New Blog!

I am fully aware of how terrible I've been at updating this, but may I direct your attention to a new address where you can follow me.

Livejournal

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See ya soon!

A Typical Day and My Trip to London!

Some of you might be wondering, I can't seem to go on in life until I know how exactly Rachel spends all of her days in England! Well, this post is for you.

I wake up
Go work out
Go to my one class of the day
Come back
Eat Lunch
Do nothing
Find out what my friend Jim is doing
Harrass him for a bit
Make dinner
Have some friends over or see a movie or go explore the town.

Unfortunately it hasn't really varied from this. I don't have homework or tests to do or study for so I'm afraid my days are not terribly stimulating intellectually. I do enjoy cooking, though. After avoiding the stove and oven like the plague growing up, I am enjoying it more and more.

I went to London last weekend and had a great time! My study abroad program took us out to dinner and put us up in the Clink Hostel (apparently used to be a jail - clever), and we spent Saturday exploring at sight seeing.

We saw Big Ben, the Portrait Museum, The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and did the double decker bus tour. We're not tourists or anything.

My spring break plans are shaping up nicely!

My friends Jim and Mark and I are flying out of London on Wednesday, March 25 to Rome, and are going to explore Italy, Paris, and Spain for about ten days. We are also looking into a trip to Africa to go on a safari!! Then, my mom comes and we will spend a week in London. I can't wait!
Here is me and Jim in London

and here is the group I traveled with, my friends Annie and Janelle, and me and Jim in front of Big Ben!


The weekend is about to begin, and I have no real plans... except my brother Matt and my Dad are coming in two weeks! I'm excited. I think we are going to Scotland for a long weekend. Talk to you soon!

Rachel

Amsterdam

Thursday Feb 5
4:30pm Took bus to Lancaster Train Station
5:00 Train to Wigan Station, switched
6:00 Train to Liverpool Station
8:00 Bus to Holiday Inn Express near Liverpool Airport

Friday, Feb 6
12:00 am Decide to go to bed, as flight to Amsterdam is at 6 am next morning
12:30 Decide to stay up all night
2:30 Go to bed
3:00 Fall asleep
3:30 Time to get up
4:30 Shuttle to Liverpool Airport
6:15 Flight from Liverpool to Amsterdam Airport
8:00 Arrive in Amsterdam
8:30 Train to hostel
9:00 Try to check into hostel, can't until noon.
9:00 The threats begin (ie, "If I can't take a nap at exactly 12, I'm going to start screaming"
9-12 Walk around, eat lunch, threats continue
12:00pm Van Gogh museum, threats increase in volume and severity
4:00 Nap time!
7:00 Dinner
9:00 Tour town, Start to feel not so great, coughing, shaking, and aching.
10:00 Rachel is in bed

Saturday, Feb 6
1:00 am Everyone comes home, wakes Rachel up
10:00 am Wake up
12:00 Anne Frank House (this was great, all jokes aside)
2:00 Heineken Tour (actually called the "Heineken Experience")
5:00 Fever hits, cough continues, right eye becomes bloodshot and goopy.
6:00 Skip dinner
10:00 Everyone goes out, Rachel is in bed. Again.

Sunday, Feb 7
1:00 am Everyone wakes up Rachel again. Cannot open right eye.
10:00 am Wake up, check out
10:30 Sit in cafe with book, fever, and first drafts of my Last Will and Testament
2:30 Train to Amsterdam Airport
5:00 Plane from Amsterdam to Liverpool
6:00 Bus to Liverpool Train station
6:32 Realize last train was at 6:30, now must wait for 8:30 train
6:35 Nobody minds because there is a Chinese buffet across the street. Currently can't hear out of either ear, realize the goop in my eye kind of looks like Egg Drop Soup, and face is red and estimate a fever of about 101-102. I drink tea, while everyone feasts on Sweet and Sour Pork and Chicken Balls. Resolve never to eat Egg Drop Soup again.
8:30 Board train to Preston
9:30 Change trains, Preston to Lancaster
10:00 Bus to campus.
10:03 In bed.
10:03:30 Asleep and grateful for the closest thing to my own bed.

I Miss Iowa

Today someone started the truly original argument that fraternity members always roofie girls. Especially at Iowa. I may not be Miss Greek, but I have a fair amount of respect for the members of chapters everywhere, especially at Iowa. We compose only 10% of the entire campus, and most people seem to be okay with that, but once and again you meet that know-all individual who is not Greek yet seems to know all the ins and outs of Greek life. But only the bad parts. According to this individual (who goes to Iowa, mind you), only the richest students are picked to be in sororities and fraternities. First we pay for our fiends, then the roofieing begins, apparently. What's next? We drink beers (gasp), we live in a house together (Oh my), we have fun (No, not that!)

Also, someone in my class made the compelling argument that Iowa has no big cities. Wow. Good one. I feel that I am constantly defending the state and university - which is fine - but I'm so confused as to why it's an issue in the first place. Yes, genius, Iowa is not New York City, but it's what millions call home and love it dearly. To badmouth someone's home state or school after knowing them for an entire two weeks (or less or more) is bad form - unless you go to Iowa State which in that case it is entirely acceptable.

It's especially frustrating when my school/sorority/Greek life in general is bad mouthed in front of the British kids, which is what happened tonight. Don't they get enough negative portrayls from television, movies, etc? No, they need someone who has never stepped foot inside a Greek house to Tell It Like It Is. Thanks, all knowing and clever Univesity of Iowa student! You have really made my night.

The day the frat boys dressed up as pretty ladies

A boy on my floor convinced the Americans that Thursdays are drag queen night at a bar in town. What he failed to mention was that usually it's just the DJ that dresses up. Luckily we didn't know this until we got there, so I present to you...

Pictures That Shall Never Get Old



































































The evening was a success, except for those poor boys. I haven't laughed that hard in ages.

I'm Hungry

I have arrived in Lancaster, where I will be spending the next six months of my life! My dorm is mostly first year students, but there are a handful of us international kids infiltrating their space.

I start classes tomorrow! I'm excited - I think I got some good ones. I'm taking :

Poetry Writing
Fiction Writing
Film Cultures
Science Fiction in Film and Literature.

I'm a little confused about when and where they meet, but I figure I'd get lost no matter how organized I try to be.

We (all of the international kids) took a day trip to the Lake District today. It was very cold, rainy, and touristy, so I definitely want to head back before I leave, perhaps on a nicer day. I think this blog post is extremely boring, so I will end it and think of something better to post next time.

Enjoy the snow! (Muahahaha)

-Rachel

Offically in the UK!

Hi! I can't believe I'm here!

I would like to first say that in the first three hours upon my arrival, I got separated from my group and had to have someone give me directions over the phone (fail) and then come meet me somewhere in London to take me to the restaurant everyone was at. Yikes.

There are 39 of us from all over the country at orientation over the next couple days, and there will be four or five of us going to Lancaster.

I just bought a hair straightener and a blow dryer this morning so I'm thinking my life will resume without panic asap. Because my hair without those things is worse than being alone cold and scared in London. Just kidding. Kind of.

The first day of orientation is about to begin so I will say goodbye, but I will write soon soon soon.

-Rachel

PS Happy birthday Haley yay yay yay. :)