Brrr!

It's getting a lot colder! The past few days, Tools and I have been wearing our fleeces, scarves, and gloves! Last night, Tools went outside to talk to her boyfriend on the phone, and she looked like she was dressed to go skiing. :) Our landlord refuses to turn on the heat for another few weeks, claiming that NO ONE in Britain has turned on their heat THIS early. Fun news...the Stratford upon Avon Festival of Food has officially begun! There's a big tent set up in the center of town with lots of food vendors. Today I sampled some cheese, hot chocolate, prawns, and honey roasted cashews. Yum! Tomorrow (Friday), our school is taking a bus to Birmingham (about 45 minutes away) to get our ID cards and have a reception at the University of Birmingham's main campus. My class also starts tomorrow night, at 6. I have class on Saturday at 10, then we're going to see "As You Like It" at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at 7:30. On Sunday, I have class again at 10. It's going to be a busy weekend! I'll try to update my blog sometime this weekend, but if not, be looking for an update on Monday! I have NO idea what my classes are going to be like, so this should be interesting. :) Good news - Tools had a job interview today at Woolworth's! Woolworth's is like a high-end dollar store. You can buy nice stuff like DVDs, candy, school supplies, and electronics at discount prices. Today I went for a walk (there are lots of neat trails around the town), and brought my camera along so I could show everyone more of Stratford! This really is a picturesque little town...weeping willows hanging over paths along the River Avon, swans swimming, cute old couples walking and holding hands, little kids in school uniforms. It's amazing how OLD this town is! I'm not sure the exact date it was founded, but I know it's at least 700 years old. There's a building down the street from my school that was built in the 1400s, and it's still in use! One bad thing about all of the towns in England being so old is that the sidewalks are uneven. As the years go by, people just keep building over previous sidewalks and foundations, and eventually the sidewalks and roads become a little uneven because of the many layers beneath. As a result, Tools and I usually trip at least twice a day...it just can't be helped! :) We try to be graceful about it, though.

Costa Coffee...our favorite coffee shop! I recommend the mocha frescato (it's like a frappachino)


Ok, it looks like my internet connection isn't too good right now, and this is the only picture I can upload. But I do have more, and I'll do my best to post them soon! :)

FINALLY!

Good news...I now have a bank account in the UK! My school has a deal with HSBC, and they let me open an account, no problem. So today was definitely a good day. I didn't have orientation today, so Tools and I ran errands. We read a really interesting/disturbing article in the British newpaper today (it may have been in American newspapers, too, I'm not sure). The article was based on the results of survey, and said that Christianity or the belief in a God is unneccesary for a successful, peaceful society, and is often found to be detrimental to societies. The report said that British society, which is mostly secular, is faring better and much more successful than American society because there are fewer murders, kidnappings, etc. in England. It also compared France, Scandinavian countries, and China with the U.S., saying that these countries are becoming less and less Christian, and their societies are improving. Basically, it implied that the problem with American society is the large Christian population and beliefs. Isn't that disturbing? The survey never mentioned the fact that governments of all of these countries are very different, and most have harsher punishments than the U.S. regarding crime. Tools and I really had a lot of problems with that article. It's amazing what you see in the paper over here. Censorship isn't very big in Europe. We opened a newspaper last week, and saw a picture of a naked girl saying that she likes Prince William, and thinks that he and his girlfriend make a cute couple. We were like, does she have to be naked to say that? Honestly! Lots of advertisments in magazines here show a lot more skin than magazines in the U.S. American censors would have a field day over here! :) We also read that a Dutch television station is planning a program that films participants doing drugs, having sex, etc, and then interviews the participants afterwards. It's pretty unbelievable. Anyway, this weekend is the Stratford upon Avon Festival of Food...how awesome does that sound? I can't wait! Unfortunately, my classes are on the weekend, but the one on Saturday doesn't start til ten, so maybe I can wake up early and take part in the festivities. :) Tooley isn't too excited, because it'll mostly be British food. I think she's starting to like it a little better, though.

