Things I've Learned Part 2

Hello again!

I really had a lot of fun writing the last post where I made it a list of things I have learned (mostly since coming to London, but also just generally over the course of the last few years). I also got some good feedback about it, so at the risk of turning a good thing into a bad one by boring you all, I have decided to do a follow-up with other things that I have learned that I wanted to share with you. I hope you enjoy it and please forgive for being repetitive in terms of the format of the blog. I hope I'm not repeating things I have already told you in previous posts. Again, these things are in no particular order.

1. Peanut butter is really important to me. I have discovered that one never knows what it is about home that one will miss will one ventures abroad. Naturally, you expect to miss your family and friends (and I DO), but I've come to realize there will also be something else (or several somethings)--somthing small that you never thought mattered that much--and you will miss it! For me, it's Skippy creamy peanut butter! Yum! (And a huge thank you to those who have worked to keep me supplied!)

2. On the topic of food, the Brits really need to work on their salad dressing (in my opinion). It is another thing that I have come to (unexpectedly) miss about home.

3. I like editing with a red pen! It started when I was editing my honor's thesis at F&M so that I would be sure not to miss any changes (there were a lot of pages to edit!). But now I always use a red pen to edit and I love it!

4. Politeness is really important to me! One, I think it is important for us all (and I include myself here) to remember to be polite and thank people for the little things they do that make our lives better. But this has been reinforced since I've been here and it seems that a lot of people don't do this (which bugs me). So London, here is a quick lesson: when someone holds a door open for you, say thank you; when you bump into someone, say excuse me; if you need someone to move, say excuse me; etc. Today I held the door open for four people in a row and not one of them said anything. It was a sad commentary on politeness (and even more sad--it's not unusual here). (I should perhaps add that the Brits are known for their politeness and I don't mean to imply that they aren't polite. All I am saying is that in a city [and a university], a lot of these things get lost and it's sad.)

5. I am not going to be a political theorist. I like the political theory classes I took as an undergrad, but it's just not my calling. So, yeah...at least the job market for comparative politics is slightly better than the one for political theory.

6. Apparently, 'classificatory' is a word! Who knew? Obviously not me!

7. In a similar vein to my last point on part 1 of this post (i.e. the last post), I am continually reminded how much I have grown in a short period of time. I went back and reread my posts from my time in Bath and my time a year and a half ago when I was conducting interview with MPs and I am just amazed at the difference between my posts then and now. I think I have improved, but of course, that is for you to say. :)

8. I really care about the EU, to the point that I am the kind of person who will get worked up about it. This is news to me. I never thought I would be like this, but tonight I went to a really interesting panel discussion about the referendum on EU membership that David Cameron has called (don't get me started). One of the audience members, in a 'question', accused the EU of being a dictatorship because of the so-called 'democratic deficit.' I have spent the hour or so since angrily formulating counter arguments. In a nutshell, the EU is democratic (it's called delegation), although it could surely be more so; closed list electoral systems are also democratic; and the European Parliament is far from irrelevant. If you would like the long version, just let me know. :) But seriously, I would love to talk to anyone who is at all interested in the EU and Britain and would like to chat (and as long as you promise not to call the EU a dictatorship, I promise I won't start ranting)!

9. Apparently, I am kind of obsessed with Les Miserables. I never really thought of it this way until someone basically pointed it out and I realized...they were right. I love that show! I have something like three or four different versions of the soundtrack on my iPod right now. To show you exactly how much I love this show, I give you my own rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream":

10. "I dreamed a dream in time gone by. When hopes were high and kitchens clean. I dreamed that coming to college/grad school would mean people are mature and responsible...Now life has killed the dream I dreamed"

    -What do you think? If I had more time I would have added verses about clean bathrooms and other things that I thought I would have in my life by now (maybe, I'll keep working on it in my spare time...). If you are at all interested, here is a site with several comics of Les Mis song parodies, relating the songs to graduate school. (Thank you to Allison for showing this to me!) They are great (better than mine) so be sure to click next to see all of them!

    -While I'm partly joking about my love for Les Mis with this post, I am also making a serious point about life that I have learned in the past 5 years. I had this vision (dream) that when I went into higher education, the people would be mature adults who acted responsibly. I thought this would be even more true of graduate school. But what I have learned, what life has taught me, is that being legally an adult in no way signifies that one is mature or responsible. And it is a lesson that is driving me crazy!! I have basically accepted that at (almost) all times except for immediately after the cleaning staff stop by, the kitchen that I share with about 12 others will be dirty because people don't clean up after themselves properly. That is one reason I rarely make much effort with my cooking. (On a related note, custodians who clean up after college students are angels!!! Seriously!!) But the most recent revelation is that people won't take responsibility for closing the refrigerator and freezer doors! I mean, really! The temperature fluctuates wildly (like 15-20 degrees celsius in the worst cases I have seen) because people aren't careful enough to shut the door properly despite repeated notes on the door. I find this annoying as all get out! I no longer trust that my food will be good when I go to eat it (in fact I avoid the freezer as a general rule now). And this, in a nutshell, is why I CAN NOT WAIT for my own place with a kitchen (and bathroom) that I don't have to share and can keep to my level of cleanliness and hygiene without spending my entire life cleaning up after others (which is what my life would be if I even tried to keep the kitchen here up to my standards).

11. On a brighter note, I'm really liking this book: 

It is not always an easy read (I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to understand two chapters on Sunday), but it has quickly become a classic in the political science literature (it was only published in 2002). Honestly, I have seen this book on the shelves of most, if not all, of my poly sci professors and I am so pleased to now have a copy on my shelf too! I feel like a real political scientist now! And I really like it because, unlike some other things I have read for classes, as I read it, I have this palpable sense that this is going to come in handy and apply to a lot of things I will do in the future. 

12. I am also loving feeling more professional with my new briefcase! I was sick of walking around looking like a kid/tourist so I bought a briefcase and I love it! (I would put a picture, but I haven't had a chance to take one in good lighting yet.)

Well I hope you enjoyed part 2! I tried to end with a happy note (it involved some rearranging of the bullet points). I also hope everyone in the Northeast is safe and recovering after the crazy weather! 

