything appeared to be booked online. I took matters into my own hands and went to the museum in person to just see if they could please please please let me in, and they did! Actually, whatever I was looking at online was some sort of hoax because there were plenty of tickets remaining. I was overjoyed, as I am a total cinema-junkie and was devastated at the thought that I might not be able to see such famous pieces. I followed the inspirational movie music into the first room, where I was met with dozens of costumes worn by characters in various genres of the most well-known films in history. I was completely dumbfounded. I couldn't believe I was in the presence of articles of clothing worn by my favorite characters in my favorite movies. It was humbling in a way, which was a bit shocking since most wouldn't really be so emotionally impacted by a bunch of costumes that movie stars wore at some point. I didn't say any other words besides "Wow" and "Oh my God" and other intelligible phrases that described my pure shock at what I was viewing. With all of the historical, political, social and cultural venues and monuments that have shaped London, and England in general, I am a bit ashamed to say this was one of the best things I've seen not just in London, but in my LIFE. I guess that just comes with being a product of my generation, totally obsessed with anything revolving around entertainment, and I'm really not too sad to admit it! I laughed, I cried (seriously, I cried pretty much the whole time) and I gaffawed. Some of the highlights of the exhibit were:</div>
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<li>The Dude's brown robe from The Big Lebowski</li>
<li>Tyler Durden's red leather outfits from Fight Club</li>
<li>The wardrobe of The Addam's Family</li>
<li>Indiana Jones' entire outfit and famous whip</li>
<li>Costumes from the various portrayals of Queen Elizabeth</li>
<li>Bill "The Butcher" from Gangs of New York</li>
<li>Scarlett's red velvet dress from Gone with the Wind</li>
<li>Maximus' garments from Gladiator</li>
<li>THE DARTH VADER COSTUME-I stared at this for about 15 minutes</li>
<li>Several Cleopatra dresses</li>
<li>Travis' attire from Taxi Driver</li>
<li>The trademark black dress and white pearls ensemble worn by Holly in Breakfast at Tiffany's</li>
<li>*THE WHITE DRESS ROSE WORE IN THE TITANIC* I've never produced so many tears</li>
<li>Roxie's blue sparkly dress from Chicago</li>
<li>The yellow jumpsuit from Kill Bill</li>
<li>Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean</li>
<li>Austin Powers</li>
<li>The Blues Brothers</li>
<li>Saturday Night Fever</li>
<li>Black Swan</li>
<li>Dorothy's famous blue dress from The Wizard of Oz</li>
<li>Marilyn Monroe's white dress from Seven Year Itch</li>
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Note: These were just my <em>favorites </em>and there were dozens more-I could go on and on!<br />
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Seeing all of these new things so close to the end of my time here gave me a sense of urgency, that I hadn't seen everything I wanted to, but I know that no matter how much I saw, I would still say how much more I've missed in a never-ending cycle of discontent! Obviously that's an overstatement, but it is somewhat true: how can I leave a place I have yet to see even a fraction of? That's just something I will have to live with in my last days in London!<br />
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<br />Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-3821090390531273352012-12-05T11:41:00.002-08:002012-12-05T11:59:27.096-08:00A culmination of all of those things you do in London <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Harrods Toy Kingdom</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Throughout my time in London, I feel I have been working towards visiting every important museum, gallery, landmark and cheesy tourist attraction, and I feel I have been successful. There’s so much to do at every hour of every day, and no matter how much you do, it’s simply impossible to get to everything! I’ve been pretty satisfied with all of the awesome things I’ve done, but these past couple of weeks seemed especially packed with activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Last week for my British Culture and Visual Media class, I was treated to an authentic Pakistani meal on the famous Brick Lane. There were several courses, and even though I tried to take just a bite from each dish to save room, I couldn’t help myself and I pretty much rolled out of there. It was so great being able to taste some of the best Middle Eastern food in London, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to have it anywhere else without being entirely disappointed.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Harrods Toy Kingdom: MAGIC</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Soon after digesting the enormous meal, it dawned on me that I had not been to Harrods yet! How did I go three months of living in London without going to its most famous department store? I guess it was one of those things I just knew I’d get to eventually, but the attraction of its “Christmas World” and the “Toy Kingdom” that comes this time of year was just what I needed to get there. It was everything I dreamed of and more, a true retail mecca that I will miss in the States. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Beautiful Harrods lights!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Every day, while travelling to my internship, I come through the King’s Cross St. Pancras Station, and international railway that brings in millions of people every day. It’s known for its status as a major travel hub, but it’s known for another VERY important aspect. For all of you Harry Potter diehards, you can envy every Londoner able to visit King’s Cross’ very own Platform 9 ¾ with an accompanying sign and cart halfway through the wall to simulate the gateway to the Hogwarts Express. I didn’t even mind asking a random passerby to take my picture at the attraction, because I knew it would be worth it.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't get through...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HARRY POTTA!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although I greatly enjoy my internship and I’m learning and doing so many new things, I regret not having much of the day to explore London in the way I hoped in my last few weeks abroad. Not many museums are open by the time I come home, but the ones that are happen to be the most interesting. After work last week, I ran to the Wellcome Collection about 10 minutes away from King’s Cross Station to see what it was all about. I entered the gallery thinking it would be a bunch of paintings and sculptures like every other art exhibit, and it was, but it was the weirdest collection of items I’ve seen. It had one exhibit entirely based on death in art, disturbing as much as it was curious, and another based on Wellcome’s obsession with medicine and the human body. Strange, yes, but unique to London’s culture nonetheless.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Unseen Tour</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another peculiar London attraction was the “Unseen Tour” series, which explore the elements of popular areas that you would not seen unless you were with one of the “Unseen” tour guides. I chose the London Bridge tour, which connected us with a previously-homeless man who had experienced the true elements of the surrounding area. Our tour guide was definitely a character, weathered by his past, but enhanced by his knowledge of London’s unknown areas and his talent for writing and reciting dramatic poetry. He showed us London’s street art in the darkest alleys, the prime spots for those without a home looking for a warm place to sleep, and other hidden parts of this great city. While I loved seeing all of the things I wouldn’t otherwise, I most enjoyed our guide’s stories and poetry. He was open with us about his failures and triumphs, and how London was the setting for much of them, and it brought an entirely new light to the way I view the metropolitan establishment.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front of the Abbey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abbey!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Westminster Abbey: where royal weddings, coronations and respected burials take place. But, it’s also where a million tourists run around like a pack of wild animals. Seriously. I have been wanting to go to the Abbey since I arrived in London, and while I’ve seen it from the outside several times, I’d not yet managed to go inside. The Abbey is absolutely breathtaking from its external architecture to its intricate ceiling murals within its walls. There are hundreds of sculptures and burial shrouds throughout the church, but unfortunately, they are completely disrespected by almost all who enter. Regardless of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof), it is common knowledge to respect sacred buildings. However, the Abbey was full of screaming children, their parents chasing after them and people taking pictures of the artefacts in the Abbey despite the policy of No Photography. Not to say that I am such a stickler about rules, but I was disappointed that people could act that way in such a significant and historical place. Either way, the Abbey was stunning and I am glad that I was able to visit it and try to bring some decency!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luckily, once I was through with the Abbey, I was right on time for the Changing of the Guards. This is a very tricky event, since it only occurs every other day and people line up hours in advance to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. I didn’t get right up to the gate, but I was still able to see some of the procession and I’m so glad I could finally see it in its entirety rather than in passing like I previously have. My only question: who is actually monitoring the Queen when all of her guards are out and about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">**Update: the Queen’s brigade proceeded down my street this morning and right past my door! Followed by about 100 horses and policemen...I can now leave London satisfied!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our spread for Afternoon Tea at Sketch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darjeeling 1st Flush</td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">When most people think of Britishness, they think of the Queen, Big Ben and of course, tea. Thus, we absolutely had to schedule an afternoon tea. Although you’d think you can just walk into any restaurant or cafe for a cup of tea in the middle of the afternoon, you’d be almost completely wrong. A proper English Afternoon Tea must be reserved at a proper establishment with proper attire. Our tea took place at Sketch, a modern, fantasy-inspired restaurant with a very Alice in Wonderland-esque atmosphere. The best part of the themed locale was the toilets, yes, the toilets. They were white, egg-shaped capsules above the bar, and all I can say is that I felt I had jet-packed into the future. The second-best part was the tea itself. With a selection of blacks, greens, whites and florals, I chose a Darjeeling First Flush, which went perfectly with the finger foods it accompanied. These included finger sandwiches: salmon and cream cheese, cucumber, croquet monsieur and egg salad; scones with strawberry and apple jams and clotted cream; pastries: macaroons, tartlets, chocolate-mint éclairs, white chocolate lollipops and puddings. Although everything was miniature, we were all completely stuffed even hours after we’d finished our last cuppa.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Seriously-these were the toilets</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feeling divine after my visit to Westminster Abbey, I decided to visit Westminster<i>Cathedral</i>, which is the Catholic Church in Victoria (the Abbey is part of the Church of England, for those of you who don’t know). Not only was it massive and beautifully decorated, but the mass was lovely, although quite empty.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwls7Z3lXg8FDUmiUDVZXQWtQg2xmDEq2QcRiJT3pnTTbRWshKvEggfppBA21nnuNeZAl1v_wrIaqd1jmrgQO0DoEO2qHyTaa3tDtGTLvSLOUxpfN_AOFI13eM_VoVvPVKD85hHSHoXYGs/s1600/DSCF1414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwls7Z3lXg8FDUmiUDVZXQWtQg2xmDEq2QcRiJT3pnTTbRWshKvEggfppBA21nnuNeZAl1v_wrIaqd1jmrgQO0DoEO2qHyTaa3tDtGTLvSLOUxpfN_AOFI13eM_VoVvPVKD85hHSHoXYGs/s320/DSCF1414.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westminster Cathedral, A Stunning Sight</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been trying to get to Camden Market recently, partially because I love new places, mostly because I love markets. I was expecting a slew of food and artisan good vendors, but I was met with what I found reminiscent to one of the T-shirt markets I used to visit in our trips to the Bahamas. There were about two dozen vendors with shirts and sweaters with different prints on them, and although it was not exactly what I thought it might be, I had fun reading all of the clever graphics on the shirts, and even bought one for a lucky member of my family!