Surprise!!!!!

This weekend I had the best surprise ever!! I was expecting my Grandmother to be visiting with me in London from Thursday to Tuesday. She wanted me to meet her in the lobby of her hotel Thursday morning, so when I got there everything seemed normal, hugs were exchanged, we walked up the steps...... and MY DAD WAS JUST SITTING IN A CHAIR LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. 

Needless to say, I got the best Dad hug ever :D

Thursday afternoon we went to lunch at Pizza Express, then I showed them both around my campus and had them meet some of my friends. We went to dinner down in Covent Garden, walked around the market area and saw some beautiful Christmas lights. 

Friday, we went on a "Hop On, Hop Off" bus tour of the city, meaning we bought a pass for a specific sightseeing bus company, and we could get on and off the bus as many times during the day as we liked to explore parts of the city on foot. We stopped at Piccadilly Circus (London's Times Square), Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye. 

Piccadilly Circus

London Eye

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (and a little birdie friend!!)

Saturday was our day trip to the city of Canterbury and Dover Castle. We had a great day, it was very sunny in Canterbury and only drizzled a little at Dover Castle. The Canterbury Cathedral was probably one of my favorite old churches I've visited while studying abroad. 

Canterbury Cathedral

After the tour of the Cathedral, we had some free time to explore the city - it was very quaint and had great shopping streets!

Canterbury

Sunday we were all very tired, so we kinda chilled out in the morning and walked up to Abbey Road to get Dad's picture in the famous crosswalk. :) Glad we got to do that - it was on my bucket list!! That afternoon we went down to the Hyde Park/Kensington area. Gramma and I went to Harrod's for a little while - it was SO overwhelming but I really just wanted to see the lights on the outside, and the famous window displays. While we were doing that, Dad went to the Hard Rock Cafe and got his new baseball cap :) 

Monday began a slightly stressful end to the visit. Most of you know I've struggled with my health while I've been in London, specifically finding enough food to eat that my body doesn't reject, and while the cafeteria at school has been very good about making me more well-balanced meals, I have not felt well since returning from Italy about 4 weeks ago. Needless to say, we decided as a family that I need to get home as soon as possible to see my doctors and figure out what's wrong. I will be returning to the US tomorrow night. 

After deciding that I was definitely leaving early, I needed to finish some homework, so Gramma and Dad took the tube (by themselves - I'm so proud) to the Southbank, where they rode the Eye and had a walk around the Southbank Christmas Festival. I met them there and we went to see a play for my Theatre class called Our Ajax.

Tuesday was a productive day - I got the OK from all my professors to leave, we got my flight changed and my car booked to the airport. 

I'm sad to be leaving this amazing city, but I know that my getting myself healthy again is the most important thing right now. I've truly had the experience of a lifetime and made some amazing friends - you know who you are - and I will DEFINITELY be keeping in touch with all of you lovelies!! <3 

And who's to say I won't be back again?? ;)


Lots of Love, (and I'll be seeing some of you VERY soon!!!)
Casey

London Days and the English Countryside

First of all, I just want to say sorry it has been so long since I've posted!! The past couple weeks since Fall break has been my time to recuperate and focus on feeling closer to 100%, and I'm glad to say a lot of positives have come out of my all my efforts. :)

After break, I knew something had to change with the food I was able to eat from my school's cafeteria, which sadly wasn't much - mostly salad and fruit. After meeting with the head of the catering staff and voicing my many concerns, I am now on a meal plan that offers more well-balanced, hot meals every day! Success!

The first week after break I didn't do too much in the city, just took it easy, rested a lot, and wrote a paper for my English class. I did see a couple plays, one called The Events on October 28th, and another called Liola on November 4th. I really enjoyed Liola - it was one of my favorite plays that I've seen in London so far. On Friday the 1st, I took a trip to Greenwich Village and spent some time at the market there. I love Greenwich because of it's rich maritime history. There is a huge sailing ship there called the Cutty Sark that was once used for trading, and I was able to tour it! So cool!

