It had to happen eventually.

Last night, for the first time, I cried because I missed London.

It wasn't a sob fest. Silent tears, rather. But the ache in my stomach was so strong that I had no choice but to let the tears go. I think one of the reasons the pain of missing this place is so acute is because I know that, even if I go back, it will not be the same. 

I was recently presented with an opportunity to apply for a Model UN trip, through my university, to Oxford, England. The trip lasts for six days, and is paid for by the university. I debated whether or not to apply, but decided against it for several reasons. First of all, I don't feel equipped to represent my school in an official forum. Second of all, I think that it would be difficult for me to return to England on such a tight schedule, as a tourist, and on someone else's agenda--not to mention, to be fairly far from London and Kingston. Third of all, I would have to be dragged out of the country after only six days. And I think that I would spend the rest of my senior year depressed that I wasn't back there. 

That being said, there is almost no question in my mind that I will go back to London for graduate school. I have a lot of research to do in terms of the financial situation, but I am determined. And you know what they say about where there's a will...

As a side note, I would like to add that, after a little bit of adjusting, I am thrilled to be back in Charlotte, at Queens, with the people who have helped shape me over the last several years. It's also helpful that I get to see some of my London friends every now and then; it's just one of those things that makes me feel a little bit closer to the place I miss so desperately. 

If the money in my bank account didn't equal the cost of a plane ticket to England, I would have bought one already.

Love,

lvp

I ain't lost, just wandering.

The summer is nearly over, and I still feel like I came back from London yesterday.

Thanks to the internet, we've all done a good job of staying in touch since we've gone our separate ways. I was able to see Katie and Krista in Charlotte, and will be seeing a few others in DC in a couple weeks if all goes to plan. Seeing London friends in the US is surreal. It took a lot of self-convincing for me to believe that, while I was with the girls, I couldn't just click the heels of my flip flops together and return to England with them beside me.

Not a day goes by that I don't think about the semester I just had. Most of my memories are of the simple things. Sure, I loved my classes and teachers enough to make straight A's, traveled to several other countries, met up with so many different people from home, and ate loads of amazing food. But the memories that flood my brain almost constantly are the ones that, to other people, may seem the least significant or substantial. The neighborhood walks. The train rides. The tube stations. The Oyster stops. The grocery days. The weather. The river. The market. The Bentall Center. The cookies (Ben's and Millie's). The music. The dancing. The post office. The currency. The "hole in the wall." The guacamole. The Costa Coffee. The Chocolate Cream Frappucino on a day when it was actually warm enough to drink one on the way to the train station. The ever [un]reliable bus system and the fantastic bus-waiting conversations. The assigned seats and ice cream at the cinema. The couches and Curry Night at Coronation. The comfy chairs and wooden forks at Foodie. The bitch at Corky's. The love/hate relationship with Primark and the 99p Store. The crappy vending machines on campus that never worked and the doors that wouldn't open. The room on campus that doesn't have a catchy name but where we always met...to avoid doing homework. The weird chairs at Subway where we met every Wednesday. The chicken and cheese panini at Moulin Rouge. The Sunday morning football games in the rec field behind my house.

These are the things I remember most often. Not because of what they involve, but because of who they involve. It's all about the people. I went halfway across the world to meet the people who would change my life, and it was worth every single mile.

Returning to college in the US will be strange, and will require some adjusting. But I must remember that these people, the ones with whom I have spent most of my time over the last three years, have also been a part of my life changing experiences. And we all have a whole lot more life to live.

The people I've met are the wonders of my world

I like it in the city when two worlds collide

You get the people and the government

Everybody taking different sides

Shows that we ain't gonna stand shit

Shows that we are united

Love,

lvp

  

The streets are all familiar, and an old friend shakes my hand.

They do warn you about the culture shock and the feeling of displacement that comes along with returning home, but nothing can fully prepare you for it.

Please don't misread me; I am so glad, and thankful, to be home. Being gone reinforced how grateful I am for my family and friends, and being here with them again after four months is wonderful. But being away from England is not easy.

