A look back on the last month in America.

There's me in a telephone booth!

Ahhh...Blackfriar's Bridge over the River Tames.

Tower Bridge how I miss you.

Exactly one month ago I left the best city in the world, London of course, and came home.  Although I was quite homesick at times and also missed my friends and family I loved London and all the city had to offer.  So, now that I am back in America and in the classiest city of the country, Muncie, Indiana, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts.

Things I miss about London...

1. British accents & British 'slang'.  A lot of times when I was over seas many Europeans said Americans talk funny (one French waiter even depicted our accents as the speaker on Charlie Brown..wah, wah,wah).  Now that I am home I think we do really have a NOT cute accent...but don't take it personally!

2. Fish'n'chips.  So yummy!! I can always make some at home or order it in a restaurant here but it's not the same as actually being in London.

3. The 'tube' (subway).  Being in such a compact city public transportation was a huge thing to many commuters.  The tube went everywhere in and around central London.  After 3 weeks of using the tube, that is giving myself an extra hour to get somewhere in case I got on the wrong train, I finally got the hang of it.  By the end of my time in London I was dragging my mom and dad around the tube like it was my job!  Now that I'm home I miss NOT having to drive everywhere!

4. Theatre shows.  I got to see Romeo & Juliet, Les Miserables, Jersey Boys (twice), Wicked, Mouse Trap, Chicago, Billy Elliot & Mamma Mia while in London.  I never considered myself a theatre person but now I love musicals!  Mamma Mia was by far my favorite!!

5. Shopping on Oxford St!!! Especially at H&M (the European ones have MUCH cuter clothes than the American ones).

6. Being able to travel anywhere in Europe.  Ireland was only an hour flight & the flight to Germany, Italy & Greece were all around 2 & a half hours...that's less than flying to California!

7. Covent Gardens.  One of my favorite places in London, it featured street performers, markets and retail stores.  It was such a cute place!

8. River Tames.  It was so nice walking by the river on a sunny day.  There was always something to see or do.

9. Free Museums!!  Almost all the museums in London are free, unfortunately I didn't get to go to all the ones I wanted to but I think it is much more encouraging to go a museum when you don't HAVE to pay to see something cultural.  Why doesn't America adopt this?!?!

Things I am glad to come home to...

1. My family!!! As much as they drive me crazy, he he he, I love them and missed them TONS.  I'm so glad some of them got to visit me, those times spent with them in London were definitely the highlights of my trip.  Seeing Tyler hold his rose for me and run to me when I came home was also a wonderful treat!

2. Free refills.  I had to ration one glass of water or soda for my whole meal.  Almost impossible.

3. Friends.  Although I made some friends from my group while I was in London I missed my friends from home that truly knew me.  Sometimes I didn't see eye-to-eye with all the people on the group ;-)

4. My own bed - NO WAIT, my own room!!!  Let's just say that along with point 3 I was glad to have my OWN room back...with privacy =]

5. My two TV shows: The Office & The Bachelor or Bachelorette.  Unfortunately, I missed the whole Bachelor fiasco while in London.  I was a little devastated that I couldn't watch it online (the shows weren't available anymore) so I had to settle for reading about it in People magazine.  On that note, Jason is a huge jerk.

6. Wal-mart!!!  Yes, I know that sounds very, very hick-ish BUT being in college Wal-Mart is my life line.  They have EVERYTHING under ONE roof!!!  At "roll-back" prices!  I mean how much more American can you get than that?!

As nice as it is being home I miss London.  Yet, when I was in London I missed home.  Is there any solution to this?!  I guess the only thing to do is:

1. Go back to London, get internship and/or job.

2. Find cute British boy who happens to be very, very rich.

3. Quit job so I can fly home often.

Perfect...I'll get right on that plan!  That sounds MUCH better than getting a real job, right? =]

Am I 21...or 97?!?

I have always been a night owl.  Growing up I H-A-T-E-D waking up early to go to school (it is my luck that my mom would be a teacher and have to arrive early every day).  I remember back in middle & high school when I would wake up, groggily, to an alarm.  Go to the bathroom, start the shower and then lay on the floor for, oh...about 10 minutes until I had a little cat nap.  Now laying on the floor might not be the most hygienic place to nap but I was desperate to get a couple more minutes of sleep.

Finally, college came and guess what time my classes usually start.  Yes, you got it 10 a.m. or later!! I took one class Freshmen year at 8 a.m. and promised myself I would never do that again.  All throughout college I've rarely gone to bed before 12 a.m.  I can't help it, it's how my body is programmed!  

Well now that summer school is here and I'm taking 3 classes (plus about 5 hours of homework to go with those classes) I rarely even STAY UP till 12 a.m.!  I mean, yesterday was the first time I stayed up till 1 a.m. only because I had 2 quizzes I had to study for.  Talk about LAME...it's 10:30 p.m. now and I feel sleepy.  WHO AM I?!?!?!?  I have gotten really lame, really REALLY fast.  How did this happen?  How did I let my life get to this?  WHY DO I HAVE THE NIGHT TIME TOLERANCE OF A 97 YEAR OLD?!?!?!?

I don't know what's made me become so, ew, responsible.  I guess I need to get sleep so I can retain all the knowledge I am learning in class, or I'm being healthy, or I'm just bored so I might as well sleep because I don't want to study anymore!  Who knows?  Although the plus side of sleeping for at least 8 hours a night is that 1. I'm not as groggy in the morning 2. I don't have baggies under my eyes 3. I feel better 4. I think clearer 5. I pay attention in class better (although that might be over rated)....

Okay, okay so I guess going to bed early and getting sleep DOES have it's benefits BUT no matter what any of you may think, say or comment...I still feel lame!  So if you'll excuse me now, I have some warm milk to drink before I get to bed!

Good night!

And so it begins...again.

Hello all,

Okay, okay don't even say.  Don't even think it.  "She had one blog already when she was in LONDON.  She's never going to keep up with this blog about her lame life in Indiana."  Yes, you would be right because 1) I gave up on my London blog due to the massive amounts of traveling and photos I was taking throughout Europe and 2) Since coming back to America my life has gotten lame...real lame.  I have turned into somewhat of a neat freak, either do one of three things go to class-study-or sleep and I also go to bed around 11:30 every night.  LAME! ! ! But here's the thing: since my life has gone downhill into loser-ville I have nothing else fun to do with my time BUT write a blog...about myself.  So, with that being said...ENJOY MY NEW BLOG!  ABOUT ME!!!

Oh and P.S. I thought of the title "I don't wanna grow up" because I'm scared-to-death (think brink of panic attack, forming an ulcer in my stomach scared) of growing up and having a real job with, eek, bills.  Blah.  That's super lame.