Hard Work Does Pay Off

I have hardly had the time to even shut my eyes, yet alone update this thing. Once again, I started off the week without an ounce of sleep. I am almost to the point where I think I will be able to manage sleeping less once I get back to school. In my Communications class, we had Martin Webster, a BBC correspondent for South Today come in and speak. He talked about how dedicated journalists must be and how you really have to devote your life to the career. It was a little bit of a rude awakening when he informed us that you work pretty much 24/7 and that you are lucky to make about $30,000 starting off. At the same time, I’m not that surprised. As long as I am doing something I am passionate about, I will make due. He quoted Walter Cronkite by saying, “We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity.” This could not hold more truth, as I feel like even this experience has given me so many opportunities. Monday night Formal dinner was preceded by a man who spoke to us about the historical architecture of Oxford. It was Brady’s birthday, but I had to come home to cram for my midterm the next day. I was a little perturbed by the old drunk man that sat down next to me on the bus ride home. I quickly ran into the house and cracked open my books. Steph rolled in around 4:30 while I was still studying…I was jealous of the state of mind she was in. Tuesday, two hours and four essays later, I took what felt like, and very well could have been, my first nap of the trip. It was well deserved as I ended up getting an A-. Wednesday, I did a little bit of shopping and walked around. It was actually nice to have some time to myself and be able to clear my head a bit. That night, I continued my research for my history class. I sort of got off topic and began researching the main differences between Catholicism and Protestantism for my own sake. I’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about religion and have actually had a few conversations with Steph about it. That night, we made a detailed trip itinerary, including tube stops and all, and booked an awesome hotel in Kensington. Yesterday, I had my third tutorial session with Dr. Archer. He wasn’t quite as nice to us this time, but I was pleased that I got a B+ on my first paper. Last night, we found ourselves at the Purple Turtle, yet once again. I refuse to keep going to this grungy dungeon, but somehow always end up there.

I amsterdam

Where do I even begin? Thursday, after expending all our other options, we called a private hire taxi for Steph, Brady, Ryan, Sam, and myself to take to London Luton airport. This ended up being a good choice (for the way there atleast) and we only paid about 16 pounds each. After sitting in traffic, we were about 60 seconds away from not being able to check-in to our Easyjet flight. Afterwards, we proceeded to sprinting through the airport to find our gate. Turned out, our flight was delayed so we caught our breath and had a beer. A short one-hour flight later we arrived in the Amsterdam airport. We wandered aimlessly looking for customs, being led downstairs to empty rooms. After seriously debating not getting our passports stamped (joke, but tempting), we found the train station where we continued to have trouble with the train ticket machine. We finally got on the train, where we told to get off at the wrong station. A 20 euro cab ride later, we made it to the Marriott Amsterdam. We (2 of the 8 of us) checked in to our room where we found the rest of UGA who were also staying at the hotel from the Innsbruck program. With no time to spare, we walked across the street to the Bulldog Café…naturally. Steph, me, and about 30 guys from UGA found ourselves in a private room in the back of the café, completely immersing ourselves in the Amsterdam culture. Friday, after my good nights sleep sharing a bed with Steph and Andrew, James led the group to the famous pancake factory…45 minutes away. Having one of the guys take the lead was nice so I wasn’t really paying much attention to my whereabouts (the city still confuses me). After a famous Dutch pancake (banana & Nutella) we walked around some more, discovering “Smartshops” and coffee shops on every corner, and found our way to the Vincent Van Gogh museum. I was surprised/thoroughly entertained to see some of these boys get so excited about going to a Van Gogh museum and taking the audio tour. Afterwards, we had dinner outside in the square near our hotel, where mid-meal, an old man undressed into a thong and did an acrobatic routine on a rope. Slightly disturbed/completely amused, we went back to get ready for the night. Friday night was a little nuts but totally fulfilled my expectations. Being with solely college boys, Steph and I followed to the Red Light District. Let’s just say, I saw some things I never thought I would see in my life.
Saturday we continued our sight-seeing at the Heineken brewery. The place gave me a new-found appreciation for the beer. Afterwards, a bunch of us rented paddle boats to see the city from the best spot—the water. This probably was my favorite part of the weekend. We popped a bottle of Hoegaarden rose and relaxed as Stuart and Malcolm did all the work. After going back to shower without all of our roommates, we got ready and met the guys for Thai food. Somehow we all managed to go back to the Red Light District again that night…when in Rome, right? (or Amsterdam in this case)
Sunday was a little rough. We checked out at 12 and had about 8 hours to spare until we had to go to the airport. We stumbled upon some random diner for breakfast and could hardly figure out how to split the check because we all felt so dead. Steph, Ryan, and I attempted to go to the Anne Frank house, but opted against standing in the line, which looked like it would take forever. We did some shopping, walked until our feet hurt, sat outside and had a “white” beer, and did basically everything to kill time. Finally, we took the tram to the Amsterdam Central Station, where we then took the train to the airport. We waited for our delayed flight for what seemed like forever, my stress level rising as I thought about all I had to do this week for my classes. We finally took off at about 12 a.m. for a somewhat scary plane ride back after being informed the reason for our delay was that the plane needed maintenance. This really was one of the only times I have been a little scared on an airplane. About two hours late, we landed and were greeted by our angry private hire taxi van driver. By this point, all of us would do anything just to get back to Oxford. After waiting in the cold parking lot for our driver to find his misplaced car key and disputing with the company manager on the phone, we made it back at about 2:30 a.m.
Amsterdam. The place is insane. Its weekends like this that make me miss my family. I felt safe with all the people I was with, but those kinds of cities take a toll on you. I’m glad I went at this time in my life, because I honestly don’t know if I could handle it in any other kind of situation. That being said, I was ready to leave Sunday. I’m physically and mentally exhausted. On the other hand, there is much more to the city than coffee shops, beer, and prostitutes. Its a pretty town full of gorgeous flowers with culture, canals, and museums. I loved the experience, getting to know some of the guys better, seeing all that Amsterdam had to offer, and completely stepping out of my comfort zone. However, I have never wanted to sleep in my bed in the comfort and safety of my own home more in my life.

