PostDrawer

PostSecret is one of the coolest things. I love the idea of letting go of something that's so hidden from everyone you've ever known. Yes, the point is, I love stuff like that. While we were in Scotland we ate at this cafe and we didn't have anything to do for a couple of hours so we were just sitting there for a while. Eventually I got bored enough to check my surroundings, I filed through papers that were scattered over the windowsill that I was sitting up against, and eventually I noticed that the table we were eating at had drawers in then. I opened it up and guess what.

There were hundreds of notes in these three drawers right along where we were eating. They were just notes. About anything and everything. Some were sad and some were funny. But every single one of them was sooo cool for me. Because people from all over the world just put what they were feeling or experiencing.

I really like the Idea of being able to say whatever you want and not care about who is hearing it. I think its a very healthy thing. I've never mailed in a secret to PostSecret, but whenever I fly in a plane I always write a secret out and put it into the centerfold of the Sky magazine and leave it sticking out a little. It really does feel good, putting yourself down on paper and leaving it for someone to know or feel something about you.

This next one was my favorite. It was a full page and she just talked about how she had no idea what she was really even doing in Scotland and how she was from some small town in Oregon and she felt directionless and so scared that her life was much less significant than she planned on it being. She was 20.

You should be able to click it to see it bigger.

I just love that it kept going too. I want to know who started it and what that note said that made someone want to follow suit.

So after seeing something so cool, I couldn't pass up leaving one of my own.

Round Two.

We went to Edinburgh Scotland last weekend. Considering the fact that it hasn't been any warmer than 50 degrees since we've been here, we could only assume that Scotland was going to be freezing. We didn't even assume actually, we checked the weather and scoped it out. It was supposed to be cold. It said low 50's with cloudy skies. In our head that means freezing. We packed up only jackets and sweaters and pants and we were freaking ready.

We got there late at night on Thursday and it was cold so everything was going according to plan so far.

We stayed in a hostel called Art Roch Hostel. It had all of those stencil stickers all over the walls and windows and and supposedly that made things artsy. It smelled like the inside of a new cabin though so I had that going for me. Lindsey saved me with a pair of ear plugs that she gave me and they are my new favorite things. Even back at our apt in Kensington I just turn on my music really loud, loud enough to drown out the snoring my bunkmate makes, and sleep with my ear phones in. But now, ear plugs are just the best things ever.

Edinburgh was cool though. Our director honestly didn't have anything planned for us to do except one thing. We went into a town called Sterling to see a monument about a guy who helped save the down. It was a really nice town and I liked it a lot. But after that was over we had nothing to do. I loved riding the trains and busses around there because it's Europe and I love residential areas around here. They're amazing.

So I stayed in the hostel the first two nights and the last two nights I stayed at the Marriott with Emily Kelsey and Lindsey for the other two nights and we just found stuff to do. One day we went to the beach, went to the castle, went shopping, hung out in a park, our group did a ghost tour, and we ate a lot of food. I really have noticed that life would be so much better regarding your finances is you never had to eat, and it was just an optional thing. I have spend so much money on food. It's so stupid. And it doesn't matter how much things are when you're hungry. It doesn't matter at all. Oh this crepe is 10 pounds? 16 bucks in American lingo? Sure yeah sounds good. CREPES DONT FILL YOU UP! I just know that I better weigh 140 when I get home or else I'm going to be pissed I bought all this food for nothing.

Scotland really was cool though. The first day sucked only because NOTHING happened. I was worried thats how it was just going to be going. But staying at the Mariott was nice, it was 10 miles out of the city along a golf course and you had to walk like 2 miles up a hill to get there, which I loved because I miss going on walks. Plus it was cool because we're from Scotland so i saw some land and things that my future Telford's saw. I even checked with a vendor if Telford is still a regular Scottish name, and he said 'Aye'. Proof. I just hope Ireland goes better and we plan things out better.

We are officially done seeing Shakespeare plays now. We've seen five plays and these last two we got to sit down. I've had my fill of that guy. He was cool and stuff but I don't need anymore for a long time. We saw Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry the 8th, Antony and Cleopatra and Romeo and Juliet. Done. Too much.

I'm aware that I'm not good at being entertaining on these like, documenting posts, but I really do do this so I can remember stuff and have this to look back on, the whole journal thing remember? Well you guys are cool and stuff.

Uhhh. Espanol?

This weekend was our first weekend on our own. I was excited. No offense to any of you in our group if you end up finding this blog, but I needed to get out of this little scene for a bit. We went to Paris for three days. Emily, Lindsey, Kelsey and I.

