Final hours by Adrienne Novak

Currently sitting at the Charlotte airport getting ready to board the plan for Ohio! Today has been a bittersweet day! It's sad leaving England since we had a blast but I can't wait to be home so I can sleep in my own bed and eat food I enjoy! This trip has been a success! It was my first time traveling abroad and it was a great first experience touring many places in England and getting to travel to Paris for the day. My favorite part of the trip was getting to ride the London eye, it was scary at first but it was worth it to see London from that view! I would definitely go back to London in a second now that I have mastered the public transportation system and think I can navigate around the city pretty well.  

Hello America

So we are sitting in the Charlotte airport and I can't believe this trip is actually over. These past two weeks have been filled with some amazing experiences. On Saturday we went on the London Eye which is just one gigantic ferris wheel. At first I was pretty nervous to go on it because I absolutely hate ferris wheels. Although I did pretty much stay in the exact center of our pod I did end up liking it a lot more than I had thought. The view was absolutely amazing and it was fun to see an Ariel view of the city we had been exploring for almost a week. Another thing that we did this week was travel to Paris. I swear we have used every form of public transportation on this trip because we took a train to France. Although I thought Paris was amazing it was very different then I expected. One of the main things that surprised me was how dirty the city was. It made me very thankful for some of the semi clean cities we have in America. Obviously the highlight of Paris for me was seeing the Eiffel tower sparkle at night time. It was so beautiful and I'm so glad that I can say I have seen it in person at night in Paris. Last night was our last night and a

Group of us went to see the musical Wicked. We all loved it and had an amazing time. The story line and most of all the amazing voiced were some highlights of the show. Overall I feel like I have learned a lot more about many other cultures and the history of how they came to be. This has been an amazing trip and I'm sad its over but I'm also happy to be in my homeland :)

Almost home...

We're sitting in the airport in Charlotte waiting to board the plane. We got delayed 90 minutes but it ended up being a good thing because if not we would have missed our flight. The flight from England to Charlotte was 9 hours but it seemed so much longer! Overall I had a lot of fun in England and made a bunch of new friends. I learned a lot more about our worlds history and the significance of all the beautiful castles, cathedrals and monuments that we saw. My favorite part of the trip was going to bath and visiting the Warwick castle. I enjoyed exploring both of them. Some of the differences I noticed while I was there is that they do not put ice in drinks, the have very few trash cans, people bump in to you and don't say anything, they call their bathrooms toilets and they drive on tr opposite side of the road. After being there for 2 weeks these things started to become normal to me. I had a lot of fun in England but I am very excited to go home and sleep in my own bed and have American food! I can't wait to eat fruits and veggies and be able to work out! I had a great experience in england and made lots of memories with great people.

I HATE that we are leaving...but I'm thankful for the experience

Posting this today but I wrote it yesterday on the train. Paris was incredibly beautiful!! I loved every minute. Here is what i wrote yesterday:
I just want to write this to remember this moment months from now. I am currently riding backwards on a train to Paris and I am looking out at the French countryside and I can't believe that I am this privileged and blessed to be doing this. I return to the states in 48 hours and I am devastated by this thought. I have loved everything about this trip and England. I will definitely be returning here when I graduate and I plan to work here sometime in my career. I am so excited for what the future holds in store for me and I am so happy to have had these wonderful experiences. I am also so blessed to say that I genuinely have made 27 buddies, one of which will be a best friend for the rest of my life. On the first day Margie told us to always keep a buddy with us where ever we go and I have shared every experience with more than a buddy. Molly has become a best friend. I'm so blessed to have conquered fears, had moments of truth and shared many laughs with her and all 27 buddies on this trip. The train is starting to slow down now so here's to a day full of new adventures in Paris!! I'm so excited. I never want to come home!! Loving this life and in the words of Alex, I am living the dream! God Bless

Katie :)

Ps- I love this country so much and I can't wait to return!!!!

Homeward bound ...

Oh the last day! It was a rather pleasant day for me. I woke up and hit up the breakfast buffet one last time. After the last English buffet of the trip, thank goodness. I'm pretty tired of it, Alex, Adrianne , and I went to the Chelsea football stadium. Aka the soccer stadium. Chelsea is part of the English premiere league here in the UK. This means they are one of the top football clubs in this area. After taking many pictures and seeing my first English stadium. I headed to the Holland and Holland shooting grounds. I had to go because I love shooting and because it is my last name too. This was about an hour away. I had a blast shooting a gun, that lots of people will never be able to shoot. This company only has three stores in the world and only one shooting grounds. So it was pretty special. After hitting some clay targets I grade back to the hotel to get the last meal with the crew. On the way back I picked up some goodies for my friends an family. They'll like what I bring back I hope. The last dinner was pretty good and I enjoyed the last dinner. Despite some of the people of the group did not come. When the dinner came to a close so did my night. I packed up my last few things and now I am headed off to bed. It has been a great trip and I would do this all again in a heart beat. Thanks everyone for being friendly and spending a fabulous time with me here in London, England.
Cheers!!!!
Seth 

America Here We Come...

So tonight is our last night here and I have mixed feelings about going home. Today was great because we had a free day and it was nice to be able to be sure we saw everything we wanted before we had to leave. This trip has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am very grateful that I was able to experience it. This country is so beautiful and the arcitecture is absoutely exquisite. I have enjoyed just walking around and looking at all of the older buildings right next to the more modern ones. It's amazing how well the buildings work together to make such a beautiful city. America is such a young country compared to England and seeing the history up close really shows the differences between the two. This trip was amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything! I hope I am lucky enough to get the chance to travel again soon.

Paris!

The journey to Paris was a wonderful and memorable experience. Stepping off the train and hearing and seeing advertisements and announcements in French was a culture shock initially. I have never traveled to a country where English is not the primary language and I found that there was a barrier to ordering at restaurants and reading billboards in a language that was foreign to my understanding. Even though I was not able to understand everything that was being spoken, it was wonderful to hear the local people speak in French. Walking through the Louvre was an enchanting experience. My favorite piece to view was the sculpture titled Venus de Milo. I thought it was interesting to see how the artist and people of the past viewed "the perfect" woman. Today many women who appear on the cover of magazines or billboards appear contrastingly different from the sculpture. Yet, it is interesting to see how people travel and wait to see the masterpiece despite the sculpture may not reflect current beauty trends. This made me appreciate the timelessness and beauty of art that has the ability to transcend the times. Another one of my favorite memories of Paris was the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. I always have dreamed of visiting the Eiffel Tower and to see it at night was a magnificent experience.

Last night

It's the last night in England and I'm not ok with it. I really don't want to leave other then missing my family and friends there isn't anything making me want to go home. This place is amazing and I'm completely comfortable here. I will definitely be looking at grad schools here because I'm pretty determined I'm going to be in charge of the British museum someday. All in all this trip has been completely and utterly amazing.

Paris

Yesterday was a blast, I finally got to see Paris. I'd always seen Paris in the movies or news, so it was a real treat to get a tour of the city. We took a two hour train ride, which I enjoyed. I'd never been on a train before and it was really comfortable. The train was smooth, much more than a plane. When we arrived in Paris, our tour guide mentioned that Paris is very small. It was a little different than what I had imagined. I was expecting an elaborate city, but the winter weather didn't help with the look.  Apparently you can walk anywhere you want without getting tired. We drove around for a few hours and saw the Eiffel Tower. I was pretty excited to see it. We had a nice view at the top of a hill between two buildings, it was almost like a little park. The view of tower looked like something out of a dream, the blue sky opened up and all the colors around seemed to pop. After the tower our guide took us down an alley and pointed out a large wall. He explained that this wall use to be the end lines of Paris, and at the moment, we were outside of it. It was funny because the wall just seemed to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Our guide also showed us some of the original narrow streets of Paris. He said that the city use to have no street names and people got lost all the time. Many tourists  wrote bad things about Paris because it was so hard to navigate. We then visited a few wealthy parks that celebrities owned houses in, which were very impressive. Lastly we saw Notre Dame. I was impressed on how large it was, and by how colorful the stained glass windows were inside. There was definitely a lot of rich history there. 

