Day 136

I saw Jude Law Play Hamlet!

Fakuation.London (hamlet)

Yesterday Katie,Greg and I got up at the crack o' dawn (6:30 AM) and boarded the Oxford Espress (that's the correct spelling) to London to get on the "queue" for Hamlet at the Donmar staring none other than the witty,charming,classy and overall adorable Jude Law. We were 8th in line for the 30 tickets they release on a daily basis and after 3 hours of waiting (we thought thye released the tickets at 10 am but because it was sunday they released them at 11 am boo!) and playing games like "who would win in a fight..." we finally got our tickets. And guess what? We got box seats!!! That's right, just like Lincoln baby! Here are pictures of our seats...




The show was great (3 hours long but great). Jude Law was great in the part and even made eye contact with me and Katie on four seperate occasions!

But I digress. I'm missing a whole chunk of the day. We bought the tickets at 11 am but the show didn't start till 3pm so...

We went to Camden Market!





You can't really tell by the pictures, but Camden Town Market is AWESOME (for a better understanding of what it really looks like see the 2002 Amanda Bynes classic, "What a Girl Wants" where Amanda Bynes' character runs away to London to find the Dad she never knew but ends up finding a lot more, including herself")

We met up with Linda and her English boyfriend Stuart (not Stu, Stuart) and walked around.
I bought a pair of sunglasses and postcards for 10 pence, but other than that everything was crap. I mean that in the most sincere way. I also didn't really buy anything because I'm going to Amsterdam today! (I plan to buy a lot there)

After the show we ate some fish and chips outside at a pub then walked over to Trafalger square to sit on some Lions. We had a mini photo shoot and here are the pictures from that shoot that we took photos at...





The weather was awesome and it was light out until 10pm so we stayed a bit longer than planned. At the restaurant the bathroom was covered in West End theater posters so I swiped a Chicago the musical poster starring Jerry Springer! We got home around midnight and I passed out. I might be updating from Amsterdam because I'm bringing my computer. (Just don't expect the post to make any sense!)

That's all for now, stay tuned for more posts in the next few days!

I'm on a Boat

We did it! We made it on the boat!

BOAT TRIP

Hold up, lemme backtrack for all of you who didn't hear the skype convo between my mom and me (and Robyn).

So every other week OPUS (Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Students) hosts a 'free' weekend trip to various places. There have been three so far but I only went to one (Cardiff) because the other two were to Portsmouth (I've already been twice, and the trip occurred after my friends had left) and Cambridge (which was the morning after the Ball) so I have not truly taken advantage of the daytrips. Which brings me to my next point, the final 'day'trip (it was at night) was a river cruise complete with dinner,drinks (well not free drinks) and dancing. Wonderful.

So both Andrea's walk over to the OPUS office to sign up for the trip but find...THERE'S NO MORE SPOTS OPEN!
Of course the two newest students to Oxford are denied a going away party (we never got a welcome dinner like the other students). It was painfully ironic.

So I called Mommy and complained. And then she put me in my place and I put the situation in perspective. So, the program people told us to come to the dock anyway(in case people didn't show up...I know ghetto!) and we did. And as luck would have it...everyone showed up. But as luck would also have it...the program people pitied us and let us on the boat anyway!! All was well, and there was plenty of food, even leftovers. The boat was nice and the music was great and the drinks were reasonable and the scenary was breathtaking and I could go on and on about this boat, but I'll let you look at the pictures instead...





There is nothing more to say about the boat trip except it was exceptional! I had a blast and it was a great ending to a great semester. Tonight is our Fakeuation ceremony for those sassy blondes in the picture (they officially graduated college but because they were here couldn't walkk down the aisle or throw their caps in the air).

I will probably post pictures from the ceremony but I also might not.
We leave for Amsterdam on Monday folks!

London for the Day

London for the Day

On Saturday I wanted to go to London. So I did. I love that.
Dainia,Andrea and I got on the Oxford Tube and for 10 pounds got a round trip ticket good for 24 hours (that's cheaper than Bellmore to NYC).


