This still exists...?

I have 10 blog followers. Why? I don't even like blogging...I forget that it exists (at least mine) on a daily basis and frankly, why do 10 people care? But hey--thanks! (because I'm sure you totes still read this.)

I haven't blogged in almost 2 years...A lot has happened. A lot. And if you are one of those 10 followers, you already know it all, so I might skip this bit. Long story short. England is amazing, but it didn't like me for a bit and I had to go back to the horror that is the USA for four months. In the Summer. When it is HOT. I worked for a health insurance company, which is the first time I've had US health insurance since graduating college. Yay America. When I'm in England, even as an international student, I've always had healthcare....And Socialism is bad because...?? After those long months, I was granted a 2 year extension on my visa and hopped the first plane back to my homeland :)

Within 2 months, I had landed my first paid gig (ok, first real paid gig) in publishing at Perseus Books, have moved to a different flat (living in sin with the boyfriend. Oh my!) and have kept up with my one woman travelling show around Europe show. In 2 weeks I leave for a long weekend to Malta. Hoorah!

I miss Oxford, not daily, but weekly. I miss the closeness of it all. The friends down the road...rather than a 2 switch tube ride or walk/bus/walk. However, when I was searching for jobs, and I interviewed there, it didn't feel the same. Let's face it--the year I spent living in Oxford and studying at Brookes was the *best* year of my life. I cannot foresee a year topping it any time soon. And as much as I love Ox and I love my friends that are still there...It won't be the same if I go back. I'm a city girl at heart. I need the public transit, the pollution, the bustling of business men as I walk to and from work. I love it. Oxford is quaint and I'd love to 'settle down there' someday...but someday is not now.

For now, I'm working on becoming a true and tried Londoner. I push my way through the bank intersection; I stand on the right and pass on the left; I allow people off the train before shoving my way on. I'm looking forward to spring and summer and lying out in the park, drinking pimms on the river. British Summer is the best kind of summer and I was robbed last year.

Le sigh. This is why I don't blog.

Holy Hot Ginger Twins, Batman!

Told you.

This is the quote of the weekend. Well, I feel that there was meant to be some other quote from Saturday night karaoke, but alas Maria and I were too drunk and therefore too hungover the next morning to remember it. Such is life.

Real moment of glory from the weekend (besides my rocking rendition of I love Rock and Roll at Dave the Rave's karaoke!) was going to Blackwell's Charing Cross to pick up Beyond the Fold a young adult fiction novel that you all should run out and purchase...
Ok, pay me and I'll get you a copy. Anyway, this book is written by my dearest buddy Maria and I've done all the edits and designed it, including cover. And here it is printed! It's a real book and oh so exciting!

After picking it up, we wandered around to various bookstores, placing it on shelves and snapping photos for my project but mostly for ourselves. We're both so insanely dorky it's kind of endearing. Don't you think?

J xx

Holy Blog, Batman!

I've been saying this a lot lately. Ok, not necessarily about blogging and not always outloud. But trust me, it's been in my head. I have no idea why or how it got there...but I'm not hatin'.


So, I feel a bit shameful about blogging because I should be working on my major project (read: the culminating project that I have to do in order to get my MA degree. Otherwise I will get a PG certificate that basically says 'well, you paid all the money but just weren't quite good enough to make it! better luck next time!') Oh, and did I mention that without the MA I can't extend my visa?? Rough. And yes mumsy, I have passed all my classes, I work on my MP daily and will have it finished because, let's face it, I shine under pressure. So don't worry about your little girl who is still oh so far away.

For my MP I am editing, designing, marketing and analysing my friend Maria's YA story Beyond the Fold. It's really good, and complete! Will be sent to the printers early tomorrow morning! WHOOHOOO! Now onto finishing that marketing plan, writing that report, flushing out the website...yikes.

Enough about school- although since I haven't posted in forever, a real school update is fairly due. Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. The real reason for my sudden blog attack is that as of Friday, 13 August (aka THIS FRIDAY!) I will have been living in the UK for a WHOLE YEAR!! Ok, technically I left the US on the 13th and arrived in the UK on the 14th. But let's not be persnickity. SO much has happened to me over the past year, it's really quite unbelievable. There were times at the beginning that I doubted myself-- See Copenhagen. :P But really, I am so incredibly proud of the past year that I can hardly stand it.

I have made great friends. Truly. I've never had a rough time making friends in general, but I ALWAYS have to have my core group of pals that I confide everything in (and if you have been in this group, I deeply apologise for all the drunken outbursts, rebellious streaks, and times I've made you blush with my sailor mouth. I do love you truly.) Don't know what I would've done without a few special people this year. Especially when it came down to some pretty intense courses.

