Thanksgiving week

I'm sitting in the kitchen of my flat eating cereal and trying to entertain myself until Allie and Kara both wake up. After spending a good amount of time on facebook, checking my email, and even looking up a few videos on youtube, I remembered I haven't blogged in a while. My Copenhagen post is still under construction. My apologies for the wait. As all of you know, this week was Thanksgiving, a day I'd been dreading since before I even came abroad. The idea of my whole family being together without me on the fourth Thursday of November was and still is a depressing thought for me. However, I can definitely say I made the most of it!I did have some family here as my cousin Allie flew in Tuesday to come see me!Kara and I had gotten invited to Thanksgiving at two of our local friends' flat by London Bridge. Their names are Neel and Greg. Neel actually studied abroad at Samford in Birmingham, Alabama for a year. While abroad he celebrated Thanksgiving and liked our holiday so much that he decided to put on a Thanksgiving feast at his flat this year. Knowing Kara and I didn't really have a place to go, Neel and Greg were both nice enough to invite us. Also, two friends from our CIEE group(Americans) were also having a get together at their place. Both places required that we bring something. I was asked to bring a pie to Steve and Andrew's, guys from our CIEE group. So I decided just to double the recipe and make one for Neel and Greg's as well. I chose Granny's famous pecan pie.  Because Kara and I started the day of Thanksgiving to start baking, the grocery store had actually ran out of pecans...so we ended up making a mixed nut pie instead. So the day of Thanksgiving, we slept in and lounged around for a good portion of the day(typical pastimes for all my past Thanksgivings). Then Kara came over while Allie caught up even more on sleep. She's still jetlagged. Kara and I jumped on the tube to Angel, the next stop after my station. It has two big grocery stores that my area is lacking. We got our ingredients and ran back to my flat to start baking while we listened to Christmas dubstep music and drank Sangria. We had initially planned to start much earlier. Regardless, all turned out well. We were able to bake three pies and get dressed in time to make dinner at Neel's and Greg's. When we get there, we realized Allie, Kara, and I were the only ones who had ever celebrated Thanksgiving besides Neel. Everyone else was British and were very curious as to what the holiday actually entails. Considering the guests who had made the food had never eaten Thanksgiving, I was blown away at how good it actually was. Neel made the turkey while his guests brought stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, pumpkin soup, and other items I can't even remember. We all went around and said what we were thankful for and Allie even offered to say the prayer. After we finished our main courses, we rushed to Andrew's and Steve's to celebrate even more. We got on the Northern line and got a direct shot to Euston which was nice. The food at their place was also equally impressive. Everything was successful minus the pie crust, cranberry sauce, and brie cheese Kara and I brought. We tried to put it all together and bake it but Claire insisted on taking it out of the oven and just eating it raw...that girl: )All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving. Next big holiday is Christmas and it's already so close. I looked at my calendar this morning, and I only have three weeks left. I can't believe it's gone by so fast. I know I'll be excited to come home to see my family and friends. Although I love London, there's no place I'd rather be than in my blue house with our Christmas tree in the front living room and my feet constantly freezing on the hardwood floors. After the excitement of Christmas and seeing all my friends is over, I'll be able to look forward to New Year's. Then after New Year's I'll be so focused on going back to Mizzou and seeing all my amazing friends, Grandma and Papa, Aunt Jackie, Uncle Bruce, Marie, Leah, and Matthew. Oh I can't forget moving in with my best friend Sarah who has to be one of the sweetest, down-to-earth girls I've ever known. Then it'll happen, classes will start and I will start to feeling utterly depressed I'm not in London. And I don't even want to start talking about being separated from Kara and Claire. I love it so much here but there is so much I love back home in the States as well. I want to have them both but I can't, and today it's really on my mind. I need some cheering up to do. I think I'm going to go wake Kara and Allie up so we can go to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Nothing can cheer me up more than Christmas. My Copenhagen blog will be up soon. Love you guys. I'll be seeing you soon!

Edinburgh, Scotland!

This past weekend checked one less country I haven't been to off my list, Scotland!Friday morning my CIEE Study Abroad Group, myself, and our two leaders boarded the 4 hour train ride to Edinburgh at King's Cross Station.

After our very long ride, we were glad to discover our hostel was just around the corner from the train station. James and Elizabeth, our leaders, walked us over and checked us in to our quite comfortable living quarters for the next two nights. After dropping off our bags, we grabbed our cameras and hopped on the city bus.

Claire and I on the bus

Wish I knew what all these monumental buildings are called.....