I'm Not a Terrorist!

What a crazy day! This morning, I woke up, had breakfast, and went to open a bank account. This is not as easy as one would think. There are four main banks in England...Lloyd's, NatWest (National Westminster), Barclay's, and HSBC. Without a bank account in the UK, I cannot get a phone line (Tooley's program helped her open an account, so our phone will be in her name), join a gym, or even get a library card! I will also have to keep paying exchange rate charges when I use my American debit card...not fun! To open a bank account as an international student, you must have: proof that you are attending school, your visa, passport, and proof of address. Small problem...they only way I can get proof of address is to have a bill sent to my house in England. I can't get a bill sent to my house unless I have a bank account, plus my bills are included in my rent. See the problem? So I went to NatWest first, where the lady told me since I don't have bills in my name, I needed a job in order to have proof of address, even though I'm a student. No, thanks! Then, I went to Barclay's, where the lady refused to open an account for me, and basically implied that I might be a terrorist. I told her (very kindly), that I'm NOT a terrorist, I just want to have my money in the United Kingdom, and get a debit card. I really didn't think I matched the profile of a terrorist, but you never know! It was an interesting experience, to say the least. :) I went back to NatWest, where they told me to go to the Inland Revenue Service (whatever that is!), and they could help me get proof of address. The man at the Inland Revenue Service was very nice and helpful, but told me I need to get a National Health Insurance number (keep in mind this is a Socialist economy, and health insurance, doctors appointments, surgery, etc. are paid for by the government). In order to get this number, I have to take a train to a town forty minutes away. Without this number, I can't even go to the doctor. My school recommends that all students register with a general practitioner as soon as they arrive in Stratford, because if you get sick, you can't see a doctor unless you are registered with one. So basically, it's been a dead end street every way I turn. By this point, I was very frustrated, and vented to my dad for awhile. This afternoon, I had an orientation program for my school. I've met some really nice people! I'm the youngest student here, but only by a year. I think I may be in over my head...if anyone reading this is a Shakespeare scholar, please let me know so I can call you with questions! :) This afternoon, I feel much better about things, and I think I may be able to open an account at HSBC...hallelujah! Tooley has been spending the day filling out job applications and trying to follow up with the phone company. It rained here last night, and the weather has gotten much cooler. It feels wonderful! I have orientation all week, which I'm looking forward to. Scott Watson and I were talking about meeting up in Amsterdam before he heads back to the U.S., but orientation has put a kink in those plans. I hope everyone in Starkville is ok after the tornado...how scary! Wish me luck opening a bank account! I'll try to send some of this cold weather back to Mississippi. :)

It's a Different World...

Last night, Tools, me, and Katherine (a girl who lives in our house from Texas..she's really cool!) went to see the new Pride and Prejudice movie with Keira Knightley. It's SOOO good...a major chick flick! It's one of my favorite books. It was fun going to see a movie...just like home! :) The previews are a little different, but that's to be expected, I guess. This morning, the three of us woke up and went to church at...Stratford-upon-Avon Baptist Church! Imagine that, a Baptist church in England! I guess I went thinking it would be just like Broadmoor or Adaton Baptist, but boy was I wrong. The church was very small, with about 60-70 people in the congregation. We sang a lot of the same songs that we sing in Baptist churches in Mississippi, but everything else was pretty different. The church seemed pretty charismatic...everyone waving their hands in the air, people in the congregation bursting out in prayer. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but it's different than what I'm used to, and not quite what I was expecting. The church is currently looking for a permanent pastor, so a guy from Birmingham, England was filling in. He's no Rob Futral or Scott Cappleman, which made me really miss home. Halfway through the service, an old lady starting convulsing and had to be put on a respirator! It's sad, because many of the English people are not Christians, and if they are, they're mostly Anglican or Catholic. After church, we went to Morrison's, the awesomely huge grocery store, and stocked up on food for the week. At three o'clock, Katherine and I had to go to the Shakespeare Institute for an introductory tea (we tried to get Tools to come, too, but no luck!). I met a lot of nice people there, and even some girls from North Carolina, Louisiana, and Alabama! Everyone there seemed very...in love with Shakespeare. I mean I like Shakespeare and all, but I'm by no means the Shakespeare scholar. I'm in England more for the experience and to speak to Rotary Clubs for my scholarship. Hopefully I'll be able to get by. Luckily, my program doesn't require me to write a thesis...whew! :) I tried my first digestive (NOT what it sounds like...it's another name for cookie!), and it was really good! The cookies in England are called "biscuits" or "digestives." Only chocolate chip cookies are actually called cookies. After the tea, Tools and I headed to Snappy Pizza to use the wireless internet, and that's where I am now! Everyone please pray that I do well in school, and that we find a good church to go to in Stratford!

