Author Archives: Katie Pysher

Moments of the Month

Now that it’s the last week (and almost the last day) of my abroad trip, I wanted to recap my top four favorite moments from the past month (one from every week).

Week 1: The London Eye (or the view from it)

The most beautiful view of Big Ben from the London Eye

View of Big Ben/House of Parliament from the London Eye

Although the London Eye itself was not my favorite part about this first week, it did serve as a reality check that I was officially in London. Riding the Eye and seeing all around London was beautiful and disorienting – I didn’t think it would be possible to experience all of the city sights in such a short period of time.

Week Two: Stonehenge Day Trip

Stonehenge

Standing at the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey

This day trip was easily the longest day out of the month – yet entirely worth every tiring second of it. I loved not only learning a lot about Stonehenge, Glastonbury, and Avebury from our guides, but also visiting each place and seeing the famous circles of stones and abbey ruins. It still amazes me that so little is known about places like Stonehenge, even though they are SO ancient and frequently studied. I also included Glastonbury Abbey in particular because the ruins of this church were absolutely ornate and beautiful, even in their crumbling state.

Week Three: Tower of London

The Queen (and the monarchs before her) sure do have great taste in jewelry, though sadly we weren’t allowed to take any pictures of the Crown Jewels. Even so, seeing the Tower Bridge, meeting an authentic Beefeater, and touring the Tower of London was definitely another wonderful full day adventure. In addition to seeing the Crown Jewels (twice), we saw the ravens that legend states that if they were to leave the Tower of London the kingdom and tower would fall. We also were lucky enough to stumble on a type of inspection similar to the Changing the Guard ceremony, although with less pomp and circumstance.

: Me, standing with a guard of the Crown Jewels

Beefeater giving us a tour of the Tower of London

Week Four: Paris

Without a doubt my weekend in Paris has (so far) been my favorite part about this week. Click here to read my last blog post on why I loved Paris so much!

The Eiffel Tower on my last night in Paris

Stay tuned for my final week thoughts and reflections on my London trip in my upcoming blog posts! Cheers, love!

Location: London, England

Bonjour et Au Revoir Paris

With one last weekend left in our London literary program, most of us went out of the country for the weekend. From Vienna, to Amsterdam, to Paris, our group spread out across Europe. I (as well as a few others) decided to spend the most amazing, and tiring weekend in Paris.

The Eiffel Tower up close (notice the beautiful weather)

The Eiffel Tower up close (also with beautiful, warm weather)

The Arrival:

Friday we started our journey by leaving at the awful hour of 4:30 AM to catch our Chunnel ride to Paris. After arriving and figuring out how to read a subway station completely in French, we trekked our luggage around in order to get our first glimpses of the Eiffel Tower, and find food. After exploring for a few hours, we went to the Louvre because of the free admission on Friday evenings! Although I primarily went to see the Mona Lisa, I also enjoyed the recreated Napoleon Apartments, and the various statues in the Louvre. Even after spending three hours in the Louvre I could and would still go back to see it all again.

The Mona Lisa at the Louvre

26,000 Steps Later…

Today was easily the best and most tiring day of our weekend. By the end of the day I walked OVER 26,000 steps…a new record even for walking around London. After waking up early again, Josey and I ~~climbed~~ took the elevator up to the very top of the Eiffel Tower for an unexplainable view (even though it was cloudy in the morning). Then, I headed off on my own to go wait in a three hour line in order to see the catacombs (WORTH IT.) The catacombs were such a unique and historical sight to see in Paris, and I left wanting to know more! Finally, once I was done exploring the catacombs, I met up with a few of the others to walk through the beautiful Notre Dame (although it really doesn’t compare to St. Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster) and then we had a wonderful sit down dinner before our group went over to the Eiffel to see it one last time…

Hallway of the catacombs

Some of the skulls and bones were arranged in patterns

The Eiffel Tower literally sparkling at night

Au Revoir Already!

