Well, this has got to be the sadest week ever! Ahh...the last week! I don't know what to do! Oh, wait...study! Yeah finals...forgot about that. Or, not really actually. Well, anyway, let me recant my semi-boring adventures from this past week.
On Monday...I slept. I think I slept. Actually, I feel as though I must have been sleeping because I don't really remember what I DID do and therefore, I must have been sleeping because you don't really remember things when you're sleeping, you know? But anyhow, I had class and then I slept a lot. Tuesday...I had class, and went to the library to get some book for my paper and tried talk to the Chapel Clerk at King's College Chapel, which is the gothic architecture building that I am doing my paper on. Actually, I'm pretty sure I just sat in the Chapel all day Tuesday trying "understand" things, but really just trying to figure out my quasi-complex book that I got from the library. It wasn't a very successful day obviously.
Wednesday...wow, this week must have been horribly boring, because I don't recall anything midly interesting on that day. Dinner was good? No, that's got to be false. I think I had class and continued to do research for my paper. I met with some of the Japanese students who are doing a study abroad program here as well. They are from Waseda and they are really nice. We had free wine and cheese after dinner on that day! I talked with some of the girls and their english is so impressive for how long they have been learning it! I wish I could speak French like they speak English. The boys were a little shy. I learned some Japanese though which was really cool!
Then Thursday...more paper? And Chapel researching?...You bet! We also went to Corpus Christi College Chapel and St. John's for my architecture seminar. I got to see where they supposedly filmed Harry Potter! Oh...that was the sad highlight of my day...Then on Friday, we went to St. Botolph's and Great St. Mary's because the Catholic Church we were supposed to go to was occupied. I worked on my paper that afternoon (and actually got work done) and then I hung out with a good friend for the night. Saturday, much of the same...and I actually finished my paper that morning! That night we watched Monty Python in my common room of my hostel because one of my friends hadn't seen it yet, and we also had banana and nutella wraps...ooo, sooooo good. Yummers. And Sunday, I studied for my final exam that I had today, Monday. I just got out of it actually. It wasn't that bad! I got a pasty this morning too which made me super happy...except, it was a bit disappointing. I tried a different place called Pesto, but I think I like the Cornwall pasty place much better. Thought I'd try!
Anyway, that was my horribly NOT entertaining study filled, paper writing, food eating week. Anyway, we move out Saturday and I just booked my hostel for London until Tuesday when I fly out to France! Ahhh! I need to get all my paperwork for France together...so scary! I hope it goes well. Anyway, wish me luck on my Econ paper that is due Thursday and which I haven't started...and my final for Econ that I seriously need to study for...! Outties!
-Sherilyn
Monday, August 20, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Week 6
Hello all!!
And so my adventures have continued! Last week was pretty chill; I mostly stayed in Cambridge and we went to see Hairspray on Tuesday because we get a really good deal on tickets at the Grafton Center; so that was fun. I also went to High Tea and Croquet at Pembroke College which was cool, especially because the food was free! Yay free food! There were amazing cakes, sandwiches, and many assorted teas to choose from....what more could you want? And I got to talk to the Australian guy in our program which was awesome...! He also speaks French! He has dual citzenship! I thought that was really cool...
Anyway, I went to a lecture on graduate school at King's on Wednesday night and attempted to start my paper for my gothic architecture class which is due Monday. It's not coming along so well unfortunately. I think I have things organized now, but it's taken a while. On Thursday, we had another formal hall. After formal hall though, I went straight to bed, ready to wake up at 2am in order to catch a 3:30am bus to Stansted airport. Three other friends and I were catching a lovely 6:30am flight to Dublin, Ireland for the weekend. It was very early, we were very tired, and it was crazy. But we got to Ireland fairly safety, except I lost about $25 worth of items that I couldn't take in my carry-on....freakin' security. AND on top of that, it cost me about $50 to REPLACE all that stuff...and they were only half the size! PLUS $20 to check-in my luggage! Absolutely ridiculous...and there was a shortage of soft contact lense solution in Dublin which made it extremely difficult to find solution to store my contacts that night (that was one of the items that they threw away).
