Stonhenge and Bath

So when we got to the Stonehenge, it was raining, which wasn't ideal, but it was still amazing to see such a wonder. we walked around it and took as many photos as we could.

I told you it was rainy. and just in case we didn't know that rain makes the ground slippery, the Brits have our safety on the top of their list. unless I'm chinese, cause then I can't read that sign.

The wonder Roman Baths. It was so tempting to  get in the water because it was so warm, except for the dirt and grime that is in the water. I even drank some of it because it is supposed to be good for your complexion...only problem, it is nasty!

When we were exploring Bath we came across a park that was the funnest park we've ever been to. It had a zipline, three different playground equipment things, a spinning thing, and a seesaw thing that was huge. We had a lot of good laughs :)

The Royal Crescent. Somehow it is special, I just think it looks cool.

The Stonehenge Rocks! :)

So I know it took me awhile to post about this trip, but I've just been dealing with a lot over the past few weeks. I had a great time in Stonhenge and Bath and got to eat a lot of food! Buffets are the best! lol

Then a couple days after this trip I went to a Football game, with quite a few people from USAC. It was Brighton & Hove against Bristol. It wasn't that exciting of a game, because Brighton & Hove won 2-0, but overall I loved the experience and the stadium and the crowd.

The stadium that is conveniently right by our flats.

The view from our seats. Let's go Brighton!!!

As a student we got a free pie and pint. My first pie, I made it a chili pie cause the other ones didn't sound as good. It was soooo good.

I was so excited to go to the game. I have my shirt and tickets. READY TO GO.

The three amigas bundled up and enjoying the game. halftime pic.

 

 

 

 

 

 Then On December 1st, Angela, Araceli, and I decided to go to a NeedToBreathe concert that was coincidentally in Brighton. I was so excited!!! We got there and had to wait in line outside in the freezng cold for a half hour at least, but nothing could ruin my excitement. We got inside, being one of the very first people and got to stand right next to the stage. I could literally touch the guitarist if i wanted to, but I didn't. They are so amazing in concert and that is one of my favorite things this past few months. I'm still kind of in awe about seeing them right in front of me. It definitely made my brother jealous.

oh I just want to give them both a kiss. they are so adorable and talented.

 

 

 

So, the day after the concert Angela and I went to London for the second time and had a great day just exploring and shopping. Seeing things we didn't get to see the first time around. It was a great day weather wise too.

Even though I'm not a HUGE fan of Harry Potter, you cannot go to London without visiting this popular site. It's a little anticlimactic if you ask me.

The Tower Bridge from the London Bridge. Such a pretty site to see at night. One of the prettiest bridges I've ever seen, not that I've seen that many, but still.

So this is a funny story...

We decided to go to Abbey Rd. We took the tube to Abbey rd., except that it wasn't the Abbey Rd. we were looking for. Brits are very tricky people. Apparently Abbey Rd, where the Beatles made the famous photo is on the opposite side of London. I don't know why we didn't ask anyone, but I guess we were just a little to embarrassed at that point. I won't get to see the real Abbey Rd, but I know what it looks like, and this will at least make it look like I was possibly there.

It was the beginning of the Christmas season in London. This is a tree that was in one of the stores. The first time I actually felt like Christmas was coming.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, the end of November and the beginning of December was very fun filled and busy. It was a couple weeks into December that everything changed for me. I found out that my grandma was diagnosed with cancer, and it was spread throughout her liver, pancreas, small intestine, and stomach. we have no idea how long she will have to live. It really depends on how much she fights. I've been having a really hard time with this, especially since I am not there with her and my family. I am just hoping and praying that she lasts until me and my brother get home. i love her so much and it kills me that this happened to her and that I can't help her.

I just want to ask if you could pray for her and my family, because it is hard for everyone right now.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving Thanks

This was the first Thanksgiving without my family and at first it was a little hard thinking about that. I tried really hard not to think about that and to make Thanksgiving here in Brighton awesome. Surprisingly, It was Awesome! I mean look at this food...

So we decided to do a little group dinner so there was Me, Araceli, Angela, Karen, and Jessie and we each split the cost of the food and made it together. I made carrots that are sweetened with brown sugar, and we had turkey, stuffing, rolls, mexican rice (which Araceli made), green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, sparkling cider, and cheesecake for dessert. It all tasted a lot better than we were expecting. The stuffing was AMAZING. no joke.
So even though, all of us were not with our families it still turned out to be a perfect Thanksgiving because we have become our own little family here. I hadn't really realized that until yesterday. I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity and to have met these wonderful new friends.
I also got to skype with my family after dinner and that was really nice to hear from them, especially my grandparents and Aunt. I miss everyone at home, but I know that the things I've done and the people I've met have changed me for the better and I'll be home before I know it.
I also skyped with my brother yesterday and it was very interesting to say the least. I'm not exactly sure I had a conversation...but I loved it. He was in his classroom and so all the kids were crowding around the computer saying hi to me and asking me questions. All at once I might add haha. It was really cool to see how all the kids are so interested and how stinkin adorable they are. They made me feel kinda like a superstar. It was also really nice to see Andy in his element and see him smile and be with the kids.
So yes my Thanksgiving was Awesome because I had such good food, my temporary family, my family at home, and my brother. The world was brought together all in one day and I felt EXTREMELY BLESSED with my life and the people in it that God has given me. I don't think my day could've been better.
Love you all :) cheers

Paris is always a good idea

Well, what can I say...