Chas/ Seth

It's Almost Over :(

I am writing part of this blog as we make our way to Paris on the Eurostar! I am more than excited to see Paris! We are going to the Louvre and to Notre Dame to visit. Also, we will be doing a bus tour of the city. I hope to take a lot of pictures while we are there. I'm not sure if we will be able to get off the bus though to take pictures but I hope we do so we don't have to hurry and take pictures while we are moving. I am worried about not knowing the language. It has been easy in London because everyone speaks English but I am not sure if everyone speaks English and I sure don't know any French. It should be okay though because the majority of the time we will be as a group and not left on our own. We have been in a tunnel for a while now so we could under the English Channel right now! I won't be able to post this before we get to Paris so I will try to add some thoughts about the trip when we return. Our time in London has been amazing!! I love the city and how accessible everything is. The tube has been really easy to use. The buses are more confusing so we have been avoiding those. We have done do much in the week we have been here. We've been to see the play Billy Elliott, which I absolutely loved! I would love to see it again. We have been to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London and to the cliffs of Dover where we also put our feet in the English Channel. At St. Paul's cathedral and Westminster Abbey we went allowed to take pictures which I didn't like because those were two of the places I was most excited to see. One of my most favorite days has to be yesterday. In the morning we went through Parliament. It was very interesting to see how it works and to compare it to our Congress. Then we went to the Florence Nightengale museum. I am not a nursing major but I found this museum interesting. After that we went and rode the London Eye and that was amazing! In our capsule there were only about 10 of us and all from our group so we weren't with strangers. The views were stunning!! We were free after that so me and a couple of girls walked around Trafalger Square, Picadilly Circus, and Leicester Square. Tomorrow is a free day which is nice because we can take our time doing what we want. Then on Tuesday we are on our way back to America! I am ready to go home but I am not quite ready to leave. This time has been amazing and I am glad that I was able to take part on this trip. Cheers from the Eurostar! Maegan

Bird's eye view...

Our trip is almost coming to an end. An it is a bitter sweet thing. I love it here but I miss my family and friends. Today was another early morning. We headed toward the Parliament building. It is huge might I say. This is also where Big Ben is. Parliament is made up of the house of lords and the house of commons. The house of lords is red while the house of commons is green. I'd prefer to be in the house of commons because they actually get paid unlike the lords who just get a 300 pound allowance. After leaving this building we took a short walk to the London Memorial Hospital. Here we went and saw the F.N. statue. Supposedly if you rubbed the lamp of the statue one would receive good luck. Therefore, I had to rub the lamp. Then we went to the hospital's chapel. The chapel was very nice and larger than I expected. Then we headed to the F.N. museum. This museum was kind of cool. In order to hear the audio in the museum each person needed a stethoscope. There was also a board that F.N. came up with. She came up with 40 words that came from breath. Like heat and heart. We only came up with 34, which was 10 more than last years group. Next we headed to the large London Eye. Which was essentially a large ferris wheel. It was so cool going up! You could see for miles! All the girls went up and survived. Some of them were very nervous and did not want to go up ! But they all did. I got some cool pics and hopefully I'll get them on the blog here soon. After surviving the eye we went to the largest Nike store in the world. It had so much futbol gear. I wish I could have boughten everything. But I only bought a tee shirt. We ended our night with pub food and a nice pint. Tomorrow is an early morning and were off to France ! 

Seth / Chas

So far England has been pretty amazing. The people are nice for the most part and the weather hasn't been as bad as I thought it was suppose to be. Everything I done has been fun except for the occasional tour that goes too long and gets boring but hands down I think my favorite thing so far has been roaming around Warwick castle and exploring every. thing that was there plus the guys working the gift shop were really entertaining. The best thing about being in London though is the museums. I got to see van Gogh's sunflowers and several of Monet's pieces which made my inner art historian freak out. The highlight of today though might have been being growled at Parliament while a guard talked about my purple shoelaces.... Random but entertainiing

What a life Pictures!!!!

These are pictures of three of the most known things in London! 1) High tea 2) British Museum 3) Buckingham Palace! To read all about this read the post "What a life"

-Hailey Jones

I am having a great time here in England! We have been doing so much since we've been here I have to write everything down. At first I could not believe that we were in England because everything was surreal. We stayed in Stratford-upon-Avon for the first couple of days and I loved the town. It was small, but there were plenty of shops within walking distance of our hotel. The only downside of being in a small town was that all of the shops closed at or around five so if we got back late it was hard to find something to do. Many of us would go to eat or go to the pub in the hotel to get onto the WiFi. While in Stratford, we went to see a play at the Swan Theater which is apart of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play was called Measure for Measure and was done in a more modern sense. I have never went to the theater to see a Shakespeare play before so this one was hard to grasp at first. In the end I really enjoyed the play. I also like the theater it was in because it was small and the seats went all the way around the stage. We also went to see Shakespeare's house and museum in Stratford and it was interesting to see how they lived. What I found most interesting about his house was that if you were wealthy, you would put a bed in the room with a fireplace in case you had guests. Also, the bed would be near a window so people could see from the outside how wealthy you were. Perhaps my favorite thing during the time we were staying in Stratford was traveling to Coventry to see the cathedral. I enjoy reading and learning history and being able to see the remaining destruction of World War II. The remains of the old cathedral that was bombed stands right next to the new cathedral, both of which are something to see. It is hard to realize the destruction that happened during the war but hearing the stories from the guides and seeing the old cathedral gives me more understanding. That is all I have to say for now! Until next time! Maegan

Hospital Tour and Icebar

Yesterday morning we went to the Royal London Hospital. Joan said the hospital was brand new. I was very impressed on how the hospital was built, it had some interesting architecture. We then took a tour of some of the historic aspects of the hospital. Our guide showed us some of the old tools they used for operations. These tools had wooden handles, which lead to infections. He also said they did many techniques that gave people infections, but they thought they were useful at the time. One particular subject I found interesting was The Elephant Man. He was a man that was born very disfigured and wore a big hat that covered his head. Our tour guide said that his head was as big as his waist. One of his hands was as small as a women's, but the other was abnormally enlarged. After the museum, me, Seth and Alex went looking for a few shops. We were looking for a store called Holland & Holland, which is a very famous outdoor sporting brand, only three stores in the world. We also went to a store called Cult, which is a Japanese clothing brand. We got lost a few times trying to find these stores, I would say we walked for about two hours. After the shopping, we got reservations to Icebar London. This was one of the coolest things we've done on the trip. The bar was located underground and we had to wear special coats to keep us warm. Everything in this bar was ice, including the glasses we were given. It was a very cool experience!

Chas/Seth

Awesome day! By Adrienne Novak

Today was a more relaxing day than the others. We went and visited a few hospitals And toured the Royal London Hospital Museum. We were done around 12:00 and then had the rest of the day to ourselves. Hannah and I decided to spend our free afternoon shopping and attempting to find a pair of jeans. We later found out that British jeans are not for us since our size is not sold. Ohh well it was still fun going into the different clothing stores. After that we took a quick ride on the tube back to our hotel. We are getting pretty good at figuring out the tube system and have yet to get on the wrong train. Currently we are sitting in the only area in the hotel that gets internet so we can write this blog. But soon we are going to freshen up and get ready to hit the town tonight.

What a life!!!

As you can see from other posts this trip has been filled with lots of exciting adventures and booked solid each day! So this post it two days after it actually happened! On Wednesday Megan, Andrea, Christine, and I got to experience a true British life. We immersed ourselves within the top things to do while in London! We started off our 1^st day off traveling to see the world famous changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. The event draws a huge crowd of people from all over the world cramming in to get the best views. During the spring and summer and every other day in the fall and winter the guard change takes place. The ceremony starts at 11:10, the actual guard change is around 11:30, and the end of it is around noon. The guard change consists of a procession in on the two side gates including a band, guards, and bagpipe players and the procession comes out the front gates on the way out. I can’t explain to you exactly what took place during the guard change because didn’t have to great of a view. All I can tell you is music plays and they do rituals that include stepping and moves with their guns. After the guard change we had to represent Ohio with the 0-H-I-O with the police officer we spoke to throughout the event. Then we traveled the British Museum, the world’s best museum of human culture and history. My pre-travel entry was to research the British Museum so it was neat to have the opportunity to explore what I had read about on the internet. The 2 acre covered atrium was incredible to see in person. The Rosetta stone was also very interesting to see. This stone was part of the Stella stone which had the coding to be able to read hieroglyphics. We also experienced parts of ancient Greek life, Egyptian history, and some of North American history. The most interesting thing in the Egyptian history was the mummies and why they did mummification. They believed that mummification would help the dead to travel into their new life.

Our next stop was the hotel Russel for high tea. High tea is an afternoon tradition of the British. We sat around a fire and enjoyed peppermint and English breakfast tea. High tea also includes finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts on a three tiered platter. We nibbled on a salmon, cucumber, and glazed ham sandwiches. The next level of the platter was scones which included raisin and a plain scone with butter and strawberry jam. The final layer included four different desserts; we are not really sure what these were. This was a once in a lifetime experience and all four of us were glad we got the opportunity to partake in a delightful cultural experience of the British! We quickly changed for our next adventure of the day. We went to see Matilida, the brand new musical only in London at this time. The production was more than I had expected. The set, cast, and the overall performance was put together in a fantastic way. This day fulfilled all my expectations of the British life and the city life of London!

-Hailey Jones

*Pictures to follow*

London!

