Leaving with a New Lingo

I have a love for words. They can be strung together so elegantly and have such a powerful impact. My time in London expanded my vocabulary quiet well.

I now say “I’ll meet you at the till” or “Did you tick it off your to do list?” or “I’ll have it for take away” or “Is the queue long?” or “Where’s the loo?”
If you are familiar with British English, there is nothing significant about these phrases, but to an American, they don’t quiet sound right. It’s a cash register, a check mark, take out, line/wait, and restroom. These words seem easily interchangeable and the general point is obvious whichever way you say it, but the fun part is that it is different and by applying these easy changes to your vocabulary, you don’t feel like such a foreigner. You feel like you are apart of a culture. Without even realizing it, these words pop into my every day language. Not that I am complaining. I love it and I hope that I will be able to keep these phrases in my language, if anything else so that I am able to remember this experience that I am not ready to be over.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

I may not have the accent down, but I do have the words. So please, can I be a Londoner?

What I Learned in London: Do Something New

           Streets of London

108 days of adventures. 108 of new experiences. New friends, new cities, new everything has made me a new person.

I learned so much in London. I learned about a new culture, a new history, a new lifestyle. Honestly, it is one that I can see myself being a part of for a very long time.

There is so much to do that I feel like I don’t have any time to experience it all. I could have done something new everyday, and still would not have felt like I was accomplishing anything at all. However, the thing I did experience made me want to be a Londoner. I would love to live this life every day of my life. There is really something for everyone!

Go on adventure, walk a different way home, talk to someone new. London is a city that doesn’t allow one to get bored. While I leave back for my state of Texas in a couple of days time, I know this place will always be with me. I fell in love with London and everything new that I experienced that came along with it.

What I Learned in London

I am an American college student that has now spent over 10 days in London. This blog has been a few of the many things that I have observed and learned while abroad. While I could write so much more about how amazing this city is, I have complied the top ten things that I learned in and about this amazing city.

10. I hate pigeons
9. Pret sandwiches are the best
8. British commercials/ ads are very… different… from American commercials/ads
7. Travelling to other countries is easy
6. Public transportation is the greatest
5. “Pedestrians first” is not a fathomable idea. But “pedestrians last” is
4. Everything is expensive
3. It’s never acceptable to not look your best everyday
2. Keep you’re head up while walking the streets… you might just spot a celebrity
1. 4 months in London, and it’s still not enough time

Most importantly, I would learn it all over again in a heartbeat.

Forever Eating Pret

One thing in London that was… different… than what I was used to back in the states was the fact that there is food EVERYWHERE. If it not a restaurant, it’s a pub, or a take away restaurant.

My parents were in town this week and on the first day my mom said to me “wow you really don’t starve here”. It was this statement that made me realize how much food is really available in London. It lines the streets, literally. But, not that I’m complaining. In my busy college schedule, I frequent those take away restaurants more often then I would like to admit, especially Pret. Pret a Manger has dine in and take away sandwiches and soups that are really, really good. These stores are on every corner it’s ridiculous, but it is convenient, especially for the busy lifestyle that is London life. You step in grab your pre-made sandwich, pay, and walk out. Plus, it tastes good, what better fast lunch is there than that. I think these fast, pre-made food shops make a killing because hardly anyone has time to sit in a restaurants and eat in.

If restraunts like this really want to make bank, they should set up shop on college campuses or right off of them because after a day of jammed packed schedules, no one wants a quick sandwich faster than a college student

To Live In a Castle

How amazing must it be to live in a castle? Growing up, little girls all over the world watch movies and wear tiaras, wondering what that life would be like.

This past weekend, I visited Windsor Castle, about an hour trip out from the center of London requiring a tube and train transfer. This castle was occupied by King Henry I and King Henry II. Windsor is beautiful with its stone walls and its panoramic view of England that stretches to the horizon, a very suitable place for the King of England to live. However, being in Windsor and seeing the states apartments with the thousands of weapons and hand crafted plates, I wasn’t left thinking “how amazing this life must have been”, but more of “it is too exhausting to live here”. By that, I meant Windsor Castle is HUGE. I really do mean HUGE. Walking around for an hour and a half and I was exhausted and I just think how tiring it must be to live there since it requires a five minute walk to even leave a single room. Granted, there are royals living in this building, and they did not occupy the entire castle all of the time, but regardless its a days event to walk the grounds.

I know every girl wants to be a princess, I do too. When we envision our castle, its huge and elegant and perfect, just as fairy tales taught us that it should be, but it never crossed my mind that the larger the castle the harder it is to enjoy everything within it.

That is not to say that every girl shouldn’t dream big, or strive to live in these great, beautiful homes, but the fabulous lifestyle that we associate with royalty may not be all that amazing when they need a golf cart to get from one side of their castle to the other.