Edinburgh Protestors

Our bus tour didn't last too long. Majority of us hadn't eaten lunch and were pretty ravenous at this point. It's was approximately 4:30. 

Claire and I shared steak pie, mashers, and peas

Myself, Katrina, Andrew, and Kara cheering to Edinburgh

We had roughly three hours until our Ghost Tour at 8:30. They were filled with more sight seeing and pub crawling. 

Myself, Kara, Molly, Erin, Tara and Max before our let down of a ghost tour(not scary at all!)

The ghost tour was an interesting way to learn about some of the gruesome details of Scotland's history but definitely did not live up to its super eerie status. Basically we walked through a graveyard, heard a few semi scary stories, and then a guy popped out and screamed with a mask on. Regardless, it was fun doing it with the whole CIEE group. 

Day 2

After complimentary free breakfast we got at our hostel, we headed out to the beautiful day in Edinburgh. Same as the bus and ghost tour, our CIEE packets included tickets to the Edinburgh castle.

Castle and Max taking a pic

The Edinburgh Castle is over one thousand years old and sits on top of a huge hill overlooking the whole city.

Claire and I touring the castle

Claire, Kara, Myself, and Andrew listening to our headsets in St. Margaret's Church in the castle

Kara and Huda 

After we were done touring the castle, we decided to relax and take it easy before going out for the night. We also took an hour trying to find ice cream. Still not use to most ice cream places closing down in the winter. Carmen Harjoe, you would die......

Found it. 

I'm happy. 

After gorging ourselves on ice cream, we went back to the hostel to nap. Then it was another night out in Edinburgh. 

Molly, Huda, and I

By Sunday morning, we were all very exhausted. We checked out and tried not to think about our four hour train ride ahead of us. Although it appeared even longer than it was before, a few of us entertained ourselves by answering riddles and playing mental games. Finally we arrived at King's Cross Station. Whether it was the fun group or the city itself, Edinburgh might just be one of my favorite cities now. 

Oh!And happy birthday to my amazing mother!Wish I could spend it with you as you tried to make it as least big deal as possible: )Love you. Have fun at Auburn Homecoming this weekend. WAR EAGLE!

Last Christmas, can't wait for this Christmas!

Have yourself a very London Christmas!

Even before I left, I dreaded the idea of not being home for Thanksgiving. It was the single con I had for studying abroad during the fall semester. As soon as Halloween was over, I was convinced the next four weeks I'd spend moping due to the fact I would not be with my family on November 24th. As most of you know, I was a vegetarian for six years. As most of you don't know, I recently began eating meat again. It seemed the most economical and nutritional decision while living in a foreign country for three months. My point being is that this year I can actually eat my dad's turkey that has stared at me on the dining room table for the last six years. The only thing standing in my way is thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean. But it's more than just not being able to eat the phenomenal turkey my dad prepares. It's the idea of not being with my family on the fourth Thursday in November for the very first time in my life. It's the weather, the sweaters, the food, the decorations, and the community that I'll be without. It's been a constant topic amongst me and my study abroad friends. No doubt is it going to be hard. So considering this, I've begun to join the Londoners and get a head start on getting in the Christmas spirit. Since there is no major Holiday between Halloween and Christmas here, November 1st marks the first day of holiday cheer. As a person who loves listening to Christmas music as early as July, I have no problems with this whatsoever. Claire, Kara, and I have already done a pretty great job of getting festive!

Goofy and Disney Store are all ready for Christmas

Kara is ready for Christmas!

Before Oxford Circus lights came on

After the lights came on

Kara walking into "Christmas World" at Harrods

Christmas World at Harrods 

Where's Buddy the Elf?

Harrods' Decorations

Harrods Window Display

Harrods 

I'm glad my friends like this stuff as much as I do

Everyone waiting for the Oxford Circus lights to come on

Street Christmas Music

Kar: )

In front of Marks & Spencers

Claire Bear and Kar

"It's snowing" Window Display

Caramel Hot Chocolate?...yes please

Spreading Christmas Cheer with a peppermint hot chocolate!

P.S. Today is my best friend in the whole world's birthday, Teresa Mary Goncalves!She's the only other person I know who has a Christmas obsession as great as mine. I miss and love you dearly. I wish I could celebrate with you today T!

Service Day

Visit to Georgia

Senior Prom

Ono Island

The river

Senior Prank Day

Spring Break '08

Sophomore Year

Ugly Prom Dress Shopping

Meg's Christmas Party

Graduation

Miss you!: )