Good-Bye London

My last semester at Richmond came to an end much faster than I wanted. My mom flew out to help me pack up and move back to the west coast. We played tourist for four days and it was nice to be able to say good-bye to all my favorite spots and to see the city one last time before I left. I spent a good portion of the weekend crying and fighting tears. London is my home. It has been for more than two years and I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have had the experience of living there. As much as I disliked the weather, I loved everything else. It wont be the last time I'm there. I will visit as often as life lets me.

 My last run through Hyde Park. I will miss the colors and vastness.

 On her first night, I took my mom to Winter Wonderland where we ate dinner and walked around.

 We went on a tour at The Tower of London and had lunch which is where I first had a good cry about leaving. I hadn't realized how much I would miss it until I had to say good-bye. My first visit to The Tower of London was on September 16, less than 1 month after I arrived the first time. It seemed appropriate to visit again before I left to bookend my time there.

 I showed my mom Richmond University on the hill and we went past Richmond Terrace.

 The weather was so beautiful that weekend. The sun came out and it was only a little chilly with no rain.

 We did a tour of Kensington Palace which I had been wanting to do all semester. I took a lot of pictures though out the Palace but I decided to only post a few. When I took the picture of my mom I was looking at the sun. That's why Queen Victoria does not have a head. OFF WITH HER HEAD!

 Inside you could put together a placard and present it to the chair and then when you sit down, the chair announces who you are. My mom's was: The Invincible Queen of the Castle. I was: The All-Powerful Princess of Everywhere. My photo was too blurry to post though. They give you a paper crown to wear during your tour. As if a paper crown would suffice for the All-Powerful Princess of Everywhere. Please.

 Listening to secrets of the Palace.

 So regal.

 We also toured Westminster Abbey and paid a visit to Big Ben.

 We walked along South Bank so my mom could see Cleopatra's Needle.

We went to Trafalgar Square to hear the carolers and they had put out memorials for Nelson Mandela in front of the fountains.

I'm back in the states and recovering from Christmas. I worked on my resume and have it all ready to send out to the masses in order to find a job. I'm ready to start working and be a big kid again. I will never forget my time spent in London and all the adventures I experienced. I have been so blessed and am grateful for the opportunity. I will always consider London my second home.

Susan "parting is such sweet sorrow" B.

Last Day of Uni

First Day of Uni

                                                                                                Last Day of Uni

Well, I am officially done with my University studies. (sad face) This has been the most AMAZING time of my life. I had no idea living in London would be so great. I learned more, experienced more, traveled more than I ever thought I would. I cannot believe how much fun and excitement I crammed in to two and half years. I have been working so hard toward this commencement and now that it has arrived I can't seem to stop crying that it is here.. My heart is broken. I love living in London so much. It has been my home, my teacher, and my safe haven. There will always be a deep love in my heart for this country and this city. Not to mention the people. I will miss watching people sleep on the tube, running through Hyde Park, Christmas markets, shopping on the high street, theatre outings, country hopping, pubs on every corner, Westfield Mall, free hugs at Trafalgar Square, the night bus, V&A Late, wearing my raincoat more than anything in my closet, Barclay's bike hire, Harrods, tea, oh and so much more!

My last class was held in a pub. We had a pub quiz and my professor started a tab. I ordered OJ. It was the perfect ending to a great education.

Murray Woodfield was my professor for two different semesters. He taught me a lot and took an interest in my life. He is a great teacher and great friend.

Prom picture pose.

We did Secret Santa at work and mine gave me CUPCAKES!

This really help make my last day of Uni a good one.

Graduating seniors at the Senior Reception. Olivia, Shannon, Me, Sammy.

The University hold a senior reception every December for those graduating. It was nothing to write home about really. There was wine, a ceremony that was about Alumni professors and then light snacks afterward. Not really worth it in my opinion. I hope to be back next May to walk with my class though.

So there were these guys at the reception.

Cheers to the seniors! (Mine is the water glass.)

Susan "I'm a big kid now" B.

Morocco Part II

It was my trips mission to ride a camel and the night before we were scheduled for our camel tour it was looking like I wouldn't have the funds to meet my goal. Using careful money strategies and getting the tour company to agree to me paying with a credit card, all worked out in the end. This was by far my favorite day of the trip. I hope you guys like pictures! This isn't even half of them, I just chose the ones I like best.

 This is the oldest village. In Marrakech? In Morocco? In Africa? I'm not sure, but it's the oldest.

 Our tour guide said we should use the toilet before we left. This is what was waiting for us behind the bathroom door. Let me say this, it was not as difficult as you would think. Those grooved feet guides are pretty helpful. What happened to my Bidet?

 Let's back up. First a driver picked us up from our hotel and drove us about an hour out of Marrakech. Next, we stopped and met our camel tour guides and camels, used the "toilet", saddled up and set off into the Atlas mountains.

 I was fascinated by Moroccan graffiti.

 Fact: We went on our tour on a Wednesday, making it a true hump day.

Mission: Accomplished.

 My camel was cool. I was stoked to be the leader of the pack. I thought riding a camel would be like riding a horse but worse. I was mistaken. I actually prefer a camel to a horse and am considering camel travel as my means of transportation from here on out.

 My shadow self on my shadow camel.

 We passed these women on the trail. They are riding donkeys. The bails that they have were cut, bundled and stacked by these women. No help from any man. Rock on ladies.

 The whole gang. The two men did not speak much English but they lead the camels along the trail with us and kept them in line which is good because Miguel's camel, which was tied to my camel, kept YELLING and had some STANK camel breath! OH MAN! I thought I was going to pass out from the smell every time that camel opened his mouth. After walking a ways, they tied Miguel's camel to the other side of my camel and that seem to keep him calm. Before, he kept trying to eat the blanket that I was sitting on and I could feel myself shift when he did.

My camel's name was Asia. That's not how you spell it, but when our guides told us the names, that how it sounded. Good times.

Next on the tour, we had lunch at the tour company's owners house. Got it? The guy that owns the tour company, opened up his home and he and his wife and kids make lunch for everyone that goes on the tour. By far my favorite meal of the trip! It was SO good. We started with salad, then lamb tangine and dessert was fresh fruit. We ate outside and had a great view of the valley and the village.

Moroccan mint tea! SO GOOD! It was a bit chilly when we first arrived and we could see our breath, but the sun was beating down on us.

 I borrowed Miguel's hat to keep my face shaded.

WEST COAST! Photo by Katherine

 Photo by Katherine

Katherine, Amanda and myself.

Photo by Katherine

 After lunch we went on a hike through the Atlas mountains.

 Katherine is making fun of the way Amanda runs in this picture.

 This is our tour guide, Mohammad. He was a great guy with lots of information and he was very patient with us while we took pictures and even bought us each a bottle of water before we started on our journey. He told me a great story: On our hike we walked around a valley. In the picture above you can see that we're able to look down at the valley. He told me in the late 1700s a flood came through and wiped out the village. It was disastrous to the homes, the land and it killed some of the villagers. Today, there are hotels and homes built where the flood came through. Mohammad said, "we told them its not a good idea. We warned them of the flood, but they didn't listen. They built there anyway."

The colors of fall were present.
On my last day I went to the Hammam in our hotel. Basically, I sat in a steam room (naked as the day I was born) and then a woman came in and washed me with something that reminded me of seaweed. Next I layed on a yoga map and she scrub 8 layers of skin off with some kind of sand paper stuff. Then she washed my hair and gave me a big comfy robe to wrap up in. It was all part of the Moroccan experience.

Susan "Straight Gangsta" B.