The first week I was home was mostly just exciting. I was soaking it all in, trying to appreciate the little things that I had missed, trying to spend time with everyone at once, trying to keep in touch with the friends I had made in London. And then I went to Charlotte, to visit my college friends.

Charlotte was, no doubt, a great time, but it was, for whatever reason, when the transition struggles started to settle in. I felt, for maybe the first time in my life, like I didn't belong anywhere. Jacksonville, home, is where my family is, and of course I always feel welcome. But, after three years of college and the semester in another country, I feel somewhat detached--not from my family themselves, but from daily life, from routines,  from habits and schedules. I've been so used to being on my schedule that to suddenly consider four other people's routines becomes overwhelming. Then, in Charlotte, I felt a bit out of place, simply because my friends who are staying there this summer are very set in their routines, have jobs, have internships, have relationships--and so much has changed since I left. Dynamics among friends are so different, and it's difficult to just jump back into these friendships, especially after having changed so much myself. The other two places I would be? In the Blue Ridge Mountains at Camp Crestridge, but I know that that is not what the Lord has for me this summer. However, seeing a bunch of my friends return to work there and seeing all the photos go up from their adventures makes me miss it way more than I ever thought I would. And, finally, England. A place that has undoubtedly become a second (or third or fourth?) home to me, and I will be back. I just know now is not the time, although I wish with a lot of my heart that I could return tomorrow.

I will say that today marks the end of my third week home. And I have developed more of a sense of belonging. I am home, and I need to soak that time in, enjoy it, appreciate it, and savor it. I actually have to start considering my future, or my post-undergraduate life, which at this point consists of way too many ideas to even have a clear direction.  But so much that I do now will make a difference in what I can do later. So I feel a bit like "the future is now." And that's stressful. But I can handle it. Mostly because I am at home, where the love and support is constant, and because what better place to contemplate your future than the very place that holds your past?

By the way, I have done all but four of the items on my list. And I did most of them within 48 hours. Success!

Love,
lvp

The Last Boat to America

So, this is it.

I plan to keep you all updated on the continuation of my journey back home, but, I'll probably be signing off for a bit while I get home and process things. I have a lot of catching up to do as well, so hopefully I won't be around the computer much.

But, since I am far too emotional at the moment to write anything of clear substance, I thought that I would provide you with a list of things that I plan on doing within 48 hours of arriving home. These are, mostly, exclusive of the obvious things involving family and friends, such as hugging, chatting, etc. So, for your entertainment (and my distraction):

First Things First: A to-do list upon my arrival to the States (in no particular order)

1. Eat chick-fil-a.
2. Drink sweet tea (from Tori's mom and from Publix, and the mentioned restaurants).
3. Drive.
4. Eat Al's.
5. Eat Panera.
6. Call/text/receive calls on my iPhone (I've missed my ringtones!)
7. Spend DOLLARS and CENTS (hahaha. not that I have any left to spend...).
8. Go to the beach.
9. Drive again.
10. Play with my puppy (who is actually an old lady now).
11. Dance in my kitchen.
12. Drink good, cold skim milk.
13. Drink good, cold Dr. Pepper (the Dr. Pepper tastes different here).
14. Take pictures of things around my neighborhood that I've failed to notice before.
15. Go sit by the river.
16. Drive some more.
17. Teach my family how to play Big Bertha.
18. Get my camera cleaned/get my speedlight fixed/buy a new lens.
19. Print pictures.
20. Did I mention driving?

Is it coincidence that the three food places I miss the most all have the best sweet tea? I think not.

There are many more things I will be doing, but, I will update you later on. Thanks for joining me these past four months! Look forward to keeping in touch with you.

Sing me the truth, sweet bird of youth. I got some trouble trying to understand. Beneath the veils of mystery, are these the movements of an unseen hand? Our arms are filled with sunken treasure, baby; now our heads are filled with perfect sound. But do we truly see it, hey, 'til we're placing it in the ground? Make me a boat, away I'll float into the stillness of a pure blue sky...

Love,

lvp

I'm sure your thoughts are not with me, but with the country to where you're goin'.

