Spring Break 2K9

As most probably went home or departed the UD ghetto for the beach, Amanda and I, of course had an adventure. For our one week break from our last semester at school, we went to Washington. For almost no reason, except to satisfy our curiosity, we went to Seattle for a few days and then spent some time in the Olympic Peninsula (Forks, to be exact). Instead of keeping a diary, I took photos, which really doesn't help explain anything. Anyhow, here are my facebook albums: click here for Forks and click here for Seattle. 

Impromptu trip to our nation's capital

Washington, D.C. better get ready, the Hopkins sisters are making a late night (err early morning?) trip to the capital city! As I mentioned before, Liz will be leaving for South Korea on Saturday (2 days!). So why this journey, you ask? Well, as nothing can ever go smoothly for either of us while traveling, there is a complicated story:

Thanks to the u.s. visa policy and the unhelpful people working alongside of the university, Liz's visa never came. She had to resend her transcript today and it turns out it her visa won't actually be available until tomorrow afternoon, making it too late to reach her by mail. So driving to D.C., for the win! We will leave at 3am, drive straight to D.C. and quickly arrive by noon. After giving a holler to my boy Barack and seeing the marvels of Washington, we will be making an equally quick trip back to Dayton; 491.14 miles each way. Yessss.

Besides all of my homework, namely catching up on reading assignments from my bout of sickness, I'm very much looking forward to this spontaneous trip. I haven't been to Washington, D.C. since I was probably 10 or 11, the height of my educational family vacations. I still have most of the memorials imprinted in my memory, but it's mostly a generic view I have of the City. If I'm lucky enough to swing it, I'll take any down time to check out the National Gallery of Art. Robert Frank's entire collection of The Americans will be exhibited and I've been anxious to see his work for years. Even so, I absolutely love driving and this is the perfect trip to have right before my sister leaves for four months, even if the circumstances aren't the most ideal.

Back in the USA

On Saturday night, America greeted Amanda and I. We have been immersed in European culture for the last month and a half so it was pretty bitter-sweet coming home. Our flight went out from Dublin in the early morning of the 28th and went directly to London-Heathrow. It took about everything in us to get on that next flight to Philadelphia instead of staying in London. After a rushed entrance to our gate and a tragic goodbye to the polka dot bubble umbrella I had just purchased, we hopped on the American Airlines flight to the US. It was incredible how much of an American stereotype was on that plane, but I won't go into that.

Our arrival in Philly was supposed to be calm and easy, but with Hillary and Amanda, nothing is ever that simple. The airport there wasn't the most efficient in getting people through security and we had to run to our plane departing for Dayton. It was the last flight there so it was a good thing we made it just as the plane was supposed to take off. When we got to Dayton, I could see Mom and Terry at the end of baggage claim. Mom was waving here hands at me like I was on stage during a play in elementary school. She brought Amanda and I flowers, too, which almost made up for the luggage American Airlines lost (which has now thankfully been returned to us).

The First thing we did was eat McDonald's fries, since we promised each other we would not eat any American fast food overseas. It was so surreal being home again. My room was not quite as messy as it was when I left and my car had been cleaned out for me as well, thanks to my sister. While some things, like the UD campus and surrounding areas have changed, everything was still basically the same. Driving again was probably the strangest thing. I definitely don't miss buying gas, so I doubt I'll be driving aimlessly as much anymore. After all of my adjusting, the five of us (me, Amanda, Mom, Terry & Liz) all went out to start the celebrating of my twenty-first birthday. All in all it was a very good night for a birthday and a coming home party.

Resting is probably my first order of business, then of course I have all of that unpacking to do. It's been more difficult to explain to people how my trip was than actually adjust to being here again. I almost don't know what to say when people ask me about my favourite part of the trip. There are just so many things that come to mind, I think I need time to just sort my thoughts on the past month and a half. I have SO many photos from everything too, it might overwhelm you. Is 6 gigs a lot?

With my birthday over with and a lot of catching up to do with everyone, my 5 days back in the USA have been a lot of fun. I'm about to go see red, white and boom in Columbus tonight with Zach and Emily and tomorrow is the first reunion with my London flatmates - I can't think of a better way to spend the 4th.

Thanks for reading throughout all my travels and keep checking back for more photos and things.

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Our Class photo at Stonehenge

Zürich

Im going to stop going into counrties so blindly. I mean Swiss Francs? All I had were Euros. And really, is it German they are speaking. Why didnt I listen to mom and Terry more when they speak their random phrases around the house? Luckily I loved my experience in Zürich, despite my naïveté.