So far London has been amazing!! The highlight for me was when we went to cirque du soliel. I have seen their shows before but it was awesome to see one in London. The Royal Albert Hall was absolutely beautiful!! Some of the things that the performers did during the show were mind blowing. At one point a guy was hanging from a trapeze bar just by balancing the bar on the back of his neck. I have also loved seeing all the chapels and cathedrals. The architecture and attention to detail is stunning. It's crazy how fast this trip is flying by and I am trying to soak up every minute! Today we did some shopping and I got some great deals which always makes for a great day :). Anyways I am very excited for Paris on Sunday!! However I am a little nervous to be in a country where they speak a different language, I can barely understand the people in England an they supposedly speak English. Well we are off to dinner ...cheers!

When in Rome do as the Romans do

Ok so were not in Rome .. but the theme here for me is to follow the crowd .... I got elbowed by a little old  white haired woman to get on the bus last night ... A lot of people are rude and I'm sick of it!! I'm in the big city now and Im playing the part ... no mercy I'm pushing and shoving my way to the shops on monday ... I've got some serious shopping to do!!! But seriously ... Ive learned a lot by just following the crowd.... especially on the tube - no one makes eye contact and its best to have a newspaper to distract yourself ... then you'll fit in ... also don't say excuse me, thank-you, sorry ... Mind the Americans !!!

Freezing Water

Today the group wandered to Dover to see the the white cliffs and take a plunge into the English Channel. Simply put the water was bloody cold. It was probably below freezing and the majority of us put our feet in. I on the other hand decided it would be a great idea to go in up to my shins or so and a wave decided to splash my jeans and soak me. It was not fun. After that we boarded the bus and headed to Canterbury and took a tour of a cathedral. We had a few hours to go shopping and the group all had a bag of junk. On the way home the boys had to take all the bags back to their room and than run back to the bus to get on our way to the Billy Elliot show. Girls buy to much stuff. I had to carry 40 bags and never got a thank you. Where are the manners in England. I have been attempting to write this blog for about an hour now but people keep distracting me. The Billy Elliot show was better than I expected. The main Billy Elliot got injured during the play so the back up had to come on. I think he was better than the main one. He could do flips and stuff.

The Jolly City of London! :)

Today was our fourth day in London. I have seen and learned quite a bit in a mere four days. I have started to master using the Tube, it was somewhat intimidating at first but I have since learned to "mind the gap". On Monday we visited the Tower of London and the London Bridge as well as several other sights. I wrote my travel entry about it so it was incredibly interesting to see it person. I was disappointed that the tour was shortened that day because they were doing yard work. On Tuesday we visited both St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey they were both beautiful, I especially liked the whispering gallery, it was amazing to see part of St. Paul's cathedral from so high up in the dome. Wednesday was probably one of my favorite days thus far. Many of us started off the day the right way by going to watch the changing of the guard. It was one of the coolest things I have seen so far. I especially enjoyed listening to the military band, they played so many modern songs but they also played some pieces with bagpipes. It was a great mix of older and more modern music. Then Megan, Andrea, Hailey and I went to high tea at the Russell hotel. It was quite an experience. We started with English breakfast and peppermint tea. The small meal consisted of a mixture of ham, cucumber and salmon sandwiches. There were plain and raisin scones with clotted cream and jam. Finally there four small desserts. It was a wonderful experience and was rather delicious as well. We then walked over to the British museum where we saw the Rosetta stone and the design for the medals for the upcoming 2012 London olympics. We also saw the easter island statues and many other things. Finally we ended our day by going to see the brand new musical Matilda! It was fantastic!! The set was absolutely amazing and the music was absolutely exquisite. However, by far the best part was the little girl who played Matilda. She was a phenomenal little girl, she was such a talented actress and had the most beautiful voice. It was one of the best musicals I have seen! I'm really looking forward to going to Paris on Sunday and Wimbledon on Monday!!!

Cold feet

Today was a very early morning for us. The boys decided that we start the day of with a little bit of Starbucks because we were a little tired of the "traditional English breakfast". We then started off our day with a nice two hour drive to the cliffs of Dover. It seemed like everyone was sleeping when I woke up.  I tend to sleep a lot so I never know who sleeps and who doesn't sleep. After arriving in Dover we got to a very small boutique. We spent a lil longer than I expected there. But I guess the ladies of the trip enjoyed there time there. After leaving the shop we went to the waters of the English Channel. Marge told us we had to go in, and at least get our feet wet. She said we had to experience French water. But I never understood what makes that water French and not English. Oh well we all did and Alex experienced the water to the fullest. He got his knickers wet... After leaving the ice cold water and Marge telling everyone they were a whimp for not going into the water we headed to the Dover Castle. On the way up we could see the elegant cliffs. They were quite large and very white. This a cool sight to see.  The castle was cool but we were unable to go inside. That was disappointing. We then got onto the coach to see the Canterbury Cathedral.  this was like a city within a city.  Everyone was so excited to see all the shops and didn't really want to go into the cathedral. The cathedral was very nice and it sounded like there was lots of restorations and rebuilds. This was due to all sorts of things, like humans and natural occurrences. After leaving the cathedral everyone split up again and went shopping. The guys only got one bag while the girls came back with too many to count.  This all did not surprise me. Our next adventure took us to the musical " Billy Elliot". I thought it was awesome. Even though it was about a boy who wanted to dance instead of boxing. There was lots of dancing.  Growing up with a sister who danced and a mom who owns a studio of her own I kind of enjoyed it. I would say there was very good dancing and some parts that were not so good. Even though we spent most of the day traveling I still had a blast. I can't wait to see what tomorrow has to offer.
Cheers! 

Exploring London

Today was the first of our two free days in London. Most of our class started the day at Buckingham Palace for the Changing of Guard ceremony. I was especially interested in visiting because I had researched and written a travel entry about the Palace. I never expected there to be so many people trying to squeeze in and take pictures! Fortunately, my friends and I had a great spot along the main gate where the guards exited at the end of the ceremony. It was so exciting to see so much tradition and know that we were the closest we would ever be to royalty!

After Buckingham Palace, we headed to the British Museum. Although we did not have as much time to explore as I would have liked (though it would take several days to see the whole museum), we were still able to see the Rosetta Stone, Easter Island Statue, Egyptian mummies, Ming Dynasty pottery, and medals for the 2012 Olympic Games. Another highlight of the day was high tea at the Russel Hotel. Tea was served in the hotel's cozy bar and we picked a spot right in front of the fireplace. We chose peppermint and English Breakfast tea and were also served tea sandwiches, scones (super yummy) and pastries. It was a lovely, relaxing way to end the afternoon and truly made us feel like royalty!

This evening, two friends and I went to see the new musical Matilda based on the book by Roald Dahl. It opened in November and has sold out every night since it opened (with tickets for weekend performances sold out through April). It was such an amazing show! Of course the acting and singing were fantastic, but the set design was particularly fascinating especially considering that both the theatre and the stage were relatively small by American standards.

All in all, it was a fantastic day that I felt had a nice balance between some of the perhaps more "touristy" destinations and an example of modern London theatre.

Oh The Places We Will Go

Today, we had the opportunity to explore London on our own and it proved to be quite the adventure. As a group of four, Laura, Ellie, Maegan and I began our enterprise at Buckingham Palace to observe the changing of the guard. It was a spectacular and claustrophobic sight. We were lucky enough to get a spot right against the railing and were able to see the royal guards exit the palace five feet in front of us. I was unable to clearly see what I was photoing and therefore I continuously snapped a total of over 150 pictures-clearly I have some editing to do tonight! I was grateful that Laura was behind me acting as my personal bodyguard so that I was not bumped by the crowd as I photographed. We left the palace with many interesting stories of the people around us.

Leaving the palace with a rush of “crowd-fighting” adrenaline, we took the underground over to the Victoria and Albert museum. Here we were able to look at the different historical art and fashions of England. While I found the display items very interesting and wondered about the people who were involved in the creation and use of the various display items, I enjoyed the British Museum (which the four of us had visited the evening before) more.

After leaving the VA Museum we then wandered through the streets of Chelsea, eventually finding our way to Harrods. I was amazed. We saw stockings and scarves that we “on sale” for fifty pounds. I was definitely out of my element in that store. Surprisingly, Ellie managed to find a nice tin within her price range and now has the honor of saying that she has bought something at Harrods.

Running out of money and energy, we then stopped at an Indian restaurant near our hotel for dinner and Laura, Ellie, and I hopped back on the Underground to take a tour of Jack the Ripper. Due to train delays and not exactly knowing where we were going, we missed the tour. I was devastated. I had been waiting for this tour since leaving Columbus and have been faithfully reading about Jack the Ripper for the past few weeks. Not knowing what else to do, we again got on the “tube” to go back to the hotel. However, the adventure did not end there. Shortly after the train started, it stopped. There was some trouble on the tracks and our train had to sit, in the dark tunnel, until the problem was fixed. A good five minutes later, we did start moving again only to stop for another three or four minutes at Liverpool Street where we decided to abandon that train and take the Central Line. At last, we made it back to the hotel where we called and successfully rescheduled our Jack tour for Friday and called it a night-looking forward to visiting Dover tomorrow.

