The Queen's Guard

So I have such a story to tell you.  First Christian and I are so not happening.  It has been the weirdest ride I have ever been on.  Maybe he wanted some action maybe he was just feeling horny I have no idea but anywho that is very much so over I am not going to go into detail cuz it is kind of embarrassing that I didn’t see it but I don’t care.  whatever so we went to Windsor today and went all through the castle and such, when I came out Sarah and Anna were in a huge group taking pictures with the guard you know the ones with the black hats who everyone tries to make laugh and talk and all kinds of shit.  Well I always though I would want to do it too but when I got there I felt so bad for him having to stand at attention and everyone talking to him and taking pictures with, so I said no but ended up doing it anyway and boy am I glad I did.  He was rather cute and when I got to the group I saw him looking at me. And not just once but a lot.  So I was like ya I will get some of that.  I went over there and said "I am so sorry about this" then he just said "it's ok it's fun most of the time" so I was so shocked took my picture and asked "aren’t you not allowed talking" and he just looks at me (out of the corner of his eye) and says "I'm not".  So wonderful.  Then we walked around the village found a leaning house tried to take a cool picture it was an epic fail and then headed back to St. George's Chapel for evensong.  It was really serious and the police escort you in and are super mean but as I left the chapel and walked passed my guard I waved good-bye and he waved back.  Not with his whole had cuz he was at attention but lifted his had from his side.  I felt so special. So I took many pictures of him so you just tell me if you don't think he looks cute

I think we look really good together I should have given him my number.  or at least asked him when he was off : )

The Globe and Shakespeare

Now Richard lll is not one of my favorite plays of Shakespeare or for that matter even one that I have read but we are doing it for English so I had better start.  I personally hate tragedies everyone just dies or goes crazy, but when we watched the movie and then went to see it at the globe I started to understand why Shakespeare wrote it.  It was like reading a history book but way more interesting.  And easy to understand for that people back then.  For the first half I was standing on the ground like I would have if I was born in the 1500’s and for the second half I was in the upper most box where the famous people would have sat.  On the ground you where much more involved with the play, one girl was given a flower by Richard and another guy got spit on when Lady Anne spat on Richard.  By the end of that first half my back hurt like a pregnant women and, I have way more respect for the groundings.  I don’t know how they did it.  One really strange thing was that all the actors were men!  The Globe does certain plays that they call original practices  were all the actors are men just like it would have been back in Shakespeare’s time.  It was super weird when Lady Anne first came out I was like “that is one ugly women no wonder she had to get into acting” but when she started to wave her hands about I realized that there was no way that a women could have such manly hands and face and everything else.  After that it was just funny and you couldn’t wait till a woman was on stage.  The costumes were exquisite.  We watched a movie on the Globe and how they make the costumed is ingenious they don’t use sewing machines and everything is used over and over.  You know those white collars that look like a dog cone that queen Elizabeth wore well they wear them too but they are held together and on with pins along with many other pieces of the costume. I’d be scared to go on stage. 

But the stage was beautiful. and I was not allowed to take pictures so this is sneaky Michel

When I got up to the box seats after the intermission I was much more interested in watching other people then watching the rest of the play so I missed the first two or three scenes because of acting pigeons, glorified camera Nazis and others people’s reactions.  But by the end when Richard was seeing all the ghosts of the people he killed and really walking down the crazy road I was back paying attention.  With the amount of stage they had it was very interesting to see how Richard and Richmond the man he was fighting both went to sleep the night before the battle, one in a bed and the other in a chair but both right next to each other on the stage.  Richard was woken by the ghosts of all the people he killed and Richmond slept peacefully.  And when the battle started Richmond won because of his clear conscience.  All in all the globe is the best and I want to see many more plays here as long as I get to sit. 

 Random gate to keep the groundings out with pieces from Shakespeare's plays and John is posing like a boss hahaha

hitting two birds with one stone

I have to write a blog for every place we visit so instead of rewriting all of them I will probably use some of them for both class and my blog.  So here is a bit more on the Tower of London without all the I love Christian stuff, oh and about him it is so confusing.  never life a forenior they are not worth the efort maybe I will tell you all more about that later but for right now it is to strange.