Things I've learned

Hello all. I woke up this morning at 4:30 am with a migraine. Suffice it to say, it was a less than enjoyable way to wake up. Luckily I’m feeling better now, but as always, I still feel a bit weak and tender. Anyway, for obvious reasons, I wasn’t able to make it to class today (which was sad because I was looking forward to discussing why partisanship is good in my Partisanship in Europe class—Professor Medvic, you’ll know what I mean, although your class was better, for the record). I also, for obvious reasons, have not done all the work I was planning to do today. On the upside, I am taking a day of rest and decided it was time to write this post. I’ve been planning to update you all on things that have happened since break, but somehow the idea for this post just popped into my head. In and of itself, that is not that unusual—I often think about what to write on my blog. The unusual part is that I am getting around to writing the post before I forgot the great idea! So this update (which will fill you in on the important things that have been going on so far this term) will take the form of a list of things I have learned. In general, it is stuff I have learned this term or this year in London, with some exceptions. This is in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. I seriously dislike (I’m trying not to use the word hate too much, but this might be an appropriate moment) migraines. This is one of those exceptions—I’ve known this for years. Regardless, it is still true.

2. I will NOT be basing my career on the study of/theorizing on European integration as such. I like the EU and I like studying it, but I have no desire to spend my life studying theories of integration. I’m glad I studied it last term, but I’m good now.

3. On the other hand, I can very easily envision spending my life studying electoral reform, party competition, and coalitions. Again, this is something I started to figure out last year or even the year before, but as time goes on, it just gets clearer.

4. I can’t wait to have my own place! It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, but I’m picturing a bed, a small kitchen (which I won’t have to share with a dozen other people), a desk, and plenty of shelves for all my books.

5. Related to the previous entry, I can’t wait until I have an office to put all my political science books in, a great desk to spread out papers, and a nice big white board for brainstorming! By the way, this could be a home or work office.

6.  I’m a geek. Yeah, I know we’ve all known this for years! But I like it! I’ve been a band geek since 5^th grade, but now I’m also a poli sci geek (or is it poly?). This is one reason I think I should get a doctorate/be a professor—professors are the only people who think this stuff is as fun as I do!

7. On a related note, the spatial model and NOMINATE are fun! Most of you won’t understand this, but some might (and those that do will probably think I’m crazy for thinking they are fun). The spatial model is a really important model in political science that allows us to represent the preferences of political actors (such as parties or legislators) as points in a policy space. NOMINATE on the other hand is a computer program that lets us put in the voting records of legislators and then we can estimate their locations in a policy space (you can see how it’s related to the spatial model).

     7.b.     I’ve learned about NOMINATE in my class on legislative politics in the European Parliament, which I really like.

8. I’ve made my peace with snow and I really like it again! I used to love snow as a kid and then it ruined my plans several times in college so I wasn’t as excited about it anymore. But then, it snowed here in London!!! On several occasions, no less! It was so incredibly beautiful! I had a wonderful time just walking around the city and taking pictures. I’ve never had so much fun just walking through the snow. I’ll put some of my favorite pictures here.

9. I still enjoy meeting MPs and MEPs (the first being Members of Parliament, the second, Members of the European Parliament)! So far this term, I have met or at least listened to a talk by, Dr. Liam Fox (Conservative MP and former Secretary of State for Defense), Baroness Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrat MEP for London and Member of the House of Lords—although she can’t sit in the Lords while she is an MEP), and Chris Greyling (Conservative MP and Justice Minister).

     9.b.     For the record, I had the most fun with Sarah Ludford and have chosen to follow her for my Legislative politics class (we were assigned to “adopt” an MEP and follow their voting record).

10.  F&M prepared me really well for grad school! Granted, I haven’t had any assignments that actually counted towards my final grade, but all in all, I feel well prepared in terms of handling the amount of work, my writing skills, and my communication/presentation skills. So thank you to all my F&M professors!!

11. On a related note, I miss F&M! The Professors I had were uniformly good teachers as well as researchers; I learned so much from them! I also felt like they and the administrative staff were there to help us! It was a great feeling. Don’t get me wrong, LSE is great, but I just had such a wonderful experience at F&M that, let’s face it, anywhere else will suffer in comparison. I met so many people there, students, professors, and administrators that I hope to keep in touch with for years to come!

12. I don’t like crowds (in that respect, London was not the best choice, but oh well). So in general, I prefer to be on my own, but then again, I have learned that can be rather lonely (which usually results in me talking my parents’ ears off when we chat on skype—thanks for listening Mom and Dad!).

13. I almost forgot, I have learned that I do not like duvets! I have spent 4 months of being too hot with it and too cold without it! I want my blankets back!

14.  Finally, I’m braver than I thought I was. I never thought I would be here, but I’m so glad I am. Considering, I was the kid who had trouble spending the night at a friend’s house without getting homesick, I’m fairly proud of how far I’ve come.

So, I hope you enjoyed the update. I’m sure I’ve learned a lot of other things as well! But if I started telling you even more about what I’ve learned about the EU, a lot of you would probably stop reading… and I love that you guys read my blog so I don’t want to bore you too much!

St. Martin in the Fields with Trafalgar Square in the foreground.

One of the lions in Trafalagar Square.

Icy fountain in Trafalagar.

Trafalgar Square.

Snowy mailbox.

Snowy phone booth! Right after we took this, someone tried to hand us a tour bus brochure. Apparently, we looked like tourists...

My walk in the snow along the Mall to...

Buckingham Palace.

Westminster Abbey (side entrance) in the snow.

Big Ben!

My favorite place!

Holiday Reflections (aka An Ode to Skype)

Hello all!

I am afraid this post is long overdue (and will therefore be a long one). I am sorry and I hope you will stick with me and not get too bored. I wanted to take a bit and tell you about my winter break. I already told you about my trip to Scotland and about the day I saw Les Mis (the movie). Those were sort of the bookends to my break so I would like to fill in the middle. I went to a lot of museums over break. Break was my time to start checking things off the long list of places in London that I want to see. I've decided that the best way to arrange the post will be bullet points and some pictures interspersed. Some will be significantly longer than others, but this will give you the highlights of what I did. I have tried to put things in essentially chronological order. So here goes...

-Christmas: (We'll start with the longest section.) In case you hadn't figured it out already, I stayed in London for my winter break. This meant that I spent my first Christmas away from my parents. We all knew that this was going to be hard. But to be honest, it was better than I expected (Mom and Dad, let me explain!). While I wished I could have been with my parents, this was still a very special Christmas for me and I am glad I decided to stay here.