I haven't been blogging lately because I am finding it increasingly difficult to express how I am feeling. For those of you who know me, you'll know that I'm not a particularly emotional person, and I have even been told--mostly sarcastically--by friends that I "have no heart." But one of many things I have learned whilst being here is that it's okay to be connected with your emotions; in fact, it's natural. My friend Amanda studied in Florence this semester, and when she left, she had a quote on her blog that resonated with me: Dear Firenze, Look after my heart. I have left it with you. It is incredible how a place can become a part of you. But it's not really the place that makes the experience. Certainly, it's a piece of it; I couldn't have "studied abroad" by going to a different state in America. But what has made this time unforgettable, unique, rewarding, and life changing are the people I have encountered along the way.

To the ones I met on the trains or in the hostels or on the streets: thank you for inadvertently being a part of my journey and for allowing me to be a part of yours. I'd like to think that although we may never see each other again, we will remember the moments that we shared. I am especially grateful for Ana, the sweet girl from Portugal who befriended Jenny and me on the train to Florence, and for the teacher couple we met on the train to Venice who encouraged me to pursue teaching in another country. Also for Breanna, who we met in Venice, is from Canada, but working in London: it was so great to spend a day with you in Venice and to see you again in London!

To the ones I saw regularly at our regular spots: you became a part of my routine, my habits, my comfort zones. K3 bus drivers, K3 bus riders, Coronation bartenders, Jo and her employees at Foodie, and so many others: thank you for helping London become a home.

To the local ones I met at Kingston Uni: Professors, teachers, module tutors, English students, the international office staff, TJ...thank you for making this a positive educational experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my classes, received help and advice when I asked for it from teachers or students, and was consistently impressed with the friendliness and liveliness of the international office. Without you all, this time would have been a total waste--at least in terms of college credit. So, thanks.

To the EuroLearn staff and my fellow EuroLearn travelers: It was a privilege to meet you all at the Bridging Cultures Program. Meeting students who were experiencing similar transitional issues and hilarious encounters was a comfort that I didn't even realize I needed. I hope that you all had incredible experiences wherever you were in the UK and that you are not going to leave this behind you when you go back home. Special thanks to Rachael, Mona, and Robin who have worked tirelessly to ensure that my (our) time here was the best it could possibly be. You all are super heroes!

To Ben and the students at St. Mary's Church: I wish I could have gotten to know you all better, but I am eternally grateful for the welcome and kindness that you showed my friends and me for Passion weekend. Thank you for including us in your social time and, to Becki and Jess, for opening your home to us. I truly saw Christ through you all that weekend, and this makes me so honored to be a part of a church that is a part of St. Mary's--a church that is obviously encouraging its people to live as Jesus lived: with untamed love and compassion.

To Jonny & Bianca and the Young Adults at Hillsong London Surrey: What can I possibly say that would express how grateful I am for all of you? You took me under your wing, welcomed me into your family, and became the spiritual support that I desperately needed during my time here. I will never forget the Weekend Away--not only because the Lord worked on my heart in mighty ways, but because I met all of you and established life-long friendships. Your constant encouragement and kindness will stay with me long after this trip is over. And I promise I will come back and visit.

To the friends from home that I saw abroad: How exciting and memorable that we were able to meet up in another country! You probably don't know it, but connecting with you--with friends from home--helped me get through the times when I missed home the most. It was always refreshing to be with someone who understood exactly what I was going through, who spoke the same language (American English is different from British English, I will have you know), and who missed the same things. Jenny, thank you for traveling with me and for letting me sleep on your floor! Amanda, thank you for giving me the grand tour of Florence. Fiona, thank you for the amazing and special time at your wedding and for the chance to see Snarky, Courtney, Rachel, and Tricia. Brice, thanks for traipsing around London with me in your spare time. Dan and Eric, so glad we finally connected and I hope your times have been incredible. Elizabeth, I am so glad you made the harrowing journey by bus and ferry from Paris to come to Passion; it would not have been the saem without you. Elyssa, hahaha; there are no words, but seeing you in London was one of the highlights of my time here, if not of my life. And anyone else that I am forgetting, thank you!