What I Learned in Berlin: I wish I could draw

East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany

East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany

I wish I could draw. Don’t get me wrong, my stick figures are top notch. The triangle dress on my girl figures, well not to brag or anything, but they’re pretty even… most of the time. Point is: I can’t draw. Those creative juices and skills that runs through the bodies of true artists, severely lacks in my blood stream.

Well one of the “must dos” of Berlin is of course to walk the Berlin wall. While there are a few fragments to be found throughout the city, the East Side Gallery is the artistic one, with vibrant beautiful and bright colors across the (1.3 km or about 1400 yards for us Americans) strip. It is also the longest lasting open air gallery in the world, which is something to be said about the preserved piece of history. The East Side Gallery is a symbol of the destruction people can cause and the coming together people in unity to fight for their freedoms. Just standing there gives you the chills.

The incredible work that is seen on the walls is amazing. Some tell stories of the pain, others lighten the mood with classic characters. But in the end, it is definitely something that should be seen. It is incredible what some people can do. A talent I surely do not have.

It is also impressive at how incredibly close in time all of this major parts of history happened. You know, when you’re in school and learning about event that have happened in the world it seems so long ago. Its history. It’s in the past. When you 14 years old, five years does not seem like that long ago. When you study dates and times and events that have happened in the world they seem to have occurred so long ago that maybe the significance is lost, especially if you nor your family were directly affected by the event. Walking the Berlin Wall opened my eyes. I am 20 years old, born in 1994. The Berlin Wall fell only 5 years before I was born. That’s nothing! I cannot begin to imagine the lives some of these people had and for that I have gained a great understanding and respect for those associated with major world events. People who experienced the oppression of communist Berlin are still alive and are not much older than I am.

East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany

Walking the Berlin Wall was a humbling experience that I recommend everyone take part of.

What I Learned in Berlin: Food, food, and more food

Berlin is a city of history, obviously, and very complex history at that. With so much history occurring in a country in so little time, you know their museums are going to be amazing. The city is a place of remembering the past, but also a symbol that the past does not define who you have to be.

In addition to the symbol that is Germany today, a product of ruin and reunification, they do have one thing completely down and that is their food.

Berlin is not just a place for authentic German food, it is a place for great authentic German food.

Ever had a schnitzel? Well I hadn’t. Not before I got to Berlin anyway where I was forever transformed. I can now say not only have I had “authentic” German schnitzel, but I am quite the fan. Have your schnitzel with some fries and life is complete.

Bratwurst? On a roll? Soooo good! Sausage with sauerkraut? Just as good! Pastries? Fantastic!

Berlin’s food was amazing. I could eat it all the time, in fact I wish I could (without the extra pounds of course) and what made it even better was that it was all reasonably priced. Nothing was ever too ridiculous which is always nice especially for a college student. It also helps that the euro is almost 1 to 1 with the US dollar, so you didn’t have to stand in line or stare at a bill and try to figure out exactly how much money you are just about to put down for food.

So if you ever find yourself in the Berlin area, I recommend that you look for the best places to eat authentic German food in the area you are staying. Be adventurous and try something new. You might be just like me and come out loving something new.

What I Learned In Prague: They like beer

I was in Dublin for St. Patty’s Day weekend. I’m a college student. If anything, I know the world of beer enough to know that the people of Prague really, really, really like their beer. The fact that they are actually the number one consumer of beer in Europe tells you a lot about this city. Yeah, Prague! I promise, I did not know this beforehand.

Prague, Czech Republic

Here are a couple of facts for you to wrap your head around this:

• Czech Republic consumed the highest amount of beer per head with 143 litres and a national total of 1.5 billion litres from 2013 to 2014, according to data released from Euromonitor International.
• Beer consumed per head in the country: Czech Republic: 143 litres per person (1.5 billon litres total)

(http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/top-10-heaviest-beer-drinking-countries-czech-republic-germany-sink-most-pints-1475764)

I know, that’s a lot! Beer is a large part of the Prague culture, or really, anything alcoholic. While this little fact did surprise me, I think it was the fact that people can walk in the streets with an open bottle of alcohol and not get arrested did. What is this? My American self couldn’t comprehend this easily. Our first night in Prague, my friend and I were walking back to our hostel and there were four friends walking in front of us, taking shots from a bottle. What was impressive about this even more so was that Prague is an all cobblestone city, at least in the city centre (where we were) is. I could applaud the group and their ability to not fall on the floor with a broken ankle.

So beyond the fact that any type of beer that you prefer can be found in Prague and that if you wanted to drink at 11 am on the streets you are totally legal to do so and no one will judge you, but in comparison to the US dollar, you can do all of this for really, really cheap!