See, my Mom knew this Christmas was going to be hard so she tried to make it special. And let me tell you, she succeeded! (Thanks Mom!) She sent me a lovely advent package at the beginning of December that had a little Christmas tree and small gifts (mostly ornaments from home) to open each day until Christmas. It was so thoughtful and really made me happy! She even sent some of my favorite  ornaments that we usually put on the tree together back home. She and Dad also sent a wonderful Christmas package with my gifts!! It was great! But, the Royal Mail failed royally (see what I did there?) and my Christmas presents didn't arrive until New Year's Eve. This would sound like a recipe for a sad Christmas, but on the contrary! I'll admit, I was sad that I didn't have my gifts on Christmas (rather too upset for a 23 year old actually), but the great thing was it made me focus on what is really important about Christmas (and hint: it's not the gifts).

Christmas (for me and I understand this is not true for everyone and that is fine) is about Jesus and family. This year, religion played a particularly important role in my holiday. I went to more Christmas services than I ever have before. I was going to go to a variety of churches for these services including Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's, but I ended up going to St. Martin in the Fields for all the services and that was really special for me. In fact, I went to two different services on Christmas Eve (a Carol Service and the Midnight service) and one on Christmas morning (which I have never done before that I can recall). Since St. Martin's has started to feel like home, it was very nice to go there.

And for me, Christmas is about family. This year, I couldn't be with them, but that is where Skype comes in! Mom, Dad, Liesl (my dog), and I Skyped for over three hours on Christmas Day! I got to watch them open their presents (and I had a few of my advent packages saved up to open and some gifts from my wonderful Godmother), which was great! I got to experience the joy of giving gifts without then immediately focusing on what I got in return. It was such a joy to see how happy they were with the gifts I had sent (LSE themed for the most part) and to just "be" with them through the wonder of the internet and Skype. It was a truly wonderful and memorable holiday even though I was far from home.

Opening gifts with the family on Christmas day! 

-National Gallery and the Portrait Gallery: In the week after Christmas I went to these galleries. They are right on Trafalgar Square so I had passed them everyday, but now I finally made time to go in. I had a lot of fun. And discovered a new passion/talent (although neither word is quite right as the talent is minimal and the passion is really more a passing interest sometimes)--drawing/sketching. I started doing my own sketches of paintings I liked. I went out and got some sketching materials and a book on drawing and had fun with that for the rest of break!

-Tate Britain: Following up with my art theme, I went on another day to the Tate Britain. This is not to be confused with the Tate Modern which is probably the more famous of the two. The Tate Britain holds British works of art, including a fair amount of Turner (who, by the way, it turns out I really like).

-Imperial War Museum: On another day, I went here. This Museum is great, but was also a bit of a disappointment. See they have what I understand to be wonderful exhibits on WWI and WWII that are quite interactive (I think they have a simulation of the trenches in WWI and the Blitz in WWII). Unfortunately, both the World War exhibits were closed for renovation. In fact, a few days after I was there, they closed the entire museum (until the summer) to renovate in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI (wow, has it been that long?). So I didn't get to see everything I wanted to--I'll just have to go back. What I did see was the Secret War exhibit which is about spies (not as fun as it sounds) and the Holocaust exhibit. The Holocaust exhibit was very moving. It made me think about my history class last year and what we read about the Holocaust. It was just a very moving exhibit.

-New Year's Eve: Wow. Well this is something I never thought I would do, but I'm so glad I did! On New Year's Eve there is a huge fireworks display on the South Bank at the London Eye. In the past, I think there have also been some fireworks set off of Big Ben (but alas, not this year). Anyway, a lot of people stake out a spot along the river, but I decided to take a different approach (which was certainly not unique as I had tons of company!). I stood by Westminster Abbey so that I had a view of the top of the London Eye and Parliament in front. While I couldn't see the lowest fireworks, I maintain that mine was the best spot in the city! The show was spectacular! The only downsides of my position--St. Margaret's Church, which is right by Westminster Abbey, rang their bells for hours on end in the lead up to midnight which got rather annoying and I spent four hours staring at a really big clock, which does NOT make time move any faster, let me tell you! But it was worth it. I made friends with some young women around me and the fireworks were amazing!! I'll let you see for yourself.

See what I mean? Best spot in London! 

-The New Year's Day Parade: Again this is something I never thought I would do (and let me tell you, ONCE is enough!), but I'm glad I did it. I had a spot right at the intersection of Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. The Parade was cool (although there were an awful lot of American groups--they were good, but I was left wondering why I came to London to see American marching bands and cheerleaders, but oh well). Actually, by the end I was in a rather bad mood because I was freezing! Way colder than I had been the night before and the parade wasn't as great as I hoped. But again, glad I did it once--can check it off the bucket list and move on with my life. :)

-Natural History Museum: Turns out that my tolerance for crowds is not that great. By midday or early afternoon I start feeling really overwhelmed with the crowds and this was one of the days that I learned that lesson (I was reminded in coming days as well). Highlights of the Natural History Museum include the dinosaur exhibit (but there were too many people for my tastes), a "vault" with a lot of really cool precious stones, and a rock from Mars (it was a meteorite that came from Mars)!

-Victoria and Albert Museum: Also cool and definitely worth seeing. They have so much there! My favorites were some paintings and a cast of Michelangelo's David which was HUGE (and in an area where they were renovating so I wasn't expecting to see it, but saw it from above. It reminded me of the time I saw the real thing in Italy-you turn a corner, and BAM there is this really big, really famous statue!)!

Cool instrument sculpture at the V&A. They were flattened and painted black! 

-The Science Museum: On this day, I wasn't feeling well so I really only went in here to see the space exhibit and then left pretty quickly afterward. Frankly, it would be great for kids, but was a slight disappointment (again my headache and aversion of crowds played a role in this opinion). To be honest the Museum of Flight in Seattle has such as good exhibit on space that this was a bit of a let down. But they did have a moon rock which was cool!

