Hope to cross again.

Well, I do believe I may have this be the last post from this blog...that is unless I get across the beautiful ocean again any time soon. But, currently it looks like I will be remaining within the United States, not without trying though. Believe me, if I could I would be looking up flights and planning out another European Adventure. It would begin in England again (of course, just to see some people) and then move to Germany where I would grab a few friends and head south. I would meander my way through France and over into the Alps and then down into Italy where I would try to show the Italian bus drivers that they do not scare me. I would then spend some time visiting more friends before grabbing a ferry and going to Greece.

See, its all planned out. Now all I need is the money to do it. oops.

Well, stay tuned for a new blog, about my final 100 days before I am graduated, job searching, stress eating, working off that eating, random ideas I have, tea, and all that stuff I have left out (well except for the tea) these blogs.

Stay good,

Cheers xxx

So I need to talk about a few places still.

I know its been a few months since I was in England, but I thought that I would fill in the readership of my blog with a few details from my last weeks there.

First off, I went to Edinburgh, Scotland...and fell in love! The trip involved me and a few friends, Aslak, Lauren, Thijs, Viola, and then we met Viola's boyfriend in Edinburgh. We began the trip early with breakfast on the train (made up of whatever we had brought with us...I almost brought a loaf of bread) The train ride was uneventful, except for the beautiful scenery we had on our way. The train went along the coast, at times I hoped that the train could just stop and I could run towards the water. After three hours we made it to Edinburgh and began our trek to the hostel.

The hostel we stayed in was in what is known as the "New town" meaning that it is not part of what has been built into the cliff face. What people normally think of Edinburgh its the Castle that comes to mind....and boy is it a site! From anywhere in the city you can see the castle. That day we went up to the main part of the old city and wandered around. We also decided to climb up Colton hill, where we got a perfect view of the city around us and again the castle. The next day was started by going through the castle. Lauren stayed behind, but Aslak, Thijs and I went through, and got to enjoy an air show as we were wandering around.

Highlight of the castle...finding out that my dorm room was the same size as a victorian prison.

After touring the castle, we met back up with Lauren, had some food, and wandered over to the university.

I am currently applying to their graduate program. The campus was soooo cooool!!!! There were old buildings mixed in with newer ones, and grassy areas, and it all felt right. It was like I knew that that was where I should be, and so I have decided that that is where I want to be.

That night we decided to do a ghost walk, which for me was a big step...because I scare easily. In the end it was very interesting. There was a lot of stories passes around, and we got to go through some underground caverns that did feel a bit funny.

The next day was our last day, and for me it was only a half day. BUT that day we decided we were going to climb the highest peak within the city limits...and that was AMAZING! I ended up climbing the whole thing with my backpack on because I was going to go straight to the train station from there. It was a very good experience for me and even though we only made it technically halfway, I now want to go back and finish the trek. The peak itself is located within the Palace (not castle...) grounds and was used as the royal hunting grounds. THe Palace was where Mary Queen of Scots was "imprisoned".

After we climbed that I headed back to the train station where I grabbed a train back to York to meet my Brother and Father, who had flown in that morning.

Here I will leave it with more to follow about the time my brother was with me. Sorry it was so short, but I wanted to get some of the highlights down.

Edinburgh was amazing and it is a place I would love to go back to and stay for a while. My goal is to do that within a few years, but in the end we will see.

Cheers!

home.

thought i should just let any of you out there know that I am back in Rockford. Have been for about two and a half weeks. Yea...oops.

xxx

FINAL CRAMMING PAPER TIME!

I am currently working on my final paper here and its so nice to have my brother sitting next to me and all that. I just thought I would say that I will be home in less then 7 days. So for those of you who love countdowns...start counting. I honestly do want to come home too...I know, shocking that I would want to leave this place, but hey I miss my stuff...and my parents, and my back garden and front garden and well my car and my hometown and my university and my friends back home.

I will really miss everyone here though as well...its going to be a tough goodbye I know that. It's going to be weird to leave and never return for class again. Even writing that feels weird.

I went to Edinburgh this past weekend, you will have to wait to hear about that...Mike is getting bored so I need to quicken my writing pace.

Cheers
Ellen XXX

Anyone out there?

Well. For those of you who keep asking me when I get home, I will be on US soil on teh 6th if July (that night sometime i think) so there. Now its down. What I am going to do with the last two and a half weeks is a good question. I will be writing a paper...due thursday, going to Edinburgh (hopefully), Picking my brother up from the train station and then celebrating the rest of my stay in the UK with friends (and a family member). Yea, thats it I think.

Anyway. Recently I celebrated my 21st birthday, and it was a grand time. I am not going to name or number the amount of drinks of that night. But I went to a party, had a GREAT time watching the end of the England Algeria game, and making fun of those blokes who decided that it was a great idea to YELL at the screen what they thought of the refs, players, kits, and even the ball itself. Once the game ended we had the whole upper floor to ourselves to party it up, including cake and a flaming shot of sambuca (dont worry this was not my shot of sambuca). After a while we moved the party to a local club where they played a handful of alternative songs I knew, and a handful that I didnt, but enjoyed anyway. Then we went home.

It was a good time, and I thank those out there who were there for a great time, and those that were not I wish you had been.

Now I am legal everywhere...not just Europe and Asia and Australia and South America and Central America and Africa (wait did I just name everywhere but the states!?) Huh...maybe the states need to get on board with the rest of the world.

Oh well.
Cheers.

lets procrastinate.

So, I'm sitting here in the computer lab over by my dorm (which finally has reopened) and I find myself doing everything but what I should be doing, of course. Which means I check my email, check my facebook, read a few articles on the217, listen to some WPGU...and now change the layout of my blog. Yea you might have noticed that it is no longer the dark brownish orange and the map picture is gone as well...well I have been noticing that a few of my friends have been changing the layout of their own blogs, and making them seem a bit more professional and I had to admit mine did not look that good. So I think this looks a bit better, if I knew code and stuff like that I think I could make it look even bettter, but oh well this will work for now.

If you have any ideas or comments please let me know.

Cheers!

a quick tidbit about what has been happening in England.

Well weather has been on again off again nice...I have been uber busy getting papers written and figuring out how to be a history person again.
May went by really quickly and now its June and I have two papers to write and a paper to edit.

Paige came and visited for a week and it was PERFECT to see her and all that and then my computer broke and then we went to London and saw Mark and Miriam and then a big group of us went to Oxford where I got a picture with a sword of sentimental meaning...and had a lovely time pretending I was a student. Then we came back to York and I had to deal with my computer and then Amy visited and that was FANTASTIC...and now I am beginning one paper and celebrating a birthday on wednesday (not mine...duh) and then Claudia comes on Thursday and the World Cup starts on Friday with South Africa playing Mexico and then Saturday is the UK vs US game and then monday my english paper is due and yea...im busy.

OH WORLD CUP STARTS AND IT IS MY VIEW THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH. Please.