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWvtjc7wNg-Hs-22rBXbXDVS4hpmF4tcI1_gkE5l5fOxMKCQHh1w1M5PDsuc8MHqLYsFCfj-69NGhUTj1sukpESEKjkV67uTbEJqO_qTQyHkzYio0hhmOWjHFka3ykIPTdTcyibwiUu_w/s1600/DSCF1511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWvtjc7wNg-Hs-22rBXbXDVS4hpmF4tcI1_gkE5l5fOxMKCQHh1w1M5PDsuc8MHqLYsFCfj-69NGhUTj1sukpESEKjkV67uTbEJqO_qTQyHkzYio0hhmOWjHFka3ykIPTdTcyibwiUu_w/s320/DSCF1511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camden Market</td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">I was feeling spontaneous, so I hopped off the Tube on the way home at Covent Garden. I’ve been to this stop about 10 times, as it has a great market and FABULOUS shopping, but I came again because I knew it would be lit up for Christmas. There were lights everywhere, several trees, an enormous reindeer and giant ornaments along the markets. I love that London gets so into the Christmas spirit, and places like Covent Garden inspire me to get into it as well! Within Covent Garden is the Royal Opera House, which sounds really classy and exclusive, but it was shoved into the corner somewhere between H&M and Kurt Geiger, though it was gorgeous on the inside and I hope to see a performance there before I leave.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2BgAGMO6NrXGtPDcZrMf1yNhkWK9p0-omvj-HCZrTWOsuDWlIFm6PGSlUfu9bfLb1fi2-C8Kb-8k5C8BFCA2IGppEj8LRrGHzv2utGjOgKUNI5cmt_KQB9oWqbapyPGcDv4z_YCH8aWp/s1600/DSCF1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2BgAGMO6NrXGtPDcZrMf1yNhkWK9p0-omvj-HCZrTWOsuDWlIFm6PGSlUfu9bfLb1fi2-C8Kb-8k5C8BFCA2IGppEj8LRrGHzv2utGjOgKUNI5cmt_KQB9oWqbapyPGcDv4z_YCH8aWp/s320/DSCF1528.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Apple Market in Covent Garden</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A gorgeously decorated Covent Garden tree</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I finally did the one thing I said I could not leave London without: the London Eye. I wanted to go on the giant wheel from the start, but I never had the right day to go, life got in the way, etc. FINALLY I bought my ticket, watched the “4-D Experience” where they show you a 3D movie of the London Eye and spray water at you, and hopped in a capsule. I thought I would be jaded by the landmarks I had already seen so many times, just from a low-level view. However, it really was a monumental moment in my time here. Yes, I had seen most of the things I was viewing from the glass car, but seeing them all in perspective really allowed for the culmination of my time here in London. I saw where everything was located in relation to each other, something I would have never noticed had I gone shortly after arriving. It was a great way to kick off my final weeks here, and is a panoramic view I will not soon forget.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A view from the capsule at the top of the Eye</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">View from the top!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Big Ben and Parliament</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Since I was relatively close, I headed over to the Tate Modern to see if it could live up to what everyone was saying about it. In all senses of the word, this was quite a “modern” place, from its outer structure to the minimalist internal makeup. I figured I would wander for a bit and see what I liked, as I’m not a huge fan of contemporary art, but I ended up staying for several hours. I was awestruck by the creativity of the artists included, and I have a whole new appreciation for modern art...for now. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Tate Modern: VERY minimalist!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As I've mentioned, London, and perhaps England as a whole, is totally obsessed with Christmas. They love decorations, caroling and general Christmas cheer. The Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is a direct result of this adoration, and epitomizes Christmas Spirit. It is essentially an enormous carnival with ethnic foods, thrill rides, games, gifts and souvenirs, mulled wines and the best of all, a mock-toberfest tent. It was exactly like the magical celebration occurring in Germany, except everyone was British and it was freezing. I loved seeing all of the lights and decorations, and everyone was in great spirits at the Wonderland, making it one of the greatest contributions of London. </span></div>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-10271039193425529372012-11-27T07:51:00.003-08:002012-11-27T07:55:45.382-08:00Paris: You Don't Even Know<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GB9Rke0uFX2J2COmtcqO9SKwcVIoKb5R7VorzRCpOgxz2XBz12hWsGqqKlDjjC0mmVY4sdgvcNJ0L8vXUsfsIQqGseW_cPH0k9A_FcfnszFY2l4YcyVkqSDRBpd8bky9bxyq-XW9QV8o/s1600/DSCF1025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GB9Rke0uFX2J2COmtcqO9SKwcVIoKb5R7VorzRCpOgxz2XBz12hWsGqqKlDjjC0mmVY4sdgvcNJ0L8vXUsfsIQqGseW_cPH0k9A_FcfnszFY2l4YcyVkqSDRBpd8bky9bxyq-XW9QV8o/s320/DSCF1025.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not quite sure what this is. Anyone else know?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJmBjifhhNOP1UB8PQOvKYweyADo2L-cmRtWgiuh3wj5rt_LU8pwsJMJprQpkoFdMCs8Olu_1YhQIoU48c4GVfLNlomMlWOoa27f4U6QEYnszkjW0v3g4Lei4PWrrL7qXCO7chsLglgGO/s1600/DSCF1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJmBjifhhNOP1UB8PQOvKYweyADo2L-cmRtWgiuh3wj5rt_LU8pwsJMJprQpkoFdMCs8Olu_1YhQIoU48c4GVfLNlomMlWOoa27f4U6QEYnszkjW0v3g4Lei4PWrrL7qXCO7chsLglgGO/s320/DSCF1035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Floor View from the Eiffel Tower!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDqO3zOVSoqEa-plmtsKgMXJPen6-h_9-qT6Sx1Jfq2kNs15PMKqkrhXXbWK31UzhpUQicLuKdkQPg13uB-c3tXC4g0C7c5FyErPdjXsoaMDFDPSwral2oMU1GjS8WKmilYgBhpKv0Ygl/s1600/DSCF1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDqO3zOVSoqEa-plmtsKgMXJPen6-h_9-qT6Sx1Jfq2kNs15PMKqkrhXXbWK31UzhpUQicLuKdkQPg13uB-c3tXC4g0C7c5FyErPdjXsoaMDFDPSwral2oMU1GjS8WKmilYgBhpKv0Ygl/s320/DSCF1048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even on a rainy day the Tower view is enamoring </td></tr>
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Paris-the city portrayed by Hollywood as pure romance, rich with decadent food, beautiful sights and even more beautiful people. Well, they pretty much nailed it. The romance definitely fills the air, as people flock to the city from around the world to show off how much they love each other. The food is beyond delicious, and the sights and people are more gorgeous than you could possibly believe. Despite the Hollywood perception, I was told by nearly everyone who had previously visited Paris that it was dirty, people were rude, and your stuff will most likely be stolen. I honestly dreaded going, even though I was so excited to see all of the famous landmarks I had heard so much about. Regardless of my intense paranoia upon arrival, I immediately relaxed when I saw the way the city functioned and how shockingly friendly and open most people were. Of course, there was the occasional unnecessary snob, but for the most part, everyone was relatively helpful and enjoyable. I was also so relieved that we had Suzie, who is studying in Paris and was definitely the most efficient and informative tour guide I have ever had (shout out, Suze). She took us to the best restaurants, the best parks, and certainly every attraction that would appease my tourism obsession.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjSql09DOyx0X6rDT6A8HpdKPpZboXobNrG6XRwObGoS5fuvgosvaFKL-R0Wvms2OBDUjO5rxYgOGTFnq5yH1_6LgLJ8LRsOYD9dryKQUCyW7ZFuC0UMdoMkyOZdLv54q9oeU8-OsEhOP/s1600/DSCF1052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjSql09DOyx0X6rDT6A8HpdKPpZboXobNrG6XRwObGoS5fuvgosvaFKL-R0Wvms2OBDUjO5rxYgOGTFnq5yH1_6LgLJ8LRsOYD9dryKQUCyW7ZFuC0UMdoMkyOZdLv54q9oeU8-OsEhOP/s320/DSCF1052.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodies!</td></tr>
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We started our first day at the Eiffel Tower, which was, again, everything I expected and more. The structure itself is breathtaking in size and design, but I think being in the presence of such a historical work of architectural perfection was what really had me taken aback. We were unable to go all the way to the top, as it was closed for weather-related issues, but we did get to take the elevator to the second floor (thank God we didn't have to walk) for views that satisfied us just as much as sights from the top could. We proceeded to the market at Trocadero to pick up fresh bread, cheeses, meats and fruits, also making a stop at the famous Laduree for the tastiest macaroons I have ever tried, for a picturesque picnic in front of Les Arts Decoratifs. We walked through Le Carrousel de Louvre, which is basically just a really nice mall in close proximity to the main attraction. We saw the glass pyramid outside of the Louvre, as well as the beautiful buildings surrounding it, before traveling toward the Seine. After seeing the Thames of England and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, it's pretty safe to say I've seen enough enormous rivers for a lifetime, but the Seine was stunning nonetheless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgj1HpEYNlgTV-LFj70nql-_A-iAst8CPkH955WuTE8pgaFTteNI785OTMcQQ593W15dFilFbuhW4tKiGdRXB42GyGAF-92I-MMUCBKJGa4pfbYfMeH7ZqwhyphenhyphenXgw7a_wF_I0znkUzHUDD/s1600/DSCF1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgj1HpEYNlgTV-LFj70nql-_A-iAst8CPkH955WuTE8pgaFTteNI785OTMcQQ593W15dFilFbuhW4tKiGdRXB42GyGAF-92I-MMUCBKJGa4pfbYfMeH7ZqwhyphenhyphenXgw7a_wF_I0znkUzHUDD/s320/DSCF1107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Seine>The Thames</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmOlZab7SJKRZWXXC010KVK4ldDEwzGnR_A0HpKWbeK91dwI9zQ6Y4wOIDrx2Bnnyb_SdM6b_fDQ9MZodwProTODPNgXd-2xfTt-tJxCtiYoLyD0cTxW6waRgzx3oSyOACiHtJppxlfnI/s1600/DSCF1078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmOlZab7SJKRZWXXC010KVK4ldDEwzGnR_A0HpKWbeK91dwI9zQ6Y4wOIDrx2Bnnyb_SdM6b_fDQ9MZodwProTODPNgXd-2xfTt-tJxCtiYoLyD0cTxW6waRgzx3oSyOACiHtJppxlfnI/s320/DSCF1078.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acting like a jerk in front of the glass pyramid</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Hunchbacks to be found </td></tr>
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After walking for quite a bit, we ended up at the Notre Dame, which was unfortunately flooded with tourists obnoxiously posing around it despite the fact that it is a renowned church intended to receive the utmost respect. In any matter, it was dramatically beautiful, and I say this because no picture could ever do it justice as it would be leaving out some angle that could make it that much better. At this point, we were ravished, so we went to Le Petit Chatelet, a tiny establishment with a quiet atmosphere. I felt so French, as I had escargot, duck and profiteroles! Too good. Too French.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHdwtP64kNr-eV7kfG815SSgL3Uw2tKo2WtJYNftQHgvhu4irBO3ykK00EwZTjG0Q1kr32GgJWOwOFaYAOSNQet4PfKk4ZbBdlqLiBk7p79VbUuiDpS6wYJ3n5vhQEUEJPmMSP-A3WWgv/s1600/DSCF1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHdwtP64kNr-eV7kfG815SSgL3Uw2tKo2WtJYNftQHgvhu4irBO3ykK00EwZTjG0Q1kr32GgJWOwOFaYAOSNQet4PfKk4ZbBdlqLiBk7p79VbUuiDpS6wYJ3n5vhQEUEJPmMSP-A3WWgv/s320/DSCF1154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacre Coeur-majestic</td></tr>
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The next morning, we took a stroll to Sacre Coeur, a gorgeous church not far away from our hostel. Of course we had to get some pan au chocolat, and of course it was delicious. We enjoyed our croissants as we passed the most French streets, including an artists' market, that seemed straight out of a movie. The Arc de Triomphe was the next stop, and it looked like it was cut and pasted against the bluest sky Paris has possibly ever seen. This pointed us in the direction of Champs de Elysees, a miles-long street strung with both high-end designers (Louis Vuitton) and the common-man brands (Levi's). It was a really interesting combination of American, French and other European stores, and lead us to our next destination, Angelina's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Owv4bMSBWxGhdziX4SUBa2615FR0CbCRRMUE2I2wvgLN02MoEiAhvgUafPxjNiIlyKxZF2S90cYcaGqeVyxhAqfbSSPQUIaAzX5PlWJ69Ar6NAc44L1UIWDJTZ4_SHVZholYhn2aq86/s1600/DSCF1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Owv4bMSBWxGhdziX4SUBa2615FR0CbCRRMUE2I2wvgLN02MoEiAhvgUafPxjNiIlyKxZF2S90cYcaGqeVyxhAqfbSSPQUIaAzX5PlWJ69Ar6NAc44L1UIWDJTZ4_SHVZholYhn2aq86/s320/DSCF1167.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artistes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWH0Vp1ZAvbv1-GbuichGImI8ltnX-XonaCjtp36mFOoMcK-6nEUf_W2XGaFXuU6Px3ejdW-L-lzzFJJ4wDZtSKJnMbv5W9d6jkZ52y_R7Pzi8M-pPAtOrErdHWnmgtSt7wYZYHY0nhv2S/s1600/DSCF1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWH0Vp1ZAvbv1-GbuichGImI8ltnX-XonaCjtp36mFOoMcK-6nEUf_W2XGaFXuU6Px3ejdW-L-lzzFJJ4wDZtSKJnMbv5W9d6jkZ52y_R7Pzi8M-pPAtOrErdHWnmgtSt7wYZYHY0nhv2S/s320/DSCF1191.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arc de Triomphe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPSiLZgElYj703MU2tlRBMFA1ukppc-XDuYTx9vvTBMO7JWFU8STeg-uoX94AMbxq5S9wc2BgeEhs7WAtOX4aAWC3VWZ-nX3PHM4diZbFdxf0Kz4RoN_v_bFsGibj0S-K6ble3BMYgq4W/s1600/DSCF1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPSiLZgElYj703MU2tlRBMFA1ukppc-XDuYTx9vvTBMO7JWFU8STeg-uoX94AMbxq5S9wc2BgeEhs7WAtOX4aAWC3VWZ-nX3PHM4diZbFdxf0Kz4RoN_v_bFsGibj0S-K6ble3BMYgq4W/s320/DSCF1200.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laduree: macaroon town</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angelina has a special place in my heart</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OPERA!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx2CihJwWmCOXbrMe7Ijjt8wHYLgHWTqHlVelZebzMFqZnu1au95_54ozQPfhmTM-1ckbl2GEIhtsha2OJOz9-Vsuqj-DQYuG7Sg_NYPUFAaBlRlToEpu8AOW4DqyjjzYgKLtnOZWVfmw/s1600/DSCF1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx2CihJwWmCOXbrMe7Ijjt8wHYLgHWTqHlVelZebzMFqZnu1au95_54ozQPfhmTM-1ckbl2GEIhtsha2OJOz9-Vsuqj-DQYuG7Sg_NYPUFAaBlRlToEpu8AOW4DqyjjzYgKLtnOZWVfmw/s320/DSCF1248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suze and I in front of Palais du Luxembourg</td></tr>