To the ones back home: Thank you for your constant support, your messages, your phone calls, your cards, your letters, your Facebook notes, your emails, your texts, your prayers. Your friendship. It means so much that I have such amazing people to miss while I am away. I cannot wait to see you all again, soon.

To Debs (and Drew, Charlotte and Immie): Without you, I would have been homeless! But, in all seriousness, your house was a home, Debs, and I cannot thank you enough for that. I knew that you were always here if I needed you, and you were the best host mom a student could ask for. Sometimes I am not sure how you put up with us, two crazy American students living in your quiet house...but I am thankful that you did. I only hope that one day I can return the favor; you know that you and your family have a free place to stay in the states next time you come to visit!  

To Akua and Jemelyn: You really have no idea how thankful I am for the pair of you. Besides the fact that, as Joey's friends, you were a slice of home, you let me into your lives and allowed me to experience snippets of the life of a London student. We had some crazy times, some special times, some pitiful times--Skyping until 4 am, I would say--but I loved every minute I spent with both of you, and I am grateful that Joey took the time to introduce us. I cannot imagine my time here without you, and I look forward to seeing you again...someday. Hehe.

And finally...

To my fellow study abroad friends, without whom this trip would have been just a trip: I don't even know of a song that can express how I feel about you all, and that's saying something, because music can say almost anything. Our time together in London/Kingston/Surbiton has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I love how different we all are and how many different places and backgrounds we come from, and yet we are so stuck together by our commonalities, by our similar struggles, by our shared hilarious moments, by one incredible experience. Each of you has, for different reasons and in different ways, left an indelible impression on my life; you have been a positive part of one of my most significant growing periods, and I can only hope that I have been a part of yours. The times that we have shared together, although coming to a close, cannot be closed, shut out, and forgotten. We must keep these memories at the forefront of our minds so that we can continue to grow and learn from them.  Friends, this is only the beginning. You have learned, grown, developed, matured, and transformed. The true test is what you will do with these discoveries when you get back home--back to a place where you are comfortable, where you are familiar, where you might have to force yourself to be challenged. I encourage each of you--and myself--to move forward. Sure, look back on this time with a smile, but don't think of it as something that has happened and is now over. Think of it, instead, as the beginning of a journey, of your adulthood, of your life. Apply what you've learned here to your life back home. Never forget the times that we have shared, and use them to continue your development into the person you are meant to be. It is impossible for the words "thank you" to do justice to how grateful I am for each of you, but thank you for who you are and for who you have been to me over these past four months. I look so forward to continuing these relationships and to reuniting within time and seeing how much of our time in London has stayed with us. I love you all so very much! And I am especially grateful, at this time, for Skype, Facebook, cell phones, etc. so that we can keep in excellent touch.

Love,
lvp

Elyssa Feder Rhymes with Seder + Leslie Pitman of Pitman Produce

Elyssa & Leslie in London was, perhaps, one of the most explosive, ebullient, and exciting times that London has ever seen. Minus all of its incredible history. But still. Amazing times were had. I love this girl so very much.

Love,

lvp

The Tides are Changing

The thing that is so difficult about Katie leaving isn't the goodbye. I know I'll see her again. It's that her leaving forces me to come to the reality that all of this is ending, that this experience is coming to a close, that lunch dates at Foodie and pints at Coronation might never happen again--at least not with all of us.

The past two weeks have been such a blur. I worked relentlessly on my three final papers so I could have them finished before Passion and Ibiza. I finally finished them after days of staring at a computer screen; turning them into the student office marked the end of my junior year of college. This fact alone completely freaks me out, and I still have not processed that I will be a senior in the fall.

We had a girls lunch at Foodie on Friday afternoon before heading into the city to meet up with Elizabeth, eat dinner, and get in line for Passion. Some of the uni students from St. Mary's--mother church to my church back home--were kind enough to put us up for two nights after Passion so we didn't have to make the commute back to Kingston. This was a massive blessing, and I was so touched by the generosity and hospitality of Becki and Jess. As if that weren't enough, the Lord totally blew me away at Passion on Friday and Saturday night. I experienced real, full, complete joy--the kind that only comes from a heavenly Father who is so great, so mighty, so powerful, and loves you. It is incomprehensible, but it's truth. The worship, with Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Matt Redman, and David Crowder Band was, of course, awesome. And the talks with Louie Giglio and Francis Chan left me with a new awareness of my relationship with the Holy Spirit. Did you know that the Holy Spirit prays for you? This is the greatest news ever.

