food snob

I'm going to be a brat for a second.

I'm a food snob. 

Definition: a picky eater of only very tasteful and delectable food.

I enjoy REALLY REALLY good food and I can't help it.

When it's not good I don't like it. 

I blame it on my mother who has taught me what good food is. 

I have had a few good meals here in London, but for the most part, the food is just BLAH.

Thanks for listening.

xoxo 

A Good Day

Today has been one of the best days so far. The sun FINALLY came out and this place is even more incredible in the sunshine. We were actually able to walk around and enjoy the scenery without freezing our bums off. Every Saturday morning our directors take us on a walk around a different part of London. Although I complain about not being able to sleep in, I enjoy getting out and learning about this wonderful city I live in. There is literally history in everything around me. Today we got to walk along the river Thames, the clear sky made for an INCREDIBLE view.

After our walk, a couple of us headed to Portobello Market. On Saturdays they set up little booths along the side of the road. They had delicious food, antique jewelry (which I'm a sucker for), clothes, and everything else you could possibly imagine. Dani and I were watching a man making churros and I actually turned to Dani and said, "I feel like I'm in a different country..." she looked at me and replied, "we ARE in a different country" hahaha. One of my blonde moments, but we got a good laugh out of it. It was so much fun to just wander up and down the market, listen to the music and watch the street performers. We also enjoyed crepes that were to DIE for, I kid you not. Everyday I fall more and more in love. I may never come home. 

xoxo    

playing catch up

Between exploring, traveling, sleeping, eating, shopping, laughing, talking, meeting friends, and lots of homework, it is tough to find time to blog and write in my journal especially when we have the most horrible internet in the world... (literally never been so thankful for high-speed internet in my life) so im sorry it has been a while. Obviously we have been doing so much everyday so I will try to fill you all in on whats gone on. Last Wednesday (as in Jan. 16) we boarded a coach on a 4-day journey through parts of England. We first headed to Manchester where we toured the Manchester Art Museum. After looking around for a while, I decided it was time to go shopping. I experienced my first Primark, which was very needed. Later in the day our group met up at the Manchester Town Hall and toured around for a little bit (the same place Sherlock Holmes was filmed). It was gorgeous. I am still amazed at how detailed and pretty all the old buildings here are.

Manchester town hall

Sherlock Tunnels
Noelle Christina Amanda Alex

 That night we drove to a little town called Ambleside where we stayed in the cutest little Bed & Breakfasts. We got to explore the quaint town and I fell in love, definitely somewhere I would love to visit again (maybe in warmer month). After a great nights sleep and a private shower (I share a bathroom with 14 girls at the centre), we got up the next morning and headed to the Lake District. Lets just say driving on a bus through tiny, windy roads makes me want to barf. It was hard to enjoy the scenery when I'm trying to control my motion sickness, but it was beautiful. We walked around John Ruskin's home and enjoyed the views overlooking the lakes. It was FREEZING, but I did get some good pictures.

Road to Ruskin's house

Lake District

Ruskin's backyard

Meredith McKenna Dani Kelsey Christina

Amanda Dani Christina

Brasmere

Next we headed to Castlerigg Stone Circle which was even more FREEZING. It was cool to be standing on such a historical site though (there is nothing even remotely that old in America). Once you get outside of the big cities, England really is like the movies and I love it. My favorite parts are the old, English towns that few people go to.

 We headed back to Ambleside, shopped around, ate dinner and stayed up way too late talking. The next morning we got on the Coach and drove two hours to Preston where we went on a church history tour. I have never been so FREEZING in my entire life. But this was probably my favorite part of the whole trip, we got to stand in the same places that many of the first missionaries (and Gordon B. Hinckley) stood and preached from as well as see the baptismal font where the first members in England were baptized. Many of us are members of the church because of all the baptisms in the first LDS missions to England. We then drove to Liverpool where we went on a tour of the Beatles Museum (A LOT better than an art museum). I caved and bought a Beatles shirt. That night we walked around the mall near our hotel (which was creepy and made me miss the London Centre) and ate dinner. The whole city was practically closed down because of the 2 inches of snow they received that day. The next morning we headed to Burmingham where we went through yet another art museum (we went to 6). We finally got back to London around 7PM and I crashed. The trip was so much fun (other than the museums) and I loved getting outside of London and seeing other parts of England. The centre is starting to feel like home and I actually missed Tais' cooking.
Sunday I had to be up early for church, it starts at 9 but I have an hour train ride to get there. It was an interesting day to say the least. I am a minority at church (most are African) and I have a hard time understanding what people are saying. Let me just say though, that I have never felt so welcome. Everyone is so nice and embracing. The Primary President needed help in the primary, so Amanda and I got asked to teach the 5-7 year olds. It was COMPLETE chaos. Other than getting covered in pink chalk, one kid biting the other kids, jumping off tables and running on the chairs, I think we managed to squeeze in a small lesson. Oh and did I mention I got asked to speak in sacrament? Fun. I felt like I was on a mission but I really did thoroughly enjoy my Sunday. It snowed uncontrollably on Sunday so we all stayed at the centre and hung out.
Since we've been back from our little trip, we have had lots of school and homework but lots of fun also. On Monday a few of us stayed around the centre and explored what we have right here in our neighborhood. We shopped and looked in all the little boutiques on Portobello Road, it was adorable! Tuesday was a shopping day. We took the tube to Oxford Circus and shopped till we dropped. I bought two adorable shirts, but definitely found a LOT more that I wanted to buy. We found the BIGGEST Topshop I have ever seen in Oxford Circus and it was heaven. Too bad everything is a million dollars. After dinner we decided to walk around by Big Ben and the London Eye and got some great pictures until we were popsicles, but it was amazing.