We didn't have any definitive plans except to meet up with our roommate Mary and her parents for a show at night. We walked around a bit, stopped by Buckingham palace to holla at the Queen


Then Dainia and I went to the national gallery (it was free!) while Andrea met Mary on Oxford Street.

I tried to take a picture at the national gallery but the flash went off and I got in trouble, here's what I got...

On our way to Oxford street we passed the Queen's calvary museum and saw real live (well behaved) horses! We took pictures and gawked for a while but then continued walking. We passed Gordon Brown's pad at Number 10, Downing Street then hopped on the tube to Oxford Street.


On Oxford Street we wandered into the Primark headquarters (If Walmart's clothing section had a baby with Target, and then had a sale, that's what Primark is...super cheap trendy clothes) and met up with Mary and her folks.
After a bit of miscommunication it turned out Mary never told her parents I was coming so they made reservations and bought tickets for 4 (Mary,Andrea and Mr. and Mrs. B) Needless to say I started crying and threw a big hissy fit in the store...no just kidding. I was a little upset that they were going to see SISTER ACT the musical but I got over it. I've seen plenty of theater since I've been here. How much theater you ask? Let's have a look...

-Billy Elliot: West End Production
-Much Ado About Nothing:Oxford Student Production
-Alls Well That Ends Well:Oxford Student Production
-Romeo and Juliet: Globe Theater
-Waiting for Godot: West End Production
-Tick,Tick,Boom: Oxford Student Production
-The Tempest:Oxford Student Production

7 productions in 7 weeks! Holy Theater Major! And of course I will try to see Sister Act before I leave. . .

Also I want to buy a type writer...just in case the computer turns everyone into zombies. Oh wait it already did. And I just want to sit at my typewriter and write classy thank you notes.
Sorry for that rant, my tutor and I were talking about typewriters and he let me try his out.

That's all for now. I'm going to Amsterdam next Monday.

Who wants to go Punting?

Punting and Katie's Birthday Party

These past 48 hours have been jam packed and fun filled, so fun filled that there's nothing left to do but blog about it!
Wednesday night I ordered my groceries online from Tesco.com (there are only two large supermarket brands in England, Tesco and Sainsbury)Not only were the groceries on time but Tesco delivered my groceries to my REFRIGERATOR! Not too shabby England, not too shabby!

About an hour after my groceries appeared in my fridge we all went out to the Purple Turtle to celebrate Katie's Birthday. The night was a blast and we ended up singing and dancing the whole time I got a high score on the touchscreen picture game...






Too bad I was the only one who ever played...USA baby!







(From L.) Andrea,Greg,Chris,David and Birthday girl Katie down front






























A very blurry Andrea sandwich (Me, Katie and Andrea)

The night ended a bit early because it was Wednesday and a few of us (myself included) had tutorials in the morning so we hit the sack around 2 am, The next morning was my Shakespeare tutorial about King Richard II and my tutor suggested we sit outside in the common! It was so beautiful and peaceful, except when they started to mow the grass...

After my tutorial ended I met up with my friend Paul at the Oxford Programme for Undergraduate Studies office then to the antique fair with Katie where I bought some neat prints for my friends back home (50p each!)

Ater the antique market we went punting. Now I know what you're thinking, "what the heck is punting?" Well I won't just tell you...I'll show you!







































































I even tried punting, but I almost fell off so I stopped.























After punting we had a pint at The Head of the River and a cartoonist came up and asked if we wanted a charactature , Chris said yes...


















The cartoonist was an Oxford native who grew up in a Jesus Army cult...we then had a discussion about religion...
After we sat around for a while (Chris and Andrea met up with us) I walked over to the Sheldonian theater to see the King's Singers! Just watch them and you'll know what I mean...


After the concert I went over to Marios to meet up with everyone for Africanfood (Mario is a family friend of Andrea who is in fact African)

Then we went home.
Phew, what a day(s)!

