America the Beautiful

After 13 hours on a plane and 42 hours without sleep, I’m home.  The last night in the centre was a long one.  Some girls and I celebrated by going down to Westminster and dining at a pub.  After we rode the eye and got a last panoramic view of the city.  Then we used our oyster cards for the last time when riding the bus home.

I woke up early to pack and eat breakfast.  Or at least I thought I woke up early, but when I got to breakfast at 8:10 the only thing left was cereal.  No milk, just cereal.  So after my dry cereal breakfast I said goodbye to my bedroom and left for good.  I was the only one of my 10-hour flight.  It took forever to get home but now I can say I’ve seen Ireland, Greenland, and the northern part of Canada.  I was afraid I was going to miss my connecting flight in Dallas but I ended up having plenty of time.  They wouldn’t let us bored because our pilots were M.I.A.  They finally showed up 40 minutes late but it still took another 20 to get in the air.  I actually got really lucky because on all six flights in the last three months I never had to sit by anyone and make small talk.  Anyway, I was so dead tired by the time I left Dallas I just wanted to fall asleep, except the plane was freezing cold and I was watching an awesome lightning storm outside over Oklahoma, which I later found out was really a tornado.

Finally at midnight I touched down in Utah.  It's surreal being home.  It feels like I never left.  I'm glad I did though.  It seriously was the best three months of my college experience.  I highly recommend doing a study abroad to everyone who is able.  I already miss London but nothing beats being home.

Sorry the picture quality isn't exactly picture perfect, especially America

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Because I am home I am retiring this blog.  If you are reading this I want to thank you for being interested enough to stay 'til the end.  Although it's not really the end because you can stay caught up with my life by clicking here.

Cheers!

Leaving London

This will be the last time I post from the U.K.  I have an hour before I leave but it still hasn't set in that I'm leaving for good.  So I'll just say, "see you later London."

The next time I post will be from the comforts of my home.  Can't wait to be back.

Sniff, sniff...last day in London

     Today was my last full day in London.  It didn’t seem real that I had to say goodbye.  Thais left a goodbye breakfast of sugary waffles for us (I’m proud of myself, I didn’t eat one) and the usual cereal and yogurt.  While half of the kids finished finals Mikelle, Ashley, Lyssa, and I went to Abbey Road.  I didn’t think I was going to get this done before going home but thankfully Mikelle wanted to see it too.  We didn’t however get the famous Beatles photo because the street was super busy.  Mikelle took a picture of me, Lyssa, and Ashley walking across but I didn’t stagger enough so it looks really stupid.  I’ll have to post that photo when I get it from Mikelle.  The girls then left me at Marble Arch where I

stepped into Primark for my 3^rd and final time.  After getting some last minute souvenir shopping done I ran into Shelby, Katelyn, Brooklinn, and Rachel on my way home.  They invited me to lunch at the pub on the corner of Moscow and Queensway.  I got my first jacket potato, which is basically a baked potato.  I don’t know what it is about English potatoes but they’re super sweet. I like American potatoes better.  After lunch I got home to do a little more packing.  I was the only student in the centre and it started to settle in that this was real.  We really are leaving.  Tomorrow at this time none of us will be here.  When I started to get all sentimental I decided I couldn’t stay in the center and pack when everyone else was out, I needed to get out.  I took the circle line for the last time one stop to High Street Kensington where I bought something for Grandma and Grandpa Franklin.  I walked back home through one of my favorite streets in London: Embassy Row.  I’m going to miss walking down this street at dusk and taking in the grandeur of the buildings and of Kensington Palace.

            For dinner a group of us ate at a pub across from parliament.  We got off the tube for the last time at Piccadilly Circus and walked down to the riverside.  Then I got to cross off the LAST thing on my list of things to do.  We rode the London Eye.  It was the perfect way to say goodbye too London because you can literally see everything.  The girls got a little teary eyes….okay, that’s an understatement, some girls were outright bawling.  I don’t get usually get emotional, which I didn’t while riding the eye, but those that know me know that I easily get attached to things.  I didn’t get emotional until getting back to the center where Alli gave the Mason’s our ‘thank you’ card she made for them with things that made our London experience like ticket stubs and random brochures.  By that time I had been informed that Christi had left the center for good without saying goodbye (no one was home when she left) and I didn’t even know she was leaving tonight.  Other kids started saying their goodbyes and that’s when the tears came.  I didn’t cry hard but I will admit, I did cry.  I’ve grown to love the Mason’s and each student here.  We’re all so different and unique but for the past three months we’ve been a family.  I’m going to miss getting up and eating breakfast with the professors and their families, going to class and not caring that a boy sees me without makeup on, and always having people around.  It’s never a dull moment here in the London centre.  It’s still hard for me to think about going home.  I’ve been looking forward to coming to London for three years and now these three months are over I know the moment I walk into my house it’ll feel like it never happened.  But it did.  It did.

Dorm 1 girls! 

My 3rd home

Piccadilly Circus

Best director and vice-director ever!

What time is it? SUMMER time!

As of 7 minutes ago I am free from school for the next couple of months.  So right now in my mind I am singing the opening song of High School Musical 2.