I have loved and lost and loved again. Most will know that I ended a relationship of 4+ years a couple weeks after moving to Oxford. I know it was the right decision. Our time had run its course, and although I love him deeply for the experiences we shared, the friendship and the growing we did, It was ready to be over. Sadly it took us a while to realise it. It was hard, I'll be honest. I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone, date, find someone who I was as comfortable with. At 24, I feared the worst. I know, silly.
However, I dated. I flirted. I explored. I met boys with accents ;) And then, in a pub with live Irish music the inevitable happened. I met someone who made me feel comfortable, who made me laugh and smile, and most importantly had a British accent. GOAL ACHIEVED! lol

I have sorted out my career path, and then changed it. Maybe. I'm still unsure. Ok...I know (MOTHER!) you're freaking out right now. Let's get some things straight. Obviously I'm still working in publishing. Hello?? I did not spend all this money, an entire year working the most hellish job ever, and expend all that effort in classes for nothing. I am absolutely completely in love with the publishing industry. More so than I was a year ago even. For reals. I've always known I want to do editorial. Three editorial placements later, still sure (though rights is appealing...). I've wanted to do fiction, because it's my favourite genre. This year I narrowed that down to Young Adult fiction. And then NPD happened. Most importantly the fact that I was MD of the fiction division. And said fiction division needed to make a crap tonne of money. So we produced 'erotic romance' and I was introduced to every facet of the genre. And you know what? It's hilarious, it's entertaining, it's a cash machine. So, now this week I started a 6 week placement at Mills and Boon. The Harlequin of the UK. The romance genre QUEEN. So...YA or Romance/Erotica? Choices, Choices.

I explored the world. Well, some of it anyway. I went backpacking, duh, before the course. I made it to 10 countries. 1o! Just fathom that for a bit. I sure have been. Looking back I still can't believe I did it. Sometimes it was hard, sometimes it was pure bliss, sometimes it was just plain strange (warsaw kebab. seriously.). While on the course I went to Frankfurt and Mainz Germany for the bookfair and Guttenberg museum respectively. Still in love with Germany. I went to Paris with Amy during her visit. I went to Cambridge (alright, not exactly centre of the world). I spent two weeks living in an ITALIAN VILLA in Florence. FOR FREE. What?! Wow, I love Europe. Oh, and i went to 3 concentration camps. I'm planning the memorial trip to Auschwitz/Birkenau in January...Please see me if you'd like to attend :)

I've changed me. In the best of ways, I assure you. I've grown up. I'm working on certain things (Ahem, Vo. What you're always telling me..I'm getting there!). Most importantly I'm happy. Oh yeah, and I just moved to London! You are welcome to visit, but if you're coming from the states I will expect American groceries upon your arrival. Just saying.

I am still absolutely positive that I was meant for this country, this industry, this life.
Hopefully I'll keep you better informed (and more frequently at that) in the future.

Cheers,
J xxx

--EDIT-- blogger is being stupid and I can't post pictures. I will do. Don't worry. :)

Life is What Happens to You When You're Busy Making Other Plans...

- John Lennon

NPD. Nowhere Boy. Torpids. Purple Turtle. Banksy. Quiz.

That is my weekend in a nutshell (or will be). Not sure the student life is easier than living in the 'real world' and I've done both so I can definitely judge. :)

There is no such thing as Monday through Friday 9-5 in the life of a student. At least not for a Postgrad.

Will update for real after the weekend perhaps? Next week is careers week (read: no classes) so it might be possible. Probably not.

xx

One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.

Le sigh.

Courses have started up again (finally, after an almost 6 week Holiday break. Outrageous) and I am already feeling very, very overwhelmed. This feeling began one week prior to my classes, when my work experience boss asked me to read a random fiction manuscript that had been submitted. I am currently doing my work experience at a small publishers in Oxford that produces non-fiction, literary travel guide-type books. Not fiction, although that is what I am interested in. I read the manuscript, wrote up my typical intern reader report and discussed it on a rainy Monday morning with the boss. Turns out, he agreed with all my points, liked the manuscript but alas didn't think he had the time to put into producing it. So what's a small publisher to do? Why, use the intern of course! That's right, I have been given my very own title to edit and design for which I will be given an editorial credit for. My name will appear in the book. Wowza. And, because I'm such a great friend, I've hooked Bri up with the cover design job as well. The manuscript is great and I'm having a good time editing it so far. Challenging, but in the end...very rewarding.
This term we have three modules, two electives and the huge, culminating, scary-- NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT! AHHHHH! In NPD we all become the Buckley Publishing Group and are split into divisions. Let me just say that this division splitting thing was the source of many sleepless nights for me leading up to our first class. In the end, all was OK as I am in the FICTION division (WHOO! although one of the tougher ones for the industry, sigh) and as of yesterday, I have been made Managing Director of our division. If only that job paid...
My elective modules are Rights Management (the 'law' of publishing if you will. Who owns what, for how long, and what else can you sell to make some more money) as well as Publishing and Language Issues (translations, minority languages, censorship). So far, so good. I've always been a language junkie--still considering that PhD in Linguistics, maybe--so I am really enjoying the course. We've been split into groups for our first assignment and I am in the minority language category. Very interesting to see what is out there in the world as I've been sequestered in American English for oh so long.