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Angelina's was an intimidatingly-beautiful eatery where we were delighted with the thickest, chocolatiest hot chocolate and toast with homemade jams. It really hit the spot, and energized us enough to move onto the Opera, which had limited access, but the outside was substantial with the perfect statues and architecture. Palais du Luxembourg was next on the list, and it's floral arrangements put Elon's to shame, something I never thought possible. Every color is represented in the flowers strewn around the palace, and the accompanying gardens, fountains and statues just add to the fact that you will never see a prettier sight. After seeing the French Pantheon, which I don't really need to explain without sounding entirely repetitive, we decided to go to La Marais. This was the "Jewish quarter" in the pre-Holocaust era, and traditionally Jewish and other Middle Eastern cuisine could be found on every corner. I got some Challah and hummus, Courtney and Suzie got their snacks, and we sat in the cutest park and just enjoyed Paris. The many vendors and markets on the streets held our attention with trinkets and vintage records before we felt it was time to eat yet again.<br />
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We had a bit to wait, but we went to Breizh, a creperie in La Marais, for traditional Brittany crepes. I had never had savory crepes, so I went all-out with an egg, chorizo and cheese concoction for dinner, and another covered in chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream for dessert.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBzoef_5OeXk9AIRjfHgzH_Jsgai3Wr5mxiTaZeJWu_ToHrKEpcaZT_yI5JSZK2oQjCaZHwHfyLB5J0QMVPC8NffGLv7vJxG2PG7eErzoaYR_yna3Kl6oWqDcOuRcD2xChNs8QO4OM4bN/s1600/DSCF1262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBzoef_5OeXk9AIRjfHgzH_Jsgai3Wr5mxiTaZeJWu_ToHrKEpcaZT_yI5JSZK2oQjCaZHwHfyLB5J0QMVPC8NffGLv7vJxG2PG7eErzoaYR_yna3Kl6oWqDcOuRcD2xChNs8QO4OM4bN/s320/DSCF1262.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pantheon: not the Italian one...</td></tr>
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After saying goodbye to our amazing tour guide, Court and I went back to the hostel to gather our things to go on our overnight bus (blech!) BUT we had to make sure we made a pit stop at the Moulin Rouge! I was scared to be in the area basically because I've heard horror stories about getting mugged and what not, but I absolutely had to go and I don't regret it one bit! It was such a lively, lit up place, very reminiscent of Las Vegas, even though I've never been there, but it was similar to what I'd imagine it to be. It was a great way to end the short, but action-packed trip, and I was so happy we got to see everything we'd planned. Paris was extraordinary, it was exactly as I pictured it but also completely different simply because I wasn't seeing it through a screen. I loved the food, the people and the places we visited, and I could only hope I'll be lucky enough to revisit, hopefully with a bit more time!<br />
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<br />Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-87296708767816672342012-11-27T01:28:00.001-08:002012-11-27T01:28:08.656-08:00Thanksgiving in LondonWhat a better place to give thanks for your freedom, family and privilege than in the nation your ancestors fled from hundreds of years ago! Obviously I would rather be in London than the boring States, but I definitely would've liked to see my family and friends for one of my favorite holidays of the year. I went to my internship that day, and was asked questions such as "So Thanksgiving, is that sort of a big deal?" or "Does everybody in America celebrate it?" While at first I was absolutely repulsed by the fact that people might not actually understand the significance of perhaps one of the greatest days of the year, I had to catch myself. That's simply the problem with Americans, we assume everyone follows our every move and would never question something so important to us, but we must understand that the world does not revolve around us. Besides, there is so much we don't know about them. For example, for a period of time in November, nearly everyone had a small poppy pinned to their lapels, but I just thought it was some goofy British tradition. In fact, it signifies something more important than anything a huge turkey feast could: the men and women that have died in the name of their beloved nation.<br />
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On Thanksgiving day, we certainly didn't have the same amazing dishes we'd normally have at my house, but it was a fair trade. I had a delicious butternut squash soup as my first course, followed by the main course: turkey, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, jalapeno cornbread (I think-it burned my entire mouth), sweet potatoes and veggies; followed by a sub-par, yet still pretty good pumpkin pie (I'm sorry, the British just can't make it the same!). I would have been devastated if I couldn't at least have turkey with a few sides on Turkey Day, so this was a pleasant surprise and completely free-thanks Elon!<br />
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I will just come right out with the cliches and say there was so much for me to be thankful for this year. I've been doing well in school in terms of grades (knock on wood), I've had the absolute privilege to be able to live, study and work in the most amazing city in the world, while traveling to various cities in Europe that were culturally and aesthetically magnificent. Living in an entirely alien environment has helped me improve so many aspects of my own life, and I have seen and done things I would have never imagined. Thankful does not even cover it, in fact, it pales in comparison to what I truly feel for the lifestyle I have been so lucky to lead in these past months. I have learned to be content with everything I do, especially while abroad, and I'm so excited to make the most out of these next few weeks before I journey back to the good old U.S.<br />
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<br />Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-84476177789956992052012-11-19T14:28:00.000-08:002012-11-19T14:30:07.787-08:00Doing What I Do Best-Tourism!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The amazing set of <i>Wicked</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Things have been going well with my new internship at The Children’s Society, as I have grown accustomed to a true work environment and schedule. It has been a bit difficult to balance the two classes that have continued into the second phase of the program with a three-day work week, and now a supplementary internship class. Regardless of the workload, I am enjoying experiencing a true London lifestyle. There are so many elements of being a true Londoner, and I believe I have managed to accomplish at least a few of them. I have finally learned not to force myself to get to everything in London, and I’ve realized that it’s more important to do things because I <i>want</i> to, not because I feel I should in the mad rush of a four-month study abroad program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last week, I <i>finally</i> had the chance to see the famed <i>Wicked</i>, a visual and aural masterpiece of magnificent proportions. The stunning cast included two leads, Elphaba and Glinda, who absolutely stole the show. The remainder of the cast was certainly superior, and equalled the reputation of the renowned production. The cast showcased the vividly-designed set and intricate costumes, in addition to their amazing singing and dancing. I was blown away by the performance, and I would be more than happy to see the show over and over again. It surpassed my expectations, becoming my favorite musical to date. Perhaps the best part of <i>Wicked </i>was the fact that I was seated in the eleventh row, giving me the closest view to an unbelievable night at the Apollo Victoria. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Field of Remembrance at Wesminster Abbey</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the past several weeks, I have seen replicas of red poppies pinned on the lapels of most Londoners’ suits and jackets. I never really bothered to clarify the significance of these flowers, but I soon discovered that they are an emblem meant to pay tribute to those in the Armed Forces that have fallen in the line of duty. To add to this, there is a Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, which was crowded with people urgent to pay their respects. The display was beautiful, and it made the issue of the non-liberties of war universal.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Borough Market-where dreams come true.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Borough Market is located near London Bridge, and is a true gem of London culture. It is certainly not the only market of its kind, but it has a unique appeal. It is only open at specific times on specific days, but it is always crowded when it is actually running. A spread of cheeses, jams, wines, meats and other commodities are available for purchase, as well as a slew of hot dishes and sandwiches. Nearly every product can be tasted, and nearly every product is probably the best thing you’ve ever tasted. Fresh and homemade, the market’s entire selection is a great addition to London’s culture.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Astronaut suit at the Science Museum</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Outside of the </span><i style="font-size: medium;">On the Road</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> exhibition at the British Library</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I also recently visited both the London Aquarium and the Science Museum, which I was delighted to see, though they were definitely not the most genuinely British things I’ve seen. The British Library is not far from my internship, and I absolutely had to see the On the Road exhibition, which showcased Jack Kerouac’s novel as well as the rest of the Beat Generation. After taking a class based on this set of authors and poets last Winter Term, I fell in love with their works and knew I had to attend the exhibition, which included Kerouac’s original version of his novel written on a 120-foot scroll.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The British Museum was my next destination, which was amazing, as I spent nearly three hours there and barely conquered half of the galleries. This is a result of Britain’s overambition in attempting to include absolutely every artifact that is remotely British, with every piece of history the Brits have had any possible connection to. I had to be extremely strategic in the areas I wanted to cover, and I ultimately weeded out the less-desirable aspects to make for a pleasant visit.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Some friendly guards outside of the gated Number 10</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Portrait Gallery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of National Gallery from Trafalgar Square</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The most recent sights I’ve seen were Leicester Square, Whitehall and Downing Street, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Leicester Square is the setting for Her Majesty’s Theatre, the Odeon, the Hippodrome and London’s very own China Town. Not comparable to New York’s cultural district, but still a fun an exciting escape from Britishness! Whitehall is an avenue containing many governmental bodies, including the Ministry of Defence, Cabinet and 10 Downing Street, where Prime Minister David Cameron currently resides. Trafalgar Square is a historical mecca, with dozens of memorial statues, glorious fountains, and even the world’s smallest police station. Also located in Trafalgar Square are the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. The former is an enormous collection of artwork, largely paintings, separated by time period and/or artist. I wouldn’t exactly call myself an art appreciator, I guess as a result of my lack of intellectual depth, but I still loved looking at so many world-famous pieces of artwork. My fascination continued into the National Portrait Gallery, which is pretty much exactly as it sounds, a huge collections of portraits. My favorite gallery was the Marilyn Monroe room, which followed the history of portraits taken of the icon. I gained a bit more respect for the study of art, but it’s hard for me to say I’d like to spend most of my days observing artistic works. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The World's Smallest Police Station!