It's has been an astonishing 6 months since I arrived home from the UK and I find that I still need to pinch myself to remember that the experience I had been dreaming about for years really did happen, and in the words of Biggie Small wasn't "all a dream".
I've had to keep looking at pictures to remind myself of the magnitude of where I was, what I saw and who I met. I'm sure others who have been abroad can appreciate the dream-like attitude with which someone looks at their trip. Again, I wouldn't change a single part of it (ok maybe the volcano) and my only stipulation is that I wish I had more time... But isn't that what we all want?
Now I'm on the other side: the holiday season is upon us, my 22nd birthday is near and graduation seems closer than ever. While time may never slow down, I realized I can. It's a luxury to be able to sit in a outdoor cafe in the middle of Florence with a cafe au lait and a biscuit and contemplate the joys of life. But with the good must come the bad, and I would gladly accept the bad since it meant I could have the amazing experience that I did.
<3
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Home stretch...
So here we are! I'm home a week from tomorrow. It's amazing how fast these 5 months have gone! On the one hand I'm really sad to leave, because even when I come back to Europe (see how I said when and not if hehe) it won't be like this where I can study a little and travel a lot. The people I've met have been so great and I am so fortunate that I was able to meet them. But I am very very excited to go home and see my family, especially my mom and brothers who I haven't seen in months (sorry Dad, I got to see you in March). I got to see and experience far more than I ever imagined. As soon as I head home I know I'll be bored out of my mind--as my mum reminds me daily-- but I can't wait to work and live in Burlington this summer. I'm so lucky that I got to experience this amazing country and other countries that I would have never otherwise seen. I don't often call myself blessed but I can honestly call myself that now. <3
view of Canterbury from my campus :)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
I AM(STERDAM)... plus utrecht
I am happy to say I have flown my last easyjet flight! While I am sad that the trips I have left are winding down (just Scotland left!!!) I am not the least bit sad to see those tiny planes go. I just got back from Amsterdam and Utrecht with Trish and Erin after visiting the lovely Claire. It was sooo nice to see her again and Amsterdam has been a place that I have always wanted to visit. The city is built around canals which I thought would be beautiful, but I had no idea! I love the fact that boats float ideally down the canals, especially when we were there which had such nice weather. We got to see the Anne Frank house which was truly incredible. Plus Queensday and visiting Utrecht it turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I've seen since I've been here. I can't believe I only have one more trip left, another day trip to London, Leeds Castle, High Tea and maybe something else...but then a final and then home! Nutty.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Perfect English Weekend
I had been feeling kind of low since the "volcano", that shall remain nameless, (partly because I can't pronounce it) ruined my mum's trip. So when I heard Bets was going to Brighton, I quickly invited myself along. I hadn't been to any other English towns besides Canterbury so I thought it would be the perfect day trip. And I was not disappointed. It was the perfect day. I took the train from Canterbury to meet Betsy and her friends who were coming. I got there a little before her and waited for her to arrive. When I saw her coming through the barricades I saw that it was just her!! She and I had a little play date all to ourselves. It was sunny and high 60's and we walked to the beach. We got to sit on the rocks on the beach and enjoy a lovely lunch (I had a blt and she a toastie). It was the perfect day-- we walked along the Brighton Pier, which looked a lot like California, and had ice-cream. We were sitting in a park near Brighton centre when Betsy came up with the AMAZING idea to not go our separate ways that night but for her to come back to Canterbury for the night then leave for London sunday morning. I was overjoyed to say the least. We trained back and went to one of my favorite places in Canterbury for dinner-- Boho Cafe, loves it. Then, once again my brilliant friend, came up with the idea to see a movie. We saw "Date Night" which was just as funny as I hoped it would be. We slept so soundly that night :)
The next day we got ready to get the bus to London to head to the Globe to see "Macbeth". We literally had to run from my apartment to make the bus, but luckily we did. After heading to "Hache" to have the best burger ever, we walked around Camden Market. The whole market was such an incredible atmosphere and they had the most amazing jewelry and dresses. I've wanted a nice english party dress since I've been here and, unfortunately, they were just all to pricey for me. The Globe was incredible--Macbeth is amazing seen live-- with such an immense feeling of history and excitement. I am so happy that I got to see a Shakespeare play at the Globe, I can officially check it off the bucket list. And I'm especially glad I got to do it with Ms. Betsy Roughan!