On Sunday the 2nd I finally met up with a friend from London that I made a couple years ago named Megan! I went to her house and had lunch with her family, and it was absolutely fascinating to spend time with a real British family in a real British house! I'm so lucky to have opportunities like that to experience real British culture - and I can say I absolutely love everything about it :)

This past weekend I went to York and the English countryside with a few girls from my study abroad program. All I can say is, if you ever want to come to England and experience the "real Britain" - York, Fountains Abbey, and Haworth are the places you want to go. York's narrow cobblestone streets, crooked houses, and numerous chocolate shops would make anyone fall in love, and I sure did!!! :) 

We left early Saturday morning by coach and got to York at about 2 in the afternoon. We immediately set out on a walking tour and first got to see Yorkminster Cathedral, York's parliament building, much like Westminster Abbey in London. After that, we got a tour of the city itself, then had some free time to shop. We went back to the hostel that night, and Sunday morning left around 8:45 to visit Fountains Abbey and the town of Haworth.

Fountains Abbey is a huge monastic ruin (demolished by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries). I was absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of the place - even though it was a ruin. I honestly think that's why I liked it so much. All I've been seeing are the same huge, opulent cathedrals and churches, and I just felt so much more history and raw beauty here. It's hard to describe if you weren't there.

After that, we wound around the narrow countryside to the town of Haworth where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote. Now, if you know me at all, you'll know I was SO EXCITED about this part of the trip because I love the sisters' work so much, especially Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. We toured the Bronte Parsonage Museum, and then spent a little time in the town for lunch. I found a place that had gluten free sandwiches - YUM :)

Overall, I had a fantastic time in York and exploring the English countryside, and I'm so glad I got to see it while I'm abroad!! 



Lots of Love,
Casey

A Week in Italy!

I can't believe I'm writing about spending a week in Italy - I've always though it would be just a dream, and now I can say I actually did it! 

While I saw some of the most incredible, beautiful, and awe-inspiring sites and cities, I'm not going to pretend it wasn't a tough week for me. As most of you know, I have Celiac Disease and have to maintain a gluten free diet at all times, which is pretty tough in a country whose cuisine mainly revolves around pizza and pasta. With this in mind, I planned ahead and packed snacks in my suitcase to supplement the meals I knew I was going to miss out on. It was pretty hard for me to watch all my friends enjoying their pizzas and pastas while I ate salad after salad, but there were a few days that I found some great gluten free meals!

For instance:

Rome, Sunday night, I was able to get this delicious grilled fish:

Florence, Wednesday, most of the group went on an optional day trip to Tuscany for wine tasting, but I was feeling physically drained and needed a "Casey day" to get some energy back. For dinner I found a restaurant with gluten free "Vegetariana" pizza!! Yum!

Venice, Thursday night, I got delicious gluten free pasta with tomato sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella:

That about sums up my "real Italian food" experience, but what I did get to have was delicious!!!

Now for the cities themselves - there is a lot to talk about!

I flew into Rome Sunday morning and immediately started a walking tour led by an awesome guy named Justin once I made it to the hostel. The weather was beautiful, sunny and mid-70's. Sunday, I saw the Parthenon, Vittoriano, Castel St. Angelo, Colosseum, and Roman Forums. The Colosseum was by far my favorite site, and I spent the longest time there re-living my childhood by scream-singing, "THIS IS WHAT DREAAAMMSSS ARE MADE OF" from the Lizzie McGuire Movie ;)

Monday was another day in Rome, and Justin led us around the city again to see more famous cathedrals, ending at the Vatican! We toured St. Peter's Basilica and I got to see the Sistine Chapel!! It was unbelievably beautiful. That night after dinner, Stacey, Allie, Meredith, Andy and I went to the Trevi Fountain to see it lit up at night. That was one of my favorite moments from the trip!

Tuesday morning we departed for Florence, and got there by train around 11 am. I loved Florence so much - it is smaller and more walkable than Rome, and it really feels like an authentic Italian city! Danny (our tour leader) took us on a walking tour of the city and we saw the Duomo cathedral, the river with gold market bridge, and the leather markets. I got myself a new Italian leather jacket for way too much money, but YOLO

Before dinner, Danny took us up to the hilltop on the other side of the river for sunset. The views were unbelievable!! Another favorite moment from the trip, for sure!