Living the dream

So we've been in England now for 8 days and so far it's been great! I can't believe how much we have done in such a short time. From places in Stratford, Stonehenge to st Paul's and buckingham palace everything has been amazing. Today was a free day and we did so much. We started at the british museum then went to the changing of the guards, which was pretty neat, then to trafalga square where we went to an art museum and then to picadilley circus, which is like times square, then to harrods, and then we went to Chelsea for more shopping. We have had some good food pizza express is probably one of my favorites. I am so excited for the rest of the trip mostly for Paris and Samantha and I are going to Scotland!

Amazing Day

Today was awesome, probably my favorite. We woke up and headed straight for the British Museum. What surprised me was that admission is free.  The main lobby was very impressive, it was a huge dome with a shop in the middle. At each corner was an entrance to a different era. The first artifact we saw was the Rosetta Stone. I'd seen a lot of pictures of it in school, but none of them did it justice. The stone was huge, a lot bigger than what I expected. In this same room we saw a lot of Egyptian sculptures and engravings, which were all really neat. We then headed over to buckingham palace to watch the changing of the guard. I honestly wasn't too excited about this, but it turned out to be a real great. When the new guards came, there were men playing bag pipes in front. They all walked in formation. I could t believe how many people showed up to eat this event. The police had to rope off different sections and even had men on horseback. My favorite part of the day is when we went to Abbey Road. Being a massive Beatle fan, this was a dream come true. I had always imagined walking across this road just like the Beatles did for their last album. When we got off the train, we weren't really sure if we'd know which crossing it was. But when we arrived, there were already people taking pictures at the cross walk. Abbey Road Studios was just there on the left side. It was a small little white house, that really didn't look like much. This is where the Beatles recorded all their albums. After taking numerous photos, we headed over to Harrods. I had never seen  department store so big in my life. We actually got lost walking through it. Harrods had every designer brand I could think of, and they even had a huge food court. I would like to go back there again before we leave. After Harrods a few of us went to see Totem, which was a cirque du Soleil show. The show was held in The Royal Albert Hall, a very famous auditorium that many big musicians have played in. I was very impressed by the architecture of this building. It was in the shape of an oval, and looked a lot like the roman coliseum. The show was fantastic and my favorite of the trip so far. After the show we had a nice dinner, which ended the day perfectly. 

Mind the Americans

We've spent a week here in England and I've had the time of my life. I'm having so much fun and I'm actually slightly dreading returning to the states, even though I'll be happy to see my family. the UK doesn't seem all that different than the USA on the surface, but we've run into some very evident culture differences that are both funny and frustrating at times. A big difference that I've noticed: restaurants. We are eating at restaurants twice a day and I think I have yet to have a smooth paying -for- my -meal process. I have yet to eat at a restaurant that allows the checks to be split up. We get one big check for the entire table and the waiter allows several different credit/debit cards to be used on one check. It's really frustrating at the end of the meal to try to solve a math problem, but it's interesting to see the cultural difference. Another thing I've noticed about Americans: we're loud, obnoxious, and picky. On the subway back to our hotel last night, we somehow ended up talking in British accents, but no one was fooled. We were loud, and recieved many stares. When ordering meals, we ask for no tomatoes, ice with our water, and seperate checks, and receive odd stares, and it makes me feel like we're being rude. What's acceptable in the US isn't quite so over here in England, and its been very interesting figuring this out and learning the British culture. I can't wait to see what the next 5 days has in store for us!

Stop pushing me!!

Today was a lot of fun because we were able to go off on our own and explore London.  A few of us went to oxford street and did a little shopping.  Of course we had to stop in Burberry and Harrods to look at all the things we can't afford.  After buying a few things we went and saw Cirque Du Soleil which was AMAZING.  I don't know how they do all those things...it doesn't even seem real!  Leaving the Royal Albert Hall was such chaos!  There were so many people trying to pile on the buses and when we got to the tube it was even worse. We couldn't get on the first tube because it was too packed.  People were just barely squeezing in to the point where i thought the door was going to close on them.  We were able to cram on the second tube but everyone was pushing to get on.  It was so hot and clustered that I couldn't wait to get off.  Well the pushing and shoving wasn't over yet.  In order to get back to ground level you have to get on to a huge elevator (or lift as they call them).  When the doors opened to get off I kept feeling a shove in my back but I couldn't go anywhere because there were a ton of people in front of me.  I came so close to turning around and saying something to the woman who continued to push me from behind but decided I probably shouldn't make a scene.  Needless to say, I am not very fond of public transportation.  Overall, the day was a lot of fun but I am definitely ready to lay down and relax.  Tomorrow is going to be another long day!

Free Day In London

So today was our free day in London where we were allowed to roam around and do whatever we wanted. Of course Gabbi and I decided to hit up some art museums. We started off in Covent Gardens to shop around the open air market. After that we went to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. They had a Da Vinci exhibit going on, but I guess they ony sell 500 tickets a day and yu have to line up like it's black friday to get one. I'm a little bitter about this because I would do just about anything to see that exhibit. Even so, we roamed the Gallery for about 3 or 4 hours, and we still didn't get through it all. I must say that the museum was not quite what I was expecting. It only housed paintings from the 15th century through the very early years of the 20th century. No sculpture, No ancient stuff. I guess I'm just used to musuems that have a bit of everything. I didnt expect the National Gallery to have modern work as the Tate modern keeps all that. That is another museum that I hope to get to while in London, along with the British Museum.
The highlight of the day was seeing Vincent Van Gogh's sunflower painting. Van Gogh has always had a soft spot in my heart, and sunflowers have always been my favorite, so this was a particularly exciting moment for me.It was a this point that I wished I could take pictures in the gallery, but unfortunately I couldn't.
So now I am back at the hotel tired and sore. All these days of walking all day and getting up fairly early with a not so restful sleep are finally catching up with me. I'm still loving my time here, but the English really need to put some variety in their breakfast menu, at least the hotels do. I could really go for some waffles right about now. :-)

Mind of the Gap

Mind the gap! Today was an awesome day. It was full of information and excitement. Today we all met together early in the morning in order to catch the tube to see Isabel, our tour guide. She was awesome. She was full of information and excitement. We left an hour early in order to make sure we got there on time. Thus, we got there 45 minutes early which was good. I'd rather be early and not miss anything.  Our first tour was of St. Paul Cathedral. This was very beautiful. I loved it.  We were not allowed to take pictures of the inside so I will be left only with mental memories.  The best part of the tour was the whispering wall. This was almost to the top of the cathedral. If one were to whisper on one side another person on the opposite side could hear them. You would have to do it, to actually believe me if you were to actually see it. It took a long walk up but it was worth it. After leaving the cathedral we went to the ye Old Cheshire Pub. It was one of the best meals I've had here so far. Yes, it was Mac & cheese but it was very good. A lot of people around me also had this meal and I heard no complaints. This was a first!!!!! After leaving the pub we headed toward to Westminster Abbey. Yet again another beautiful place. Before entering we all took great photographs of Big Ben. Big Ben is not really the tower but rather the large bell at the top. There's a fun fact for you. Once inside the building we split into two groups. The nurses and the other people. I was with the other people. We stayed with Isabel. Once again we were not allowed to take pictures inside the building. This is rather annoying but I I could understand why people are not allowed to after visiting the building. Once inside the building we walked over several graves. These graves were from very famous people and very rich people. My favorite being from a science background was the tombstone of Sir Issac Newton.  I had no idea he was buried here. Many famous kings and queens have had their coronation here in this building. If I remember correctly everyone from William the conqueror on had this done here.  After leaving this fabulous church the guys did a little bit of shopping at Harrods. One of us, managed to buy a couple of things there at a low price. This was due to e fact that it is sale time there and this is the only time of the year that there is a sale there. However, we did get lost first but we found our way without getting directions. Getting directions seems to be a popular theme with the ladies... After leaving Harrods we went to meet up with others for Mexican food. I personally loved it and I think others would agree with me. I had a beef burrito with habanero peppers. Boy was that spicy. My mouth was on fire!!!!! But it was very good. I would recommend the restaurant to everyone that likes Mexican.  So overall it was a great day. Tomorrow is our day off and I think some of us are going to e British Museum and then doing some more shopping. This is followed by seeing Cirque de Solei, I think that is how you spell it... I've see a few state side and they were very good. So I expect nothing less. After that show at 3:30 I have no idea what me and the gang will get into. I guess we will find out tomorrow... I miss my family and friends and I will see you all very soon. 
Cheers!
Seth / Chas

Wonderful day !

