There's no place like home.

I finished my last trip of this amazing semester on Sunday. I spent a brief 36-hours in Paris. (Pictures on facebook). The city is beautiful, clean, and urban. It has amazing art, great architectural monuments (though I don't think the everyday buildings are anything to gawk at as I did in Italy) and at the risk of sounding redundant (I should really probably weigh 400 pounds) it had amazing food. Pastries were abundant, I've never had a better croissant in my life, I tried escargot, ate a crepe, and returned from my adventure alive and well. It was a really fun trip to take with all of my girls (Roommates from Gramercy and fellow soccer players). And so, Paris was fun (quiet an understatement I realize).

I return home, and what is on my mind? Texas.

Something has hit me, and call me crazy, but after a semester gallivanting about Europe I'm having a Wizard of Oz moment. There really is no place like home. (And by now, I've had the opportunity to see a few places that aren't.)

So 18 days Texas, I'll be seeing you soon.

Italy

So, another two weeks without posting. This time I have a fairly good excuse.

I spent spring break in Venice, Florence, and Verona. Even as I write that I really can't believe I was there, and even more I can't believe I brought myself to leave! Italy isn't somewhere I would want to live. Even in my brief week spent there I could see things about the culture there that I would absolutely hate to have to live with on a day to day basis. But the place is definitely somewhere I LOOOVE to visit. Countless times, again and again, I would definitely go back!

So a definite place to start for me is the food. It was indescribable. Everything I ate there tasted amazing, and I ate ALOT. Laura and I managed to average two gelattos a day, in addition to our regular three meals and dessert. The wine was good too. We went on a bike tour through Tuscany one day, and that was an amazing experience a well. The art and architecture of Italy are astounding. The history there is present in every aspect of the place- the buildings, the food, the traditions, the family-feeling. I won't write too much about it, partially because I have to study for massive finals coming up, partially because I need to shower, and partially because writing every detail about Italy would take days, but I am more than happy to tell you all about it in person when I get back in a few weeks!

In other news, I spent the second part of spring break catching up on sleep, exercise, studies, and hanging out with my friends from TRC, exploring London. Even after spending months here, there is still so much I haven't seen! I just sent in an application to attend summer school at Southwestern Seminary, so we'll see how that goes, and in the next few days I also hope to get out some applications to volunteer at Cooks and JPS ver the summer. This weekend I'll take my last relaxing weekend in Europe to Paris- and its sure to be a blast!

That's all I have time for for now,but I'll be sure to post again before I arrive back in good old cowtown.

Katie

March in London

I have to confess that it has been so long since I last posted that I actually had to go back and read my last post to remember what I haven't posted on since...

A lot has been happening since my last post (as has been the theme of the semester)and I believe I have yet another baby to meet on my return to Texas- welcome to the world Miss Rylie Poor! Since you're sure to be best friends to my favorite niece, I'm eager to meet you!

So, I left off last after seeing Ken Ham, and sadly his books still sit on my desk waiting to be read. Things have been a bit busy. I spent the weekend after the last post going to an 80s roller skating rink- which was actually pretty fun! Other than that it was cramming for an Organic Chemistry Exam, A Politics Paper, and a Biology Paper. Sunday, though, I went to Brighton and we had an AMAZING time. It's a great city right on the beach. It is one of the very first piers on the Beach of England! It was really fun- we ate crepes, real fish and chips (SOOOO much better than in a restaurant) went to a penny arcade and toward the Royal Pavilion. Walks along the beach are NOT overrated!!! We also went on one of those carnival type rides-with a loop- right on the pier next to the water. It was AWESOME. Maybe I can sneak a trip back during spring break- its only an hour train ride away!!


The following weekend though (this past weekend) I put school aside (probably to my detriment) and took off for a weekend with an amazing HOST family in Scotland.

The HOST program paired me up with a girl named Alyson from NYU. She's actually in my Biology and Organic Chemistry classes, and I guess its a testament to how big my school is that we hadn't met yet! She's super nice, and we flew Easy Jet- YES BUDGET AIRLINES- to Scotland. Mary and Dick Langridge were our guides for the weekend. They're a couple of about 60 who do just about everything you can think of! They had two children, both married and scattered about Europe. One is in Vietnam I believe. Anyway, they're very interesting! They had hitchhiked through Europe when they were young, travel now as they're older. Mary can basket weave, makes her own bread and jams, and knits of course. They both bike trails that I don't think I could handled, and go on hikes all the time! Dick can really cook too- I had some great meals! I saw Urquhart Castle, Lochness, the castle that is in Hamlet- I'll have to look up the name- and some various other remains. I think the best part was being in the mountains of Scotland! And we really did get to see things that most tourists wouldn't get to. The place is absolutely beautiful, and stepping off of the plane I knew I was breathing fresh air again. Being in a home with real meals and such was nice too! It even snowed, which was a nice farewell to winter. They showed us a movie called Whiskey Galore- which was HILARIOUS. It's a 1940s film about an island who runs out of whiskey during the world war. It's a must see. We also went to Dallas- the original apparently. Its a one road town- literally- if I hadn't been in the middle of green Scotland I might have thought it was a Western town.

I'm pretty sure I didn't do so well on the Biology Midterm, but it was worth it for a unique taste of Scotland! This next week will be even better as I travel to Italy!!! (You can be sure there will be a massive post on that one!)




I've also gotten to take a tour of the Houses of Parliament. The building has such beautiful architecture, and the ornate pieces of furniture in it just transfer you into this royal time where weird traditions are kept and everything is really formal...oh wait, that's now. I took one illegal picture (which to be honest, I really didn't know I couldn't take). It's the pretty one of the golden chandelleir. Very worth getting scolded.

I'm remembering more and more to add to this post as I post pictures, so sorry its going to be a bit out of order this time around (That's what I get for not posting for two weeks.) Anyway, I also went to Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House!!! I know, how do I forget that? We all dressed up and went to dinner before and then saw this beautiful show in the most elegant venue i've been in. It really was amazing!! I wore my red heels, and unforunately tripped down the stairs. HA we won't talk about that,... thats what I get for trying to be classy!



I just got back from seeing Matt and Ben's band play in Twickenham. They opened for a band that includes members of the Kinks- they're called the Cast off Kink's I think. Anyway, I went to see Matt and Ben's band, like I said, but turns out I actually know a lot of the kink's songs. Google them, odds are you do too. Anyway, it was really fun.

I miss you guys- and I'll be especially sad to miss Maylee's first Easter! I saw the picture of the easter bunny, and I almost died! But, I'll be home in a few weeks- better start clearing off my bed lizzy!

That's all for now! Enjoy the pictures- more on facebook.