This is a picture of the first morning I woke up. It is a view from my window next to my bed of my classroom (the brick building on the right). It is hard to believe that we can fit 26 people in it!
Jan 25
Woke up at 7:30 and ran some errands after getting showered and dressed. Eventually went over to Kate’s. Bought a sandwich from a French café that was very nummy and not that expensive. They all speak French to you, which was really cool, but threw me off a little because I had to double check that I was still in London and didn’t wake up in France again from my first study abroad experience. Then I saw Ireum, another girl who goes to Lake Forest who is on the same program that Kate is. I went with Kate and her friends to the Victoria and Albert museum, which was absolutely amazing, inside and out. It is huge and free and a place I will visit often. Then we went to Harrods which was unreal and quite overwhelming. For dinner, Kate and I went out with my Aunt Margaret.
I believe we were at dinner for four hours! We ate at Wagamama which is like an Japanese stir fry place down the street. The waiter was super nice to us and first brought Kate and I a meal dish as a “starter” that had all this weird fish stuff. After the dinner course he brought me out a piece of chocolate cake and while three waiters sang happy birthday! Haha. So it was like a 21st birthday celebration for Kate and me since we weren’t together for either of our birthdays. He also brought out two things of saki, but I was so full by then that the three of us only drank one shot. A very fun night and it was really good to see Margaret. I’m going to look into it, but there is an idea for Kate and I to go visit Monte and Margaret in Germany, or somewhere that they would meet us half way. I would love that.
26
Last night I didn’t sleep that well. I think jet leg is catching us with me, bummer, but today is another full day of London touristy things with Kate and her friends, so I will just have to push through it. Kate and I are excited to get all of out tourist sights out of the way so we can really see the true London. Maybe I’ll finally get roommates today!
No roommates still, but today was a real adventure! We went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards, which was really long. Then we went to the Tate museum and then to a pub for lunch. Then Kate, Melissa, and Mel’s friend Jane, and I went to a court and then walked down to a fountain area and then down to Westminster where Big Ben is. Then we went and had coffee at Starbucks and then took the tube home. A lot of walking today! Beautiful and sunny, just a little windy.
Woke up at 7:30 and ran some errands after getting showered and dressed. Eventually went over to Kate’s. Bought a sandwich from a French café that was very nummy and not that expensive. They all speak French to you, which was really cool, but threw me off a little because I had to double check that I was still in London and didn’t wake up in France again from my first study abroad experience. Then I saw Ireum, another girl who goes to Lake Forest who is on the same program that Kate is. I went with Kate and her friends to the Victoria and Albert museum, which was absolutely amazing, inside and out. It is huge and free and a place I will visit often. Then we went to Harrods which was unreal and quite overwhelming. For dinner, Kate and I went out with my Aunt Margaret.
I believe we were at dinner for four hours! We ate at Wagamama which is like an Japanese stir fry place down the street. The waiter was super nice to us and first brought Kate and I a meal dish as a “starter” that had all this weird fish stuff. After the dinner course he brought me out a piece of chocolate cake and while three waiters sang happy birthday! Haha. So it was like a 21st birthday celebration for Kate and me since we weren’t together for either of our birthdays. He also brought out two things of saki, but I was so full by then that the three of us only drank one shot. A very fun night and it was really good to see Margaret. I’m going to look into it, but there is an idea for Kate and I to go visit Monte and Margaret in Germany, or somewhere that they would meet us half way. I would love that.26
Last night I didn’t sleep that well. I think jet leg is catching us with me, bummer, but today is another full day of London touristy things with Kate and her friends, so I will just have to push through it. Kate and I are excited to get all of out tourist sights out of the way so we can really see the true London. Maybe I’ll finally get roommates today!
No roommates still, but today was a real adventure! We went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards, which was really long. Then we went to the Tate museum and then to a pub for lunch. Then Kate, Melissa, and Mel’s friend Jane, and I went to a court and then walked down to a fountain area and then down to Westminster where Big Ben is. Then we went and had coffee at Starbucks and then took the tube home. A lot of walking today! Beautiful and sunny, just a little windy.
28
On the 27th everyone finally started moving in. It was a little overwhelming with so many new people. I ended up going to a market called the Camden Market with Kate and her friends and it was AMAZING! I got a scarf for tw
o pounds. Kate got some gloves that she likes a lot. Then I came back to my room and the whole group got together to have our first meeting together. After dinner, a handfull of us went out a pub near by. There are 26 of us on this trip. We stand out walking around the city for class, but there are a lot of really interesting people to get to know.
On the 28th we had our first real class where we learned a lot about London’s geography and history. Did some grocery shopping and went to dinner at a vegetarian Indian restaurant. After that we went to a couple plays by Pinter called The Lover and The Collection at the Comedy Theatre. I’m getting to know the people on my trip better and having a ton of fun!
29
Today we didn’t have class until two, so we all had an easy morning. Carolyn and I ran to Ryman’s to buy a notebook and then we went to a place that we want to become our spot to go to. It’s called the Troubadour and it is this old 1950’s style tea shop with music and a bar. We had tea for two and read our reading assignment. Then we came back and had class. For dinner, I made a chicken basil pasta with a bunch of vegetables thrown in. It was very good and lasted us two nights. Very nummy. Then we went to a play at Orange Tree called The Woman Hater by Francis Burney. After that, Carolyn and I went out to a bar with her british friend Dan and his friend. On the way home, we had a little trouble making out way back to the house because the tube had stopped running by that point. It was our first testing of the night bus. I little more complicated than the tube, but we made ou
r way back anyhow.
On the 27th everyone finally started moving in. It was a little overwhelming with so many new people. I ended up going to a market called the Camden Market with Kate and her friends and it was AMAZING! I got a scarf for tw
o pounds. Kate got some gloves that she likes a lot. Then I came back to my room and the whole group got together to have our first meeting together. After dinner, a handfull of us went out a pub near by. There are 26 of us on this trip. We stand out walking around the city for class, but there are a lot of really interesting people to get to know.On the 28th we had our first real class where we learned a lot about London’s geography and history. Did some grocery shopping and went to dinner at a vegetarian Indian restaurant. After that we went to a couple plays by Pinter called The Lover and The Collection at the Comedy Theatre. I’m getting to know the people on my trip better and having a ton of fun!
29
Today we didn’t have class until two, so we all had an easy morning. Carolyn and I ran to Ryman’s to buy a notebook and then we went to a place that we want to become our spot to go to. It’s called the Troubadour and it is this old 1950’s style tea shop with music and a bar. We had tea for two and read our reading assignment. Then we came back and had class. For dinner, I made a chicken basil pasta with a bunch of vegetables thrown in. It was very good and lasted us two nights. Very nummy. Then we went to a play at Orange Tree called The Woman Hater by Francis Burney. After that, Carolyn and I went out to a bar with her british friend Dan and his friend. On the way home, we had a little trouble making out way back to the house because the tube had stopped running by that point. It was our first testing of the night bus. I little more complicated than the tube, but we made ou
r way back anyhow.Picture: Me, Carolyn, Ally, and Katie in front of the Roman Wall. This was our last stop of our London as Visual Text class and we will begin here again on Friday. Unreal.
