No matter how many times I heard people say don’t over pack, I over packed. It is impossible not to do so. You fit your whole life in to a small room and are expected to pack it all up in to one suitcase. Thankfully, I was a little smart this time.

I didn’t know what to expect when I was on my way to Sydney so I decided that I was going to pack sheets, blankets, and a pillow. I also brought along a plate, bowl, cup, knife, spoon, and fork. Now I can just throw these things out! This is a money saver as well. You don’t have to buy those things once you get to Sydney and when you’re leaving you have lots of room to pack other stuff! Let’s be real, nobody wants to throw out clothes! & let’s be even more real, we will all go on a shopping spree acquiring lots of new things. Oh and don’t forget those souvenirs. Packing the boomerang I bought my mom cost me a pair of converses. Packing is such sweet sorrow.

TOWER OF LONDON-

This is where I’m not. Most of the group was tired from the long day in Potsdam, so they decided to ride the bus back to the train station, while just Claire, Dan and I stuck around. Dan said he spotted a bookstore he wanted to go into where every book was for 3 Euros. When we found the place, I went in and expected to find nothing. I don’t speak any German, so naturally, when I stepping in the shop, I made a bee line for the knick knacks. The first that caught my eye was this:

I picked it up and realized that it was a letter opener—made out of an Australian Kangaroo paw. I was laughing so hard, this was just the most absurd thing I’ve ever seen in a store. I made Claire ask the old women at the desk how much it was, 1 Euro she said!! 1 Euro?! I can barely get an ice cream for 1 Euro, I’m buying this.

Further wandering into the store, lead me to a box of post cards, some were written on- and yes I considered stamping it and sending it to someone as a joke- others, like this Tower of London card- were blank, and only 10 cents each. Considering all post cards in shops in Berlin are 1 Euro, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to purchase these for 10 cents!

So in total- I paid 2,10 Euros for a Roo Paw and cards—by far the funniest thing that’s happened so far. When I got home, I unwrapped the Paw from the newspaper to take its picture for this blog. After stroking the handle a few times, I got freaked out and wrapped it back up. I’m sure it will stay tucked away until I try to smuggle it back through customs in the US.

Go into second hand shops! You never know what you’ll find- I also got to practice my German a little when I was paying. It’s all about the experience

I can’t believe how much I have done during my first week in London. I also feel like I’ve known some of my fellow students for much longer! IES has far exceeded my expectations in how they welcomed us to London and its culture, readied us to begin classes, and provided us with so many opportunities to sightsee and experience the country. They’ve given us tours of the areas around our residence hall and the IES school, which really helped me learn what is in the area and get a sense of what I can do with free time. On Friday, we went on a sightseeing tour around the city and learned about the history of London and what is going on in the city today. Saturday is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable days of my life; not only did I witness a fantastic parade in honor of the Trooping of the Colour, see the entire royal family, and get a wave from Prince Harry, but I also watched one of my favorite Shakespearean plays at the Globe Theatre as a groundling while it was pouring. On Sunday, we traveled  to Windsor to see Eton College and Windsor Castle, and it gave me a much better sense of another side to the UK!

These experiences have been amazing, but I can’t forget to mention the classes I’m taking! I’m in an Architecture of London class featuring architecture since the 1600s, and we’ve been able to get out into the city to see the architecture firsthand. I’m also taking British Youth Culture, which is the most popular course this summer. My professor is clearly very knowledgeable on the topic and is someone we’ve all made fast friends with. We discussed what defines youth culture and, my favorite part, the impact the Beatles made when they performed “All You Need Is Love” on television for the first time.

I can’t say that I wasn’t the slightest bit nervous before making the journey over to London, but I already feel at home in the city. All of the locals have been very friendly and helpful, I’ve got a very good sense of how to get around on the Tube, and I’ve done a great deal of exploring. Every day is a new adventure that I am eager to experience, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here will bring!

Now let me tell you the second realization I had yesterday, and it all came about thanks to one of my program’s workers. His name is Douglas. He is 24. He just started working for IES Abroad (my program) last year. During college he decided to study for a whole YEAR in Paris, and then when he finished school, he came back to Paris to work here. Below is a picture of me with Douglas and my new friend, Caroline, at Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny.

On Wednesday I decided to check out the spa nearby with two other girls from the program, and that was definitely an experience. The sauna section is all nude- we knew this before we went, but actually being there it was still pretty shocking. Once we got over the initial hesitancy, we really enjoyed ourselves trying every different sauna and pool. My favorite was a Turkish-style sauna where the air was so wet you could barely see your hand in front of your face. Almost all of the people at the spa were older, probably retired. Seems like a pretty great way of living to me! The nude factor didn’t seem to phase any of them, they looked like it was totally normal. The thermal baths were in a separate section- this one had many more young people, and everyone wore swimsuits. The water was amazing, and I could have stayed in the jacuzzi forever.