Well today was another fabulous day here in London. I am so glad that I came on this trip. We went on a bus tour throughout London and got to see a lot of things. Among these are shops and lots of museums. The shops were all the high end fashion shops like Burberry and Prada. We then drove past harrods. I am going to buy something! Then we drove past the London eye which was broken. But rumor has it that we are going on saturday instead. I think it'll be sweet ! After getting our tour on the coach. We headed to the Tower of London. This was built during William the Conqueror's reign. Inside were the crown jewels. A few of tried to plot a plan to steal them but I don't think we would have made it out safely. We got to see the armory of all the previous kings. Their armor had so much detail. It was amazing ! We got a short tour by the beef eaters. Our beef eater did not really like me because of my Manchester united pullover. He is a Leeds United fan. Therefore there was some hostility there. He made me zip my coat up before he started the tour. I was spectacle at first but he was legit and wouldn't start until I did.  He made several comments how he hated Manchester united. But I am a fan so no worried and I didn't get beaten down so no worries. The dungeon were tools of torture was closed so that was rather disappointing. After the 30 some of us gathered outside the tower we got our first experience on the tube. This is the subway for people who are state side. This was interesting traveling with 30 some girls who have no true idea where they are going. We got on the wrong train of course. This was not due to "the boys". We just did what we were told. I heard this was the right way to do things. But we eventually got on the right one due to the manly sense of direction. Our next adventure was at the play "Noises Off". Most of us from what I gathered enjoyed this one a lot better than the Shakespeare play we saw previously. I was able to stay awake. And it was rather comical. After the play we ventured back toward the hotel and stopped at "The Swan" for a pint. Then eight of us went to the casino next o the hotel. It was awesome ! We got to play for free because we had no idea how to play roulette. Though we didn't really gamble we still had tons of fun. I'm sure we will be back to play for real next time. After this we hit the sack in order to get some shut eye for the next day. Til next time...
Cheers! 
Seth/Chas

The day of Churches 1/17/2012

Today we visited St. Paul's Cathedral. This is where Diana and Prince Charles were married. The cathedral was constructed after the Reformation when Henry VIII decided to separate from the Roman Catholic Church. Thus,, the cathedral has architectural differences that make it unique to other cathedral I have seen and will see on this trip. For example, because it was such a beautiful day out, the inside of the cathedral was brightly lit by the sun. The light from the sun was able to shine in because there were very few stain glass windows. This made the cathedral appear odd to me, I rather enjoy the stories and people depicted in the stain glass of most churched. Nevertheless I admire the pictures depicted on mostly the ceiling, made up of vibrant colors, but later on in the tour was told that these depictions had only recently been added. Overall, I tried to picture the cathedral before things were later added and can only conclude that it was indeed, quoting the Italians, plain.

Second we visited Westminster Abbey. I was looking forward to this visit, particularly because of all the past monarchs that I knew were buried there. The visit surpassed my expectations. Past history, all monarchs, since William the Conqueror in 1066, have had their coronation there, also most royal weddings, include William and Kate, take place there. During the tour I discovered that a musician of the same name 'Purcell' is buried there, such is something I'll be excited to tell my family when I get home. As a group of nurses we were allowed to see Nightingale's chapel, which was a special one time chance experience. I was happy to see the tombs of Elizabeth, Mary and all the Edwards and Henrys again. Yet to this day it sadness me to see how much destruction has happened to the tombs and monuments in the abbey. I do not understand who and how anyone can justify ripping and desecrating the resting place of another person. I wish there was more time and the my feet did not hurt such much from standing so that I could read more about the people buried/remembered in Westminster Abbey, but for now it will have to wait.

Day 7 by Laura Contos

Day 7-
Today is the halfway point in our fourteen day trip. I think we were all feeling a mix of emotions. It's hard to believe that there is only one week left and, at the same time, I can't believe there is still a whole week left! Today we went to St. Paul's Cathedral which lies in the heart of city. St. Paul's Cathedral was finished in 1675 after thirty five long years of work. This Cathedral has no stained glass windows, no images of Saints, and nothing architecturally reminiscent of the Catholic Church which makes it unique; this was because it was built after the Reformation when King Henry the VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. This was a grand Cathedral. Afterwards, we ate one of the oldest pubs in all of London called Ye Old Cheshire Cheese Pub which has been around since 1667. It was dark, dank, and smelled as old as it looked. But the food was delightful!
After lunch we took a double-decker to West Minster Abbey. This was was an amazing church. Unfortunately, we were not able  to take pictures. However, I do not believe that a photograph could capture the true beauty of this famous place. Since the crowning of William the Conqueror here in 1066 the Abbey has been the official Coronation church. It is likely that we will get to see at least one coronation in our lifetime, maybe even two-Prince Charles and Prince William. The nursing students were privileged enough to gain access to the Florence Nightingale Chapel. There was a gorgeous stained glass window illustrating a nurse kneeling with palms outstretched, as though she was holding the whole weight of human suffering in her hands. It was a very powerful experience.
Later, I, and several other students, successfully navigated the tube system to visit the British Museum.  The sheer size of this place was overwhelming! I think a person would need at least a year to see all of the exhibits. We headed straight for the Egyptian, Greek, and mummy exhibits because each one held a particular interest for us. If we have the time we will definitely go back; there is just so much more to see.
Tomorrow we have our first full free day so we are carefully planning our adventures. London is such an amazing city; I can't wait to explore it more.  
--Laura

Spa Day!

1. Drinking "healing" water from springs

2. Hill top View of Bath

A few days late… but hey we are busy people.

With another busy day under our belt we have officially spent two wonderful days exploring London. Though I do miss the sweet little town of Stratford, the big city life of London has been a great experience. Like I said this blog is a few days late, but I absolutely had to post about Bath (I had to research before coming). So here it goes.

Our fifth day in England was a very fun and busy day; we had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful city of Bath. Bath is the busy city built around the Roman Baths or hot springs (spas) which emerge from the earth’s ground. During our visit we were able to take a little tour of the baths. The baths make for lovely pictures and provide us with great stories and legends. There is so much history centered around the Roman Culture, especially the Goddess Minerva. I happened to enjoy the stories of the Romans and the Goddesses and Gods, mostly because I was very familiar with them. Finally, I was able to use those three years of high school Latin.

The springs are widely known for their great healing powers, which is much of the reason people have visited the baths for centuries. In my attempt to be adventurous, I drank a whole glass of the spring water. Though many were indifferent about the taste, to me it tasted like well water from the sinks at home. Whether or not the water has healing powers is still to be determined. The best part about bath however is what the English call a pasty. Yes, a pasty. Many have compared it to our hot pocket, but there is really no comparison. It is flakey, soft pastry dough filled with a variety of fillings. They can be a dessert or a savory paste. They came in an assortment of flavors; cheese and onion, vegetable, ham and cheese, etc. I tried a hot apple cider and port stuffed paste. Let me just tell you, it was far better than some old hot pocket. Plus, they offered ketchup with these pastes. Thus far on the trip Bath has offered the best tasting Paste.

Besides the delicious paste, Bath had many other attractions/shops. It also is probably the most beautiful place we have visited. The Bath Abbey was exquisite and the hill top view of the whole city was breathtaking. It was a gorgeous mix of busy city intertwined with the rolling hills of the country side. Bath was far more than I expected. I never anticipated even after researching, such a wonderful place. Though the architecture was similar to what we had seen in the days past, the springs add an extra touch of elegance and never have I seen countryside more serene. All in all Bath is just one more place in England you should put on your must see list!

--MEGAN ASTERINO

Welcome to London!!!