Isn’t that the greatest fact of it all? For every US dollar you get about 25 Korunas (Czech crown). That means that a half litre of beer that goes for 50 Koruna (maybe less) will cost you $2. Talk about bank for your buck.

The city of Prague is beautiful, the culture is fun-loving, and your money will last longer than almost any other European country. In this I would say, Prague is the place to go!

What I learned in Prague: Cobblestones are hard to walk on

One of the most beautiful features of many European cities is the remainder of cobblestone paths. It gives a sense of authenticity, at least to an American who is used to paved roads and for-the-most-part even pavements. I have experienced this cobblestone paths way of life before when I have visited France and Italy, but not like I did in Prague.

Let me first start by saying this city is truly beautiful. It didn’t need nature or large, famous structures to fall in love with the place. It was just… well, gorgeous. That seems to be the only way I can describe it. It is a place that I think everyone should visit. Prague is small, but still a major city. The language is a little difficult to pick up on and their money, the Czech crown or kurona, is hard to calculate in comparison to American dollars or the Euro, but I would say those are the two difficulties of the city.

Well, not the only two. Those two things can be easily overlooked with some practice. What cannot be overlooked even with enough practice is walking on cobblestones. My feet were aching by the end of the day. This could be because my friend and I went on the SANDEMANs free walking tour, followed by the Prague Castle Tour each being 3.5 hours long, and then afterwards going on a pub crawl. The day’s events may have contributed to the aching feet, but the cobblestones definitely did not help.

Cobblestones are such a catch-22 situation. As I said before, cobblestoned streets make the city feel “real”, if that makes sense. You walk down the street and you know that you are in a new place, a historical place. You have almost stepped into a new world, even though you are a part of the same world. The experience is so different than what you are used to (as far as an American point-of-view) that you truly become a part of the culture. You are absorbed by the environment around you. In this reasoning, the cobblestones only amplify the beauty that already is of the city of Prague.

The downside of course is that you have to watch the floor. No one wants to trip or twist an ankle, especially if you are on vacation (and have another city to visit). There is no time for injuries. This can get annoying when you are in a place as beautiful as Prague. Especially, when time is limited and you want to see everything, you don’t want to spend time studying the ground when there is so much else to see. Granted, I wore what one would call “styled shoes”. They were not all day walking shoes, but I blame my mother for the fact that the idea of “fashion over function” is forever engrained in me.

Old Town Square, Prague, Czech Republic

Regardless, of the pain my feet experienced in this city, I would not even with using my best words explain to you the incredible views of the city. It is one that I think only personal experience can justify. So if you are ever debating taking a trip to Prague, don’t hesitate, GO!

Forever on a SANDEMANs Tour

Ever heard of the tour group SANDEMANs? Well I am just about to make a major plug for them. When my friend I arrived in Dublin on a Saturday afternoon, we hit the internet for things to do. Sure, we did some research beforehand, but we didn’t follow it, because well… we just didn’t. Anyway, on TripAdvisor we stumbled on a “free walking tour”. We’re college students; we will go on anything that has the word “free” on it (obviously, not anything).  So we decided to jump on board. Why not?

The concept of the free tours is simple. The tour guides work on a tip basis which you give at the end of a 3+ hour long walking tour around the city (usually the city centre). The way they capture you, however, is that you are so satisfied with how well your tour guide did that you decided to stay with SANDEMANs and do the other tours they offer. I admit it, we fell into the tourist trap, but we definitely came out winning, I would say.

Dublin, Ireland was the first stop my friend and I made on our “Ultimate Spring Break 2015”. It was followed by a couple of days in Prague, Czech Republic and then off to Berlin, Germany for a couple of more days. In this hopping around Europe tour, we ended up taking a free walking tour at every one of the locations and loving the energetic, knowledgeable, and approachable tour guides. They truly do their best to keep you entertained because of course they want a good tip at the end.

In addition to the SANDEMANs free walking tours, we also went on a few of their other tours including pub crawls at every city, a trip to Potsdam, Germany, an alternative tour in Berlin, Germany, and a tour of Prague Castle. When I say we were forever on a SANDEMANs tour, I really mean it. We were. However, I think I definitely got my monies worth.

I would say that if you were looking for something to do in a major European country, at least go on the SANDEMANs free walking tour. It is a great jumping off point. They give you a lot of history and information about what you’re seeing, so that you actually learn something and aren’t just wandering around. In addition, the tour allows you to get your grounds on the city centre, so that if you want more time to explore something you at least have an idea of the area that you are in.

It was a lot of walking, let me warn you. I don’t think I have stood on my feet for so long and consistently before, but I do recommend this “must-do”.