On a slightly different note, I am currently living in the house sans flatmates. As of last week, all 3 of my flatmates are practically official doctors, i.e. they passed their exams, whoohoo! They all spent sooo long revising and practicing for these massive, tedious exams and then I joined them in a bit of celebration in the city centre thursday evening. On Saturday, two left for elective placements at hospitals outside the UK. The third is visiting family and will be back at the weekend sometime before leaving in about a month for elective herself. It's sort of nice having the house to myself, although I do miss a bit of hustle and bustle every now and then. I realised I haven't lived by myself since the second term of my first year at Uni. That's the beginning of 2005. 5 years ago. And even then it was in a dorm room surrounded by people...and I was never really there anyway. Elective is 10 weeks...It's going to be a long 10 weeks.

Picture: Me inside King's College (?) chapel in Cambridge, January. Rocking the WV of course!

Aside from coursework and actual work, I've began working on my major project which is due 1 September (although not as hard as I should be...sorry M!). As mentioned above, it's all feeling a bit overwhelming and I'm a little emotional tonight. Again, le sigh. Combination of living alone, too much work, guilt over not doing said work and the upcoming ridiculously stupid holiday is not a good one tonight.

However, tomorrow night I am having my favourite oxford friends over for a fantastically girly sleepover! Just have to make it through a day of work and then on to the fun!

Decided I should put a few more pics on here. We went to London for the day a couple weeks ago for an SYP event. During the day we made our way to the V&A and the Natural History Museum. Enjoy!

Inside the V&A sculpture room

TRex inside the Natural History Museum. This thing moves, roars (or whatever dinosaurs do) and in general, scares small children. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

Trafalgar Square at night and in the misty rain. We met up with others from our course to have dinner in the Crypt Cafe at St. Martin's in the Fields, a church directly across from the square. Good food, and cheap for the local!

'I Wonder Anybody Does Anything at Oxford But Dream and Remember...

... the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all like an opera.' -WB Yeats

(Picture: My adorable Marius cannot wait to move to Oxford!)

Ah! So good to be back in Jolly Ol' England and Oxford! I arrived last Sunday morning and darling flatmate David met me at the bus stop to lug all 5 gazillion pounds (or kilos!) of my crap to the house. A million thank yous for that as the UK was covered in snow and our streets were definitely not plowed. Oy vey. I understand that England is not used to mass quantities of snow, but goodness, could you splurge for some snow plows, or something? Actually, I take that back because the snow seems to stay prettier when not moved around or trampled upon (as everyone has off work/school as well!). Provides for some great snow ball fights :)

I was in the States for about 2.5 weeks, most of which I passed at mum's house in East Berlin, PA. I know I had only been out of America for a measly four months, but goodness! I really had forgotten how strange it is. Things are bigger, louder, more jesus-centric... It was a strange wake up call. And, yes. I still love England. I'm not leaving ever again. You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming out of this country. Seriously. I'll go into hiding. I'll flee to the Cotswolds or something. Not leaving. EVER. :)

Whilst in the states I was able to see all my loves: Amypoo, the TRIFORCE!, family, etc. Spent one very quick afternoon in WV to gather some things and enjoy spinach dip and frozen margaritas at Cheddars (love) with Amy and her family. Liz and Maria came to the middle of nowhere (aka East Berlin) for New Year's Eve and we had a drunken love fest of a good time. Met my new niece, Sophia, who is a little doll. Yes, I like a child. I voluntarily spent time with a child. I'm either growing old or soft. Time will tell. Also went to karaoke twice and managed to show off my extreme British drinking skills once and my extreme drunken skills (not to mention random chat ups) the second time to family. Epic.

Mumsy and I went to NYC for a quick overnight trip. We saw two shows (Memphis and Mary Poppins), did a lot of walking and sightseeing, and spent a lovely 3 hours in the Cellar at Macy's getting our gab on. I think she may have developed a 'buy Jen a glass of wine and see how much you can get her to spill' agenda. That's ok by me.

Since being back in England, I've managed to do one day of work experience which I'm really starting to enjoy. I'm designing the latest cataloge for the company and also doing some market research. Completely different to what i did at my previous work exp., but definitely putting to use all the skills I learned in term one...Score! Bri and I went to Cambridge on Thursday to see the sights and put this month and a half long break to good use before we're covered in course work again. Cambridge was fun (RAINY), it's pretty...but I still prefer Oxford. I can see why people in England think Cam is more beautiful as compared to Ox, but I have to say I'm in disagreeance. I may be biased...because I'm just so in love with Oxford I can't bare to leave it ever again! :)

I am very much looking forward to courses starting up in a couple of weeks. I have too much free time now and nothing is getting accomplished. Must work on major project. NOW...or tomorrow :)

Laters!