Wednesday I decided to stay in Florence in order to recuperate a little bit and find some real food, so I spent the day walking around the city and eating a lot. I also climbed the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo and had some more awesome views of the city!

Thursday morning, we left Florence on a bus for Venice!! Venice is truly one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities I have ever seen. The water made me feel so happy and at home, I could have easily spent another 2 days there. I rode on a gondola with Stefano (who sang to us at the beginning) and saw San Marco's Square. This was the night I finally got to eat pasta in Italy! So delicious!!

Friday morning we left Venice (sadness) for Milan, with a stop in Verona for lunch. Verona is a very pretty little city, but extremely rich. It is the city where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet takes place, and I was able to see the wall and balcony where he got his inspiration! I also wrote a letter to Juilet and dropped it in the post box! The letters are actually read by a group of people and they write you a response eventually, how cool is that?!?! I can't wait to get my letter back from "Juliet" :)

When we got to Milan, I wasn't overly impressed because our hotel was pretty far from the city center. The only good thing was that we actually stayed in a REAL hotel with amazing accommodations!! Danny took us to see the famous Duomo cathedral which was absolutely huge and sorta creeped me out. This was the only city that I didn't care for - it just felt like another big city in any other part of the world.

Knowing I didn't want to spend all day Saturday in Milan, I took a train up to Lake Como with Allie, Meredith, Stacey and Chris!! I'm so glad I did because the views were stunning and the city was a lot of fun to walk around! There were some great street markets with tons of antiques. I saw sailboats and wanted to be on all of them at once even though that's not possible but yeah :'''')))))

My flight on Sunday got me back to London around 2:00 in the afternoon, and I'm honestly so happy to be back here - there's no place like "home"!! :)

I'm not going anywhere this coming weekend, so I'm exciting to finally have time to really explore parts of London that I haven't had the time to see yet! 



Lots of Love,
Casey

Paris - The City of Love and Lights!

This past weekend I went to Paris! Saturday morning at 7:30, we took the Eurostar from London under the English Channel and got to Paris in just over 2 hours.... pretty cool :)

I was so tired on Saturday from getting up at 4:45, but had a great day overall. The first thing we did after checking into the hotel was go on a walking tour to the Notre Dame cathedral. It was beautiful inside and out. I couldn't believe all the history of the statues and architecture as my tour guide described it. After that, we walked to the Louvre! Along the river, there are hundreds of street vendors that sell old books and prints, I wish we could have stopped and looked. I didn't get a chance to tour the inside of the Louvre, but I never knew how big that place actually is! I feel like it would take 6 months to walk through and see everything there.

We walked across the "Lock Bridge" - it's a famous bridge where couples write their names on a lock and place in on the bridge for good luck in love. :) 

Next, my tour leader left us to on our own, and my group walked to the Royal Opera House, yet another beautiful building in Paris! We then took the metro to the Eiffel Tower where we got some pictures, then found some dinner in the square there. By the time we were done, it was about 8 and we wanted to see the Tower sparkle at 9. I was in complete awe when the Tower lit up.... I never thought I'd see that in person!!! Words cannot describe how amazing of an experience that was. 

Sunday morning, we left on another walking tour of a section of the city called Montmartre. We walked to the top of a hill to a cathedral called the Sacre Couer, and the views of the city from the top were stunning. We were lucky to have a clear day! There was a food/tasting festival going on outside the cathedral, and I got 2 jars of fig jam. I may have a slight obsession with figs ;). We then left the Sacre Couer and walked around Montmartre - this part of the city was more of the typical quaint Parisian town you would picture when you think of France - and I think it was my favorite part of the city!

When the tour was over, my friend and I took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, then found the Princess Diana memorial near the bridge where she died, and then walked to sit under the Eiffel Tower for a little while and eat lunch before heading back to the hotel.

Paris was an incredible experience and something I will never forget. I'm still reminding myself that I'm actually in Europe seeing these famous sites and cities in person! Incredible.

Lots of Love,

Casey

A Weekend in Edinburgh!!

