I'm beginning to believe that the business here is going to be non-stop. We've seen some magnificent things so far this week, but it has been one of the most exhausting. Our schedule has been getting up between 7:30-8am and being out until later in the afternoon and not finishing homework until 2 or 3am. I'm hoping to manage my time better, as I would love to have time to go out and just sit or photograph.
Tuesday was AMAZING to say the least. We had our first time in an actual classroom for a few hours to discuss what we've done so far (and also attempt to learn some very elementary engineering). After that we went to a nearby university called AIU (American Intercontinental University - London)and visited their arts program. We got to look at some fantastic sample work and talk to some students (a few of which were from the States) about their experiences. The idea is that many students get two undergraduate art degrees - one in American and one here, so the students ranged from 18-25. I spoke with two students, one in photography whose work just blew my mind. Sure he's paying $170,000 in debt, but the opportunities the school provides are unbelievable. The other student is planning on staying in London and is already making a great wage. Their exhibition opening is tonight, but I will have to get to see it later. That night, we went as a group to see Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer Night's Dream at the famous Globe Theatre. It honestly went beyond my expectations. Everything was so well done, the acting, costumes, ambiance, music. Just being at the Globe made it the all better. It's an open roof amphitheater with all of the original design elements. We had great seats, right beside the stage in a balcony-type area. I wasn't expecting it, but I laughed until I just about cried. Shakespeare sure was kind of pervy and the actors put a great sense of physical comedy into it. After it was over, our section walked out and it was dark, of course. The view of the Millennium Bridge over the Thames looked magnificent with St. Paul's Cathedral standing beyond the other side of the river. We walked to the tube in awe of the sites and in true London fashion, it began to rain.
We were so exhausted on Wednesday because of the eventful Tuesday and gobs of homework to do. Amanda and I go on lock down in our room so we can write our papers. Last night was another one of those times because it was so tempting to go out and watch the England v. America football game. A few of the guys went to the game and said it was great even though we lost.
Yesterday we visited Greenwich (the beginning of time!) where I saw the Prime Meridian. I think if I could ever live in the city of London itself, it would have to be in Greenwich. It's so beautiful with large green spaces, river views, quaint houses and great shops. We took a ferry back to Westminster that was very chilly, but also lovely as we passed under the Tower Bridge and various beautiful homes.
As Amanda and I were eating our four cheese frozen pizza on our beds while writing papers, my loose lateral incisor fell out. I knew it was going to happen since it started to come loose after I arrived here. It was quite funny though, scaring the crap out of Amanda and the rest of my flatmates. I couldn't get ahold of Dr. Stoner so I found a Doctor on my own and told Sean about my situation. Since I wasn't in pain, I went to the site study trips until my appointment today. I felt a little embarrassed about the situation, but more embarrassed that Sean lent me fifty pounds so I didn't have to travel back to my flat. I was a little nervous getting there on my own from the South Kensington Museum since I had never truly been alone in the city. I found my tube station, connecting line just fine. I got the tooth re cemented and now I have my smile again! woo! I met back up with the rest of the group at the Victoria & Albert Museum where I was once again blown away by the art I got to experience. I literally saw my favourite photographers of all time (William Eggleston, Alfred Stieglitz, Julia Margaret Cameron, Joel Meyerowitz). I'm definitely going back to get a better look - and to see that piece by Raphael.
Once again, I'll refer you to Amanda's blog for some photos until I can get my own up here. I'm beginning to really miss my family & friends, even though I couldn't be happier about being here. Your comments really mean a lot to me! I ran up the phone bill last night by catching up with my Liz and it really made me miss home. I'll get to spend my 21st there celebrating though. Annie, I'll be sure to update for you as much as possible :) and I saw a blown glass vase today with kitties on it and it made me think of LOLcats...I'm pretty sure it's just you and Emily who will appreciate that.
Love from London!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
When in London...
Apologies for the various typos, I'm typing on my iPod and can't easily make revisions.