After a much needed 10 hours of sleep, it was time for us to say our goodbyes to Paris. I really enjoyed all I got to see and experience in Paris and visiting for only one weekend was a perfect amount of time to stay there. Paris is much more NYC city-like than London is and I was already missing “home.”

Food, Food, and More Food

By far my FAVORITE part about Paris was the food. From the first to last meal I enjoyed every bite of it especially the very French chocolate croissants, assortment of macaroons, and the crepe I ate.

My dessert was a sampling of all the desserts at the restaurant on the last night!

As always, thanks for reading and stay posted to hear more about my last week in London! Cheers, love!

Location: Paris, France

Where Art Thou?

I am not an art person.

I will admit that I can appreciate fine music, theatre, dance, and performances of the like, however art has never been my thing. Sure, Picasso, Da Vinci, Monet, and other famous painters can hold their own in the art world – but all I see is a painting. Yet I still couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore a few art galleries while in London (and it just so happened that these galleries were also required for our classes) and I finally found some art that I can fully appreciate.

“My Bed” at the Tate Britain by Tracey Emin

I never expected to view a person’s unmade, messy bed as art, however Emin’s bed does just that at the Tate Britain. According to our guide, Emin was in a deep depression at the time and had just won an award for her previous works. When asked to compile her best work she presented her bed, viewing it as a self-portrait. Though it may be hard to believe that this is art, Emin shows just how limitless art, especially modern art, can be.

Antony Gormley’s “Breaking Bread” at the Tate Britain

Another modern art piece that may not seem like true “art;” I was purely amazed when I first saw this piece. Notice the dark spots on the bread? Real mold. Apparently there’s so much sugar in this bread that it naturally preserves itself (although it is still kept in an airtight glass case). If you look closely, you can see that Gormley ATE the bread to outline the shape of his body.

“Young Woman Powdering Herself” by Georges Seurat at the Courtauld Gallery

Georges Seurat has officially become my favourite painter. One day of looking at his paintings and I was sold. It’s hard to tell in the above picture, but Seurat does his work using a technique called “pointillism” where he creates each part of the painting using one dot of paint. The coolest part is that when you look closely at a specific part of the painting you can see something like five different colors, but when you step back it appears as one complete shade of paint.

Close up of pointillism

The above picture is a closeup of the Seurat painting and the detailed pointillism.

“Vase of Flowers” by Claude Monet at the Courtauld Gallery

This post wouldn’t be complete without one Monet. The flowers in this painting are absolutely beautiful and Monet’s combination of colours to create this piece is phenomenal.

Thanks for reading and continue to look out for more posts about my adventures in London! Cheers, love!

Katie’s Catchphrases and London Culture Explained

There’s no doubt that London, like most places, has a unique dialect and different culture compared to the U.S.A. At first, some cultural quirks seemed a bit intimidating (and embarrassing, as you’ll read below), but even after only living in London for a week and a half, certain phrases and understood rules of London have become ingrained. The following is a top five list of my favorite London sayings and cultural differences.

Note: please read the following list in an English accent (that’s right, our one tour guide was adamant that a British accent does not exist. If a person is English, then they are also British, but just because a person is British it does not make them English, therefore someone can be British but have an English, Scottish, or Welsh accent, but not a British accent).

1. Mind the Gap

A popular and well-known phrase even outside of London, “mind the gap” simply means to be careful (mindful) of the gap between the train and the platform at the tube station. Other variations include: mind your head, or mind your step.

2. You MUST ride on the right side of the escalator

This is where the embarrassing part from the intro comes in. Often the tube stations have very long escalators with very small signs that tell you to stay on the ride side. They aren’t kidding. The first few days I’d get on an escalator as usual – by standing right in the middle to ride the whole way down – much to the frustration of the long line of people behind me that were impatiently waiting to pass. Of course, as a city, Londoners move quickly, so often people actually want to walk down the escalator and get on as quickly as possible.

