Laundry Problems, a Trip to Heathrow & Paris Plans

I will try to sum up the past few days as briefly as possible, less for your sake and more for mine, considering that I just took a Melatonin and didn't get back from work today until around 7PM.

Monday... I don't think there was anything particularly noteworthy about my day at work, other than the fact that I felt like a true Londoner, or at least a true commuter, while making my commute. I've noticed in the past week that a lot of Londoners wear headphones -- iPod earbuds mostly -- on their way to and from the tube stops as they make their way to work. I thought that this would just be confusing and probably lead to my being hit by a car because I wouldn't be paying attention, but I decided to live life on the edge and try it anyway. I figured I'd keep the volume at lower level so that I could still be aware of everything around me (including traffic and large buses approaching me), but loud enough so that I could have a soundtrack accompanying me on my way to work. Honestly, I have to say that having music playing in the background walking to the tube, and then being on the tube, definitely made my commute a lot more enjoyable. It sort of got me ready for the day and I found myself wanting to tap my foot or, more dramatically, break out into song (or use some of my sweet dance moves).

My work day was good, but it was when I got home that things just seemed to go from bad to worse. It started raining as I got off of the tube and made my way back to Nido, but even that wasn't particularly bad, especially because rain seems to be an almost every day occurrence. I made a list of tasks I needed to accomplish that evening and so I set about trying to complete each one. My boss gave me Friday off from work since my cousin, Amanda, is coming to visit, so I knew that I would need to book train tickets and hostel tickets. I had so many credit card issues, mostly because of some SecureCode feature that I was unaware of and did not have the code to, that I could not make my purchase the first time. I had to call MasterCard and talk to someone who was not particularly patient nor helpful, and then in a fit of frustration, hung up. My mom had to call the credit card company and straighten everything out and then I finally was able to book the tickets. With that done, I set about booking a hostel -- and seeing as though I only knew that I'd have Friday off as of that day, I was booking very late. There were few hostels available and only one that could host both me and my cousin for two days. I found myself only getting more frustrated as I booked my hostel, displeased with the way the whole planning process was going. Not only was it a tedious process, but it was also expensive.

Meanwhile... In the midst of my travel plan issues, I was doing laundry. Now, I might not be the most domestic person in the world, but I certainly know how to do laundry. I put my laundry into the machine, let it wash and then transferred the two loads of laundry over into the dryer. I returned 45 minutes after putting the clothes in the dryer only to find that my clothes were still damp. Thinking that another hour would do the trick, I reset the dryer and went to deal with booking my train/hostel for the weekend. An hour goes by, I'm already frustrated from my previous issues, and I return to retrieve my clothes. I open the dryer, and what do I find? Soaking wet clothes. None of the dryers worked and the technician hadn't come in to repair them yet.

Now, if I had been at home, or even in my room at school, this would not have been a huge issue. But my damp clothes, combined with the fact that I had already been upset with all of the obstacles from booking my train and hostel earlier AND the fact that my room is about the size of a shoe-box, made this very difficult and very inconvenient. Unfortunately, my roommate was in the same situation, so we had about 3-4 loads of damp laundry air-drying in our room. We draped our clothes over our desks, over the closet doors, in the bathroom -- everywhere -- and there still really wasn't enough room. I went to bed with the smell of laundry detergent permeating through the air, seeing as though I had the wet clothes right next to me on my desk. It was a nightmare, and I was just hoping that some of my clothes would be dry by the next day.

Tuesday... I tried to approach Tuesday with a positive attitude seeing as though the previous evening had been full of frustration and inconveniences. I wasn't going to the office that morning though. Instead, I met my deputy editor and the photographer at Heathrow Terminal 5 to do some interviews with British Airways customers and employees, asking them questions regarding the 2012 Olympics being hosted in London. It was an interesting experience. We would approach different people at the airport, and some were more receptive than others. A few people rejected our requests to talk right away, while others enjoyed the chatting. I was more excited than nervous though, but I think that had to do with the fact that I was out of the office and interacting with people. It's always kind of exciting to listen to other people's stories and hear what they have to say or where they're coming from.

After getting some opinions from people, we got to ask some of the BA employees questions too. We went behind the scenes to the lounge-like area where the employees, including cabin crew and pilots, go to hang out. I'm so used to only seeing the airport from a customer perspective -- only hanging out in the Terminal or wandering around the internal convenient stores -- that I failed to realize that there had to be a place for the employees of the airport too.