This past weekend I went to Edinburgh, Scotland! We left Friday morning from King's Cross Station in London and it took about 4 and a half hours to get to Edinburgh by train. I woke up early in order to get to the station in time to take my picture at 'Platform 9 3/4' :D There was even an awesome Harry Potter gift shop where I got my one way ticket to Hogwarts!

I took a picture of some of the beautiful props and replica jewelry that I stared at longingly for a while wishing I could afford it all.... I think I actually liked this shop better than the Harry Potter Studio one, and that's saying something! So needless to say, this was a great start to my weekend :)

Can I have it all?

We left the station at exactly 9:30 am, and a group of my friends luckily got booth seating with a table! I really enjoyed the train ride, I definitely prefer seeing the landscape of wherever I'm traveling. And of course, the English countryside is beautiful! We even got to see the ocean for a little while as we got closer to Edinburgh. :)

Blurry ocean

Countryside

We got to Edinburgh around 2 pm and immediately set off on a guided bus tour of the city. I cannot even begin to describe how beautiful Edinburgh is - there is a view from everywhere!! The city is extremely hilly, but small enough to be easily walkable. 

Just a few minutes walk from the city center is a stunning volcanic hill - if you climb the path it's just over 3 miles - this city would be PERFECT for running if I lived there! I honestly wish I brought my sneakers and a pair of running clothes!! The views were unbelievable from the top. Looking to one side you can see both the Old and New Towns, and Edinburgh Castle perched at the top of the Royal Mile. Looking to the other side, you see a stunning valley with a lake and village. Absolutely beautiful; words cannot describe how much I loved it!

After the bus tour, we checked in at the hostel and then went to find dinner. Another reason why I love Edinburgh so much is because it is EXTREMELY easy to eat gluten free there. We went to dinner at a little bistro/cafe place, and the menu didn't look very promising for GF. I asked the manager if there was anything they could do for me, and she was extremely helpful and willing to make something special for me. I ended up with a baked salmon fillet, huge baked potato, peas, and a salad. Best meal I've had since I've been in the UK!

My friend and I walked around High Street in the Old Town, also called the "Royal Mile." I loved all the shops and street vendors on this street! Found some great souvenirs :)

Saturday morning, my friends and I toured Edinburgh Castle. The views were also stunning from here because it is located at the top of (another) hill :). After that, we shopped along the Royal Mile and then met up at 5 pm for the Harry Potter walking tour!! I won a wand from the tour guide, as well :D. I loved seeing JK Rowling's inspirations for characters (many of which came from the headstones in Blackfriars Graveyard). 

This was a little cutie statue that I loved and had to take a picture of:

Greyfriar's Bobby!

Saturday night was dinner at Mamma's American Pizza House - you should have seen how excited I was when I saw the huge sign outside saying "GLUTEN FREE PIZZA" :D I chose not to go to the pub after because I knew I wanted to be up in the morning to get more sightseeing in. A quick yoga session and shower and I was off to bed! 

Sunday my friend and I ventured into the New Town and had fun looking in the stores, but I definitely prefer the Old Town; it is more charming and the buildings are older, the shops and cafe's are quainter, and it just feels more like a quintessential Scottish town. 

For example, I loved this little alleyway:

Side note - we popped into this cafe and I got excited about this.....

..... until I saw "almond" -_-

We climbed Calton Hill, another of the many hills with monuments for viewing the beautiful city. We got lunch at Pizza Express (gluten free pizza again, no shame), and then it was time to meet for the trip home.

We left Edinburgh at 5 pm, and got back to London around 10:10 pm. I was a long ride but again, so beautiful.


Edinburgh has byfar been my favorite place, and I honestly wish I could go back for a visit!!


Lots of Love,
Casey

Seaside Adventures

As most of you know, yesterday I went to Brighton, England for the day! It was cloudy most of the day, but luckily it didn't rain!

The first thing we did when we got there was tour the Royal Pavilion, a palace build for George, Prince of Wales. I thought it was very strange seeing a Chinese-inspired palace in the middle of a small seaside town in England.... but whatever floated this guy's boat, I guess! :P

After that tour, we were free to do anything. We were told that Brighton is the place to get fish and chips, so my friend and I found a cute place and she said it was delicious! I was jealous.

