okay, okay... St. Tropez

It's 2am on good ol' GMT... so what does one do when they've written out all the notecards they can on time, space, and place (yes friends, these are the things I am studying... sadly, I've become rather fond of these nerdy theories and can-- get this-- elucidate the differences between space and place and how they can become each other... I'm sure you can't wait for me to come home and tell you ALL about it)? Well, after checking facebook and my email a bajillion times (why don't you love me and write to me... it's only 6pm in the States!) and not being able to sleep thanks to this lingering cough, I've decided to blog... and finally post those pictures of St. Tropez... which I am kind of over now, so don't expect a lot from this blog.

So, Morana and I decided to venture to the south of France for a weekend because we needed to go to a beach... and get off this island (oh, the beautiful weather here is fleeting... it's 10 degrees celcius with rains that would make el nino blush). I also needed to expose my body to sunlight after it's turned translucent in the dark months of winter (and fall... and spring... and probably a little of summer).

This was actually taken on our last day, hence the tan line. Keepin' it classy for you OC.

Oh you know... just hanging out casually in St. Tropez.

Our attempt at a self-portrait.

self explanatory

Morana on the beach... which was practically private... so private that the locals felt real free to expose their bits... actually they do that anywhere.

St. Tropez harbor proper.

Our only criteria for a place to stay was that it had to have a pool... that box was easily ticked. The place we stayed in was like an apartment and had a kitchen and living room. I was considering commuting from there to LSE.

This is us in front of the marina that is right by where we stayed.

Also self-explanatory.

I heart Morana because she is one of the few people in the world with hands my size and that isn't legally a midget.

Morana wonders who is driving her yacht. The entire area was just boat after boat... after rediculously expensive boat (helicopter and sea-doos en tow)

Fellow Trojan

Great news! USC has offered me a fellowship for next year. On top of covering half of my tuition, I get health and dental insurance (I guess they heard I'm sick a lot). Yippee! Anyone want to pay for the other half?

Fight on...

You didn't think I could do it

Yep. Truly a record. Sick for the FIFTH time. I. Need. Sunshine. Consistently.

p.s. photos of St. Tropez up soon. I'm super swamped with exam revision and my dissertatioin.

Kew, Bath, and Studies

Now that essays are over, I am trying to keep myself relaxed/distracted while also studying for exams. A bunch of us went of us went to Kew Gardens as a day away before we started studying for exams and going our different ways during summer term on differenet vacations. Kew is so beautiful... and huge. We also had a picnic what turned out to be a feast.







I also had a getaway to Bath-- home of Jane Austen and the Roman baths. We went to the bath spa there... amazing.









Exam studying is getting a little overwhelming... so it's off to St. Tropez this weekend (I really have no other trips planned before exams). I'm going to try to rid myself of my winter whiteness.

Oh, and I just got my (early) birthday present. Tickets to the O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park (days 1 and 4)... seeing The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, Kaiser Chiefs, Editors, Joe Purdy, among others. I think my favorite band name on the bill has to be "Pigeon Detectives." Sadly, Eardrum Philosophy will not be playing. Maybe next year.

And it's official... I'll be home July 1.

Greece'd Sightseeing

Well, it's taken me long enough, but below are the photos from my Greece trip... which almost didn't happen. I missed my flight. Not because I was busy or didn't make it to the aiport in time... I just wrote the day down wrong in my diary. Seriously. I try to tell people that in the States I really am an organized and on top of it person and they just nod there head and smile.

My essays are done and life is good... or at least better. I feel better mentally, but have a long road ahead in terms of exams and dissertation but those stress me out way less. I also went to the doctor after I handed in my exams (during their half hour urgent care session... no joke. They only do urgent care for a half hour). The doctor said it looked like my throat is pussy (ewww) and then said my chest sounded fine. However, when diagnosing me he said, "Let's just call this bronchitis"... and then gave me an Rx for amoxicillan. Feeling better already so whatever ailment I have is responding.

I also went to Kew Gardens this weekend and a bunch of us had a picnic. I'll post those photos later.

Oh, and it looks there is not going to be any Biola teaching for me. They still haven't responded back so I am thinking it's pretty much a lost cause at this point. :( Please pray for other job opportunities though. I will need to get one when I get back.

We took a ferry ride to the Island of Hydra. So amazing. There are no cars allowed on the island and it's every postcard cliche of a Greek island that you can imagine.

Lee and Bekah model the Ancient Agora. Lee is one of Bekah's good friends from back home in Texas.

Yay for Mars Hill with the rest of the Acropolis in background above and Athens below.

Bekah and I stop a moment on the trek to the top of Hydra.

Hydra! We climbed to the top of a large hill on Hydra to get an amazing view of the tiny island. Sadly the weather turned slightly grey once we were up there.

Lee and I are being "clutchy" in front of the Parthenon because many of the marbles of the Parthenon were taken by the clutches of Lord Elgin and are now in the British Museum.

Bekah is very happy to be at the beach in Athens.

The girls pose for a photo in Hydra right before we went inside for some yummy hot chocolate.

We ate amazing, cheap food. I was excited for fresh veggies!

This is me just excited to be at the beach with the sun out.

Surprisingly Not Stressed...

It's the week essays are due and the week we have a lot of our review sessions. We had our first one today and it was so good to see everyone back again.

I turned in one essay already, am pretty much done with two, and am in the process of writing another one. I am surprisingly not stressed right now. Part of it is because I am not so sick anymore-- glands are more rubber bouncy ball size than golf ball at the moment. And I'm not getting tired quite so easily.

So, there is a bit of sad news, but not really sad so much just confirming what I need to do this summer. I didn't get the internship I applied for, but I am really actually okay with it and not bummed at all. I probably would have had to postpone my dissertation and it would have been stressful coming back to the States to find housing and get settled before USC began. I might stay on longer here to do some travel if I can afford it. We'll see!

I am going to celebrate the end of essays by going to the botanical gardens this weekend. Looks like a trip to Bath will also be in my future. Oh, and photos of Greece to come soon. Promise.

It's Official

Yep, I am sick for the FOURTH time this year. I think this a record. I cannot, in the history of my life, recall a year (school year) when I have been ill more. Stupid, dirty, stressful London. My glands are golfballs! :( At least this time I am not hacking up a lung... yet. Oh, and I still have two more essays to write by Friday. Good times. At least the weather is nice here. It makes me like the place and semi want to stay longer, but I will not be lured in with sunshine so easily.