The last few days have been incredibly busy and I have hardly had time to explain what I have really been doing do far. The weekdays are busy with site study trips, which are the equivalent of classes. 4 out of the 5 days we go out in the city with our group of 20 students and 4 faculty members (spouses sometimes included). We have carefully planned out itineraries that correspond nicely with our mass amounts of daily readings. As the city is our primary text in this program, there is a great deal of hands on learning and visual application. Everyday we meet in the lobby of our building and leave promptly at 9am and finish up around 2-3 in the afternoon. The day consists of the entire group trying to keep up with Sean (as he is the primary leader and extremely fast paced walker). We go to not one, but many sites in the city and make various stops to hear what the teachers have to tell us. Sometimes we stop along busy streets or quieter sections of parks and churches, so that can feel kind of strange. We have already seen so much that it feels overwhelming to try and explain. The idea is to learn about the city in an integrated way. This includes ideas of history, literature, architecture/engineering and aesthetics/art in London. Our trips are usually to specific sections of the city. As it would be impossible to do a completely chronological tour of the city, we instead learn each area and kind of make connections as we travel.
Thursday was our first site study trip and our itinerary included Westminster (Parliament & st. George's tower), Whitehall, the London Eye (which was unfortunately closed), Bank, Lloyd's, Swiss Re and Liverpool street. We took our first double decker bus home and Amanda and I got the two front seats on the upper level. I thought so many times that we were going to hit a pedestrian or bicyclist! Friday included sites like Monument, Magnus, London bridge (not to be confused with the tower bridge), Chespside, Guildhall, the museum of London, St. Bart's, Smithfield and Barbican. That may not make too much sense, but pictures should help when I get the chance to post some. We have also seen various beautiful churches inside and out as well as parks and squares. My favourite from this day was Postman's park, which appears in the movie, Closer.
Friday night made a splash into the awesome weekend ahead. The girls in my flat and I went to the national portrait gallery to see the vanity fair photographs on exhibit. We got all dressed up and made the mistake of wearing heels like the rest of the London women do on a daily basis. It was so great seeing some of my favourite photographer's work and so many iconic images of the last 90 years in portraiture.
After the return to the flat and a quick reunion at the pub with the rest of our group, some of us decided to go dancing. We went to an over priced, but happening place in Leicester Square and danced the night away. We all got to bond and it was nice how much we looked out for one another. Saturday was an attempt at doing homework all day then a trip to the Covent Gardens area that had a great trendy place where we all danced our faces off again. That night was our first experience with getting caught in the English rain - I loved it.
To answer a few questions I know my parents had:
I have not noticed the prices of petrol (gasoline) here, but it is undoubtedly expensive. Public transport is thecwsy to go. Our oyster cards take us all over central London (zones 1&2) in either the underground or by bus. There are a lot of cyclists here, not for fun, but as a means of travel and they fly fhrough the streets alongside the buses. Of course, the wealthy and extremely poor do not take public transportation, but it seems like the best way for most to travel. They do pretty well trying to promote energy conservation and environmental issues. Recycling us relatively easy and there are even a few "charging posts" for electric cars. Many of the new buildings are also made environmentally friendly - look up the Gerken, it's fantastic.
From what I have observed, the British do like their personal space. On the tube, especially in the busy mornings, they keep to themselves. Most read a book or the newspaper or listen to music. I try to do the same, but it's difficult in a large group. Even when I think I'm being quiet, I can still recognize the low roar of our American voices. I hate being labeled as "another loud yank" but I can see where londoners would come to that conclusion, especially after dealing with tourists daily. I have met some friendly, or at least curious British people. It's difficult to tell when they might be making fun of you since they seem to still be polite while carrying on a conversation. The pharmacist in a local drug store chatted with amanda and I about our upcoming presidential election. I was truly blown away by how
much he knew about American politics. He jokingly(?) assumed we were voting for McCain and supported the Bush administration. Another funny thing was wgen I talked to a guy from Yorkshire and when he didn't understand me he kept saying "say again, in English." I have found some uncomfortable situations with ordering food, too but I'm learning!