Oh where, oh where does the time go?

Today is 18th December 2009. It is the last day of the first term of my MA in Publishing at Oxford Brookes University. Whoa. Seriously...where did this semester go?? It's really hard to believe that it has been 12 weeks since I met everyone, sat in my first MA class, had my first marketing assignment (!). Sometimes it feels like it's been months, years...and at others (or for other things, maybe) it's really hard to believe we're already finished one term. I am 1/3 finished with my MA. WTF!

And, to be sentimental...of course, I really have fallen in love with a bunch of people here. I'm still so in love with the course and of course England. It has been one of the busiest, craziest and drunkest 12 weeks of my life...but I wouldn't change any of it.

Tuesday we presented our editorial projects and my group was voted into 3rd place by the judges (lecturers and a guest judge from Palgrave Macmillan)! We were really surprised and really excited! We had no idea we'd win anything, but we did bring cookies :) (It was a proposal for a student cookbook...c'mon!). Tuesday night was fairly lovely as well...dinner at Jamie's and drinks at Copa. Enough on that though :)

Wednesday we had our last marketing lecture EVER! We had a guest speaker on PR and it was probably my favourite lecture of the term. I forgot how much I really like PR and I'm thankful for the speaker for reminding me I have alternatives besides editorial! Wednesday night was the FABULOUS MA Christmas party at the swanky Randolph Hotel downtown. 3 course meal and dancing the night away...with the lecturers. Let me just say that seeing our production lecturer get down to 'Dancing Queen' was priceless and worth the 35quid pricetag!

Thursday we had our Production exam which I think went fairly well...but to be honest, no one cared much about after the party! Not that I didn't try (I can hear you mumsy!) but it wasn't a huge exam and some of the questions had appeared on our exercises a couple weeks ago. I know this is boring...moving on.

Today we presented our design projects. My group met this morning to get a nice version printed out in the media centre and then had a team breakfast. This is probably the part I'm most excited about...When my group first met waaaaay back in Sept/October, we realised that no one had any design skills. Fail. But 12 weeks and many hours in the TONGE later and our book is AMAZING. I am so proud of us and of it that I could not stop smiling all morning. Afterwards a bunch of us went to the pub for lunch and drinks and then Bri and I went to the city centre for some last minute shopping.

Busy, busy week...great culmination to the busy 12 weeks I've been having. I head to the states on Monday morning and while I am definitely getting more excited (especially for certain things: MEXICAN, FRIENDS, KITTEN, Yes, you MUMSY!) but also sad that this term has come to a close. Next term we'll be back (most of us, and a few new additions), but we won't have everyday together like we did this term. We've got electives next term. So instead of 4 days a week with the same people, I'll have 1...it will be a HUGE change. Sigh. Growing up is hard.

Leave you with a lovely pic of Bri and me at the Christmas do
xxx

Remember, Remember the 5th of November!

Today is November 5th (for a few more hours anyway) which is Guy Fawkes day in England. Guy Fawkes was some dude who attempted to blow up Parliament hundreds of years ago and failed. This happened on Nov. 5th...so, Remember, Remember the 5th of November! Apparently, there's fireworks, burning effigies, and random bonfires in the park. Of course, today is a Thursday, so while there have been fireworks exploding around town, the real party will be held on Saturday night at one of our local parks. We do, you know, live in Oxford where the majority of us are scholarly and brilliant and need to do actual work in the middle of the week :) I'm really looking forward to my first (of many!) Guy Fawkes park bonfire, even if I don't really understand it at all.

Went on a 'ghost tour' with the International Students thingy on Monday night. Was not so much a ghost tour as it was an historical tour of Oxford, at night, when everything was closed and it was FREEZING. But, ended it in the pub drinking Fruli (love.) with two of my favourites. All in all, a good night and it gave us a little time away from studying for....

Our first exam, which was yesterday. To be fair, we really only have 2 exams this term: Marketing (yesterday) and Editorial (which is 90% proofreading...and I LOVE proofreading. Seriously, I do it for fun. Really). Now, don't go thinking this MA programme is a joke, cause believe you me it certainly isn't. Along with our two exams we have a major group project for each course (that's 4 total) due in at the end of term. These projects are: Marketing Plan, Editorial Proposal, Major design of 24 pages of a book...and something else that I should probably be remembering right now for Production.
Anyway, point is that we had our marketing exam yesterday. Last week was 'reading week' so no lectures, but tons of events to attend and lots of emailing trying to get group appointments together. Oh, and lots of people freaking out and studying hardcore for this marketing exam. I felt really good and prepared going into the exam...afterwards, slightly shaken, but all in all I'm sure it's fine ;) After the exam itself, we had about a 15 minute break before we had to meet up for our marketing seminar sessions (blah). 5 of us took this as an excuse to run to the closest flat/dorm room and do shots of Jaeger to congratulate ourselves. I love Uni.
We also, of course, had to celebrate the end of the exam by going out and getting ridiculously drunk. Hit a pub, then went to an Oxford Uni College pub (as I have two lovely friends who either attend or attended Oxford Uni and can get us in). Vodka and diet coke for 1pound70? Hell yeah. Afterwards, we hung out in the cemetary of the college for a bit and then went to the Purple Turtle. A club...apparently Wednesday, although free to get in, is like weird, american punk music night. Kind of a fail...but overall a good time. Met up with a bunch of others from the course and debauchery insued, as normal.