After two great nights of worship and fellowship with incredible people, Katie, Erin and I headed for Ibiza--one of the Spanish Balearic islands. Although it is renowned for its clubbing and partying, we were going to simply relax on the beach and celebrate our birthdays in a place with sunshine (i.e. not London). We spent every day laying out on the soft, sticky sand and playing in the icy Mediterranean. In the evenings, we went to dinner, and then went back to the hotel where we played a nightly game of Bertha Butt. My favorite part about this trip, though, was the talks that we had. We covered a ride range of topics, but a lot of our time was spent dissecting Passion and sharing things that the Lord was teaching us about ourselves and the world around us. Being able to spend this time with Katie and Erin was priceless and only made me more grateful for them than I already was.

If you are wondering, my birthday consisted of the same thing: beach, ocean, dinner, cards. I had a rum and coke with dinner, but didn't drink the whole thing and would have gone to sleep if Katie and Erin had let me. But instead, I kicked their butts at Bertha Butt. It was the perfect twenty-first birthday.

And then...Katie left. We went to Foodie for lunch and Coronation for dinner on her last day. We miss her, but I know she's glad to be home.

The next day, after saying goodbye to one friend, I got to say hello to Elyssa--my dear friend I've known since eighth grade but haven't seen in over two years. She is visiting several friends in London, so I went and hung out with them in Egham. So much fun. And so surreal. I kept hugging her because I couldn't believe that we were actually together...and in England, no less. I am going to see her again today!

I intended this post to be a thoughtful, thought-provoking, philosophical splurge, but I got too carried away telling you about my last few weeks. Hope you aren't disappointed. Many emotional thoughts to follow.

Love,
lvp

Time, You Humble People Everywhere

3|5|8|10|13|24

Passion|Ibiza|21st|Elyssa|Paris|Home

I've looked in the mirror and the world's getting clearer. So wait for me this time.

Love,

lvp

Leaves become most beautiful when they're about to die.

It's about seeing things from a new perspective. It's about broadening your vision. It's about seeing something out of someone else's eyes instead of your own. It's about having eyes that see, not eyes that stare.

Look around. You might notice something you've never seen before.

Of course you've changed; your mind's been rearranged.

Love,

lvp

I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are, and at the same time, something makes you whole.

There's a little boy with his father at the bus stop. They are holding hands, smiling, and both wearing Jason Mraz hats--perhaps that Mum made them put on as sun protection. The dad's is a sandy beige color and the boy's is white and blue striped. His trainer-covered feet are firmly planted on the concrete, yet his entire upper body moves to the right and left as he excitedly waves "hello and please stop" to the bus with his free hand. Once on the bus, he sits contentedly on his hat twin's lap and whispers curious questions into his father's ear. "Ask Mum when we get home," he answers with a nod. It's good to see that it's not just in the US where the men admit the women know all the answers.

A little girl and her mother come out of their house that is directly in front of the bus stop. The girl is dressed in all pink, and she's writhing her hand--quietly but emphatically--to attempt freedom from her mother's grasp. The mother positions the girl against the fence, far away from the street, then walks toward the parked car and opens the boot. The child immediately runs toward the road, and the mother instinctively reaches one hand out to prevent her from leaving the sidewalk. Frustrated, the child turns and looks at me. When I smile at her, she squeezes her eyes shut as tightly as she can, but does not turn her head. By this time, her mother has successfully gotten the stroller out and gently draws the girl toward her seat. Once on the bus, she continues to play this strange form of peek-a-boo with me, while her mother looks on with a smile.

I observe these and many other children every day throughout my various excursions, but the thought strikes me today: how different their childhood is from mine. And yet, children are children, and there seem to exist universal qualities that, if brought together from all different places in the world, there would be little or no prejudice, bias, judgment, or hatred. Just simply curiosity. Acceptance. Care. Love.