As I predicted, my temporary lateral incisor has come loose. It's still in place but can feeely move. If you ever need a periodontis, I urge you to go to dr. Jason stoner. I'm saying this because he is definitely kindly getting me through this problem and calling in favors for me, even overseas.
Today's trip was primarily centered around paddingtin station. I think this may be my favourite underground/train station so far. It's another rainy day and I regret bringing my rainboots and a waterproof coat. Oh well, bring on the showers! I have 7 papers total due this week and 2 to finish fit tonight so time to go at last! Amanda is currently reading a midsummer night's dream in preparation for seeing it tomorrow night at the Globe.
I know I said it before, but picture to come!
The last few days have been incredibly busy and I have hardly had time to explain what I have really been doing do far. The weekdays are busy with site study trips, which are the equivalent of classes. 4 out of the 5 days we go out in the city with our group of 20 students and 4 faculty members (spouses sometimes included). We have carefully planned out itineraries that correspond nicely with our mass amounts of daily readings. As the city is our primary text in this program, there is a great deal of hands on learning and visual application. Everyday we meet in the lobby of our building and leave promptly at 9am and finish up around 2-3 in the afternoon. The day consists of the entire group trying to keep up with Sean (as he is the primary leader and extremely fast paced walker). We go to not one, but many sites in the city and make various stops to hear what the teachers have to tell us. Sometimes we stop along busy streets or quieter sections of parks and churches, so that can feel kind of strange. We have already seen so much that it feels overwhelming to try and explain. The idea is to learn about the city in an integrated way. This includes ideas of history, literature, architecture/engineering and aesthetics/art in London. Our trips are usually to specific sections of the city. As it would be impossible to do a completely chronological tour of the city, we instead learn each area and kind of make connections as we travel.
Thursday was our first site study trip and our itinerary included Westminster (Parliament & st. George's tower), Whitehall, the London Eye (which was unfortunately closed), Bank, Lloyd's, Swiss Re and Liverpool street. We took our first double decker bus home and Amanda and I got the two front seats on the upper level. I thought so many times that we were going to hit a pedestrian or bicyclist! Friday included sites like Monument, Magnus, London bridge (not to be confused with the tower bridge), Chespside, Guildhall, the museum of London, St. Bart's, Smithfield and Barbican. That may not make too much sense, but pictures should help when I get the chance to post some. We have also seen various beautiful churches inside and out as well as parks and squares. My favourite from this day was Postman's park, which appears in the movie, Closer.
Friday night made a splash into the awesome weekend ahead. The girls in my flat and I went to the national portrait gallery to see the vanity fair photographs on exhibit. We got all dressed up and made the mistake of wearing heels like the rest of the London women do on a daily basis. It was so great seeing some of my favourite photographer's work and so many iconic images of the last 90 years in portraiture.
After the return to the flat and a quick reunion at the pub with the rest of our group, some of us decided to go dancing. We went to an over priced, but happening place in Leicester Square and danced the night away. We all got to bond and it was nice how much we looked out for one another. Saturday was an attempt at doing homework all day then a trip to the Covent Gardens area that had a great trendy place where we all danced our faces off again. That night was our first experience with getting caught in the English rain - I loved it.
To answer a few questions I know my parents had:
I have not noticed the prices of petrol (gasoline) here, but it is undoubtedly expensive. Public transport is thecwsy to go. Our oyster cards take us all over central London (zones 1&2) in either the underground or by bus. There are a lot of cyclists here, not for fun, but as a means of travel and they fly fhrough the streets alongside the buses. Of course, the wealthy and extremely poor do not take public transportation, but it seems like the best way for most to travel. They do pretty well trying to promote energy conservation and environmental issues. Recycling us relatively easy and there are even a few "charging posts" for electric cars. Many of the new buildings are also made environmentally friendly - look up the Gerken, it's fantastic.