After that we went to the seaside for a while and took some pictures and enjoyed the scenery. The beaches in England are not sand, but pebbly rock! You wouldn't have liked it, Mom ;).

Whenever I saw this:

 I thought to myself "WHY AM I NOT ON THAT BOAT?!?!?" It was beautiful.

We went onto the Brighton Pier after that and walked around the arcades and games and rides - even went on the carousel! :)

We shopped in the town after that, and left around 4:30. It was a great day, and I'm SO happy I got to see the ocean!


This week is busy again, I'm seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream on Monday at Shakespeare's Globe (and I have to stand for 3 hours, not overly thrilled but I guess it's the experience).

And this weekend is Edinburgh, Scotland! We'll be leaving Friday and getting back Sunday, I'm so excited for my first longer trip!!



Lots of Love,
Casey

Royalty and Wizardry

Quick update for you all!

Last Friday, I toured the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace with my friends Stacey and Nicole. I was completely overwhelmed by the beauty and architectural intricacy everywhere I looked, the place is absolutely magical. It's hard to say what room was my favorite, but I think I would have to choose the White Drawing Room. It was so airy and light and beautiful, I could spend forever there. 

This is a cool virtual tour of the room, if you want to see it!

The White Drawing Room

Cool Fact: If you look at the virtual tour, find the Portrait of Queen Alexandra, then look at the 2 big mirrors on either side of her. Both of them have secret doorways that the Queen takes as a shortcut to meet important people in the White Drawing Room!! :) Pretty neat.

Also, I got a stamp on the my ticket that lets me come back and tour the Rooms free for a year..... might just happen!! 

Saturday was Harry Potter Studio Tour. I have no words to describe how amazing it was. I could have easily spent another day going through everything again. My favorite parts were definitely Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Castle Model. I actually started crying a few times during the tour.......no shame. 

I may have to go back again for the gift shop...... I got a Gryffindor mug and a Hogwarts Crest patch but I had my eye on a sweater and necklace too.... we'll see how much money I don't have later in the semester :P

Another week of classes ahead. No theatre visits this week, but I'm going to visit Parish Churches for my History class and the Welcome Trust for my Art class! Saturday is a day trip to Brighton. I hope we have good weather, since it's a beach town! I can't wait to see the ocean!!! <3

Lots of Love,
Casey

Another week in London!!

I can't believe it's already been a week since my last post!! Time is really flying by. 

Some exciting things happened last week, including a second theatre trip, a visit to the Tower of London on Saturday and a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath on Sunday! My favorite was definitely Bath.

I saw Othello by William Shakespeare at the National Theatre on the south bank of the Thames. It was a contemporary take on the original, and for the most part I really enjoyed it! The language was a bit hard to follow, probably because I'm not used to hearing it spoken, but we had great seats and could see all the actors very clearly. I really loved the actors who played Othello and Iago, they both did a fantastic job with their parts.

Saturday my friend Stacey and I went to the Tower of London for most of the day. It was incredible. I never realized the history of the place.... And it's a lot bigger than I imagined, they should really call it the 'Towers' of London ;) my favorite part was definitely seeing the Crown Jewels, even though we had to queue up for almost 30 minutes to get in. It was definitely worth it though!! 

Sunday was a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. Stonehenge was literally a pile of rocks, so we didn't stay very long but it was awesome to get to see it and say I went there.

Bath has to be my favorite place so far that I've visited. It was the perfect mix of old English city with beautiful architecture and history, but had great shops and cafes and restaurants (a lot of which offered gluten free!!) 

This week is busy again, I have another theatre trip to see The Ritual Slaughter on Wednesday, then Friday I'm planning to tour the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace!! Saturday is a day trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour!!!!!!!!! :D can't wait for that!!!

Lots of Love,

Casey

Intellect and The Arts

The past week has been a blur!!! I was so busy with trying to figure out my classes, preparing homework for this week, and traveling in and around London. 