-Royal Albert Hall, Albert Memorial, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park (including Speaker's corner and Marble Arch): This was another busy day. I saw the outside of the Royal Albert Hall and of course the Albert Memorial. After that, I went through Kenington Gardens to Kensington Palace. Highlights of the palace (which is the current London residence of Will and Kate, was the residence of Diana, and was the residence of Queen Victoria), include the room where Victoria was born, the room where she held her first Privy Council meeting, and a staircase (at the top of which is a room where Victoria was told she was Queen). Highlights of Kensington Gardens included the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. This was a really cool fountain--it was in the shape of a circle (although not a perfect circle) and one side was a bit higher uphill than the other. This meant the water ran down along both sides of the fountain over different textures of cement. It was really worth seeing. After that, I went though Hyde Park and saw Speaker's Corner, where for a really long time (sorry, don't remember when it started) people have been able to stand up and say whatever they want, and Marble Arch which used to be the entrance to Buckingham Palace. All in all, a good, if tiring day.

Me at the Albert Memorial

The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

One side of the fountain. So cool.

Kensington Palace.

Speaker's Corner

-Les Mis the musical (stage show): I saw this a few weeks before I saw the movie. It was awesome to see it in the West End! The only downside was the Jean Valjean was played by an understudy that night who wasn't as strong as I would have liked (the part is extremely difficult to be sure). But let me tell you, at the end of "One Day More" it was all I could do to stay in my seat and not jump up to join the revolution!! (It's a good thing intermission is right after "One Day More!")

-Canterbury and Canterbury Cathedral: On another day, I took the train out to Canterbury to see the Cathedral. I thought of it as my own little pilgrimage. It was really cool although to be honest, I found Salisbury Cathedral more moving and impressive. Anyway, the inside was beautiful. Canterbury became a pilgrimage site after Thomas Becket was killed/martyred in the church (the King thought he would, as bishop, be fairly weak and follow his instructions but Becket didn't so the King had him killed). The site where he was killed, the stained-glass windows and the chair where the Archbishop of Canterbury (the head of the Anglican Church) sits were all highlights for me.

Canterbury Cathedral. Part of the reason it wasn't overwhelming is that it is surrounded by buildings.

The spot where Becket was martyred. 

The alter with the chair for the Archbishop of Canterbury behind. 

This was really cool--the stairs are really warn down from where all the people made the pilgrimage to where Becket was killed. 

-The British Museum: I had been here before, but it was a whirlwind tour so it was nice to go back with more time. They have a ton of history in there. But for me the highlights were the Rosetta Stone (which, with the same text in three languages, was the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs), the Elgin Marbles (sculptures from the Parthenon in Greece, so called because they were brought to Britain, with permission at the time, by a guy named Elgin), and a statue from Easter Island.

The Rosetta Stone

-Twirties weekend away: This was a retreat that I went on with the twenties, thirties, and beyond group from St. Martin in the Fields. I wanted to go to meet people my age from the church and I was not disappointed. It has been so wonderful to have friends at church and to do things with them (ever since the retreat I have enjoyed going to church even more because I actually know people and have people to talk to)! It was a really special weekend (sorry, I'm running out of steam writing this and I'm sure you are sick of reading it, if you are still with me at all...). I felt like not only did I get to know people, but I got to experience English culture a bit more--I took the opportunity to ask questions and they were great about explaining cultural differences to me! I even tried Marmite (developed during the War to get people much needed vitamins)--I don't recommend it!

So that is what I did over winter break! I'm sorry that the post was so long! It probably wasn't as interesting as I hoped it would be, but we are basically caught up (I'll save the fun I had with snow in London for another post as that was after break). I really did want to share these things with you and let you know what a special holiday I had.

Thanks for sticking with me and reading all of that!

Abbey

This is why we have rules!

Dear All,

I know it has been much too long since I posted and I owe you a wonderful long explanation of all the great things I've done since I went to Scotland. And I promise I will give you that post...but not tonight. Tonight I just have to share what happened to me today and then this weekend, when I have more time I will do a more thorough update.

Today was really just a wonderful day! For one thing, it started out sunny which is worth mentioning simply because it was a nice change from the recent overcast January weather. For another, it is Thursday, and this term, I don't have class on Thursdays. So I woke up in a good mood and things just got better from there.

When I checked my email, I had one from the editor of the journal that accepted an article I wrote for publication (I think I told you about this a few months ago). Anyway, the issue has gone to print so in a mere week or two, I will officially be a published author! It will take a while longer for the issue to be posted online, but I'll let you know when it is. They are sending two copies of the issue to my parents (no sense tempting fate by trusting the Royal Mail with that special cargo!) and one to the government department at F&M. So I'm really excited about that!

Then I got a bit of homework done before chatting on Facebook with my friend Sam. We hadn't talked (or instant messaged) in a while so it was great to catch up. After that, I tried to do more work, but didn't get very far. I was too excited because I had decided I would go to the afternoon showing of Les Miserables in Leicester Square (the location will matter in a minute)! See, it didn't come out in London until last Friday and since I was gone all last weekend (more on that in future post) and then classes started on Monday, I hadn't had a chance to see it.

I was so excited. I may have been nearly this excited to see the Harry Potter movies, but I really do think that I was even more excited about Les Mis!  And it did not disappoint! Sure, Russell Crowe as Javert wasn't great, but I was expecting that and to be honest, there were times when he was better than I expected. Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean was great (although if anything, not quite as good as I expected-he sounded a bit horse at times). Then there was the younger cohort. While I have always been partial to the character of Enjoras, he wasn't as good as I hoped, but the big surprise was how much I liked Marius! I have never liked the character of Marius that much (maybe becuase I identify a bit with Eponine) but Eddie Redmayne really brought Marius out for me! His voice was amazing. By the end, I was nearly as in love with him as Cossette and Eponine (and really, who can blame them?)!

But for me, the show stoppers were Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Samantha Barks as Eponine! I knew I would like Samantha Barks as I had seen her as Eponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis (if you haven't seen it, you should) and she was just as good as expected. And let me tell you, Anne Hathaway deserves that Golden Globe and more! She was amazing. Her performance was right on. Wow.

I've seen Les Mis a number of times now (in the theater in Seattle and London and of course, the 25th Anniversary Concert). I fell in love with the show the first time I saw it (and that time, I could barely see the stage and follow the story so it has only improved with time and more viewings)! I was worried, that like Harry Potter, I would be upset whenever the movie deviated from the play (or in the case of Harry Potter, the books). But thankfully, I was able to let go of that and just enjoy it! I didn't mind when they adjusted the words, or changed the order of the songs, or added a song! I noticed, but didn't mind! I think I was able to let it go because I realized two things. First, they were really doing a movie of a cross between the book and the play so of course new things were involved. And second, I realized that with the play, the story has to be told through the songs. But the movie, while obviously a musical, doesn't have to rely as much on just the songs to tell the story-the story can be told in a different way. And combining the music with the intense visual components of the movie that you can't see on stage was brilliant. Further, while I don't believe I have ever cried at the play, despite the very emotional story, by the end of the movie I was sobbing! It was just wonderful. I even got to see it in the very theater in which it premiered (although why it premiered in London and then didn't come out here until weeks after it came out in the States is beyond me).