From what I have observed, the British do like their personal space. On the tube, especially in the busy mornings, they keep to themselves. Most read a book or the newspaper or listen to music. I try to do the same, but it's difficult in a large group. Even when I think I'm being quiet, I can still recognize the low roar of our American voices. I hate being labeled as "another loud yank" but I can see where londoners would come to that conclusion, especially after dealing with tourists daily. I have met some friendly, or at least curious British people. It's difficult to tell when they might be making fun of you since they seem to still be polite while carrying on a conversation. The pharmacist in a local drug store chatted with amanda and I about our upcoming presidential election. I was truly blown away by how
much he knew about American politics. He jokingly(?) assumed we were voting for McCain and supported the Bush administration. Another funny thing was wgen I talked to a guy from Yorkshire and when he didn't understand me he kept saying "say again, in English." I have found some uncomfortable situations with ordering food, too but I'm learning!
As I predicted, my temporary lateral incisor has come loose. It's still in place but can feeely move. If you ever need a periodontis, I urge you to go to dr. Jason stoner. I'm saying this because he is definitely kindly getting me through this problem and calling in favors for me, even overseas.
Today's trip was primarily centered around paddingtin station. I think this may be my favourite underground/train station so far. It's another rainy day and I regret bringing my rainboots and a waterproof coat. Oh well, bring on the showers! I have 7 papers total due this week and 2 to finish fit tonight so time to go at last! Amanda is currently reading a midsummer night's dream in preparation for seeing it tomorrow night at the Globe.
I know I said it before, but picture to come!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Update?
I'm dumb and forgot to bring my converter to the internet cafe, which I need to upload photos. check out Amanda's blog for a pretty good update and some photos so far. Also, I have too much homework and 40 seconds left on the internet to make a real post. Love love love!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
We've Arrived in London
Sorry for this short, unorganized post, but the internet cafe is currently closing on me, so porper updating and details will come later.
Amanda and I made it here in Central London yesterday around noon after a series of strange events. First, our flight to North Carolina was delayed so much because of storms that we were going to miss our connecting flight to London. We were so stressed out about it, but luckily we got a new flight to Philidelphia, then to London-Heathrow. The best part was, they upgrtaded us to first class on accident. It was AMAZING. I felt like a celebrity and Amanda and I didn't quite know how to handle the treatment (or the space). Getting free drinks and fabulous meals while reclining in a chair all the way to London was a great way to travel. We didn't sleep much since we were so excited and overwhelmed by the service. We had the works, champagne, warm nuts, hot towels, cheesecake and comfort. Besides the stupid pressure headaches I get from fllying, it was definitely my best flying experience.
After we arrived at the airport, we easily found our luggage, went to the underground station to get our oyster cards and got a taxi to our flat. We were instantly greeted by the busy city. Since we arrived later than planned, we missed the group tour around our neighborhood with the faculty, so Dr. Hume gave the 4 late-comers a short version tour. The situation in the flat is probably the best it could be. The girls are split up into 2 groups and our flat consists of me, Amanda, Kelsie, Allison and Laura. We have two full bathrooms, a kitchen with tiny appliances and a living room.
For dinner, we had a group gathering at Al-dar, a Lebanese eatery that was fantastic. Dr. Saliba recommended some great dishes for us to try, and it helped that the waiter looked like a Middle Eastern Version of Shia Lebeouf. After dinner, the last game of the Euro Cup in football began and the whole city gathered in the pubs to watch. After our flatmates and I got groceries and unpacked, we met up with other UD students at the Duke of Yorke pub and had a pint of Stella Artois (Annie- this reminded me of you and Alex).
Today was our first real day in the city. I'll explain more later, but it was stressful, overwhelming and fun learning on the city streets with a group of 24.
Right now, My top worries (in order) of this trip so far are:
-Crossing the street
-Homework
-Money
-My loose tooth falling out
We saw so much that it's really difficult to sort it out right now with 3 minutes remaining. I'll write later, but I love and miss you all.
If you love me, please don't call or text me unless it's really important because it costs so much to use my mobile (although Courtney and Brandon, I did get your texts and I enjoyed them very much!) - my number should be the same, but you may have to include the country code (001) and if I do not answer, leave a voicemail.
Cheers!
