The Eagle and Child Reunion- it's only a moment away....

Today we visited the fine town of Oxford where we were immersed into more of this country’s rich history. The architecture of the town was truly spectacular! It was a fine opportunity to see what London might have looked like today had the great fire not of occurred. Today, we walked in the footsteps of some of the world’s finest and brightest. The city’s rich literature history was just as equally compelling as its educational.

We visited the Bodleian Library which was absolutely beautifully and also went for an amazing tour of Christ Church. Our tour guide- Shaun aka "Bowler Hat Guy"- was one of our best guides yet! We definitely got the inside scoop and the VIP tour. We ended the day taking a sneak preview of what will be the Story Museum and then had a delightful dinner at the famous Eagle and Child pub or Bird and Baby as it's known to the locals. The talented likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien otherwise known as the "Inklings" made it a habit of going round there for drinks and writing some stories a few of you might have heard of... :)

It was wonderful to see such a beautiful town and I'm looking forward to some relaxing this weekend!

Alighting at Horsham

When I first came to London in 2006, I was working on my student teaching. Through a series of events that I had little to no control over, I ended up teaching in smaller town south of London in a town called Horsham. To this day and at the time, I truly believe fate brought me not only to that particular town but also a particular family. I stayed with the Bennett’s during my time in England and truly became one of them. I lived and worked and played with them. I shared my secrets, fears, and happy times with them but most of all, I cam to know them and love them deeply. Tonight, I returned to my English home and saw them once more.

I can’t even tell you what it means to see them. I can’t even begin to describe how much they really mean to me. I can only say that even after 5 years we can still connect once more over a glass of wine or a pint of beer and it’s like we were never a part.

Tonight, we talked of many things. We discussed current events but more importantly, we shared the past together once more. We talked about what had changed (the bathroom and bedrooms) and what hadn’t (Alice’s laugh and Denise’s smile) and we talked about trips and plans and just all the life that can happen to one person in five years. We reminisced about the old days and remembered favorite songs (anything by the Proclaimers) but we also talked about the present and what is going on now in our lives (new schools and futures prospects). The amazing part is that we are all still just as close to one another as we once were. When we look back, it seems like such a long time ago but in our minds it’s like it was only yesterday.

So tonight I dedicate my post to Denise, Simon, Alice and Tom. The four of you made my time in England more meaningful and joyous than I can ever convey in words. You were and are my home away from home and I’m so thankful that you are still here for me now and today. Thank you for taking me in and looking out for me during a difficult time in my life. Thank you for all that you taught me and for everything that you did for me. I will always think of you as family.

"If you dislike change, you're going to dislike irrelevance even more." - Eric Shinseki

The best part of being a teacher and a librarian is that our education is in a constant state of motion and moving forward. We are constantly learning and adapting- we have to. Our students and patrons need us to be there with the answers to anything and everything. I mention this for two reasons: one I thought the quote was fascinating and inspiring and two: I learned something new today. While taking library science classes, we often have to try out new software programs and learn how to use them in the library setting. Today in class, our focus was black and white photos with a splash of color. It sounds easy enough and if you have Photoshop it really is but for those of us out there who don't have this great program we must turn to the Internet for assistance. Stepping outside my comfort zone to learn a new program and a new skill was a little mind melting but the experience of learning something new is what keeps us on our feet. It what keeps us prepared for the future and what it brings.

So about four hours later I finally figured out how to really get RAA!!ool to stand out. :)

Today we went over to the new Olympic Park. This is where the 2012 Summer Olympic games will be held. None of us really knew what to expect from the tour since it's such a "new" area but I think we were all raptured by the amazing Sean once more. His ability to draw in his audience and truly capture the history and essence of his tours and their sites is amazing. The amount of detail that goes into a project like this just blew me away. London should be proud of their foresight and planning. They will do something amazing for these games.

It's RAA!!ool to the RESCUE!!