Once we finished up with all of the interviewing, I got to see British Airways headquarters at Waterside. The building reminded me of a mall, with one central sort of walkway in the middle with stores and offices on either side. Windows were a main part of the building, and surprisingly, it was sunny outside so there was a ton of light and warmth streaming into the building. It was sort of confusing because I knew it was an office building, yet there were stores, a mini-grocery store/market, and even a hair salon inside of it. I also got to check out British Airways' heritage museum which stores the company's history, including mannequins donning uniforms from over the decades and model-airplane-size replicas of the types of jets and planes that used to be flown. The day definitely went by a lot faster being in a new place and seeing new things. I guess the only downside was that the commute was about an hour -- but even that wasn't so bad because I just popped in my earbuds and let Lady Gaga take me back to Kings Cross.

I am happy to say that most of my clothes have dried and my trip to Paris is booked. I'm leaving Friday morning with Amanda, so I will definitely have plenty to share -- especially considering neither of us knows French and we will need to navigate to reach the Eiffel Tower.

Off to bed!

3 Things to Start Monday Morning

Having a bit of time before work, I just wanted to say a few things about my day yesterday...

1 - Oxford Street is amazing -- amazingly long and amazingly great! There are so many shops, but with so many shops comes so many people. I went to Primark with a few friends and it was a shopping experience unlike any other. It was so extremely crowded to the point where I was bumping elbows and having to cleverly navigate in order to avoid getting completely run over by the massive herds of people. I have never been so happy yet so scared at the same time. The deals were great, but I am still unsure if the emotional scarring was worth it.

2 - Sometimes you just need to sleep in. I spent the morning lounging around my room, and it felt great. After a weekend of touring and bar-hopping, a few extra hours in my pajamas was worth it, even if I could have been out doing something. Again, when each day is jam-packed with things to do in a new city, relaxing is a necessary to-do item.

3 - It's only been a week and I am already getting sick of the rain.. I don't know if maybe I'll just get used to it or if I'll just grow to hate it more, but it always seems as though it starts to rain during my commute -- never when I'm actually working. Where is my summer weather? It's June!

Alright, well I am off to another day of work. Tomorrow, my cousin, Amanda will be visiting me and I actually will be doing some interviews at Heathrow Airport with my deputy editor later in the morning. I may not be able to do another post for a while, since I'd like to rest up tonight so I can go out after work with my cousin, but that only means I'll have more adventures to share later! :)

Happy Monday

Work & Play

It has been a busy and tiring past few days. I finally feel as though I am getting used to work and the commute, but am still trying to figure out where I fit with my little staff. It was already a big enough accomplishment that I figured out what I was doing -- especially because I feel like I got thrown into my job. I didn't really have a prior interview with my boss or the company, and we had zero communication up until my first day. Cedar Communications is commisioned by outside companies, such as British Airways and Tesco, to produce publications to fit their needs, which is why within the large office, I work with a small group on Up to Speed. And I do really like my small staff, because my editor lets me look in on different parts of the process. I got to see how the layout is done and how the words I wrote for one feature get placed on the page stylistically. Right now, I'm working on a travel feature that my editor assigned me about Stockholm, so I sent our contact from Stockholm an email asking questions for the article. It's cool to be given that sort of responsibility, especially with my minimal experience.

Thursday and Friday of work both went off seamlessly -- although, I was still early both days. On Thursday, I went to Cafe Nerro this time (instead of Topshop...see, I am capable of choosing breakfast over shopping) and had a croissant to avoid the rain and avoid being in the office a half an hour early. I knew that the rest of my co-workers were already going to be coming in late anyway for their own reasons, so even if I went in early, I'd be alone. I worked on a few projects throughout the day, and then went back to the Nido, arriving there at 6PM and then eating, lounging and going to bed. I haven't yet mustered up the energy after work to venture more around Covent Garden, but I think that will be my plan for the upcoming weeks.

