Coming Home to Family, Friends, and Graduation!

My time in London came to a close on Thursday, August 5th. I had a wonderful time and learned so much while I was there, but it was time to come home and be with my family again. The flight back went smoothly and it was nice to have two of my classmates to travel with from our flat all the way to Orlando International Airport.

My husband and youngest daughter picked me up and we were so happy to see each other. We stopped to have dinner at the Crab House in Orlando on our way home to Wesley Chapel. When we arrived at our house my in-laws and older daughter were there to greet me. We visited for a while and I gave them each some souvenirs and then I was off to bed! I needed some rest since the next day more family was arriving in town for my Saturday morning graduation ceremony.

I couldn't have chose a better way to end my Master's program; studying abroad was an experience I shall cherish for the rest of my life and having my family at home with me to celebrate my graduation upon my return was the icing on the cake!

Pubs, Pub Food, and the Culture of London

Over the past three weeks I have had the opportunity to experience many pubs in and around the London area and I have come to realize what a big part of the culture pubs are here.

There are pubs on every street and just about every corner. Of course they all advertise having the "best fish and chips in London." Besides fish and chips, pies of the day, Pimms, and of course beer are always on the menu.

Before I left on my trip to London, my uncle Terry had recommended a pub called Porter's in Covent Garden for my flatmates and I to try. With such a busy schedule it took a while before we could make it there, but we finally made it there last night.

We enjoyed ourselves and some of the traditional pub drink and cuisine. I ordered their daily special called "Toads in the Hole" which was a bread bowl filled with sausages, onions, and gravy served with mashed potatoes. Crystal had a fish pie, Erica ordered a steak with new potatoes, and Cynthia had a steak and cheese pie. We shared a couple pitchers of Pimms and Erica and Cynthia saved room for dessert. Erica's was called "Spotted Dick" which we all found to be an interesting and humorous name for a dessert. It was a small cake with raisins and topped with custard.

Here are some pictures from our night out at Porter's.

Time Flies

This is a picture of a really cool clock I saw while in Hyde Park today. This caught my attention because it is something I find myself saying all the time. Time seems to fly even faster as we get older and especially when we are having fun!!

These past few weeks have been very busy and I can't believe tomorrow is my last full day in London. I have learned so much on this trip and have built memories to last a life time. I am so glad I have had the opportunity to "live" and study abroad and I'm thankful I will have this blog and pictures to look back on because as the saying goes, "time flies."

Reflections on My First Impressions of Paris

This weekend we went to Paris and I was a little surprised because it wasn't everything I had expected. After visiting London and other parts of England over the last two weeks I had certain expectations for the subway system, cleanliness, and ambiance of the city. In my opinion, London is kept much cleaner and neater than Paris. There was a lot of litter in and around the Metro stations as well as a lot of foul smells. I also did not notice the flower boxes and planters in Paris as I noticed in London. I have really enjoyed that aspect of London. It is so nice to walk through the city and see clean streets free of trash. The colorful flowers in boxes outside windows are so pleasing to the eye.

The areas I visited in Paris did seem rather crowded, but then again London is rather busy with people too. I wonder if Paris just struggles with maintenance due to so many visitors and overcrowding and has yet to figure out a good system to keep up with the high volume of people?

Schools in London verses U.S.

Something interesting I have learned while being in London is a difference between the schools here verses the schools in the United States.

In the United States the majority of schools are public rather than private and most public schools do not require students to wear a uniform. On the other hand, in London there are more private schools than there are public (or state) schools and all students rather they attend state or private are required to wear a school uniform.

I also learned that the school vacations (or holidays) are different in London. Most schools in the U.S. have a long summer break with a few shorter breaks during the school year. In London, however, children are on holiday from late July 'til early September (with 6 weeks off in the summer) and they have some longer breaks built into the school year.

I thought these were some intriguing differences to note!

A Five Frame Story of Erin (Without Words)

Summer Reading Programs at Barbican Library

Today we visited Barbican Library which is part of the City of London Libraries. Our class was given a tour of the whole library including the Children's Section. I thought it was interesting to learn that they provide a summer reading program or "challenge" to motivate the kids to read just as we do in the United States. Each summer children ages 4-11 are challenged to read 6 books before September and the theme is different each year. This summer's theme is called Space Hop.