The Tower of London has been one of my dreams since I was a little girl. So much history has taken place in this one location.  And now I am walking along the very halls where it all took place.  For me the Tower has not been a place of death and sadness but a spot where great people lived and wonderful things happened.  Of course horrible things did happened here such as the murder of Anne Boleyn,  the many other wives of Henry Vlll, and also the two princes smothered to death but it was so much more than that for me.  Climbing up those many steps to walk along the wall of the Tower was so exhilarating.  I could picture soldiers climbing higher and higher to defend their home land, or ladies in waiting caring trays up to Anne as she waited for her sentence.  And let me tell you there were so many steps; so many steps everywhere, everywhere we went there were more stairs to climb.  The only place that we didn’t have to ascend to was the wait for the Crown Jewels.  I have always wondered if what you see behind that glass is the real thing or do they even let the public that close?  After walking though those huge vault doors seeing all the glass cases and being forced to more along by a conveyer belt walk way I had to start believing in the reality of it.  Those crowns, cups, dinner ware, and swords where something that I will never forget.  If you ever get to go to see it no matter how long the queue is, wait for it because that is something that you will never forget and might never have the chance to see again.  The amount of gold that was used to create just the dinner plates is crazy; it made me wonder why people didn’t steal their spoons after dinner.  One King had a wine bowl made to look like and island with the stand being under the water with fish, mermaids, and shells.  The stem coming up to met the bowl were waves lapped the edges completed by the rim decorated by people feasting, grapes, and other land dwelling things on the top of the island.  The Spoon for this bowl was a shell attached to a long golden handle.  This shell was rainbow like as a real shell would look.  The whole experience was amazing I just wish I had more time there to really look around and take it all in.  But London is a big place and I had other places to go.

A Walk to Remember

So on Sunday we went to London that great city of what ever its of.  it was so great.  I was part of the study tour so I had to go to the Tower of London what fun.  I went with Christian even though he had go before and he was not part of the class, So we saw the crown jewels, the fighting towers and the bloody tower along with many other things.  After that we took the underground and went to Buckingham palace, St. James Park, and Trafalgar Square. It was so much fun but really exhausting.  The next day I was so sore from walking to Bracknell and London and jogging on Thursday or whatever.  So I slept all the way back and went right to bed when we got back.  All in all though London was so awesome.  I will be going back asap!

Now to talk about what made this weekend really awesome! After Tea and our walk in the Park Sarah and I went to Scottish dancing and the plan was to go out for supper after that.  we were going to go to Binfield But we ended walking to Pizza Hut in Bracknell.  what a walk!

So here we are Christian, me, Sarah, Marita, and the ever present Taylor.  I had lots of fun Christian and I walked together the whole way cuz the girls left us behind. I was craving Pizza for a week so it tasted so good and we ate so much food.  Then came Sunday another whole day spent with Christian.  And Monday back to school.  I didn't know what was going to happen or if he liked me or what, so we went through school just like usual until choir first hour is girl the next is boys so as we were walking out I ran into Christian and as I passed him he turned around and asked if I wanted to go on a walk with him after he was done choir.  AHHHHH! heck yes I would like to go for a walk with you....but you know what they say in Canada "go on a walk with a boy and come back a couple"  Well we went on a walk around 9:30 and we walked and talked and nothing much happened just kidding nothing much happened until we sat down on a bench. Then we were just talking and he put his arm around me, nothing great right well I was freaking out, but the cool thing was that even though I usually freak out and then can't talk that didnt happen we just kept talking then I went to explain something and put my hand on his leg and he put his hand on top of mine and then we just started holding hands.  it was really sweet and wonderful.  we talked there for a while and then headed back at 1 in the morning!!!!!!  He hugged me goodnight and then I went to bed after screaming about it to Sarah and Marita for like 10 min.   Those two girls are the best they live right across from me and I go crass there room all the time. (thanks guys) 

Sad day though cuz yesterday which was the day after our walk was super awkward I don't know hwy this always happens to me but I have to just act normal and get it back to normal.  So wish me luck today! Marita, Sarah and I are off to Chinese yum!

