Author: Kaitlin Watkins

I’m back! I know it has been a long time since I last wrote. I needed to take a break from posting to focus on finishing up the school year. There were some weeks that only consisted of me studying or writing papers and spending hours in the library. Those weeks would not have made great blog posts as they would have only been a sentence long. So, instead, I decided to compile all of the major events that happened over the course of my absence into one longer post.

On April 21st-23rd, I took a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland with the rest of the students participating in the same study abroad program. We left London by train very early that morning. The ride, though long, was beautiful. The train rolled through fields filled entirely with golden-yellow flowers, herds of sheep, and quaint villages ideal for a Jane Austen novel. When touring the UK, there is no better way to travel than by train.

Because of our early start, we had most of the day to enjoy the city. We went on a walking tour to see the most we could in the short amount of time we had. We were taken through cobblestone streets to places such as the Cathedral, the edge of the castle’s grounds, and the famous graveyard. Before the tour, I had no knowledge about the history of Edinburgh. In contrast to what I would have assumed, Edinburgh had a terribly bloody history full of cruel torture and miserable people. What once used to be one of the worst cities to live in is now one of the most beautiful. Additionally, as a huge Harry Potter fan I was exited to find out that J.K. Rowling not only lives there, but also took inspiration from the city itself; including names from the city’s cemetery. The next day, we explored the exhibits at the Royal Museum of Scotland. The museum has a human-sized hamster wheel that produces electricity for the building when visitors run on it. I gave it a try and found that hamsters make it look much easier than it actually is. The museum also has a large collection of dinosaur bones, the first clone (a sheep named Dolly), an intricate handmade clock, mummies, the original Guillotine used even before the French Revolution. I love visiting museums, but it always feels eerie when I stand in front of objects with so much history revolving around death.

After the museum, I went to a restaurant that served us three courses inspired by traditional Scottish food. It was one of the best meals I have had while abroad. After lunch, I met back up with the rest of the group and walked to the castle. The castle sits above the city since it was built on an old volcano. In the castle, I decided to do a self-guided tour rather than with a guide so I would be able to take my time and have a more personal interaction with the history. The view over the walls was breathtaking. You can see all of Edinburgh; from the distant mountains to the sea. We were all given free time after we finished at the castle. A group of us decided to walk to Arthur’s Seat; another old volcano on the outskirts of the city, towering even higher above Edinburgh than the castle. We were told that we should take the easy path that would get us to the top in around 30 minutes. However, once we started our hike, we quickly realized that we had accidentally taken the much harder path. As it was too late to turn back, we pushed through and laughed about it. We finally made it to the top, out of breath and a bit winded, but were immediately revived by the sheer beauty of the landscape around us. There is a perfect view in every direction. None of us wanted to leave. Even though it took us nearly four times as long to hike it, standing so high above a gorgeous city by the sea under an endless sky was worth every step. We left Scotland the next day with amazing memories and some new friends.

About a week later, my friend and I finally went to the market on Portobello Road in Notting Hill. This was another thing I had been wanting to check off of my list of things to do while in London. There were booths and shops set up on both sides of the street for what felt like miles. Vendors sold antiques of all kinds, prints, paintings, food, crafts, and so much more. Luckily I was able to refrain from buying everything I saw. The one purchase I did make was well worth it. We found a local tea company that makes their own blends named after different parts of London. The blend I fell in love with is called Regents Park. I am saving it for when I am back in the States feeling homesick for London.

At the beginning of May, a few days before my first exam, I was able to get last-minute tickets to see the musical Carousel. Rogers and Hammerstein, the composing-writing team who created Carousel, among many other of my favorites (Oklahoma!, Sound of Music, The King and I, etc.) are special to me. Their musicals have a different style and feel than modern musicals. Their creations have heart, a quick wit, and thought-provoking plots in abundance. Hearing their music and lyrics fills me with nostalgia and comfort. Seeing Carousel was just what I needed to decompress after studying for days on end. After my first exam, I had ten days before I had my next one. In this time, I completely immersed myself in studying. Similarly as with my last one, I needed to decompress a few days before to prevent myself from getting too overwhelmed so I went to the Harry Potter in Concert series at the Royal Albert Hall. This performance consisted of a theater-sized movie screen playing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone while a full orchestra played in front. They removed all of the music from the movie, leaving only dialogue and sound effects, while the orchestra performed the soundtrack live. It had me entranced for the entirety; from opening to closing credits. This was one of the most amazing experiences I have had the pleasure of being a part of. I am now convinced that all movie-epics should be seen in this format. The conductor was professional yet comedic. He encouraged the audience to interact with the film; cheer for a favorite, boo for the opposite, laugh freely. The crowd and I immediately experienced a sense of camaraderie with one another.

