Cambridge Chronicles: Finals treat--Vienna!

We began our journey to at 4:15 Saturday morning! I’m sure Katherine loved seeing my perky face that early as we shuffled to make sure we had our passports/wallets/visa letter to get back into the UK…you know, all of those little details necessary to travel across borders!  We booked it to our travel mates’ apartment, where Kelsey had knocked on Aileen’s door and got no response. So the three of us stared at each other in early-morning-foggy-brained panic, and knocked obnoxiously on her window until Aileen came to the door, probably (and rightfully) annoyed. (But Aileen is way too nice to say anything.)

We finally got on our train to London. A hop, skip, jump, and a Ryanair plane ride later, we were in Bratislava. For those of you who don’t know—which included me about a week ago— Bratislava is in Slovakia.

Security to get into the London airport was super duper friendly. I got a nice pat down. A very thorough inspection. Seriously, I am A) really ticklish, and B) generally uncomfortable with people touching every inch of me. But the woman was not sympathetic to my awkward cringes. It probably took twice as long because she didn’t think I was funny.

When we finally landed, they shuffled us off of the plane and onto a bus. THAT whole process probably took 15 minutes. Then they drove the bus about 20 feet,  a 30-second drive, and had us all get off.

Rolling our eyes at the inefficiency of this system, we then stood through a line at customs: “Other Passports” while we watched the people in the “EU Passport” line zip by us at least four times faster. No matter! We would soon have a very romantic “Slovakia” stamp in our passports! (Even though we were going to Austria)

If we weren’t already exhausted enough from the stress of finals the day before, we also decided to stay up really late to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies! Wholly intelligent? probably not so much. WE WERE EXHAUSTED. We were drunk silly on fatigue. So everything was really, really funny.

We got a car at the Bratislava airport. A small, beautiful, peach of a car:

A Panda.

Yes. The model of the car was a “Panda.” We fondly named him “Narwhal the Panda.” Probably couldn’t explain that one if I tried. We spent way too long in the rental car parking lot figuring out how to put Narwhal into reverse. And then finally, we were on the ROAD TO VIENNA!

On the way we laughed and laughed and laughed and screamed (when Kat pulled a perfectly maneuvered u-turn before the border to Hungary) but then laughed some more.

Every phrase out of Kelsey’s mouth is a clever fountain of understated hilarity. We made funny faces of mutual understanding of not understanding as German flung around us.

Cambridge Chronicles: my knight by the gutter

Chatting with mother, trying not to explode under the pressure of finals here, attempting to balance backpack, laptop in hand, dinner (and by dinner, i mean a cheap nutella pastry. mmmm) and the phone---when it suddenly slides out of my hands, and gets thrown by my knee, and ultimately kicked by my own foot, straight through the little holes in this devilish contraption on the side of the road.

can someone explain why they make the holes JUST big enough for a cell phone to fall straight through?!

Here I am, squatting by the side of the road, starring at my poor little phone through the stupid slits in this grate. There it is--i can see it clearly--four feet down, sitting in a pile of dirt, surrounded by candy wrappers and old cigarettes.

Very nice english lady, stopped and joined me in my awkward squat and said in her lovely thick british accent, "do you need some help?"

I feel smart.

There are a few differences between the United Kingdom higher education system and that of the United States. The major difference that I've noticed, is that most of the actual learning is done on your own. We got  a three-hundred page reading packet for the next two lectures. I thought they'd cover the reading in the lectures, like most of the classes I've ever had, ever.

So yesterday, I arrived in my lecture, happy and ready to absorb the knowledge that the Cambridge PH.D student was ready to impart on our class.

I literally thought the man was teaching a bio-mechanical engineering class. I don't know if it was the accent, or the complete mono-tone, or my lack-of history knowledge, but I've never felt so stupid in my life. Every once in a while, he’ll throw in a few words I recognize, but it felt like Spanish--without all the surrounding words to give it context they mean next to nothing.