Amanda and I made it here in Central London yesterday around noon after a series of strange events. First, our flight to North Carolina was delayed so much because of storms that we were going to miss our connecting flight to London. We were so stressed out about it, but luckily we got a new flight to Philidelphia, then to London-Heathrow. The best part was, they upgrtaded us to first class on accident. It was AMAZING. I felt like a celebrity and Amanda and I didn't quite know how to handle the treatment (or the space). Getting free drinks and fabulous meals while reclining in a chair all the way to London was a great way to travel. We didn't sleep much since we were so excited and overwhelmed by the service. We had the works, champagne, warm nuts, hot towels, cheesecake and comfort. Besides the stupid pressure headaches I get from fllying, it was definitely my best flying experience.
After we arrived at the airport, we easily found our luggage, went to the underground station to get our oyster cards and got a taxi to our flat. We were instantly greeted by the busy city. Since we arrived later than planned, we missed the group tour around our neighborhood with the faculty, so Dr. Hume gave the 4 late-comers a short version tour. The situation in the flat is probably the best it could be. The girls are split up into 2 groups and our flat consists of me, Amanda, Kelsie, Allison and Laura. We have two full bathrooms, a kitchen with tiny appliances and a living room.
For dinner, we had a group gathering at Al-dar, a Lebanese eatery that was fantastic. Dr. Saliba recommended some great dishes for us to try, and it helped that the waiter looked like a Middle Eastern Version of Shia Lebeouf. After dinner, the last game of the Euro Cup in football began and the whole city gathered in the pubs to watch. After our flatmates and I got groceries and unpacked, we met up with other UD students at the Duke of Yorke pub and had a pint of Stella Artois (Annie- this reminded me of you and Alex).
Today was our first real day in the city. I'll explain more later, but it was stressful, overwhelming and fun learning on the city streets with a group of 24.
Right now, My top worries (in order) of this trip so far are:
-Crossing the street
-Homework
-Money
-My loose tooth falling out
We saw so much that it's really difficult to sort it out right now with 3 minutes remaining. I'll write later, but I love and miss you all.
If you love me, please don't call or text me unless it's really important because it costs so much to use my mobile (although Courtney and Brandon, I did get your texts and I enjoyed them very much!) - my number should be the same, but you may have to include the country code (001) and if I do not answer, leave a voicemail.
Cheers!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
10 Random Things I Learned in Texas
- Reading 3 novels on vacation is an unrealistic goal
- Traveling alone is surprisingly fun
- Everything really is bigger in Texas
- While taking long, indulgent showers is nice at times, it's even more pointless in Texas
- Seeing a rainbow still makes me just as happy as it did when I was a kid
- Being sick isn't half as bad when your best friend is down and out with you
- Veggie hot dogs are the shit
- Southern hospitality isn't a complete myth, but neither is racism
- Courtney can in fact, make a good spaghetti dinner
- Strangers fascinate me
The flight home was great. I couldn't stop looking out of the window as if it were my first time flying. At night when the clouds cleared, I could see the cities. The masses of light lined up looked like the pac-dots that pac-man has to eat as he goes through the maze.3 days until London!!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Road Trip to Texas
Before I head off to London, I figured a trip to see one of my best friends, Courtney was in order. Courtney's wedding was at the beginning of February and I haven't seen her since. Actually, this has probably been the longest we've gone without seeing one another. Being so far apart from each other has been difficult in some respects, but we've been talking on the phone more than ever. With all of the expenses this summer will bring, I opted for a bus ticket down to Texas. Against my parents' preference, I got a round trip ticket from Dayton to Killeen. I have never been on a Greyhound before and I wasn't sure what I was getting myself in to, but I was excited and ready for whatever adventure the 27 hour bus ride had in store for me.