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I think it’s safe to say that I’m doing everything I can while in London. When I put it into perspective, I realize that I <i>live</i> here. So many people that are native Brits have expressed to me that they haven’t done half of the things I have. I am definitely continuing my exploration of London until the day I leave, but knowing that I could leave today with the reassurance that I have covered more of a foreign city than I have of my own hometown gives me a huge sense of relief. I plan on spending the remainder of this </span>think it’s safe to say that I’m doing everything I can while in London. When I put it into perspective, I realize that I <i>live</i> here. So many people that are native Brits have expressed to me that they haven’t done half of the things I have. I am definitely continuing my exploration of London until the day I leave, but knowing that I could leave today with the reassurance that I have covered more of a foreign city than I have of my own hometown gives me a huge sense of relief. I plan on spending the remainder of this program just doing what I do and enjoying every step of the way, just as I’ve been doing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SrwKyelPAzOwc3pqZVqhU5YpaVWtdDVuQXPug6vyuTjVPZEmUhqV0hBylfINvG1-plVIachcnHh4YtQtz1oPgYh-Svz4lZY5MJWYE-_10gEZlCVhSHJZsduERzrTAsYb8ZmurwP-PyEt/s1600/DSCF0888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SrwKyelPAzOwc3pqZVqhU5YpaVWtdDVuQXPug6vyuTjVPZEmUhqV0hBylfINvG1-plVIachcnHh4YtQtz1oPgYh-Svz4lZY5MJWYE-_10gEZlCVhSHJZsduERzrTAsYb8ZmurwP-PyEt/s1600/DSCF0888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-19407635091771527592012-11-12T08:22:00.000-08:002012-11-12T08:22:13.738-08:00Midterm Break Part Four: Swiss Adventures<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v3UCivHXc7bC2nlQsS4H84foUybcg9InBzKLsQEH1ePuK6xOPFG66HoV08XEypCgcfqFRTO8DwR6rTBLCrEXesNWAORyWwx42a2addF4GF4tqwLo4TOnJ6Dj24eJVmP_vmDRYgIgZ2gO/s1600/DSCF0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v3UCivHXc7bC2nlQsS4H84foUybcg9InBzKLsQEH1ePuK6xOPFG66HoV08XEypCgcfqFRTO8DwR6rTBLCrEXesNWAORyWwx42a2addF4GF4tqwLo4TOnJ6Dj24eJVmP_vmDRYgIgZ2gO/s320/DSCF0541.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murren/Candyland</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We were so sad to leave Italy, it was so welcoming and beautiful (and delicious) and we didn’t want to go! But we already booked the hostel in Interlaken, so we said <i>Ciao!</i> and went forth into Switzerland. I expected a snowy excursion with hot chocolate by the fire, the relaxation after a fun but busy week in Italy, but the Swiss would have none of that. The hostel we stayed at hosted a number of activities, such as skydiving, canyon jumping and paragliding. However, we were in between seasons and it was tough to book certain things. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney, Suze and Me</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font: 13.0px Arial; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #232323;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Visitors to Interlaken typically know to go on the Top of Europe, where you basically take a cable car on a 2.5 hour trip up the most enormous mountain to the highest point of Jungfraujoch. I did not partake in that adventure, as I was completely satisfied looking over Interlaken from the beautiful village of Murren.</span> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Murren, was the most picturesque town I have ever seen, and the closest to Candyland it could possibly be. Our cozy hostel did provide a venue to sip hot chocolate and lounge around, which we did plenty of (a true vacation, I’d say), although we did feel guilty not doing the crazy adventurous things everyone else was doing. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such an attractive picture of me!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As a result, we decided to go horseback riding. I am not the biggest fan and I was definitely hesitant, but I like to think I’m somewhat open-minded, so I gave it a whirl. Somehow Courtney and I were the only ones to be placed on horses without guides, so we were largely left to our own devices. Surprisingly, we were the only ones without issues, as it seemed everyone else’s horse was trying to buck its rider off, run off course, or trying to eat the other horses (yes, eat). So we got lucky, but our mishaps caused us to miss the Chocolate Show we planned on attending. Of course we wouldn’t dare go without the chocolate, so we got some treats of our own and were perfectly fine. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture does not do the water any justice...</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One thing I found remarkable was that the water was gorgeous in Switzerland, and is actually quite drinkable despite warnings to refrain from drinking foreign water. The Aare river in Matten, near Interlaken, was an intense shade of blue that I have actually never seen naturally occurring, but it was so beautiful I didn’t question it! The Swiss are very interesting people, a combination of French and German that is unique to this nation. Another thing unique to Switzerland is the Swiss Franc, which surprisingly is not possible to exchange anywhere in Britain, if you can imagine my dismay. I loved Switzerland because as much as I loved Italy and I enjoyed every sight and every touristy thing we did, it was my real vacation, a vacation from a vacation if you will. Instead of running around trying to get everything done, I was finally able to go at my own leisure, and I appreciated that so much about Switzerland that I would absolutely love to go back just to capture that peacefulness. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out of this world!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Meal: </b>Anything that had to do with Swiss chocolate or Swiss cheese, which was every meal. Swiss cuisine is extremely rich and hard to have for every meal, so a baguette and some Swiss mountain cheese was fine by me!</span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-23670372640529192072012-11-12T08:15:00.001-08:002012-11-12T08:15:25.154-08:00Midterm Break Part Three: Firenze Forever<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OqltfFqi7qsgwVZbiGmi5bHYtmBCAcWSFMh7N75wgxyH1D4qv1A3AcqvK29p9sGEs5L3qvwSlWJXJByb96B7xssT5pNqpOW2BOYOo_tdIrUqtfFWiDTmFlASS9NyqKCadzPd4lLrved4/s1600/DSCF0448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OqltfFqi7qsgwVZbiGmi5bHYtmBCAcWSFMh7N75wgxyH1D4qv1A3AcqvK29p9sGEs5L3qvwSlWJXJByb96B7xssT5pNqpOW2BOYOo_tdIrUqtfFWiDTmFlASS9NyqKCadzPd4lLrved4/s200/DSCF0448.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In between Rome and Florence, we went off of a stranger’s recommendation to go to the small village of Orvieto. Although it was beautiful and had an excellent view, it certainly was not at the top of my list of favorite Italian cities. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ_uMdlOSQiV_I7XLSUT5ASU6TLwCbXJ8srJ0uVbtJIVBfxPjkKfqC1pc8wdyKGSKIbfEDjqJNPZKycTM8DZs9X1QubymcwFdHgg3oeCYcqAEqzERViZoz7Ijeh7RtfWMhFg8UfSEOY28/s1600/DSCF0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ_uMdlOSQiV_I7XLSUT5ASU6TLwCbXJ8srJ0uVbtJIVBfxPjkKfqC1pc8wdyKGSKIbfEDjqJNPZKycTM8DZs9X1QubymcwFdHgg3oeCYcqAEqzERViZoz7Ijeh7RtfWMhFg8UfSEOY28/s320/DSCF0450.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I was so excited for Florence because of all of the stories I’ve heard from people who previously studied abroad there, including Katie (my sister for the random people that read this blog). When we arrived, we set down our things and went to an Elon club soccer game against another study abroad program. It was so fun cheering on fellow Elon-ers in a foreign country, and I loved that everyone got so involved to support their classmates! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPupfnQJlO-R96BkWdBH8bhI9roI7qtZzBzcFnLd9Bs_DzLGotQcTQVJqWO3MQPnI3MpFknnrsVgM4VOkg8vwyv_JjbT2ICcfZIBW566sTU2nDwLXusCKob4hnGE83ZeQ1HTxVDaL9oHr/s1600/DSCF0453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPupfnQJlO-R96BkWdBH8bhI9roI7qtZzBzcFnLd9Bs_DzLGotQcTQVJqWO3MQPnI3MpFknnrsVgM4VOkg8vwyv_JjbT2ICcfZIBW566sTU2nDwLXusCKob4hnGE83ZeQ1HTxVDaL9oHr/s320/DSCF0453.jpg" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We went to dinner at O’Vesuvio’s, which I mention only because the cast of the Jersey Shore worked there during their season in Florence, and it definitely did not disappoint. After a night out, we went to the infamous Secret Bakery for the most delicious chocolate croissants in the entire universe, and yes, I’ve tried them all. It was definitely a treat, and I was so happy I could actually go to one of the same places Katie went when she was abroad. I couldn’t wait for the tourist attractions, but I was most excited to barter at the leather market! I absolutely had to purchase an authentically Italian leather jacket, and I absolutely did, with a bit of negotiation, of course. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUAGu3YfgA1N1UdnKiMIEC4sneDgP29Nq3DX-97xAvz37_7Gi5IDM_dcD15n9nLWRQzlYRGoy7ABVc1Lj63SO2QWYeoV9eMVjAcGP3mPaMiwJ-NZXnT7sJKxP43NXeWCtYXnXQtFCwbu_/s1600/DSCF0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUAGu3YfgA1N1UdnKiMIEC4sneDgP29Nq3DX-97xAvz37_7Gi5IDM_dcD15n9nLWRQzlYRGoy7ABVc1Lj63SO2QWYeoV9eMVjAcGP3mPaMiwJ-NZXnT7sJKxP43NXeWCtYXnXQtFCwbu_/s320/DSCF0460.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We stayed right near the Ponte Vecchio, which not only provided us with an excellent view, but also a convenient distance to the gold shops. It was overwhelming looking at all of the intricate jewelry, but even more overwhelming for my bank account (sorry mom & dad…)! We were also able to ride the carousel in the Piazza della Repubblica, which brought us back to our childhoods and was completely necessary. We saw the famous Duomo, and climbed all 463 steps to the top to see the magnificent view of the city of Florence. I took a picture from just about every angle, but I simply could not believe what I was looking at, as it was unbelievably stunning. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The rain hindered us from continuing past a late lunch, but it was Halloween, so we went back to get dressed up for the night in our costumes! By costumes I mean put on witch hats, but costumes nonetheless. Upon yet another recommendation, we went for a family style dinner at Il Gato, which consisted of several courses and several bottles of wine! It was such an amazing time, and it concluded a great day. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The next morning was again wet and cold, but Courtney and I were insistent on going to the Piazzale Michelangelo. We were almost blown over the cliff by the intense monsoon coming our way, but we were simply happy to see the Piazzale and Il David. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Meal: </b>Tie. Bagel with veggie cream cheese and lox (yes, I got a NY bagel in Florence, but I couldn’t help myself and it was the best bagel I’ve ever eaten-it just hit the spot!). VERSUS meal at Il Gato: A cold antipasto with meats, fresh mozzarella, roasted vegetables; three different pasta dishes including truffle-pesto ravioli, penne alla vodka and some other unidentifiable dish that was delicious regardless; accompanied by limoncello and plenty of wine as well. </span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-85312916345466755732012-11-12T08:05:00.001-08:002012-11-12T08:15:47.184-08:00Midterm Break Part Two: Doing as the Romans Do (How Cliche...)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trevi Fountain</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> Our next stop was Rome, perhaps the most culturally and historically rich place I have ever been to, and within such a small area. In the late afternoon, we arrived at our hostel, which had the greatest people working there, as they pretty much mapped out our tour of Rome by giving us the best places to eat and buy tickets for our daily activities at the best prices. I was a bit overwhelmed by everything I wanted to do in Rome, but everything was in close proximity and the city was relatively easy to navigate. Upon arrival, we had just enough time to go to the Spanish Steps, which were as grand as I could’ve ever imagined. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Next we went on to Trevi Fountain, a majestic piece of art crowded with people just waiting to throw a coin over their shoulder into the water in hopes of returning to Rome again. Me being the tourist I am, threw two coins, which means I have double the chance, right? </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cortile Della Pigna</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Peter's Basilica</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The next day, we woke up bright and early to go to Vatican City, which has been a dream of mine forever not only because it is a religious haven, but because it holds so much historical and cultural meaning to the remainder of Italy. Erin and I went through the amazing galleries of the museums, in addition to the Cortile della Pigna, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. I really cannot describe the brilliance of the intricate paintings and sculptures within each of these locales without bringing about some indignity, so I will sum it up by saying everything I ever look at from now on will be ugly and insignificant! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many displays in the Vatican Museums</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Obviously this is an overstatement, but everything definitely loses a bit of its significance when compared to the artwork of the Vatican. Later on, we went to the Pantheon, another masterpiece, as well as several Forums and Piazzas within Rome to get the full Roman experience. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pantheon: don't judge a book by its cover!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ruins of the Roman Forum (Foro Romana)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We somehow managed to find ourselves in yet another Irish pub that night in Rome, but it was karaoke night, so it was justified. On our final day, we visited the Colosseum to take a tour of the structure. Obviously a grand monument, the Colosseum holds more significance when its history is fully known and you are able to understand the importance of the events that occurred there. Rome mostly consisted of sightseeing, which was right up my alley, and everything we saw, did and ate seemed to be the best thing I’ve ever seen, done or eaten until I went on to the next thing!