Last week was "Add/Drop" week for classes, and I was able to switch my theatre class for a different day, so now I officially have Thursday-Sunday off! Perfect for travel and exploration of this great city I live in!

So, to kick off my travels, last Thursday I took the tube to Borough Market, a HUGE food market south of the Thames. Let's just say I was in foodie HEAVEN. I even found a bakery stall that was entirely gluten free. I got a 72% dark chocolate brownie with cacao nibs (Brianna, it had your name ALL over it). It was utter bliss. I spent around 2 hours just wandering around smelling all the ethnic food and staring longingly at all the fresh fruit and vegetables........ and of course, I got some of my beautiful figs ;)

Friday was a sort of "rest" day for me. I went to the gym in the morning and did some homework and reading in the library for class. I also took a walk down Marylebone High St. - my favorite road close to campus, great mix of shops, pubs, restaurants, book stores, grocery stores - everything I could need!

One very exciting thing that happened was the filming of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." starring Henry Cavill...... which was happening literally 2 minutes behind Regent's University!!! It was very cool to see the set and some actors. Sadly I didn't see Henry and his stunning beauty.... a shame :( But this was cool to see:

Saturday was my first trip outside London - to Oxford, the "City of Dreaming Spires"!

Oxford is absolutely beautiful. It's a small city that boasts multiple famous museums, great shopping areas, and of course, Oxford University. There are 38 distinct colleges that make up the University, but each are independent and self-governing. We were able to tour the Christ Church College. The now-famous staircase was the film location of Professor McGonnagall meeting the first years in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

Also, the courtyard at New College was the film location of Malfoy being turned into a ferret by Professor Moody in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!!!

Needless to say, I had quite a fair few moments of fangirling. Not ashamed ;)

I could go on and on about the beauty and history and architecture of Oxford!!! I'm so glad I was able to visit!


Sunday my friend Stacey and I went to the Marylebone Farmer's Market (I got more fruit, what's new) and then we went to Old Spitalfields Market! It's a huge indoor market that sells a variety of clothes, jewelry, bags, food etc. It was a great day!!

Today was my first outing to the Theatre for my class. We saw Hysteria at the Hampstead Theatre - it was a fictional story about Sigmund Freud at the end of his life. Very interesting and captivating. I enjoyed it very much!!


I think it's time to finish up this post, it's almost midnight and I'm exhausted! Lots more fun to come this week, though!! 


Lots of Love,
Casey

Quick Update

Hi everyone!!

I figured I would post a quick update on the last few days! My last post ended with the Boat Party, so I'll start from there.

Last Friday, Regent's took us on a Thames River cruise at night from about 7-11:30 pm. It was pretty fun, but lasted way too long (I was still so jet lagged and wanted to leave about an hour in). I'm sure you saw a few pictures on Facebook :)

Saturday, I went on a 3 hour Bus Tour of London, where we saw the major sites and buildings such as the Marble Arch, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Globe Theatre, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. It was a beautiful day and we were able to get out and walk around at most of the places I mentioned, so it was great to see the buildings close up.

After we got back from the Bus Tour, Regent's University was taking students to Camden (NW of Regent's Park), where there is a market and a lot of unique shops. I found a restaurant called Honest Burgers that has gluten free burger buns! And across the little alleyway from Honest Burgers is an entirely gluten free bakery called Cookies and Scream. I know where I'll be going back to eventually :)

Monday started my first day of classes, which was Literary London at 9 am. It involves reading passages from British authors, as well as a couple field trips in London. After class I decided to explore Marylebone High St. near campus, and I found a great restaurant with a GF menu, and the most amazing bookstore I've ever been in:

Today was a very busy day; I had my first Contemporary London Theatre class at 9 am. I had to meet with my advisor after that to change into the M/W section of this class, since it fits better with my schedule. Thankfully there was a spot open! This class will involve going to about 8 plays at various London theatre venues, as well as a couple backstage tours. 

I had my first London History class from 2-5. This class only meets once a week, and about half the classes are field trips to historical sites throughout London.

I have not yet had my last class, which is Introduction to Studio Art on Wednesday's, 2-5 pm. 