For the next week, I went back into study mode until this last Thursday when I officially finished my Junior year at University. As a treat, I booked a short weekend trip to Manchester, England. I was able to purchase very affordable tickets to a Premier League football (soccer) match. On Saturday night, the night before the match, I made friends with a couple people from my hostel. They too had tickets so we decided to travel to the stadium together. The stadium was packed with 75,000 people all passionate about one team or the other. As I was in Manchester, I donned my red sweater and cheered for Manchester United. They ended up winning 2-0 and I would like to think that my cheering helped with that a bit. As much fun as I had this weekend, I have come to realize that London is home to me. When I am away, I miss it and cannot wait to return. I have had the most amazing time here and plan to take every advantage of my time left.

Ta ta

~Kaitlin

This last Wednesday-Thursday, I had a major spout of sleeplessness and ended up staying awake through the night into the next morning. Rather than sitting in my room, restless and bored, I decided to head out; at 4 a.m. I ate breakfast, got dressed, and started walking towards the Thames. I wanted to take advantage of my unfortunate sleepless situation and watch the sunrise. After I left my room, I ended up racing the sun as I made my way to the river. It was such a beautiful morning and I got to see the city almost completely empty. I found myself on the pedestrian bridge looking towards the Northern skyline. It really was breathtaking. Once the sun broke the horizon, I walked some of the South bank and explored parts of the city I had never seen. I came across some old ruins, the real ship of Sir Francis Drake, an old cathedral, the tunnel under the London Bridge, and the Tower Bridge. At around 10 a.m. my energy was completely gone and all I could think about was going back to get some sleep.

The rest of the week consisted of some book shopping, days at the National Gallery, and writing; an ideal week for me. On Saturday, I was on my way back for the night while talking to Marky on the phone. I was telling him how I had no plans for the evening so while browsing for some options, he was able to quickly find a single ticket available for a production of Hamlet. Ironically, I had looked into buying a ticket for this exact production a few days earlier but they were completely sold out. Some one must have returned their ticket, giving me to the opportunity to attend the play for an incredibly inexpensive price. I have always been a fan of Shakespeare and Hamlet is one of my all-time favorites. The venue was an intimate setting without many audience seats, which made the performance much more personal. Another reason I was so excited to see this production was because it was starring Andrew Scott; the actor who plays Moriarty in the show Sherlock. If you have seen Sherlock, you know how brilliant, and a little mad, Andrew Scott is; a perfect combination for the character of Hamlet. If you have not seen the show, you must. Now, Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s longest plays, but I forgot this fact and expected it to be around two hours long. I was wrong. It was actually 4 hours long with two intermissions. The acting, the stage props, and everything in between had me enthralled the entire time. I was mesmerized and hooked on every word that was spoken. This has to be one of my favorite experiences at a show, ever. I would see it again and again if tickets were not so rare to find. After the show, I noticed that a line had began to form outside the theater entrance. I knew it had to be a version of a stage door, where the actors leave the theater. I decided to join the line and stood there with my program in hand hoping I would have an opportunity to see Andrew Scott in person. Well, I was lucky enough. After 30-40 minutes of standing there he came out and greeted everyone. I was about fourth in line and had the chance for him to sign my program and to take a quick picture with me. He was lovely to meet and very kind but imaginably overwhelmed by the number of people standing in line behind me. I am so, so grateful that Mark was able to find that ticket for me. Thinking back to all of the experiences I have had while in London, makes me incredibly thankful and giddy. I cannot wait for more opportunities to come my way.

Ta ta,

~Kaitlin

Again, I have combined the last two weeks due to my busy schedule. Two weeks ago, classes officially ended for the term which means I am now on break until exams. I had deadlines and tests spread throughout those last five days. Luckily for me, I had an exciting weekend to look forward to. I had made plans with my good friend, Aly, to spend a part of our time off together. Aly is currently studying abroad in Rome so we made sure to take advantage of us both being overseas at the same time. On that Saturday, I hopped on a plane and headed for Barcelona, Spain.

We scheduled our planes so that we would both arrive in the evening at similar times and could travel from the airport to the hostel together. It worked out perfectly and the ride into the city was simple, even in another language. We were both extremely hungry and went on the hunt for a late dinner as soon as we had dropped off our bags. We ended up finding the perfect spot that seemed popular with the locals. As we were in Spain, traditional Spanish food was a must. We both had a large pan of Paella and a beer. It was fantastic and hit the spot perfectly.

