Monday, August 25, 2014

*Sings* It's the Final Countdoooown!!

So I leave in a week. It's become very real. I've found out both my home stay details and internship placement. I also have my visa and passport back safely. And after checking off what seemed like a million items on the to do/buy list, I feel like I am pretty much ready!

I have now been spending my days deciding exactly what to pack and what to leave behind. Can you tell from the last picture that the pile of clothes has been cut almost in half? Probably not...

In the last two weeks I have been buying so much stuff! Today alone I received my backpack and new tennis shoes in the mail (they have memory form; it's like walking on clouds). And I finally have a new laptop--a Macbook Air--it's perfect for what I need and I have been wanting to make the switch from Windows for a while now wooooo!! Granted, it's not the most ideal time to switch, but I managed to write this blog post using it, so I think I'll fare okay.





My Mom and I are also working on my Regency costume for the Jane Austen Festival in Bath happening in about three weeks.

I plan to only be in Bath for the one day. I'll be eating a Regency breakfast, participating in the world record attempt for the most people dressed in Regency costume in one place (500+), along with the costume parade and some site seeing.

Here's a little sneak peek photo for you guys :)

I am super excited to be going to this festival. When I took a class on Jane Austen last semester, I never imagined that I would be able to experience the books in this way, with hundreds of other Austen lovers! (I also just really love wearing costumes okay?) It's also going to be my first "big trip", so I'm a little nervous about taking the train, getting to Bath on time, and getting to and around the festival, but hopefully it will all go smoothly!

I'm also really excited to share (though most already know) that along with my personal blog here, I've been selected as CAPA's Official Blogger in London for Fall 2014!! My posts will be up every Monday throughout the semester starting from September 8th on the CAPA World Blog. I am getting a grant and an "explorer fund", so technically, this will be the first time I've ever been paid to write! It's a huge honor and a responsibility I don't take lightly. Click the picture to see the introduction post on the website!


Well, that's all for now. The next time I post, I will be in or on my way to LONDON! Ahhhhh!!

-Emily

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Never Ending Prep

Three weeks to go!

Man, how time flies. But there's still so much to do! At least my biggest stressors have been taken care of. My visa application was mailed in last week and if all goes well (fingers crossed) I'll have my passport back with my visa by next Wednesday. I've also been able to handle all my financial prep. With those two out of the way I just have a long list of things I still need to buy (see: prep list). At this point, I'm most looking forward to everything being done and landing in London! I feel like I'll finally be able to relax then, though, that's probably when everything will get the most intense.

It rained today. I found myself constantly wondering if the rain will be like this in London. I love these overcast days. It'll be interesting to see if I'm sick of them by the time I return home.


I've begun the grueling process of deciding what clothes/items to bring with me. I'm typically a fast and light packer, but this is a pretty daunting task. I keep asking myself, "but what if I need this". The important thing to remember though, is that if it takes up too much space in the suitcase and it's readily available in the UK for that "what if" moment, then I don't absolutely need it. Gotta stay under that 50 pound limit...


I bought my first real raincoat this week too. I wanted a quality one, but didn't want to spend a whole lot, so I turned to ebay and found this beauty (below). It's a London Fog and while it does have some insulation, I like that it's thin so I can fold it up and carry it around with me easily.


I also keep hearing that the trick to London weather is this magical thing called layering.

I hate layering.

It's just too fashionable a concept for me. I'm a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl. That or an everything-from-the-necklace-to-the-undershirt-is-attached-to-this-blouse kinda girl. I like the easy stuff when it comes to getting ready in the morning, so the thought of trying to layer different pieces together to be prepared for London's unpredictable weather is just so not me.

The heck with it. I'm bringing all long-sleeved shirts.

I'm always cold anyway.

-Emily

(I also have some really exciting news that I will hopefully be able to share sometime later this week!)