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Colosseum</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Meal: </b>We were referred to this adorable family-run restaurant and were pretty much the only customers they had all night, so we went big. We started off with bruschetta and bread, then I had Chicken Milanese and Spaghetti Pomodoro, finishing off the meal with Tiramisu. Decadent, yes, but absolutely worth it! </span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-12879593721120134892012-11-12T07:45:00.001-08:002012-11-12T07:45:22.621-08:00Midterm Break Part One: The Five Lands<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful Manarola</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I was certainly hesitant to leave this amazing city to travel for midterm break, and I would have never felt that way if I knew what I had in store for me in Italy and Switzerland. I decided to do things a bit differently with this series of posts by adding in my favorite meal from each city because in all seriousness, that’s the most important part of Italy (and Switzerland, believe it or not)! We flew into Pisa, and took trains throughout both countries, landing at Zurich airport to return to London. Traveling was not difficult, and we booked trains as we went along so we could move at our own pace without being either rushed or forced to wait around. Although I love to plan ahead, it was a relief to not have to adhere to any time constraints so we could spend as much or as little time in each location as we wished. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monterosso Coastline</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The week began in Cinque Terre, a series of small coastal towns in the Italian Riviera. I really had no expectations, as I had actually never heard of the area until I arrived in London, so I was open to whatever it had to offer. We arrived late at night, and were greeted with not only a storm, but with a long trek in search of our small hostel through the narrow streets of the sleeping town of Manarola. We finally finding a place to lay our heads, and the next morning we saw that </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">the coast of Manarola was absolutely stunning. A storm came through, stirring the water up onto the rocks and creating a movie-like scene. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Frances of Assissi-I love the colors in this picture!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Unfortunately, the storm came close to the anniversary of the landslide that caused an extraordinary amount of damage to the area last year, and many of the hiking trails meant for tourists were shut down as a result. However, we made our way to another town in Cinque Terre, Monterosso, which provided us with an abbreviated trail up a mountain. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We landed at a hilltop cemetery, which might have creeped others out, but it had a quiet serenity that gave it peace and beauty. The sights were magnificent, as it was quite easy to see each of the towns in Cinque Terre looking over the coast and out to the horizon of the Mediterranean Sea. The view was indescribable, and watching the waves crash onto shore (and even over our train!) was breathtaking. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vernazza Sunset-so breathtaking</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We also went to a third town of Cinque Terre, Vernazza, which hosted less than 1,000 residents and seemed to only contain one street. That street, however, was flooded from the storm, as there was only a slight barrier between the waterline and the shops and walkways that made up the small village. I loved being in Cinque Terre despite the rain, and I truly believe it is an underrated gem of Italy. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Meal: </b>Perfectly cooked gnocchi that would’ve made Grandma proud with a light coating of the most amazing basil pesto I have ever tasted, and a light, fresh mixed seafood salad of calamari, shrimp, clams and mussels with just a bit of oil and lemon. </span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-19084248499267952572012-11-12T07:34:00.003-08:002012-11-12T07:34:44.257-08:00London Time!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It’s strange to think that I’m more than halfway done with my time in London, and I must say that although I initially panicked thinking of everything I still want to accomplish here, I think of all that I have already done and it all seems much more manageable. I don’t </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>have </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">to do everything, but I will try and I am content knowing that anything I do here will have given me a unique experience. This past week I began my internship at The Children’s Society, helping out with the Media Team on PR, campaigns and doing the remedial tasks you’d expect an intern to do, although they’ve given me a bit more responsibility than I would have thought, which I welcome completely! I have really been enjoying my time there, and the work is challenging, yet manageable. I only hope that I am able to become a vital aspect to the organization, or at least the media department, so I can actually contribute something to a great cause. I’m thrilled to be working at TCS and I can’t wait to see what else I can do there! In extracurricular news, I have been doing a bit of London tourism, finally making it to Westminster Abbey, although I never went inside (does that count?). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I also went to both the London Aquarium and the Science Museum, which were informative and fun in their own right. I also went to Greenwich with my class to see the Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House and the Old Royal Naval College. Each was historically and architecturally bewildering, and I couldn’t believe I was in such an important place. However, my favorite part of Greenwich was the Prime Meridian. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Although it’s just a simple line in the ground, it represents the separation of the eastern and western hemispheres, and absolute zero longitude. How exciting….to me it is! Greenwich is a gorgeous place, I just hope I can make it to the market soon...yum!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Queen's House at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Prime Meridian: the establishment of time and longitude!</td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-54347857001200427182012-10-22T13:27:00.003-07:002012-10-22T13:27:57.441-07:00A Quintessential Brit<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classy ladies before the Races (Photo Credit: Courtney Cooper)</td></tr>
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It's official: I have made the transformation into a true Londoner! The events of this past week or so have given me a genuine British experience, and the only distinguishing factor between me and a Brit is the accent. Maybe that's exaggerating a bit, but I really have been living the British life in every way. Last weekend, I went with a few friends to the Newmarket horse races near Cambridge, and it was certainly an adventure. No, we were not in our "smart" dresses and sun hats, but we did get a taste of the horse racing culture. Betting is completely legal here, so there were several stands to make wages, although I stayed far, far away for the sake of my bank account and my dignity. Although I was completely oblivious to the way the races worked, the atmosphere at the track was enough to keep my enthusiasm, and I ended up having a blast. The only problem was that I lost my beloved camera, which is why there are no pictures of the races on this post-I don't want to talk about it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The architecture of Parliament is magnificent!</td></tr>
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The transition doesn't stop there. I have been to the Houses of Parliament several times, either on class tours or on my own, but I had a very unique experience there last Friday. My British Politics class arrived at the House of Commons, dreading the same tour we had already been on with the same boring facts we had already heard, but we were proven wrong upon entrance into the House. We were able to sit in the viewing gallery while the House was in session to observe the members debate policies and bills. This might not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, and that's because you're thinking of stuffy old American politics. The English do things much differently, passionately shouting at one another in argument, with even the Speaker serving personal blows to various members, almost making fun of them. The experience was more entertainment than information, but I still learned a lot about the way the British political system functions.<br />
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Speaking of politics, I finally received my absentee ballot after several weeks of waiting, and I promptly filled it out and sent it to my local Board of Elections! I was so excited to have the chance to vote in a federal election, and may the best man win (I'll leave it at that). But just because I voted in an American election does not mean I am stepping away from becoming a true Brit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBpRk0pXjdrGP5PrYxV8-Cwqq6jHdMQLEgYjsskYHCfJICiw5eeuUapS2hE0BrPEOaGIwl1JJZVcWswrjMF6p2v1OXLj2zP1hAK4DmRGeGce60VevDybb58hSbFtpgV9NuO2eRRXmOOve/s1600/602500_10151138508608401_1809294794_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBpRk0pXjdrGP5PrYxV8-Cwqq6jHdMQLEgYjsskYHCfJICiw5eeuUapS2hE0BrPEOaGIwl1JJZVcWswrjMF6p2v1OXLj2zP1hAK4DmRGeGce60VevDybb58hSbFtpgV9NuO2eRRXmOOve/s320/602500_10151138508608401_1809294794_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erin and Me getting into the Fulham v. Aston Villa game<br />(Photo Credit: Jen Mammel)</td></tr>
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I am definitely not a huge soccer fan, but I figured I would have to attend a British "football" game just to say I went, so I went to the Fulham v. Aston Villa game this past weekend. Despite the fact that I had no idea what was going on (can you tell I am not into sports?), I still had a great time. As the passion and enthusiasm in the stadium was reminiscent of American football fans, and was completely infectious. I'm not even sure who I was supposed to be rooting for, but Fulham scored one point in the final minutes and ultimately came out as victor, so I'll just say I was rooting for them!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Olympic Village-which room is Michael Phelps'?</td></tr>
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Finally, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go on an Olympic Walking Tour around London's Olympic Park. The Park was purposely placed in an area desperate for economic assistance, and it was quite obvious why they chose the location they did. We walked along several arenas, viewing the Aquatic Center, basketball stadium, Olympic Village and other structures built specifically for the Games. Our guide was focused on the sustainable features of the Olympics, which was quite impressive on London's part, as the city created collapsable structures that would make way for new residential areas to improve the economic status of that part of the city. Although we were unable to go inside any of the arenas, it was amazing being able to be in the middle of what was once bustling with Olympians and fans from all around the world.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic view from the Viewing Gallery at Westfields Mall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westfields: the largest mall in Europe/Mall of Dreams</td></tr>