It is incredible how much you can learn from children. How much they can teach you about yourself. How much they can teach you about a culture that was entirely foreign to you mere months ago. How much they can remind you how similar we all really are--that we're all in this together, and if we just take a moment to smile and wave at the bus driver instead of habitually sticking our arm out as though we are robots who do as we're told, maybe we will learn something new about the world.

This is how I feel when I watch Wicked the Musical. I am a child again, and everything makes sense because nothing is too complicated. Life outside of the theatre, better yet, outside of Oz, stops. And I am just there, squeezing my eyes just in an attempt to hold on to this single moment forever. I am unaware of the past or the future; I only want to learn as much as I can from now. When it is over, when the house lights come back on, I am an adult again. And all of those worries--the money, the papers, the people--come rushing over me. But if I close my eyes tightly enough, I can remember where I was moments before, learning about fairy tales, friendship, and freedom. And I know that the girl who walks out of those theatre doors is not the same woman who walked in them. Something, it may seem, has changed within me.

It is not quite time to go home. But I understand why I have come here, and this is the first step to the end of a journey. But don't worry, dear reader. This journey, these moments, will live on as a part of me forever. And when I close my eyes or smile and wave, I will be reminded of what I learned here.

Love,
lvp

Spring Break: A Journey with Jabez

It would be impossible to effectively summarize my trips to Italy and Ireland, and yet, I am going to attempt to do just that. This trip was about so much more than just traveling to countries I had never visited before. Of course, that was a large piece of it, but it was also largely about personal growth--an extension of my time in England, then--and a break from routine. It was about fellowshipping with friends from back home and also about making friends with people that I may never see again in my life. It was about trusting the Lord to go ahead of me and prepare a clear path for a smooth journey, and it was about learning to live in this trust--to do more than just believe that He was doing it, but to live like I believe it. It was about giving my brain and my heart a break from the daily attack they receive from various fronts. It was about exploration and discovery, but also restoration and recovery.

I returned with a newfound appreciation for this place I've called home for past few months. I also returned with a deeper understanding of who I am in Christ, what it means to have an identity wrapped up in Him, and how much He longs to bless me with unimaginable gifts.

The weekend before I left for Italy, I went on a retreat of sorts with the young adults from my church. The theme of the teaching for the weekend was the remarkable Prayer of Jabez, the little story in the Bible that's wedged randomly in between the massive lineage of a great family. As a group, we committed to start our days with this prayer and then see how God showed up in our lives. Personally, I chose to pray this prayer every day over my trip, and I can say, without a doubt, that the Lord absolutely granted my request. If you're interested, you can find the prayer here, in 1 Chronicles 4:10.

First stop: Rome, Italy (25 March - 28 March)
Accommodations: Camping Tiber Hostel. Awesome place! We loved it.
Main sights: Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Roman Ruins, Column of Trajan, St. Peter's Basilica and Vatican City, Spanish Steps, Keats & Shelley Memorial Museum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Popollo
Blessings: Great hostel, met lots of interesting people, made a really wise purchase with 11 euro 3-day transportation pass, randomly found several gorgeous churches (Rome, you know?) and even walked into a beautiful service on Palm Sunday, incredible weather, 16 euro train to Florence, made friends with a girl Ana from Portugal on the way, also caught a gorgeous sunset on the journey.

Second Stop: Florence, Italy (28 March - 31 March)

Accommodations: Amanda's apartment. Absolutely loved staying with her.

Main Sights: The Duomo, Piazza Michaelangelo, Piazza de Republica, The Academia, Ponte Vecchio, The Leather Market, San Lorenzo Market, Pitti Palace

Activities: breakfast/coffee/gelato/lunch at "Hani's bar," dinner at Dante's (free bottle of wine for students! I must confess...this is the first time ever in my life that I've gotten tipsy, and it was only after a glass and a half), lunch at The Oil Shoppe, Beatles Cover Band at Be Bop

Blessings: got to see and be with Amanda, free and lovely place to stay, amazing food, saw Anthony Rapp (original Rent cast) at dinner, saw Michaelangelo's David (worth waking up early for to beat the crowd), more incredible weather, chance to relax with Jenny and Amanda after exhausting days in Rome, 23 euro train tickets to Venice.