I'm still finding moments in the day where I stop--look around--and say, "I'm in freaking ENGLAND!" I don't know if this will ever stop really. I don't know if I want it to. I don't ever want to go back to the states...I don't think I could actually live in the states again after this. Everyone said that backpacking around Europe would be life changing, and while it was amazing and I'm still so freaking proud of myself for actually doing it (alone, I might add) it was always overshadowed by the fact that I was starting a Master's degree in England after. Now, i'm in week 6 of term one...and yeah, this is definitely the life changing event. I may even not come home for Christmas...kidding. Ticket is purchased and I'm coming, even though I really, kind of don't want to. Sorry :)


Picture above is from inside the St. Edmund's (Teddy Hall) College cemetery. I'm sitting next to someone important, I'm sure.

These places they take you to...

Halloween party was a great success! Lots of drinking, laughing and dancing. Perfect evening. And, very much hungover today...joy. I dressed up as Eponine from Les Mis...it wasn't the greatest idea/costume, but I am so completely rubbish with costumes. No idea why I love Halloween so very much.

I've been sitting here attempting to maybe do some studying and just contemplating life. It's very odd to think of my life now and my 'old' life. With each day it just kind of slips farther away and it's really hard to imagine that I was ever that person. That person who worked in pharmaceuticals, lived in West Virginia (I still do tear up when Country Roads comes on my iPod), basically devoting my life to my relationship, was not in school... in ENGLAND. God, I love England.

I've met a very lovely girl, Bri, who is also leading a totally new life here in Oxford. I think it's great that we are able to move to England (even if it's only for a year...please don't let it only be for a year!) and be the people we're actually supposed to be. Free, Liberated, Opinionated, Smart women. Fantastical.

Ok, I was distracted and now I am not feeling deep or pensive or anything any more. I'll leave you with a picture (horrible) of me as Eponine. Costume fail, as usual...
-Edit- Can't figure out how to put the pic down here...sooo yeah.

Before this river...

Becomes an ocean.

I'm on a George Michael/Wham kick. Can't explain why :)

We are currently in the middle of week 4 of classes. It feels like we've been going for a lot longer. Don't get me wrong, I am LOVING the course and the people I've met. It's just that we've already learned/done/drank so much :) Feels like I've been here for 6 months, or honestly that I've just always been here.
Of course, everyday something happens and I rush home and just want to skype with everyone back home (ok, not everyone...sorry. Just like 3 of you), but I've also made some really good friends here who fill the void. And not to mention I'm back to my fun, sociable self (can I say that about myself...? Sure) that is always up for a good time! haha...slowing down now as the course work picks up.

Saturday night we returned back from Frankfurt, Germany and the Frankfurt book fair. It was AMAZING. A few of us walked into hall 8 (the international/UK/US hall) which was massive and only one of a bunch of halls, and just felt utterly overwhelmed. Sounds naive, but I don't think I realised just how many publishers there were. We were allotted 2 meetings, but I used my fantastic networking skills (yeah...) and weasled my way into 4: Random House, Bloomsbury, New Internationalist (EPIC) and David Attwooll Associates (literary agent). Random House and Bloomsbury were interesting, but kind of broad. I got a lot more out of the small places I visited. Not to mention the fact that we were there for about 8 hours, so we saw a lot, though not everything!
Saturday we were free to do what we wanted and a group of us chose to go to Mainz, Germany to the Gutenberg museum. Mainz was gorgeous and the museum was ok...I just can't get into museums, even when they're about books! We had a great dinner and some apple wine then shot off for the airport.
We arrived back at Heathrow after only a 1 hour flight. That's right, it takes me one hour to get from Germany to England. I love, love, love Europe.

Now it's back to the grind. Work load is picking up for the courses; numerous projects and group meetings to attend, plus our first marketing test which should be a doozy. And, of course, have to keep mastering my networking skills (read: pub quiz, wine socials, etc.).
We're having a Halloween/bday party at the flat this weekend, which should be loads of fun. The publishers are coming out in Force! And, Friday Harper Collins is coming to campus to interview for about 10 work placement slots. This would mean going to London every Monday morning at about 6am...but seriously. Harper Collins?? Totally worth it. Wish me luck!

Tschuss!

24 Candles

Today, I am 24 years old. Today, I am 24 years old and I'm waking up in Oxford, England where I LIVE. Today, I am 24 years old, living in England and single. Today, I am going with all new friends to a tapas bar and having a fabulous night.