National Magazine Co.

Today was one of those days I really needed. After waking up at 6 a.m. with a black eye/sty from my lack of sleep somehow, I did not have high expectations for the day. I completely passed out on the bus ride into London for our class trip and woke up at the National Magazine Company building. There we were greeted by Terry Mansfield, one of the head guys of the company. He then introduced us to the Editor of Company magazine, a chic magazine only sold in the U.K. She was a very fashionable young woman who inspired me to be as successful as she is. It was weird to open up the latest issue of the magazine to the “Letter from the Editor” and be sitting directly next to her. Just when I could not be more pleasantly surprised with the day, we were taken into Cosmopolitan office and shown around by the Editor. The environment was a little like The Devil Wears Prada, but way less intimidating. The girls were still so glamorous and the overall mood seemed pretty laid back. It honestly made me have serious second thoughts on whether or not I am pursuing the right career. I could totally see myself behind one of those desks, designing magazine pages or blogging for their website. Afterwards, we went to this awesome Asian tapas restaurant called Ping Pong. The food was amazing and I really enjoyed talking with the other girls in the Grady School. I came back, figured out how we were getting to Amsterdam this weekend, had dinner with the guys, and headed to the library to work on my 10 page paper due tomorrow.

Steph's Birthday

Today, Steph and I took the day off to celebrate her 20th birthday! After class, we walked around town and did a little shopping. We went to The Head of the River for lunch where we had the most amazing food and shared a bottle of wine. The weather was perfect so we sat outside and watched people punt on the river. I’ve really loved getting to know her as a person. Afterwards, we went to Christ Church, where we saw the most beautiful architecture, including the Harry Potter dining hall scene…it actually was really cool. We met some guys from Baylor and ended up showing them around town. After our usual speaker, drinks on the lawn, and formal dinner, I ended up going back. The dinners are killing me here and I felt pretty nauseous. I'm under my covers now and am within seconds of falling asleep.

