Vroom

I have now discovered that they change the car in my works lobby every week. I have no idea where they store these magical vehicles but I am definitely in support of it. Today it was a Brabham Repco Rt 20 a very sweet racing car. please see my fbook for the pic!

So today was my first 9-5. woo hoo! My boss and my bosses boss took me out to lunch which was very nice and we had a good time (I think). Both very easy going and like-able I think this should be a good time!  I wrote a piece for the website today and helped sort some artwork we sold at an art show recently. And of course some other interny things like delivering papers and laminating but all around a good day!

This weekend we did a few londony things. Borough market for lunchies and london bridge. Then went to the Victoria and Albert museum and saw some very VERY gorgeous jewlery. Like tiaras and diamonds for days. My bday is in may... just sayin. (also pics on my facebook of that)

Its a little cold here. HA and by cold I do not mean im getting 20 inches of snow HAHA massachusetts....

I think that may be all I have to report today. field trip with my psych class tomorrow. I feel like im in 4th grade but I guess its cool.. lol

~Lea

Workin' for a Livin'

.... well not really. Cause they don't pay me.

 BUT I started work at the RAC club! I got all set up with my work email and phone and desk and computer. The whole deal. I feel like a real person! haha.
The building (as I know I have said but I feel the need to reiterate) is GORGEOUS. Even though I didn't get a chance to look at this weeks car in the lobby =( . The only problem is that it is, as my supervisor calls it, a labyrinth. AKA a maze and as any of you who know me at all I am not exactly directionally savvy. So she's already expecting to find me wandering around aimlessly trying to find my way back to the office.
I don't have a lot of work things to tell you about cause it was mostly setting me up and getting used to everything, but my first full week starts monday! And they are taking me for a welcome lunch then! So updates about work to come soon!

In other news, we have been having an amazing time here. We love to go out and wander and discover new things. Yesterday we discovered china town, had some chinese food and saw all the gorgeous decorations they put up for chinese new year which is very soon (we will be going back). Afterward I made my first visit to one of the favorite bars around here called O'Neill's (shout out to my fav O'Neill, Katie haha). LOTS of fun it is three floors of live bands and dancing and very fun people. Will be making more visits there it has my favorite component; dancing!

Random news; made a friend with the last name Scott. My grandmothers maiden name is scott and is from the area that he is from. So i quizzed him on his family (for fun) turns out his grandfathers name is John (my grandmother had a brother named John... I think... right mom?) and has the same amount of siblings as my grandmother. SO BASICALLY I found a long lost relative haha. AND yes to all of you judging my excitement on this, I realize how common a name John is but we decided to believe what we want. So, cousins it is. AND YES he was just as excited as me.

My friend Devon and I witnessed a boy doing this game on the tube on the way home from the pub. every time the tube came to a stop he would start SPRINTING out of the doors touching the wall and back into the tube to touch the center pole as many times as he could before the doors closed on him. VERY entertaining. especially since there are tube monitor people who tell you to get inside the train before the door closes and she was FREAKING out yelling at him to get in.

more random- some guy introduced himself to me as"Hi Im english, not a gypsy" then walked away. thought it was funny

Okay I be out to do more londony things.

Seeee yaaa!

~Lea

"Loving the Rituals"

So today I discovered my favorite part of the Tube. They put 'Poems in the Underground' and the one I read today was very cute. So im going to share it, it seems appropriate :)

"Loving the Rituals"
"Loving the rituals that keep men close,
nature created means for friends apart;
Pen, paper, ink, the alphabet,
signs for the distant and the disconsolate of heart."

I thought it was cute, and the theme for this blog!!

So anyways.... IM GOING TO ITALYY!!! I feel like such a world traveller!!
Amsterdam in february! Ireland in March! Italy for spring break in between!!

We are flying in to venice and out of rome and hopeeefully doing florence in the middle! It is extremely painful parting with the money that I worked so hard to save up BUT this is why I did it!! So very excited to be dirt poor in may when I return haha. It was extremely stressful to plan but we took the plunge and just got it done. feelin good! still lots more to plan though....

