Havanaias - The Most Amazing Ever

My Walmart flip flops finally decided to give up the ghost and break. Because spring is a rather warm season, I was in desperate need of a sandal that was cheap yet comfortable. When I went to the market for groceries I saw a little shop of sandals and summer stuff so I peeked on in. I immediately saw the sandals. They're AMAZING!!!! Sooo much more comfortable than anything and they actually fit (that's for you Jedidiah). Havanaias - Brazilian sandals - buy 'em, wear 'em, LOVE 'em.

Fish and Chips Experience

One of the girls in the group came to me and wanted me to help her find a Fish and Chips place because that's what she was craving. She's from UT so I had to preface the idea with the fact that it'll probably be in a pub. That made her a little worried but she was willing to try it. We jumped on the bus and just asked a local and he pointed us in the right direction. We got off and walked down the most beautiful street I've seen yet. The pub was pretty amazing and rather classy but small. We sat down and the bartender asked us if we were ready for drinks. "Just water please". He came back and asked if we wanted something stronger. As soon as he walked back to the bar we overheard him making fun of us. After awhile the guys at the table beside us offered to get us a drink. When we declined they too started making fun of us at their table. While we were eating, the Manchester United v Arsenal "football" game came on and the TV was right above us so our table became the center of attention. It was obvious who the ENTIRE PUB was rooting for and which players they hated. When we were ready to leave the game was still in full swing - no escape. We finally shimmied our way out and into the night air. Definitely, a successful trip.

Insomnia? No! Just Jetlag

The best way to adjust to this drastic timezone change is to stay up all day then crash tonight and wake up in the morning as if it were just a normal day. Goal for today - NO NAP!!! :( Oh how I need one. I can do it. I'll just go for a lovely walk in the park and enjoy the fantabulous weather.

I Made It

I'm finally in London. After 2hrs of driving, 1 hr of waiting, 7 hrs of flying, 0 hrs of sleeping, and another 1/2 hr of walking I'm at my flat. My flight left on time from Dulles and luckily enough, I had the entire row to myself. My plan was to fall asleep and wake up in the UK - didn't happen. The flight was EXTREMELY bumpy and it freaked me out (watched a little too much LOST). I tried to relax but then the plane would drop and leave my stomach on the ceiling so I contented myself with watching TV and movies. I think I've started to enjoy The Office now (after watching 3 episodes) and I got to see "Marley and Me" and "Happy Feet". We arrived 1hr early and since the airport wasn't expecting us for awhile, unloaded us in the middle of the runway and shuttled us to the airport. I met up with Hargadon like planned except for the fact that she and I came into different terminals. We decided to take the cheap route to the flats in addition to enjoying the scenery. (I wouldn't have it any other way). We took the Underground and then walked the 2+ miles to the flats asking for directions from a Optometrist, a UPS guy, a Taxi driver, and a woman who noticed that we looked out of place. (Makes sense considering we were both wheeling suitcases, looking a little gross, carrying backpacks, and both pointing in opposite directions for the same destination.) 30-40min later we're in the flats and utterly exhausted.

Didn't Realize I Missed THAT...

This trip home I realized many things I missed while being in Utah...

1. The peace and quiet of sleeping with the window open (no cars or noisy college students right below my window - just crickets and the breeze)
2. Green grass all the time (and that's without in-ground sprinklers, it's the REAL GREEN)
3. The funny things little kids say and do in church (student wards don't have the chatter of a happy baby or the screaming of an unhappy one)
4. Free laundry that's close by if you forget to put anything in or take out (no more quarters and stairs with a heavy laundry basket displaying the goodies to the world)
5. A whole ward full of adoptive mothers and grandmothers (gotta love those hugs and compliments on a bad day)
6. Being able to walk home from church when your dad leaves before you're ready to go (dad - you're lucky it was a beautiful day and I like the outdoors)
7. The hills and farms every here and there (though I'm not Amish, I still love seeing a beautiful farm)
8. A family full of sarcasm and teasing (lucky enough I have roommates who fill that need)
9. A bed I don't have to get a ladder to get into (not to mention one that doesn't squeak, is MUCH comfier, and is in my own room)
10. Small town life with a small town feel (Provo's just too big for this hick-town girl)
11. All of the kids I babysat (they're all grown up and going to Primary and YM/YW...they still come to me for games and hugs though)

Didn't really miss these though...

