So Europe is BEAUTIFUL (shocker, right?). I'm sorry I suck at blogging but really its because I suck at getting internet- it is SO pricey here! It's one of the things I have come to really appreciate. Here are a few others:
-Ice
-Free Water in Restaurants
-Paying $3 for a 12 pack of coke
-Cars
-Cheap Gas (It's about 11-12 dollars a gallon here)
-Free bathrooms
I love leaving the country because it makes you so much more aware of your own country. Kind of sad that you have to do that to realize how much you love it though, right?
Things are amazing here- I've learned so much about life in general by being abroad. More things I have realized- language is a barrior, but a smile is the same in every language. I know it sounds cheasy, but while we were in Paris I made eyecontact with this French guy on the metro after this man got on to play his HORRIBLE instruments, and we could barely contain our grins. It was the best, because even though I couldn't have said more than "Bonjour, Merci, Oui" to him, we knew exactly what each other thought.
The food has been amazing too- French bread is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth- second only to gelato- I've had two in the last 18 hours. It's perfect. Strolling the streets of Florence, eating gelato, and browsing statues that are hundreds of years old. What more could I want?
Life is good.
More extensive updates and more pictures than you'd ever want to see in your life soon!!!! (we have free wifi in Rome!)
Ciao, baby.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
oh my gosh...
So I leave the country tomorrow.
That sounds SO weird, you don't even know. I leave the country for 10 weeks- the longest I've ever been away from American soil was 10 DAYS. It's weird. I'm leaving behind everything familiar for that which definitely is not- no more chik-fil-a or mexican food for almost 3 months- heck, no access to my own cell phone or pillow for that matter. It's going to be an adventure- and its the most surreal experience I've had in a long, long time. I'm going to savor that wait tomorrow in the airport, because it is the beginning of EVERYTHING!
We planned a weekend getaway to Ireland this week- We get weekends to travel on our own when we get to Oxford- 3 days to go wherever our hearts desire. We are going to Galway, Ireland the weekend of July 9-11. We're going to see the cliffs of Moher- which are supposed to be BREATHTAKING:
Wow. This is happening. Can someone pinch me, please?
That sounds SO weird, you don't even know. I leave the country for 10 weeks- the longest I've ever been away from American soil was 10 DAYS. It's weird. I'm leaving behind everything familiar for that which definitely is not- no more chik-fil-a or mexican food for almost 3 months- heck, no access to my own cell phone or pillow for that matter. It's going to be an adventure- and its the most surreal experience I've had in a long, long time. I'm going to savor that wait tomorrow in the airport, because it is the beginning of EVERYTHING!
We planned a weekend getaway to Ireland this week- We get weekends to travel on our own when we get to Oxford- 3 days to go wherever our hearts desire. We are going to Galway, Ireland the weekend of July 9-11. We're going to see the cliffs of Moher- which are supposed to be BREATHTAKING:
Wow. This is happening. Can someone pinch me, please?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
pre-departure.
aaaaaah, back in the ATL. Breathe out. That's how this week has felt. It's been so good to have this little week and a half of transition between finals/being home, and then being in Europe. It centers me. And gets me REALLY excited, because it is HAPPENING.
So far, its been a whirlwind of a week. Essentially, what we're doing is taking a semester of class and fitting most of it into 7 days of class. At least that's what it feels like. When we depart, we will have about 60% of our grades finished for both European Composers and Art & Architecture II, the two classes we will be taking on the road. Translated, it means that the third day of class we had a 10 page paper due and a test in the music class. We have another music test on tuesday, along with our first art test. Whew. Its also hard having two hour classes, since all of mine have always been 1 hour. It doesn't seem like that big of deal, but about the time you get bored and are sure the class is over, you look at your watch and find out its only half done!
We've gotten lots more info on what we will be doing when we get to the cities- lots of concerts, art museums, and general debauchery, it seems. Every time a teacher or a leader talks about us going out on our own they mention "getting wasted and hooking up." Seems to be a frequent event. ;) I can also already tell there are going to be some problem children. One boy yesterday at our group meeting asked our leader about 17 different questions, all based around the same theme: can we get the bus driver to be our dd? can he go out drinking with us? if we paid him, do you think he could pick us up? FIRST of all, why would you want to go out with the bus driver?? Leave him alone! He probably is old and has a family and has no place getting drunk with college kids. And TWO, of course georgia tech is not going to hire a bus driver to be your dd! And THREE, you got a "no" with the first question, stop asking. It makes everyone really uncomfortable and you look stupid. I should have known he would be a problem, he was wearing a Yankees cap. ;)
Getting sooooo excited though. I absolutely can't wait. Yesterday, we looked up our flight and it seems that we're going to have our own personal movie screen things! So pumped! They had some great movies too: 27 dresses, the bucket list, juno, devil wears prada... Better load up on 'em since I know I won't be getting a wink of sleep!