“Growing communist insurgency sldhg was;vhe cmonwh …South Vietnam…a;seh23uwhe aosifu woeyq sdjlkj number of prostitutes…. alse0b e Failed coup in Indonesia asoeh  w0fu4 lkvbm, British.” YES British! I understood that one! “1950…ssfwy lsdkvw US had put a lot of pressure on the dutch...” Why? How?  “...Conflicted policy.. asld uweon xclbw this began to shape the new political systems in independent countries” what did? “he and Eisenhower” who is “he”? “someone tried to poison castro’s shampoo. Obviously that didn’t work.” was he trying to crack a joke?! I can't read British sarcasm... Do we have to know that someone tried to hijack shampoo from castro?  “given what had happened in 1961, neither were willing to compromise” what the heck happened in 1961?! Who’s not willing to compromise??

Someone told me that Albert Einstein had trouble in school... I must just be the next Einstein. 

I gave up trying to follow him, and typed that paragraph.

I did get a little reassurance that i wasn't a COMPLETE idiot, when the girl sitting next to me in class read over my shoulder what i was typing and she said, "brilliant. that is exactly how i feel right now."

dear goodness, wish me luck. 

Cambridge Chronicles #2: Scotland

Taking a trip to Scotland!

We loaded onto a very long bus where we then braced ourselves for an all-day ride. Two of my good friends sat with me at the very back of the bus, next to two boys who are students at Yale. They were very entertaining. We enjoyed stimulating conversation about nearly everything: Politics, Religion, Movies, education systems, retractable body parts, cuddling habits, self-discovery, and then we still had 6 more hours.

We three girls started a Summer of Self-Improvement program, and decided the first week we’d go without chocolate. Naturally, I panicked at the thought. This whole scheme was concocted by my brilliant friend, Ellie, who’s studying behavioral economics and had the research and rhetoric to convince me that I had the will power. She thinks these methods will help me get over the habit—I definitely don’t believe her.

When we finally crossed the border, a fog—literally immediately after the sign saying we were in Scotland—enveloped the bus. We saw the “First Public House in Scotland” (ie A “Pub”—who knew?!), and we saw gorgeous rolling green hills (for as far as the fog would allow) and we saw lots of rain, and sheep.

every street basically looked like this. (minus the trollies) 

When we finally got to the University of Edinburgh, we walked around the town, and I fell in LOVE. Beautiful, old castle-esque buildings lined the streets of little pubs and shops (including an Auld Hoose—sound it out), and in the light of dusk, which lasted until 10:30 pm(!) and the fantastical fog, I felt like I had been picked out of time and placed into a 17^th century romance novel. Future husband, take note: This could very well be our honeymoon spot.

The Cambridge Chronicles #1: upon arrival

I had a colossal bag with 49.5 pounds of essential living materials. Lugging through hot, sticky, sweaty, grimy new york city. Bus trips and transfers, ticket lines and security lines. So many lines. Then a 6 hour, 9 minute flight to London, Hethrow airport. Where we arrived at 6:00 am local time—which means 2:00 am Averill time. 3-hour bus ride, attempting to sleep in the most awkward bus-sitting positions everrrr. I felt like a rag-doll filled with sand, dipped in water. My fingers were heavy.

Finally we arrive! It’s about 50 degrees outside. Not Celsius. It hasn’t been 50 degrees in the states since… February? So it’s a good thing I planned for a hot humid summer, tons of light t-shirts and skirts, and literally DID NOT PACK ONE SINGLE SWEATER.

Freezing and exhausted I tried to keep myself awake until a reasonable bedtime. We checked in, mingled with the college elite—although I have yet to meet any Harvard/Stanford/Yale people yet. Had a great conversation with some Penn students. And saw girl, who I haven’t seen since sophomore year in high school. Crazy random.

The bar opened, and everyone got really excited! Us BYU kids stared at each other pleasantly much preferring to get excited about the upcoming food. An incredible buffet was set before us, and we chit-chatted and asked questions like, “where are our classes?” “how do we do laundry?” “when are we going to scotland as a group?” “wait, we’re going to Scotland as a group?” “anyone know anything about anything that’s happening at this program?” the general answer to that last one was no.

We took a walking tour.

Some fun facts about my stay here:

• Charles Darwin lived here: in the dorm room right next to me. No big deal.
• Oliver cromwell’s head is buried in a garden on campus
• Newton’s famous apple tree was uprooted and replanted right outside of trinity college. So that was cool.
• The creator of Winnie the Pooh drafted this masterpiece on campus.
• There are incredibly low ceilings leading my room. (I didn’t learn that from the walking tour, I learned it from hitting my head several times on my way)
• It stays light here really long. Last night it was10:00pm, and it’s finally dim enough to use the light from the street lamps. 
• It is stunningly beautiful here. The buildings are older than my country by about 300 years, and  the light just seeps into your soul. I've caught the motherland bug. (pictures soon to follow!)