Third stop: Venice, Italy (31 March - 2 April)

Accommodations: The Museum Hostel. Minor complaints, but overall a great place with a fun atmosphere! 

Sights to see: Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, San Marco, Bridge of Sighs, Murano, Burano

Blessings: good weather (warm, but we had a couple of rain storms), met lots of interesting people at the hostel, didn't get too horribly lost (other than from the train station to the hostel), made a new friend Breanna who is an au pair in London, found a cheap and easy way to get to the airport, found some relatively inexpensive places to eat despite being an overall expensive city, found lovely wedding gift for Chris and Fiona.

Fourth stop: London, England (2 April 11:30 pm - 3 April 6:00 pm)

Accommodations: Stansted Airport. See here. 

Fifth stop: Belfast, Ireland (3 April - 10 April)

Part I - Belfast City

Accommodations: Jenny's dorm room. Sleepover!

Main Sights: City Hall, Titanic Exhibition, Peace walls, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast Botanic Gardens, Ulster Museum, Murals, Ship yard, Grand Opera House

Part II - Chris & Fiona's Wedding (7 April)

Accommodations: The Drumalis House in Larne. Beautiful place!

Details: The ceremony was held at Stormont Presbyterian Church, where Fiona's father is a pastor. The ceremony included a lot of traditional, beautiful Irish music, most of which was sung by Concentio, the church's choir. There was also a formal "signing of the register" in front of the congregation, during which more music was sung. Immediately following the wedding, there was tea and biscuits for all the guests, and Chris and Fiona were able to mingle and greet their friends and family before starting the photo frenzy with photographer Katy Cook. 

     The formal reception was about a 45-minute drive from the church, and was worth every minute in the car. First there was a cocktail hour where guests could curb their hunger with some small bites. Then, the dinner began in a different room, and included bread, salad, salmon appetizer, chicken breast stuffed with spinach and ricotta and wrapped in bacon, green beans, scalloped potatoes, lemon custard, biscuits, chocolate cake covered in raspberry sauce, ice cream, and finally, wedding cake. Drinks included water, wine (red or white), champagne, tea, and coffee. After a lovely meal and many heartfelt speeches, guests were invited to move next door to watch traditional Irish dancing. Lots of fun! Then it was back to the cocktail room for some swing dancing! This is where Chris and Fiona had their "first dance" as a married couple.

     Once swing dancing was over, we were ushered back to the dinner room, where the tables had all been moved aside and a traditional Irish band was livening up the scene. Guests were encouraged to take part in learning some Irish dances, and when it was time for a break, the band provided some hilarious song, dance, and story entertainment. This went on until after midnight, when Chris and Fiona finally hit the road for Dublin, where they were leaving the next morning for their cruise around the Greek Isles. The band, however, was just getting warmed up; we stayed up with them until 3 in the morning, and rumor has it that they were still going strong at 5. These Irish sure know how to party! 

 

Part III: Day Trip - Giant's Causeway and Coastal Ireland

Main Sights: Carrickfergus Castle, Giant's Causeway, The Old Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede

     

And, one more little collage for you, highlighting the music of Ireland. 

And that, in short, was my spring break. I am off to the Royal Opera House to see the Royal Ballet's production of Cinderella! This is why life in London is so spectacular!

Love,

lvp

Sunsets, Swans, and Smiles

I know that I owe you a spring break highlights post. But to distract you from the fact that I haven't written it yet, I have some more photos for you.

Katie and I went down by the Thames last night to try and get some volcanic sunset photos. While the sunset wasn't anything extra ordinary (although I find the sky always remarkable), the reflection on the water and the swans made for some nice captures. And, besides, the company was superb.

Love,

lvp

"I came up now at Tower Hill, and there wasn't a tower and there wasn't a hill."