Friday was a similar day, except I made the mistake of telling a somewhat embarrassing and shameless story to my co-worker, which the rest of our little staff had to know and now I've been branded "that girl who spits." I think this deserves an explanation... So, my co-worker went and got some Skittles from the kitchen (? maybe the kitchen, I don't actually know where the Skittles came from now that I think of it) and asked me if I wanted some. I took a few and explained how I never eat the green and purple Skittles because I think that they're gross. With that information shared, I also went on to tell him about when I would go to the movies and buy Skittles, if I came across a purple or green one and ate it unknowingly, due to the fact that the movies are dark and not conducive to sorting out Skittles by color, I would just spit it out on the floor. Now, let me also add a disclaimer, because I want to assure you that I do not do this... anymore. I have since then realized that if I'm going to pay an arm and a leg for movie candy, then I don't want to be spitting half of it out on the floor. Also, for those of you who now think I am disgusting and do not want to sit next to me at the movies due to my former habit, I would like to just compare that my Skittle spitting might be gross, but there are lots of other gross and unsightly things that probably happen at the movies so I think you should really not hold it against me. With all of that said, I told my co-worker that story, and he found it hilarious --- so hilarious, in fact, that for the rest of the day, whenever he would ask if I wanted water, or a snack, or anything at all, he would say, "Oh, nevermind, you'll probably just spit it out on the floor." Yes, I was the running joke for the whole day. But! There is a silver living because apparently when they make fun of you, that means that they like you... At least, that's what my program coordinators told me, but they might just be saying that so I don't feel bad. Either way, the British love to tease each other and be sarcastic, so I figure if I'm in on the joke, even part of it, at least I'm fitting into the dynamic somehow. And I assured all of my co-workers that I will find something to make fun of all of them for too. Ah, the office and its inter-relationships.

After work on Friday and the Skittle spitting debacle, all of us interns planned on going out (of course.) Our on-site supervisor/support, Brian, from Intrax told us that he would pay for our first round of drinks, so obviously we were all game for going wherever he would be buying the drinks. I've learned that drinking after the work day, no matter which day it is (weekdays included), is a normal part of British culture. Going to the pubs and having a pint is not as stigmatized as it necessarily is in the United States. Many of my friends in the intern program have actually gone out for drinks with their coworkers either during the work day or after work.

So in the spirit of the culture in which we have been immersed, we too had to go out for after-work drinks together. Brian said that we could all meet at this bar called the Electricity Room in Shoreditch for drinks. I told my co-worker about this, and he said that Shoreditch would have a lot of "blokes in really tight jeans and hair shaped like a shark-fin," which I came to translate as what I would classify as a "hipster." I didn't think there were many hipsters at the Electricity Room, but it certainly was a cool bar. There was a giant peacock light on one of the walls, and downstairs was a dance floor that lit up in different colors -- my kind of dance floor. Of course, our walk to the Electricity Room was not without its snafus. It was pouring (big surprise there -- the rain seems to follow me) and the group I was with got lost. It took us forever to get there and when it's raining, any journey outside seems to double in its length and complications. With what little sense of direction we had, we finally made it there, and I'm pretty sure my shoes were filled with water. So much for that half hour of going-out preparation.

Me, my roommate Jessie, Eliza, Jane and Mimosa at the Electricity Room in Shoreditch.

The bar was fun though, and we certainly enjoyed our first round of drinks (everything is better when it's free!). We even ventured downstairs to check out the dance floor. But in true British (and restless 20-something) fashion, we wanted to go to another bar, so our giant group (there's about 28 of us) tried to figure out what we were doing next. Making decisions with a group of that size, especially with alcohol and the promise of more alcohol involved, is no easy task whatsoever. Needless to say, the group split up, and I found myself with the group that was looking for a new place to go.

Our search seemed to not be yielding many results, so me and a few of the other interns went back to the Electricity Room to see if that would just be a better fit for the rest of the night. We didn't really seem to be feeling it, so me and two of the other guys decided that we would probably just have more fun if we got some fried chicken and champagne and went back to the Nido. Perfect.

With that plan now mapped out, we had to figure out what bus to take home, how to get out of Shoreditch, and most importantly, how to get our fried chicken. I let the boys figure out the navigating  part, since I was just focusing on how great it would be to eat the fried chicken, but I did chime in when I saw a bus quickly approaching that said "via Kings Cross," the boys then confirming that we could take that bus. I was  proud of my accidental useful contribution.

Back closer to Kings Cross, we stopped off at the Chicken Spot and ordered ourselves some fried chicken, the perfect complement to champagne. However, our mission was thwarted when we found that the convenient store where we had planned on getting our champagne was closed. Luckily, as we have had to learn being in a new country, we were able to adapt. One of the guys, Parker, said that he had plenty of beer, so now it was fried chicken and beer! Slighty less classy, but just as tasty.