Scotland

Leaving around noon, the five guys and I hopped on the six-hour train to Edinburgh. The ride flew by thanks to the very personable British man we met who showed us his cartoon drawings he was going to BBC to pitch for a show. Some of them reminded me of old Nickelodeon shows I used to watch when I was little. I was not surprised when he told me they were the exact shows he had been inspired by. He seemed so much like us and it really made me realize how similar Brits can be to us Americans. We parted ways and finally made it to Edinburgh. I was blown away by how beautiful Scotland was. We walked out of the train station into a gorgeous green haven with castles, cobblestone pathways, and men in kilts—seriously. I really was not expecting any of this. Friday night we checked into our hostel and headed to the main street, Royal Mile. We walked around for as long as we could until we had to eat. Did I mention it stays light out there until about 10 p.m.? After dinner, we went to The Scotsman’s Lounge where we listened to live Scottish music. I decided to try some Whiskey and really embrace where I was. We checked out another pub with a live band but then called it a night so that we could be somewhat rested for the British Open in the morning. Saturday, we all woke up in our camp style bunk-beds around 9. After showering in the communal shower and having our free “breakfast,” we got the train to St. Andrews. The ride was only about an hour long and we all passed out during it. I bought my 25 pound ticket at the gate and was bummed that I had to part ways with my camera and phone during the tournament. I did not pack accordingly, as the wind chill was freezing and I was in a skirt. I stuck it out and lasted all day. I really enjoyed myself too. We were all of five feet away from Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Rory McIlroy (just to name a few). I was glad the boys wanted to go so badly since I probably would not have on my own. The ride back was somewhat eventful. Brady and Sam ended up sitting next to these Scottish guys who kept making them chug a bottle of wine. The guys were hysterical and obviously just wanted to have a good time. We ended up getting off at the same stop as them and having a beer at some bar/restaurant on the other side of town. Ryan, Jack, and I took our stuff back to the hostel, I put on some warmer clothes, and we met the rest of them at Candy Bar. I had no idea places like this existed in Scotland. It was a very posh nightclub with beautiful people. After a few drinks the boys were starving since we never really ate dinner (my eating schedule has been so off). I asked around and found some pizza place where I ordered pizzas for the guys to-go (or “take-away” as they say here). I felt a little like mamabear since I seemed to be the most sober/responsible one of the group. Back at the hostel, we decided to wake-up Brady out of his comatose at about 2:30 a.m. and tell him it was time to check out. This joke lasted about an hour and was honestly one of the funniest moments on this trip to date. Sunday morning, we woke up and explored the city a little more before our train left at about 1 p.m. Determined to see the Castle, I ended up lugging my huge Longchamp bag all the way up Castle Hill. I hate that we only had a weekend because there are so many more things I would love to go see. This experience really is making me realize how anxious I am to travel and see so many more places.

Sleep Deprived

I started my second week here rather exhausted from the weekend. My lack of sleep is definitely starting to catch up with me. We had another formal dinner after a speaker came and talked about the mafia. It was pretty interesting and definitely something I really knew nothing about. After dinner we went out to a few pubs in town. Tuesday, a woman by the name of Susan Lewis came and spoke to my International Mass Communications class. She used to work for New South Publishing in Atlanta before moving to London. She was really inspiring and got me thinking about working for a magazine. She talked about the young interns at Vogue, referred to as “Voguettes,” and the differences between the U.S. and the U.K. How amazing would it be to intern or even work in London? Wednesday I spent most of the day in the Trinity Library—this work load is seriously insane. Thursday, I had somewhat of a minor meltdown. My lack of sleep and stress level had hit an all-time high. Steph was there for me with a care package in hand and a much needed back massage. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. After another tutorial session with Dr. Archer, we all went out and relieved some stress at The Purple Turtle (possibly the grimiest club in Oxford, but nonetheless always a good time). Steph and I ended the night by sleeping on chairs in Trinity…oops. This morning I had a rather exhilarating bike ride back to the house. I'm about to pack my bags and head off to Scotland for the British Open.

Weekend in London

Friday morning Steph and I slept later than we anticipated. We quickly packed our bags, called a cab, and made our way down to the Gloucester Green train station to meet up with the boys. After enjoying a nice lukewarm Stella on the hour train ride into London, we got off at Paddington station. For being my first time in London, I can say I was proud of myself for finding my way around such a big city with ease. The buildings reminded me somewhat of the ones in D.C. and the Tube train system very similar to the Metro. We got to our newly built hostel in the Paddington district, ran into the UMASS guys from Oxford in the lobby (ooph), and put our stuff in our room filled with three bunk-beds. We took the scenic path through Hyde Park and went up to Piccadilly Circus (the Adam’s Morgan, Georgetown-like area of London). We met a rather entertaining local named Han at a tavern and continued to explore. That night, we had a “lovely” dinner at the Pride of Paddington, Jack met up with us, and we made our way to the one and only, Tiger Tiger nightclub. This was after, of course, the boys wanted to be escorted to the “Sway Bar”…no thank you. Steph and I called the shots. After that the pictures will have to suffice…let’s just say we may or may not have gotten a knock on our hostel room door at 5 a.m.
Saturday we all woke up to what may be the HOTTEST room I have ever been in. Seriously, why does England not believe in air conditioning?? We got out of there asap and made our way down to the Westminster Abbey area. There we saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Parliament, etc. We stopped at a couple of places for our Pimm’s fix. Later that night, we had another group dinner at an Italian place. We went to several different places, including the Absolut Ice Bar (although we didn’t exactly get into the ice part), and ended up with a new friend; Amos (supposedly goes to Harvard…right). We somehow managed to end the night with Chinese food and sleeping in Jack’s 4x4 dorm room at the London School of Economics. All in all, the night was a success, encountering “T-Pain’s uncle, a Russian mafia bouncer, Amos, and of course…getting iced.
Sunday was a little less enjoyable, practically getting kicked out of the hostel for checking out late, among other things, and having to brush my teeth and wash my face at the train station. Steph and I still managed to make a 4 hour shopping spree to the original Topshop in Oxford Circus after getting lunch. We made our way back on the train Sunday night.