We arrived early afternoon after a beautiful and exhausting train ride. Our hostel was more like a hotel with all of its accomodations, great location in the old town and fantastic decor. Other than the heat, everything else pretty much fell into place. Again, Amanda and I went with no plan and ended up having a good time by just exploring on our own. The European football tournament was held in Zürich at the time and the game that night was Italia v. España. Fans absolutely filled the streets, it was more like an enormous festival with booths set up, games and rides all along the river. Amanda and I got lucky AGAIN and found this great funk/hiphop/soul band. They were a twelve piece band, complete with horns, saxes and the works. We got right up front and just danced like we didnt just spend 6 hours on a train. The rest of the night we continued to explore and ended up at the bar that was a part of our hostel where the game was on and there were some obvious Spain fans. We figured they won since the air horn blew and all we could hear was "España, España!" The parties were still going on so after our pint, we ran down to the river and grabbed some take away Mexican food, I kid you not, it was amazingggg.

Our last few hours in Zürich were mostly spent shopping. New ruby slippers and some swiss chocolate were my new additions.

London's Mine

Look! I finally added photos - in sequential, album form! click HERE to view them from my Facebook - Or just go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2090093&l=34998&id=21907984. Whichever. They are photos from take off and our first day or two out in the city. Let me know what you think.

I'm currently working on getting a few postcards to you guys. Also, I'm still up for receiving letters! :)

Yesterday was our trip to St. Paul's Cathedral, the first Protestant Cathedral in England. It's very spatious in everyway, unlike some of the other churches we've visited. Every part of it is very open and naturally lit. The Dome is definitely the most attractive part of the design and I started to get dizzy just looking up at it. Like other cathedrals and museums, photography was not permitted, and like other cathedrals and museums we've visited, I managed to sneak a few. After that experience, Amanda and I had an awkward moment as we attempted to get our photo together on the front steps. Let's just say she tends to fall into me sometimes.

After St. Paul's we crossed the Millennium Bridge and talked about it for awhile before heading to the Tate Modern. Since Pizza Express was not so express, we only got to see the inside of the museum for about 15 minutes. What I saw was great, so we're definitely going back there to explore. We ended the day with some more English rain and a walk across the Tower Bridge.

I cannot wait until this weekend. It's our long weekend, since we get Friday off. Most people are going to Dublin or Paris, but Amanda (and 2 others in the group, Kathleen and Nathan) and I are going to Skye, Scotland. We still have to figure out the details with the train and hostels there, so I'm guessing it's going to run up the bill a bit. But it's SCOTLAND! And we were told Skye Isle is a wonderful place, so I'm sure it will be worth it.

Tomorrow we have to be ready to leave at a grueling 7AM to travel to Avebury and Salisbury. I'm ready for a day in the countryside of England and I have no idea what to expect. After the site study trip is our second group dinner, marking the middle of the program. I cannot believe it's almost half over already. I've become accustomed to the flow of the city, the sirens, the people, the food, I can't imagine being back in America quite yet.

To answer a few specific questions about life in London:

cell phones - called mobiles here, and people here are just as attached to them as they are in the States. Since most people go through their day as if only they existed, there aren't too many unspoken rules of etiquette I've picked up on. Most don't use them in the underground, but that may be because service is so poor. I wouldn't even say the English are any quieter on their mobiles, just maybe more respectful of a quiet area.

city travel - like many other cities that use a subway/underground/metro system, the London underground has the choice of getting tickets or a scanning card. We have cards (called oyster cards) that are scan-able for use of the tube or the bus systems. It's cheaper than buying weekly tickets and more efficient since it's faster to scan a card rather than feeding in a ticket - and trust me, you want it to be fast when gobs of people are rushing to get to their platform. So you go to the tube station, scan the card and the doors let you through - same goes for exiting as well. If you get through without scanning (which can be done), you are at risk of a fine if they do a random check, and those don't happen often. The oyster card works the same for the buses, but it's harder to sneak on since the drivers keep an eye on who scans their card. Buses are a neat experience, but I prefer the tube, even though it's hotter and dirtier.

food - Sure bangers and mash or fish and chips don't seem like fantastic meals, but that's British food for ya. I have not eaten any of these meals, but the pub food I have tried is fried, boiled and deliciously bad for you - especially at the Irish pub. Since London is full of European immigrants, there is literally every type of ethnic food available and it sure is good. It is kind of a joke that is said around here that the national dish is the Indian dish, chicken tikki masala. Even the "fast food" is great because they are usually sandwich shops that are chains like EAT, Enjoy, or my personal favourite, Pret a Manger. They make various sandwiches daily and it works kind of like a classy grab and go. All of these places, inluding the ethnic foods have a lot more vegetarian options as well. They are creative and really yummy - also properly labeled. The grocery stores have a lot of the same general selections, but with most animal products and other things being organic. The best thing I have eaten so far would have to be either the pasta at the pub or the avacado, spinach, tomato, cheese, yogurt wrap I had today at Pret. mmm.

internet - Our flat does technically have wireless, but it is awful strength and mostly annoys me. Only one of the guys has a computer here, and I'm the only other one with internet access because I can access it through my iPod, however this is a huge distraction and I try to make Amanda break my habit. So we've mostly been going to the i-caf to update and such. 1 pound per hour!

I hope everyone is diong well. Thanks again for the comments, I love it! Please check out my first batch of photos by clicking HERE .

Peace & Love

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!