When we got back to the Nido, we got in our PJs, grabbed the beer and ate our chicken in our communal kitchen (each floor has its own kitchen, and since most of the interns take over the 6th and 7th floor, it's pretty much our own). Then we decided to watch Mean Girls. This does not sound as random as you might think. When we were on the bus home, prior to getting our chicken, Matt (one of the other guys I was with) and I were making various Mean Girls references, only to find that Parker had never seen the movie and had no idea what we were talking about. Because we found that to be a travesty for several reasons (Mean Girls is a classic, the movie is back from when Lindsay Lohan wasn't a crackhead, it's hilarious AND it is always quoted), we decided that Mean Girls would just have to get thrown into our fried chicken and beer mix.

We watched Mean Girls and as some of the other interns started to head back, they too came and joined our Mean Girls screening. It was a great end to a great night. And the fried chicken was great.

Saturday was a really fun day. At 9AM, we left the Nido for Cambridge to see the university and the town. The day was fun, despite the tour guide being a bit boring and the dark clouds and wind that would ever so often remind us that they were there with a sprinkle of rain and a gust of wind. For the most part, we had sunny skies the entire day. We toured the town, had lunch, and then were set free for a while -- time that me, my friends Kathryn and Jane, decided to spend looking into some of the shops, checking out the market and walking along the river.

One of the cool things about Cambridge is that they do this thing called "punting." No, it is not a football reference. It actually refers to the way that they direct the boats on the river -- similar to a gondola. You sit in the boat and this guy at the back balances and pushes a long stick into the river, which is very shallow, and pushes at the bottom to make the boat go wherever he wants it to go. Some of the interns did that, but I stayed on dry land for the afternoon.

After our day at Cambridge, we were all ready for another night out. Hoping that I wouldn't look like the group's chaperone again, seeing as though I did not really pack any sort of bar-hopping/chasing clothes and last time wore a cardigan out, my roommate Jessie and I went to H&M to pick up a few things. Once we had our outfits for the night, we made some dinner in the kitchen, and a group gathered there, getting ready for the night with some drinks and music.

Around 11PM, we finally went out. We decided to go to Soho and check out the scene there. We didn't really know where we were going, so the first bar we tried to get into turned out to be a gay bar, as chosen by one of the guys in the group who was very embarrassed at his mistake. Soho definitely is the place to go for the LGBT scene though, and they had a ton of really cool clubs and bars there. We did find a place called the O bar, which was pretty cool. As soon as we walked in, the shot girl came up to me and my friends Jessie and Kathryn, asking us if we wanted a shot. Trying to take in all that the city has to offer, we had to say yes. You don't turn down new experiences when you're abroad in a new city! We got some little glow bracelets, got some drinks and then went upstairs to more of a lounge type area where we sat on couches and just relaxed and talked. It was very fun and very laid-back.

Us at the O Bar: (left to right) Matt, me, Will, Jessie, Kathryn, Dan

In the mood for dancing after a few drinks, we wanted to see if we could find somewhere else in Soho to go. Unfortunately, the lines to get into the bars were getting pretty long and we couldn't decide on a place to go since none of us could agree on it (despite us only being a group of about seven at this point) so we walked around aimlessly for a while before agreeing to just head back closer to the Nido.

We ended up at Camino, the Spanish joint we had been to on one of our first night's, and grabbed a pitcher of sangria to seal off the night. We didn't spend too long there because that bar also closed pretty early and figured we'd finish the night out at Nido. We went back there, hung out in the kitchen, then went to bed. Another eventful evening.

So for today, I'm thinking Jessie and I are probably going to venture off around London for a while. I am in desperate need of doing laundry, especially because I took the whole "packing lightly" thing way too seriously so I'm already running out of clothes. Hopefully we can avoid some rain today and run some errands without getting poured on!

Remember to comment on posts if you have any questions or if there's anything you want to know about my trip, OR if you just want to hear more about something (i.e. what it's like living at the Nido, how do I feel about the tube, etc.)! I know I write a lot, but I want to write about stuff that you want to know about too!

Also, if you want to check out the Brit version of the Jersey Shore, a fellow intern shared this link:
http://www.robintabari.com/watch-tv-shows-online/watch-tv-shows-online/geordie-shore-tv-shows/
I haven't watched it yet... I wonder if they fist pump too?

Internship: Day 1

Let me first start by saying that yes, I did get lost my first day, but I was over an hour and a half early, so technically I didn't really "get lost..." I just used that time for exploring.