What time is it?

Summertime

It's our vacation

What time is it?

Party time

That's right, say it loud

That's right folks, it's party time for the last two days in London.  Although this study-abroad has been somewhat of a vacation, I'm ready to have a vacation from this vacation.  I'm anxious to be home in two days and to just relax and catch up on sleep.  This once in a lifetime opportunity has been extraordinary but it has definitely been exhausting.  I'm sad to leave because I know I'll never get to relive this experience, yet I'm ready to get back to normal life.  Plus, I don't think I could last much longer without my family and friends.  Being away from them these 3 months has made me realize how much they mean to me and how lucky I am to have such a great support system a continent away.  So family and friends - YOU ROCK!  However, I will see you soon enough so I am heading out with Emma to enjoy some last moments with London.  I'll probably post more about my day later (seeing as it's only 11:42 A.M.) so stayed tuned.

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I got to cross off yet another thing from my list today: the Churchill War Rooms.  These are the original Cabinet War Rooms that are hidden beneath the bustle of London in Whitehall.  In these rooms Winston Churchill directed the war during World War II.  He and his wife also lived underground once the bombings on London began.  Being a risk taker Churchill use to enjoy going onto the roof to enjoy the bombings over London.  The rooms where the British oversaw the war were used 24 hours a day until August 15, 1945 when the war ended.  On that day the lights were turned off four the first time in 6 years, everyone went home, and the rooms were closed.  The amazing thing about the war rooms is that most everything is still exactly where it was left 67 years ago.  For example, during the war people had to ration food and one commander hid his sugar ration somewhere in one of the underground rooms where it stayed until being found approximately three decades later.  That is how preserved these rooms are.  When you get underground into the actual rooms it’s like you’ve stepped back in time.  It’s really quite amazing that the people who spent so much time in them basically abandoned them and never took anything out.  Everything is where it was during the war.  To anyone who ever plans on visiting London and likes history I highly recommend visiting the cabinet war rooms.  They’re awesome, or at least Emma and I thought so.

Now I just have to get some packing done so I can say goodbye to my favorite places tomorrow.

Lyssa, Ivy, and Mikelle packing up Dorm 1 for good

The end is in sight

Two finals down, one to go.  Hopefully by 10 P.M. tonight I will be free to love London my last two days here.
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Oh and happy National Siblings Day to everyone, especially my 3 amazing sisters.
I love you and can't wait for all of us to be together in Puerto Rico!

Stressin' Students

...that's what we all are right now.  Living in such tight quarters doesn't help either.  We feed off each other and probably get more stressed than usual.  It's insane.

Today kicked off finals week!  I have one final down and two to go.  Thankfully Nick decided to make our elective final considerably easier.  Instead of giving us a sit down test he is allowing us to take one hour to review and exactly one hour to write an essay sometime before Wednesday night.  Here's the great part...he's letting us use our notes and books.  Yahoo!  So originally I wouldn't have finished my exams until Thursday afternoon but now I can be done as early as tomorrow night, which would be ideal.  Though I'm guessing I'll be so sick of studying for my history test by the time I finish that final tomorrow afternoon, so in reality I probably will finish Wednesday morning, which is still great cause some students don't have the option to finish early.  They get done Thursday afternoon.

Now I head back to the books to test my sanity.  Pray I make it until 4 pm tomorrow afternoon.  Right now it doesn't feel possible.

Easter at Clapham Common

Today I left the Clapham Common ward building for the last time.  It was bittersweet, but mostly bitter.  I never thought I could grow to love a ward so much.  The members have such strong spirits and even stronger testimonies.  They truly are family here and are willing to help you with anything.  Ashley and I felt part of that "family" today when the Bishop asked us on the spot to teach the teenager Sunday school class because their teacher was sick.  I was nervous but said a quick prayer and it went smoothly.  I've also loved serving in the Young Women with Ashley, and will miss each girl and leader in there.  It is a completely different experience attending church outside of Utah.  In Utah it's easy to blend in because most everyone is Mormon but here the members really stick out.  They are missionaries everyday by being good examples to those around them.  It's been a real eye-opener for me and I'm extremely grateful for the 3 months I had with my ward here.  I'll miss them immensely, especially my young women.

Sonya, Karol, me, Liliana, Amuwa, Iyeoze, and Ashley
F.Y.I. Sonya isn't doing one of those signals where you click your tongue and snap your finger, and then point your hand to the camera like a gun, she's telling her little sister Aylea to look at the camera.

Ashley, me, Matt, and Caity with the AWESOME ward missionaries Elder Atwal from Birmingham and Elder Shaw from Fresno, California

Although it was a bittersweet day it is a happy day because it's Easter.  Since General Conference was last week it was fast and testimony meeting today.  The testimonies were focused on our Savior and the resurrection.  The spirit was so strong its presence was undeniable.  It was another testament to me that He knows and loves each and every person individually.  There is nothing that makes me happier than that knowledge.  I love my Savior and rejoice, for He is real and He is risen.

The Easter bunny didn't skip me this year like he has for last couple of years