3. Cheers, it’s no worries

Though “cheers” can also be used in the U.S.A. as a toasting word, London uses it for almost any occasion. Leaving from a store? Cheers! Coming into a restaurant? Cheers! You alright? Waitress delivers your coffee? Cheers! Paying your bill afterwards? Cheers! Just found out princess Charlotte was born? Cheers! The possibilities are endless, and if there’s one phrase I hope to adopt, it’s certainly cheers.

A smaller phrase I’ve noticed and loved is how people respond to “thank you.” Variations I’ve heard so far are “no worries” and “it’s alright.” I rarely hear “you’re welcome” or “my pleasure” (for Chick-Fil-A goers like myself).

4. London is not NYC

Before I started my study abroad trip, part of me was worried about living in a city. I never liked the constant and overwhelming sounds, smells, and lights of NYC for long periods of time, so I didn’t know what to expect of London. London, however, is a city and a small town all in one. We’re currently staying in cute, homey flats with two beautiful squares on either side of us. There’s a lot of locally owned cafes and most things close by 10. The locals are also the nicest people I have ever met. Without asking, if they sense you’re confused about the tube stops or which way to Russell Square, they don’t mind stopping and helping. When my group was on the London Eye, one of the locals explained to us different buildings we could see and the history of them.

On the other hand, there’s a great deal of diversity (and ethnic food), a LOT of traffic, cars that do NOT wait for anyone to finish crossing (they honestly will honk and hit you without remorse), an awesome and accessible transportation system, and a lot of ways to get lost (as I have done a few times already). Though this mixture of small town feel and city life may seem contradictory, London pulls it together perfectly.

5. Rubbish, Loo, to Let, Bloody Brilliant, and Cash Machines

This may seem like a lot of words under one number, however these are pretty small and self-explanatory words/phrases.

They really do call trash “rubbish,” and often public trashcans are marked as “Litter Bin” or “Rubbish.”
Bathrooms do not exist in London, but you can easily find your way to the loo, although they’re often bluntly marked “Toilets.”
I’ve also seen “To Let” on a lot on buildings that are up for rent, and while easy to figure out by context what this phrase means, it was still strange seeing it on realtor signs.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione aren’t the only ones to say that the fish and chips here are “bloody brilliant.” Both words are used frequently together or separately, and you can’t go wrong using either to describe something.
Cash machines are another way that Londoners tend to be very blunt. You’ll never find an ATM in London, but the cash machines are every few blocks at the nearest Sainsbury Local (the most common market, often too small to be called a true grocery store).

Thanks again for reading, and keep following as I learn, explore, and experience more in London over the next few weeks! Cheers, love!

And That Means I Can Do Anything, Right?

In the closing scene of the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, the main character is adamant about his ability to be able to do anything he dreams of. After only a week in London, I feel the same way as Christopher did in the play. Growing up in a suburban town, my choices of, “Oh let’s go explore/learn/discover/see this today” were pretty limited, however London is the complete opposite. Today is my first real day that I’ve decided NOT to do anything, primarily to catch up on school work and reflect on this past week. SO, here is my first week in review!

Day 1: The First Full Day

The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum

Today our class visited the British Museum which happens to only be a block from our flats. The museum was expansive and the exhibits all had a lot to offer, like seeing the Rosetta Stone, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and how money has developed throughout time, to briefly name a few. This is definitely a place I’ll have to return to and explore more throughout the month. We also visited Trafalgar Square (any Doctor Who fans?), went on the London Eye, and got a first glimpse of Big Ben.

Day 2: Wait, We Have Classes Here?

A more low-key day, we had our classes for a few hours in the morning (a reality check that this is not just a very long vacation) and then had free time for the rest of the day. A bunch of us decided to go to the Camden Markets, a massive flea market with endless stalls and food to eat.

