Back to the Island

Well, here I go again. I flew out of OKC Monday afternoon and after one of the longest days ever we made it to Edinburgh and our hostel. We didn't have much energy left so we just grabbed a bite and watched some Olympics. Interestingly, enough it was Michael Phelps legendary 19 medal race. Pretty interesting also was the way British television covers the games. It is just so different compared to home and all. Then we called it a night at like 10:30 and I couldn't sleep so here I am blogging at 5 am Edinburgh time. It is really like 11 pm back home so makes sense but still would like to have had a little more sleep. Hoping that after breakfast I am able to nap until 8 or so. Otherwise we are off on a few walks today thru town and do a little exploring and tomorrow we are hoping to hit the highlands and lake lochness. Should be an interesting few days here! Apparently, a huge festival is starting on thursday and we made it just in time. The girl told me that last year there was some pretty outrageous events hosted and exhibits on display. I won't mention how crude some of them sounded considering this is on the web for all to see. But maybe I will have funny pictures later in the week. Okay, well time to hunt down something to do until breakfast.


Laters! 
Erika

Back Again

So, I am back to writing in this thing for a short while. I am getting ready to head back to my second home. I am soooo excited!! I don't even know when I really realized that this was happening. That all my hard work and effort paid off and I am really going back. And what better time than the Olympics! I get to see a new city, Edinburgh and visit some of my favorites in summer, London and Paris. I am patiently counting the days until I fly out, which is 10 right now. I can't wait!!!! This is really going to be short just a little documentation of my travels. I hope to have amazing stories to tell again. 

Home Sweet Home

Okay so after the 16th I had one last day in Swansea. I took pictures and went around in the snow! But because of the snow the next day was crazy.

Let's start with leaving. I woke up and headed for the bus station with my roommates and Summer. We took josh's car and it was a sad goodbye. I almost didn't hold it together because Adam gave me a photo with a collage of a lot of our memories. Amazing he has a heart :). 

Then we waited for the other 3 girls. Christina and Alecia finally joined us but Valorie did not make it. The 4 of us then set out for the train station since the buses were not running and we needed to get to London.  A little snow and they stop everything. We got our money back and then went to the train station and got on the next train and went to London. Once we got to London it was mass chaos in Paddington. We managed to get onto the Heathrow Express and then sat on the train until it moved. Next stop Heathrow and the madness there. It took us almost two hours to get off the train and onto the coach out to our hotel. All in all this little trip took about 9 hours total. We left our house at 830 and arrived around 630 at the hotel. After dinner we called it a night and just sat in our room... We were all stressed hoping that our flights worked out and we were able to go home. But for a day we got to see London again. I love London and was so happy to have one more awesome day there! We went on a walking tour, it was just me and summer and christina. We got to see all the major sites; Buckingham, Big Ben, You know that kind of important church where I believe a Prince just got married, and Trafalgar Square.

 On our tour I met a really handsome guy from Belgium and after the tour we all went to dinner and chatted wit him. It was almost surreal how movie like it was lol. We did a little souvenir shopping afterwards and he joined us and for goodbye he gave us a kiss goodbye! Amazing! I melted honestly. By the time we got home it was late and we all went to bed for a little while and at 3 am I woke up to check flights. Cancelled. When we called Summer's uncle he got us onto a flight... on Dec 24th. It was December 20th. So when I talked to my folks they suggested attempting to get on Standby. So a bunch of went up to the airport to try that. We were successful but we had to go back and get our luggage which was a crazy trip. we had to drag them across the street and down the road to the other hotel where the hoppa bus would stop. We were literally throwing our bags over the wall as it pulled up. We get to Heathrow and it's packed. People are everywhere and there is barely room to move. Then we check in and get put on standby and got in line to check in. The line didn't move for a long long time but I think we finally moved around 1 pm. 10 hours awake already. We get checked in by around 3 or so with our flight set to fly out at 4pm if we get called to board. That was a big IF but we were all praying. I sat by nice random strangers that allowed me to chat with them and we all discussed heading home. Then it was time. Then it was still not time as the delayed flights continued. Finally they began to call for the standby passengers. Deep Breaths! Finally Valorie gets called. But no one else after for about 5 people. Then my turn! Yes, I was going home!! But still not everyone else. I was ready to give up my ticket to one of the two girls who were dying to go home. I was so happy when we all got called and were able to board the plane! Sadly we got delayed again in Boston to pick up new crew. It was eleven pm when we landed. We finally make it to Detroit at like midnight. After coming thru customs and heading to the desk to get our connection tickets we get sent a to hotel around 2 am. We had flights at 7 so we didn't get but maybe an hours nap after we took a shower and got all set. Christina and I were by ourselves now since the other girls were heading to Tulsa. 7 am rolls around and I have basically been awake for about 28 hours. I wanted to die just a little on the inside. But when I got off my flight and saw my parents waiting I was so happy. I just wanted to cry because of the ridiculously long trip and tired feeling that had set in. After we ate lunch since I landed around 10 am, we headed home. I finally went to bed around 4pm that day and so after 34 straight hours I was never more happy than to just be in bed.