Some new things I have learned in london,
~They will celebrate for anything. Give them an occasion and they will gladly drink to it! For instance, apparently they celebrated Canada day last year by shutting down Trafalgar square and playing hockey in it! hhaha love it

~Also their keyboard are different, really really throwing me off.

~I bought a jar of peanut butter today and I could not find a normal size one for the life of me. The 'costco' sized things would absolutely shock and appall the brits.

I start work tomorrow! My internship advisor told me that I will definitely be given lots to do and hes not worried about me, so I'm not sure how to take that but wish me luck!

Till tomorrow!

<3 you all who read this cause you are amazing and thats all

~Lea

Platform 9 and 3/4

Hello all!

I am sorry to all of you who were deeply insulted that I did not post yesterday *cough*chrisharris*cough* i just don't always have something to say! I promise I'm keeping you updated whenever I have news!

So on saturday I joined my the fam (aunt uncle and cousins who I was staying with before the program started) in the east of london to see a Pantomime. Another thing I can check off of my list of traditional british things to do! They come out every holiday season and it is a funny version of a kids story with a Man always playing the main woman's character. In this case the show was Little Red Riding Hood and the Granny was played by a hilarious man. So funny. It was very exciting/cute. These shows are very audience involved so we all yelled at the people on stage. For example they'd say where did the three little pigs go!? and we would yell THE WOLF ATE THEM! hehe so fun. AND! me and my two cousins got a shout out from the cast! Their aunt (my uncles sister by marriage) is the stage manager at the theater so we got all the perks, seeing backstage and everything haha. Anyways it was good fun to be had.

Tooooodayyy we went on a Harry Potter walking tour! Very cool we say platfor 9 and 3/4. We went to a lot of the places where they shot scenes in all the movies. I like it because we got to see parts of london I may have never got to on my own. HOWEVER one of the coolest parts was the alleys that we went through and the tour guide decided we would...(this is not a joke)..."fly" through them on our "brooms". Coulda done without RUNNING trough london to try and keep up with her haha. Would have liked to actually looked at where I was....but she was a SERIOUS harry potter buff so what can you do...yeah.

Miss you all back home! come visit me! (ha)

till something else fun happens!

~Lea

Don't be Daft!

I've decided I need a blog of random thoughts because i've gathered quite a few.

~ One of the funniest things is when a Brit answers a question in their "dont be daft" tone of voice.

~ As much as I love London I may be crippled after sleeping on a springboard for the next four months. it will be worth it though. even if I'm standing at a 90 degree angle for a while

~ The sound on the tube when the doors are closing is exactly the same as my alarm clock at home. So that makes me a little jumpy, but other then that the tube and I are now BFFAEAE.

~ Newcastle accents are IMPOSSIBLE to understand in a loud bar.

~ The tube app is my new favo(u)rite thing. Thanks Mark!

~ English may be a common language between England and America but sometimes I feel there is a language barrier anyways. All the spellings and pronunciations are throwing me off. Why do you not use Z's Brits? Organise? even my computer is telling me I'm spelling that wrong......

~My cousin hates that I say his name 'wrong'. (Angus) so apparently I need to work on my A pronunciations

~ I've decided im going to take up on the English way of making fun of ones self. Everyone is so brutally honest with others and themselves and it makes everything funnier/less tense. "Well I was just Rubbish wasn't I?" (for those of you who are avid readers this should be ringing bells haha)

this may be the most useless post ever. Sorry Mom! I know you were looking forward to reading news!

~Lea

Spice up Your Life!!

I realize how random the title of this is but I would like to share with all of you loyal readers that the bar we've beeing going to seems to only play music that dates before any of us went into highschool. For instance SPICE GIRLS (so appropriate for london I know). But really they played all really old stuff and the best part was all the local brit students didnt even notice that the music was on. Haha I would comment on the fact that soulja boy was on and that its so old and they didn't know what the song was OR THE DANCE THAT GOES WITH IT!