Most schools and public libraries in the United States offer similar programs to keep children reading while on their summer holiday. This is so important so that kids can continue to improve their reading skills over the summer months.

To learn more about this program offered by the City of London Libraries go to: http://www.spacehop.org.uk/

A Short Digital Film on my Trip to Watford

This past Sunday, July 25, 2010, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet some family in Watford. It was an exciting day! As I reported in the very first entry of my blog, my mom found out just a couple years ago that she has some half brothers and sisters living in England. Since finding out the news my mom and her brother Kevin have been corresponding by email. I too have corresponded some by email and when I knew I would be studying in London this summer I arranged to meet Kevin and his family.

Kevin and his wife Doreen warmly welcomed my flatmate, Crystal, and I into their home this past Sunday. We had a wonderful time getting to know them and their son Kevin and his girlfriend Gail. Here is a short digital film of our visit.

Flowers in London and Bath

There are so many beautiful flowers found throughout London and Bath. As you stroll along the streets you can find flower boxes in windows and flower pots hanging from posts almost anywhere you go. It is so nice to see all the vivid colors and contrasts in colors. The parks are also filled with flower beds. I especially have enjoyed Regents Park in London and Parade Gardens in Bath.

Yesterday, Lynn, Crystal, and I visited Bath for the day and had a wonderful time. One of the first places in Bath that totally captured our attention was Parade Gardens. Standing from the street you look down into the park which is situated by a river. The beauty of the flower beds is captivating. This is a picture from Parade Gardens.


Here is a short digital story I created on my trip to Bath. Click on the picture to view.



Credits:

This video was created using Microsoft's Photo Story 3. All material is original except for the music which is provided by Photo Story 3.

My Podcast on the British Museum

One of my assigned projects for my multimedia classes here in London is to create a podcast. I chose to do an informational podcast on the British Museum after visiting there the other day. I thought of it as a subject for my assignment since I am living only a block away. Here are the resources I used to create the podcast as well as a link to it. Enjoy!

References

British Museum (2010). British museum-welcome to the British museum.

Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://britishmuseum.org/

The British museum map guide (2010). London: The trustees of the British museum.

Rudenko, P. (2010). Snowing. Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://creativecommons.org/

Public Transport on the Thames River

Today we went on a trip to Greenwich via the Thames. I was amazed at how luxurious the public transport boat was and how efficient this system of travel is here in London.
Previous experiences I have had with boats or ferries have not been nearly as nice. The boat we were on is a catamaran called the Cyclone Clipper and it is part of the Thames Clippers' Fleet. It reminded me of sitting on an a jet airplane. The seats were similar, there were flat screen televisions, and refreshments were available to purchase. The experience was also similar to taking the tube because we made frequent stops and pickups for passengers.

This is such a nice alternative form of public transportation.

Cathedrals=History, Art, and Architecture

Cathedrals seem like such a significant part of the history, art, and architecture of England. So far I have had the opportunity to see St. Paul's (from the outside), Westminster Abbey, and Salisbury Cathedral.

As I visit each cathedral I am amazed at how much there is to take in of the history of the building and the people that were a part of its creation, as well as the people entombed there. Each one has so many stories to tell.

Today as I visited Salisbury Cathedral I learned some very interesting facts about its place in history. It has Britain's tallest spire, it has the world's oldest mechanical working clock (1386), and it has the finest of only four surviving original Magna Carta (1215).

It is an awesome feeling to step into a medieval cathedral and feel its magnificence.

Afternoon Tea, An English Tradition

Today I enjoyed my first experience having high tea in England. As a class we visited The Court Restaurant at the British Museum. It was a nice relaxing afternoon break.

I think the tradition of afternoon tea is a special part of British culture. It is unfortunate the tradition didn't really carry over to the states because it is a pleasurable way to enjoy some time mingling with friends in the afternoon hours.We had the traditional afternoon tea food items at ours. This included scones with jam and clotted cream, finger sandwiches, tea cakes/pastries, and of course tea!