A Rainy Day in Warwick

Today, Tooley and I took a train to Warwick, a little village about 15 miles away. It was rainy a little cool today, but the weather cleared up this afternoon. Warwick is a cute little town, but very limited on restaurants and shopping. I guess we've gotten spoiled in Stratford! I've been surprised at how many Indian restaurants there are in England! The majority of the restaurants in tiny Warwick were Indian. When Tools and I arrived, we headed straight for Warwick Castle, a beautiful castle on the outskirts of the town. It was huge! We had a lot of fun looking around and posing for silly pictures with the statues. We climbed to the top of the tower and had a beautiful view of the town and surrounding countryside. I wish the weather had been clear, because the mist from the rain obstructed the view of the countryside when I took pictures. I just love the English countryside! The grass is bright green, and instead of seeing cows like you would in Mississippi, you see sheep. After we toured the castle, we walked around the town. I had a scone, clotted cream, and cup of tea in a little tea room, then we had a light lunch in a restaurant down the road. By the time we got back to Stratford-upon-Avon, the skies were sunny! On Fridays, there is a little market in the center of town, which I can't wait to check out. Tools and I walked around trying to find a gym to join, and then we stopped by McDonald's for Tools (she's not a fan of the food here). We really wanted to get on the internet, but the library and internet cafe close early on Friday, so guess what we did...walked around the town with our laptops until we found a wireless internet connection! Haha! So now we're in Snappy Pizza, munching on chips (french fries) and checking our email. Today has been very fun! Check out the pictures of Warwick (sorry the format looks a little funny):

A street in Warwick

Warwick Castle...we climbed to the top of that tower!

Front view of the castle

Tools and I got in trouble for goofing off...just kidding!

Me dancing with a statue

Tools was parched from walking around the castle :)

A view of the countryside from the tower...I hope you can see it through the rain!

Away From the Hustle and Bustle

One thing Tools and I love about Stratford is the relaxed atmosphere. London is amazing and SO much fun, but it's a huge city (7 million people!), and that can take a toll on you. Life in Stratford is very laid-back and relaxed. There are lots of cafes and bakeries where people sit outdoors and sip on tea, and families walking around. We see lots of school children wearing their uniforms and roaming the streets, which makes me wonder when exactly they have class. The little kids here are adorable in their school uniforms! And hearing them say things like, "Mummy, can I have some tea?" is SO cute! There's a school for kids ages 2-6 called the Elfin School right next door to our room, and it's fun hearing them laughing and run around whenever we leave to hit the town. We say, "The elves are out!" (Get it? Elfin school? Elves?) Tools and I have really started to learn our way around the town without a map, which is nice. One thing I miss is not knowing what's going on back home! I miss People Magazine and US weekly, and the Clarion-Ledger. Since the only places we can get on the internet are internet cafes and the library (until our broadband gets hooked up!) we're on a time limit and can't read the online newspapers from back home. All the newspapers here are talking about Kate Moss's cocaine addiction, and the hurricanes back in the U.S. Tonight, my Rotary host counselor and his wife (Mike and Judy Taylor) are coming to visit, so that will be fun! Tools and I really like our landlord and his wife! They crack us up. Jeremy and Junko (his wife, who is Japanese and so cute) are very laid-back and outgoing. Jeremy will say something random and hilarious, and Junko just laughs at herself because she gets confused easily. And Tools and I just laugh at them! We have a lot of fun. :) Tomorrow, Tools and I are taking a train to Warwick, a little village to the south that has a beautiful castle. I'll take lots of pictures!