Luckily I learned what to do (and not to do) very quickly as I traveled. When I first got on the bus (that headed straight to Dallas) I sat by a guy who was my age. A group around him included twenty somethings that were very chatty. They didn't know one another, but it was interesting to see how they were already like a group of friends. It was nice to talk to them and hear about their lives, even though after a while I just wanted to listen to music and look out the window. I began to feel almost embarrassed for having luxuries like a car and a college education. The people I had talked to were my age and they had jobs and children to support. I guess more than anything, their stories made me thankful that I have the opportunities that I do, like traveling abroad for example. I never told anyone I was a first timer on the bus, but I assume this group knew since they gave me helpful pointers at my first stop. One thing I didn't expect was how much the bus stops. Most of the stops were Greyhound stations in other major cities, in which we had to get off of the bus (even in the middle of the night). The cities I can remember stopping in are: Cincinnati, Louisville, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock and finally, Dallas. I felt like I was in Tennessee for an eternity. We had an hour layover there where I began talking to an older woman from Dayton who was also going to Dallas. We talked about our families and our hopefulness for the improvement of Dayton. It surprised me, but she almost exclusively uses Greyhound for travel. She went on about how comfortable and nice her experiences have been. For mostly the rest of the trip I had the two seats for myself. I had a Mexican-American from NYC sit by me for awhile and she was very kind. Then at night I sat by a man who was wearing a Texas tuxedo with a horseshoe mustache, who was very polite and gave me both seats as soon as possible. Since I finally bought an iPod, I had fun finding music to match my experiences - mostly Johny Cash, Bob Dylan, Wilco and Th' Legendary Shack Shakers did the trick. We arrived in Dallas at 6:45am (the time of my next scheduled departure), so I missed my bus to Waco>Killeen. After the mix up and waiting for almost 2 hours, I got rescheduled to go to Austin, where Courtney graciously picked me up.
I was SO happy to be in Texas at last! I missed Courtney so much and it was nice to see the city with her. It's been so beautiful here, until recently - nearly 100 degrees on most days. The sun is closer and the sky feels even more expansive. The medians are full of these incredible wildflowers I've never seen in Ohio. They're all over and I saw purple, white and red wildflowers. I've even seen palm trees!
If anything, this week and a half in Central Texas has been very relaxing. I've spent a lot of time with Courtney and Orry, doing various things. My time here has been spent catching up with them, reminiscing, watching movies, laying in the sun and shopping. We've eaten out at so many fabulous new restaurants. I've had Italian, Mexican, French, Japanese and Korean food - who would have thought I'd get such multi-cultural cuisine? Courtney and Orry also have quite a spread here, even for my Vegetarian needs. They've been great hosts and their couch is so comfortable. Part of the time the idea of my best friend being married and having a completely different life does not surprise me at all. In fact, at times it seems so natural. Other times I still think it's completely weird and I'm just waiting for Ron and Kathy to come in. I know most people don't want to hear "you're just like your mother," but Courtney really is in some respects so much like her mom (which she wouldn't deny). The items in their refrigerator, the decor, the cleanliness, all remind me of being at the Wykoff's house.
I was supposed to be back in Dayton by now, but I'm staying until Saturday. I went to catch the bus at 1am in [scary] downtown Killeen, but when we finally made it through the stormy weather, the station appeared to be closed. Courtney had to be at the hospital since she's getting her gallbladder removed so I could not catch any of the returning buses that would get me back in less than 40 hours. I'm not above riding the bus, but 40 hours is pretty ridiculous. I have my parents to thank for getting me a flight home (Terry came to my rescue in this one). At least now, I can stay here and get caught up with all of my readings in preparation for London. It's also good that Orry and I can be here for Courtney post-op.
It's supposed to be a lot cooler the rest of my stay here. The lightning storms I've experienced are completely different from those in Ohio. The raining and the storms lasted throughout the night and into the next day. The wind blew up to 60mph in some areas and the rain sent an instant flood in the streets. The lightning was the most incredible because it's continuous and completely surrounds you. I've been spoiled with the intense heat here, I'll need to get used to moderate London temperatures soon. Only 5 more days in the States and I couldn't be happier about that!
And on an unrelated note...yay for progress!