1. Everyone remembering my awkward stage and reminding me of how I cute I used to be and how grown up I am now (not to mention the crying and embarrassing stories)
2. Humidity (you feel wet and sticky all day and it does wonders to curly hair...NOT)
3. Lack of cell phone service (one minute you have it, a fraction of a step later you don't)
4. Not being able to walk everywhere I want to go (everything is so spread out)
   
5. Sharing a bathroom with my brother (he's sloppy and spends more time in there than I do - is that normal?

I Hate Change

My entire life has been about change and now, at this stage, I'm ready for it to stop. I need something firm and unchanging. I guess that will never happen so I'd better get used to it. I feel like change has hit me especially hard this year and I'm not sure why. I haven't ever cried when leaving people or places, but this year....oh brother. I really wanted to stay in my apartment, my very first apartment ever. Not happening! I wanted to remain in the same ward with the same connections and have everyone stay put. Nope! Where we were was as close as I could get to the building where I practically live everyday. The ward was beyond amazing, which is something none of us expected. I, myself, also changed. I began to open up more to those around me (relatively speaking), I trusted myself more, tried many new things (some of which I never thought I'd do) AND I can play guitar on EXPERT on Rock Band. Pretty successful huh?!? As my mom would say "You've just grown up, that's all that's different." And once again, mother knows best. When deciding where to live in the fall, I had many factors to consider - cost, location, people. With only 4 roommates left hanging around with me and more to leave, I didn't want to have to "train" 5 brand new ones. I can live with being farther away from my building (I love the outdoors anyways), and I can adjust to a new ward. I realized that my stubbornness was only because I didn't want change. I wanted one thing in my life to stay the way it was. Weddings seem to be "popping out of the snow...like daisies"(Name that movie). Since October, there have been about 10 weddings of my friends. And even more to come CRAZY!! (No Tay, that doesn't mean I'm next so stop looking for your future brother-in-law). Many of my friends are returning from their missions too. A lot of the guys that I grew up with here are home and one more is due home this summer. I'm leaving for London on Tues and I can't wait, but I'm also really nervous. Flying is not something I love, but I don't hate it either. It's just takeoff and landing that get me bad. I've never traveled to a foreign country by myself before so that in itself will be a new experience. I can't wait! Change is inevitable...and I've had my fill.

You're Just Too Amazing...Let's Give You MORE!

Finals are going pretty okay right now. And in that I mean that they haven't started yet, but so far so good. I only have 2 scheduled finals and the rest are papers, with 1 additional test in the Testing Center whenever I want to take it. I guess that's what happens when you decide to major in English - the Writing Major. I haven't decided whether or not that's a good thing. Oh well!

The most ridiculous thing about this experience is this one paper that's been driving me up the wall. It's a 10-15 pager with an emphasis on the 15th page (meaning my professor wants it that long). CRAZY!! This paper is for the class that's given me the most stress this semester - CHAUCER. I loved taking the class, but it required 5 papers of varying lengths with topics/prompts so different that they don't even apply to the class discussion or anything (it's felt like busywork) and they've all been assigned back to back with no real break in between. We didn't have any regular tests, just papers. Normally, I wouldn't mind because that's what I signed up for when I decided to be an English major. And since we could pick any topic we wanted to as long as it fit in with Chaucer and was a Literary Analysis I figured this was my chance to really apply what I've learned in class discussions and pick a topic that's interested me. I chose Astronomical and Cosmological references in Chaucer's writing House of Fame. This poem has the most references to the stars and mythology and so off I went into the deep dark "Writing Black Hole" where nothing emerges (not even the memory of what I've written about) and out came one of the best research papers I've ever written. I was very thorough and precise with my research and documentation (those who really know me would understand why). The paper made it to 13 1/2 glorious pages full of information, analysis, and discussion and I felt extremely comfortable with my efforts. We had to turn a draft in about a week ago so I did. When we got them back a couple of days later so we could revise them for the final, my professor had written a note saying: "Topic too specific, please rewrite the paper and broaden your research." How ridiculous is that?!?! I've NEVER heard of a topic being too specific AFTER I've written the paper and found enough research and information to support my thesis. In the early stages of writing, yes, but not after it's all said and done.

So, it's back to the drawingboard to revamp a really good essay to make it more "GE friendly". That, added to all of my other big projects and papers...who has time for those, seriously. Bring on the late nights in the Library. Luckily, it's not due till Saturday anytime so I can work on it all day when I'm not doing anything else.

London is Just Around the Corner (Figuratively Speaking)

This morning I went and picked up my Customs letter and study abroad backpack (pretty fantabulous). The letter is to prove to the custom's officer over there that I'm not moving to the UK to work and that my purpose for traveling is purely academic. I've never heard of such a thing as a "Customs letter" before, but it makes sense. We had the last London prep class for the study abroad tonight where we discussed last minute travel details and got our International Student ID cards, rooming assignments, mailing address for incoming stuff (hint hint WRITE ME) and then PARTIED!!!. It's amazing to me how sometimes time just hurries on by without the slightest hint of letting you take a breath. I can't wait to experience a new phase in my life that I wasn't sure would actually ever happen. When speaking with my Grandma L the other day, I was telling her about my goals and dreams for the future and one thing she said really stuck with me. I was saying how I thought that I'd never get to travel outside the US ever again. I figured I'd get married and be stuck with only a roadtrip to take me anywhere besides my home. I wouldn't mind that as long as it's some kind of travel. I love and thrive on travel and new places. She said something that, honestly, sounded almost like a prophecy or outlook on the future. She said: "You'll travel. In fact, I know you'll visit all the places you wanted to as a child and even the ones you dream of visiting now. I see you living someplace you've never been to, speaking a language you've never learned, and being completely content. That's the life you've grown up with and that's the life you'll always have." Amazing huh?!?! That's my grandma!