It's strange to think how much your life can change in one year, or even one week. Yes, I have been out of the states for almost 2 months. I have seen 10 countries (if you count the Vatican :) ), I have met amazing people, I have moved to Oxford and I'm studying Books in the greatest book capital in the world. I have recently become single after 4+ years of a relationship that seemed like it would be my last. I have spent some hours grieving over this, but then the thought occurs to me: For the past 3 years of your life you've been plotting, scheming, working towards this. Can you really let something so simple get you down? It's not easy to pack up and move to another country...it's not easy to leave someone you love behind. At the age of (now) 24, a 4+year relationship is a major chunk of your life...and it was an important part that I won't forget and I definitely do not regret.
I'm a new me now, however, and I plan to make the most of it in every aspect.

Yes, I'm 24 years old today and I live in Oxford, England and I study books and I've made great friends and already experienced so much. Let the past rest and the future shine :) 24 is the year.



p.s. I apologize for the over-sentimental, nostalgic-ish rant...But, it is MY blog after all :)

It is now September 18th

And, I realise I am WAY behind on blogging as I have been to...6-7 cities since my last post. Ouch. However, we have definitely been light on the internet connections and this one is super expensive.
I will update everything when I am back in Oxford...in TWO days!! I am such a scholar...as I am oh so freaking excited to start classes!!


Write soon!xx

Praha

So I spent 1.5 (somewhat glorious) days in Prague, Czech Republic and here is the update:

I say they were somewhat glorious because the first half of a day was horrendous. As I almost missed my train that morning, I definitely didn't have time to grab any food for the long train ride, but instead planned to sleep. Well, of course that didn't happen. No biggie, the thought of being in Prague was exciting enough to keep me going on the measly 3 hrs I was running on.
I had booked my hostel online, through the same company I've been using the entire trip. I got the email confirmation, only this one looked a little different. Oh well, I thought, and copied down the directions to the hostel. 'Leave the train station and walk straight to McDonalds.' Easy. Except, there was no Mcdonalds. None...nowhere. I walked up and down and all around the train station. I checked my directions...man, that really didn't sound like the name of the place I booked..but I had looked at so many, they were all a blur. I went back into the train station and asked at information. They looked at the hostel name without recognition and pointed me to the street they thought I needed. Said it was 800metres away and definitely walkable.
So I start walking and I get lost, of course...and then, after resting in the park scouring my book for any clues, I see it...a sign for a McDonalds. 300metres away! I'm saved!
No. 2.5 hours after I stepped off the train, I made it to the hostel. The hostel that had a different name, and a different address from what I had written and received via email. The hostel that I had thought I had picked. The hostel I was a mere 20 feet from 1.5hrs before I actually went inside. I was exhausted, I was starving, I was tired, I was whiny. Did I mention I did all this searching on foot? With my ginormous backpack and a small one too? Did I mention that in Krakow it was chilly and in Prague...it was HOT?
Needless to say I layed low that night. Bought food at the grocery store (my feet could not take any more walking) studied up on what to do the next day, and read.

The second day in Prague was great. Prague is beautiful and full of culture and history and I barely saw any of it. It will be the first place I go back to visit (well, Berlin might be first...). I took a FREE tour of the city for 3 hours, learning about the history, etc. Ate a delicious chicken caesar salad that cost me about 2.50euros, and maybe did a little shopping at H&M. I couldn't help myself...
I didn't have time to even go to Prague Castle. So seriously...I'm going back...soon. Please volunteer to accompany me!

Cracovia

So, I really havent been slacking on my blogging duties, I swear! I had this very nice, very long blog typed up the other night and then the electric went out and it was lost. Oh well... Heres my take on the epicness that is Krakow, Poland.

My first day there I arrived early so I threw my stuff in the hostel luggage room and hit the streets. I happened upon some sort of street fair complete with stands, food and music and dancing. It was so much fun and a great time to take in the old city--when it was alive!

The next day I took a tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau...I really still cannot describe this experience. It was moving, shocking, awe-inspiring. Im glad that I went with a group because I was able to see the highlights as Birkenau is MASSIVE and Auschwitz has so many little places filled with memorabila, etc. Oh, and a bird pooped on me...that was gross. Of course, seeing as I was at Auschwitz, a little bird poop--not that big a problem.

Tuesday was September 1st, the 70th anniversary of Germany invading Poland. I took a Jewish Heritage tour which encompassed an 11 km walk across Krakow. I saw so much and unfortunately, I had forgotten to charge my camera so I did not get as many pictures as I would have liked to. Oh well. We saw a few places used to film Schindlers List --side note, I cannot figure out how to use either parenthesis or apostrophes, so please forgive--which was super exciting! We also saw the real Oskar Schindler s factory.
That night, although I was planning to go to bed early in preparation for my 653am train ride, I was coaxed into going out with a lovely girl from Berlin, who is currently living in Poland. We went to club Kitsch, which is supposedly famous...? We went with a couple others from the hostel and I had a blast! Rolled back into the hostel around 330am and due to this lovely German girl I managed to get up at 620 and make my train! She came over, woke me up and I freaked...THANK YOU!

