*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

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!)

Mermaids in England

As you may or may not know, I am kind of a mermaid fanatic. There are those who like vampires, zombies, ghosts, and the like, but for me, it's mermaids. The mermaid fandom has books, movies, artwork, jewelry, custom tails--you name it. Mermaids are a seriously lesser respected paranormal creature and finding fellow fans is always fun. Much like those who are banding together preparing for the upcoming zombie apocalypse, there is a similar mermaid fan community in the world of the inter-webs. And I may or may not even have my own mermaid blog...

So why is this relevant to my upcoming semester in London you ask? Well, because of the mermaid related sites I plan on visiting of course! There are several major mermaid legends in England. I definitely plan on visiting one location, but hopefully can make it to others as well.

The first is the Mermaid of Zennor. The small town of Zennor, Cornwall is the setting for my favorite book series, The Ingo Chronicles, by Helen Dunmore (above). It's a middle grade book I read in 7th grade and it's flawless.

In the very first chapter of Ingo the main character, Sapphire, recounts the ancient legend of the Zennor Mermaid. If you aren't familiar with the tale, click here. Basically, a mermaid sings by the coast and lures a man beneath the waves. Never to be seen again. Not only am I excited to visit the town of Zennor itself, but there is also a carving of the mermaid inside St. Senara's Church (pictured above left), where they say the man used to sing in the choir. I cannot wait to see it in person!

The next two locations are actually in Derbyshire, inside Peak District National Park. Both are inland bodies of water that claim to be home to a mermaid.

The first is the Mermaid's Pool (left). She is believed to rise to the surface on Midsummer’s Day or at midnight on Easter Eve with the ability to grant those who seek her out eternal life. Though, if in a bad mood, she just might drown you instead. A subterranean passage to the Atlantic Ocean is claimed as the reason for the pool's salty water.

The other location, Blake Mere, is farther South (pictured below). There are varying accounts about the origin of the mermaid. Some say that a sailor brought the mermaid here and others believe a girl was spitefully drowned and transformed into a mermaid.

Both these locations are in Derbyshire, but I also have Chatsworth House on my list of things to see, so I might be able to get everything in on a single trip to the area. I believe both locations may also require a hike and I would definitely want to be with a guide/in a group to see them.

Regardless of whether I make it to all these destinations or not, it's so much fun learning about all this stuff and finding out about the local cultures and myths. I'm sure there are several more mermaid tales around the various coasts and up into Scotland as well!

-Emily

I'm Going to London!

So, it's official--I'm going to London! In less than 7 short weeks I'll be walking along the River Thames (pronounced "Tems" as my mother keeps correcting me so I don't sound like an idiot) and livin it up every week in English tea houses. That's pretty much where the blog name came from. If you know me then you're already aware of my affinity for tea and traditional tea houses. I've been planning out all the sites and restaurants I want to get around to during my 15 weeks abroad. Tea houses make up WAY TOO MUCH of the list. I just can't help it though there are TOO MANY of them! They all look so amazing and delicious...

Anyway, so I'm going abroad through the CAPA program. I chose them because of the opportunity to live in a British homestay and the unique courses they offer. They're really focused on integrating the city of London into coursework and that got me excited. I'll be taking a class on British popular culture and another on the history of theatre in England. I really see this experience as a key component to my education. England is one of the best places an English major can go. So many of the places I've read about I'll be able to visit in person. I've already started a page where you can see my bucket list of things to see/eat/do while I'm away and I plan on linking the photo tab to a Flicker page soon.

Some of the things I cannot wait to do include...

COASTEERING! Doesn't this look like the most fun thing to do ever??



THE MINACK THEATRE! My inner theatre nerd is crying from the beauty.



THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL! Hundreds dressed in authentic Regency garb. Need I say more?



And that's all just the beginning.

I plan on writing a few more posts before I leave on how I'm preparing and anything else that pops up along the way. Until then!

-Emily