So you may think, wow Abbey, you had a pretty great day. Why yes I did, but it gets even better! This next part is what I would consider the cherry on top of a great day. And to be honest, this is the reason I am writing the post, but it was just such a cool ending to the day! What you have to understand is that Leicester Square is just full of theaters. A number of world premieres happen here (most recently Skyfall and of course, Les Mis). When I got there for Les Mis, I was early so I decided to wonder around the square a bit. I saw them setting up for the premiere of the new movie Flight, starring Denzel Washington, at another theater. It did occur to me that I could end up being near where Denzel Washington was, but that was about the end of it before I went and got immersed in Les Mis. Well, when I came out of the movie, the premiere was in full swing and there were lots of people there. So I went over and then decided I wasn't going to stay (I was only wearing jeans and a sweatshirt and it was cold-I had no desire to freeze trying to see someone I probably wouldn't see anyway). But as I was walking away, I changed my mind and went back. After I stood there for about five minutes, I was freezing, but at this point, pretty invested in standing there until I saw someone that would make the cold worth it.

And within about 20 minutes my patience was rewarded...I got to see Denzel Washington!!! I wasn't as close to him as I was to the Queen in November, but I had a pretty clear view (through a fence)! BUT, I made the terrible mistake of breaking my own rule...never, ever leave the house in London without a camera!! Well, let me tell you, I won't be making that mistake again! I should know better. As the title of this post says, THIS is why we have rules! Luckily, I befriended someone next to me (who happened to be from Seattle). I was taller than her so I helped her get a picture of Denzel. Afterwards, I gave her my email address, so hopefully, in about a week when she gets home, I will have the picture that I took (albeit with someone else's camera) of Denzel! It also turns out that one of my friends here in London was there, so I may try to get a copy of his picture. I can't believe I didn't have my camera!!

Anyway, thanks for letting me share with you all! It is wonderful to be able to share my thoughts with you. There are a lot of days in London that are rather lonely. A lot of days that are stressful and filled with class and readings and essays and grad school stuff. My life here is not perfect. But some days make all the other ones worth it! Days like today. I know I'm here to learn, and believe me, I am doing that! But I'm also having more fun than I ever expected along the way!

Love to all!

My Scottish Adventure

Hello all,

Happy Christmas Eve (if you celebrate Christmas). I have to confess that it has never felt less like Christmas to me, but I assume that is because I am in London and not with my family doing our usual Christmas traditions. It also doesn't help that it is rather warm (all things considered) here in London so it doesn't feel like December at all! Hopefully going to the Christmas Eve services at St. Martin in the Fields will help.

Well, I had an amazing six days last week traveling around Great Britain and I wanted to share it with you! So this could be a bit of a long post, but I hope you will enjoy it. I think I will organize it by day. To be fair, my adventure included places in England as well as Scotland (I'll get to that), but for some reason, in my head I started calling it my Scottish adventure and the name kind of stuck! So without further ado (is that how you spell that??)...

Day 1 (Monday December 17):
On the first Monday of my Christmas break, I left Northumberland house on my grand adventure. I took the tube (actually the first time I have had occasion to do this since I arrived in London in September-I've been walking everywhere) to Kings Cross Station. I was super early (still getting used to traveling by train and not plane where one doesn't need to be hours early), but eventually boarded a train to Edinburgh. It was a rather long train ride (~4-5 hours), but very enjoyable. The scenery was very nice. And I saw the North Sea for the first time!

Finally, I arrived in Edinburgh at about 2:15 pm. So I made my way to the hostel where I had booked a private room (I'm not that keen on sharing rooms period, so sharing with 5 or 6 strangers is not particularly appealing to me). After I dropped my stuff off, I went out exploring in the fading light. At which point, I immediately realized I had traveled rather farther north as it was about 3:30 and getting dark. Because of the dark, I didn't explore that much. But I did walk up and down the Royal Mile (a slightly more than mile-long (one way) walk/road that goes from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the hill to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament at the bottom of the hill). Then I had dinner at a pub called the World's End (so called because it was right at the corner where the old city wall was, so for all intents and purposes, the world ended there for those that lived in the city).

Day 2:
This was an absolutely exhausting day! I tried to pack everything in Edinburgh into one day (which was rather successful, although some sights will have to wait until another trip)! I started out (when it was still dark) at about 8:30 and went up to Edinburgh Castle. I got there about 9 and while I knew the Castle didn't open until 9:30, this was perfect as I got to look around a bit and see the view over the city. In fact, I got to see a beautiful "sunrise." Technically the sun was already above the horizon, but thanks to some clouds, it looked like it was just coming up and it was beautiful! Here's a picture:

When I was able to go into the castle, I looked around on my own (with the help of my trusty Rick Steve's guide book) before eventually going on a short (free) tour that was also quite good. Some highlights of things I saw: St. Margaret's Chapel, which I think (according to Steves) is the oldest building in Edinburgh. A very moving (and huge) memorial to those Scots who died in WWI and the subsequent wars (up to the present day). The room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI of Scotland who eventually became James I of England as well. And the Honours or the Scottish Crown Jewels. In terms of jewels, they weren't as good as the English ones in the Tower of London (sorry Scotland), but I also didn't care all that much about the jewels (in either country). What I found truly interesting was a big rectangular rock that was with the (Scottish) Jewels. This is the Stone of Scone or the Stone of Destiny. This is the rock on which Kings of Scotland have been crowned for a really, really long time. But in 1296 (I think) the English took the stone and put it in London in a specially designed coronation chair (still used today) in Westminster Abbey. Finally, in 1996, the Queen allowed the Stone to return to Scotland, but only on the condition that it travel to London for all future coronations. I thought that history was pretty cool.