We took the Chunnel in because I thought it would be a lot cooler than it really was and because last minute flights to Paris weren't much cheaper. So this option was just simpler. Anyways, we got in at like 12. So our plan was to drop our stuff off at the hotel then go have fun and crap. Well we map out the whole plan of finding our hotel in Paris on the train and we feel like we have it down perfect. We take the subway with no errors and then we get into this part of town that looks pretty nice. We start walking to where we think it is and when we get to the exact address we realize its where an intersection is. Our hotel did not exist. We walked up and down the streets for two hours asking locals where it might be and if they had heard of it and none of them had. So we find some random hotel and go and ask them where it is. They call them and ask them and we find out that its 10 miles outside of Paris. We panic a little but we are like, okay. We can do this. It's fine. So we get back on the subway and head to this town called Torsey or something? The best way I can describe it is... like, well Kelsey said it was what Provo would be like if ONLY black people lived there. Kind of racist. But not really. Alright anyways. It's seriously really ghetto. We get out and we start looking for it. We look for so long, ask countless people walking by and a lot of stores and hotels. We can not find it. We call the hotel again asking for directions and we just get lost even more. We decide to screw it and just go get a new hotel thats actually in Paris. I start out so many of these sentences with the word 'we' that's got to stop. After HONESTLY 7 hours of walking and navigating our way through paris we walked until we found a place.

We found a hotel that was down the street from the Eiffel Tower but they only allowed 3 people max in a room, so we lied and said there were two and hand to sneak Lindsey and Kelsey in. We told the Concierge that we needed two beds, she looked confused. We just pushed the two beds together and slept horizontally of each other so we could all fit. It was such a nice change from the room I have to sleep in in Kensington. Freaking... death. That night we didn't have much time left to do anything so we just went out to dinner at this pretty nice restaurant just somewhere down there and then took pictures at the Eiffel Tower.

Emily had told her dad about our escapades and he booked us a suite at the Hilton right down the street from the Arc de Triomphe... I don't think I will ever learn how to spell that right. It was sooo nice. But yeah both days after our first crazy day we used the Hop On, Hop Off bus tours to see everything we wanted to see. We went to the Louvre and the Notre Dame Cathedral and a bunch of other things that I don't remember. But we did go up the Eiffel Tower and I proposed to Lindsey (DONT PANIC LAUREN IT WAS FAKE!) and people clapped and cheered for us and congratulated us and we were the talk of the west side of the second lookout point of the tower for a good three minutes.

There were a lot of annoying things that came with this trip. Navigating was seriously too insane. I don't know why it had to be so hard. It's seriously so easy here in London. The language barrier really did suck. I heard it wouldn't be a problem but we would have been a lot better off if we knew some French. I also got freaking annoyed with all the sidewalk vendors. They have all these stupid tricks to force you into giving them money. These guys would hold out strings to make bracelets for you and they would try to force them on your wrists. You just have to keep walking and keep your hands in your pockets. It got old. There was also the trick of being like a gypsy and walking around asking all the Americans if they spoke English. If you say yes, then they open up a piece of paper that says some crap about their cousin or dad or nephew being at war or in prison and they need money so they can travel to get them home. We were all sitting on the curb waiting for a bus on the last day and one of the Gypsy's came up to us and said, Do you speak English? And Emily just shook her head. Then she asked if we spoke French and Emily just shakes her head again and says, "Espanol?" And the gypsy got pissed and walked away, 90% sure she cursed us, but thats okay because it was so hilarious.

I don't know why I didn't put pictures up on this. I got some good ones. Check my facebook soon our something haha. I feel like there is a lot of stuff I left out of this post. Thats not a good thing. A lot of stuff happened in those three days and I cant remember. I need to start paying attention to this vacation. I love you. Be safe.

Round One

We leave to Paris tomorrow. Just me, Lindsey, Kelsey and Emily. It will be crazy I'm thinking. We don't have a plan really. We want to see four things specifically and figure out the rest there. I'm so excited. I wish we had a translator.......... cough...

The other night we took the 37 year old autistic man out for cake because it was his birthday and nobody really cared haha. We went to the only pastry shop that was open at 11 and he loved his cake and it was so funny. He is just so cut and dry with his speech but he's pretty smart and man. He says the funniest things. Someone got some pictures, I should put it on here. Then we bought a homeless man a brownie because we thought he was homeless, but after we gave it to him we realized he was not homeless.

A group of people from Minnesota just moved into our building so we're going to be friends with them so that will be nice to have a few more normal people to hang out with.

Thats all really. We're heading to the flea market right now. So have a freaking great day. I love you.

I don't want to do it that way.

The first weekend was crazy here. We spent friday night in this town called Salisbury which is about 2 hours outside of London. It was really really cool. It was like, the Springville of Utah. It was really small and quiet and normal and I loved it. The people were nice too. We went to this nice restaurant and everyone was nice and stuff. Something I'm not used to yet here.