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<br />Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-80388984796167738672012-10-09T09:49:00.004-07:002012-10-09T09:49:39.807-07:00La Ciudad de mis Sueños: Barcelona<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Barcelona: the most magical place on earth. I must have some sort of Spanish ancestry, because Barcelona seemed strangely familiar in a comforting way. I was enamored by the people, the sights and the FOOD, and I was deeply upset by our departure after a few short days. Everyone is always in a good mood, constantly talking and singing and just trying to experience life to the fullest. I admire the Barcelonians (is that what you call people from Barcelona?) and their spunk, and I hope to return as soon as possible. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hostel looking toward la Sagrada Familia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Sagrada Familia</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our travels went smoothly, and upon arrival, Erin and I split from Courtney and Allie to check into our hostel. Let me say a word about hostels: they are VERY basic and are not just “hotel” with a random “s” in the middle. We got one fitted sheet, one bed sheet, a pillow and a set of keys to stay in a room with four other girls. I was relieved that the other roommates weren’t too odd and I wouldn’t exactly say the hostel was the ideal living situation, but when you need to save money, that’s about the best you can do! The best part about the hostel was that it was just a short walk away from la Sagrada Familia, a </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">beautiful</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> museum that we absolutely could not get into because museum entrance is free on the first weekend of every month! It was a bummer that we couldn’t go inside, but we refused to spend a day in Barcelona waiting on a block-long line.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Luna-so good!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On another note, on our first night, we went to dinner at La Luna with some Elon girls doing their semester abroad in Barcelona. The food was delicious, the atmosphere of the restaurant was great and the Sangria was out of this world. Continuing on in the night, we detached from the other Elon girls to go to a club called Opium, which was possibly the most fun I’ve had since being abroad. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IMiXf7kiG8sVl9XcJpTzK2jgcIhYkVId-idgXs9QNmiktLAyaFgFA6j_W6MnQdQtz4gbz_YuwUDyP22X9oGQEE1qp7bbgI9iDKyZnkdi8FHV5SFzSIkQrsD2TJuOUSn4YedijravUIVV/s1600/DSC01951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IMiXf7kiG8sVl9XcJpTzK2jgcIhYkVId-idgXs9QNmiktLAyaFgFA6j_W6MnQdQtz4gbz_YuwUDyP22X9oGQEE1qp7bbgI9iDKyZnkdi8FHV5SFzSIkQrsD2TJuOUSn4YedijravUIVV/s320/DSC01951.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street view of Catalunya from our bus tour</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our first full day consisted of a scrumptious brunch, shopping around and the longest bus tour you will ever encounter. We thought we would be able to go on all three routes around Barcelona within a few hours, but we only ended up taking one because it literally took up our entire afternoon!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many streets we ventured down!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That night we went to dinner yet again, where the true cultivation of cultures occurred. We were a bunch of Americans traveling from London at an Irish pub, ordering British food (fish and chips-yum!), in Spain (hey, I think it’s funny). A man came up to our table just to chat, and I couldn’t help but think I knew him from somewhere, he just looked unbelievably familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then someone realized it was Tyler Hoechlin from “Teen Wolf” on MTV, so, we hung out with a celebrity all night as we went to several bars and clubs, which was the coolest. Let’s just say that the nightlife of Barcelona far surpasses that of London in terms of partying, although I can’t decide which I like better at this point.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaudi Park-no words!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sunday in Barcelona was interesting, as we had to check out with our huge bags by 11 a.m. We carried them around with us to Gaudi Park, a gorgeous venue not far from the hostel. We trekked up the beautiful trails of the Park to the highest point, where we got a breathtaking sight of much of the city. Gaudi was the most uniquely beautiful place, and although the hike to the top was rough, it was well worth the view. Erin and I then went along the coast at Catalunya, taking in the port full of sailboats and yachts, exploring the obscure little alleyways and shops along them and adoring the beach. The day ended perfectly with churros and a performance by a street band, Made in Barcelona, with the most energetic vibe that was contagious and left us with a little bit of a beat as we sat on our plane to come back to good old London. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The port at Catalunya</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officially my favorite band in the world</td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-33205506742287723932012-10-09T08:59:00.003-07:002012-10-09T09:52:43.470-07:00A Beautiful Day Discovering Bath and Stonehenge!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stonehenge is so majestic birds fly out of it</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the same weekend my suitemates abandoned me, I decided to go to the city of Bath and Stonehenge on a trip facilitated by FIE. It was quite a trek to get to Stonehenge, our first stop, but our tour guide made it interesting enough. We were able to walk around Stonehenge at our own pace, and the sight was certainly breathtaking. There really isn’t much to it, as it’s merely a bunch of stones set up in a way that makes it seem symbolic in a way. The audio tour was informative and made me realize the significance of the structures, but I couldn’t help feeling as though I was just staring at rocks a bit too deeply. Regardless, it was nice to be able to say I went to Stonehenge!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great view of the city of Bath</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bath was the next stop, and I absolutely fell in love. Coupled with the aesthetically-pleasing aspects of the city, the culture and history was rich enough to keep me occupied for days. The architecture was stunning, and supplemented the natural pieces of the city including rivers and plants and trees that spanned throughout the city. After touring around for a short period of time, even stopping at the massive Royal Crescent, we made our way to the Roman Baths Museum. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Crescent: too massive to get in one shot!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was so amazing being able to see how culturally diverse the city is as a result of Roman influence, and I even got to feel the warm Bath water, which was kind of gross but fun nonetheless. We had a great lunch in the city, and shopped around to get souvenirs and what not before hopping on the bus for the long ride home. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Roman Baths</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have to say, Bath was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, as it has the perfect combination of city and countryside. Although Jane Austen is noted in expressing her deep hatred for the city, I can’t say I agree with her because Bath is simply that impressive!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stunning English countryside (Wales is far in the distance)</td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-85612594607686811582012-10-09T05:42:00.003-07:002012-10-09T09:53:42.008-07:00Did You Miss Me? Catching Up<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It’s been quite a while since my last post, which has largely been due to the immense amounts of schoolwork I’ve had, as well as just staying busy in London! When I was planning on going abroad, most people told me this would be a laid-back, joke of a semester. I came in confident that I would be able to do well with little effort, but my confidence has been completely demolished. Since there is an internship component to the semester here in London, my teachers have been trying to cram in as many assignments as possible before the short semester ends. While I understand their urgency and of course I do the assignments, it is a bit frustrating knowing that I could be out exploring a foreign country, but instead I’m writing extensive reports and reading countless pages for hours on end. I do believe that everything my teachers assign is enhancing to the London experience, and I hope the workload lightens up a bit so I can be a true tourist!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A view including the London Eye from Parliament-no schoolwork involved!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Last weekend (September 28-29), every single one of my suitemates went out of town except for me! Erin, Liz and Jane were the second group off to Oktoberfest, and Courtney and Allie had to attend a class trip to Stratford-on-Avon, so I was left to my own devices. I filled up my lonely weekend first by helping my professor, Dr. Layne, as she hosted an Elon table at the USA College Day London at Kensington Town Hall. It was basically a huge college fair for Londoners looking to study in the United States. I was surprised to see how many students showed up, more at the volume of knowledge each possessed about American schools. I would never have gone to one of these fairs while searching for colleges simply because I could never imagine experiencing my entire college career that far from home! In any matter, I loved hearing all of the interesting things the students and their families had to say. They were all so eager to listen to what we had to say about our university, and I really enjoyed sharing everything I love about Elon. It definitely made me miss Elon, but I love London so much and I know I have a year-and-a-half left there once I return, so I’m certainly not rushing back! </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkTMLXoaAp_D5Rrp9Ww7IuWZLvEvKtuRw3mEqN8aXIoha655FH_ByGCoJYcoVafO6pNJETU_QiGMip1qZM36Kuf4v6BeUzCeMeQ6h7tUCNFHIUQqGfpn-pqIiwTnfiHZqC2GK0H_GNfLU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkTMLXoaAp_D5Rrp9Ww7IuWZLvEvKtuRw3mEqN8aXIoha655FH_ByGCoJYcoVafO6pNJETU_QiGMip1qZM36Kuf4v6BeUzCeMeQ6h7tUCNFHIUQqGfpn-pqIiwTnfiHZqC2GK0H_GNfLU/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mary Kate and me at College Day (Photo Credit: Dr. Prudence Layne)</span></span></td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-33269697730345574012012-09-23T15:09:00.001-07:002012-09-23T15:10:00.342-07:00Auf Wiedersehen, Oktoberfest!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbapZJpV85dg5_V5qx-Gek_3ubkl72zt6w5CHhMlixdpjy2rzTjuB2goQuoTV0pBgeFc1aU9sKmnZz1O_Q7hYYOmWeZd3Ha3n1WRTW7z2wyaBOdsaijxqgz5C6ufx4OcxLSiuIZyNDKO7G/s1600/DSC01090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbapZJpV85dg5_V5qx-Gek_3ubkl72zt6w5CHhMlixdpjy2rzTjuB2goQuoTV0pBgeFc1aU9sKmnZz1O_Q7hYYOmWeZd3Ha3n1WRTW7z2wyaBOdsaijxqgz5C6ufx4OcxLSiuIZyNDKO7G/s320/DSC01090.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Oktoberfest early in the morning!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>After a lot of planning and organizing, Oktoberfest was certainly a success! We arrived in Munich, and wandered for a bit before grabbing something to eat and heading to our (surprisingly nice) hotel. We made our way to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Oktoberfest early in the morning, only to find they wouldn’t serve us beer until noon! Unfortunately, it started raining at about 10:30 a.m., and the majority of us were soaked through and through. I was amazed by the fact that most people simply ignored the rain and kept on enjoying themselves. We attempted to adopt the German attitude of “rain or shine,” and although we found it difficult, we powered through. It was an absolute struggle to get inside one of the world-famous tents, so we settled for the patio, which was equally entertaining. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOswMi1ABiOT8GMC4n9Q8T066yWTknIJxp4x0shn_hbeNARjzqBVV-N66fNIG5HmZ3-HTLTMpNUgY_lyh0-dI1sa7ffv8fF9YeavYF3dghQfGvKpV-93NhGgstTLxchdUQMsI8Y8IcQ87k/s1600/DSC01101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOswMi1ABiOT8GMC4n9Q8T066yWTknIJxp4x0shn_hbeNARjzqBVV-N66fNIG5HmZ3-HTLTMpNUgY_lyh0-dI1sa7ffv8fF9YeavYF3dghQfGvKpV-93NhGgstTLxchdUQMsI8Y8IcQ87k/s320/DSC01101.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Head-size pretzels-YUM!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We drank the massive mugs of delicious beer, had bratwurst and sauerkraut and giant pretzels, and all-around, we did as the Germans did. We definitely met some interesting characters, those we enjoyed and those we just wanted to get away from. It was wet and cold and we were outside the whole time, and we only got to stay for about 24 hours. Alternatively, we encountered some of the warmest individuals who just wanted to have a good time regardless of the conditions. The richness of our Oktoberfest experience was well worth the money and long traveling hours, and it was one of the most memorable events I have been a part of. I only hope I can return, but next time, I’m going all out and wearing traditional garb so I can fit in with the locals! </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2zLpuuX4N7NwKx1xmpM-6p7RXMnSeg-jJnqYR73zx6CCF9T8_ZLE8XCT2HaloiP51amDDDTmj6NDVPB6deRhMBy8k9ybLmESG2kC2vIL_0uUAORI0SrOv_2YQhIYmOiwArHwETJdMNnk/s1600/DSC01117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2zLpuuX4N7NwKx1xmpM-6p7RXMnSeg-jJnqYR73zx6CCF9T8_ZLE8XCT2HaloiP51amDDDTmj6NDVPB6deRhMBy8k9ybLmESG2kC2vIL_0uUAORI0SrOv_2YQhIYmOiwArHwETJdMNnk/s320/DSC01117.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The gang's all here</span></span></td></tr>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-6099733981247980912012-09-20T13:30:00.001-07:002012-09-20T13:30:32.402-07:00Fashion Week, Tower of London and Traveling!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8Xmrmz2_tdtPOAfOAGqBmgBiDva96yScbe_drr4a56KrWC1_qh4cZapRG9MVM8UASg5goIdC8ekpNqfcllj35ll1eyWo_uUSJU9iUs0U2hFNJchJB8Wp0c8Gvhf2ZZy93oED0fDykR9s/s1600/DSC00935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8Xmrmz2_tdtPOAfOAGqBmgBiDva96yScbe_drr4a56KrWC1_qh4cZapRG9MVM8UASg5goIdC8ekpNqfcllj35ll1eyWo_uUSJU9iUs0U2hFNJchJB8Wp0c8Gvhf2ZZy93oED0fDykR9s/s320/DSC00935.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London Fashion Week 2012!