An Education

I can honestly say I think I will learn more in the six weeks I'm here than I did this entire past school year. Last night, with the help of some serious coffee and English tea, I pulled my first all-nighter here. It definitely paid off, as my first one hour tutorial session with my Oxford don, Dr. Archer, went surprisingly well. Going into the meeting at his flat was one of the more intimidating experiences of my life. We walked into a room filled to the ceiling with books, one of which I'm pretty sure he wrote. His cat named Europa was sitting on his shoulder as he sipped his tea. The three students from his session before looked somewhat sheepish and I assumed he had already sized me up. To my surprise, I began to lead the discussion. Dr. Archer continually kept questioning me because I had the most opinionated and less "popular" belief about what he was asking. The question we were asked to research was, "How adequately did the Church meet the needs of English people in the years immediately preceding the Reformation?" I took the standpoint that they were not met, because the Reformation was in fact successful, as there were several graphs, stories, examples, etc. in the books I found to show how people less and less became dependent on the Roman Catholic Church and England began thinking for their own. I even named off this guy Gilbert Johnson who was one of the first to be prosecuted for speaking against the Church, and talked about how he catapulted the Reformation, and he didn't even know of him until I showed him in the document that I found. He seemed impressed and told me I had made really good connections and that he even agreed with my opinion. We also had the former British Ambassador of Italy, Yugoslavia, and Ireland, Sir Ivor Anthony Roberts, come speak to my International Mass Communications class about public diplomacy and I asked him a little about 9/11. Not quite sure how I managed to do all this since I was functioning on an hours worth of sleep. I just booked us a 6 person hostel to stay in for the weekend in London. First time to London, first time staying in a hostel, first time for everything.

Did I mention a bird flew into my room?

Slightly Embarrassing

After the painful morning wake up at about 7:30 a.m., we walked down Banbury Road to breakfast and our first day of class. After realizing we could get there much faster, Steph, Andrew, and I went to seek out bicycles. Let me start by saying this is SO much harder than I remember it being. After almost falling off several times into oncoming double decker busses, I decided I'd walk the bike until I came to a less congested area of town. Later on that day, I may or may not have slightly fallen off the bike as I came to a stop...right in front of the surprisingly attractive construction workers. I was only a little mortified as the one yelled, "Awww sh*t miss, awe you alright??!" Carolyn...your nickname for me, Bruiser, has hit a whole new level.

Something out of Harry Potter

Monday we started off the day with a walking tour of our new home of Oxford. We saw the infamous Radcliffe Camera and a Harry Potter film site. We were then inducted into the Bodleian Library. That night, we had our first Formal Dinner. We met our Oxford dons and headed out to the lawn for our new favorite drink, Pimms (still have not figured out exactly whats in it). I can't say I tried the duck confit that was served at dinner, but the experience was nonetheless something out of a Harry Potter dining hall scene. Afterwards, we went down to the Trinity pub where we met some interesting kids from some of the northern schools that are studying here as well. Less than impressed, we left and made our way to Kings Arm, a local pub. I never knew there was a difference between a bar and a pub. However, I was informed a pub is short for "public house" where they serve food as well. They also tend to close early, which I'm definitely not used to.

Across the Pond

As my mom drove me to Dulles airport, I realized I probably should have figured out before I got in the car how I was getting to Oxford upon arrival at London Heathrow airport. I think this may have freaked her out a little. I made the trip across the pond all by myself and somehow found the bus line that would take me to Oxford. Once I got to Oxford, I hopped in what I thought was the passenger seat of the taxi. The man laughed as I soon realized I was in the drivers seat...a little delirious. This was only the beginning of my sleep deprivation on this trip. I ran into Ryan and Kennan on the street and for a second felt like I was in Athens. The first night, we all sat in the boys' room at Trinity College with our wine. I may or may not have accidently made a few international drunk dials...oops, sorry Mom. After realizing everything was closed early on Sunday night (4th of July), Steph and I headed back to our room, finally unlocked our door, and called it a night. We were anxious, to say the least, to see what we had in store for us.