Anyways I'm becoming a trip booking fiend! Im going to Amsterdam in February and Ireland in March!! we are in the midst of planning Italy for spring break and Paris maybe in April? One of my roommates also wants to do a trip to wales which i would LOVE to go on but lets be honest. I am poooooor! So we will see how all of this pans out!

This may only be exciting to me but I got asked directions!! Do I look like a Londoner!?!?
I obviously had to tell her that I am a) useless with directions and b) not from around here , so I was not helpful at all but still. She thought I looked knowledgeable!

Side Note:  My roommate and I may return to the states absolutely insane. Why, you might ask? Well because we have some absolutely crazy birds outside of our window who ONLY chirp between the hours of 12am and probably about 4am. They chirp loudly and not in a soothing sleepy kind of way in a WAKE UP ITS MOOORNINNGG!!! kind of way.  And what we cant figure out is well obviously why they are doing this but also WHERE ARE THEY CHIRPING FROM!?! there are no trees outside our window!

SO anyways! those are the updates for now

<3 Lea

Squirrel Bate!!

So today was the first day of classes and psych was good and blah blah blah

BUT THATS THE BORING PART!!

Me and my friend Lauren decided to explore Hyde Park because it was such a beautiful day! (unlike in massachusetts hahahahah) So while we were there we decided to look at a war memorial....so we had to cross a grassy area to get to it. almost as soon as we went on the grass about five squirrels and four or five pigeons came right up to our feet. And just as Lauren was awwwwing at them one of the fat squirrels ran UP MY LEG!! this is not a joke it happened and it was one of the freakiest things that has ever happened to me in any park haha. I may be scarred of squirrels for life. Anyways Hyde park was beautiful cant wait to go when its all green!

A small(ish) group of us went to the Imperial college student union tonight and discovered a drink called snake bites. They are very good and as close to beer as I will get haha.

thats about all I have for today but lets be honest no story will beat the squirrel ON MY LEG story!

till tomorrow!

~Lea

Got the Job!

So today I had my interview at the Royal Automobile Club and it went really really well. The woman I am reporting to seems great and is very flexile with scheduling etc. As I walked in to the club I was greeted by .... an Aston Martin DBR1. (really really nice racing car for those of you who dont like cars haha) I think im going to like this place. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in .... it is honestly along side beautiful old cathedrals in my opinion. My supervisor gave me a tour around and it is even equipped with a full size marble pool.... in the center of london! It has a really interesting history too, I feel like I have a lot to gain from working here!

Anyways the grind has begun and I have my first class tomorrow! Its all starting to feel real! I have also decided to sign up for an Amsterdam trip in february which should be good. (its through the program i am in)

ALSO.. we discovered snog. its a frozen yougurt place kinda like pinkberry. IT IS AMAZING.

thats all for today!

~Lea

Mind the Gap

Day four! already!?!? how is that possible

so far so good! I am finally starting to get my bearings and figuring out where things are and how to navigate around the city. kind of... i am TERRIBLE with directions so this basically means i know where a tube station is close to me and a grocery store and some pubs haha. 

We went on a three hour panoramic bus tour of london today which was really really really interesting. I swear the tour guide knows everything. just everything. period. Thats another thing ive noticed about the brits, they pride themselves (the ones ive talked to) on knowing at least a little bit about everything. They like to be well read and the definitely know their history. Especially british history. Im not saying americans arent well read or knowledgeable (because they definitely are!) but its a different kind of thing I feel like we tend to study specific things to our interest. (more random useless observations haha) 

one of the most interesting thing i found about what he was telling us is that it seems most of english history and english present is based on the unplanned. they take things as they come and deal with them as best as they can. and have always done a pretty damn good job at it. I'm gonna use this as the basis for my time here!

we also bonded with some local brits at a pub tonight. VERY good conversation. I don't know if I could have held such conversations at home but it was definitely a good night!

More stories tomorrow!

~Lea

This could be a long one!

Yay now for the real update!