Anyway, after getting into Dublin and getting a bus to our hostel at DCU-Dublin City University, we took another bus to the downtown centre and took a train to Malahide Castle. However, the trains were messed up that day and the train station thought it would be a wonderful idea not tell the passengers that their trains were changed...and so, of course, we ended up on the wrong train and ended up going in the wrong direction. Upon noticing our mistake, we got off and waited about 20 minutes in the middle of nowhere to take a train back to the main centre and try again. We got to Malahide Castle eventually though, and then after that went to Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells. Trinity was gorgeous and their library was absolutely amazing! Sooo beautiful...it was like my dream library!
After Trinity, we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral for eveningsong. It was quite nice and the choir was very good. The cathedral itself is a lovely early gothic piece and it was a nice way to see the cathedral and get in for free. After that, we found some food (which was harder than you think because everything closes so early in Dublin surprisingly!) at Burdook's Fish and Chips...it was actually really good and they are supposed to be world-famous! Then we went shopping for a little bit and then headed back to our hostel.
We woke up early the next morning, got a picnic lunch from the grocery store near our hostel and got breakfast at our hostel. We then trooped down to the downtown centre again to catch a bus to Glendalough, a small town outside of Dublin with, as we heard, spectacular nature and views. The bus ride was about an hour long and it was raining when we got there. Actually, it had been raining the entire time...so no biggie I suppose. We ate our lunch standing up in the most complex way possible that one could while holding an umbrella, and then did a hike to the top of the mountain. It was two large mountains covered in green and trees, surrounding a gorgeous lake. It was quite picturesque and exactly what I pictured when I thought of Ireland. We visited the monastery at the bottom after we did the trail and the graveyard. I have some beautiful pictures, although some were ruined by the rain. It does make a cool effect at times though; however, my shoes are permenantly ruined and I must get new ones now. After we took the bus back into Dublin from Glendalough, we got dinner, went shopping, and then went back to our hostel, only to wake up at an unreasonable time to catch a 4am taxi to our 6:30am flight back to Stansted. So, that was Dublin. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the city itself-very industrial, ridiculously expensive, not very pretty, and too big to walk everywhere. However, Glendalough was beautiful and I would recommend doing that instead. We missed going to a couple of museums and galleries that we wanted to because of a time constraint, but overall, it was a pleasing trip. AND our hostel was really nice...for a good price! 2 single bedrooms sharing a bathroom and a kitchen! For about 20 pounds a day...which is pretty good here.
Anyway, yesterday, I slept majority of the day, the same as I did on Sunday when we got back, and missed a class because I was sleeping! Actually, I didn't even know I had class at all...they changed the schedule yesterday and ahhh....I can't believe I missed a class! I didn't mean too..but ironically, I was sleeping while class was going on. Bugger. Anyway, must go to class now and work on my paper.
Sherilyn
And so my adventures have continued! Last week was pretty chill; I mostly stayed in Cambridge and we went to see Hairspray on Tuesday because we get a really good deal on tickets at the Grafton Center; so that was fun. I also went to High Tea and Croquet at Pembroke College which was cool, especially because the food was free! Yay free food! There were amazing cakes, sandwiches, and many assorted teas to choose from....what more could you want? And I got to talk to the Australian guy in our program which was awesome...! He also speaks French! He has dual citzenship! I thought that was really cool...
Anyway, I went to a lecture on graduate school at King's on Wednesday night and attempted to start my paper for my gothic architecture class which is due Monday. It's not coming along so well unfortunately. I think I have things organized now, but it's taken a while. On Thursday, we had another formal hall. After formal hall though, I went straight to bed, ready to wake up at 2am in order to catch a 3:30am bus to Stansted airport. Three other friends and I were catching a lovely 6:30am flight to Dublin, Ireland for the weekend. It was very early, we were very tired, and it was crazy. But we got to Ireland fairly safety, except I lost about $25 worth of items that I couldn't take in my carry-on....freakin' security. AND on top of that, it cost me about $50 to REPLACE all that stuff...and they were only half the size! PLUS $20 to check-in my luggage! Absolutely ridiculous...and there was a shortage of soft contact lense solution in Dublin which made it extremely difficult to find solution to store my contacts that night (that was one of the items that they threw away).
Anyway, after getting into Dublin and getting a bus to our hostel at DCU-Dublin City University, we took another bus to the downtown centre and took a train to Malahide Castle. However, the trains were messed up that day and the train station thought it would be a wonderful idea not tell the passengers that their trains were changed...and so, of course, we ended up on the wrong train and ended up going in the wrong direction. Upon noticing our mistake, we got off and waited about 20 minutes in the middle of nowhere to take a train back to the main centre and try again. We got to Malahide Castle eventually though, and then after that went to Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells. Trinity was gorgeous and their library was absolutely amazing! Sooo beautiful...it was like my dream library!