Proper English Tea

First Pub! we went to a pub called the Roebuck and it was an epic fail.  we walked in and went to a table, no one looked at us it was all old fat men and no one came to ask if they could help us or seee our ID or anything so we sat there until Julie and I worked up the courage to go ask for something.  the Lady was such a tool and was like I need to see your ID so I was like ok no biggy then she's like no I need to see all your ID.  super rude.  I went to get eveyones ID and two of us forgot it way to go guys! So we had to walk out pass all these fat old men, the walk of shame.


Day Two so we walk farther this time and came to a really sweet pub called Victoria Arms and they were much nicer there where lady's in there and when we sat down a girl came pass and asked us if we were good, so much nicer.  So some of us ordered Ale and some wine and others water I will no say what I got but you know.  we sat and talked, took pictures and laughed at this cat.


Enter Christian:  So the girls across the hall from me are really good friends of mine and Marita who is from Norway came with 3 other boys, one is Christian.  He has strawberry blonde hair and lots of freckles.  he is really sweet but I didn't know where I stood with him so whatever.  We went to Vespers and there was a bat that came out during the songs and flew around for the rest of the service poor thing.  after we went for a walk in the pitch black down a few streets and then out group split when there was an option to turn around or walk down this dark wooded path and of course I took the dark path.  So Marita, Christian, some other girl and a Brazilian boy named Marlo.  Christian and this other girl walked together poops I know but it was a nice walk and then when we got to the school we just stood in a circle in the freezing cold Adriel the hot Brazilian came and joined so I was very happy and then some how Christian got out of the circle and then entered again beside me and we just all stood there talking and having fun.  then this morning I wasn't sure what was going on but after lunch everyone was walking back to the dorm and Christian was telling me about these hidden doors in Moor Close I already knowing this was like "what really? will you show me some time"  so he said we should do it now so we looked all around and then just sat and talked I told him about not having anywhere to go for Christmas and he invited me home but who knows if that has any truth.  and he told me about loosing his brother to cancer.  then everyone came back and found us just talking I'm not sure if Taylor likes him or not but she looked kinda weird.  after Tea we went on another walk to a park. Christian, Marita, Taylor and I Christian and I walked together the whole way with Taylor and Marita inhead.  Taylor wanted to go one way and no one went with there but then I was like oh I want to go in the woods and everyone followed,  Taylor was like :why do you all follow her but not me"  That made me feel really special poor girl.  And tonight we are going to the Pub again so we will see how the rest of the day goes. Sorry for the long entry but writing a whole day and when that day contains a boy it can get.....well you know. 

day one: registration

Registration was today.  Long lines, boring talks and endless lists....sounds like Canada.  I have already met friends and have people to hang out with.  I have only had that opportunity once before and it is so nice to have ppl to go eat with and none of this first month of loneliness.  Now I told you all that this would probably be a lot of boys and drama so here is the first installment.  At Vespers I sat beside an English boy names Tom who is without a doubt a typical English boy not like the hotties on TV or anything like One Direction but he is blonde with not so good teeth but a great accent and such a gentlemen.   Then there are the Brazilian boys who are nice but not very attractive until I met Julie and her brothers Julie is a really nice girl and I hope she will like me enough to let me flirt with her brothers.  The older is named Victor and the younger Adreal.  The younger is much cuter and doesn’t have a girlfriend unlike the older, and of course I like the younger one better I can just see you saying that Sara.  All the ACA students are girls except this black boy from cali so nothing there but I came for foreigners anyway.  But there is a nice boy from Oregon who is here with the gap year program and his name is Robert.  He is a little more of a bad boy which is awesome but really attractive so it won’t be hard for him to get whatever he wants.  So far that is about all I know the rest are just nameless faces.  OMG I have to tell you about the Gardener.  He is a MAN who mows the lawn and picks up garbage and I know your thinking what a suck job but this guy could be cleaning elephant butts with a wet one and you would think it was the best job on earth.  He is TALL and at least a whole head and shoulders taller than anyone else here and blonde.  He dresses with a lot of class for church and all us girls were watching his every move.  Always talking about him until Alyssaa looked at his hand during church and told us that he was indeed married.  Suck luck.  But I am not here to get a boyfriend I am here to make lots of friends and have lots of fun flirting and touring.

A line is called a cue and classes are called module

This is More Close the manor house on the property from that back garden