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Courtney and I decided to be posers earlier this week and check out Somerset House, the venue for London Fashion Week. We arrived thinking we would be stopped at the door, denied entry into the exclusive event, but we got further than we expected! Not that we were able to get into any shows or displays, but we did get to walk amongst some, I guess you could say </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">trendy</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, individuals. Although we didn’t really see much besides several gatherings of photographers and their subjects, it was still really cool to see at least a piece of the annual event! </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoSnblmPdzzYlx7gIHOEUJKTpbkXM5Jq0m4nAfVL14rIsbzed1e57U1vVv7Is3isI1eR8_1Nvhb00cVCyGZEm5tapBD8rbrJK7c2L2OdwFPH_nhwM8eohqbZw_s5uRQatADdfNmNx9Oh_/s1600/DSC00953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoSnblmPdzzYlx7gIHOEUJKTpbkXM5Jq0m4nAfVL14rIsbzed1e57U1vVv7Is3isI1eR8_1Nvhb00cVCyGZEm5tapBD8rbrJK7c2L2OdwFPH_nhwM8eohqbZw_s5uRQatADdfNmNx9Oh_/s320/DSC00953.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fashionistas at LFW</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCtOSDzUwazfHyxZzxhioxriPJu_3I893oF2MXNpbdWnRwJvXZkV_l3BC8cfOgowPDsp1zjGCFgQMSGSUoi6aK09HfYErCHYwnM9aHZwX9jcwy3RN24arg8lpsb1i5yBieSH8xh50NhCM/s1600/DSC00992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCtOSDzUwazfHyxZzxhioxriPJu_3I893oF2MXNpbdWnRwJvXZkV_l3BC8cfOgowPDsp1zjGCFgQMSGSUoi6aK09HfYErCHYwnM9aHZwX9jcwy3RN24arg8lpsb1i5yBieSH8xh50NhCM/s320/DSC00992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The White Tower and surrounding buildings</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have been somewhat stressed out with work this week, so I decided to take a break today to sightsee on my day off. Erin and I went to the Tower of London, and my expectations of just another informational tour were reversed when we were greeted by one of the most cheerful tour guides I have ever encountered. He brought us to several locations on the Tower grounds, joking and storytelling all along. What would have otherwise been a gruesome story (the Tower was used for many executions centuries ago) was made enjoyable by this knowledgable tour guide. We took our photos and went through the Crown Jewels exhibition, which was absolutely stunning, and as we were making our way out of the grounds, we saw a small group of medievally-dressed people who we though were simply enthusiasts of the time of interest. We walked past them until they began insisting we attend their play, just down the walkway. They joined the rest of their cast to perform “Colonel Blood and the Raven,” an hour-long play about the Great Plague and subsequent fire, and the theft of the Crown Jewels. Not only was it a historical re-enactment, but it was interactive with the audience, making it one of the most entertaining performances I have ever seen. I admire the cast’s improvisational and comedic talent, and I’m so glad they intercepted us! </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3VVbrM17erJxquReAVLdmIklq-0PmIPEcKslrhRb3ZMG-k-fF1gXZxGwxM0vynnlQLZAfovREvGieNQYqfokiXsNMBUhvC3mPjZUvDfXD0cDCjxfNOzTLGxzmjxJnSmYiGl6DNbWcLyV/s1600/DSC01020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3VVbrM17erJxquReAVLdmIklq-0PmIPEcKslrhRb3ZMG-k-fF1gXZxGwxM0vynnlQLZAfovREvGieNQYqfokiXsNMBUhvC3mPjZUvDfXD0cDCjxfNOzTLGxzmjxJnSmYiGl6DNbWcLyV/s320/DSC01020.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and one of the players-too funny!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0u53xTeZVENna2FZp_e2fvyDUgSzjQ5ShsmVGbOfTBdrPGjTkrxowFAN0iSIWESqa-4ZtjClHTlbF0guI7bY5sPo8eeinUsZKZ_Rod1M0K7Zh7IhMSqNXfQ23Fx_sSMjXxGEPi7YjVUN/s1600/DSC01031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0u53xTeZVENna2FZp_e2fvyDUgSzjQ5ShsmVGbOfTBdrPGjTkrxowFAN0iSIWESqa-4ZtjClHTlbF0guI7bY5sPo8eeinUsZKZ_Rod1M0K7Zh7IhMSqNXfQ23Fx_sSMjXxGEPi7YjVUN/s320/DSC01031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fantastic cast of Colonel Blood and the Raven</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Oktoberfest is so close yet so far away! All arrangements have been made to travel to Munich tomorrow afternoon and back to London on Sunday, and I couldn’t be more excited. I will definitely miss London and I almost feel guilty leaving for an entire weekend, but I'm off to have FUN and I'll be back to my new home in no time. I just pray everything will go smoothly with our transportation so we can relax and enjoy the festivities! Traveling always makes me a bit nervous, but I know we will all be safe and sound on this trip. Wish me luck on my travels!</span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-37281728849059074512012-09-17T12:41:00.001-07:002012-09-17T12:41:19.459-07:00There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classy at the Bluebird Cafe</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had such an amazing first week in London, and this weekend was a great follow-up. My flatmates and I went to a beautiful late lunch at the Bluebird Cafe in Chelsea. We shopped around in the posh borough, and that night we decided to go to a Steve Aoki show at a club relatively close to our residence. We couldn’t wait to see his performance, and then we learned he wouldn’t go on until 2:30 a.m. Thinking we could just be troopers, we waited it out, and then were bombarded by the intense mosh pit, which prompted us to leave immediately!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's that river again!<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am on my second week of classes here in London, and I still have not figured out how intense this semester will be. During orientation, we were told that this would not be a free pass simply because we were in a foreign country, and in fact we would have to work harder because we would have to adapt to the teaching style of our new professors. I have yet to see a significant difference between my Elon professors and my London professors, which might not be fair to say since I have only attended a few classes thus far. Today, I went with my Traveling Through Time Along the Thames class to walk from London Bridge to the Blackfriars Bridge on a guided tour. I love that my teacher decided to take us out of the classroom and into a setting where we could sightsee around the city, but also learn the rich history behind it. Needless to say, I loved the tour and our informative guide. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus line on London Bridge looking toward St. Paul's Cathedral</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I first saw my class schedule, I was furious because I did not have Friday free, meaning I wouldn’t be able to go off to Europe every weekend. However, I did take something positive out of it. Staying in London on the weekends means I get to truly experience the city by living in it, rather than frequenting it. I would never be able to wander off in the streets of London for an entire day. I would never take the time to find the corner coffee shops and obscure tours such as the Beatles walk because I would be too concerned with trying to see what </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">else </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was out there. I would love to go into Europe to visit all of the fabulous cities and be the tourist I was born to be, but first I would like to become a resident of London, understanding the city from the inside out before I try to understand whatever else is out there. Every day, I try to go on a walk to some place or some street I’ve never been to just so I cover as much as possible. Even if I am able to find a hidden park bench or a new cafe, I consider it a success. Hopefully going on these little walks will provide me with a good perception of where I am in London. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I did manage to book Oktoberfest, and I’ll be leaving this Friday, arriving back here Sunday! I am beyond excited for the pretzels, beer and good company awaiting me in Germany. It will be interesting to be in a non-English-speaking country, and hopefully I don’t get too lost. I am definitely nervous about traveling and making sure everything is in order, so wish me luck on my endeavors! </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-547616946925231002012-09-13T10:52:00.002-07:002012-09-13T11:05:57.540-07:00Understanding London<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me standing awkwardly in the back of the Palace in the Garden!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today is a good day. After days of procrastination and several booking cancellations/miscommunications by unreliable “cheap flight” websites, Oktoberfest is booked! This may not seem like a great feat, but for someone who loves planning and organizing well in advance, this was a huge relief for me. I’m sure it was also a relief for my travel-mates, but let’s be real, isn’t my happiness the most important thing here? Kidding, of course, but I am happy that we have a trip set in stone and can explore another part of Europe in an entertaining way. (Note to readers: do NOT use fly.co.uk-big problems for everyone involved). </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To add to the greatest of today, Erin, Allie and I went to Buckingham Palace to enjoy a tour of the State Rooms and the special exhibition, Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration. In case you found the title hard to read, this was a commemoration of the Queen’s 60th year as monarch and thus, her Diamond Jubilee. The exhibition itself had many beautiful pieces, including brooches, necklaces, swords, crowns and other items used in some manner by past British monarchs. Each piece was breathtaking, and some even looked fake simply because they were so extravagant. I loved walking through the exhibition and seeing how each piece holds an important place in history. I also adored the remainder of the tour, through the many State Rooms in the Palace. Every carpet, every piece of furniture, vase, plate, the wallpaper, chairs and mirrors, among other objects, brought a unique sense of beauty and creativity to the Palace decor. Nothing was present by accident, and every single thing had a deep meaning and value that brought it through the Palace doors. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I took my time through the self-guided audio tour, allowing myself to take in the entirety and majesty of the State Rooms and exhibition. I tried to read every plaque and label to allow myself to understand each piece and the significance of each room. My favorites were the Picture Gallery, where I spent an extended period of time learning about each masterpiece; the White Drawing Room, which was full of gold and white detail on every wall, chair, couch and molding; and of course, the State Dining Room, which had the most beautiful colors and detail present. I was absolutely taken aback by its beauty. I loved the tour, but the only thing missing was the Queen. I know she’s busy, but I know I’ll meet her someday (or at least see her from a short distance)! The Queen does a lot more than the common American might think, but it is important to respect her and admire her for her dedication to the area she rules. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Another reason this was a good day is because I am finally starting to feel settled. I mentioned that I am directionally-challenged, and while that still holds true, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">very </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">true, I am managing it. I forced myself to go on a few walks by myself to familiarize myself with the area and with the Underground, and I feel I’m finally getting the hang of it. My lack of disorientation is allowing me to take the guesswork and stress out of the equation so I can just </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">go</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and see what I want to see without getting lost in this beautiful, yet intensely complex city. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> OKAY I know this a long post, but I just had to add one more thing! On our first day of orientation, we received tickets to a play called <i>The 39 Steps</i> at the Criterion Theatre. At first, I thought, "Gee, thanks. Some cheap show to throw on the new kids." But I figured I'd go, it was free, after all. None of my roommates were going to last night's showing, so I jumped in with some other people in my building. Let me just tell you: this was one of the most entertaining and talented casts I have ever witnessed. I've seen a <i>ton </i>of shows on and off-Broadway, and the adaptability and versatility of the four cast members playing dozens of parts was delightful.</span></span></span></div>