LONG TIME NO SPEAK!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted...probably cause I'm at Oxford where everyone reads for 24 hours a day. I'm not exaggerating. Seriously, there are no weekends because everyone works all the time. Which is fine I guess, considering this is the only time in my life where I can devote 100% of my free time to William "The Bard" Shakespeare. This week I had to read "Twelfth Night" and write an essay on "Identity" The essay must be 2000-25000 words..and that's it. According to my new friends here who have been at Oxford for more than one semester, say this type of essay is a rarity and usually we are given a longass booklist to read in one week. ::fingers crossed that doesnt happen::

So I would love to post a million pictures for ya'll but I have to admit my camera has been relaxing in my dresser drawer. My friend/roommate Mary Baskerville has been taking all the pictures around here, but don't worry, I think tomorrow I'll snap some for the blog (you're welcome Dad).

The weather has been gorgeous and I just got back from a walk around the river Thames (pronounecd tems, like temperature without the 'per' or the 'ature').

In case you haven't been talking to Shari (my mom who's been acting like my press agent) you wouldn't know that I've moved. Well if you've sent a postcard to 222 Abingdon Road, don't worry about it, I know the people there, if you haven't sent a postcard but would like to, send it to 107 Botley Road, OX1,OHB and I'll be sure to receive it!

Okay, here are some pictures I stole off of Mary's blog,





The awesome medieval gate leading up to the entrance of my college, Hertford (pronounced Hartford) Jonathon Swift once went here along with John Dunne! For other info about my college click here!





















The Bodelein Library, one of the oldest buildings in England- it's really historical here's a link about it, also they filmed Harry Potter here! I almost snapped a picture in the entrance hall(the infirmary at Hogwarts where Harry's arm healed) but the librarian told me to put my camera away!











Greg from Commack and Katie from Michigan

Me and Trishy the fishy on our way to a BBQ (don't ask)









While I type Mary is uploading wayyyy more pictures to picasa so my next post will be 90% pictures I promise! Thanks for reading! Tell your friends, if you want, or just keep reading!

Geva Goodbye

A Long Days Journey Into Afternoon

I'm writing this from Mary's dorm room in Portsmouth but I realized I never posted about the goodbye party...here's the post...

Goodbye Geva Party

We had a graffiti party for Adam and I ...I made up the geva song below with Hampus and Jasper...hope you enjoy...the premise of the party was to wear a white t--shirt then to dance and draw on each others shirt.

I will miss my Geva family so much words cannot express the gratitude I have towards all they have taught me and shown me. I learned so much about who I am and what I value in people and wht kind of people I'd like to surround myself with, I hate ended sentences with prepositions.

OH YEAH, I HAVE A BLOG!

ANI YODEH!

It's been so long since I've posted, almost a week. Sad to say, nothing much has happened. The rain has finally let up, thank goodness too, I think I've seen every movie I ever wanted to see and every movie I've never wanted to. One night we watched gladiator and dressed up...see picture below.


Other than that I've been meod (very) busy playing ASSASSINS! In short the game is played like mafia...everyone is given a target (another player), your goal is to get your target killed by sticking a sticker to their body. The only rules are you can't play indoors or while at work.

As of today I'm the only girl remaining!

Tomorrow we leave for Eiliat and then Monday EGYPT! Ben and I booked a room at a five star hotel (he insisted on paying for both nights...I paid for the 8 dollar hostel). I will obviously update the blog upon our return with tons of pictures and comments and stories and maybe, just maybe, a video or two.

Just a side note, word to the wise whatever, DO NOT USE THE NEW YORK CITY KIBBUTZ PROGRAM CENTER...I REPEAT DO NOT USE THE NEW YORK CITY KIBBUTZ PROGRAM CENTER...IT IS A SCAM THEY TAKE YOUR MONEY AND KEEP IT. SIMPLY FLY TO ISRAEL AND GO TO THE REAL KIBBUTZ PROGRAM CENTER IN TEL AVIV. TRUST ME, I AM NOT THE FIRST TO FALL PREY TO THEIR SCAMS!

I also posted a bad review on google, so if you google them a bad review will pop up!