Done with school!

I'm finished with school!

I've officially finished all of my work and my classes at the University of Edinburgh ended on Thursday. While other people here are revising during reading week, I'll be traveling through Italy. And when other people are taking exams, I'll be checking things of my Edinburgh bucket list and going to stay at Ellie's house in England. And then it will be time to go home!

I can't believe that three weeks from today, I'll be flying home. I'm so, so excited to go home, see my family (including Skip) and friends, eat lots of food and gear up for next semester back at UNC. I love how Edinburgh has become like home the past few months and it will always be an experience that I'll cherish and reflect upon. I'll be sad to leave behind all of the great friends I've met here but I really miss my family, friends and UNC. That being said, I'm going to try and enjoy these last three weeks as much as I can!

Besides finishing up my work, eating Thanksgiving foods, and hanging out with my flatmates and friends, nothing too exciting has happened since I've last posted. Last night Sarah and I went downtown for the opening of the Christmas Markets and the lighting of the tree. It was cold and crowded but still lots of fun. There was a small parade before the lighting of the tree with a giant, creepy Santa puppet, a girl and teddy bear having a pillow fight, and a samba band. The bed that the bear and girl were on was hoisted into the air by a crane and flew around the tree before it was lit. It didn't feel very Christmas-y but there were lots of lights and fireworks. I do plan on going back to the markets during the day when it's not as cold or busy. Our flat is also doing a Secret Santa gift exchange and potluck with our other MC friends in two weeks so maybe I'll find a gift there.

I will have a lot to post next week when I get back from Italy! Tomorrow I'm flying to Italy with my friend Dani (Danielle) who goes to Penn. We will be in Milan on Saturday night, Venice Sunday night, Florence Monday night, Rome Tuesday and Wednesday night and then back in Edinburgh Thursday evening. We will be eating lots of great food and trying to see as much as we can. I'm so excited but of course nervous! I know we'll have a lot of fun and I'm going to try and take as many photos as I can. I think Dani has a friend who is studying in Milan and I know a girl who is studying in Florence so we're going to try and meet up with them. I know that I always enjoy new cities more when I have someone who lives there to show me around or just meet up with.

Here are some photos I've taken since Thanksgiving:

Flat 13/3's Thanksgiving meal. I made the mac & cheese! 

Dinner with (almost) everyone before Charlotte left to go home.

Encouraging words during a class trip to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

A talking Santa who cursed.

Skyping with the extended family on Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Can't wait to share my Italian adventure next week with you and be home in 22 days!

Loving London

Molly and I by Buckingham Palace.

Two weekends ago I went to London to visit Molly, one of my best friends from UNC. For those who don't know, Molly is studying and interning in London this semester. I hadn't seen her since the beginning of May so seeing her in London was a wonderful reunion! She gives admissions tours at UNC so I was in good hands as a tourist in London. We did so many things! It still amazes me how much we did and saw in one weekend.

On Friday night Molly picked me up from the train station and one of the first things we did was prepare to get on the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross to Hogsmeade Station take photos at Platform 9 3/4.

 

Friday night we went to dinner in Chinatown to celebrate the 21st birthday of one of her friends and then hung out back at her flat where we watched some Glee (of course) and did a lot of catching up.

Saturday morning we started off the day by seeing some of London's major sights. We walked for over six hours and didn't sit down until later in the afternoon. Molly is an amazing tour guide and I got to see more than I expected to, which I'm so grateful for. On our Saturday walking tour we hit up:

1. Thames
2. Big Ben
3. London Eye
4. Parliament
5. Westminster Abbey
6. Buckingham Palace - with changing of the guards.
7. Trafalgar Square
8. The National Gallery
9. The National Portrait Gallery
10. The Globe
11. Borough Market
12. Millenium Bridge
13. St. Patrick's Cathedral

Two of my favorite places where the National Portrait Gallery and Borough Market. We were only at the gallery for a few minutes but we got to see the Mario Testino exhibit featuring intimate pictures of the royal family. At Borough Market we both got hot apple cider, I got blueberry cheesecake and Molly got some fruit. Going there on an empty stomach would have been dangerous for both my health and wallet. There was soooo much delicious food! 

In front of the London Eye.

Big Ben

Poppies and crosses outside of Westminster Abbey for Remembrance Day.

Molly and I by Big Ben.

Preparing for changing of the guards.

Buckingham Palace during changing of the guards. So many people!

Borough Market

St. Patrick's Cathedral

After relaxing and having dinner back at Molly's flat, we went and saw Shrek the Musical, which happened to be playing right off of Drury Lane. The show was lots of fun and a nice way to end an amazing day.

On Sunday we did a toned down version of our Saturday walking tour but still saw and did a lot. Molly's flat is right by the British Museum so we started the day off there. I love museums but was almost overwhelmed by this one. The Rosetta Stone is one of the museum's main attractions and a major tourist draw. As an art history major, it made me a little sad to see people experiencing it through their camera. It also made it difficult for others trying to see it. Plus it was super crowded so I was a little overwhelmed. God help me if I go to the Louvre and try to see the Mona Lisa.

After the British Museum, we went to Brick Lane Market which has a lot of artisan stalls and a great food market. It seemed like you could get your lunch from any area of the world. I had chinese food and after we left the market, Molly and I got some yummy Indian treats from a local bakery. 

On Sunday we also went to the Victoria & Albert Museum, Covent Garden, Harrods, London Tower and Tower Bridge. One could spend hours in Harrods! The best part was the Christmas section of course.