On Friday we watched a documentary about the situation in Bosnia with the whole class. I liked that it showed people’s feelings presently, rather than just focusing on how things were during the conflict. It sounds like people are becoming more and more tolerant of the different identity groups- we’ll see if that’s actually true or just a bias from the movie. When we’re in Bosnia we’ll meet with the producer, and learn more about the making of the film and her perspective on the situation.

We left early Saturday morning for the train to Koln, where we caught a plane to Sarajevo. It was a long journey, but we finally made it. I don’t have time to say much now, but later this week I’ll write all about this incredible place.

After a three mile walk, a quick cab ride and a bit of Ireland’s signature chilly wind along the way, there it was.  21 Sullivan Street.  A small, picturesque house tucked into the corner of the street beside a wall.

Not exactly a commonly visited spot by most tourists in Dublin.  But 21 Sullivan Street was among the most important things on my list.  It was the house that belonged to my great-grandfather, John Thompson, before he left Ireland on a boat to start his new life in America.

Knowing I was close to it but unfamiliar with the streets, I hailed a cab to get me to the address my grandfather had given me.  “Y’ve got Irish blood in yeh, heh?” the driver smiled, as I told him of the reason for my visit to a small street he’d never heard of.

The driver dropped me off in front of a row of houses and leaned his head out the window to help me find it.  25, 24, 23, 22, the block was coming to an end.  Until I saw it, ensconced comfortably in the corner.  I stood and admired it.  Flowers sat atop a windowsill, and a handpainted plaque read “21.”

I didn’t realize until much after I’d planned my trip to Ireland that 2013 is an especially appropriate time to visit.  In January, the country launched “The Gathering”, a year-long event to reach out to Irish descendents and relatives and bring them to Ireland.  The Gathering means extra efforts by Irish towns and communities to promote what makes the country such a great place, deeply rooted in history and pulsing with adventure.

In finding a little house in a small Dublin neighborhood, The Gathering hit home for me.  A small brick of my family history brought to life.

My glorious summer in Siena is right around the corner! As I finish my packing with only two days left, I can’t help but think of all the wonderful things I am about to experience in Italy! The top five things that I am excited for are:

1. The delicious food: pizza, pasta, gelato, prosciutto, tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar….the list could go on forever

2. The Palio on July 2nd

3. Warm and relaxing nights sitting with friends

4. The old, beautiful architecture all throughout the city

5. The vibrant culture that is infused into every single aspect of day-to-day life

Although I have spent some time in Italy, these next 7 weeks will hopefully allow me to understand Italian culture like I never have before. My goal is to become more Italian in my speech, diet, and mannerisms and to take those qualities back to the United States. Throughout my time in Siena, I plan on documenting my day-to-day life through pictures of what I eat and showing them to you here. Prepare to see lots of pictures of pizza, pasta, gelato, and prosciutto! Although I am lactose intolerant, I am not going to let that stop me from enjoying all that Italy has to offer! Look for my first post in a few days after I have settled in!

Ciao,

Gabby

Where I’ll be for the next 7 weeks!

Some random facts about Rabat:

-       Trash-cans are scarce, and litter is everywhere – I’m still not sure where the bin is in my house, so I’m keeping all my trash in a plastic grocery bag in my room.

-       There are feral cats all over the place, and as a cat lover it makes me sad because they’re so skinny, I just want to buy a ton of cat food and adopt them all.

-       The exchange rate is very much in our favor – you can buy a large bottle of water from the market for about 4 dirhams, which is roughly $0.50

-       There are very few rules of the road here and basically no such things as crosswalks.  Pedestrians do not have the right of way (actually, I’m not sure there is such a thing as the “right of way” here) and you just kinda…walk when you can.  I’d be absolutely terrified to drive.

-       Sidewalks are badly paved.  Some women wear heels, but I don’t know how they do it – we’ve all tripped on the uneven pavement.

-       Moroccans eat more bread/sugar/carbs than anyone I’ve ever seen.  But the fruit is SO much better than at home.

-       Dinner is LATE here – in my house it’s around 10pm, and that is early by Moroccan standards.  But just because you’re up ‘til midnight doesn’t mean you sleep late the next morning.  Au contraire.

-       It isn’t as conservative as they try to make you believe.  Some women wear tight pants, sleeveless shirts, no veil, work for a living, and can be found smoking in cafés; while others keep covered from wrist to ankle, remain veiled, and stay home.  It just depends on the person.

-       Moroccan hospitality = food.  I think I’m offending my host-sister by not eating NEARLY as much as she wants me to, but I just can’t do it.

-       I think all of us in the program have watched Turkish soap operas dubbed in Darija (Moroccan Arabic) with our host families.

-       Morocco is NOT limited-mobility accessible – I have bad knees and they have hurt like crazy here from all the stairs.

-       The Medina (the historic part of the city, where we are all living) is not as safe as they want you to think.  I had my camera pickpocketed on day 1.

-       The food is very good!

That is just a sample – it is a lot to adjust to, but I’m getting along better than I expected, and really can’t complain about anything except the workload.  Which reminds me, it is the weekend, so I have lots of homework to catch up on.

A bientôt!