The next morning, we took a walking tour of the city. We both knew almost nothing about Barcelona before arriving so this was the perfect way to learn about the history and to see the main sights. We saw a couple of the main cathedrals and charming back-streets which held their own character and were slightly less packed with other tourists. After our tour, we were ready for lunch. Sticking to our earlier decision of traditional food, Tapas and Sangria were next on the list. Once we were full, we decided to explore more of the city on our own. We saw many statues and intricate architecture and finally ended up on the beach. Fun fact: Barcelona originally did not have sandy beaches or the iconic tall palm trees that people associate with the city now; the sand was imported from Egypt and the palm trees from California for the 1992 Olympics. Even though we had already done our fair share of walking that day, we chose to continue on. We went to see Barcelona’s own Arc de Triomf and stumbled upon the most amazing park. The park had its own little oasis inside. This had a large pond and towering structure that was more sculpture than building. To top it off, the structure was adorned with a massive, gold, horse-drawn chariot. We couldn’t believe how amazing this find was and how much of an impact it had on us in person. We both stood in mutual amazement for a few moments upon first arriving. I also cannot forget to mention our two encounters with the famous Sagrada Familia. We first went to see this massive cathedral the night we arrived and again the next day when it was light. I have to say that its size may be more impressive in person. Craning your neck makes you feel incredibly small in comparison. For dinner, we both agreed that the only thing that would break our traditional food streak would be Mexican food. Really good Mexican food does not exist in London or Rome; or at least we have failed to discover it, and not for lack of trying. Therefore, these two California girls couldn’t think of a better place in Europe to find authentic Mexican food than in Spain. After a beautifully satisfying dinner of tacos, guacamole, and chips, we, of course, decided to continue our explorations. We sought out a building that we had seen a picture of earlier in the day. When we found it, we had another breathtaking experience. It was the National Museum of Catalonia Art (if my translation is correct). This building was massive and perched up high on the top of a hill, overlooking the whole of Barcelona. Since it was now dark, once we reached the top, we had an amazing view of the lights of this beautiful city. We kept having to, metaphorically, pinch ourselves. If you were to go back to when Aly and I first met, and tell our young selves that we would end up together in a European city five-ish years later, I am not sure we would have believed you or have been able to even remotely imagine it. On this hill, also sits the 1992 Olympic stadium and remaining Olympic Village. We explored what we could but vowed to return the next day. In total, we walked around 13 miles and over 35,000 steps.

When we woke the next morning, we could feel it. We didn’t let that hold us back. Our first order of the day was a traditional Spanish breakfast, of course; churros and hot chocolate. You are meant to dip the churro into the hot chocolate, and let me tell you, if I could, I would eat this everyday for the rest of my life. After being chocolate-and-churro-happy, we hopped on a bus and headed to Park Guell; which holds many works by the famous architect Gaudi. Once we finished walking through the beautiful pocket of nature, we headed back to the Olympic stadium. The actual stadium itself is massive and slightly eerie when empty.  We were exhausted from the previous day, so we headed to meet some friends of Aly’s who had just flown in from Rome. We met up with them at an all-day brunch restaurant and I had the most beautiful pancakes I’ve ever seen. My plate was a piece of art. I was leaving extremely early the next morning so we ended our trip there. I had the most lovely time there with Aly and made sure to take in the relaxing atmosphere of the whole city.

Last week, I took two days to let my feet recover before straining them again. When I finally went out into the London streets, I visited a bookstore and treated myself to a lovely dinner. The restaurant I ate at was about five minutes away from a theater, currently showing a play starring David Tennant. I had heard that he sometimes makes an appearance at the stage door, so I decided to head over to see whether or not I had missed it yet. When I got there, people were starting to crowd around the stage door. The security man told us that he does not always make an appearance; I kept my fingers crossed. A little later, after a few other stage actors left, David Tennant came out to greet us. I was able to have a micro-conversation and take a picture with him. He was very gracious of our support just as we were thankful for him taking the time to meet us. I am very glad that I decided to walk by the theater after my dinner.

Hopefully, I will have more exciting things happening during my remaining time here in London.

Ta ta,

Kaitlin

I decided to combine these last three weeks since as the semester nears the end, it seems that I am doing less exploring London and more course work.

Two weeks ago, I was able to visit and experience Oxford with some friends. Once we arrived, we met with a tour guide who was able to give us a thorough walk through and a lot of information about the University. As we were walking through the town, our guide explained how there are actually 38 different colleges all under the larger umbrella of the University of Oxford. These colleges are where the students live and receive academic guidance but they still take courses with students from the other colleges. I like to think about it like these colleges are the different houses at Hogwarts. Maybe in another life, I will attend Oxford.

