Cheers, London

It is my last night in London. Well, actually, I'll be leaving in only 3 short hours. I can't believe that I will be home tomorrow. Being here feels so right, so normal now. It's definitely a bittersweet goodbye; I am so excited to see everyone at home and start all the exciting things coming up, but I am really sad to leave London. As I said my final goodbyes to my coworkers and friends from the program, it made me realize how lucky I've been to meet so many great, supportive people and how different it will be not to see them everyday anymore. I don't know the next time I will be back or the next time I will see my "London family", and that makes me appreciate the memories we've made even more.

I spent my last day soaking in London culture. My day started with packing, then I went to the amazing Victoria & Albert museum (where I saw an amazing Grace Kelly exhibit), had lunch across the street from Harrods, and met up with Tilly for Evensong at Westminster Abbey. Unfortunately the famous boy's choir is on vacation, but a choir from Oxford University subbed in for today. Then Tilly and I were off to the Royal Albert Hall where we met up with her boyfriend Dom for the Proms, a classical music festival that runs all summer. So I spent my final evening with my old friends Beethoven and Strauss. I wanted my last day here to be comfortable and familiar, providing a good sense of closure and representing what my summer has been like for me. I've spent so many of my days here in theaters, museums, and galleries, enjoying the best of London's art, music, theatre, historical, and cultural sphere. We topped off the evening with a final dose of culture at a Turkish restaurant (don't worry - I had my last traditional British meal the other night of a steak and ale pie and it was amazing). I've been running around since, packing and printing boarding passes and taking out the trash and saying goodbyes.

I'll upload my last photos tomorrow when I get home, so this isn't goodbye for the blog yet. Doesn't it seem like yesterday when I posted that I arrived safely and in one piece? It sure feels like yesterday.

To everyone who has been keeping up with me - I can't thank you enough. I've been so touched that you've allowed me to share my experience with you.

The Beginning of the End

Here it is - my last day of work. I am actually quite sad to be leaving. I hate goodbyes and closure, not knowing if you'll ever see people again or be in touch again. I hate the finality of sitting at my desk for the last time, knowing that by the end of the day all of my things have to be gone. It's just so sad to leave somewhere that feels like a nook just for you.

But I'm also sad that my work experience is coming to an end. I do feel like a part of the team here. Looking back, it's hard to remember how nervous I was just 8 weeks ago, and how far I've come. I will miss the team here and the friends I've made. But I know I will always have these great connections here.

I am tying up all my loose ends here at work today, and I will spend my final day in London tomorrow enjoying the city. Then before I know it, my bags will be packed and I will be on a plane home. How the time flies.

"No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life"

Well I cannot say that I am tired of neither London nor of life, so that must be a good thing.

I am tired, however, from my last weekend in London. It seems so final to say that - my last weekend. All these questions have begun to pop into my head when I remind myself of my little time left here: Did I make the most of it? Is it everything I thought it was going to be? Am I going to regret not doing something when I leave? The answers to these questions have always turned out in my favor though. Yes, I feel like I have done everything I've wanted to do in London. I have had a great experience here, and I've learned a ton. I have been working really hard and I feel like my internship has taught me some crucial skills to start my future career on. I have come to really love London and I feel at home here now - I don't feel like a foreigner or a tourist. I know the city quite well and I feel comfortable here.

But at the same time, I know my allotted time here is almost done, and I am coming to peace with that fact. It has been strange to watch all my friends here leave already, so I have been feeling that my turn is approaching slowly but surely. The packing process started last night (and then it seemed like an impossible task so I stopped soon after I began). The weirdest thing to me is that I move back to school in 18 days - where does the summer go??? This summer has really just flown by. But I am so excited to go back home to my friends and family who I have missed terribly!

I filled my last weekend with London activities. I took my Friday morning easily, sleeping in and enjoying my day off. Then in the early afternoon, Tilly texted me because she got off work early and was wondering if I wanted to meet up. It was perfect timing, because I was about to go to see a Picasso exhibit nearby. The afternoon was awesome - wonderful works by my favorite artist with my brilliant British friend. After taking our sweet time in the exhibit, we stopped at a shop on the corner nearby and grabbed milkshakes for a mid-afternoon treat. I hope I can see Tilly more before I leave; we talked about some potential activities for this week that I'm really looking forward to, I hope it all works out!