PARIS was more than I ever imagined it would be!
We left on Friday, the 9th of November and we went on the chunnel for the first time. I didn't really know what to expect when it came to the chunnel, but I guess I thought it would be a little more exciting. It literally was just us siiting on a coach, the entire time. It took about 35 minutes for us to get from England to France on the chunnel. When we got to France we made a stop at a market/grocery store and got some snacks or cheap wine if you wanted to. At this point it still didn't feel like France yet. It took us awhile to actually get to Paris.

you can kind of see what it looks like. The coach is just inside of a train and you just stay inside of the coach.

This is one of the first sightings we had of the Eiffel Tower as we were coming into the lovely city of Paris. Safe to say all of our cameras were out and clicking away.

 

 

When we got to our hotel, which was very nice and was a great change to sleep on a comfortable mattress again, we settled in and then we went on a riverboat tour on the Seine river. Oh my gosh, it was so wonderful. I didn't really listen to the tour, I was just taking everything in and enjoying the music that made it feel so much like Paris. That was the moment that made me really feel like I was in Paris. And at the end of the tour they played the can can...that just made my night. haha And did I mention how beautiful the Eiffel Tower looks at night? no? oh, well here you go...

every night on the hour for five minutes the Eiffel sparkles like this. It is so awesome to see and I could look at it forever.

 

 

After the riverboat tour a few of us (Will, Me, Angela, Araceli, Karen, Kelsea, and Jessie) decided to go to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and a few other things because on Friday nights it's free for students. We just love free things. The Louvre is so big you could literally spend probably a month in there and still not see everything. We ended up seeing the Mona Lisa, which was cool and the Sphynx. I'm not that big of a fan of art, I mean I think it's cool, but it's not a big interest for me, so sorry for no really cool information about it. I took some pictures and put them on facebook. I figured a picture would explain it better than I could.
Anyway... After that we were heading back to the hotel and took a few wrong turns, but we came across some street food. I got a panini and some people got crepes. THE BEST FOOD I've had in about 2 months. So, naturally we went back the next night. haha
Saturday we had our first hotel breakfast, and man do the French eat a lot of carbs. croissants, bread, bread, and more croissants. It was good, but where is the meat? The one thing that was soooooo good was the apple juice. I mean it was beyond delicious. It reminded me of when I used to go over to my grandmas and she would always have apple juice. no matter what. Kind of miss that a little...
We went to the Eiffel Tower to get in line so we could go to the top. As we were walking there we came across some colorful painted bears that represented each country. I loved it.

I had to have a picture with my fellow American.

this is my favorite picture.

Sweden bear to represent my Swedish side.

 

 

 

And then we went to the top! They should have a warning sign saying how windy it is up there. Good thing there was a wire fence around or else I might've been blown right off. The view was extravagant. You could everything. Paris is so big. I don't anyone can say they've seen Paris until they've see it from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

 

After we spent quite a bit of time taking pictures of the bears and the Eiffel Tower. Most were cliche, yes, but I think those are the best.

 

 

 

Then we had a coach tour throughout the city where we saw a lot of things.

 Napoleon's Tomb. Now that's the kind of tomb I want when I die.

 Arc de Triomphe.

 Sacre Coeur. This place was so packed with people it was insane. There were also guys that would try and sell you bracelets by literally just putting them on your wrists. Made sure to avoid them.

Notre Dame. While I was here all I could think about was the songs from Hunchback of Notre Dame, which we coincidentally watched a few weeks earlier. I loved this place, it was just so detailed and i really wanted to go to the top, but we weren't sure how.

 

After that we decided to go back to the hotel and get all dressed up and go out to dinner. We went to a place called Cafe Cambronne. Araceli and Karen ordered snails...all I have to say is EWWWW! I had a really good dessert called Tar Tatin which is some kind of apple deliciousness. It was warm and tasted like applesauce on top of pie with some other kind of syrup, I'm not quite sure.