Erin Madelyn Kelsey Audrey Christina McKenna Haley

Christina & Dani

 Yesterday I experienced Wagamama's for the first time (I will definitely be going back) it was delicious and then we headed over to the Valentino Exhibit. AMAZING. It was a collection of 140 vintage dresses by Valentino, I could have been in there for hours. Dani and I ended the night with an episode of The Bachelor (my guilty pleasure). Next week we are headed out on another trip to Oxford and
Sorry for the long post, so much reading and so little pictures. I will try to add some more later when I have better internet connection.
xoxo
Christina

picture post

so i decided everyone would probably want some pictures since i haven't posted very many (sorry)... here's a little bit of this past weeks' adventures :) 

[the back of our cute flat]

[big ben]

[the guard and his scary horse who kicks and bites]

[the national gallery]

                                                         

[trafalgar square]

[an unexpected invasion of astronauts]

[the steps of st. paul's cathedral]

[a day in the life of queen victoria]

[kensington palace]

[a stroll in hyde park]

[rain boots on rain boots at eynsburg castle]

I'm a Tourist and I Don't Care Who Knows it

I've been in London for a few days now and every day I fall more in love with the city. Although it is gloomy here, we have had good luck and had little rain. Today we actually saw the sun come out for a second and it was beautiful. The wind is definitely cold, but when its not blowing, it is rather nice outside. The first couple days were overwhelming, trying to figure out where to go and how to use the Tube but I'm starting to get the hang of it and it's really not that hard. I get my directions mixed up though and never know which is way is east, north, etc. Everywhere I go is an adventure and I literally learn something new every 5 minutes. I think my directors are getting annoyed of me following them around and asking them every question I can think of. My goal is to get as much out of this trip as possible and what better way then to ask questions.

The last couple days have literally been crazy go go go, we have walked all around the city. We got on the Tube today, following our director on a walking tour, we came up from the underground and I said, "where are we?" he replied, "everyone turn around and look up." I turned around and BIG BEN was literally towering over me, I started to scream and I couldn't stop taking pictures of it, AMAZING. We walked all around Trafalgar Square, went to Piccadilly Circus, The National Gallery, St. Paul's Cathedral and tons of other places. Being here is unexplainable. It is something everyone has to see for themselves. Its crazy to me to think that London is home to some people and they walk around these beautiful places all the time and think nothing of it. There is so much history in every little detail of the city. I literally take pictures of everything I see and I have just accepted the fact that I look like a total tourist and I'm okay with it.

  

Yesterday was our first day of class, which was alright. I don't think they should be too hard even though I would rather be out seeing things. After class we went to the Tate Britain Museum where we saw tons of art in a Pre-Raphaelite Exhibit. I had to be one of those people and buy the audio tour. It helped me see things in the paintings that I wouldn't have noticed on my own. I'm trying to appreciate art as much as possible even though I honestly know nothing about it. I saw some Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Jan Van Eyck and I know that I am lucky because some people that deserve to see these things never get the opportunity. 

I have made so many new friends and love every one of the girls. I feel like I have known many of them for years. I feel like our group has gotten close so fast. I couldn't have been put in a better room with better girls, we all get along so well.

xoxo

Christina     

I Have Arrived!

Today I landed in London after almost 24 hours of straight traveling. Even though I was exhausted I couldn't wait to get out and start exploring. I flew in with a few girls from my study abroad group and we had booked a shuttle together to get to the London Centre. The driver wasn't planning on five of us and he definitely had no idea that each one of us would have 3 HUGE pieces of luggage. After playing tetris to fit everything in the van for a good while, we finally got it. We all had luggage on our laps and in between our legs, luckily I got the front seat and still had a good view out the front window. I was in awe as we drove the 40 minutes to the centre at how cool and old everything is and I was also a little scared for my life considering the driver couldn't see out the back window and was swerving in and out of traffic. Not to mention driving on the opposite side of the road which was a little trippy. I fell in love with London instantly.

One of the flats down the street from the centre was on fire when we arrived so fire trucks were blocking the street. We had to haul ourselves and our luggage down the road and then up 4 flights of stairs to our room Lets just say I was a little shweaty. After establishing my bunk and having a short orientation with my directors, a few girls and I decided to go walk around. We stopped at the King's Head Pub for dinner, (I had fish and chips) and found a store where I bought shampoo, conditioner, a blow dryer and straightener. HOLY COW this place is expensive!

We had to be back to the London Centre for another quick orientation then we were free to do what we want for the rest of the night. A huge group of us went to a waffle house and got ice cream and cake. The food here is different but not too bad so far. I just can't believe I'm here! It literally seems like a dream and it hasn't set in that it's actually happening! I'm so excited to continue on this journey! I already miss my family and my adorable boyfriend, it's definitely going to take some time getting used to everything and sharing a room with 11 other girls. I love this place and am so blessed to be able to have this opportunity! It's time for bed, I am jet lagged and have a big day tomorrow!

xoxo

Christina