The next day we got ready to get the bus to London to head to the Globe to see "Macbeth". We literally had to run from my apartment to make the bus, but luckily we did. After heading to "Hache" to have the best burger ever, we walked around Camden Market. The whole market was such an incredible atmosphere and they had the most amazing jewelry and dresses. I've wanted a nice english party dress since I've been here and, unfortunately, they were just all to pricey for me. The Globe was incredible--Macbeth is amazing seen live-- with such an immense feeling of history and excitement. I am so happy that I got to see a Shakespeare play at the Globe, I can officially check it off the bucket list. And I'm especially glad I got to do it with Ms. Betsy Roughan!
awkward sunburn
the globe
macbeth curtain call
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Adventure of Surviving Eruption Disruption 2010
As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, there was a volcano that erupted on Iceland last Wednesday leaving thousands of travelers, including myself, stranded without planes for almost a week! While normally I would loooove to spend an extra week in Italy, it looked like we wouldn't be able to fly out for weeks if at all. So that began the craziest, most spontaneous adventure I'd ever had. Erin and I traveled by train through central and northern Italy up to Nice, France then to Paris and from Paris to Calais, then from there we ferried from there to Dover, England then finally to Canterbury.
Erin and I spent 4 amazing days in Italy (2 in Rome and 2 in Florence) and it was fantastic. We flew into Pisa then took a 3 hour train to Rome. We basically were tourists in Rome, seeing the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica one day then the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, and Palatine Hill the next. Just seeing the vastness of the city and its history was pretty incredible--places like the Roman Forum are shells of what they used to be but still breathtaking in their decaying states. It's awe-inspiring just imagining what these places looked like in their prime. After Rome, we made our way to Florence (or Firenze) which I have to say was my favorite place in Italy. It has a similar sense of immensity and history but we didn't have much of a plan so we got to wander the city and eat amazing food, and gelato of course, which is my favorite way to see a new city. I got in touch with my friend Sam from high school and UVM and we all went out to dinner, which was such a blast. Italy was definitely my favorite place I've visited thus far.
Erin and I were all set to fly home last Thursday...until the volcano hit. We honestly thought it was a practical joke. When we heard all flights were cancelled til Saturday we headed back to Florence and enjoyed more wine and good food. It was then we had the SECOND flight cancelled. We knew then we had to get out of Italy soon (not quite apocalyptic-like but still urgent). Panicked, we searched for trains or anything that would get us to France. Overhearing some other Americans who were getting a train to Nice, France we ran back to the train station and by the grace of God, got on that train. Arriving in Nice, we met up with 3 other American girls (Victoria, Lauren and Kathleen) who were trying to get back to Edinburgh for finals. There we also met Jake, a kid trying to get to London. Together we searched for trains to Paris, but we had to spend all of monday in Nice...which was a true gift. As freaked out and stressed and overtired as we were, we still managed to appreciate what a opportunity this was. We sat on the beach and Lauren swam in the Mediterranean. The ocean was astonishingly tranquil and feeling the sun on my face I felt immediately calmed. Once we knew we had a train to Paris (on Monday people were trying to get them for Tuesday night so we were very nervous). We had a connection in Marseilles then onto Paris then from Paris we spent the night hoping to get the Eurostar in the chunnel or get to Calais for the ferry. When we got to Paris at 10 pm we headed right to the train station--no one was getting Eurostars until SATURDAY. The next morning, again, we were very lucky to get a train to Calais then to the ferry. Once we got there it was fairly simple to get a ferry (they had 2 ferries that ran every hour back and forth to Dover, England which is only 30 mins from Canterbury). Once we were all on the ferry, we all felt such a immense sense of relief I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry...or sleep.