One thing is for sure I will never forget the 3 and 1/2 months that were the best and most amazing times of my life. Memories have begun to fade but the ones that really matter are still crystal clear. I hope that someday I can return to the place I now consider my second home. Preferably, with my new favorite girl in the world Chelsey Gruetzmacher so we can visit everyone we met and miss!!! 

Absent

Hello All, 
It has been a while. A long while in fact. I have been busy with school back in the US and of course work and friends and life in general which seems to be much busier than the 3 1/2 months I spent in Wales. I miss it everyday though and dream of my return to the beautiful beaches of Wales. I received my grades and was credited for all A's in 4 different classes. I am very happy with that since I believed I was getting a B in two of them. Now life has taken it tole and I am on summer vacation from school, much needed. I hope to be working a ton with two jobs and taking 3 summer classes. I moved into a trailer with my friend Heather Baird and so far i love it. I am sitting here on our couch as I type this. For all my friends from Swansea I miss you, a lot! I hope that you all are doing well and having a great time in life. To those that have and/or are graduating Congratulations! I will see you on the other side! But let's go back Swansea ASAP!! 

Life back home

Okay so I know it has been forever. But I figure an update is necessary. I have now been home for over a month. A MONTH! It feels like a lifetime. I don't like it one bit. I wish I was back in Swansea and with all my lovely friends... School is in full swing and I am already busy busy busy, life is back to normal. I have been working out doing Insanity and playing ball again! It feels amazing to get back into shape! And I have a job again... Downsides have been missing my new home, eating too much, working too little, and wrecking my car lol Otherwise it feels good to go back to something so familiar. I hope all of my other friends from abroad are just as sad to be home as me... It will be interesting to see what this semester holds. The changes it will bring and the happiness that only SWOSU can bring :)

Last week... Where has my life gone?

So begins the end of the greatest time of my life. I began this blog just a little over 3 months ago and now I am sitting in my kitchen getting ready to attend my last going away party. It's amazing what all has happened and what is still to come with London only a couple days away. I hope that I have grown and I hope that I have learned but most of all I hope I can continue to do this. Living overseas is amazing and I can't wait for my next chance. For now I must say goodbye to all the friends I have made which hasn't been easy. Two big goodbyes down and still many to go. Tonight I will party with Chelsey for the last time and tomorrow night we say our final goodbyes. It is surreal to think that I am going home in 4 days and yet I am happy. I miss home so much but I will miss being here even more once I am home. I wrote my cards today and as I did I realized how little i really know about some of my friends here. It has not been long enough. I can only pray that we meet again someday. the last week has been eventful to say the least. Since Paris I have written a paper and skipped my last two classes of the semester. I have taken pictures of the place i now call home and I dressed up for a club like it was 2008 and I was at prom again. Over the course of the week I realized it was ending and I want to cry even time I stop to think about it for any amount of time. I know we have memories and photos to last a lifetime. And while they are amazing I don't know if it will ever be enough to encompass all that has happened. I am going to have to stop for now as it is time to party once again and I am emotional enough right now that being sappy will only make it worse. Now its time to party like I just turned 21 all over again. Wish me luck!

Lots to Catch up on...

Starting with Thanksgiving. What a crazy day. I had class so I got up and had lunch and went to class and then came back and waited for Summer to bring ingredients to bake pies for dessert. We ran out of time and had to bake them later lol. We had dinner with her study abroad coordinator and it was fantastic. I was so happy to be with people. Then we had our pies for dessert which mine didn't turn out that well but Summer's was amazing! The following day Tori and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which I loved. It was the best movie so far! Easily. I can't wait to watch it again back in the states. Then on Saturday we went out to celebrate my 21st, which is so not as big of a deal as back home. But my housemates and Chelsey's house made it a fun night! I however plan to throw a big party back home!!! Then Sunday rolls around and Chelsey and I brave the cold to go to a Rugby game. It was brilliant and I loved it but I also froze to death. We literally left at half time because we couldn't take how cold it was. It was making the experience un-enjoyable.