Pictures...FINALLY!

Here are some pictures of Stratford-upon-Avon:

Our room at 27 Evesham Place


We have a nice bathroom, walk in closet, and tons of storage space

The view from our window

A street in Stratford...aren't the buildings cute?

The birthplace of you-know-who...Shakespeare!

This picture and the next few are scenes from the River Avon, which flows through the center of town and has lots of cute little canals running off of it


In the distance you can see the steeple of Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried

There's a cute little park and grassy knoll along the river
We just love it here! Everyone come visit!

Ave, Tools, and...Shakespeare

Well we made it to Stratford-upon-Avon! I'm SO sad that our internet won't be hooked up for a month, because I can't hook up my camera to the computers at the library to show everyone pictures! I'm gonna try some other places, because I want everyone to see how cute the town is. On Monday morning, Tools and I took a train to Coventry to meet Mr. Geoff Lockett, a member of the Rotary Club. He and his wife Eirlys cooked a delicious meal for us (even Tooley liked it!) and drove us to Stratford-upon-Avon. On the way, we learned that lanes in the road are called "carriageways" in England. Our new house is so cute! It's a room at a Bed and Breakfast, and the room is spacious with two twin beds, a bathroom, and a kitchen downstairs that we can use. Our landlord, Jeremy, reminds us of a male Lauren McIntosh (love you, Laur!), and is really nice and funny. We strolled around the town and saw the most wonderful thing ever...an H&M only two minutes from our house! Are we lucky or what? Tools applied for a job there today, so wish her luck! We ate a yummy dinner at a little pub called The Garrick, which we really liked. The town is really cute, and has everything we need...clothing stores, grocery, drug stores, Costa coffee (yum!), etc. It's a very safe, quaint, picturesque little English town. The population is about 20,000, and it's the 7th largest tourist site in England, thanks to William Shakespeare. Today (Tuesday), we woke up and went to Morrison's, the large supermarket in town, and loaded up on groceries. Then, I went and looked around my new school, and Tooley applied for a few jobs. We roamed around a little more, and now I'm in the library updating my blog! :) The weather has been great! It's warmed up a little, and the sun is shining. The river Avon flows through the middle of the town, and there are weeping willows hanging over it and swans swimming around! The town has a very relaxed atmosphere, which is nice, and we feel very safe. Our Vonage phone and internet won't be hooked up for about three weeks, which we're a little frustrated about, but maybe it'll be sooner! Tonight, we're just going to take it easy and do a little more exploring. We're planning on taking a road trip sometime soon to a little village in the Cotswolds, which Stratford-upon-Avon borders.

Goodbye London!

Today was our last full day in London...sad! It's been so much fun. The weather was a little overcast and cool today (we've been wearing jeans, long sleeves, and jackets, a little different from September in Mississippi!), so it was a perfect day for...shopping! :) This morning, Tools and I woke up and went to Knightsbridge, the area of London where Harrod's is located. We made a pit stop at H&M to load up on some much needed and very fun winter clothes. Then we explored Harrod's. That is probably the most impressive and expensive store I've ever been in! It's owned by Mohommad Al Fayed (the father of Princess Di's boyfriend who died in the car crash with her), and has very upscale food, clothes, shoes, etc. We browsed through Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Gucci...wow! It was really neat! Then we went to Bond Street and Regent Street, which have fun shops that are more affordable than Harrod's. We walked through Regent's Park, which is in my opinion the most beautiful of all of the parks in London. There are lots and lots of roses, and the ponds have weeping willows hanging over them and swans swimming around. Very picturesque! It was a very fun last day in London. :) Tooley isn't really a big fan of the English food, but I'll eat anything so I can usually find something. The food here is pretty bland, and they eat weird combinations like egg and prawn (shrimp) sandwiches. It's just different, and takes a little while to get used to. The foods from home that I miss are Honey Bunches of Oats, Minute Maid Orange Juice, Campbell's soup, and fried chicken tender salads. Oh, well, what can ya do? Tomorrow we're going to take a train to Coventry and meet Geoff Lockett, a member of the Coventry Rotary Club, who will then drive us to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Camden Town, a fun place to shop

The dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, where Princess Di was married and where they "Feed the Birds" in Mary Poppins

Sunset over London

This and the one below are of Regent's Park

Shopping in the City

Today was another beautiful day! Tools and I have been blessed with gorgeous, cool, sunny weather. And another blessing...Tooley's luggage arrived! Hooray! It was delivered at three in the morning...random, but she was just glad to finally have a toothbrush. Haha! Today, we went shopping in Camden Town, a really fun, funky little area in north London. It's probably my favorite place to shop in London! They have food vendors and stores from all over the world! (If anyone has seen the Mary Kate and Ashley movie where they go to London, this is the area where they go shopping and try on clothes). There's a really crazy shop in Camden called Cyberdog, and they sell futuristic, spacey clothes...it's hilarious! They also have a techno DJ. We spent most of the afternoon in Camden Town, then rode the Tube to see St. Paul's Cathedral (where Princess Di and Prince Charles were married, and where they "Feed the Birds" in Mary Poppins). Unfortunately, I can't hook up my camera to the computer in this internet cafe, so I'll post pictures later. Then we walked along the Thames and checked out a fun festival. We ate some Alabama Fudge Chocolate Cake (haha!), and strolled around the town. London has such neat, cute little streets and alleys! I love it! I miss everyone!

The Sun Came Out!

Well, it's a beautiful day in London...the sun is shining and it's about 65 degrees with the wind chill. It's very windy here...yesterday my umbrella blew inside out a total of six times. Very impressive! :) This morning, Tools and I woke up, grabbed some bagels, and she went to her Bunac work visa orientation program. Her program is GREAT, if anyone wants to come work in the UK for 6 months, look into it! After her orientation, we got...cell phones! (gasp!) We were SO excited...now we can be connected to everyone again! It's going to take a couple of days to get them up and running, but everyone be expecting a call or text sometime soon, ok? :) We explored London somemore and walked along the Strand and Trafalgar Square. Tonight, we're going to see the musical "Chicago." We're excited! After the musical, we're going to get tea at the Marriot, a really nice hotel that has an amazing view of Big Ben. Unfortunately, Tooley's bags STILL aren't here. Boo! Hopefully by tonight they will have arrived at the hostel. Now it's time for...Brit Speak! Here are a few British words I've learned: brolly = umbrella, cheers = thanks, lifts = elevator, car park = parking lot, wellies = rain boots, queue = line, take away = take out, rubbish = trash, trainers = tennis shoes, trousers = pants, bum pack = fanny pack (Laurel!), jumper = sweater, potty = crazy (Jeans!), mobile (pronounced mo-BILE) = cell phone. This afternoon, Tooley and I were running late to her appointment at the bank so we took a cab, and told the cabbie to take us to Aldwych Street. We pronounced it Al-dwich, and he laughed at us and said it's pronounced (All-dwich). Oops! We're trying to get our British accent down pat, but we slip up every now and then! :) Last night, Tooley and I stood on the Westminster Bridge over the Thames...it is unbelievably gorgeous! At night, all of the buildings along the river, including St. Paul's Cathedral and Big Ben, are lit up with white and blue lights...it's incredible. I think it's probably the most romantic spot in the world! London at night is breathtaking!

