Bloody (insert virtually any word here).

^Woops, is that a "bad" British slang?  I guess I'll find out soon enough...

SO.  The last twenty-four hours have been an absolute whirlwind.  
I had to say goodbye to my mommy yesterday morning before she left for work.  Ugh, I HATE goodbyes.  Yes, I cried a little... okay, you got me, I cried a lot.  I'm a mommy's girl!
Anyway.
I was flying out of Boston Logan airport with Macauley this morning, so my dad had to drive me up there (and back to New Jersey in one day... I felt so bad!).  Luckily, Mac and her mom were kind enough to meet us in Connecticut, which shaved off at least four hours from my dad's trip.  It wasn't too hard saying goodbye to my dad; of course I'll miss him, but we have more of an unspoken love/we're fellow goofballs sort of relationship.  He's not as gushy as I am as well.
I digress.
I slept (and by slept, I mean I was way too excited to sleep) at Macauley's for the night and we left quite early in the morning for our 8:55am flight.  Mac's only about a half an hour away from Logan, which isn't bad at all -- I'm used to the jumbo annoying Philadelphia International drive.  I was quite content, and overwhelmingly excited, in the back seat.
Besides our goofiness, we somehow kept it together and boarded the plane, adorned in "Phoebe and Kathy's Great Adventure!" t-shirts (courtesy of Mac's awesome sister).  Ask me who Phoebe and Kathy are?  I have no idea, which is the whole point.  We. Are. Hilarious.
The flight wasn't terrible.  Smooth flying, free food.  Mac and I had rows to ourselves... or should I say Princess Hilary and Princess Macauley.  I was slightly disappointed (I love meeting random strangers on airplanes... then again, this flight time was on the hefty side, so God forbid I meet a weirdie).  I slept well and read Tender is the Night (my writing skills esteem plummeting, for naturally, I compare them to Fitzgerald's).  He is a master of prose and his insight is frankly overwhelming.
Anywho.
Then the real adventure began.
Our final destination (thanks to Mr. Brooks, Dr. Awesome-Extraordinaire!) is the Waldorf Hilton, smack in the heart of London.  Gasp?!  Mr. Brooks is a platinumdiamondgoldjewelspricelessobjects member of Hilton, and bestowed his benevolence on us poor college kids (okay, okay... yes, he is Mac's dad, but still!  He didn't have to!)  He frequents Hiltons for his job, and paid for the room with extra Hilton points.  Mac and I (imagine: still in our one-of-a-kind bro tanks) barrel our way into a train with all of our (necessary) crap for the upcoming semester.  After about an hour on the Piccadilly line, which sounded like an up tempo jig, we arrived at Covent Garden stop, about four blocks from the Hilton.  We were each hauling our too-big luggage out of the train (I almost tripped, receiving points and laughs from not-so-innocent passerby) and onto the cobbled street.  What amazed me more than anything was the kindness of strangers to help us out.  At least eight people stopped us to either ask us if we needed help for directions, ask to assist us with our bags, and one even lugged my heaviest suitcase up a flight of stairs (he was also conveniently, and wildly, attractive).  YES.  We must have had a neon sign over our heads that shouted, "HELP ME! I'M AN AMERICAN!"
Unfortunately, we didn't get to explore the streets of London tonight, but judging by the short walk to the Hilton, I love it.  The buildings seem to lean over the cobble stoned streets, with welcome.  It was quite overwhelming, honestly-- the combined generosity of random strangers and general "classy but chill" aura of the surroundings was too much for me to take in.  
Alrighty, it's 9:07 according to my computer... which means, in reality, it's 2:07.  Whoops!  I have to get some rest before the real adventure begins!  I'll add pictures when I have better snapshots and more time. 
 Cheerio!

Blast.

I visited Washington College this past Thursday and Friday to say some last goodbyes.  I don't know what I was expecting, but it was a very odd sort of feeling.  A mix of feeling like I didn't belong (people had to go to class... using my brain is such a foreign concept to me so deep in the summertime) and feeling like there was nowhere I would rather be.  I'm heartbroken that I have to leave such wonderful people behind. 

Such a great night.  I'll miss you pookies!

Softball girls, all dressed up.

Love my AXO babies. 

I've never been without seeing my parents for more than a few weeks, probably something I have taken for granted repeatedly and without thought.  Now, the thought of not physically seeing my parents for an extended period of time is starting to freak me out.  I believe they are going to try to visit in early November (right around teacher's convention), thank goodness.  Tonight my mom cooked a traditional English meal (Yorshire pudding and all!), but decorated our already patriotic dining room in... America.  There's no other way to describe it!  She said (and I quote), "You're going to have such a fantastic time in England... but don't forget about America!"  Yeah, mom?  In that case, I'll put on my American flag bandana and Bruce Springsteen t-shirt to show my Amuuuurica pride.  

With Mom & Amelia!

Some British & American decorations... love for both, haha.

And drumrollllllllllllllll....

My incredible family.

Saying goodbye to these fine people will easily be the hardest goodbye of my life.  I'm trying to "keep calm and carry on."  We shall see this coming Thursday how "calm " I will be, haha.  

T-4 days! 











  

Cheers.

I went on a mad last-minute-stuff-buying rampage today.  I went to about eight different stores, confidently crossing the last items off my list.  My greatest purchases of the day, however, were not on my necessities list... but they were necessary.  Item #1:

If anyone was wondering... yes, that is a Hello Kitty decorated Union Jack dress.  I plan on wearing this with a recently bought American flag bandana to bring the outfit together.  (Talk about an identity crisis).

Items #2 and #3:

I don't think these need much explanation.  Mustache and Spongebob duct tape.  Why? The more important question... why not?

Enough blogging.  I have to pack!

Brilliant.

'Hilratio Rosenblower'...  If anyone catches this reference, huzzah!  Ten cool points for you.  For anyone (everyone) else who is wondering what on earth that means, it's from C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower.  So punny.  And English-y.

I realize I'm being a bit overzealous by creating this blog, as I sit rather comfortably in my family room, anxious, excited, skittish, scared... did I mention excited?  It is T-9 days until I embark on the most fabnomenal and fantastical journey of my 20-soon-to-be-21 year long life.  I hope to utilize this blog to record my upcoming European adventures, equipped with pictures, memories, and the whole nine yards.  I thought it would be useful to at least create this blog now, when I have a reasonable amount of lounge time before the journey across the pond.  I've tried keeping a blog before (ehh, an unsuccessful attempt... I'm more of a journal writing kind of girl), but this time I have a greater reason to keep up with it.  This blog is primarily for me, reducing the chance of forgetting anything that may happen, but anyone is more than welcome to read it. 

I will be studying abroad at the Royal Holloway campus (University of London) in Egham, Surrey for three months.  This will be my first time in England, first time on my own (officially... no parents a mere two-hour drive away), first time being financially independent, first time using public transportation by myself (I wish I were kidding)... it will be the first time for a lot of things.  

It's time to grow.  It's time to learn.  It's time to live.