I left the Nido super early -- around 8AM -- and I know some of you hard-working business people are reading this thinking "8AM is not early at all!" but when you don't technically have to be into work until 9:30AM and your commute is around 30 minutes away, then yes, that is a super early departure time. It took me next to no time to arrive at Covent Garden and get off of the tube. The tube was packed, and one of the other interns had described this experience as being "packed like sardines," and I can confirm that exact sentiment. It was very crowded indeed, but luckily, I only have to travel three stops which takes about 15 minutes, granted there's no delays.

Once I arrived in Covent Garden, I made my way in search of 85 Strand, where Cedar Communications is located. Of course, I got lost. I walked up and down the street, trying to look at the places I had previously seen when I had Google Searched the location last night and used that little handy yellow man to take a look around the area. I didn't see any of the landmarks I had written down for myself to look out for, and even though I had directions, I was terribly confused. Nevertheless, I decided that maybe if I crossed the street, I'd have better luck, and wouldn't you know it? Suddenly, I was recognizing restaurants and bars that Google had said I would see, and within a few minutes, I was in front of the building. Way way too early.

I knew I couldn't show up an hour early so I walked further up the street to see if there were potential places to go for lunch, or even to grab a quick breakfast. If only I was a coffee person, I probably would have sat in a Caffe Nero and livened up a bit, but instead, I found myself in front of a Topshop and feeling as if I had just been caffeinated. I went inside and figured I could do some browsing before work to lift my spirits and make me feel less nervous -- after all, shopping can be cathartic right?

Cathartic, indeed. I bought myself a cute little dress for £15 and thought of it as a little "You did it!" gift to myself. Of course, "I did it" meaning I found my internship -- not that I actually made it through my first day.

Once I deemed it acceptable to arrive at my internship (still so early), I made my way upstairs and was led into a very modern looking office. There was a red, white and black color scheme that decorated the walls and furniture, and even the ping pong table I spotted later. I sat down at my computer and waited for my boss to arrive -- the editor of Up to Speed magazine, a magazine that serves all British Airways employees. It is a really small magazine, so I will definitely get to see all of the processes involved in making a magazine and actually get to be a significant part of it. I have already been assigned different features and articles to start preparing, so I am both excited for the great opportunity, but nervous because I really want to make a good impression.

My coworkers seem really nice and I'm enjoying listening to the accents all day. I was taught that the British word "biscuit" does not stand for the American flaky, bread-like substance onto which you pour either gravy or butter, but instead, serves as a word for cookies. I guess that makes me a biscuit lover then?

I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the week holds and what other sort of projects I will be assigned as the summer progresses. I will try my best to keep you updated!

More pictures...

Me & my roommate Jessie

Originally, I asked where that big ferris wheel was and then I was corrected and told that it is called the "London Eye."

That big clock thing...

Big Ben, of course... I am in London

Westminster Abbey & red double-decker buses, could my picture get any more quintessentially British?

Your blogger extraordinaire

Buckingham Palace. I went to visit the Queen, but she was busy so she had to take a raincheck.

Pictures of London

I'm going to break up this post from the next one so this will solely be a pictures post! My next post will just be about my internship, but I have no pictures yet, unfortunately. I will try to get a few pictures of Covent Garden (an area close to where my internship is located) because it is really pretty in that area.

On a more relevant note, I do want to add that seeing some of the more tourist-y attractions in London finally made me feel like I was actually in London. Yes, the British accents also suggested that I wasn't in "Kansas" anymore, but I didn't see anything that was really that much of a departure of the buildings and streets that I see at home to make me feel as though I was really in a foreign country. I think that the same language thing kind of threw me off. So anyway, here are some more pictures from my tour of London!

The Lexington -- the bar where we went out as a group one night.

We live at 200 Pentonville Road.

St. Paul's Cathedral I believe...

Our sassy tour guide

Okay so Blogger only lets me include 16 pictures per post...I will post more pictures on a second one!

Navigating via the Tube, and London Sights!

Okay, so I feel like these past few days have been a complete blur and as each one passes, I am finding it harder to remember which events happened on which day. To maintain my own sanity, and to organize this post (mostly for my own sake, but I guess for yours too!), I am going to divide it by day. Much easier, right?