Tower Bridge 

On Monday, Molly went to her internship so I went to the Tate Britain and got to see an exhibit featuring one of my favorite artists, J. M. W. Turner. After that, I met one of Molly's flatmates, Jillian, for lunch and she showed me around Hyde Park and Kensington Palace that afternoon.  

Kensington Palace

When Molly got back from her internship, she brought me to the train station to say goodbye. I had such an amazing weekend in London with Molly and getting to spend time with her after not seeing her for more than six months made me cry of course. Usually I've been ready to go back to Edinburgh after trips but I didn't want to leave London! It's definitely a place I could visit again and again. 

Molly, thanks for being a gracious host, great guide and amazing friend! 

In other news:

1. Edinburgh doesn't have squirrels so I got to see some in London. Don't know if I would call seeing them comforting but it was funny to watch tourists take photos of them.

2. London's Starbucks actually get my name right! In Edinburgh I've been Aidi, Lily, and Kathy when I say Katie and Fill and Feild when I say Field. I think I need to stress the T.

3. Today I had the pleasure of getting lunch with Kristen, who Anne was a Young Life leader to about twenty years ago. It was so nice to step out of the student/study abroad life for a bit and connect with Kristen. Thank you Anne for setting us up! I had a great time and also got to meet Kristen's family. They've been in Edinburgh for about the same time I have and are going back to the States a few days before me. We're planning on meeting up again in December when I'm done with classes and have a week in Edinburgh with no commitments. I'm really excited!

Kristen and I at Nando's.

Crunch time now! Ten days until I'm done with my work. Hope everyone is having a great weekend and has a Happy Thanksgiving! I'll be missing everyone extra hard that day so eat lots of pumpkin pie in my honor.

Highland Highlights

I made it! After one good cry (because it's what I do) and living in the library this weekend (approximately 40 hours), I've finished half of my course work as I submitted my essays today. I have three more due two weeks from today and then I'll be done with my work! It's been a both a blessing and a curse having to write another set of essays instead of taking exams. Since history of art courses sit exams in the spring, visiting semester students write another essay. It makes the next two weeks stressful but at least I'll be done with work by the end of November! 

I'll be traveling through Italy the first week of December during the university's reading week. I'm going with Dani, who goes to Penn, and we're going to Milan, Florence, Venice and Rome. Then I'll have about a week in Edinburgh with no classes or commitments so I plan to see everything I haven't been able to yet. Then I'll be in Paris for two nights with Charlotte, who goes to Georgetown and who I went to the Highlands with, and from Paris I'm going to London to take the train to my flatmate Ellie's house in Ropsley! I'll be at Ellie's for two night and I'm really excited to get to experience an English village, especially around Christmas. Then I'll be back in Edinburgh and going home!

I just googled Ropsley and there is a street named Chapel Hill. How ironic.

So about the Highlands…

The last weekend in October I went on a bus tour of the Highlands with Charlotte, Mike and Carley who go to Georgetown. Charlotte, Mike and Carley were just my speed and lots of fun. Mike and Carley have been dating for years and act like grandparents (but are awesome!). Charlotte is usually their third wheel so I know it was nice for her to not have to be it again that weekend.

We went with a company called Haggis Adventures and had an awesome tour guide named Stevie. He told a lot of good stories about his crazy friend, Tony. All that was missing was a Larry.

Driving past the beautiful scenery + Stevie's music + storytelling in his Scottish accent made me feel like I was in a movie or commercial. Didn't no whether to cry or not sometimes because the Highlands were breathtaking. 

We stopped in a lot of towns, tried to spot the Loch Ness monster, had some snow, went to a Halloween party at the only pub in the town we stayed at, and had an overall great time! I've never seen so many sheep or cows in my life. That weekend was the perfect time to visit the Highlands because the fall foliage was at it's peak. Charlotte, Mike and Carley were really fun to travel with. Next time I'm in D.C., I hope I can meet up with all three of them at Georgetown.

My pictures don't do the Highlands justice but here are some:

  

The Clansmen Centre in Fort Augustus. 

Mike wearing a belted plaid, which was traditional Highland dress during from the 16-18th centuries.

With Charlotte and Carley.

Another awkward solo for the family. 

Eilean Donan Castle, which was also in Made of Honor.

Mike, Carley, Charlotte and I.

Twins with Carley. 

Where J.M. Barrie visited during holidays as a child.

Spotted Nessie at Loch Ness! 

Our bus.

Hamish the Highland Cow/Hairy Coo.

In other news:

1. The Scottish mountains kill more people in Scotland than cars do. Not because they are the highest but because people aren't really prepared for the changing weather. It rained, snowed, was sunny, was freezing all the while we were in the Highlands.

2. Ellie, Sarah, and Lina got lice! Wong and I have been checked and luckily we don't have it but it hasn't been a fun experience. Ellie's boyfriend is visiting this weekend and he has it too. I can't escape it! Hopefully I don't get it...

3. Can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! It's one of my favorite holidays so I'm sad to be missing it. Our flat is planning on cooking some Thanksgiving foods though.  It's next to impossible to find pumpkin so no pumpkin pie :( No turkey either because I can't cook one and Ellie and Sarah our vegetarians. Excited that Christmas dinner is basically a repeat of Thanksgiving!

Stay tuned for a post about London. It was a fantastic weekend!

Sorry for the lack of posts! 

I've had a great two past weeks with trips to the Highlands and London. I want to share stories and photos about both trips but have a hellish academic week right now that I need to devote my time and energy to. 

I'll have posts up on or after the 14th. I have three essays (each worth 50% of my class grade) due that day so that's what I'm focusing on now. 

Stay tuned.