Westminster Abbey

Today we went on a guided tour of Westminster Abbey. What a beautiful place! What I found most intriguing about the Abbey is the number of people entombed there, especially the fact that the people included are not only royalty, but there are also scientists, musicians, poets, generals, admirals, and doctors. Some of these famous people include Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Rudyard Kipling, John Masefield, and Charles Dickens.

I appreciated the beauty of both the exterior of the structure as well as the interior. The history and beauty in the buildings and architecture here in London is breathtaking. This is a picture I took while standing outside the Abbey today.

Gothic Architecture in London

Today we went on a London Coach Tour. We viewed a lot of interesting places from the coach and also made several stops. Some of our stops included:

• St. Paul's Cathedral

• Tower Bridge



• St. James' Palace



• Buckingham Palace

I really enjoyed and appreciated the beauty of the Gothic architecture. I love the details of the pointed arches and Rose windows that are characteristic of the time period. This picture of the House of Parliament which is located on the Thames is an excellent example of the Gothic architecture.

Pubbing it Again

Tonight we went as a class group to our professor's favorite pub, the Marlborough Pub. It is just a short walking distance from the centre. What a neat place!! Since it is a Friday night it was very busy. I find it interesting that at pubs here the patrons are not waited on at their table, instead the customer must go up to the bar to order drinks and food. Payment is expected at that time and it is customary to not give a tip!! This is of course much different than an American bar/pub experience.

Tonight most of us tried a famous English drink called Pimms. It is a mixture of gin, fruit, mint and lemon-lime soda; a very refreshing adult drink!

Great First Evening with Flatmates at Pub

Today we all arrived at the London Study Centre after an exhausting night and morning of travel! I met my flatmates, besides Crystal (my friend from USF), I will also be rooming with Cynthia from FSU and Erika from FSU. After a short orientation meeting with our professor, and the director and staff at the study centre the four of us were able to enjoy a casual dinner at our first British Pub called the Rising Sun. Here are some pictures from tonight. I ordered the Fish and Chips and of course some London Ale to top it off!

Preparing for London

Well this evening I finally had some time to begin packing for the big day! Life has been very busy for me lately. Just last week I returned from a 10 day family vacation to Washington D.C. and then 2 days later I started my final writing exam that is a requirement for graduation. I finished the research paper today after working hard on it since last Wednesday. I'm very relieved, to say the least!!

I'm glad I'll have about a day and a half to finish packing and get last minute things done.

A big part of the MultiMedia Design Classes I will be taking in England involves digital photography and telling stories through our pictures. We are to select a mascot that travels along with us as part of our adventures. I have chosen a Beanie Baby Irish Bear named Erin as my mascot. She is special to me because she was a gift from my mom who is Irish. Also, the bear shares the same name as a dear friend of mine as well as my elder daughter's middle name!

Here is a picture of Erin and me getting ready for our trip to Europe. Only two more days and we can't wait!!

Follow this link to our Group Facebook Page to view more pictures, comments, and blogs!

An Educational and Meaningful Trip

On July 14, 2010 I will be heading to London to study Digital Media Design and Production through Florida State's Study Abroad Program. There are many reasons I am excited about my upcoming trip and I would like to share some of those reasons with you!

One of them is the fact this will be my first journey to Europe and of course I have always dreamed of going! Traveling is such a fun and educational adventure.

I am also excited because I will be earning my last six credit hours required towards my Master's in Library and Information Science. I will be walking at graduation just two days after my return from London in August.

Another reason this trip is so meaningful to me is because I will have the opportunity to meet some family members I have never had the chance to meet. My mom has siblings that live in Watford, England and she just discovered them a couple of years ago after getting help from a colleague in her library who specializes in genealogy.

My mom's parents met during World War II and married while in Rome. Her mother (my grandmother) returned to the United States, but her father continued serving in the British Navy and never came to the U.S. Above is a picture of them taken during that time.

On the weekend of July 24-25, I will be taking a trip to Watford, England to meet one of my mom's half brothers and his wife. We have been corresponding by email and they have both welcomed me to visit their home while I am in London. Of course my mom is very happy and excited about our meeting, I only wish she too could be there for it!