Liverpool, England

Wow, it has been over a week since I last blogged.  Sorry about the delay.  I have been quite busy with school as things are getting more intense as the weeks windle down.

First off on Sunday, October 24th I went and explored Liverpool with the International Society.  It was a great little day trip over there.  We set off in the morning and once we got there, they had lined up a 2 hour bus tour through Liverpool showing us the sights and what not.  They really never talked about the Beatles, which was very ahh... disappointing to Miya, Aaron and Myself as we thought they would pretty much only talk about the Beatles the entire time.  But to our knowledge there is much more to Liverpool than just the Beatles.  They were one of the first ports for England and did a lot of trading and that is how the country became the mecca it is today.  After the bus tour, Aaron, Miya and I went to a fantastic little reasurtant on the pier and had an amazing lunch.  I had and "english" club sandwich which consisted of toasted bread, griddled egg, chicken breast, canadian bacon, lettuce and mayo.  Which may I just add my opinion it was one of the best sandwiches I have had over on this side of the pond.  Proceeding lunch we went to the Beatles museum called the Beatles Story.  We spent almost 2 hours looking around there and exploring Beatles history.  We though we knew so much but in reality we knew very little.  One of the things that caught my attention was the first time they played in America was on the Ed Sullivan and on that night in 1963 there were 75 million American viewers.  I did some research and in 1963 that just about half of the American population that tuned into see the Beatles perform.  They were mega stars of their time and no matter where a fan was from, they were crazy about the Beatles.

Beatles Crossing Abby Road, which for all you uninformed Americans is actually in London not Liverpool. :)

America loves the Beatles.  More to come soon :D
Peace and Love, allie

York, England

York is an absolutely beautiful city.  Smaller than both Manchester and London, but had quite a bit to offer.  York is a unique city that has a lot of history behind it starting way back with the Romans invading the area.  During my time in York, I explored the city with a girl I met on the bus named Stella. Stella is a exchange student from China studying a Masters in Business Administration at MMU.  We first had a walk around the city walls.  The original area of the city was enclosed in by wall and they have left them up and you can walk around and see them.  Where you walk is elevated and they look like the outer walls of a castle where it goes up and down so people could see out or intruders in the olden days.  We also had a look around the National Railway Museum, York Art Gallery, and the Yorkshire Museum.  The National Railway Museum was very interesting and did a lot of explaining about their railway system and how it got started.  It also had some of the original Royal Trains inside which were like houses on wheels and very luxurious for the time.  The York Art Gallery was very neat because they had a display on how Hats can influence social status and occupation in early centuries of European culture, which being a fashion major, that was of much interest to me.  I posted a few pictures of some of the hats I really liked.  We also enjoyed looking around their city centre with many nice local shops and we had an authentic England lunch of Fish and Chips from a local York family restaurant.  

Love from England,  allie

I'm alive....

Hey Everyone,


Just wanted you all to know that I AM ALIVE.  I have not blogged for awhile because I am having so much fun.  Yesterday I counted and I only have 65 days left in Manchester.  Wow, does time fly when you are having fun!!!  


This afternoon look for pictures from York, stories about our experience at a China Town Buffet and my latest purchase at a UK company, River Island.


Miss you all, allie

Shoes -- Straightener -- Birthday Wishes

Friday -- The weekend started off right by purchasing new oxford (brogues - British term) shoes that I have been searching for.  ZARA had the perfect addition to my wardrobe. :)

Saturday -- Finally broke down and bought a straightener.  Three and a half weeks of crazy curly hair, I splurged and spend £4.84 on something that I will love for the duration of my trip.  

 Saturday -- My first time with straight hair since I left my home on Sept. 13th.  Ahh, felt so good.  :) 

Saturday -- Flat GG2 celebrated Daniel's 25th Birthday with a party in our kitchen.  We celebrated with a cake and Hennessey's.  Happy Birthday Daniel! 

Saturday -- Fun night out with my friends Miya, Krista, and photographer Aaron at club Pure.  Couldn't have asked to meet more amazing people here.  Life long friends, they will be.  

Until next time.  Love from England,

allie

--My Travel Plans--

My traveling is going to officially start in a couple weekends on October 17th.  I am going on several day trips to different places around England and a day to North Wales with the International Society I have joined.  I have found it is a great way to travel cheap and meet heaps of new people.  Here is my agenda for the rest of my traveling while in the UK:

October 17 -- York
York is an attractive historic city in Yorkshire. You will have the entire day to spend at your leisure exploring the city at your own pace taking in the medieval Shambles, the York Minster and perhaps learning something about the city's Viking history! An interesting day out for individuals and families alike. There are plenty of attractions for children to enjoy of special interest is the Jorvik Viking Centre where you can relive the sights and sounds of York in the Viking Age!