Me, eating my crepe at the Camden Markets (picture taken before the crepe leaked and stained my pants)

Day 3: From Students to Spies

At first, our class visited the Tate Britain (an art museum) to learn about modernism in art, as per the theme of one of our classes on this trip. Then, we all stopped at a pub that has an upstairs room decorated like an old style saloon with binoculars to spy on London’s secret service building which was right across the Thames and in perfect view of the pub. Though we didn’t see much, the atmosphere was awesome and we all loved it.

The MI6 building (London’s Secret Intelligence Service building)

Day 4: Insanity and Imagination

As another class trip (this time for our Insanity and Imagination class), we visited the Bethlem Museum to see not only how people with mental illnesses were treated in the past, but also current treatments and approaches. Before our trip, our class learned about the history of Bedlam and the terrible treatment of people with mental illnesses in the past, but also how this “insanity” has been closely related to creativity. The museum also displayed how mental illness and imagination still have a very close relationship, but of course without the same stigmas and in a different manner than in the time of Bedlam. For example, the museum displayed a lot of art that people with mental illnesses have created in order to express themselves and use their imagination as an outlet for their diseases.

Day 5: Piccadilly Circus

Our free time today led us to wandering around Piccadilly Circus and finding Hatchard’s, a beautiful, four-floor book store in which I found (and bought) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (to the excitement of our whole group of HP lovers). We also stopped in Fortnum and Mason, a department store that’s been around since 1707! Then, a few of us bought tickets to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, which was PHENOMENAL. Though I knew it was nominated for a lot of Tony Awards in the States, I had no idea what to expect, yet I left the play ready to turn around and walk back in to see it again. The others from my class who went had very similar reactions as I did, and the best part was we only spent 15 pounds for our seats (about $25). The play, cast, and set was innovative, simple but sophisticated, unique, unexpected, and amazing all around.

Me, outside the theatre for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.

Day 6: Defying Gravity

Today may have been my favorite day of this week. First, we went to see Big Ben/the House of Parliament and then went inside Westminster Abbey. Though I expected a beautiful church, I never expected such a gorgeous church with a rich and interesting history. People like Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, kings/queens, and famous poets were all buried underneath the floor we walked on. My childhood dreams of wanting to become a princess suddenly reemerged as I could only imagine how Kate Middleton felt gliding down the grand aisle at Westminster Abbey on her wedding day. Sadly, they don’t let you take pictures of the inside, so you’ll have to take my word (or visit yourself) to fully grasp the detail and grace of this building. Later in the day, we also went to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Again, tickets were relatively cheap, and entirely worth it because our London cast was just as wicked as the Broadway cast. This was at the top of my list of things to see in London, and it did not disappoint.

Me, in front of Westminster Abbey, dreaming of marrying a prince.

The House of Parliament a.k.a. Big Ben and a typical double decker bus

Day 7: Leeds, and Dover, and Greenwich, oh my!

This day was our busiest by far, as we took a planned bus trip with a bunch of other tourists. We started off by visiting Leeds Castle, a castle primarily owned by queens. The castle was set on a beautiful piece of land (500 acres) that had ponds with black swans imported from Australia. Next, we went to the white cliffs of Dover with a “beach” made up of stones (no sand). The coolest part about this beach was that you can see France from shore and Dover Castle on top of the white cliffs that is used for the military. Next, we travelled to Canterbury (the scene of Canterbury Tales) and visited the historic cathedral. Lastly, we walked through Greenwich Park where I was in two places at once. Well, sort of. Greenwich Park marks the division line between the eastern and western hemispheres, so I was technically standing on two separate parts of the world at one time! We ended our trip with a boat ride where we got quick glimpses of the Millennium Bridge (as seen in Harry Potter), the London Bridge, and the Tower Bridge. After this long day’s journey, and a week of adventures it’s no wonder why most of us are taking a personal day to recuperate before our next week begins!

Me, standing in two places at once in Greenwich.

The Tower Bridge as seen from our boat ride

A glimpse of the beautiful property at Leeds Castle

Once again, thanks for reading, and stay tuned as I continue to ‘do anything’ I dream of and discover in London! Cheers, love!