The Christ Church in Oxford was actually used as the inspiration for the Great Hall at Hogwarts. There were many scenes throughout the eight films that were filmed on the campus. One of my favorite aspects of Oxford was the architecture of the buildings. Though this may be a cliche, I was inspired by them. The buildings were old stone that was reminiscent of castles. There was so much character and history in each of the buildings and it was obvious that the town was proud. Luckily for us, we happened to be visiting on a unique day. Not only was it degree day but the colleges were all competing in a rowing competition against one another. Degree day, if I remember correctly, occurs three times a year and is the day where the new graduates participate in a ceremony and receive their degrees. The rowing competition, however, is more rare since it occurs only twice a year. The entire town almost seemed to have a physical buzz flowing through it with excitement. After our tour, we knew that we had to head down to the river to watch the competition. After trial and error, we finally found the perfect place with a perfect view of the River Thames. It was great to be a part of the excitement and to pretend that I was an Oxford student.

Last Tuesday, I decided to finally head to the Notting Hill area. I have seen so many beautiful pictures and wanted to see the area for myself. I did not go with a route in mind so I only saw a small portion of this neighborhood. I actually ended up stumbling upon Kensington Palace; one of the residences of the Royal Family. I walked the grounds, took some pictures, and continued into the gardens. There is a large man-made pond with swans, ducks, and other water birds. I cannot describe how this place made me feel. It was the most calm I have felt since arriving in London. The beautiful weather could have had something to do with it as well. I walked around the pond and made friends with a few of the swans.

After the gardens, I walked a couple blocks to go to the Science Museum. I was mainly interested in their space exhibit. I wanted to see what objects they have on display and spent the majority of my time at the museum there. I was impressed with the amount of large pieces they have. It was pretty amazing that most of them were from past NASA missions rather than ESA (European Space Agency) missions. I only stayed for as long as my feet could hold out. I had been walking all day and had to quickly give them a rest. The next day I had my first experience with Traditional Afternoon Tea. A friend and I went to the Wallace Collection and got to choose a tea from a long list. We got a platter of many delicious treats to snack on with our tea. The whole thing was very filling and I felt extremely posh after.

This last week, I was able to walk a little more around London as I am trying to do as much of that as possible. Last Friday, I went to the Supreme Court with my Parliament class. Unfortunately, they don’t hear any cases on Fridays, but we were still able to walk around and see the different court rooms. Being empty actually gave me the opportunity to take pictures at the Justice’s benches so I didn’t mind too much. It was really interesting to see the similarities and differences to our own justice system.

Later in the evening, I planned on attending a University-wide St. Patrick’s day party. The University’s women’s and men’s varsity rugby teams had both competed earlier in the day and both won, so the party doubled as a celebration of St. Patrick’s day and the two wins. I went on my own with the intention of meeting new people there and started the night really wonderfully. I met some nice people and danced a lot of the night with these new friends. Unfortunately, as I was leaving, my purse was taken off my shoulder in the process of making my way through the thick crowd. I quickly realized it was not with me anymore and started searching the crowds and the ground as best I could while avoiding getting hit by dancing people. When I realized I would not be able to find it on my own I approached security. They were very kind to the panicking girl (me) in front of them. Just as I was about to give up and leave, they found me and told me they had found it on the Mezzanine level; emptied out. The only things that were missing were a couple of US and UK dollars as well as my bus pass. I was extremely relieved. I don’t think I have ever felt more relieved in my life. All of my cards will be replaced to be safe but I am glad nothing else was taken. It was a night I definitely will never forget. And though it had a rocky bit in the middle, I still had a great time and can already tell that I have learned so much about life and myself these past months in London. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to study here. I truly, truly am. Thank you to everyone who helped make this dream of mine come true.

Here’s to hoping for no more blog delays! Be prepared for a lot of pictures!

Ta ta,

Kaitlin

It feels like it has been a while since I last wrote. I took off the week before last to focus on completing two extensive essays and an exam. I spent many hours that week in the school library; reading books on the Tudors, the Stuarts, and the artist, Francis Hayman. Luckily, once those those were all finished and turned in, I had more time to return to my attempt at exploring as much of London as I possibly can.

On Tuesday, I decided to head to East London in order to walk around and explore a part of London I haven’t spent much time in. The main area I was drawn to in the East was a borough called Shoreditch. Shoreditch is known for its younger crowds, hip restaurants, and its plethora of coffee shops. This sounded a lot like Portland to me so I wanted to explore it for myself. Another main attraction of Shoreditch that drew me to it was the amount of street art. While some of it, yes, was the expected spray-painted tags, as in every other place in the world, but most of it was beautiful art. The young, wayward artists responsible for the many scenes I saw have literally turned the streets into an enchanting gallery. It is colorful, whimsical, diverse, political, and moving; consisting of almost every subject imaginable. These artists should be considered just as coveted as every other new artists attempting to present their creativity and a carefully chosen piece of themselves to the world. They just choose to use a controversial medium to get people talking. I enjoyed seeing the many different styles of each artist and was even fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to witness one of these discreet artists in action. On my way back, I decided to take the long route so that I would be able to walk past the famous egg building. It is just as tall as it appears in the photos.

