London, London, London...

London has become one of my favorite cities hands down.

It was my second time visiting, and I will be there a thrid time since I have a layover there before I fly back to the states. The city is magical. It feels electric, alive and I love it and could picture myself living there one day.

But the best part about my weekend in London was reconnecting with old friends!! I met up with the BISP kids (British Isles Study Program) from Whitworth and had a blast. It was refreshing to see familiar faces, and though the tickets were purchased last minute and cost me and arm and a leg, it was worth every euro. I needed this as a kind of mid-semester rejuvination. The BISP students were pretty tired and burnt out since they're on the last leg of their journey and by this time they were a little sick of each other--so I provided so very needed entertainment.

The first night I flew in and stayed at a really nice hostel by myself. The next morning I went to the Lancaster Hotel near Hyde Park where I waited around a couple of hours, explore the park a bit, and met up with the backpackin' gang. We went to a Pub that afternoon, got cupcakes and crepes in Covenant Gardens, saw movie premere excitement in Lester Square, and my friends introduced me to the strangest yet most wonderful chain of Pubs/restaurants/lounges/clubs, Yeats.

The next day we got a good breakfast in the lobby (I had to be sneaky since I technically was not supposed to be at this hotel and slept in a bed with Calli) and then Devin, Calli, Tyler and I went to the Tate Modern Museum which was AWESOME. I absolutely loved it. It was a rainy day in London and we warmed ourselves at a cafe after seeing all the cool things the Tate has to offer. Overall the weekend was very relaxing and fun and renewed my love for the city of London as well as my excitment for the day I return to Whitworth. In every way this experience abroad has made me realize what quality people Whitworth produces and what a uniquely wonderful place it is.

I returned to Milan completely exhausted and had to go straight to class (I had taken a 4 am taxi cab to Victoria Station in London monday morning). Classes this past week have been a little nuts with midterms coming up and everything. I feel SO unprepared. But tomorrow which also happens to be Halloween, I am taking a train after Italian class to Bern, the capital of Switzerland where I will stay in a downtown hostel for the night. On saturay my roommates Tara and Rita will meet up with me. In Switzerland I hope to relax, study more for midterms in a coffee shop or something, breathe the fresh mountain air, eat swiss chocolate, feed the bears in the bear pit exibit they have there, see Einstein's house, and perhaps rent a bike to explore the city on. It will be a much needed weekend retreat.

I hope all is well both across the pond and in other various parts of the world. Ciao mi amicas/amicos!