Then we went back to the hotel. I watched some tv, which was all in French except for the BBC news. So I watched the news and coincidentally was mostly about our election back home. It made me realize how much America is in a little box compared to other countries. We don't really see that much international news in America compared to the UK. I think I'm going to be watching a lot more of the BBC news once I get back home.

The next morning we left the hotel and went to The Palace of Versailles. We stayed there for a few hours and also was able to go to a local farmers market in town. That was pretty cool to see and I bought some good food too. Oh and I bought some wine made in France for someone back home. Can't say who, it'll be a surprise. :) I also bought some other souvenirs in paris for few people, but I was disappointed that I never got a tshirt for myself. Oh well, I have other things to remember my visit.

King Loius

 

 

Paris was an amazing trip and It was probably my favorite place so far. I would go there again, most definitely.

AU REVOIR!

 

Is it windy or is it just me?

hello again guys! I'm sorry for not posting anything for a few weeks. Unfortunately, my computer's screen stopped working and I had to send it in to get fixed. Not the best thing that could've happened while I am here, but it all worked out in the end. I took it to staples here in Brighton and they were such a blessing to me. Simply put, my computer is now fixed no cost to me. It is such a relief.

This month has been fairly quiet and uneventful except for one trip throughout East Sussex. We went to a place called Beachy Head, which I have to say was beautiful, but kind of scary. It is a popular suicide spot. Although, after visiting the spot, i'm not sure whether it is suicide or death by force of wind gusts.

After we went there, we went to a historically important place, called The Battle of Hastings. This place was the last battle that England was defeated by Normandy. It was definitely a unique experience and we got to walk on a trail that lead us throughout the area when the Battle took place. her are some pictures...

This is actually converted into a private school now, so we weren't able to see the interior of this building.

 This is one of the sights of the battlefield. I actually stood where they fought, how crazy is that?

for some reason I took this picture because I thought it looked gorgeous and because I imagined soldiers walking under the water and surprising the other side. I was envisioning quite a bit of things as I traveled throughout the trail. maybe I watch too many movies?

Anyway...there you have it, this trip around East Sussex in a nutshell.

This month has been difficult because I haven't been able to talk to people via skype due to my computer being broken. And for  awhile, I was quite lonely, I mean I was missing everyone from home. But I made it through simply by trying to keep myself busy and I also wrote letters to multiple people. Getting mail was like the best feeling ever! It is so amazing to realize just how much people depend on technology, and it's a little scary. Sometimes I wish that everything went back to the way it used to be...letters, and phone calls, and such. I guess my view on technology is just because I haven't exactly had the best experiences with it. I do love how communication is enhanced through it, like skype. My skype dates make my day.
I am doing well with school, it doesn't really feel like I'm going to school. The reason is because I have 4 classes tuesday, wednesday, thursday, and friday. Only one class a day, none before 12. I'd say thats pretty good. haha I'm taking spanish, sociological imaginations, social psychology, and british culture. My favorite so far is sociological imaginations, which I guess is a good thing because sociology is my major. The one thing that is different than America is that they have seminars (small discussion classes) that go along with most classes. I really like them and wish we did that in the usa.
Halloween is coming up in a few days and we are having a huge party to make sure England knows how America celebrates Halloween. I think it'll be fun! Plus it'll be like the first time in a long time that I'm actually going to dress up. Happy Halloween everyone!!!!

Edinburgh, Scotland

First extra trip!

We planned to leave for Scotland at 5:35am Wednesday morning and leave from Scotland at 10pm Saturday night. The bus ride was somewhere between 10-12hrs. altogether. The ride to Scotland wasn't bad at all, but the ride home was bad. The bus was completely full, and I just could not get comfortable. Would i do it again? yeah probably, I mean it is the cheapest way to get to places. Plus going to Scotland was totally worth it!