Location: Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom

From Sandy Toes to City Streets

Though I don’t live in the Outer Banks, after traveling there every summer for the past twenty years I do feel like a local. Surrounded by so much family, a beautiful beach, and town, I found it harder to leave than I anticipated. No, this is technically not my home, however that didn’t make it any easier, instead it made it harder to cut my family vacation short for my London study abroad trip. Yet, who am I to complain? A week with my toes in the sand and then straight off to the London streets to learn, explore, and discover is certainly nothing to complain about.

So, before I have to brush the sand from my feet and lace up my tourist sneakers to travel around London, I decided I wanted to write down a few thoughts on some expectations for London that excite me and also what I have no clue about.

On the top of my list for my cluelessness column are my classes and the food. Every time I ask someone what cultural food London has the answer is always fish and chips. Yes, I assume London does have fish and chips, however I won’t be naive enough to think that London ONLY has one cultural delicacy I’ll experience. I’m not a picky eater by any means, yet I can’t help but be a little bit nervous about whether I’ll like the food or not (aside: this partially stems from the time I first spent two weeks in Germany and subsequently couldn’t eat pork for months afterwards).

My other, the classes, gives me feelings of nervousness and excitement mixed. With a tentative class excursion already in hand, I know that our day-to-day adventures will be well planned, unforgettable, and wonderful. Personally, having a partially structured schedule is a relief so that I can get myself more organized with what I want to do in my free time (hello Harry Potter tours and the London Theatre). On the other hand, the nervousness comes from those well-known first-day-of-school nerves, albeit now escalated in a foreign country. For example the questions: will I like my teachers, how can I fit in papers, homework, and readings, what if I completely flunk my classes, all continually spiral around in my head among the other never-ending what-ifs that follow.

Another smaller yet still significant “how do I prepare for that” I expect to be a bit challenging for me is the culture of London. Not many people, myself included, realize that London does have a vastly different culture than the United States. Although I cannot expand (yet) on just how/why/in what ways London is majorly culturally different from the U.S., I’m going in with an open mind and heart to face, enjoy and experience everything I possibly can while abroad.

Next, I will move on to my expected experiences column. Top of the list for me are the theater shows. As a dear lover of all things Broadway, I cannot wait to see all sorts of shows in London from Shakespeare to Wicked.

Similar to this is the history of literature that I’ll be exploring in my classes. As an English education major, I’ve always wanted to learn about literature beyond reading a simple book or play, and I also plan to teach in a similar manner. By visiting London, I get the amazing opportunity to learn literature first hand and then later incorporate what I’ve learned from London in my classes in the future (this trip crosses this item off of my bucket list). This goes hand in hand with field trips, which I’m by far the most excited for while in London. Our professors have so far set up a TON of awesome, already planned and varied types of day trips to take around London and neighboring areas that also coincide with what we’re learning in class. Again, as an education major, I love seeing how other teachers teach beyond a textbook. The Harry Potter tours/sightseeing also fall under this category. My preteen self has waited long enough to experience the magic of Hogwarts, so look out for later posts focused around this!

Lastly, my fellow travelers. One of the best parts about this trip (so far) is that I’ve been able to communicate with the other students in my class. Though this could sound simple and silly, what a relief it was for me to find out that most of the other kids on the trip love Ed Sheeran (who will be in London when we are) and Harry Potter, and seem like genuinely great people to spend a month abroad with. Since I’ve been abroad a few times before, I know the unexplainable bond you create with a group of people when traveling abroad. Usually traveling abroad allows you/forces you to step out of some type of comfort zone (i.e. trying new foods, being in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar culture, to name just a few). Regardless of how big or small that comfort zone you leave is, you’ll always remember the people by your side, experiencing similar thoughts, feelings, and sights that you are.

To learn more about my experiences and a broader list of unexpected experiences that later occur, continue to follow my blog as I document my study abroad experience! Thanks for reading, and cheers, love!

Location: Outer Banks, North Carolina

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