October 24 -- Liverpool
Perhaps most famous for being the home of the band, The Beatles, Liverpool is also Britain's largest port standing on the banks of the river Mersey! On arrival in the city, there will be a guided coach tour of Liverpool's main sites including the Albert Dock area, the two Cathedrals and the places where the Beatles lived and played music! You will then have the afternoon free to spend as you please, perhaps sightseeing or shopping! Liverpool has lots to offer! www.cavernclub.org


November 7 -- Blackpool and the Famous Blackpool Illuminations
Blackpool is perhaps England 's most famous seaside resort. If fun and excitement is your thing then this is the trip for you! There is the Pleasure Beach to enjoy with its roller coaster rides for all you thrill seekers out there! If you prefer something more sedate then why not wander along the beach taking in the sea air and sample some traditional British fish and chips! For the end to an enjoyable day at the seaside, we will travel back through the famous 121 years old illuminations that light the Golden Mile! A perfect day out for individuals and families alike! www.blackpool-illuminations.net


November 12 - 14 -- Dublin, Ireland
Miya, Aaron and I will be going to Dublin.  The only thing confirmed at this point is our airline ticket, which we got super cheap!!! :)  We do know that we would like to go to the Guinness Storehouse and see how they make Guinness beer.










November 20 -- North Wales
Are you interested in visiting another country within the British Isles ? Then North Wales is the place for you! The first stop of the day is Caernarfon, an interesting Welsh town most famous for its majestic Castle and medieval walls. From here you travel on to Portmeirion Village , an interesting Italianate village in a picturesque location. You will have several hours here to explore the village, the woodland gardens and the coast! 




November 28 -- Lake District
The first half of the day will be spent in Windermere, the biggest of the Lakes where there are lots of activities available to enjoy ... whether it be a boat ride on the lake or a walk in the countryside! The second stop of the day will be in Ulverston where you can enjoy the delights of the Dickensian Christmas street market Festival. www.dickensianfestival.co.uk




December 4 -- Lincoln Christmas Market
Lincoln is one of England's most beautiful Cathedral cities. On the day of the trip, there is a Christmas market . Europe 's biggest . stalls with Christmas gifts, choirs singing carols, street entertainment and the smell of chestnuts roasting and mulled wine all in the setting of a picturesque cobbled square overlooked by a floodlit 12 th century cathedral! A perfect experience for those who look forward to the arrival of Christmas! christmasmarket.lincoln.gov.uk




I am very excited for my travels.  I plan on updating the world as I go and uploading pictures for all of you to see!


Until next time. Love from England, allie

80 days left!

Wow! I can't believe I am saying this but I only have 80 days left in the UK.  My first three weeks have flew by.  In my first three weeks in the UK, I have started classes, traveled to London, and made myself accustom to Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.


On a lighter note, this week and weekend was amazing.  We started classes this week and I got to meet a bunch of new students and obviously my tutors, who have been extremely nice and helpful this first week. I am excited to learn in this education environment.  It's very different from American universities in the sense that we only meet once a week for two hours unless it is a double credit course and you meet twice a week for two hours.  There is a lot less face time and more independent study required.  I think it could be challenging, but very rewarding at the same time.  Also, in UK universities, they have much less coursework and examinations.  I only have one project per course for my grades while I am here whereas in the US I would have several homework pieces and a couple exams per semester.  


This weekend brought great joy and excitement to my life.  On Friday night, I took a risk and tried food I have never seen or heard of in my life before.  Curry food, authentic to the Indian culture.  In Manchester, there is a street called Curry Mile that is full of curry food and restaurants.  I went with five other friends and experienced this kind of food.  I tried Chicken Dupiaza curry, which I will have to say was absolutely amazing.  It was chicken pieces with onion and garlic in a curry and herb sauce.  I would highly recommend to anyone.


Today I went to the international society's tea party.  It was so great we had small sandwiches, scones, desserts, and wonderful tea.  I met some great people from Spain, Germany, Turkey, and the United States at my time.  We mainly talked about why we came to Manchester and what we were studying.  It is so great to hear everybody's reason why, they are all so unique and different.  


All in all, I will have to say I am so happy I decided to take a semester abroad.  I have learned so much in the short amount I have already been here and I can't imagine what will become of the coming weeks. I feel as if I have a broader understanding of the world diversity already.  I feel so fortunate to learn about other cultures and their diversity from my own culture.  


Cheers and love from England. xoxo allie