So, as you can see, most of my classes involve quite a few field trips and excursions throughout London! I think it will be a great way to visit sites that maybe I wouldn't have known about or had time to see otherwise!


Lot's of Love,
Casey

First Days in London!!

I made it to London!!! :D

The flight went very well, I slept a little bit which helped with the jet lag. When I got to London Heathrow I went through customs, which took FOREVER but the guy was really nice at the desk. I got my student visitor visa quite successfully! After that, I went to find my luggage (which was thankfully not lost or broken into) and was met by my driver and 2 other girls in the ASA program. We took a black cab to Regents. 

By this time, it was about 9:30 am and I already felt like I could sleep for 10 hours, but my roommate and I stayed awake and unpacked. At 11, my group met with the ASA program advisor, Emma, who took us out to London for a little orientation and lunch at Pizza Express. I had the gluten free superfood salad, it was delicious! 

 Got back to the college for 3 pm for the Regents "Welcome to London" talk. After that, we had the "Marylebone Challenge" where we walked in a group around Baker Street and Marylebone Street as a was to introduce us to the local surroundings. It was fun, but my feet definitely hurt! Note to self - find gel pads for shoes!! 

Later on was the Welcome Drinks in the student bar. I was practically asleep standing up at this point. So I left at 8 and passed out around 10. I'm glad I didn't sleep during the day, I got over my jet lag much faster.

Yesterday we had another long, boring orientation in the morning, then a Scavenger hunt in Trafalgar Square. I bought an Oyster card and took a double decker bus there. It was AWESOME :D We walked  for about 2.5 hours and saw so many big sights like Big Ben and parliament, the London eye, etc. We met at a pub at the end and I found £10 on the floor (WIN) then my group won the scavenger hunt and we won another £10!!! My lucky day :) 

We took the tube at Temple st and I found a fruit stand where I got 2 bananas, 2 apples, a nectarine and my beautiful fig. I ate dinner, then I just chilled in my room and read a bunch of paperwork from orientation. There is so much to remember. A little overwhelming, but great to know. 

I woke up today at 6 am and went for a run in Regents Park. The rose gardens are stunningly beautiful. There was even a waterfall! Pictures to come, I'm sure :)

Today we have another orientation about academic life and also a meeting with our academic advisors to review our schedules. I'm hoping to switch my theatre class to the Monday and Wednesday section so I have a 4 day weekend! 

Tonight is the Boat Party on the Thames, I'm very excited for it! 

So, that was my first couple days in a nutshell! I love London so far and can't wait to do more exploring and traveling.

Lots of Love,

Casey

Bon Voyage...Almost! :)

I can't believe it's TOMORROW. The day I've been waiting for since high school... I'm finally going to LONDON - the city of my dreams!!! 

This past week has been pretty hectic, between packing and preparing for my flight, getting everything ready for my Bon Voyage party, and making last minute runs to Walmart for all the little things I forgot! I can safely say now that I feel very prepared - just a few more things to do!

Saturday, Mom and Dad threw me a "Bon Voyage" party. I had so much fun, and I loved seeing my family and friends all together before I leave. That was the best part of the whole day!

Bon Voyage!!

:)

My pretty Union Jack and Big Ben notebook

Bon Voyage!

My beautiful sister :)

Volleyball Fun! (I epically failed)

Yesterday was a great day, too! Mom and I went for an awesome "last run" around Brookes Village Rd. in Templeton (my favorite route), then she helped me finish packing. Later on we went out to dinner.........

UNO's, did you guess?? :P

.........and ice cream!!! (sorry if this embarrasses you Tobi, but I look worse so it's all good)

Today will consist of:

• Packing
• Seeing Mortal Instruments (FINALLY) with Tobi
• Finishing up my To Do list
• Spending more time with my family :)

Tomorrow is my flight - 7:45 pm from Logan. Mom, Dad, and Gramma will be dropping me off!! I HIGHLY doubt I will sleep much tonight ;) But it'll be all worth it once I'm finally in London!!!!!!!

1 Day, 10 hours, 47 minutes!!!

Lots of Love,

Casey