Big Ben at night...this picture just doesn't do it justice!

A scene of London from Trafalgar Square. You can see Big Ben poking through the skyline! (Can you tell that Big Ben is my favorite London landmark?) :)

Tools and me in Trafalgar Square

Lost and Found

What a crazy day! Poor Tools was lost in England! I woke up this morning and went to meet her at the train station, but I never found her! I figured her plane had gotten in early and I just missed her, so I went to the hostel, but they said she hadn't checked her luggage in. I was so worried about the thought of poor Tools wandering around a foreign country with tons of luggage! Well, I checked my email, and her mom sent an email saying that Tooley's flight from New Jersey had gotten cancelled, so she would be flying into Birmingham, England at noon, and take a train (1 1/2 hour ride!) to London. I figured out which train station she would be arriving to, and went and met her. I was so glad to see her! Unfortunately, all she had with her was her backpack. They couldn't get her luggage on the train! So the airline is supposed to be delivering her luggage to our hostel tomorrow. Poor Tooley! She's been a trouper, though. I took her around to see some of the sights of London today, including Notting Hill, the Portobello Road market, the flat where Bridget Jones' Diary was filmed, London Bridge (you get an absolutely breathtaking view of the city, but the bridge itself is very plain!), Paddington Station (home of Paddington Bear), and Covent Garden. We also found Tooley Street! We ate dinner at Wagamama's (Jeans!), which is a Japanese noodle bar and my absolute favorite place to eat in London! It's 9:45 at night here (3:45 MS time), and we just got some coffee, so we're good to go for another hour or so. The weather today was slightly rainy, but the sun popped out every now and then...typical English weather! A few observations about London - PDA is VERY big here. I've seen lots of people making out on the street, on the Tube, in the park, in restaurants - it's very different than back home! Hardly any of the girls wear makeup, but they're all dressed very trendy. Tomorrow Tooley has to go to her orientation for her work program, and then we're going to do some more exploring. I'm including some pictures from today and yesterday. I miss everyone! I love y'all!

The English version of the Yield sign...aren't they polite?

Covent Garden, where they have a fun market, lots of shops, and street performers

Part of Trafalgar Square

Part of St. James Park in central London...it's gorgeous! There are hardly any bugs in London, so you can just lay in the grass and not worry about bugs!

Our hostel. Just kidding! It's Buckingham Palace! :)

A Beefeater outside of St. James Palace, strutting his stuff

I'm heeeere!!

Greetings from London! I arrived in England at 6 am, London time (6 hours ahead of Mississippi time). It was sad saying goodbye to my family at the airport, but Claire surprised me and came home to see me off, so that made me feel better. My flight was great, and I got to the hostel without any problems, considering that each of my suitcases were at least 100 pounds each. :) People were really nice and stopped to help me carry the suitcases up the stairs, on the train, and into my cab! It is so fun being back in London! It's exactly the way I left it. It was really nice to already know my way around! The weather is perfect, 70 degrees and sunny. After I checked into my hostel, which is in Notting Hill, I roamed around and saw some of my favorite sites...Big Ben, the London Eye ferris wheel, the River Thames, and Covent Garden. The fashion here is a little different than in the U.S., most girls are wearing the layered, hobo, Sienna Miller/Mary Kate Olsen look. (That's the only way I can think to describe it!) The girls wear flats, wide belts, peasant skirts, boleros and little ponchos, and (gasp!) I've even seen some tapered leg jeans. I hear those are coming back in style, but I sure hope not! Most guys have been dressed nice, wearing suits and pastel colored ties, and they usually have their hair gelled. When I went to the chemist (drug store), I saw little cans of Coca Cola Mini Breaks, which I've never seen in the U.S. It's Diet Coke in cans the exact size of a Red Bull can. They're really cute! Everything is a little bit more expensive here than in the U.S., but I guess I'll have to get used to that. I'm very VERY tired from my flight, so I've been walking around like a zombie today...I hope I haven't scared anyone! Haha! I did treat myself to a Mocha Frescato from Costa Coffee Company (to the people who love frappachinos, these are WAY better than anything Starbucks makes!), and I've been stopping at Starbucks (there's one on practically every corner!) to grab an espresso. London is the coolest place ever, and I'm so ready for Tools to get here, b/c it's a little different being here by myself! I sure do miss everyone, and I hope everyone can come see me! Below are some pictures that I took today of Big Ben, a view of the London cityscape from the Thames, and the double decker buses along the Strand (a major shopping area in London). So far, I haven't seen Prince William or the Queen, but I'm on the lookout! :)