Luckily I learned what to do (and not to do) very quickly as I traveled. When I first got on the bus (that headed straight to Dallas) I sat by a guy who was my age. A group around him included twenty somethings that were very chatty. They didn't know one another, but it was interesting to see how they were already like a group of friends. It was nice to talk to them and hear about their lives, even though after a while I just wanted to listen to music and look out the window. I began to feel almost embarrassed for having luxuries like a car and a college education. The people I had talked to were my age and they had jobs and children to support. I guess more than anything, their stories made me thankful that I have the opportunities that I do, like traveling abroad for example. I never told anyone I was a first timer on the bus, but I assume this group knew since they gave me helpful pointers at my first stop. One thing I didn't expect was how much the bus stops. Most of the stops were Greyhound stations in other major cities, in which we had to get off of the bus (even in the middle of the night). The cities I can remember stopping in are: Cincinnati, Louisville, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock and finally, Dallas. I felt like I was in Tennessee for an eternity. We had an hour layover there where I began talking to an older woman from Dayton who was also going to Dallas. We talked about our families and our hopefulness for the improvement of Dayton. It surprised me, but she almost exclusively uses Greyhound for travel. She went on about how comfortable and nice her experiences have been. For mostly the rest of the trip I had the two seats for myself. I had a Mexican-American from NYC sit by me for awhile and she was very kind. Then at night I sat by a man who was wearing a Texas tuxedo with a horseshoe mustache, who was very polite and gave me both seats as soon as possible. Since I finally bought an iPod, I had fun finding music to match my experiences - mostly Johny Cash, Bob Dylan, Wilco and Th' Legendary Shack Shakers did the trick. We arrived in Dallas at 6:45am (the time of my next scheduled departure), so I missed my bus to Waco>Killeen. After the mix up and waiting for almost 2 hours, I got rescheduled to go to Austin, where Courtney graciously picked me up.
I was SO happy to be in Texas at last! I missed Courtney so much and it was nice to see the city with her. It's been so beautiful here, until recently - nearly 100 degrees on most days. The sun is closer and the sky feels even more expansive. The medians are full of these incredible wildflowers I've never seen in Ohio. They're all over and I saw purple, white and red wildflowers. I've even seen palm trees!
If anything, this week and a half in Central Texas has been very relaxing. I've spent a lot of time with Courtney and Orry, doing various things. My time here has been spent catching up with them, reminiscing, watching movies, laying in the sun and shopping. We've eaten out at so many fabulous new restaurants. I've had Italian, Mexican, French, Japanese and Korean food - who would have thought I'd get such multi-cultural cuisine? Courtney and Orry also have quite a spread here, even for my Vegetarian needs. They've been great hosts and their couch is so comfortable. Part of the time the idea of my best friend being married and having a completely different life does not surprise me at all. In fact, at times it seems so natural. Other times I still think it's completely weird and I'm just waiting for Ron and Kathy to come in. I know most people don't want to hear "you're just like your mother," but Courtney really is in some respects so much like her mom (which she wouldn't deny). The items in their refrigerator, the decor, the cleanliness, all remind me of being at the Wykoff's house.
I was supposed to be back in Dayton by now, but I'm staying until Saturday. I went to catch the bus at 1am in [scary] downtown Killeen, but when we finally made it through the stormy weather, the station appeared to be closed. Courtney had to be at the hospital since she's getting her gallbladder removed so I could not catch any of the returning buses that would get me back in less than 40 hours. I'm not above riding the bus, but 40 hours is pretty ridiculous. I have my parents to thank for getting me a flight home (Terry came to my rescue in this one). At least now, I can stay here and get caught up with all of my readings in preparation for London. It's also good that Orry and I can be here for Courtney post-op.It's supposed to be a lot cooler the rest of my stay here. The lightning storms I've experienced are completely different from those in Ohio. The raining and the storms lasted throughout the night and into the next day. The wind blew up to 60mph in some areas and the rain sent an instant flood in the streets. The lightning was the most incredible because it's continuous and completely surrounds you. I've been spoiled with the intense heat here, I'll need to get used to moderate London temperatures soon. Only 5 more days in the States and I couldn't be happier about that!
And on an unrelated note...yay for progress!
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