Alright, au revoir for now!!!
PS...this is our Paris hotel.....WOW!
So far, its been a whirlwind of a week. Essentially, what we're doing is taking a semester of class and fitting most of it into 7 days of class. At least that's what it feels like. When we depart, we will have about 60% of our grades finished for both European Composers and Art & Architecture II, the two classes we will be taking on the road. Translated, it means that the third day of class we had a 10 page paper due and a test in the music class. We have another music test on tuesday, along with our first art test. Whew. Its also hard having two hour classes, since all of mine have always been 1 hour. It doesn't seem like that big of deal, but about the time you get bored and are sure the class is over, you look at your watch and find out its only half done!
We've gotten lots more info on what we will be doing when we get to the cities- lots of concerts, art museums, and general debauchery, it seems. Every time a teacher or a leader talks about us going out on our own they mention "getting wasted and hooking up." Seems to be a frequent event. ;) I can also already tell there are going to be some problem children. One boy yesterday at our group meeting asked our leader about 17 different questions, all based around the same theme: can we get the bus driver to be our dd? can he go out drinking with us? if we paid him, do you think he could pick us up? FIRST of all, why would you want to go out with the bus driver?? Leave him alone! He probably is old and has a family and has no place getting drunk with college kids. And TWO, of course georgia tech is not going to hire a bus driver to be your dd! And THREE, you got a "no" with the first question, stop asking. It makes everyone really uncomfortable and you look stupid. I should have known he would be a problem, he was wearing a Yankees cap. ;)
Getting sooooo excited though. I absolutely can't wait. Yesterday, we looked up our flight and it seems that we're going to have our own personal movie screen things! So pumped! They had some great movies too: 27 dresses, the bucket list, juno, devil wears prada... Better load up on 'em since I know I won't be getting a wink of sleep!
Alright, au revoir for now!!!
PS...this is our Paris hotel.....WOW!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
waiting.
They say the best part of a trip is the waiting. Okay, maybe the ambiguous "they" don't say it- but my mother does. Every time we took a family vacation or I watched her pack for a European adventure, it was the first thing she would say to me, "This is the best part- the excitement and the preparation." Well, it you gage a trip on how much preparation and waiting hours you put in, this should be the best trip of my entire life, because I have been waiting what seems like forever for it.
It was one of the first things that sold me on Georgia Tech during the "college hunt" years- I remember the day I first hear about. It was during one of those cheesy info sessions they have-my mother and I attended most of them. Anyway, it was general info about study abroad: how many programs Tech has, the percentage of students who participate, the cost range, how many countries are covered by Tech students, etc. One nervous parent asked about cost, and what the most expensive trip was. Jason Seletos, the host of the session, smiled and said, "The program I am in charge of- it's called the Oxford Program." After explaining about the 4 weeks of travel to 7 different European cities and the glorious 6 weeks spent in Oxford following it, I turned to mom and grinned/groaned, "Well, that's the one I want to go on. Figures."
Two years later, here I am, sitting in Memphis, staring at my little red suitcase jammed full of everything in the world I can think of- probably too much clothes (is that possible???), entirely too many band-aides, about 20 packages of Emergen-C, two pairs of earplugs (what if I lost the first pair??), and exactly 4 pairs of shoes.Am I prepared? I think so. Am I excited? Hell yes. Can I even fathom what this summer holds in store for me, my three best friends, the 146 other participants, and the seven countries we are guaranteed to see? Probably not.
But I do know: Will it be worth the wait?
Absolutely.
It was one of the first things that sold me on Georgia Tech during the "college hunt" years- I remember the day I first hear about. It was during one of those cheesy info sessions they have-my mother and I attended most of them. Anyway, it was general info about study abroad: how many programs Tech has, the percentage of students who participate, the cost range, how many countries are covered by Tech students, etc. One nervous parent asked about cost, and what the most expensive trip was. Jason Seletos, the host of the session, smiled and said, "The program I am in charge of- it's called the Oxford Program." After explaining about the 4 weeks of travel to 7 different European cities and the glorious 6 weeks spent in Oxford following it, I turned to mom and grinned/groaned, "Well, that's the one I want to go on. Figures."
Two years later, here I am, sitting in Memphis, staring at my little red suitcase jammed full of everything in the world I can think of- probably too much clothes (is that possible???), entirely too many band-aides, about 20 packages of Emergen-C, two pairs of earplugs (what if I lost the first pair??), and exactly 4 pairs of shoes.Am I prepared? I think so. Am I excited? Hell yes. Can I even fathom what this summer holds in store for me, my three best friends, the 146 other participants, and the seven countries we are guaranteed to see? Probably not.
But I do know: Will it be worth the wait?
Absolutely.
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