The next few days drug by as I was attempting to start a paper I had no idea what I was writing it over. Looking back I wish I had accomplished something then so I wouldn't have to be doing it now. But on Thursday we left for Paris. Paris was a long bus ride. We drove for about 14 hours to get there and took a ferry which I found doesn't sit well with my stomach. Once we arrived on Friday morning I was geared up and ready to see things! We started the day heading out to Versailles which was absolutely gorgeous. We walked the whole building and then some of the grounds outside. Then we came back and went to the Louvre which was free at night to get into. I liked being the louvre. the whole atmosphere was nice. I saw the Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and Winged Victory. Lots of other things as well but those 3 were the best! After the Louvre we went to dinner with Ryan and Moscar. We had a lovely meal at nice little cafe. I had lamb chops because I wanted to try something new. They were delicious and I am completely happy I ordered them. After dinner we headed over to the Eiffel Tower to see it at night!

 It was beautiful all lit up and we caught the light show that takes place every half hour. The most amazing site really. After an exhausting, long day we headed home and went to bed. The next day we made an early start back at the Eiffel tower. We had tickets bought already so the line was nice and short to go up. But once up it was freezing and windy!! We took photos quickly and moved on because it was so cold. We were expecting snow but it started early. so we stopped in a cafe and got a coffee. Then we headed to the Arc di Triomphe. When we arrived it was flurrying so bad we were getting pelted in the face. But the photos we took look so great in the snow. I even braved standing in the road to get the best possible shot of the arc. Literally cars were so close I could have touched them as they went by :

Then we had lunch and I have a lovely pizza and tart meal. the tart was amazing. I found quickly that I loved French cuisine. I was surprised since I expected Rome to be my favorite food. After lunch we sat until the snow slowed and then headed out to La Defense. Its a business district in Paris that has a modern Arc. It was a cool arc but what was better was the Christmas Market we discovered! It was so cute and had soooooo many booths. I loved being out in it. Although by the end my feet were soaked. So then we headed to the Louvre to take pictures in the day time. We got some good ones and it was cool to see the pyramid in the light. I was starting to get miserable and tired so I suggested we see the Cathedral at Notre Dame and then head back. At Notre Dame I was awestruck by the ambiance inside. There was a choir and the building and windows were majestic. I was in heaven just sitting in the chairs and listening to the music. Tori and I literally sat there for like 20 min just listening. I didn't want to move. But soon enough it was time to go. Instead of going back just yet we headed up to the Sacre - Coeur  which is the Sacred Heart Basilica. It was a picturesque photo opportunity. The place was again so beautiful but we didn't feel like climbing all the stairs. So tori and I got crepes and then we all did a little shopping in the markets there by the basilica. Finally I got to go home and dry off my feet!! Yay! Then Chelsey went to meet the other big group we had seen for dinner. Tori stayed with me and we watched a little TV before dozing off. Around 7 we woke up and went to dinner. We walked around by the hotel looking for a place. We found a nice little cafe again that had French onion soup. I ordered a duck meal and hoped for the best.
 I was more than impressed with the meal that arrived. It was the most delicious food I have ever put into my mouth. It just made my mouth water thinking about eating another bite. We then split a Crème brûlée for dessert. I was so stuffed I didn't think I could eat another bite, but when the dessert arrived I couldn't help myself. I ate my half and it was also delicious. We decided the cafe was the best place we could have hoped to find. After dinner we tried to find a shop we had seen earlier that we wanted to take pictures with. But we were a little off the path we thought and got lost. We found our way back and got our photos but it was definitely an adventure. Luckily no crazy guys came up to us this night. Back in the room we watched the Miss France 2011 pageant and i rather enjoyed it. But it was so much longer than the program run in the states. Finally after it was over it was time to sleep again. 
In the morning we woke up and packed up. Chelsey and I went down for breakfast and then packed up. We loaded onto the bus at 11 and began the 14hour journey home. Following another horrendously long trip, in which I didn't sleep once, we made it back to the Village. 
Another trip down.Only 2 weeks left. My heart is breaking just thinking about leaving. I have fallen in love with this place and with traveling around Europe. It is and always will be amazing to know I achieved a lot of my goals in life by the time I was 21 and yet the taste it has left with only leave me wanting more. I only hope that I can continue my world adventures soon. Until then I have a paper to write and one more London weekend adventure before I set foot back on American soil. So until next time, Au Revoir!