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Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-91965833875309918362012-09-11T05:50:00.000-07:002012-09-11T08:26:50.874-07:00September 11th in London<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 were unimaginable, terrifying and completely unnecessary. They changed the way we view the world and how we act toward one another. While the intention of these attacks was perhaps to tear us all apart, instead we were brought together. For the past eleven years, there has always been a sense of dread and gloom present on the 11th, and today is no different. In fact, the dread seems magnified. I am in a foreign country, of course, and the lack of emphasis being placed on remembrance has me feeling guilty. Now, obviously I can’t expect foreigners to take time out of their day to remember something that occurred thousands of miles away, but it doesn’t make it any more understandable. In my new class, British Culture & Visual Media, we spoke about the lack of a British “National Day,” noting the significance and recognition of the Fourth of July in the U.S. While several classmates mentioned the fact that it was because it indicated a monumental event and was an obvious choice for a U.S. “National Day,” I believe it has been so successful and has remained this long simply because as Americans, we adore our country and are generally proud of our nationality. There are so many aspects of the U.K. I love, so many things I wish U.S. citizens would adopt, but then again, I could never imagine myself being anything other than a proud American. With this, I thank all of the heroes involved in 9/11 and all of those who fought to maintain our magnificent freedom. God Bless America! </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-19533728169837905002012-09-10T13:00:00.003-07:002012-09-10T13:17:09.144-07:00Every Nook and Cranny<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Tower Bridge at night!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yesterday was one of the best days I have experienced in London thus far. My roommates and I went to the River Thames for the Thames’ Festival and Erin’s birthday, and spent the entire day visiting vendors, taking pictures and finishing off with the Night Carnival and a great fireworks show. It was a magnificent day with great friends, food and entertainment, and I am absolutely delighted that the City of London would provide such an amazing event at a gorgeous locale. It was a fantastic last night before beginning classes today, might I add. I am taking three classes, including one Elon-only general studies course called Traveling Through Time Along the Thames, British Politics, and British Culture and Visual Media. I’ve only been to the Elon GST, which seems unbelievable so far, but the other courses seem extremely interesting and unique and I know I’ll love them. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As part of the summer-to-fall transition, the sun seems to be receding to make way for that notorious London weather, as there has been a quick turnaround from warm and sunny to cool and cloudy. Not that I am complaining, as this creates optimal walking weather, meaning I can move quickly and comfortably to all of the sights I'd like to see within my local area. I went with a couple of my roommates for a walk through Kensington Gardens, and found beautiful spots that would have remained undiscovered had we not made a few wrong turns in search of the Peter Pan statue located at Hyde Park. We never did find Peter Pan, but we were certainly not disappointed by what we did find. That’s something I have learned about London: you may have a plan to go to one location, but there are countless branches and aspects to that one particular place that are nearly impossible to cover in a single visit. For example, if you decide to go to Buckingham Palace, you would probably expect to simply go through a few rooms and leave satisfied having visited a prestigious and famous venue. However, you may not realize that there are dozens of galleries, exhibits and separate galleries and exhibits within those. You simply need to remember that you will see what you came to see, and if there’s more, you can see it later on. That’s all there is to it! My adviser at Elon told me to go to London and just get lost. At first, I thought, “Are you crazy?! I’ll be in a foreign country!” But now I see what she meant. Getting lost means finding places you would never think about, and stumbling upon cute little cafes, bars, shops and markets allows you to see where the locals like to go to relax and enjoy themselves, and discovering these leads to discovering where the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">true </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">culture and personality of a city lies. </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-44492887913989745102012-09-08T09:11:00.002-07:002012-09-10T13:16:09.571-07:00Tourist Day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPegGl4K5wnv1hzUBYR-BU-sgqnb2PAvvCs3ZhA1DhSRD3_mrOb76wUKgPEcy60Pkz9UTBZg8QhqOj8heujLYROCRk-Ir84_EDudU6rAkXcKaRQuUffQND7ijuCbah6bsR8IXKULIcaNH/s1600/281986_10151140899015912_456447185_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPegGl4K5wnv1hzUBYR-BU-sgqnb2PAvvCs3ZhA1DhSRD3_mrOb76wUKgPEcy60Pkz9UTBZg8QhqOj8heujLYROCRk-Ir84_EDudU6rAkXcKaRQuUffQND7ijuCbah6bsR8IXKULIcaNH/s320/281986_10151140899015912_456447185_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will and Kate need to move in ASAP!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So yesterday I caught myself thinking “Oh my God! I haven’t seen Buckingham Palace! I haven’t had fish and chips! I am here and getting nothing out of this experience!” Then I realized, I haven’t even been here for 48 hours, there is </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">more </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">than enough time to do all of those things, more than enough opportunities to experience London to the fullest. At our general orientation, I was reminded that we are taking classes and just so happen to be in London, not the other way around. This is meant to be a place for me to study and expand my knowledge academically, and learn about this city along the way. Of course, I do have high expectations for this semester and I want to see every single tourist attraction, go to every pub, restaurant and bar, meeting all kinds of people from all walks of life. However, I need to listen to my initial motto, to take things slow and fully experience one thing before moving onto another. I mean, I haven’t even begun classes yet, how can I expect to have already seen everything London has to offer? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Well, today I went on two fabulous tours, one walking through Kensington, my local residence, and one driving through the entirety of London. While I must say, these tours did make my heart skip a beat, as I actually got a full view of all of the places I need to go to, but they also gave me a bit of reassurance and peace of mind. I saw how much there was for me to see, but putting it all in perspective, it didn’t seem that overwhelming. Not to say that traveling through London would be a chore, but it is nice to know that London is manageable and that I will be able to tackle each and every thing as long as I organize myself and stay committed to my plans while still staying on top of my schoolwork, my number one priority, and saving money, my number two. Regardless, seeing all of the beautiful and historical pieces of London just reminded me how privileged I am to be living in a foreign city (in one of the poshest areas, mind you!), and studying with an amazing program. I can only imagine what’s in store for me after these busy couple of days, but I’m so excited to get started! </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-83701797547063899752012-09-06T14:39:00.000-07:002012-09-10T13:17:55.239-07:00Cheerio, London! (Nobody says 'Cheerio' anymore...)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The street view from right outside my window!<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At last-I am here in beautiful London! After much stress and worry, I somehow managed to get myself organized and ready to travel overseas to work and study. My family put up with my demands so that I could have a smooth trip, and I will be forever grateful to them for making my life that much easier. They sent me on my way, and I met up with the rest of the Elon Londoners taking the group flight, which was definitely a relief when I saw some familiar faces. Post-flight, we boarded a coach bus complete with an informative and entertaining guide that gave us some tips about London life. The absolute BEST part of my arrival was seeing the MASSIVE flat I now share with three awesome people, Courtney, Erin and Allie. We have our own bathroom (thank you God!) and we have access to a full kitchen (DOUBLE THANK YOU)-glorious! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It’s strange, I’ve been here in London for less than 24 hours, but I feel like I’ve lived here my entire life, of course, minus the whole getting-lost-because-I’m-directionally-challenged-in-unfamiliar-areas part! It is more than I could ever ask for, and it brings a certain comfortability and relaxation to my mind. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I always dreamed about city life, but with New York as my foundation to what cities are like, I could never see myself actually living that lifestyle. However, London brings a particular sense of class and beauty that removes it completely from my preconceived definition of metropolitan. Everyone moves quickly, yet effortlessly, which brings the perfect balance of efficiency and grace we all strive for. I have only encountered citizens of London in the various shops I have entered since my arrival, as well as several FIE staff members, and each and every individual was so warm and welcoming, as if they were truly happy to see you in their great city, and who doesn’t want someone to be happy to see them? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The reality has yet to set in that I will be seeing these people regularly for the next four months, that I will be living in a magnificent residence in a magnificent borough, that I will be able to say I have both lived and worked in a foreign country. In this short time, London has already changed my global and local outlooks, as well as my general views on life, and I am eager, rather antsy, in fact, to continue changing. </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-85130676098189546422012-09-05T06:33:00.000-07:002012-09-05T06:33:15.264-07:00I See London!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today is the day! After months of mental and physical preparation, I am FINALLY moving to London for the fall semester. I feel that I am missing something, since all of my friends have already departed to their respective schools and most other fall study abroad programs have commenced, but I know this will be well worth the wait. I can’t say I’m excited about leaving my family and friends, both at home and at Elon, behind, but let’s face it, deciding to study in London was perhaps the greatest decision I have made in my short life. I’m anxious to see where I’m living, who will be in my classes and how classes will differ from those at Elon. There is no place I would rather be traveling to at this point in my life, and I am so grateful that I am able to participate in such an amazing program. My outfit is carefully selected and laid on my bed, my clothes and other essentials are packed (tightly!) my passport is in hand ready to be presented to Customs. Again, I am feeling that mix of anxiety and elation, but for some reason it is now largely subdued. Of course these feelings haven’t disappeared, I </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">am </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">moving across an ocean, but I feel that I’m in the right place, comfortable with where I am. I have never had so little concern or hesitation about anything I’ve ever done, so I know this will be the most memorable experience of my life. On an informal note, I find myself ruminating on the most trivial pieces of this trip. Instead of thinking, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“What if the airline loses my bags?” </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">or </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“I hope my flight doesn’t get delayed,” </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I’m thinking, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“How much free food will I get on my flight?”</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> I’m just taking this journey one step at a time, and I am sure London will bring nothing but positivity! </span></span></span></div>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792987089230467634.post-43471662877689451632012-09-03T22:17:00.002-07:002012-09-03T22:21:26.971-07:00"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list," Susan Sontag<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It has been several months since I first learned of my acceptance into the Elon Centre Abroad in London, England, and I must say I never dreamed it would ever be this close. I have spent the summer working endless hours lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons, trying to achieve the optimal tan and relaxing with my friends and family. But perhaps the largest amount of time has been devoted to learning about the city of London and delving into its rich, diverse culture, its history and its people. I have never been to Europe, or any other country outside the United States, so it might be safe to say that I have been quite guarded against the vast world I have not had the chance to explore. There no words to describe the gradient of emotions I have experienced, ranging from intense anxiety when I thought I would never receive my U.K. Visa in the mail, to immense happiness and excitement when I started to think about the opportunities that lie ahead in London. I find it overwhelming when I think about all of the sites, museums, cities, people, landmarks, etc. that I absolutely MUST pack in the time period between my arrival in London and my departure at the commencement of the study abroad program. However, I have no doubt that any experience will be a new and exciting one, so while getting everything in would be ideal, I refuse to miss out on something because I am too eager to move on to the next thing on my agenda. With this, I am making it my goal to take everything in, using each new experience, each new obstacle that might come with cultural change, as an opportunity to increase my knowledge and improve myself.</span></blockquote>
Molly Weingartenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707448213032382496noreply@blogger.com0