Once we all finally got to Dover, we went our separate ways. It was awesome having met those girls, it always seems better to tackle problems like this in groups. Now that I'm back I can relax and see my friends here. But now that I have time to think about it, I feel so heartbroken that my mom couldn't fly over because of the ash cloud. She's my best friend and it's been 4 months since I've really seen her (skype so doesn't count) and I didn't realize how heavily I'd been resting my hopes on her visit. But I would have been so upset if she had come earlier and got stuck here and missed too much work. I keep reminding myself I'll be home in a month.
While it was unexpected and frustrating, I'm somewhat glad we were put in this. It was a challenge, but now I know I can do pretty much anything travel-wise. We all kept our heads and handled ourselves without breaking down...too often. I was able to see Nice and other parts of Italy and, really, isn't that what this whole experience is about?
x Megan
Erin and I spent 4 amazing days in Italy (2 in Rome and 2 in Florence) and it was fantastic. We flew into Pisa then took a 3 hour train to Rome. We basically were tourists in Rome, seeing the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica one day then the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, and Palatine Hill the next. Just seeing the vastness of the city and its history was pretty incredible--places like the Roman Forum are shells of what they used to be but still breathtaking in their decaying states. It's awe-inspiring just imagining what these places looked like in their prime. After Rome, we made our way to Florence (or Firenze) which I have to say was my favorite place in Italy. It has a similar sense of immensity and history but we didn't have much of a plan so we got to wander the city and eat amazing food, and gelato of course, which is my favorite way to see a new city. I got in touch with my friend Sam from high school and UVM and we all went out to dinner, which was such a blast. Italy was definitely my favorite place I've visited thus far.
Erin and I were all set to fly home last Thursday...until the volcano hit. We honestly thought it was a practical joke. When we heard all flights were cancelled til Saturday we headed back to Florence and enjoyed more wine and good food. It was then we had the SECOND flight cancelled. We knew then we had to get out of Italy soon (not quite apocalyptic-like but still urgent). Panicked, we searched for trains or anything that would get us to France. Overhearing some other Americans who were getting a train to Nice, France we ran back to the train station and by the grace of God, got on that train. Arriving in Nice, we met up with 3 other American girls (Victoria, Lauren and Kathleen) who were trying to get back to Edinburgh for finals. There we also met Jake, a kid trying to get to London. Together we searched for trains to Paris, but we had to spend all of monday in Nice...which was a true gift. As freaked out and stressed and overtired as we were, we still managed to appreciate what a opportunity this was. We sat on the beach and Lauren swam in the Mediterranean. The ocean was astonishingly tranquil and feeling the sun on my face I felt immediately calmed. Once we knew we had a train to Paris (on Monday people were trying to get them for Tuesday night so we were very nervous). We had a connection in Marseilles then onto Paris then from Paris we spent the night hoping to get the Eurostar in the chunnel or get to Calais for the ferry. When we got to Paris at 10 pm we headed right to the train station--no one was getting Eurostars until SATURDAY. The next morning, again, we were very lucky to get a train to Calais then to the ferry. Once we got there it was fairly simple to get a ferry (they had 2 ferries that ran every hour back and forth to Dover, England which is only 30 mins from Canterbury). Once we were all on the ferry, we all felt such a immense sense of relief I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry...or sleep.
Once we all finally got to Dover, we went our separate ways. It was awesome having met those girls, it always seems better to tackle problems like this in groups. Now that I'm back I can relax and see my friends here. But now that I have time to think about it, I feel so heartbroken that my mom couldn't fly over because of the ash cloud. She's my best friend and it's been 4 months since I've really seen her (skype so doesn't count) and I didn't realize how heavily I'd been resting my hopes on her visit. But I would have been so upset if she had come earlier and got stuck here and missed too much work. I keep reminding myself I'll be home in a month.