When traveling in a large group, it's important to have a system in place to be able to keep track of everyone so that you don't lose a member while traveling place to place. A numbering system can work really well or maybe the group can divide into sub-groups but we discovered the BEST solution to be my good friend and mascot, RAA!!ool!! :)

The delightful rainbow puppet makes for the perfect companion on an overseas excursion. Despite his tendency to bite things at random, he is colorful and will always put a smile on your face. Today, we discovered that not only he is awesome but he also stands out in a crowd! Now, it might seem slightly childish or embarrassing to walk around with a sock puppet on your hand in a such a dignified city as London BUT it was comforting to our friends at the back of our line to have a beacon of color leading their way.

We started off our week at the Westminster Abbey with another delightful tour guide, Brian. We learned so much about England's royal line and the rich history this country has to offer. There are some out there that might make jokes about the English monarchy and find it out dated, but I find it fascinating. I love that so much of how the country started is still present today. It feels like you are really there, seeing it all in the past. Visiting England is like going into a time machine- it's all still here.

We heard a beautiful concert at St. Martin's in Field at Traflagar featuring a piano, flute, and oboe. We were only to catch a taste of this beautiful concert before we headed off to the London Eye. Though it can make for a terrifying trip, the scenery is exquisite from that perspective and you get the chance to capture the whole city. Our whirlwind day ended in Notting Hill where we all finally got to check out Harry Potter!!

LONDON: Straight no chaser

I've always thought that one of the best ways to learn your way around somewhere new is to get lost. Start wandering around (hopefully when you have time to do so) and try to find your way around without asking for help or using a map. Now, one shouldn't take this it an extreme or anything but you'll find yourself paying more attention to what's going on around you and what goes where. Just take it all as it comes, as the Bush song goes.

There are so many little things going on around us all the time- things you would miss unless you weren't just sort of wandering. Today on our walking/coach tour of London, our wonderful tour guide (whoslightly resembled Alan Rickman- not just in looks, little of the voice and what I assupersonality to be in real-life, it was AWESOME!) he would often take us off the beaten path to share a random bit of history or odd fact about the area. It was like getting to hear all the dirty gossip about royalty and aristocrats. :)

For our first weekend in London, we definitely covered a lot of ground. It was good to get a nice tour around the city today to give everyone a general idea of where we are. I'm looking forward to seeing more sights and learning more about this amazing country later on. Hopefully, RAA!!ool will be able to make it out tomorrow for more photo opportunities!

Sometimes it just seems silly

When you're staying somewhere outside the comforts of home, you will obviously see differences between the two places but I advise you to look for the little differences out there. Don't just accept what you have and think that's all there ever was and will be- look beyond and begin to question the world around you. Open yourself up to new perspectives and begin to ask "Why are things this way?"

In doing so, you'll begin to see the world in a new light. You see things from a different angle and you might surprise yourself with your insights. Being able to do these things is something that makes us the unique creatures we are.

Remember that there is more to life than work. To take time for yourself and to relax in the moment. Why not sit in the park on your lunch break and read a good book or take a short nap? Why not play with your kids in the fountain, or at least push some obnoxious ones into one. :) Sit with some friends and catch up- or simply enjoy a cup of good tea. These are things that make life meaningful and worth living. It's something we need to be more mindful of and it's certainly something our fellow neighbors to the East haven't forgotten. Sometimes- the way we get stuck doing things just seems silly.

And so it begins...

Today was the first official start day of our program. This morning, as we all arrived, we got a chance to get familiar with the study center, the surrounding area, and the teachers and staff. The study center and our flats are located just outside the heart of London. We are just minutes away from Covent Garden and Trafalger Square. It's a wonderful location. The center itself is right on Great Russell St just a little ways from the British Museum. I can't wait to continue exploring around tomorrow.

The neighborhood we are staying in is absolutely gorgeous- We are actually a little ways away from the center in Bedford Place but we have our own flats! It's very posh and there are two beautiful parks nearby. Despite my initial trials and obstacles- everything is fitting into place perfectly now.