Continued hours later...
Well, it's eight o'clock here, and I'm about to go find something yummy to eat! Due to my jet lag, I forgot to mention a few important things about London. First of all, the McDonald's here have a new flavor of McFlurry...Dairy Milk Delight! Dairy Milk bars are made by Cadbury (Nestle isn't very big here), and they are absolutely delicious! (Ash, Laur, Mar...that's the candy bar I brought back for y'all last summer). Also, the pigeons here are OUT OF CONTROL! They are very domesticated, so they fly at people's heads and don't give it a second thought. It's very scary. When I checked into my hostel today (it's very nice!), they gave me a complimentary coupon to Kentucky Fried Chicken! I was like, Are you serious?! Haha! The only American chains that are in England are McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, and Pizza Hut. But the McDonald's here are so much nicer than back home. They have internet cafes, and some serve doughnuts and cappucinos! I've really enjoyed seeing the sights in London...it's so neat because you'll see this beautiful house that was built in the 1500s, and beside it is a cell phone store or Starbucks! It's cool how they mix the old with the new. I went to Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace (where Prince Charles, William, and Harry live), but sadly no royal sightings! I want to thank everyone for their prayers! There have been so many times today (safe flight, nice people, no problems with passport/visa) where I can definitely tell that I have people back home praying for me! It's so neat being here and getting to see another part of God's beautiful creation! Tomorrow I'm picking up Tools at the train station, and we're going to see if we can make one of the Beefeaters (the guards with the tall furry black hats who aren't allowed to speak) laugh! Knowing Tools, we may just have a shot. :) I miss everyone! Thanks for the messages and emails!

It's almost time...

Wow! Only 34 more hours until I leave for England. Hopefully I will be able to cram 9 months worth of clothing into two suitcases! I spent the past two weeks hanging out with my wonderful friends and sister in Starkville. I loved being Ash, Mary Brook, and Lane's temporary roommate! I'm going to miss all of my Chi Os and friends at MSU so much! Here are some highlights from the past two weeks (in no particular order): 1) Ash's 22nd birthday party! She's a big girl now! And it was fun getting to see the girls from Ole Miss (Jeans, Jennings, and Laur!) 2) laying out at Comfort Suites...you can always find a few Chi Os up there to lay out with! 3) eating at the Chi O house. I'm going to miss Philly Cheese Steak! 4) sharing Ash's squeaky futon. It was very comfy! :) 5) my going away dinner cooked by Jonathan, Curt, and Richard. Yum! 6) visiting my big sis Kate in Birmingham. She's so fun! 7) watching MSU beat Murray State...go Dawgs! 8) eating at Cold Stone, the Deli, TCBY, Harvey's, and the cafeteria...all of my favorites! 9) hanging out in the Chi O house with the fun juniors and seniors 10) my going away dinner at Harvey's and party at Ash and Mary Brook's. I loved getting to see my friends. I definitely have the best friends ever! When I got home from Starkville, we had a big family dinner on Saturday night. My mom cooked my favorite (spaghetti), and I got to say goodbye to everyone. Now I'm going to try to finish packing and getting everything in order. My next post will be from London...wow! Everyone keep me in their prayers! Pray for a safe flight and that Tools and I will be safe in London! We'll be there until the 19th, and then we'll head to our new home in Stratford-upon-Avon.