I have now been in London for two nights and things are going well, and definitely adventurous!
Spend the first night doing a little walking around getting our bearings. We ended up at the pizza express (so very british of us i know). Where we ordered a bottle of wine, yes, wine. I am now officially of age and sophisticated enough to order wine from a restaurant. Hehe. Then we did a little wandering around Sloan square and found the tube station we need to use to get to our programs headquarters and such. It was all very unreal (still kind of is). I can not believe im in london!

Then on thursday all of the orientations began so I spent the majority of yesterday sitting through 3 hour talks about London and the Internships. The only exciting thing to come out of that one is that I got my Interview time and date. I know what you are all probably thinking. You thought I definitely had the job at the RAC club. Well you're not wrong my fine friends these interviews are mostly a formality and it is VERY unusual that the company turns away the intern after the interview. KNOCK ON WOOD. with my luck after saying that I will be the ONE person who that happens to haha.

So anyways Monday at 2:30 I will have to be dressed to the nines and ready to impress. wish me luck!

After the orientations me and my roommate decided to venture to the big grocery store that is closest to our program headquarters. WHICH to our defense is where everyone told us to go. So we did.... Keep in mind that my flat (hehe) is a couple tube stops away from headquarters and a good walk to and from the station. SO we were dumb and bought WAY too  much groceries and then realized after we paid how difficult carrying it all back would be. Did not go so well haha.

Anyways after all that a big group from the program ended up going to a pub/bar called the Shakespeare.  If only drinks didnt cost a ridiculous amount .... I may be very poor very soon. even one drink puts me back.

More adventures to come!

(and im not going to say that no one will be reading this for the benefit of Chris Harris...who pointed out that someone would have to read my blog to see that i wrote that probably no one wants to read what im saying haha.)

=)

~Lea

Quick Update!!

SO i got here yesterday (MY NEW FLAT!!) in the early afternoon and did all my unpacking. Was about to go on a walking tour AND I LOSE MY KEY. I was the first roommate here by a long time so I just had to wander around tearing the place apart for about an hour and half until i found it haha. Then I try to go on the internet with the password and stuff they gave me. NOPE that didnt want to cooperate either.

Oh well! I got all the sorted out now so no harm no foul right!?

Everything is going very well the flat is really cute and the roomies seem very nice. I can only do a quick update as of now for those of you who were curious (maybe no one) haha

Anyways off to both my london and Internship orientations! woo hoo good times.

Ill write again later!

~Lea

Life of the English

So now that I am settled I've started making some observations of the english, because I had a day to myself to wander around Lincoln so I had to kill time somehow.
* please note none of these are new and/or insightful

First off, i LOVE love LOVE their sense of humor (something I already knew but I am relearning) everything is either sarcastic or brutally and hilariously honest.
also, every statement is somehow turned into a question. i.e "well it was a great time wasnt it?" or "I was feeling rather poorly wasn't I?" "we've done well here haven't we?"(poorly means sick...)
everything is smaller here. EVERYTHING. and yet so much more quaint.
everything is also BRILLIANT! or BLOODY BRILLIANT!

Toooodayyy I wandered around the town and chapel got lunch with my aunt went to a yoga class saw "the kings speech" pretty sure thats not out in the states yet.

and now im sititng here watching a british comedy called Miranda. I am CRYING laughing. again i love british humor.

Off to bed children! I'm a bit exhausted aren't I? hehe catch my britishness!?

~Lea

Lincoln-ing

So I have now had my first real day in good ol' England!

To clarify to all of those interested... I am in Lincoln right now (a city about three hours north of London) I wont be in London till wednesday. So I am with my family so today was all about getting my bearings here.

Woke up a little late...half way through the day here .. BUT to my defense it was early back home. At which point I had tea and crumpets for breakfast. As you can see I am still doing as many English things as physically possible haha. The youngest cousin (Euan) went off to football ( NOT american football... the ACTUAL football that the rest of the world knows it to be haha). Then my oldest cousin (Angus) my Aunt and I took a walk into the center of Lincoln to get him some new squash shoes and me some things I needed .... and some things I didn't. But they were pretty things so its okay.