After I left the Castle I took a taxi (a bit more expensive, but faster than a bus and time was of the essence with everything I was trying to see) to the harbor to see the Royal Yacht Britannia. This was one of the highlights of my day-so cool! This was the ship (because let's face it, it is way to big to call it a boat), that the Queen traveled the world on for nearly 40 or 50 years! It was decommissioned in the 90s, but had been spectacularly maintained and the audio-guided tour allowed one to go all over the ship (or at least it seemed). I got to see the bridge (and sit in the Admiral's chair), the crew quarters, the royal family's quarters, and the engine room. I don't quite know why I had such a good time there, but I highly recommend it! One of the fun things is that the Queen and Prince Philip decorated the place themselves (rather unlike their palaces where they inherited things from previous monarchs) and so one gets an interesting insight into their tastes (rather like an average Brit for the time). Here's a picture of me on the bridge: 

After Britannia, I took another taxi back up to the city and toured the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is the official residence of the Queen in Edinburgh. It was pretty cool, but not as exciting as the Britannia or Edinburgh Castle. The included audio guide made a big difference in helping to understand what one was seeing. 

Next I went across the street to the Scottish Parliament building opened after devolution in 1997. I didn't see much inside, but it was cool too! You know, I like Parliaments. But I find the British Parliament much more interesting, in terms of history and architecture, so I didn't stay that long. The funny thing was the taxi driver on the way back from Britannia (I had asked to be taken to the Scottish Parliament) was clearly not in favor of Scottish independence and wanted me to tell Alex Salmond (the First Minister of Scotland) so when I saw him (I didn't). This became more amusing the next day when my tour guide was clearly very much in favor of independence and spoke of it as all but certain! (Something to keep an eye on as it gets closer.)

After that I was exhausted, but found I still had time so I went up to the National Museum of Scotland. I only went into the sections about the history of Scotland. The Museum was great, but at that point, I was so tired and my feet and legs were hurting from walking around all day (and the day before, and walking up- and down-hill constantly) so I didn't really enjoy it that much. The best part was the view of Edinburgh Castle from the rooftop terrace. Here's the picture: 

After that I just didn't have the energy for any more sightseeing so I went back to the hostel. I also knew the next morning was going to be an early one and a long day. 

Day 3:

On this day I went on a bus tour of the Scottish Highlands! Best money I spent the entire trip! It was so amazing! Unfortunately, I can't share all the sights with you because it was nearly impossible to get any decent pictures on the moving bus so I mostly only got pictures where we stopped (also really cool). But the tour guide was great, and the scenery was absolutely stunning! Seriously, I was thinking all day how this has to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire world (that's right, I said it, the world, not just Britain)! We went up through Glencoe, to Lock Ness and Urquhart Castle, and saw the tallest mountain in the British Isles (Ben Nevis; Ben means mountain). I really just can't say enough how gorgeous everything was! 

Our time at Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness was absolutely wonderful! We had time to walk around the castle and explore the ruins (the last owners, in a rather long line, had blown up part of it so that no one else could use it). It was a lot of fun! Then we went on a little cruise on the lake at dusk. It was beautiful! But no sign of Nessie. We did see some Nessie stuffed animals in a gift shop and I did contemplate buying one, throwing it in the water, and taking a picture "proving" it's existence, but didn't bother. :) (To be honest, I'm rather agnostic about the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. As the tour guide pointed out, it has been around, supposedly, for so long, there really must be more than one so that they could reproduce.) Anyway, here are some pictures from that awesome trip. The castle is Urquhart Castle, the lake is Loch Ness and the other picture is just some beautiful scenery I managed to capture on the bus:

Day 4:
On this day, I traveled by train from Edinburgh to Penrith which is in the Lake District. Then I got rather wet and cold waiting for a bus to Keswick (pronounced Kez-ick) where I would stay for  two nights as I explored a bit of the Lake District. I explored a bit that afternoon/evening but just the town (cute and small). I stayed in a lovely B&B that was inexpensive, but very nice! Not too much to say about this day...

Day 5:
This was another beautiful, amazing day. It was overcast, but mercifully dry so I went on a walk for a few hours along Derwentwater Lake (the lake by Keswick). I was so happy to be there at this time of year! There were few people around, no one on the lake at all, and the overcast day just added to the mystique! The lake was still as glass and it was just so beautiful! At times, it seemed hard to tell where the lake ended and the land began! And the reflection of the mountains in the water was perfect! Really, like the highlands, I just ran out of words...So here are some pictures:

That night I saw the Hobbit in the little movie theater in Keswick. The movie felt very appropriate to see on this adventure of mine. My favorite line was something along the lines of "home is behind you, the world is ahead." It really resonated with me as I traveled and more generally as I am here in Britain following my dreams...

Day 6:
I left Keswick by bus and took a train from Penrith to London. Luckily, I had no trouble on the trip (another train to London before mine was cancelled and there was flooding the southwest that was messing people up, but luckily I avoided all of this). Finally I was back in my room in London.


So, that was my adventure in a nutshell. I hope you enjoyed reading about it and the pictures (there are a lot more on Facebook if you are interested...).

Tonight I plan to go to St. Martin in the Fields for two Christmas Eve services (their carol service and the midnight service). I was going to go to Westminster Abbey for the carol service, but it turns out you need tickets which are of course gone. And I thought briefly about going to St. Paul's Cathedral, but I would have to wait outside in line for a really long time and may not get in anyway (somehow that just didn't seem like Christmas to me...). So hopefully I'll get a seat in St. Martin's (it will be full, but hopefully not as packed as St Paul's or Westminster Abbey). Then tomorrow, I am looking forward to going to a Christmas Day service at St. Martin's and then skyping with my parents.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!
Love,
Abbey

Catching Up

Hello all,

Before I go on, let me just say that the news of the terrible events in CT on Friday greatly saddens me. At the moment, we as a country (and even those in other nations) are grieving. Right now, that is what we need to do. Sometime soon though, I hope we as a nation can sit down and discuss how to prevent these terrible things from ever happening again. My heart goes out to all those affected, especially the families of the victims. ...

I am so blessed to be here in London following my dreams and to have such wonderful family and friends back home and all over the world supporting me. I just want to thank all of you and tell you all that I love you and appreciate you! ...

Since your support means so much to me, I want to go ahead and update you on the things I have been doing this past month. I feel like this is my small way of sharing something with you. A lot of great things happened so please forgive me for the abrupt transition to talking about them...