I've been looking forward to today's events since we got here. First, we went to the city of Bath and the Roman Baths. I had no idea how much I would love it. I could not believe how many interesting artifacts were in the museum. I listened to almost every recording and spent almost two hours in the baths. The design of the building was amazing. I loved the circular pool and the hot rooms. It was so interesting the way they used piles of rocks to heat the floors from under the ground. I learned so much history from walking through the baths. The view of the city was beautiful. I wish I could truly capture it in a picture. The food and shopping were also wonderful. :) Then we went to Stonehenge. I have heard about Stonehenge in school for years, but I never thought I'd actually get to see it in person and walk around it. It was amazing to see. It really made me wonder how they built such a huge monument and transported all those stones so long ago. We saw one of the Seven Wonders of the World. That's awesome! Another major highlight was going down the the Royal Shakespeare Company bar yesterday and meeting Jamie Ballard. He played the part of Angelo in Measure for Measure. We met a friend of his in the hotel on Thursday, and then went to the theatre to meet him. We introduced ourselves and talked to him for two hours! He was so nice and gracious. It was such a great experience! We are now in London, and it is amazing! It is so lively and busy. I was sad to leave Stratford, but I love it here! There are so many things to do and see. I cannot wait to experience them all!
-Molly Sullivan

Bath and Stonehenge

Today we started off early and went to Bath, which was about a two hour drive. Pulling into the city and seeing all the slanted buildings was really cool. I really liked the layout of Bath. We began with a tour of the Roman Baths, which required us to have a phone tour guide system. I was really amazed on how preserved the Baths were and how they've been able to collect all the artifacts. It was surreal just standing on grounds that were about 2,000 years old. The tour was really fun and informative for the amount of time we had. Once the tour was over, we headed up to the restaurant and sampled some of the Bath water. To Seth and I, the water tasted like blood, mainly because it had so much iron in it. The water wasn't good, but it was fun to sample it. Once we left the restaurant, we were able to get lunch and shop on our own. Me, Seth and Alex found a nice little pub in one of the small allies. We haven't really found a pub that hasn't been good. After lunch, we found our way up to some really cool shops and some pastries. The streets were filled with many musical performers and mimes. I had a chocolate pastry that was amazing before we left. Leaving Bath was kinda sad, but we had a nice view of the city before we left. Our next stop was stonehenge. I was very excited to see this, mainly because I'd seen pictures of it in school all the time. I was amazed on how big the stones were and I have no idea how they put them up or transported them. We got a lot of good pictures and video to show our families. Around 5:30pm we arrived at our new hotel in London, which is great. We finished the night with a great dinner at a pizzeria that Marge recommended, and it was fantastic.

Chas & Seth

The Joys of the British Life!!!

The sights and experiences I have had so far have been way beyond breathtaking! As we are usually in the central Ohio area at Otterbein the sights and land seem to be pretty flat and boring. This opens up our eyes to a different part of the world seeing lots of unique architecture, hills, beautiful countryside, and totally a complete different landscape than Ohio. Not only have we seen the different landscapes over the past 5 days traveling the British countryside we have experienced different food, culture, and amazing sites. We have experienced many differences and similarities of England vs America and each aspect has its positives and negatives. Each site we have visited so far has been exciting and unique in its own way. I now want to touch on a few aspects of the trip that have interested me.

The Florence Nightingale childhood church and grave site in Wellow and her family manor of Embley sparked my interest the most. This is partially because without Florence, nursing, would not be the same today. We saw the tree on her manor that she was sitting under when God spoke to her about pursuing nursing. She changed nursing by focusing on the sanitation aspect to help decrease the spread of diseases. I did not expect her to be buried by such a small church and graveyard, and way off the beaten path because she made such an impact on nursing and was even offered to be buried in Westminster Abbey. However, the church and graveyard was absolutely beautiful! Embley is now Hampshire Collegiate School. It’s neat that they took such a beautiful manor and its ground and made such great use out of it. My second favorite place was the Roman Baths.

We all have learned about the Romans growing up because they contributed in so many ways and are a big part of history. Getting to actually see some of the work the Romans did themselves is very interesting. For dating way back their design and building skills were incredible. In one of the baths there are hot water springs that still have hot water flowing from the center of the earth. When we were walking through the many different baths I looked at Megan and go “Are these hot springs real or do you think it’s all fake?” It’s just incredible to think that they not only found this hot water springs, but there is still tons of water rising from them still today. The architecture, building, and design that went into these baths are truly amazing and it was definitely a site to see.

Overall I have been very pleased with the trip so far and nothing has fallen short of my expectations. Being in a different country always brings exciting and unique experiences that you might never have imaged being a part of!!! London we have arrived!!

-Hailey Jones

God willing this has been amazing this far!!

Hello from London!! These past four days have been amazing!! I am completely in love with Stratford-upon-Avon and I hope to move there when I graduate. We've had so many amazing experiences thus far. My favorite day was definitely Thursday when we toured the Shakespeare properties and saw Measure for Measure at the Royal Shakespeare Company! Walking in Shakespeare's house and standing in rooms that he stood in was incredible. And to top the whole day off with a Shakespeare how at the RSC was perfect. It was a life goal that I was able to check off my bucket list. And also that evening Molly and I met a couple who knew the actor who played Angelo. And last night we went and met him and talked to him for almost 2 hours. It was really awesome! I also really enjoyed Warwick Castle and Coventry Cathedral. Now that we are in London I'm excited to see a lot of shows and do all of the typical tourist attractions. I don't miss home at all...in fact I cried this morning as we left Stratford because I didn't want to leave. I'm loving it here and I am doing my best to make each day last as long as possible. Here's to a wonderful time with wonderful experiences to be had here in London!!!!

-Katie Falter

Finally in London!

Today was another early start to the day for which we got on the road towards London! Although I loved Straford, I was ready to head towards London to see what it is all about. On the way to the President Hotel in London the group and I stopped at The Roman Baths which was more than I expected it would be. The tour consisted of carrying around a cellphone that we were able to punch in numbers to learn about certain areas throughout the building and what each area was back in the Roman days. It was very cool to see what the pools, spas and baths looked like so long ago and just how smart the Romans were. I also thought it was amazing how the springs still produces hot water from the earth as it did hundreds of years ago. I also got the chance to drink the spa water which was/is considered to be healing water and bring good luck. Although the water was pretty warm and didn't taste good at all, I drank the whole glass in hope it will cure the cold/cough I have had since day one of this trip :) And so far, I feel much better.... who knows, it may actually be healing! After we walked around Bath and looked at all the gorgeous views/shops/church's the town had to offer we headed to Stonehenge. It was very clear and sunny during our visit there but it was pretty cold and windy too. The stones were really interesting to look at and ponder how they really got there and stacked onto one another a long time ago. Tomorrow we will embark on a tour around London and later on we will all get to experience another play which I am pretty excited about.

Day #4 F.N. and Oxford

Greetings from Stratford! This morning our adventure began with a bus trip to visit The Church of Saint Margaret of Antioch near West Wellow. This is where Florence Nightingale attended church as a child and was later buried after her death. While we were inside the church, we were able to view a film depicting the life and legacy of Florence Nightingale and the contributions she made to modern day nursing. While watching the film, I gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for how Florence Nightingale went against social norms and expectations to fulfill her understood calling for her life. The next part of our journey led us to The Embly Estate; the childhood home of Florence Nightingale. It was an honor to be able to stand in the study where Florence Nightingale was taught by her father and other scholarly members of the time. When viewing the architecture of the home and comparing it to the hospital designs Florence Nightingale enacted in hospitals, it was interesting to see parallel influences. For example, the estate had many large windows and Florence Nightingale advocated for lighting and openness in hospitals. After The Embly Estate, our journey continued to Oxford University. Our tour guide Jane brought us through a tour of Trinity College, one of the 38 colleges within the University. It was a great experience to see the differences and similarities between Universities in American versus England. I thought it was interesting how the colleges require all first year students to live on campus to encourage a sense of community and intellectual collaboration between students. Finally, our tour of Oxford ended with a trip through the market place where we saw local art creations and even a fresh goat carcass. Our stay in Stratford has been wonderful and I cannot wait to depart for London tomorrow!

Stratford - The High Points

It is day four and our last night in Stratford - Upon - Avon. Overall it was a wonderful experience, but I am very excited for all London has in store for us. Stratford is a darling town with quaint shops and delicious treats and dining options. I have to say my favorites, are the many candy shops. We did get our first bite of British cuisine, England's famous fish and chips at the Dirty Duck Pub. It was very good, but I do have one little problem. I always need more ketchup!! When I ask the servers just give me a funny expression and ask "more"? Then I feel as if I am insulting them, and just try to forget the ketchup. However, for the most part I have enjoyed all Stratford has had to offer.

We have been very busy, especially these last few days. These last two days have been filled with events from sun up to sun down. We visited places such as Oxford University, the birth place of William Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway's cottage, and Woodstock. While I enjoyed the visit to each of these places, there were a few others that I favored the most
one being the second castle we visited (the first was in ruins), Warwick Castle. Not only was it breathtakingly beautiful, but it was so much fun!! There was so much for us to see and do. We took a tour through the renovated interior of the castle, climbed the tower stairs (256.. or so), and visited the peacock gardens. I wish I could explain how amazing Warwick is. It hard to do so in words or even to show in pictures. The architecture and the gardens are just so beautiful and the fact that it is a REAL castle. All I can say is, you have to visit it yourself.