Well after that we met up with most the people in our group at a bar and then these two guys asked us to play cards with them so we did then they wanted to go to a dance club/bar so we did and people were getting drunk and making out with foreign men and I was just watching it all happen and it was so freaking funny. At the end of the night we were walking back to our Hostel at like 2 am and the hostel was like, down this pretty scary alley thing and they were all freaking out so I held their hands and was guiding them up this ramp thing and this guy busts out from the trees freaking out and screaming and everyone was FREAKING out but it was just some guy who was staying in the hostel. So we talked to him and laughed and he was pretty cool. But then the two brittish guys from the club found us so the girls were freaking out that they got stalked. But everything was fine.

But the next day we went to this old abandoned castle grounds there and this AWESOME cathedral where there was an actual church service being held. We stayed for the lords prayer then left. It was soooo amazing. Then we walked around the town for a while and checked out this outside market thing and I loved it and got CYD HER PRESENT! Then we went to Stonehenge which was cool and I really always wanted to always see it but then I found out that the government like messed with them and repositioned them because they were all messed up and stuff. I seriously thought they were untouched for as long as time has existed.

But then Sunday we went to church and the talks were on service and it was pretty cool. I liked it. Next time we're going to the singles ward though so hopefully that will be better. But then that day weeeee. I dont even remember. We did something. Geez. how do I not remember. I talked to my mom for mothers day! That was good. I love my mom. Shes amazing. I think we just hung out at home... Freak this is bugging me.

Today we went to Oxford University! We ate at the pub that CS Lewis and J.R.R. Tolken ate and drank together talking about their books and stuff. Its a pretty awesome place. But everything was closed when we were there. Mondays things close early I guess haha.

But thats all thats going on right now. We leave to Paris on friday though! Thats going to be freaking insane. I love you. Be safe.

Entry 1: Should I Format it Like This? I don't think I should..

Alright, I'll start putting like, one picture per entry on this from now on I guess. Anna told me I can just make a journal from my notebook. I figured that was a good idea but the only time I really blog is late at night and everyone in this room is dead asleep by 1. So this just seems like a better option.

I just figured I'd post only the highlights. I don't want to post every freaking day. Too boring. Yesterday we did more sight seeing. We saw Big Ben, West Minster Abbey, Trafalga (CYD AND ANNA) Circle and The London Eye. It was a busy day but I loved it. We are doing all of the sight seeing stuff on nice days. "Nice," according to Rick is when its not raining. Yesterdays high could not have been anymore than 45. I'm not complaining but It was just cold and windy and I wouldn't have minded a museum. I freaking love museums. But yes. I still loved it all. I got this CRAZY bottle of Lemonade. It was awesome.

Today was a day that I feel like I will be having more of on this trip. I woke up a half hour late for class, and went back to sleep after class was over. Until 2. I didn't care though because my bunkmate snores soooo loud and I couldn't fall asleep until 4:30 last night. He seems to be having clearer nostrils tonight because its sounding pretty mild. Honestly I turned up Paramore on my iPod loud enough to drown out the snoring and THAT is when I fell asleep.

Anyways. We went shopping for some crap we needed, I should have my debit card back by TOMORROW! I tried to find the place I need to pick it up from this afternoon but I got lost haha. But yes. Tomorrow is the moment of truth. I'm kind of nervous it wont be there. But after that we went to the Globe to see the play Macbeth. I liked it. It was really cool to see how it was done. Plus we got to walk past the bridge that the dementors bust down on Harry Potter 6! Coooollll stuffff.

Well. Here I go. The snoring sounds like its at its mildest form, so wish me luck.

I Forgot a Journal

I forgot two things on my trip to London. My debit card, and a journal. So I'm going to bore you with all the things I do here. Hopefully some crazy stuff happens because as much as I will be using these next few entries more for my benefit, I would still like it if you enjoyed reading it ha.

Well I really do declare these first past 48 hours some of the longest hours of my life. I slept three hours before I flew out, and slept for like, maybe a half hour on the flight to London. I told everyone I needed ambien. Nobody believed me. But I blame the fact that I couldn't sleep on the plane due to the fact that my debit card was for sure lost for good. I knew it had to have fallen out of my wallet when I got it out for a second at fat cats or on the road or something. But Anna ended up having it, and if everything keeps going well, I should have it back in my possession by Wednesday at noon. We are all very excited.

Today was good though. We got in, then to keep us awake all day we went out onto the streets and walked to Buckingham Palace. It was pretty cool. We also walked through Hyde Park a little bit and its an awesome park. I'm going to go to there to read when it gets warmer.

We went to dinner at this crazy Chinese place that I already cannot remember the name of. It was good. I like different food. Its not like, way out there, but it was different. It kind of reminded me of something I'd eat at New York. Thats something else about this place. It really isn't much different from home. I can get all the same stuff that I could always get and everything is accessible. I don't know. I was expecting some culture shock, not sure why. Its not like I was going to Ethiopia. I have almost reached the point where I start to hallucinate I think. So I really should go to bed. After I watch Amazing Race. 50 bucks is on the line.