J'adore Paris

Week 5 of classes marked half way through my semester and ended with a fabulous (and much needed Reading Week).  So I did what every study abroad student does... and traveled to Paris for five days.  Christina and I took the train to Paris (my new favorite way to travel) and found ourselves lost in translation  in under 2 and a half hours.  We had a fabulous time..... 

Eating at: Les Deux Magots, L'entrecote, and Lauduree 

Sightseeing: The champs elysees, the arc de triomphe, the bastille, the opera house, the lourve, le tour eiffel, the museum d' Orsay, the Sacre Coeur, the jardin de tuileries, etc.   

and Spending time with Isi and Charlotte!    

The Concord (near our hotel)!

What would a trip to Paris be without this!

At the Obelisk 

Headed to the Lourve

The Beautiful Opera House

Isi, Charlotte, Me, and Christina Celebrating Charlotte's 20th!

Lauduree for Macarons - one of my favorite places in Paris

Outside the Lourve 

Christina and I outside Notre Dame

The Pantheon

Walking the streets of Montemarte (one of my favorite areas in paris)

At the Arc de Triomphe 

The MOULIN ROUGE!!!

Charlotte and Me at the Eiffel Tower

Hanging out at the Tuileries

The Bastille 

Wales

After a long hiatus... I am finally back to writing and updating my blog.... I hope you haven't been holding your breath.  A few weeks ago I had the chance to escape from city life and go to Wales free of planning and free of charge (I don't know which is more awesome)!  After a 6 hour journey from London into middle earth (seriously this place looks like Lord of the Rings took place here) we finally arrived in Wales ready for a weekend full of hiking, rock climbing, etc.  This was by far one of my favorite trips - (what's not to like about beautiful views, outdoor activities, good food, and spending time with close friends?)    

The keep of a 12th century castle

Hiking through the beautiful scenery in Wales 

More breathtaking views

Exploring the old barracks

 Evangeline, Christina, and Me in the countryside

So much green!

Christina and I by the Water in Wales... so gorgeous!

On the giant swing at the high ropes course with Callie and Christina

Christina and I do the high ropes course... holding hands!

Edinburgh!

After spending a full month in London, and more time in the library in three weeks at UCL than I have spent in three years at Vanderbilt, I decided to reward myself with a 2-day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland with  Christina.  

The Royal Mile (the best part about Edinburgh)

Edinburgh is a quaint town/city with great food (see below), friendly people, haunted streets, and imposing castles.  It is a VERY walkable city which was awesome for two pseudo-backpackers on their first trip of the semester.

The best brunch in Edinburgh

Biggest Meal I've had so far!

Christina and I had a blast exploring the city even though the weather was frigid, freezing, icy, drizzling, (you get the point).  To list a few of the sights we saw and things we did:
- Walked the Royal Mile/Princess St.
- Toured the Castle and saw the Crown Jewels
- Saw the Scott Monument
- Went on a hunted tour of the Underground city (scariest thing I have ever done in my life)
- Had tea at the new Missoni Hotel
- Watched a man swallow a sword
- Did a Whisky Tasting
- Enjoyed the company of the Scots

Overall a very successful trip!

Walking the streets with Christina

In front of the St. Giles

St. Giles' Cathedral

At Edinburgh Castle

Inside the church at Edinburgh Castle, the oldest site in the Castle

Settling In

My posts have noticeable diminished since I first arrived (sorry Mom!) due to my burgeoning social and class life. If I'm in trouble now, after only three weeks, I don't know what's going to happen when I hit the three month period... Bad News.  Bear with me.

I spent this past weekend "recovering" from my first round of UCL classes by doing anything but reading, photocopying, or figuring out classes.  To start our weekends, on Wednesdays, we head to the "Pleasure Lounge" (such an awful name) at UCL for Sports night and the cheapest drinks in London.  This will, and has already become our tradition.  On Friday, friends and I visited the club Vendome where we had a "table" and a bottle of Vodka waiting for us (the best perk of being a girl).  Heaven forbid you pour your own drinks (so they have someone do it for you...  Does it get better than that?)

At nine the next morning I awake to Christina dragging me out of bed (not the ideal wake-up call) telling me to answer the door.... and find Alex who decided to fly into London for the weekend.  Biggest/best SURPRISE ever!  So in a valiant effort of rallying (on everyone's part) we spent the day walking through Hyde park and browsing the old books and bric-a-brac at Portobello Market.  The rest of the weekend was filled with walking through London, fabulous dinners (and fish n chips), and exploring the fabulous night life.  I couldn't imagine a better weekend with my "wolf pack" (reference: "The Hangover").  

 (Drinks at the UCL bar...w/fellow Vandy Students - Way cooler than the Overcup Oak) 

(Alex visits... and brings some Jack Daniel's ... clearly we're American.)

 (At Jalouse... our first Clubbing experince)

(Katie and me at our table at China White)

(I am definitely not in Nashville anymore...)

Housing and first days of UCL classes

While the subject of my classes may not be as fun as others, I am, after all, in London to STUDY abroad.  So I figured a short response to this topic would suffice.  While at UCL I am affiliated primarily with the English department (well known for it's rigorous and renowned programs but also known for it's lack of any organization).  I am going crazy!  In the English department I will be studying Chaucer (in all  his Middle English glory) as well as Literature in London.  I will also be taking a course in business and my personal favorite a seminar on Art in London that focuses on the human body and form - this class never meets in a classroom only in museums around London, where we get to see the works of art in person, rather than on a slideshow.

N.B for any person wishing to study outside the U.S or at UCL:  NOTHING IS EASY HERE.... people don't buy books they sit at a machine copying 100 pages of textbook.... that you can only do if you have exact change (no one can make change and no one takes credit cards anywhere on this campus) and when you want a stapler to bind your printed pages- forget it... it doesn't exist! 

I MISS MY VANDY CARD and the endless amounts of monopoly (fake) money that existed on said card.     

(At the Main Entrance of UCL... FUN FACT: UCL = London's most beautiful/Green Campus)

(UCL... likes to tote itself as "London's Global University")

And now for the NICEST housing I will EVER have while in college... I definitely could get used to living in this kind of arrangement.  A maid comes every week to clean the apartment, change the linens, and take out the trash.  How awesome is that?!  I have one roommate, Lindsay (who happens to be from Vanderbilt, (and she's from Westchester) but we didn't know each other before hand.)  We live in the flat with 5 other people who are in two other rooms.  Huge plus... Lindsay and I share a clean, fabulous bathroom (and I don't have to wear shower shoes).

(The sitting area in my flat... which doesn't look like this anymore)

(Dining Room... for a current picture just add papers and books)

(The Glorious Kitchen complete with a washer/dryer and a dishwasher that I don't know how to work)

(My bedroom .... HUGE BONUS of an armoire and a WALK IN CLOSET! )

First Weekend Out!

The night life has been amazing here (albeit hugely expensive) but, the fact that I am legally allowed to drink in this country is a GIGANTIC plus.  Though, I have unfortunately been carded at every single pub, club, or restaurant I have been to, even though the drinking age is only 18.  Perhaps, the best night, was when I met up with Christina (my best friend from high school) who happens to be studying in London as well.      

(London Chic: Riding the Tube)

 (Christina, Me, and Ali at a pub in S. Kensington)

 (Ellen, Meredith, Ali, and Me out at night in Sloane Square)

(Ending a night with a Ferrero Rocher Sundae... to die for!)