Monday:
With our Global Training Session starting at 1PM and a night of "chasing" under my belt, I woke up promptly at 11:30AM (probably closer to 12PM if I am willing to shamelessly admit it...oops) to shower and get ready for a little bit of learning. My roommate and I somehow made it to the session, though very sleepily, and after a few hours of introduction to a new culture and what to expect in London, we were set free -- at least for a little while. With the brief time I had to spare, I set off in search of the ever-elusive pillows, hangers, and bathmat necessities! I was accompanied by my fellow interns, also looking for the same thing, and despite our best efforts, we were just too disorganized to make it somewhere and didn't have enough time to make it there and back. Instead, I went back to my room, freshened up and got ready to go to Pizza Express with all of the interns.

Pizza Express was alright -- I mean, the food was good and the company was good, but if it was service you were after, well, then you must be unfamiliar with London. Service in London, especially restaurant service, is nothing like you'd be used to in the States. For one thing, tipping is not even a necessity, and when you do, 10% is the norm (20% would be outrageous). Servers don't rely on tips here the way they do back at home. Despite having to wait 2 hours in between each time we saw our server (just kidding, more like 1.5 hours...again, kidding, our servers were really nice and helpful with our big group), I had a great time. I was sitting towards the end of the table so I was with three other interns. We laughed and joked about how the flowers in the middle of our table made it seem like we were on dates. Of course, that prompted me to go through the typical first-date questions you should expect and asked my faux-date to do the same for me: what are your interests? hobbies? who is your health insurance provider? what is your blood type? You know, completely normal questions.

All we really did was laugh and indulge in a few drinks and eat plenty of food. A day of sleeping until 12 and Global Training really does a lot to stimulate your apetite. Immediately following dinner, the group did what we always do as a group -- search for a bar! However, we decided to split up into two groups since some people wanted to venture back to Soho and then the rest of us thought that maybe we'd stay close by. Those of us who remained close went to the Big Chill and sat in a lounge that was located in a loft upstairs. It was great because we were all able to sit together and alone, so that only made the laughs continue. We managed to get to bed much earlier, but still late, and I was still tired.

With everything we have been doing the past few days, I really wonder whether or not I will ever get a good night's sleep. I'm sure that a few days of working will exhaust me even more, especially with having to navigate on the tube -- during rush hour!

Tuesday:
Get ready for this -- it's picture time! I actually went a bit on picture taking overload today, but I will explain more about that in a few seconds.

Global Skills Training continued today but at 10AM, so I did not have the luxury of sleeping in. Instead, as a zombie, I made it downstairs, and learned about the "elevator pitch" and how to be a successful intern this summer. That ended around 11:45-12:00PM and I used that opportunity to do a little test-run of my commute to Cedar Communications. With a friend who graciously offered to accompany me, I went from Kings Cross station to Covent Garden to find the office located at 85 Strand.

Covent Garden is absolutely adorable and so cool. It has a ton of shops, pubs and restaurants, and definitely looks like a place I'll have to explore before and after the work day. Unfortunately, on my little journey, I was unable to make it right to the office because the street was closed down due to a fire. Just my luck. I spent a bit of tonight preparing for my commute tomorrow with the help of Google maps and my A to Z London map which has been said to be a staple of any person navigating around London. To be honest, the few times I have been on the tube so far, it really hasn't been as difficult as I had thought. It is fairly straightforward and the tube maps are easy to understand. Hopefully, this newfound familiarity with the tube will help me feel more confident on my commute tomorrow!

Disheartened by the fire (and hoping that my office didn't burn down), my friend and I made it back to the Nido to get ready for our tour of London! All of the interns and I got to go on a tour of London while riding at the top of a double-decker bus. We were very lucky because the weather today was outstanding -- sunny and warm, perfect for shorts and t-shirts. Embracing the sun and the sights, I got to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Bridge, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey and many more other landmarks.

Two of my fellow interns! Eliza & Will

Fellow intern Matt & I looking quite chipper on the top of the double-decker bus!

More interns!

I actually forget what this building is...I may need to get back to you on this one. It was a bit difficult to hear the tour guide, and I admit, I was a bit distracted by everything around me and trying to take pictures...

If I remember correctly, this is St. Paul's Cathedral (I'm not 100% positive on that one...) and I think Princess Diana was married here. Or I may have misheard the tour guide and this was just another  building. Either way, bad job on my part.

Me with interns Parker & Trent

London Tower Bridge

Me & the bridge, of course. Taking pictures with inanimate objects, in this case an important monument/landmark, is a must when travelling abroad.

Red double decker buses... and a glimpse of my finger.

 I actually really need to go to bed, so I will post more pictures tomorrow of all of the hot spots I know you wanted to see in this post. But tomorrow, I will include more pictures and be able to share with you how my first day of the internship went! :)