Thursday, my weekly museum trip day, I went to The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Since I was at the Gallery for a class, the majority of my time was spent analyzing a few specific paintings. After my class was over, I was able to walk through the other parts of the museum on my own. I knew before going that the Gallery holds a handful of Van Gogh paintings; including one of my favorites. It was easy to find the room that features Van Gogh because of the large crowd surrounding one of the walls. After patiently waiting to get a clear view of these paintings, I took pictures and left in awe. I couldn’t stop smiling. I realize that saying Van Gogh is your favorite artist is a cliche and sometimes scoffed at, but I cannot help it nor would I ever want to. Looking at his paintings instills specific feelings in me and draws out my emotions. He was an average man who suffered with his mental health yet was able to appreciate the beauty in the common objects and scenes of life; all of which I relate closely to. I can’t help but be drawn to the feelings I experience when standing so close to his work.

On Saturday, I decided to head out of London and go towards the sea. A friend and I took a train to the small town of Dover. We decided on Dover because we both really wanted to walk along the White Cliffs its so famous for. Upon arriving in Dover, we soon realized that it would be a bit of a hike to reach the Cliffs and the views we were so longing to see. The beginning of this hike was a little discouraging due to the steep incline. It was so steep that we were both almost crawling on all fours. This didn’t stop us though, as we were filled with laughter and excitement. We soon realized, once we reached the top of this first incline, how windy it really was. I would like to describe how strong the wind was, but I cannot seem to find the words to do it justice. It was like standing in a giant wind turbine, or like in one of the movies where the wind is able to hold  up a person leaning into it. It luckily added to the experience, rather than taking away from it as I feared. We were constantly in disbelief at the strength of the wind and were very amused by it. There is a small trail that winds along the natural curves of the cliff-side; sometimes going quite close to the edge. The views are really spectacular and the cliffs are as white as I imagined. The white of the cliffs contrasts the black of the sand below. I could sit on a bench along the path for hours looking out at the sea crashing against these cliffs. At the end of the trail is a quaint lighthouse that has been converted into a Tea house, overlooking the English Channel. To get a break from the constant pounding of the wind and to refuel after our walk, we each got ourselves a pot of tea and a treat. I’m not sure if I have ever felt more British than when I was sitting in that floral, wallpapered room drinking tea and eating my sausage roll. Once we were finished, we headed back into the weather and trekked back towards the train. On our way back, we were able to enjoy an amazing view of the castle. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to go explore it in person but I am happy to have had the chance to see it; even from a distance.

I have been loving having time to walk so much and to take advantage of every opportunity I have here; even if it has caused a stress fracture in my pinky toe. I wont slow down.

Ta ta,

Kaitlin

Another week come and gone. I have been expecting my school work to ramp up and it certainly has. Classes are becoming harder and deadlines are approaching. Luckily for me, I was able to squeeze in a couple of fun activities and adventures. This last Wednesday, I went with one of my friends to see the movie La La Land. We had both been meaning to see it for awhile but kept struggling to find the right time. The movie theater we went to was the nicest, while still affordable, I have ever been to. The seating was less cushioned, plastic, stadium seating and more rows of individual, or dual, couch-like chairs. Every movie theater should adopt seating like this. Before going to the movie, I had very few preconceptions of what La La Land was about or what to expect from it. The only things I had heard about it was how much everyone either loved it or found it overrated. I wanted to decide for myself. Throughout the movie, I was captivated not only by the story and the characters but by the cinematography. It was beautiful and artistic; nostalgic of old Hollywood films without being old fashioned. I had also heard that some people were put off by the musical aspect of the film. As a lover of musical theater and movies alike, I wasn’t worried. The songs were fantastic and unique. I felt like there was something for everyone. They were not what I believe many people would expect when they hear the word musical. Every song added to the story and felt necessary to the overall theme. It’s no wonder it has already won so many awards and will likely win many more. La La Land was a piece of cinema art.

