Goings on

Hey hey!! Sorry I haven't updated much! The internet connection here just stinks so I have limited internet access. I'd love to upload photos too but it's not strong enough so I'm going to have to find somewhere that has good wifi....So I face

book befriended everyone in the program and other people's blogs are called London Calling too! And I thought I was original... By the way it takes about 5 minutes to upload one picture so I only had time for a couple (don't ask why I chose these two). The first one is my bunk bed (where I crash every night) and the second is some of the crazy street art we found. And I'm blog challenged so I apologize for typos and the awkward placement of things! Ok so here's a run through of what's been goin down in the great city of London! Sunday church was great-once we found the church. We took the tube and then a train, but were given terrible directions so we wandered for about a half hour and finally found it. I have been called to serve in the Young Women's in the Wandsworth Ward! I'm excited to get started and to meet the girls this sunday. It's a very ethnically diverse ward- there are 7 different countries represented! Many of the people are from Gana, including the bishop. Monday was an interesting day....So we had classes in the morning and then me, Ashley, and Aubrey went to "Mr. Fish" and got some fish and chips, cuz that's part of the London experience, right? Well it was yummy and I went about my day and I was at the Whiteley's mall with some people on I think Queensway street and I suddenly felt terrible. Like I was ready to throw up, so I booked it to the nearest rest room and I walk in and all the stalls have red on the handles- in America you think that means 'occupied' right? So there's a lady standing there and I was like "Are they ALL full? I gotta get in there!" and she mumbled something under her breath and then I threw up in front of her and then she finally helps me out and opens one of the doors for me!! Ironically she was a janitor, so she cleaned it up...if this is t.m.i, then just skip to the next paragraph (it don't get better..)! So I threw up the devil fish and chips a couple times, went back out into the mall and the group had left. I knew they would be worrying about me so I headed out for home. Well as I'm walking the streets I realize I'm not going to make it and I need to throw up again.... SO I ran into the nearest Pizza Hut, asked for a bathroom, the lady told me it was called the "toilet", I then wanted to throw up on her, but refrained and proceeded to the so called 'toilet'. When I was done there, I headed up Moscow road hoping I could make it home, and yet again it hit and I ran into the "Phoenix" pub, properly asked for a 'toilet' and threw up again. I pretty much wanted to die at this point and wished all fish would die...I finally made it to the London Center and Dr. Jacoby and the group were all worried and ready to call the police! It was really nice of them to care and worry so much. So I lied down and took a nap and prayed I would feel better when I got up. Miraculously, I did and I was able to go to St. Paul's cathedral and hear the London Symphony orchestra and choir play a 90 minute mass and it was the best thing everrrrrr!! A lot of people were falling asleep or were bored, but I loved every minute of it. So it was a great way to end a not so great day! Tuesday I did homework all morning and then went to Hackney (a sketchier part of London) with a girl in the group. She is so cool!! She's been traveling around London for 3 weeks already on her own and she knew the tube as well as the Brits!! We went downtown and took pictures of street art graffiti-not gang graffiti, but street art. It was very cool and it was nice to see something not touristy- just something created by the locals. Then that night we saw Henry the V at the Globe theatre. We had commoner peasant seating, meaning we stood for the whole 3 hours!! It also rained on us a little (the theatre has no roof). It was a really good play and I quite enjoyed it. Today we got on the bus and went to the Dover castle. We got to explore it and take a tour through the secret underground war tunnels used in World War II. They have been kept a secret up until the 90s!! Then we saw the white cliffs of Dover which were beautiful and treacherous (no railings...they simply warn you if you step off, you're dead). Then we made our pilgrimage to Canterbury and toured the cathedral were Thomas Beckett was murdered. The archbishop who married Will and Kate was even there, which is pretty rare (we were all taking pictures of him secretly). Anyway I gotta get to bed, but I'm lovin my time here and I look forward to more adventures and learning experiences! And I am steering clear of fish and chips for the.rest.of.my.life.