My second favorite visit, being that I am a nursing major and adore Florence Nightingale, was St. Margaret's Church in East Wellow (Nightingale's grave site) and Embley(Nightingale's home). Both sites were beautiful and very empowering. You cannot help but feel inspired by this wonderful woman when you visit these two places. All she has done for the profession of nursing and for the various patient/people she helped through sickness and their most vulnerable of times. I am so thankful we had this opportunity and it is something I will take away with me forever. All in all it has been a great time and I am still in awe that I am in England!
--Megan Asterino

N.F. / Oxford

What a day. Today was a rather different day than I imagined, We started our early day off with a trip to see Florence Nightingale's tomb. Florence Nightingale, F.N., is founder of modern Nursing.  The church that we were at was small but very pretty.  There was some paintings on the wall.  They were not complete, therefore one had to use their imagination to complete the paintings.  There was a short film that we watched that was done by a local. It looked as if it was professionally done.  Then we were off to F. N. 's home.  At the home, we saw the room, a library, where Mr. Nightingale taught his daughter.  This is the same room, where she was proposed to and there is a secret passageway in the bookshelf.  Supposedly a young boy was sick and slept in this room and Florence Nightingale's ghost came through the bookshelf.  Our guide then took our group outside to get a view of the back of the estate. The guide explained that Mr. Nightingale made several additions to the house when they lived there. There were many hospital style windows added because Mr. Nightingale was fascinated by them. Then we visited the tree in which F. N. supposedly got her calling to be a nurse. The tree looks as if it is two tress, however it is one tree.  We next journeyed over to Oxford.  School over here is very different than what it is in the States. There is 38 different Universities, under one Oxford University. There was sites that we visited that can also be seen in the Harry Potter films. Many of us, wished we could have spent more time in Oxford exploring on our own. However, this leaves room for revisitation later on in life.  After leaving Oxford we journeyed home.  Some of the gang and I went to a little Italian restaurant. I had pepperoni pizza. I thought it was very good. The portion was not very big, so Chas and I had to go to the pub next door and get more food, cheaper food, Day four was a success in my book. Cheers mates... 
Seth/Chas

Day 4

Today we visited Florence Nightingale's grave site and home and Oxford. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the visit to Florence Nightingale site because at first I thought I would not enjoy this. The video that was shown was very informative and well produced. I learned the most I have ever learned about the roots of my career. I did not know that Florence was born into a very wealthy family and was called by God to serve others through nursing. I thought it was very touching that such an inspirational woman was a part of making a better name for nursing and figured out so much about environmental health. She focused so much on caring for others that she risked her own health. I throughly enjoyed visiting her home town. The second part of the day consisted of visiting the University of Oxford. It was a bit chilly outside, but the university was beautiful. I gained knowledge about how the university is split up into different colleges. I thought it was very interesting that the separate colleges have rivalries against each other even though they are within the same university. Furthermore, despite the cold, I learned a lot and gained a closer understanding of why I chose the career path of nursing. We are in store for another exciting day tomorrow; visiting the city of Bath and Stonehenge! I cannot wait for what's in store next!

Stratford-Upon-Avon

Stratford is one of the loveliest places I have ever been to! We are staying at the Falcon Inn, which is a quaint little hotel near the center of the town. There are great shops, restaurants, and wonderful entertainment. Not only is this town full of wonderful things to keep us busy, but it was also William Shakespeare's home! We spent time on Thursday touring his home and his wife, Anne Hathaway's family home. I especially enjoyed learning about the idioms we use nowadays. We learned that many of them came about during the time of Shakespeare. For example, when using a oven to bake bread they would put it in and take it out using a wooden paddle type utensil. Therefore, the bottom of the bread would generally be burnt and have splinters in it. The help and children generally got this and the head of the household got the top of the bread (the warm flaky crust) hence the term "Upper Crust". My personal favorite is instead of the box springs and mattresses we use now they used rope to sleep on. Every night they had to tighten the ropes, hence the term "Good night, sleep tight". By far, my favorite thing we have done thus far was visiting Warwick Castle. We climbed up to the towers and toured the castle. We also climbed up a hill on the side of the castle and saw the most beautiful gardens and the English countryside. It was exquisite. We also went on a tour titled, "Royal Weekend Party". It was really interesting because it was as though you were a guest at a party hosted by the Earl and Countess of Warwick where Winston Churchill and others were in attendance. It was interesting touring their home and hearing their stories! Today, we visited St. Margaret's church where Florence Nightingale is buried. We also visited Embry, Florence Nightingale's childhood home. It is now a preparatory school named Hampshire Collegiate School which is both a day and boarding school. Her family home was absolutely beautiful, we found out that the best time to visit is during the spring because they have a lovely flower display. I am looking forward to heading to London tomorrow via Stonehenge and Bath. Cheers!

Day #3 - Coventry Cathedral

It is hard to believe that we have only been here for three days! We have done so much in such a little amount of time (including Churchill's grave and childhood home, Shakespeare's birthplace, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre's production of "Measure for Measure" to name just a few), but at the same time we have had a lot of time to explore Stratford on our own. It is such a quiet little town with so many interesting shops and restaurants to explore. Personally, the candy shops (they have the best fudge here), Moo-Moo's Milkshakes (Nutella flavor), and dessert from the local tea shop have been my favorites! But we have also had the opportunity to sample some of the more "traditional" English food, including fish and Chips for dinner at the pub last night.

As fantastic as the food has been, though, some of the sights that we have seen have been ever more amazing and inspiring. Yesterday, we spent several hours at Coventry Cathedral. The town of Coventry was bombed during the Blitz and the roof and sections of the walls of the original cathedral were destroyed along with the majority of the town. By the next day, the people had decided to rebuild, with Construction beginning in 1954. the new cathedral, built beside the ruins of the old, was surprisingly modern, yet so beautiful in it's simplicity. At the same time, though, its simplicity is deceiving because every design decision, including the colors used in the stain glass windows, had a specific meaning or significance behind it. The most meaningful part of the day, however, was the Ceremony of Reconciliation that took place inside the ruins of the old cathedral. It was so inspiring to think that from the day after the bombing on, the people of Coventry chose to focus on peace and forgiveness rather than the sorrow, hate, or revenge. A plaque was placed on the wall of the old cathedral that reads "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give peace." For me, this quote summed up the sense of peace that filled both cathedrals and the sense of hope that one feels after visiting.

Day#3, 1/13/2012

Today as a group we went to see Kenilworth Castle, Coventry Cathedral and Warwick Castle.

I was excited to see Kenilworth Castle, particularly because of its use in the Elizabethan era. I was interested in see what was left of the gardens that had been designed and made for Queen Elizabeth by her favorite. When our classmate and Vince talked about it, I was sadness when they stated that parts of it were dismantled so that it could not be used during the World War and it made me wonder what state it was in. When the castle was finally in view it was indeed just a skeleton of the original, but it still held some of its past glory and prestige in its remaining tall stone towers. I was looking forward to walking through the ruins and was some what upset when I found out we were not going inside the gates.

Next we arrived at Coventry Cathedral. To me, it seemed to be right in the middle of Coventry University, such was also interesting to see. The old stone structure of the original cathedral caught my attention immediately, I actually did not notice the rebuilt modern cathedral until it was pointed out to me. The remains of the original cathedral, to this day, showed the devastating destruction that occur to it during the blitz. The tall tower that remained standing seemed incomplete, a small shadow, and reminded to what the cathedral once was. I enjoyed the tour of the two structures, old and rebuilt, each had its own unique gifts to their worshippers, but overall I would have picked the old to stay and listen to a full service in. I pick the ruins because it makes me think that even with just ruins remaining, after the blitz, citizens still prayed, still asked for forgiveness and still had faith.

We finally made it to Warwick Castle, I had heard that it was a nice castle to visit but was not prepared for all that it had when I started to explore. There was something to see everywhere I went. I go trapped climbing the towers, which never seemed to end, yet I did take time to take a picture of the view in and around the castle, which made up for some of the pain climbing all those stairs. I accidentally viewed the history of the castle, presented by manikins, backwards-starting in the Victorian era. I wanted to stop at every manikin and listen to their story, discover the history of the rooms, nevertheless there was not enough time. I was able to run through everything once, learning that battles had been fought there and that it had been owned by a number of high-status people, whom had made changed to the property and had held lavish parties. I wish I had had more time to look at the paintings closer, the ones near the armory room. I recognized some of them, including Anne, Charles II, William II, Princes of Wales and of course Henry VIII and his wives at the end of the hall. When I come back to visit England, I plan on visiting Warwick Castle again and dedicating a whole day to learn more of its history.

Day 3: By: Lauren Miller

Today was by far my favorite day! We toured kenilworth castle, Coventry cathedral, and my favorite spot Warwick castle ... At Warwick castle we walked the 503 steps on the steep spiral staircases to the tallest towers of the castle! It gave us some awesome pictures of the landscape around the castle .. Madame Touseau (sp?) also had wax figures at the castle depicting knights, royalty, and peasants of the time period.. It made you feel like you were really there and got you in the spirit of medieval times.. One of my favorite parts of today was the bird show where one of the bird trainers showed us 2 owls Ernie and Oscar.. It was so neat to see these animals up close and personal because it's such a rare sight to see .. It was awesome to see how graceful these birds were when they flew around the castle.
-Lauren

Today was our third day in England and so far the trip has been amazing! We visited the Warwick Castle which had absolutely breath taking views and was the first real castle I've seen let alone be able to explore the inside. The stairs up to the top of the tower made my legs burn but it was well worth the truck up there. We also got to experience a show with two owls which was very cool because I had never seen an owl that close up! I can't wait to see what else is in store for this, so far, amazing trip!