The other great piece of my week was yesterday. Me and three of my friends went on a day trip to Cambridge, England. We left London at 8:30 AM by train and returned at 6 that evening. When we arrived at the station, I assumed that we would pull up to the town right near the University. I was wrong. The station is a little under half an hour away by foot. I wouldn’t normally be bothered by the walk, but it happened to be extremely cold and windy. I had planned on it being cold, and had layered accordingly, but was not prepared for it to snow most of the day. I pushed through; motivated by the excitement of seeing a beautiful town and campus. When we arrived in the center of town, we were greeted by a quaint street market. We had twenty minutes before our tours started so we had the chance to walk through the stalls. The group was split into two groups and we began our tours. Our guide led us to the many famous sights around the town and gave us quirky facts about each of the places. These facts made the tour much more enjoyable considering we were standing out in the snow and wind for an hour and a half. I didn’t know that the town of Cambridge actually consists of many different colleges, not just the one. Every Christmas, a choir in one of the chapels is broadcast around the whole world. Our guide told us that in the first song, every year, a choir boy is given a solo, but he doesn’t find out that he was chosen for it until five minutes before the performance. Apparently this is to stop the nerves. After our tour was over and my friends and I had eaten lunch, we had free time to walk the streets and the grounds of some of the colleges. Cambridge has so much charm flowing through it; you can find it in the narrow cobblestone streets, the small shops, the beautifully kept grass fields, the many weeping willows, and every immaculately designed stone building. There is so much history in this one small town; both in education and religion alike. I decided that I have to come back another time, when it is warmer in the spring, to go punting down the river in one of the boats or to sit under the canopy of branches of a weeping willow.

I had an amazing time and feel inspired to go on more day trips soon.

Ta ta,

Kaitlin

How has it already been five weeks? The phrase, “time flies when you’re having fun”, is an understatement. Time seems to zoom past at an impossible speed here. Perhaps it is because I have found a place I love dearly and have a seemingly unlimited amount of activities to do everyday. No matter the reason, it makes me slightly sad to know that my time here is limited.

This week, I returned to Harrods and the Victoria and Albert Museum. My last visits were too short and did not allow me to get the full experience of these places. My first stop was at the V&A museum, as it’s often referred to. This time, I got to wander through the different exhibits as aimlessly as I pleased. The jewelry room was absolutely amazing, though not usually the collection I actively seek out. Unfortunately, the museum does not allow pictures in that room but I recommend making the trip if you are able. The walls of the room are painted black and there is limited lighting. The only lights are the ones illuminating the priceless jewels and pieces in their glass cases. The curator made the perfect decision with the layout of this room because the way it is lit makes the jewels and precious metals dance, providing a feeling of wonder. You really feel like you’re surrounded by luxury. My favorite room, however, was the Cast Courts. This room contains casts of famous statues, sculptures, and architectural wonders; all presiding around the world. The casts are exact copies of the real pieces which allows the art to be seen by a lot more people. The magnitude of these pieces was surprising. When I previously saw photographs of the real ones, I did not realize how large they actually are.

Next, I returned to Harrods to explore the upper floors. The clothing there is beautiful. I loved walking through and getting to see the gowns and outfits made by  my favorite high-fashion designers. Harrods is more similar to a gallery of clothing than a store. The people who shop there are art collectors and the designers are the artists. I ended up getting lost in the labyrinth of the really expensive clothes. The lack of windows in the inner sections and the sheer amount of stuff makes it hard to leave quickly; though an effective strategy on their part.

I also visited the National Portrait Gallery this week. I went in with little expectations other than suspecting every piece of art would be of a person; due to its name. I didn’t know if I would like visiting a place that only contained a single genre of art but I ended up really enjoying walking through the different collections. They were not all the same, as I was worried they would be, but were actually all very unique depending on who was being painted and who was doing the painting.

The last historical destination I made it to this week was the Palace of Westminster. This is the companion building to Big Ben and is where the two houses of Parliament meet. I was able to tour the inside with one of my classes and it was like stepping back in time. I was also able to sit and listen to the House of Lords and the House of Commons speak in their respective chambers. The House of Lords is much more formal and ornately decorated than the House of Commons because it is where the Queen meets with Parliament when she visits this palace, and the House of Lords were, historically, superior (though I am sure the House of Commons would say otherwise). I really enjoyed listening to them discuss matters of the country and government, even if they were slightly less exciting than I was hoping. The House of Lords were discussing reform on the way future Lords would be appointed. The House of Commons discussed matters of parking. It was still exciting sitting in the same room where the most important decisions in the UK are made. Unfortunately, they are very strict on photographs. I would have loved to have a picture of the Queen’s throne in the House of Lords. It was one of my favorite experiences this past week. Later that same night I was invited to dinner by some new friends. The restaurant they made the reservation at ended up having a Michelin Star! As I am sure you can imagine, the food was spectacular and expensive, but worth the experience. After a delicious meal, we ended up going dancing at a Salsa bar which provided us with lots of laughs and some embarrassing dance moves.

This was a full week of exploration and priceless memories.