Well tomorrow morning I leave for Scotland! I've never been so I am very excited (and a little nervous)! But I thought, since I am sure to have all sorts of new adventures that will beg to be blogged about, I better get caught up on the past month before I go have more fun. So I will try to give you a brief overview.

Other than my last post which focused on only one day (you can get a sense of why I don't blog all the time-a lot happens) this past week, I haven't told you what I've been doing since I saw the Queen and that was way back on the 14th of November. So, here's what I've done:

-I turned 23! As a senior at F&M I tended to feel rather old, but in busy London, I am reminded that I am quite young and still have a lot of learning to do! The day after my birthday, a group of friends and I went to a pub here in London and celebrated my birthday in the British way (don't worry, that basically means we had dinner in a pub, nothing worse than that)! It was wonderful to get together with my friends and another reminder of how blessed I am to have met some great people here! Then a few of us went to Covent Garden for frozen yogurt before heading home.

-I met Danny Alexander! He is a Lib Dem MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and member of the "Quad"--the group consisting of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minster, the Chancellor and Danny (i.e. two Conservatives and two Lib Dems) that makes final decisions on coalition policy. This was an awesome talk! Danny was at the coalition negotiations and so his first-hand account was fascinating (although, basically what I already knew).  I almost didn't go to this event as it was at UCL so a bit of a walk, but thanks to my friend Anna, I went for it and so glad I did!
Here's a picture of Danny and I:

-I wrote two more essays. One I have received feedback on and it went well. The other...I am still waiting on the results. I don't have much else to say about that! Although, I will say it was really odd to be done with most of my work (aside from some minor statistics homework and reading) two weeks before term was over! And then of course, term ended and I still have months until I take my finals (i.e. until I do any work that is actually graded)!

-I got and mailed my Christmas gifts! This is noteworthy because I am usually not on top of this and wrapping on Christmas Eve, but when one has to mail things abroad, one is forced to get everything together sooner rather than later!

-I had drinks with the LSE Liberal Democrat Society and Lord Wallace (a Lib Dem) in Parliament! That was a pretty cool experience! Having drinks with a Lord in the Lord's bar! He is our new patron and it was wonderful to just talk with him! He seemed to genuinely want to hear our opinion on the coalition, Lib Dem election prospects, and policies and we had a great discussion (and I use the word discussion very purposefully here)!

-I went to my first doctor's appointment in the UK. Nothing to worry about-simply checking in. But my first experience with the NHS made me feel like I really am living here (not just visiting for a bit)!

-I went to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. This was absolutely crazy! There were so many people there. Basically they have stalls where you can buy gifts and food (lots of very pricy food and drinks) and they also have rides (also very pricy). My favorite part was getting a souvenir smashed penny for my friend LaRee back home (she loves them and that is the only thing she asked me for)! I actually had to go back a few nights later to get more pennies! But, shh! I want to surprise her!

-I went to the Advent Procession at St. Paul's Cathedral! This was my first trip to St. Paul's and the first time I've ever been inside. It was amazing! I just kept thinking how many copies of St. Barnabas would fit inside (at least 5 or 10 I think)! The service was about a transition from light to dark so it began with almost no lights. Then as the procession (including clergy from all over the diocese of London and the Bishop of London)  moved from the West to East end of the church over the course of the hour-long service, there were hymns, readings and slowly, more lights were turned on. It was quite moving. But the most amazing part for me, was the very end. I turned around to watch the procession and I realized they had opened the huge doors at the back of the church. These doors are almost always closed so the symbolism of those open doors was very powerful! For me it was a symbol of both the church going out into the world as well as welcoming the world in. I almost started crying.
Here's a picture of St. Paul's with the doors open:

 And a farther away picture of the Cathedral:

-I went to the "blessing of the crib" in Trafalgar Square. This was a service put on by St. Martin in the Fields. The choir and a Salvation Army band led the procession down the middle of the road (that was something to be a part of!) and into Trafalgar Square where the "crib" or, as we would say, nativity, had been set up. Then there was a service of readings and carols. It was really cool and moving to be singing hymns in the middle of Trafalgar Square and have passersby join in! Here's a picture (sorry for the poor quality; you can see the base of Nelson's Column, the band is on the far left, the box is the nativity and the choir is on the left, in white):

-Oh, and I finished my first term of graduate school! As I mentioned earlier, I haven't taken the finals and won't until summer term. Therefore the end of term doesn't really feel like the end. I don't feel like I can say I "survived" yet. But still, it was a major thing! Apparently, I can do graduate work! :-)

So I think that about covers it! I hope you enjoyed the update. As always, thanks for reading!

Love,
Abbey

A (slightly exceptional) day in the life...(archbishops included)

Hey all!

I hope you are all doing well! Sorry it has been a while since my last update (busy time of year in London-you know, basically every day).

So I know I owe you great details on a number of things. However, I am not sure I have the energy to talk about all of them (I will, just not tonight). So I'm going to break my rule and go out of chronological order (just this once!) to update you about today and then in a later post (hopefully this weekend) I will fill you in about other things I've been doing since I "met" the Queen.

Today has been an emotional roller-coaster! I think I would be exhausted even if I had gotten more sleep last night! I prefer to get bad news first and follow it with the good news so that is what I will do here. So just stick with me through the bad news (don't worry, it's not that bad, I'm fine).

Big downside of today: I didn't get the parliamentary internship I applied for. If you and I are friends on Facebook this story will be a bit redundant, but for those of you who aren't on Facebook or don't spent all your time watching what I'm doing (although why not, I have no idea ;) --just kidding!) I am going to take a bit of time to fill you in. Not getting the internship was not a big surprise, but upsetting nonetheless. Here goes...

Since I absolutely love parliament (but, really), I have applied for several internships over the past few months (in addition to just loving parliament, I also think it would be a great opportunity to learn more and would really help me in my future work). LSE has a parliamentary internship scheme that I have been applying through (I haven't applied for all that many for a variety of reasons, only 4 or 5). The way the scheme works is you send an application to LSE and the LSE careers people look it over. They then shortlist 5 or 6 people and send the applications on to the MP's (or Lord's) office. The MP or a staff member (let's face it, it will be a staff member) will probably narrow this further and then you may get an interview, after which, they generally (more on this in a moment) pick someone. The entire process can take weeks (so long, in fact, that I have at times thought I was out of the running only to find out later that I had moved on to the next step).