Fellow mates...

If you are having trouble posting let me know and I will try to help you! If you want, you can e-mail me your post and I will do it for you. I will ensure that it is clear that people can tell it is you that is writing the post. Also if people want to have pictures put up on the blog e-mail them to me as well. They will be put in the pictures section of the blog. My e-mail is Seth.Holland@otterbein.edu
Cheers...

Coventry Cathedral and Warwick

It was very hard getting up this morning, but it was well worth it. This morning we saw Conventry Cathedral which was pretty neat. The older Cathedral was bombed in WWII but much of it still remained. It was sad seeing the damage a war can do, but learning about its history was interesting. We later took a tour of the newer cathedral and it's architecture and stain-glassed windows were stunning. The pattern of the glass made a bright light shine through the center of the church. Another impressive feature was the tapestry in the back end of the church. The tapestry was the size of a tennis court and had Jesus in the center. Coventry was a bit more modern than the other places we've seen. Later on, we went to Warwick Castle. I was amazed by how big it was and how the town just formed around it. We had a great time walking up the narrow staircases and reaching the top of each tower. The views from the top were beautiful and we could see a great distance. These views looked like something out of a dream, everything was so green and perfect. It reminded me of the England magazines my mom has around the house. We took a lot of pictures of the landscape and towers. Tonight we are eating at the Dirty Duck Pub, which we all are looking forward to.

Chas/Seth

Day Three

Day 3 of this exciting adventure and I am loving every minute of it!! Although it was quite chilly today, it was a day well-spent. Our first stop was Kinelworth Castle, a place with a vast history and a sad demise. Having been destroyed to prevent its use in war this castle now stands as a fraction of its former glory. And yet, it is still a remarkable place.

Our second stop of the day, Coventry Cathedral, proved to be a beautiful site even though the original cathedral was bombed and almost completely destroyed during WWII. The remains of the cathedral will still remarkable. There was even a window with glass shards that survived the war. The rebuilt cathedral was equally stunning with the hand-carved windows and the tapestry of Jesus and the four beasts of Revelation. It was clear in the details surrounding the cathedral that the people loved it. Even the Holy Trinity Church, built by the monks for the people, was awe-inspiring with its intricate paintings and tall ceilings.

Although visiting Kenilworth Castle and Coventry Cathedral were interesting and informative Warwick Castle was the highlight of today's tour for me. I could spend days at that castle and still not find every secret that it holds. I would love to live at the castle and be freely able to go room to room and tower to tower. Walking up the spiral stairs was a dizzying experience and I could not imagine doing it daily while trying to hold on to a candle for light. Looking at the castle from afar it amazes me that it has survived almost a thousand years of wars and hard times and is still strong enough today for visitors to climb the ramparts and look across Warwickshire.

One final site we drove by that caught my attention was an old hospital that had evidence of shrapnel damage from WWII. Seeing this hospital turned my thoughts to Florence Nightingale and the good that she did for nursing and I am excited to visit Embley tomorrow and see the grave of such an influential woman.

Day 3 with Best Friends, Good Friends, and Plus Ones

Today was a day full of walking and picture taking. We had the opportunity to tour Coventry Cathedral and Warwick Castle. Both were very interesting places and enjoyed seeing both but I preferred Warwick Castle more. But, I will start with Coventry Cathedral first. We learned that it has been built 3 times and that one of the spires is tilting to one side. We were able to take part in a small pryer. After the Coventry we made our way to Warwick and began exploring the castle on our own. The views from the top of the Castle were amazing minus the hike up the tall, winding, steep stairs. My legs were burning by the time we got to the top. But the view was well worth it. Also, seeing all the old rooms was fascinating. I am looking forward to dinner at The Ugly Duck... I hope that is the name...but food has been pretty good so far so should be a good time with everyone. Here is one of the group shots from yesterday. Computer battery is about dead so will put more on later. Cheers.

Day 3!!! Still unbelievable...

Today is day three of our trip (minus the travel day) and I can't believe how incredible it has been. We have already seen so much. I feel like we have been here multiple days, and yet I'm already dreading leaving. Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day! I loved seeing the Shakespeare properties and Anne Hathaway's cottage. Then, Measure for Measure was phenomenal. The acting was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen better acting. It was one of the best shows I've seen. After the show, I was in awe. I just sat in my seat for about 5 minutes just trying to digest it. Katie and I talked about it all night. We also met a British couple last night in the hotel. The woman was a casting director for the National Theatre, and the man was an actor. We talked to them for about two hours. They told us which shows to see and what sites to visit. We had such a great time talking with them. It was one of the best experiences I've had! They were really "lovely" (to use their word). I've been journaling every day and taking a thousand pictures. I don't want to forget any of the amazing experiences I've had on this trip. Today we saw Kenilworth Castle, the Coventry Cathedral, and Warwick Castle. They were all beautiful and unforgettable. Warwick Castle was breath taking. The scenery and views were incredible. It was also really fun climbing all the towers and looking through the rooms. I can't even begin to describe in words some of the experiences and sites we've seen. You have to see them to really understand. I am so thankful to be here to see the sites, learn about the culture, and just take in as much as possible in the next two weeks. I already feel I have made lasting friendships that will continue once we are back at Otterbein. I cannot wait for the days to come! :) -Molly Sullivan

Day 3-Castles, Cathedrals, and Coventry

It's day three of our exciting international adventure and I am exhausted but in satisfied sort of way. We spent the day touring various sites, including the ruins of Kenilworth Castle. It was gorgeous! Standing outside the gate staring up at the three buildings I could picture the castle in all of its formal glory. Following this site our fabulously funny bus driver Vince filled us in on the more serious aspects of the village of Coventry. In its former glory it was an industrial city that manufactured many goods for the British Military during World War II. Tragically, it was bombed by the Luftwaffe during the war. This city was so different from all of the other parts of England that we've seen so far. Much of its historical buildings were leveled during the attack so it is much more modern that I had anticipated. I have read a lot about this particular bombing and I was half expecting the fires to still be burning from where the German's dropped their bombs. While I tend to have an overactive imagination I was in someways correct in imagining the destruction; you can still see the shrapnel and the craters in the buildings in that survived the war. Coventry Cathedral was an awe-inspiring sight. It had been mostly destroyed during the attack but was later rebuilt. There is such a contrast between the old and the new sections. From there we traveled to Warwick Castle. What little girl doesn't dream of growing up in a castle? It was everything I imagined it would be and more! I could almost picture the women in their elaborate gowns dancing around the Great Hall with the most handsome and wealthy men in all of England. I climbed all the way up to the tower of the castle and strolled along the walls were armor clad men once stood. My legs are still trying to recover from the trek. I wish we had, had more time to spend at this site. I could have stayed forever! Tonight we are off to the Dirty Duck Pub for fish and chips. I feel very English just thinking about it! I'm very excited to see what adventures tomorrow will bring; I know for certain that they will be everything I hope for and more.

Laura

Stratford:day 3

So here I am sitting in Starbucks after another long but exciting day. We visited kennilworth castle, Coventry cathedral, and Warwick castle today. My favorite place is definitely Warwick castle so far. I absolutely loved the grounds and whole atmosphere of the place! The thought of having to ever go back to the States is just depressing after seeing and experiencing all of the history and culture of England. I have had a few mishaps, mainly with food. I didn't realize that a salmon sandwich would have raw salmon on it. Needless to say I didn't eat that sandwich.
Last night we saw Measure for Measure at the royal Shakespeare theatre. We were in the smaller theatre but that made the show all the better in my opinion. I absolutely loved the play and will have something interesting to talk about when I take my Shakespeare class next semester.
Well, i think that will be all for now. Til next time!

Stratford Day 2

It's about midnight on day 2-man has it been a busy couple of days. My body still isn't totally used to the time difference, so I thought I'd put my insomnia to good use and blog. Today we took a tour of Shakespeare's childhood home and his wife Anne Hatheway's childhood home. It was really interesting to see the old architecture-some of the buildings' properties were the same as when Shakespeare lived there-about 400 years ago. It was really cool. We watched a Shakespeare play tonight and I appreciated the acting skills and experiencing the theater, however I'm not a big Shakespeare fan and find it hard to understand what his plays are about. It was a neat experience, though! I'm having a great time, and really feel like we don't stick out like a sore thumb like I thought we would. Daily life isn't much different here than in America-but seems way more interesting because it's new to me. I can't wait for what the next 12 days has in store for us!