So we got to Scotland on Wednesday evening and we walked the long way to our hostel, which was the Cowgate Tourist Hostel. The Hostel was actually pretty nice considering how cheap it was. It was really nice because the rooms are for 6 people and that is how many people we had so we didn't have to share a room with any strangers. After we settled into the hostel we were all hungry and headed out to find a good place to eat. We decided on an Italian place called Made In Italy. I know, I know, Italian food in Scotland? But, don't judge, we are surrounded by tasteless food here so any food that tastes good we are all for it. It was very yummy. And then after we were done it started to rain so that was pretty much all we could do the first night.
Thursday morning we woke up and made up our minds to explore this beautiful city of Edinburgh. We took a free tour of the city, which was very interesting and fun adventure. We got to here a lot of stories about certain traditions they did in edinburgh and some horror stories. One story had to do with these two guys grave snatching bodies and selling them to the medical students. We saw quite a few beautiful cemetaries. That's an oxymoron. But seriously, they were beautiful. And then after that some of the group went to tour Edinburgh Castle, while Araceli and I decided to explore the city some more. We went to The National Museum of Scotland which was pretty neat.  Didn't spend a great deal of time there because it closed at 5, but it was fun. Then we just went wherever the wind took us. That is where we found one of the Universities and got to see a Wedding party taking photos. It was so cute. Then, this is where we got a little turned around, but we kept heading in the direction we thought was The Royal Mile. We walked through this park called the Meadows and finally we asked a girl which way to go to the Royal Mile and we were going in the opposite direction. hahaha Well we had fun anyway, and plus we found some thrift stores on the way back. :) That night we went to a pub that was right across the street from our Hostel, called The Three Sisters. They had karaoke and we sang a few songs and had a good time.
Friday we had a plan to go to The Botanical gardens across town. As we headed that way we noticed that there were people at the top of Scott Monument so naturally we decided to find out if we could do that too. We found out we could and we climbed all the way up the small, spiral staircase to the top. 287 steps! It was such an amazing view! I loved it! Then we kept heading to the gardens but it started to rain and our plans were no longer plans. We dedided to eat at a deli and it was really good food. The waiter wasn't too bad himself. lol We walked around the stores and went back to the hostel for a little bit.
Saturday was the best day of all! We went to the Royal Mile to do all of our tourist shopping and buy souvenirs. Then we headed back to the thrift stores because not everyone had gone there. Then we decided to go to the National Monument. As we headed there, we stopped to watch a street performer. He was a Canadian and was doing stunts. He juggled a chainsaw, hand grenade, and some sort of knife. (personally I think the granade was fake, but it doesn't matter). Then he chose Jessie who was with us to be a volunteer in one of the stunts. He laid on a bed of nails while she stood on top of him. It was crazy! I don't know why anyone would do that. So after that we went to the National Monument, which was supposed to be just like the Parthenaon, but they never finished it, so they call it the National shame. As we were on top of the hill, we saw what we thought was another castle. We soon found out it wasn't a castle, but a Palace. The palace that the Queen stays at when she comes to Scotland. It was so pretty!! Wish we could've seen the Queen, but maybe another day. As we went back to get our things from the hostel we saw so many weddings going on and it was so beautiful to see everyone all dressed up. Then we had dinner at a pub and tried hagus, which yes, I did try. The taste was pretty good, but the texture was gross.
So all in all the trip was a success. It was fun, interesting, beautiful, cold, and I would reccomend everyone go to Edinburgh. If you want to see pictures of Scotland, I posted them all on my facebook page.

London

On thursday we took a trip to London for the day. This is how it went:

First we took the train into London and had to get on the tube. That was quite exciting and now I know what people were saying about mind the gap. So, we first got to London and walked to Buckingham Palace, which is where we saw the changing of the guard. There were so many people there, it was insane. You could literally hear all of the clicking from the cameras. It was pretty cool to see all of the guards in their uniforms and hats.
After we saw the changing of the guard we headed to Westminster Abbey. It was so gorgeous. Everyone should see that in person, it is so incredible. Then, we walked to The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Big Ben was so cool to see. I'm still in awe. Then the leaders took us to this store that is apparently like a really english store. It has like all of the Queens china and has a whole bunch of tea and chocolate and teapots and glassware. It's kind of hard to explain, but very neat to see.
We had lunch in Piccadely Circus, which is I guess is like their Times Square. Angela, Will, and I decided to eat at Pizza Hut. I know I know, I could get that here, but it was cheap. It was actually really good. After that they left us on our own, and we decided to go back to Westminster Abbey and go inside. When we got there, it was closed which was quite a disappointment, but i'm sure we will go back at some point. Then we went to the London Eye and bought tickets to go on it. It was such a great view to see London. I reccomend it for everyone. It takes like 30-40 minutes to go all the way around, so it's worth the money, which isn't that much anyway.
Then we decided to go to the Tower Bridge. That was quite the adventure. haha We didn't know exactly where we were going so we were walking down the street and we asked someone and finally made it there. The Bridge is so cool and so detailed it is amazing. It would've been cool to see it from a distance, but it was cool to be on it. Then we went back to Piccadely Circus to find a place for dinner. We can never choose, and then this girl came up to us promoting a place and said that they had a 25% discount. So of course we said yes. Anything we can get cheaper sounds good to us. It was called the Penthouse and it was on like the 6th floor and you could look out on the balcony. It was a pretty good meal and I split a pizza with a friend so it was cheap for me to eat there. Then we headed home on the train after that because everyone was beat and there feet were killing them from all of the walking. Over all London was a great city to see and explore and there is still so much more to see there. Next time we go to London we are definitely making a stop at Abby Rd.
So far I'm loving everything about England and I can't wait to exlore more places and things.

I'm just going to post a few pictures...

this is the first pub we went to and it was very nice. I had my first drink there too, called a Bramble.