All in all, I really enjoyed Krakow. It was more of the Poland I pictured in my head. Definitely less commercial than Warsaw and very beautiful. I definitely want to go back...and this sounds crazy, but I kind of want to go in January --I think it was Jan 27-- for the Auschwitz memorial stuff....but Poland in winter? We will see!

Warsaw

Today is my last day in Warsaw and as I have free internet at the current hostel, might as well make the most of it. Two of my three days here have been rainy, which is unfortunate, because Warsaw in the rain...not really a sight to behold. I did manage to walk around a bit, find an English bookstore and pick up the thickest book I could find. I also found a movie theatre that plays Polish movies once a week with English subtitles. I saw We Are All Christs. It was very good-a very moving story about an alcoholic and the havoc it causes in his life.

Yesterday, however, it was sunny and gorgeous and I made my way around quite nicely.
First I visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which was pretty good--definitely worth a go and the 3zlotys I paid as a student to get in. Not sure exactly what the exchange is except that my hostel costs roughly 10 euros a night, so 30euros total, which was 120 zloty. I am so not a fan of currencies like this. 3-4 zloty for a coke, 5 for a bag of chips. I can't do that kind of math in my head, people! Anyway, the museum, as I said, was eye opening. I thought I knew about the Warsaw uprising, but I didn't. The only downside (and I'm going to sound like an ignorant American here) was the language barrier. They posted most of the stuff in English as well as Polish, but it was very badly translated and, as I mentioned, some stuff was only in Polish. I know, this is Poland, where they speak Polish. But, if they want tourism to increase, they need to work on this. Polish is not a mainstream language...I would like to learn it though.

Afterwards I went to Stare Miasto, the old town square, which is actually fairly new since the whole of Warsaw had to be rebuilt after WWII. It was beautiful. A bit more touristy then the rest of Warsaw which is very commercialized, but also full of folksy art shops and little squares with fountains, etc. I walked around for about an hour and then settled on a bench next to the Little Mermaid statue to take in the sights.

I started to get a bit of a sore throat/stuffy nose. Not unusual as I've been cohabitating with a bunch of sick people in each city...about one per room probably. I also went outside in the pouring rain here in Warsaw with wet hair...so, yeah. Needless to say, I rested last night and slept in a bit this morning. I awoke to rain, lots of rain. Used my bus pass that I'd purchased and went to the train station where I reserved my next two trains, as they are to Krakow and then to Prague (not the kind of train you just hop on once per hour). I did some window shopping in a giant mall and then went to see The Reader (or Lektor, in Polish) at the cinema down the street. It was in English with Polish subtitles. Great way to spend a rainy afternoon.

I have an early train tomorrow morning, so I'll probably head in early. Look forward to the next exciting installment--KRAKOW! Heads up--I have signed up for an Auschwitz/Birkenau tour and a Schindler's List tour. :)

Munchen

Well, I have just arrived in rainy Warsaw via the sleeper train from Berlin. I had spent the previous two nights in Munich before heading back to Berlin to catch the train to Warsaw.

Here's the update on Munich-- great city, though not as great as Berlin, in my humble opinion. I enjoyed an enlightening trip to Dachau concentration camp which was way more intense than Sachsunhausend (I still have no idea how to spell that). Besides my trip to Dachau, I meandered around Munich, watched the famous glockenspiel do its thing (for 10 minutes...as in it went off for 10 whole minutes) and spent a lot of time in this little park right off of Odeoplatz. This park was AMAZING. I didn't feel like I was in Germany at all, but rather some Jane Austen novel. I layed out on the grass, listened to local musicians play classical music and watched beaucoup of PDA (only because I couldn't avoid it. These Munich people, sheesh). Another magical experience in Germany, if I do say so myself.
I had two roommates from CA. I swear, I've met Aussies and people from CA only on this trip. It's ridiculous. They were very nice, although we didn't hang out a lot together outside of the room. It did make for some nice conversation, however.

So, as I said, I'm in Warsaw. I've seen pretty much the train station and a few streets. It's super rainy, although I think the rain has actually stopped and it's just dreary. I'm debating whether to venture out alone, find a tour, or just go back to bed! I did, you know, take an overnight train...i have an excuse to sleep, right??

I need to learn Polish. Now.

Germany...Where everybody (can pronounce) my name

What can I say? Is this really my life? This time last year, even this time 3 months ago I was slaving away in 'pharmaceutical organisation' thinking the time to break out would never come. Here it is, and I am absolutely, positively, without a doubt in LOVE with Germany. It is magic.