Tilly outside the Picasso Exhibit

Saturday was quite the Royal Day Out! We are very lucky to be here during a rare season - the short time that Buckingham Palace is open to the public. We bought tickets earlier in the week to go to the State Rooms and the Royal Mews. We were in the earliest group, which helped a lot with the crowdedness! After a thorough security check, we were given audio guides and were let into the Palace.

Outside Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is absolutely beautiful. The chandeliers were to DIE for!!! One of the first places you go inside is to the Grand Staircase, where one can't help but feel royal walking up these steps of splendor. We also saw the Throne Room, a grand dining room, reception halls, drawing rooms, gallery rooms, and a large exhibition called The Queen's Year which laid out many of the Queen's most popular annual events. We also got to see some of her amazing dresses and royal garb from her long reign, which was amazing!

The Grand Staircase

The Throne Room

The end of the tour brought a delightful stroll through the Queen's garden, which was another amazing sight. It was such a refreshing amble, transporting visitors from the crowded hustle and bustle of city life into an oasis of green. It was just what we needed :) Then we toured the Royal Mews, as recommended by my parents. After seeing Buckingham, it wasn't as cool as I expected, but it was still awesome. The Royal Mews are where they keep the royal carriages and horses. The best parts were seeing the carriage Princess Diana took to her wedding and the Golden Coach used for every coronation ceremony. We also got to see 2 royal horses!

Our future home.

The Queen's Garden

The Royal Mews

Our royal day continued with a train trip out to Windor to visit another royal dwelling, Windsor Castle. To me, it wasn't as cool as Buckingham, but it was much bigger and there was much more to see, so it was well worth the trip! We got to see St. George's Chapel, the huge doll house that was a gift to Queen Mary, and many state rooms. I also saw my first British Guard of the trip - the famous ones that can't move. I was really scared to go up to him and take a picture!

State Room

The King's Bedroom

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

I was really scared to take this picture.

At night we had a going-away party for the program at a Hawaiian-theme bar. It's weird to think that I will be going home soon and will no longer be going to funny little London bars and pubs tucked into every corner available. I will definitely miss that. We went to the Hawaiian place for a while then back to a nice restaurant/bar right by Nido so that we wouldn't be far. It's always fun to go out with the girls!

Pretty friends

Awkward arm - always a classic.

Then it was Football Sunday! The program got us tickets for the second day of the Emirates Cup, which was 2 soccer games in the brand new Emirates Stadium. What an experience it was to be at a European football game! The first game was AC Milan vs. Olympique Lyonnais, and the second was Arsenal (an English team) vs. Celtic (Scottish) - and it was quite a riot! Arsenal and Celtic fans showed us a good time, bringing all the spirit they could to the game. Arsenal won, so it was fun to be there at such an exciting game (it was the final of the cup, and Arsenal won the cup). At the game, we enjoyed foot-long hot dogs (on baguettes?) and got Emirates hats. It was really exciting.

Outside the Emirates Stadium

A for Arsenal

Football

And so went my last weekend here. As another work week begins, I am starting to come to terms with my pending departure. How sad it will be :( Tonight, I met up with Tilly to go see Danton's Death, a play about the French Revolution. Tilly rocks, I'm so lucky I met her. I am trying to make the most of my final days here, so stay tuned for the final installments of my adventures in London.

If you wanna be a dancer, dance

Tonight, Ann and I saw the musical Billy Elliot - and it was the best musical I have ever seen. It was phenomenal!! Absolutely phenomenal. I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat. Ann miraculously managed to get 6th row center seats for £20 each - one of the the LUCKIEST days of our lives! The show was overflowing with amazing talent, most notably from the kids in the show; the story is about a young boy (Billy Elliot) and lots of kids are featured.

Things I Fancy from My Office - Part 6

At work, there is a cereal and crisp wall (crisps = chips and chips = fries). Today I was excited to see this chocolatey cereal available:

Earth to Britain, these are COCO KRISPIES. Not Coco Pops.

There are places I remember...

Today after work, Nargis and I went to Abbey Road to walk that famous walk of the Beatles! The infamous crosswalk seemed pretty small actually - it's across a 2 lane road - but it's right outside of Abbey Studios, where the Beatles recorded 90% of their songs. The outside wall of the studio is covered in graffiti, most of which is Beatles lyrics with the occasional proposal. It was only one tube stop away from work, so it was a perfect post-work activity.

Walking the Walk

Things I Fancy from My Office - Part 5

We got a new intern today. Her name is Amy. She, like all the other interns but me, is British.

Amy thinks the idea of Peanut Butter & Jelly is disgusting. She finds it to be the strangest combo.

I can't believe this.