After Trinity, we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral for eveningsong. It was quite nice and the choir was very good. The cathedral itself is a lovely early gothic piece and it was a nice way to see the cathedral and get in for free. After that, we found some food (which was harder than you think because everything closes so early in Dublin surprisingly!) at Burdook's Fish and Chips...it was actually really good and they are supposed to be world-famous! Then we went shopping for a little bit and then headed back to our hostel.
We woke up early the next morning, got a picnic lunch from the grocery store near our hostel and got breakfast at our hostel. We then trooped down to the downtown centre again to catch a bus to Glendalough, a small town outside of Dublin with, as we heard, spectacular nature and views. The bus ride was about an hour long and it was raining when we got there. Actually, it had been raining the entire time...so no biggie I suppose. We ate our lunch standing up in the most complex way possible that one could while holding an umbrella, and then did a hike to the top of the mountain. It was two large mountains covered in green and trees, surrounding a gorgeous lake. It was quite picturesque and exactly what I pictured when I thought of Ireland. We visited the monastery at the bottom after we did the trail and the graveyard. I have some beautiful pictures, although some were ruined by the rain. It does make a cool effect at times though; however, my shoes are permenantly ruined and I must get new ones now. After we took the bus back into Dublin from Glendalough, we got dinner, went shopping, and then went back to our hostel, only to wake up at an unreasonable time to catch a 4am taxi to our 6:30am flight back to Stansted. So, that was Dublin. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the city itself-very industrial, ridiculously expensive, not very pretty, and too big to walk everywhere. However, Glendalough was beautiful and I would recommend doing that instead. We missed going to a couple of museums and galleries that we wanted to because of a time constraint, but overall, it was a pleasing trip. AND our hostel was really nice...for a good price! 2 single bedrooms sharing a bathroom and a kitchen! For about 20 pounds a day...which is pretty good here.
Anyway, yesterday, I slept majority of the day, the same as I did on Sunday when we got back, and missed a class because I was sleeping! Actually, I didn't even know I had class at all...they changed the schedule yesterday and ahhh....I can't believe I missed a class! I didn't mean too..but ironically, I was sleeping while class was going on. Bugger. Anyway, must go to class now and work on my paper.
Sherilyn
Monday, August 6, 2007
Week 5
Yo peeps! How's all?
So, I got back from Bath/Stonehenge/Salisbury last night and it was a wonderful trip! First things first though...
I started new classes this past week as Module I is done and I am now onto a new class, "Minds and Markets," in my Module II class. We had a formal hall on Wednesday which was quite nice and we all got to dress up. Since I didn't have anything else to wear (I'm such a girl...isn't this horrible??), I went shopping at the center marketplace for a nice top (which turned out to be waaay too expensive...of course, I bought it anyway). After formal, we went clubbin' at the Cambar, a local bar/club right next to my hostel. We danced to bad music, complained about the bad music, attempted to change the bad music and got yelled at, and just chilled with friends. Then on Thursday, I went to see Mary Poppins, the musical, in London. We got a great gorup rate to take the train into London and went shopping at Covent Garden (I was looking for a Cambridge sweatshirt, but apparently it's trade-marked) and then had a dinner at a Greek restaurant that my friend recommended from her "Book of Knowledge," also known as her London tour guide book (but, "Book of Knowledge," definitely sounds better). Then I saw Mary Poppins while my other friends saw Spamalot. Mary Poppins was amazing and i absolutely loved it! They said Spamalot was pretty good too...can't wait til I see that!
Then on Friday, I just hung around, tried to get some work done, and then watched Blood Diamond on my laptop with a friend. The next morning, we left early for Stonehenge/Bath on a coach with about 50 other students. Stonehenge was very cool....I mean, how many pictures can you take of rocks from different angles? Apparently, 45. :) Then after Stonehenge, we left for Bath and arrived there around 2ish. We dropped our stuff off at the hostel, went to find food, and go see the Roman Baths. They were pretty amazing and I took a lot of pictures. Then we checked out Bath Abbey, and had dinner at a pub. We went on a tour of Bath which really didn't hold a lot of historical information because it turned out to be a comedy tour. It was hilarious though, completely random, and a lot of fun. Being tired after walking around, we went back to the hostel and slept.