There's this bloke called Bill Bryson. He's an American who lived in England for 20+ years and has written a collection of memoirs on this country he grew to love so much. Tori gave me one of these books, Notes from a Small Island, Christmas of 2008, long before I knew that I would be studying here. I started to read it this past Christmas, hoping it would prepare me for some of the culture that I was about to encounter. Today, whilst researching for a paper I am writing for my "British Life & Culture" class, I picked it up and decided to skim over it a bit and see if there were anything I could use. I'm not sure I can incorporate any of the material to my essay, but I thought I'd share a little segment with you. As a disclaimer, I want to add that this book is twice as funny after having lived here for a little while. Anywho. Have a laugh! Or as they say in Ireland, have a good craic!

I can never understand why Londoners fail to see that they live in the most wonderful city in the world. It is, if you ask me, far more beautiful and interesting than Paris and more lively than anywhere but New York--and even New York can't touch it in lots of important ways. It has more history, finer parks, a livelier and more varied press, better theaters, more numerous orchestras and museums, leafier squares, safer streets, and more courteous inhabitants than any other large city in the world. 

And it has more congenial small things--incidental civilites, you might call them--than any other city I know: cheery red mailboxes, drivers who actually stop for you at pedestrian crossings, lovely forgotten churches with wonderful names like St. Andrews by the Wardrobe and St. Giles Cripplegate, sudden pockets of quiet like Lincoln's Inn and Red Lion Square, interesting statues of obscure Victorians in togas, pubs, black cabs, double-decker buses, helpful policemen, polite notices, people who will stop to help you when you fall down or drop your shopping, benches everything. What other great city would trouble to put blue plaques on houses to let you know what famous person once lived there, or warn you to look to your left or right before stepping off the curb? I'll tell you. None. 

Take away Heathrow Airport, the weather, and any building that the architect Richard Seifert ever laid a bony finger to, and it would be nearly perfect. Oh, and while we're at it, we might also stop British Museum employees from cluttering the forecourt with their cars and instead make it into a kind of garden, and also get rid of those horrible portable crush barriers outside Buckingham Palace because they look so straggly and cheap--not at all in keeping with the dignity of her poor besieged Majesty within. And, of course, put the Natural History Museum back to the way it was before they started dicking around with in (in particular, they must restore the display case showing insects infesting household products from the 1950s); and remove the entrance charges from all museums at once; and bring back Lyons Corner Houses but this time with food you'd like to eat; and finally, but most crucially, make the board of directors of British Telecom go out and personally track down every last red phone box that they sold off to be used as shower stalls and garden sheds in far-flung corners of the globe, make them put them all back, and then sack them--no, kill them. Then truly will London be glorious again.

That's all for now. Katie and I are going to attempt to find a place to capture the Volcanic sunset. It's a gorgeous day in London!  Hope it is gorgeous wherever you are.

Love,
lvp

Beauty from Ashes

That volcano eruption is Iceland has thrown a wrench in a lot of students' travel plans. Most of them are trying to get back to London, or wherever they need to be, but all flights are cancelled around Europe. Thankfully, I got back before it happened, and most of my friends--with a few exceptions--made it back as well.

Interestingly, though, the ash from the eruption makes the sunsets more red than usual. Check out these photos to see for yourself. 

I think Katie and I are going to try to find a good place to get some sunset shots tomorrow after we work on our papers. Hopefully I'll have some good shots to share with you later! 

This is just one I snapped tonight from my window before walking out the door...

Bed time!

Love,

lvp

Because we are alive, so we've got to live life

And if home is really where the heart is,

then we're the smartest kids I know...

because wherever we are in this great big world,

we'll never be more than a few hours from home.

And that's important, because I need to travel.

I've had this itching in my shoes since I was just a little kid.

You were on my mind at least nine tenths of yesterday;

It seemed as if perhaps I'd gone insane.

What is it about you that has commandeered my brain?

Maybe it's your awesome songs or maybe it's the way

You go straight to the top, you're not scared of getting squashed.

You know just when to jump off; you are so brave.

And then you run to the right; it seems there's no hope in sight.

And you drop down the tube that takes you right to level eight.

My rollercoaster's got the biggest 

ups and downs

As long as it keeps going 'round, it's 

unbelievable.

Love,
lvp