Ta ta,

~Kaitlin

Unfortunately, though still amazing, this week was not as exciting as my others have been. I did not have the chance to explore as much as I would have liked. My school work-load has increased, as expected, and I have been working on finding the right balance between what I have to do and what I want to do. Although the week has not been as eventful, I am so honored and amazed by the fact that I am living my dream in London.

One of the few excursions I went on this week was a walk through the streets of London and the luxury departments of Harrods. On the walk to Harrods, I walked past some of the most beautiful streets I have ever had the privilege of walking down. It never ceases to amaze me at the sheer amount of history that is contained within the boundaries of this city. The architecture and energy of the buildings and crowds bring life to the people living here. The neighborhoods around Harrods are as luxurious as you would imagine they would be surrounding a luxury store. As I was walking past these homes, I imagined what it would be like if they were mine. It is a goal of mine to own a home somewhere in London, especially now that I have had a little taste of how it could be. Once I reached Harrods, I walked through the first floor admiring the beautiful fashion; these were not just clothing, shoes, and accessories, but pieces of wearable art. It was like walking through an incredibly expensive gallery. I only was able to walk through the first floor, as it was getting late, but it was unlike any other store I have been in. I can see why it is world-famous and a travel destination for thousands. I look forward to going back to explore the other many floors of luxury.

Later in the week, I was given the opportunity to visit the glorious Victoria and Albert museum. I was amazed at how large it was as I was expecting something much smaller; though I am not sure why. The ceilings are high and beautifully adorned, the exhibits are breathtaking, the artifacts are historic; everything that makes a museum wonderful. I did not take as many pictures as I would have liked, due to the fact that I was there for a class. However, expect them sometime in the future.

I have also noticed that my blog has begun to reach a larger audience and I am pleased that so many of you are getting enjoyment out of reading my posts (I would like to put in a quick shout-out to Donna. Thank you for reading my blog each week). I decided to start this blog as a way of documenting my time living abroad and to keep my friends and family aware of some of the great adventures I get to have. I consider every person who reads this as a friend. I wanted to take this time to let all of you know that I truly appreciate all of your support.

As the weeks go by, I fall more and more in love with London and the amazing experiences I am gaining. I cannot wait to check everything off my list of things to do and places to see.

In the words of Sweeney Todd, “there’s no place like London”.

Ta ta,

~Kaitlin

In the middle is the Creative Director for Gucci

Accidental discovery on one of my walks

Sunset on walk to Harrods

The ceiling at the Victoria and Albert museum

At the Victoria and Albert museum

This was one of those weeks that really made me think. It was the second week of classes so I was intellectually stimulated and forced to think critically but I also participated in a march that inspired me to my core. In my classes I learned more about the composition of the universe, the scientific advancement of lasers, 17th century paintings, and how British parliament was shaped by both the monarchy and the struggles between religions. A very diverse group of topics to say the least. On Thursday, my 17th- and 18th- century Art in London course visited the Tate Britain museum. I decided to leave my room early so that I would be able to walk the hour and fifteen minutes to get there; I am happy I did. On my way, my path went right past Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster (the meeting place of parliament), and Westminster Abbey. Lucky for me, I walked right past Westminster Abbey at the top of the hour so I was gifted with the amazing sound of the bells chiming. The clanging truly lifts the spirits and brings a smile to everyone’s face. I recommend everyone visit this historical place of worship when the hour changes so they too will get to hear the hauntingly beautiful songs bounce off the surrounding buildings. Did you know that it was built 1057 years ago? A sight to behold. I am planning on visiting it again when I have more time so that I can take pictures and see the inside. Just across the street was Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. The ornate architecture is even more stunning in person than in pictures. Though I did imagine Big Ben would be taller. No matter the size, it’s stature is ultimately impressive. I hope that I will get the chance to walk the halls of the Palace of Westminster to gain perspective on my History of Parliament course and to walk where so many important people have walked before me. Once I finally made it to Tate Britain, my class went into two of the many galleries to look at a small selection of the British artwork. The portraits and allegorical paintings we observed were so intricately detailed. It amazes me every time I see a piece like these up close and in person. There really is no better way to view a painting than in person. Make the trip to any museum and you will see what I mean. I realized that I am capable of spending hours walking these galleries and that a two hour class is not enough time. Learning how to look at a painting in a deeper way than what is simply painted on the surface is more useful than I previously thought. It makes walking through galleries and museums a much more enjoyable experience. After class I had a long walk back but didn’t mind since I had time to kill before I had to be at an event. I decided this week to join the UCL Writer’s Society. They had an open mic night at a campus cafe on Thursday and I was excited to go. Immediately I met some very sweet and welcoming members who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me. I did not bring anything to read out loud so I was able to sit back and enjoy the inspiring and talented people and their equally inspiring pieces of poetry, prose, and short stories. I have decided that I am going to write more this semester and perhaps I will be brave enough sometime to read mine aloud.