I was lucky enough to be shortlisted for two internships with Liberal Democrat MPs (for the record, I have only been applying for Lib Dem positions, but I won't bore you with why-ask if you want to know). One, I never heard anything more about. However, with the other I was asked for an interview!! I was so excited and nervous! I ended up interviewing the day after they asked for my interview availability which was Thursday 29 November (nearly two weeks ago; to clarify that was the day of the interview itself). I interviewed with the MP's researcher who was a lovely young woman (not that much older than me) and I thought it went really well! We seemed to really hit it off and I thought I could really enjoy working for her/with her! To be honest, I have never wanted any position as badly as I wanted this (with the exception of any of the fellowships I applied for last year). Anyway, I was really proud of how the interview went (and I still am-I have no regrets in that respect). I was told that they were only interviewing one other person (good chances!) and that the other interview would be the following week (so last week).

So, I waited. And waited. And waited. Really it wasn't that bad, but it felt like ages!! I was checking my email constantly and so upset when there was never anything there (much like with the fellowships actually). Finally, last Friday (over a week since the interview), I emailed my interviewer. I asked when she expected to make a decision and if she would notify both of us (i.e. I was already wondering if I hadn't gotten the job and she just didn't bother to tell me). I never heard back (still haven't). In fact, I have not heard one word via email or any other method from her since the interview (despite the fact that I, as requested, emailed her my availability for times to work and then sent this inquiry). Finally, after talking via a series of emails with my Mom last night I decided that if I hadn't heard by Friday I was going to let it go. But I also decided that today, if I hadn't heard by midday, I would email the person in LSE Careers in charge of the scheme and see if he knew anything.

I got a very quick (surprising!) response from him that was very kind. Apparently, my interviewer contacted him just yesterday saying they had decided not to take any intern on at all. The LSE coordinator didn't know why and wasn't even aware the interviews had taken place. He was kind enough to apologize for their behavior--i.e. not alerting me that they aren't hiring any interns, namely me (and I say hiring, but this was a volunteer position).

I was sad, but as I said, not all that surprised. After this long, I figured I hadn't gotten it but didn't want to admit it. However I was also mad that they went through all of that not to hire anyone and then didn't treat us very well in the process! But I am trying to think on the positive side. 1) I didn't lose the job to another candidate! That makes me feel slightly better about myself than if they had hired someone else. And more importantly, 2) in hindsight, as much as I wanted this position, I don't think I want to work for someone who would treat me that way. I believe I deserved at least a short email saying thanks but no thanks and I didn't even get that.

That was bad thing number one for today. Bad thing number two: my favorite receptionist, Caitlin (and in fact the only one I am really comfortable with), at my house is leaving suddenly! :( She was, in my opinion, by far the nicest, most willing to help, best person working here and she is leaving! It is a long story (that you don't really need to know) that I basically found out tonight at a little going away party, but the fact is, I'm sad she's gone.

BUT, I promised that there would be good news because today was a roller-coaster! So on to that! One really cool thing was I heard from a former high school teacher of mine out of the blue! We were rather close and have tried to keep in touch since I left high school (wow that seems like a long time ago). Anyway, that was just a very happy way to start the day.

More good stuff: I met (in a more substantial way than the Queen) the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams today! This too needs some background... Partly because I live right off Trafalgar Square, it was really convenient for me to attend St. Martin in the Fields (a fairly world-renowned Anglican Church) which is right on the Square. And even better, I have really enjoyed going there so I have become a bit of a regular (I'm there most Sundays). It reminds me a lot of St. Barnabas in some ways so I feel as "at home" there as I think I would at any church that isn't St. Barnabas (my home parish). One of the priests has even started to recognize me!

They have a lot of events and concerts at St. Martins (partly because of the wonderful choir). One Sunday I read that there was going to be a service of thanksgiving for 80 years of the BBC World Service (that was the service today). Further, a few tickets were being held aside for St. Martins' members. Now, normally, this wouldn't mean much to me. Frankly, although I now (after today) understand the BBC World Service has done and continues to do some great things all over the world, I don't feel particularly connected to it. BUT, the little blurb that was advertising this service said that the address was going to be given by Rowan Williams. And I thought, well if I can get in to see that, I better take the opportunity!

For those of you who don't know, I'm Episcopalian (the American version of Anglican which is, in turn, the general umbrella the Church of England fits into). The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head (at least symbolically) of the worldwide Anglican community. Rowan Williams is the current AB (I don't want to keep typing Archbishop), but his successor was chosen in November. So that there is no confusion, Rowan Williams is still the AB (the new guy is the AB-elect). You may know Williams from the royal wedding last year.

So now that we are all caught-up on basic Anglican stuff, as I said, I wanted to hear him speak! So I emailed the St. Martin's contact person for this event and explained that although I am not a member I have been coming regularly and if there is one available, I would really like a ticket to this service. Well, no problem at all (St. Martins has really been great in so many ways)!

So this morning, I went to the service and heard the AB speak. For the record, the service was broadcast world-wide on the radio so if you happened to catch it, you were hearing me (and a bunch of others) singing those hymns! In other words, I made my radio debut today! Naturally, the AB's address focused on the press and on the recent issues/discussions here in the UK about press regulation and free speech (I would be happy to discuss this if anyone wants details). Anyway, I thought it was a good address (not perhaps the most moving, but that is partly because I don't feel particularly close to the BBC World Service despite my new-found appreciation of it). If you are interested, you can read or listen to the address here. And for the next seven days at least you can listen to the whole service here.

At the end of the service, I got to shake hands with Rowan Williams! I think I said thank you. And just so we are all clear, no curtseys this time. :) Clearly, a more significant "meeting" than with the Queen (where I was just really close to her, but didn't shake her hand). It was really cool (although I have to say, not as cool as getting to meet Katherine Jefferts-Shori, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and a prime example of why the Church of England really needs to get on board and approve women bishops)!

So that was today! Not exactly a normal day for me in London, but then again, so many great things happen all the time here that in some ways it was not that unusual! There is always something going on!

I promise I will update you shortly on my other adventures! This Friday will be the last day of my first term of graduate school! I survived! Of course, all the finals are in the summer so I haven't really survived yet. I am going to travel around the UK over break, but I will also update you all!

Take care! I really appreciate all of your support (especially the last few weeks with this internship)!
Cheers,
Abbey