Berlin, Berlin, Berlin. If I could manage to actually learn German someday, I might forgo my dream of England and move there. The culture and history is vast and fantastic; they've done a surprisingly great job of commemorating their past (good and bad) and intrigrating technology and current events into the city. I actually stayed in East Berlin, and this probably sounds naive, but I really didn't want to. I wasn't aware of how Berlin would actually be 20 years after reunification and the thought of getting 'stuck' on the east did occur to me more than once. Turns out, East Berlin is the Berlin to be in. I was a few minutes walk from all the sites and hardly even ventured into the west despite living there for 4 days. The wall, of course, was heartbreaking and kind of magical all at once. The stories of desperation that you hear about people crossing the wall; the stealth and precision of the German/Soviet population in creating the wall...it's all awe-inspiring, for different reasons.
Friday, I made my way to Sachenshausend (which I cannot pronounce or spell) concentration camp. I decided to go with a tour group in case the sights were too much for me. Those of you who know me well, know my obsession with the Holocaust and also my utter inability to make it through the DC museum intact. I did it though! This camp was a work camp, which in no way undermines the shear amount of death and destruction that occured, but it does make for an easier transition into the dark sights. Most of the camp was destroyed post liberation by Soviet troops who then used the camp for their own prison in a very ironic sort of way. Some structures are still intact, and the museum people have done a great job restoring other parts and memorializing the camp and its inhabitants. I placed a stone on a barrack memorial (for me and for you, Lizzle).
I met a couple of people at my second hostel in Berlin and was actually able to go out Friday night. Irish pub for a few strongbows and Karaoke. I love German karaoke. The thick German accent is adorable coming from a bunch of drunks!
I am now in Cologne Germany for about another hour. I came to Cologne as an easy stop over on the train and to see the sights--- Chocolate Museum. Hershey Park still wins in my opinion. Next I'm off to Munich.
Last night, however, I ventured out on my own around 9 30 and ended up in front of the massive Dom Cathedral sitting on the steps and listening to two guys play guitar and sing Oasis tunes. Definitely magical. I then noticed a bookstore still open on a Sunday night at 10, so I headed over. I bought the cutest little journal, very small--passport size--with parchment-like paper. I wasn't going to keep a journal because I was doing the blog and I didn't want to carry it around, but alas, it was cute and cheap and I gave in.

On a very lame and dorky note- In Copenhagen I picked up Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban from the book pile. I finished it last night and was in a panic as to what I would read next (especially since I really just wanted to read HP forever). Then, to my great amazement, Goblet of Fire was awaiting me in the Cologne hostel book pile. I told you Germany was magical.

Berlin is love

This will be short and quick as i have 7mins of internet time left.

I am loving Berlin and feeling so much better about this trip then I was in Copenhagen. Berlin is just amazing... the history, the architecture, the people. So amazing in fact that ive booked two more nights here before probably taking the train to Cologne where there is...get this, a Chocolate museum.

When i arrived in Berlin i did a makeshift walking tour to bebelplatz to see the place where they burned all those books. Very moving monument. Ive taken tons of pictures (MARIA), but i probably wont post them until im back in Oxford.

Ill write more at another time, but i just wanted to add this little tidbit. The best part about Copenhagen was leaving...because on the train from there to Berlin you have to take a ferry at one point. So the train actually drives onto the ferry, you get off for 40 mins then get back on the train and youre in germany. AMAZING! I thought.

Tchuss!

Kobenhavn...ehh.

Today I arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark the first stop on my whirlwind tour around Europe. I have to say that i'm slightly disappointed. The hostel seems nice; however it doesn't seem to be in a great location--as in I'm glad that I have to get up so early tomorrow to catch my train so i'll be in early tonight.
From the moment I got off the plane things didn't go quite right, which isn't a problem but the people aren't very friendly either. Maybe I am a bit spoiled in America...? But the last few days in England have been very welcoming. My plane was late due to an electrical problem. We sat at the gate for a while..not sure how long because i had already turned my phone off and for once i was out on a plane. I slept the entire way here. The staff on the plane were very nice however, they gave us a free drink for making us sit in the hot plane for so long and they were just pleasant. seats were great too. If you're ever flying around these parts I highly recommend Scandanavian air.
Anyway, the lateness put me in chaos for finding a bus/train/metro anything to get to the hostel by 2 30 and the people working both the information booth and the ticket booth were just rude. I understand i don't speak your language-even though they spoke english and advertised it-- and i'm taking up a lot of your time because i'm completely lost, but sheesh.

That aside, my summary of copenhagen is this: Some parts look like Amsterdam (good thing) but the whole thing feels like Brussels (bad thing). Alas, my time here is up. Tomorrow I'll be in `Berlin which is supposed to be fantastic. We'll see!

In Oxfordshire

Arrived in Oxford today.

Love my flat. Love my flatmates. Cannot wait to be done traveling and move in for real!