While it was unexpected and frustrating, I'm somewhat glad we were put in this. It was a challenge, but now I know I can do pretty much anything travel-wise. We all kept our heads and handled ourselves without breaking down...too often. I was able to see Nice and other parts of Italy and, really, isn't that what this whole experience is about?
x Megan
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Paris, je t'aime
Paris, thanks for one of (if not the best) experience so far in Europe. I thought Dublin would have been the highlight, but it seems every new city I go to changes my view on...everything. That may seem trite and insincere, but I've learned a lot about myself while in Paris for 3 days.
First: For people who know me well they know that I have a seriously crippling fear of heights. I can't seem to find out what it is, but not having my feet on the ground freaks the bejesus out of me. My friend Erin and a girl that we met, Beka, really wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower. To the top. 1,063 feet off the ground. In the pouring rain. Needless to say I was a little skeptical and utterly freaked out. But after an hour and 1/2 wait I made it to the second level...not allll the way to the top, but still an amazing feat for me. Standing up there among hundreds of other people you can feel an odd sense of peace and solitude. All you can see for miles is lights and sounds. As the girls made their way to the very top I stood as near to the edge as I could and took it all in. I breathed in the air and felt so alive and proud of myself for not fainting. As I turned to walk down...yes walk... the whole tower lit up with lights that you can see reflected in the buildings opposite the tower. It was such a remarkable moment and you share it with strangers. Definitely one of the best experiences of my entire life.
Second: I love walking. There's something incredible about meandering in the streets of a new city on a beautiful day that feels so exciting. I speak no French, so I really felt a sense of isolation but also like a voyeur; I could listen and watch without really eavesdropping on people's conversations.
Third: I'm a history nerd. I loved learning about Versailles and the history of Paris and their shops and just how majorly the city has influenced art, music, film and how people view love.
We travel by ferry from Dover to Calais, France then a 3 hour coach ride to Paris. The only downside of the trip was that SeaFrance was on strike so we were stranded in the channel for a few hours...but we made it alive and safe. Now all I want is a nice cheese plate and an amazing glass of red wine :)
On sunday: Rome and Florence :)
Going home is going to suck
First: For people who know me well they know that I have a seriously crippling fear of heights. I can't seem to find out what it is, but not having my feet on the ground freaks the bejesus out of me. My friend Erin and a girl that we met, Beka, really wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower. To the top. 1,063 feet off the ground. In the pouring rain. Needless to say I was a little skeptical and utterly freaked out. But after an hour and 1/2 wait I made it to the second level...not allll the way to the top, but still an amazing feat for me. Standing up there among hundreds of other people you can feel an odd sense of peace and solitude. All you can see for miles is lights and sounds. As the girls made their way to the very top I stood as near to the edge as I could and took it all in. I breathed in the air and felt so alive and proud of myself for not fainting. As I turned to walk down...yes walk... the whole tower lit up with lights that you can see reflected in the buildings opposite the tower. It was such a remarkable moment and you share it with strangers. Definitely one of the best experiences of my entire life.
Second: I love walking. There's something incredible about meandering in the streets of a new city on a beautiful day that feels so exciting. I speak no French, so I really felt a sense of isolation but also like a voyeur; I could listen and watch without really eavesdropping on people's conversations.
Third: I'm a history nerd. I loved learning about Versailles and the history of Paris and their shops and just how majorly the city has influenced art, music, film and how people view love.
We travel by ferry from Dover to Calais, France then a 3 hour coach ride to Paris. The only downside of the trip was that SeaFrance was on strike so we were stranded in the channel for a few hours...but we made it alive and safe. Now all I want is a nice cheese plate and an amazing glass of red wine :)
On sunday: Rome and Florence :)
Going home is going to suck
on the seine river
hall of mirrors in versailles
palace of versailles
oscar wilde's grave
so thrilled...to be back on the ground
erin and I on the river by our hotel
Thursday, April 1, 2010
English High Tea
Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted a real live tea party (probably came from reading too much 'Alice in Wonderland'). Today, some friends and I finally got to have one! We had real tea, and cakes, and actual cucumber sandwiches-- which are actually quite good. It was such a nice way to end classes and to get ready for PARIS TOMORROW :) I'm a little too excited for this....
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