We had FHE tonight: BYU students are seriously a force to be reckoned with. Harvard, Yale, Penn, Berkeley, Brown, Princeton kids: Watch out. 

there is a MONSTER in my refrigerator

a few nights ago, my little ones had their opening night, and did so marvelously well, i could have literally burst with pride! But I was exhausted. So I sat down on the couch to check the nightly news (mostly because my dad had the remote. I was hoping for 30 rock). At about 11:00, I realized I could not move. So I just gave into the luring encirclement of the cushions, and fell asleep.

at about 3:00 am, My eyes half-way glued shut with the make up from the night before, I woke up with a kink in my neck, having been swallowed by the couch.  I decided to make the trek up to my own bed. On my way I stopped at the refrigerator (of course! who wants to make a trek without a snack?)

As I opened the door I heard a "bllzmzmz" and several thunks one right after another. To my horror, I realized there was a monster in my fridge. I immediately sobered up out of my 3:00am daze, and with great bravery and skill I... shut the door!

OK. so i'm a bit of a coward. (but you would be too if you heard what i did!)

I finally decided if there was something live in my fridge, I should probably get it out. So I pulled hard with the courage of a warrior, and THERE IT WAS. Sitting on a tupperware container of coleslaw with disgusting fuzzy arrogance:




this is probably closer to what I saw. none-the-less, despicable.  




This is what I saw:




EEEEEIIWWWWWW

This evil creature scared the crumb cakes out of me. just look at it's creepy little body: 

I gently lifted the container of coleslaw to get it out of my fridge, and it ATTACKED ME. I swear, it's little claws reached out to start to wring my neck. So I dropped the container in a panic, and may or may not have broken the top and splattered coleslaw on the kitchen floor. 

then i ran away. 

i stumbled into my bed refusing to turn on any lights, avoiding the possibility that the creature follow me, and proceeded to have nightmares that crawly things were buzzing on top of my skin in bed.

The next morning i saw the beast on my bathroom window. there it was--not moving--for the first time. I had a wide open shot. what I wanted to do was smoosh the little monstrosity, so that it might never bug me again (ha ha bug me--get it?)

But instead of giving into my murderous instincts, I felt a wash of mercy, and opened the window, and shuddered as I pushed the creepy little thing outside, and spared his life.

I still have nightmares about this evil creature, but i've come to terms, and try and keep the refrigerator door closed at night.

little 'uns

I've been lucky enough, to teach dance and choreograph for the fantastic St. Luke's United Methodist Church's Performing Arts Academy. A musical theater intensive where kids take classes in music, dancing, and acting, and produce a play, all in two weeks!

I have discovered that little people are so much fun!

Some of favorite quotes thus far:

(Name game)
"Animated Miss Averill"
"Silly Sarah"
"astronaut alyssa"
"soccer luke"
"ok, Luke, soccer doesn't start with an 'L', what else do you like to do?"
"Oh, ok. I get it. Arcade Luke"
"alright"

One of my sweet little second-grade girls was wandering right outside of the class where she should be.
"What are you up to sweetheart?"
"have you found the class?" with the tone like, "someone has misplaced this classroom, and I was hoping it might have dropped into your possession somehow. do you know where my lost class is?" as she's standing literally right outside the door of where the classroom is.

"OH MEEEeeeEEEeeEE! Pick mE! I know! I know!" squirming on the floor in a desperate attempt to get her hand higher than it is now, while still sitting down.
"Ok, honey. Yes?"
"um.. so i think... so yes... it's... so that's what...  I forgot"

Our Prince and Sleeping beauty has developed a little crush on each other, but insist that they hate having to pretend to be in love.
Our director said, "Princess, you have to say at least one nice thing about your prince phillip"
"ok.. I guess...he has at least one... nice ear"
Probably the most creative compliment I've ever heard. wouldn't you agree?

BAH HA HA

pictures of these little angels soon to follow.