Wait, it's December already?

I have ten days left in London. It’s incomprehensible. And in all the hustle and bustle of my last few weeks in Britain I have totally neglected the blog. So here, in brief, are the highlights of the past few weeks:

- My economics class went to the House of Lords. Upside: we sat in on a small committee and were so close we could touch the lords if we wanted to. Downside: pretty dang boring.

- We went to Oxford! I tried to soak up as much of the academic atmosphere as I could but I don’t think it’s made me any smarter. What a beautiful campus and town. So classically scholarly and British and old school wealthy. I have so much more to say about it, but here are some photos.

Christ Church College (also below)

The Great Hall at Hogwarts, er, Christ Church.

Radcliffe Camera

Pitt Rivers Museum

We saw the Bodelian library (left, not my photo) which is where they filmed
the Hogwarts Library. It would be worth it to go to Oxford
just to study in that library. Gorgeous.

- Two of my good friends and I made dinner for our host families because we are friends and they are friends and it was about time we all got together. We made enchiladas, Mexican rice, black beans, guacamole, salad, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies. It was beyond delicious and everyone around the table loved it! It was exciting to cook for nine people, the most I’ve ever cooked a full meal for before, and to cook food that we associate so closely with home in a country where the only way you can find jalapenos is in a jar in the fancier grocery store. An adventure, that’s for sure, but we were rather proud of the results.

ssh, I forgot the cilantro.

- I saw the Royal Ballet perform “Sleeping Beauty.” I splurged on the tickets - 24 whole pounds - and the seats were fantastic. So was the ballet; a little pantomime-y for my tastes, but still incredible.

(not my photo)

- We saw Michael Sheen in “Hamlet” at the Young Vic. It was set in an insane asylum which provoked mixed reactions from my classmates, but Michael Sheen was in.cre.di.ble. His Hamlet was maniacal and almost endearing in just the right way.

- Thanksgiving.

- Some girls and I went to the Advent Procession at St. Paul’s last Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent (hooray!). It was a service of lessons and carols as the choir and clergy processed from the west end to the east end as the cathedral slowly grew lighter. Lovely. We sang “O Come O Come Emmanuel” like we always do on the first Sunday of Advent and to sing that and say the Lord’s Prayer in unison with so many other people was really awesome.

- I tagged along to “Comedy of Errors” at the National Theatre. According to the Shakespeare teacher, the director didn’t think Shakespeare’s original comedy was funny enough so they made it hilarious. Lots of physical comedy, an incredible set, and of course some very talented actors all added up to an enjoyable show.

[Not included in this list: boring things like presentations and essays and internships.]

And that brings me to the present. This afternoon we went to the Churchill War Rooms but that is a post for another day because this one is hella long and I need to get to sleep before my Pride and Prejudice brunch tomorrow. You read that right - tea, eggs, banana bread, my closest friends, and the BBC “Pride and Prejudice.” Not to brag, but I love my life. xo