Although the rest of this week has been great, Saturday takes the cake as the best. I participated in the Women’s March on Washington: London with one of my good friends. We both felt strongly about this march and the many reasons behind it. For me, this march was something mandatory; something that I needed to do and something I needed to say. This Saturday, I let my actions speak for me. This personally was not just a march against President Trump; this was a march for women’s rights, LGBT rights, planned parenthood, climate change, education, disabled people, and people of color (to name a few), all of which are incredibly important to me. I was touched and inspired tremendously by the huge turnout and the overwhelming amount of peace, love, support, and strength that flowed through the crowd. It was amazing to come back home to see the reports and pictures of the millions of women across the globe marching for the same cause on the same day. I am a part of something bigger and more important than the superficiality of everyday life. I am determined to help make a change and will continue fighting for the rights of every global citizen.

This has been a powerful week. Until next time.

Ta ta.

~Kaitlin

Another week down. It feels like a lot has happened these last seven days; probably because classes started and my free time has decreased. I did not go into my classes with many expectations since I had heard quite a few different accounts of what they were like. My first and only class on Monday was cancelled due to a Tube strike. Thousands of Londoners were displaced and many others were unable to make it into the city. This made the streets busy and the people frenzied. It wasn’t much of a bother to me since I enjoy people watching and walk everywhere anyway. Tuesdays are free of classes, which gives me a chance to take care of errands and do more exploring, of which I absolutely adore. The rest of the week was basically uneventful; more classes and attempting to completely understand the British higher education system (or at least the University College London system).  There are more differences than I was expecting. For one, as an affiliate (study abroad) student, I was unable to sign up for classes until last weekend. Once I signed up I had to wait for an advisor to confirm my choices. Until that happened, I was technically not on any of the class lists. Ultimately this was not a big deal and the lecturers (professors and teachers) were understanding of my situation. It did turn out, however, that one of my classes was not going to work out because of a scheduling conflict. This meant that I would have to choose another course and wait for confirmation again. Waiting on an advisor to look over my selections is a new concept to me and took this entire week to understand. Another big difference is the way the modules (courses) are set up. Some modules have very little homework and are lecture-heavy while some only consist of essays. For the lecture-based modules, there are no tests or quizzes spread throughout the duration of the course and only have one major examination at the very end of the semester. Two of mine have exams worth 90% of the grade. If that’s not intimidating, I don’t know what is. Those are just a couple of the main differences that I came across this first week. All in all, these are not impossible to grasp but will take some time to get used to. The modules that I am taking are: Astrophysical Processes: Nebulae to Stars, Lasers and Modern Optics, 17th- and 18th- Century Art in London, and History of Parliament.

On another note, I had the opportunity to visit two great attractions in London this weekend; The Tower of London and The British Museum. Saturday morning I woke up early, met three of my good friends, and made my way to the Tower of London by way of double-decker. After a twenty-or-so minute ride and a ten minute walk, we turned a corner to see the beautifully old structure, standing strong, surrounded by the new architecture of the 20th century. It was actually breathtaking. We couldn’t wait to enter the gates; to explore this historical time capsule but to also get out of the chilling wind. I loved seeing the rooms where kings and queens had resided, nefarious acts were committed, and where the Crown Jewels were displayed. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole tour but my favorite part had to be, and still is, the Crown Jewels. They are, as you would imagine, beautifully ornate and much better in person. The collection consists of ornamental swords, maces, cloaks, and dinnerware. There were also scepters, orbs, and crowns of course. All of these were decorated with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, gold, and silver. The building where they are kept is constantly guarded very closely by members of the Royal Military. You will recognize the guards by their unique headpieces. We had a lot of fun walking the grounds.

Today was grey and rainy so a visit to The British Museum was a perfect way to get out, yet stay dry. I believe many people in London had this same idea. It was incredible to walk among the famous artifacts I have learned about and read about my whole life. Standing in front of towering statues from ancient Egypt is a humbling experience. Being in the museum invokes feelings of brevity; you feel small surrounded by thousands of years of history. I don’t think I saw more than half of the museum, and even what I did see was not as in depth as it could have been. I could spend days there and still miss some of the exhibits. That is what’s so great about having free admission. I don’t feel like I have to see everything in one go. I can return as many times as I would like, and believe me, I will be back. It has been another great week here in London. I can’t exactly say what next week will bring but I am excited to find out.

Ta ta.

~Kaitlin