Week 15: Recap

Wow I can’t believe it’s here. My flight leaves in a few hours and I’m scrambling to pack. Typical. As I put things in my already overstuffed suitcases I am reminded of everything I’ve done this semester. Triggered by the masquerade mask I bought in Venice to the Belgian chocolate I brought home from Brussels. But it wasn’t just about traveling. Looking through my old papers I also remember I was here for school, no matter how much I complained that “the studying part is really getting in the way of study abroad.”

Overall I’m so grateful I had this opportunity. Though I may have missed home and my friends there, and especially the fast pace of New York City, it was pretty cozy to have classes in one old Georgian house. I was also able to take some classes purely for fun (well I still had to keep my grades up of course, but not having think of how they fulfill requirements and doing them just because the subject was something I was interested in was pretty freeing).

I think studying abroad makes you notice and see things in a new way. There are too many things you take for granted in your daily life. For example, I noticed how efficiently the tube runs in London, Paris, and many other European cities, and I
can now think of ways to improve the MTA. However, I also see how strikes affect an entire country. I can see that all these countries in Europe have centuries if not millennia of history and how this affects culture and issues in society today.

Sorry this is rambly. Honestly, my semester is impossible to put into words and I say that in the best way way possible.

Week 14: London Bucket List

This weekend my friend who’s studying at NYU Paris came to visit and it was a chance for me to finish my London Bucket List too.  Here is a list of some highlights in London, which is definitely more than you can finish in 2 days.  Nonetheless, we still managed to hit up the majority of it while she was here.

• St Paul’s Cathedral – A historic site, where Princess Diana had her wedding and the funerals of many celebrated people took place.  The architecture is beautiful; it used to be in the style of a traditional cross cathedral with a spire but Sir Christopher Wren designed it with a dome after it burnt down in a fire.  Interestingly, the dome you see from the outside actually surrounds the dome that you see from the inside and has a painted ceiling.  This is so it looks taller on the outside.  You can climb the dome and see great views of the city.
• London Eye – Not much to say besides that it is a must-see because of the amazing views of the city.
• Westminster Abbey – Where coronations take place and also the site of many royal weddings like that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
• Buckingham Palace – The Queen lives here, enough said.  Read more on my earlier blog post.  Also go see the Changing of the Guards.
• Tower of London – Holds the crown jewels and is rich with history.
• Globe Theatre – This is a reconstruction of the original theatre during Shakespeare’s time.
• Tower Bridge – One of the most iconic bridges in the world.  You’ll be lucky if you see it open (it’s a drawbridge), which I sadly did not manage to catch.
• Millennium Bridge – A footbridge that connects to South Banks over the Thames.  You can walk from St Paul’s right over to the Tate Modern or The Globe.
• Borough Market – Lots of good food.  Get the duck sandwich and mulled wine, mulled cider, or other mulled fruit drinks in the winter.
• Camden Market – Look at my earlier post to learn more; also lots of good food and shopping.
• Portobello Road Market – Look at my earlier post to learn more; antiques and flea market.
• 221B Baker St: Sherlock Holmes’ home/museum – Also look for the Sherlock Holmes tiles in the nearby Baker St tube station.
• Graffiti – There are works from some famous street artists around town, like Banksy and Mr. Brainwash.  A lot of it is quickly removed after they appear, but try to catch them as they pop up or if they’re lucky enough to be preserved behind plexiglass.
• Have tea – My friend and I went to Tea & Tattle, a cute little teashop below an independent bookstore and ordered afternoon tea.  You usually get a selection of sandwiches, scones (with clotted cream), and cake (try Victoria sponge) with your tea from a set menu, and it all feels very classy not to mention delicious.

View of St Paul’s Cathedral & Millennium Bridge from South Bank.

Also don’t forget all of the great museums in London, which are all free! (Except for various small specialty museums).  Look at my blog post for an overview.

Week 13: Best Food

Since I’m a foodie and I was lucky enough to travel all over Europe this semester, I thought I’d make a list of my favorite food from everywhere–you should definitely try any of these if you have the chance.

• UK: Fish and Chips – This is a classic, and so so good. I never really liked it before, thinking it was just a greasy mess, but nothing is like some real British fish and chips. Go to a quality place though, because I had some $5 fish and chips once while I was here and it was not fresh and was a greasy mess. Be sure to use lots of malted vinegar and tartar sauce. Restaurant recommendation: North Sea
• UK: Nando’s – You will see this chain restaurant all over London and you absolutely must go in at least once to try it. This fast-casual chicken place is convenient, a great deal, and absolutely delicious. It is supposedly of Portuguese origin and the flavors come from Peri-Peri sauce. Be sure to try the various sauces you can just grab from the counter–my favorite is lemon & herb. Also all of the sides are great too, and I recommend the peas and the sweet potato mash.
• Greece: Yogurt, both fresh & frozen – You’ve undoubtedly heard of Greek yogurt right? Well imagine how good it is in Greece! It probably just comes from the quality of the ingredients, but this is the best yogurt I have ever had in my life, and believe me when I say I’m a yogurt aficionado and have tried a lot of yogurt. The traditional Greek toppings are pretty interesting, but I would only try the candied fruits if you have a high tolerance for sweet things.

Frozen yogurt with traditional Greek toppings.