The next morning, we had breakfast at the hostel and then walked around, trying to find nice parks and checking out Paltney Bridge. We got sandwiches and ate outside since it was a beautiful day (no rain...amazing!!) and then left for Salisbury. We arrived there and I got to go to evensong. We were also scheduled to have a tour of the Cathedral, however, due to a miscommunication (not really though, it was totally their fault), we ended up tour guide-less. However, our wonderful TA came to the rescue and gave us a tour. It was quite comical, especially when he pointed out the tombs of Jack Nicholson and Britney Spears, and described the roof as "marshmellows and meringue." I love our TAs.
We left Salisbury around 5:30ish and then drove back to Cambridge, stopping only for 15 minutes for people to get food and stuff it down their throats (I did a 10" pizza in 11 minutes...). After getting in, I went back, did some homework, and went to bed....very exhausted. Nice trip overall though, and I got to meet some new people which is always nice.
So, that was my fifth week here in paradise...I'm calling this paradise now. hehe. This week I will be off to Ireland..so, I will definitely let you in on my adventures when I return.
Peace out!
Sherilyn
So, I got back from Bath/Stonehenge/Salisbury last night and it was a wonderful trip! First things first though...
I started new classes this past week as Module I is done and I am now onto a new class, "Minds and Markets," in my Module II class. We had a formal hall on Wednesday which was quite nice and we all got to dress up. Since I didn't have anything else to wear (I'm such a girl...isn't this horrible??), I went shopping at the center marketplace for a nice top (which turned out to be waaay too expensive...of course, I bought it anyway). After formal, we went clubbin' at the Cambar, a local bar/club right next to my hostel. We danced to bad music, complained about the bad music, attempted to change the bad music and got yelled at, and just chilled with friends. Then on Thursday, I went to see Mary Poppins, the musical, in London. We got a great gorup rate to take the train into London and went shopping at Covent Garden (I was looking for a Cambridge sweatshirt, but apparently it's trade-marked) and then had a dinner at a Greek restaurant that my friend recommended from her "Book of Knowledge," also known as her London tour guide book (but, "Book of Knowledge," definitely sounds better). Then I saw Mary Poppins while my other friends saw Spamalot. Mary Poppins was amazing and i absolutely loved it! They said Spamalot was pretty good too...can't wait til I see that!
Then on Friday, I just hung around, tried to get some work done, and then watched Blood Diamond on my laptop with a friend. The next morning, we left early for Stonehenge/Bath on a coach with about 50 other students. Stonehenge was very cool....I mean, how many pictures can you take of rocks from different angles? Apparently, 45. :) Then after Stonehenge, we left for Bath and arrived there around 2ish. We dropped our stuff off at the hostel, went to find food, and go see the Roman Baths. They were pretty amazing and I took a lot of pictures. Then we checked out Bath Abbey, and had dinner at a pub. We went on a tour of Bath which really didn't hold a lot of historical information because it turned out to be a comedy tour. It was hilarious though, completely random, and a lot of fun. Being tired after walking around, we went back to the hostel and slept.
The next morning, we had breakfast at the hostel and then walked around, trying to find nice parks and checking out Paltney Bridge. We got sandwiches and ate outside since it was a beautiful day (no rain...amazing!!) and then left for Salisbury. We arrived there and I got to go to evensong. We were also scheduled to have a tour of the Cathedral, however, due to a miscommunication (not really though, it was totally their fault), we ended up tour guide-less. However, our wonderful TA came to the rescue and gave us a tour. It was quite comical, especially when he pointed out the tombs of Jack Nicholson and Britney Spears, and described the roof as "marshmellows and meringue." I love our TAs.
We left Salisbury around 5:30ish and then drove back to Cambridge, stopping only for 15 minutes for people to get food and stuff it down their throats (I did a 10" pizza in 11 minutes...). After getting in, I went back, did some homework, and went to bed....very exhausted. Nice trip overall though, and I got to meet some new people which is always nice.
So, that was my fifth week here in paradise...I'm calling this paradise now. hehe. This week I will be off to Ireland..so, I will definitely let you in on my adventures when I return.
Peace out!
Sherilyn
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