Massive Update

Since my last blog, it has been difficult for me to upload another one because of my limited access to computers after having my laptop stolen. The library at my school follows a summer schedule, so it is not open as long as I want.

I met with my friend and her Sociology study abroad group from Emory here in London. We had Indian food- which is really common in London. It was a nice time catching up and talking with my friends from America. We also went to see the Tower Bridge at night, and it was marvelous.

Tower Bridge at night

On Saturday July 11th, I took the Eurostar train to go on a day trip to Paris! Eurostar tickets are expensive even if you book way ahead, but I found this awesome travel agency website that pre-purchases day tickets, which I got for a really low price. With the ticket, I took the first train of the day from London to Paris at 6am and the last train from Paris back to London at 8pm.

The start of this trip was already interesting- I went to the Eurostar train station (London St. Pancras) late at night on Friday, had a midnight snack at Burger King, and waited at the station until the check-in at 5am because the train from my home to the Eurostar station didn't run early enough for a 5am check-in. I got to talk to someone who was also waiting for an early train like me. She was a London-born Muslim girl who just came back from a protest- she had lots to say, and it was very eye-opening.

Paris was great- I think the pictures say it all. I started the day going to see the Eiffel Tower, walked in the city to see the National Assembly from the outside, and went to a famous cafe, Les Deux Magots. The weather was perfect, and I enjoyed sitting outside and reading at this cafe while drinking some really good coffee. I also went to the Louvre Museum, and I didn't even get to see half the museum because it was huge. I saw Moulin Rogue, went up the hills on Montmartre, and had some snails before heading back to London, This short and sweet trip was really worthwhile!

French Macaroons. SO GOOD.

The beautiful cafe near Louvre

Louvre Museum

Beautiful street up to Montmartre

Really good street musicians

Paris

Snails, snails, SNAILS!!

After working another week, I took a week of in the middle of my research to go to Zurich and Italy! My older sister was also flying in from Atlanta, and we planned to travel for nine days. This I will update on my next blog very soon, after I gather my pictures and reflections from it.

I only have two more weeks of research left before I head back to Atlanta on the 15th of August. Research is going a bit slower than what I had expected (machine problems, contamination etc), but I have been learning a lot of new things as well. While I'm excited to go back, it is already difficult to let go of my life here. Going to amazing museums and galleries, living and traveling alone, the people I've met here, and many things in between already makes me cherish my IRES experience!