After a walk back up steep hill (yes thats the name of the street into town is called. I'll give you three guesses as to why, and the first two don't count) We went to a hotel for a few drinks... MOJITOS! before supper. My first legal drink in a bar! Followed by supper which was a traditional sunday roast...at a pub! WOO HOO MORE ENGLISH THINGS! haha

Fun Fact: my aunt and I are both EXTREMELY and embarrassingly bad at holding our own accents whenever we are around someone with an accent we pick it up in all of 20 minutes. Not on purpose and neither of us realize we are doing it. So since I have been spending all of my time with her we have come up with some weird american/british combo accent, and I'm sure it will only get worse by wednesday haha.

KELLY- I doubt you are reading this BUT in response to one of your first posts... I SAW THE DARTS ON TV! youre right the crowd is very very excited for...darts... haha AND apparently one of the guys in the finals right now lives down the street from my nana. weird right?

Okay thats all for today!
I feel like I have more to say... but I also feel like no one really wants to read every thought that comes to mind haha


~Lea

Officially Across the Pond!

IM HEEEREEE!!!

Landed this morning at about 5:30 am nj/mass time (home time) in Heathrow to see my lovely aunts shining face! She immediately gave me hob nobs and english chocolates ---> this is exactly why she is my favorite.

From there we went to my Nana's house in Market Deeping at which point I began my race to eat/do as many british things as possible in my first full day of being a British Citizen. First we went out for fish and chips. Where i tried mushy peas....its exactly what it sounds like. Then we went back to her house for tea and buiscuits. Followed by driving back to my aunts to watch my little cousin Euan play cricket.

I've also been driving on the other side of the road! Very British! however its really freaking me out every time we turn left I have a mental break down because there is a car coming at us head on....

But for now I am off to be my newly british self (HA!) more updates to come as my adventures continue!!

I realize its the middle of the day for most of the people reading this but I need sleep! haha

goonight

~Lea

Today's The Day!

So, It's the big day!

I have been talking about, thinking about, planning for and writing facebook satuses about January 7th for months. I almost feel like I have used up all of my extreme excitement! Don't get me wrong I am off the walls pumped for this trip, but I am kind of just sitting here in disbelief at this point haha.

I've got two giant bags packed (both over the weight limit, lets hope they don't notice.... unlikely). And at 9:30(ish) AM today my UK passport got delivered to me. I don't think they could have POSSIBLY cut that delivery time any closer (well maybe if they had knocked on my door now.... haha). So now its just the waiting game between writing this post and 7pm when i leave for the airport. Then from whenever I get through till 10:05pm when my plane (HOPEFULLY FINGERS CROSSED KNOCK ON WOOD) takes off across the pond!!

My trip will begin in Heathrow airport in London where my LOVELY (and favorite) Aunty Jane will be picking me up. I'll be staying with her family (my uncle matthew and cousins Angus and Euan) until Wednesday.

Wish me luck lets hope I don't get randomly searched or anything! haha (that was bad ju ju, now I feel a full cavity search or something coming)

Also, quick shout out to my amazing friends and family who have all been so cute and nice sending me off :) love you guys!

My next post will be coming from the UK! WOO HOOOOO!!!!

~Lea
~Lea

....Packing

It turns out putting your life for five months into two suitcases is somewhat difficult. Especially for people like me. I cant seem to pack a semesters worth of crap at UMass into one SUV.... this is going to take some serious though and planning haha.

three days!

~Lea

So soon....

I am beggining this blog because of my very wise friend Kelly. She asked once if I would start a blog for my trip and after reading hers I've decided to do it for/because of her. 

I leave on friday to start a five month (ish) journey in London. It feels like I have been planning this trip for so long that it cant possibly be so close!! These next few days will be the longest and shortest days of my life im sure haha. It will seem so much to do in so little time and yet friday cant come soon enough! 

I would just like to start off on an appreiciative note and say how very lucky I am to have the opportunity to even go somewhere I can blog about, and I hope I will be good at keeping up with this (no promises). 

New year new adventures!!!

P.S - I hope my choice of background on this blog is appreciated. The raindrops seemed very telling of life in london. 

~Lea