Home Safe!

I flew from Hannover to London on Sunday, and spent one last night in East Grinstead at my grandparents'. The flight back to MN on Monday morning was surprisingly quick, and as soon as dad picked me up, we went out for my first steak in two months(!)

I can't wait to get in touch with everyone, as soon as I get rid of the mountain in my room.

Oh, and before I hop in my car to see any of you, I have to take my driver's exam again, as my license expired while I was away...wish me luck!

Last Batch of Pictures...

a view of the river that runs through Sophia's town from a window at the porcelin museum in Fürstenburg

inside the monestary chapel

outside the monestary in the courtyard

a typical house on Sylt--almost all the houses had beautiful (and v. expensive) thatched roofs

our car stuck out a little...

Sophia at the beach the morning we left....not exactly in our beach clothes

breakfast with Sophia's friend Kira one morning

me and one of Sophia's adorable dogs (the other in the left corner)

Sophia sitting outside a small castle near her home...where we later ended up caught in a torrential downpour!

at a monument near her home as well--the view from the top of the monument was amazing--able to see all of the surrounding towns and the river

starting our journey to Sylt...we actually managed to make it without a single wrong turn!

modeling some sailor hats in a gift shop in Sylt...cheesy, I know. But I like it. We had no one to rush us out of the shops.
a street in Sylt

Approaching my last week...

Raise your hand if you've been sorely disappointed in the amount of blogging Alison has accomplished! If you're currently enjoying a nice breeze on your underarm, remember that I cannot wait to catch up with you and fill you in on every tiny, insignificant detail of my trip. Four hours later, you'll be sorry you asked. :)

Anyway!
Sophia and I arrived back from a three-day vacation on Sylt on Thursday. Sylt was a bit chilly, but full of lots to see, even without the beach. To get there, we started on the autobahn, going frightenly fast, and after exiting, proceeded to drive Sophia's little yellow Citröen onto an open air train that took us over the water to the island. Never seen anything like that before! We stayed at her parents' beautiful apartment in Westerland that they rent out to people when they're not using it. We shopped, sat out on our balconey, drove around sight-seeing, met a sea lion, had champagne on the beach, ate yummy seafood (yes, I ate seafood), saw Axel Springer's summer home, and decided to return with men someday. :) Sylt was amazing--relaxing, luxurious, and gave us the illusion that we had way more money than we do! Someday...

Since Sylt, we've been making v. interesting day trips and getting to spend time with Sophia's friends. Sophia's uncle took her, her mother and I on a tour of surrounding towns, visiting a famous porcelin factory in Fürstenburg; Hameln--where the Pied Piper is legended to have lived; monestaries; castles; and met Sophia's father at a beautiful restaurant to end the day. We've also been to Minden shopping, visited Sophia's horse and school, and out to a couple different (enormous) clubs and cocktail bars with her friends. And yes, Europeans really do dance all night in clubs--that's probably why they're thinner over here...But my poor, confused body just didn't know when to get up after staying out till 6am, causing me to sleep in until 3 for the first time in my life. Ugh. :)
Sophia is moving into her first apartment next week, so naturally we had to find an IKEA. Really made me eager to start making money again so I can pay off some debts and stop feeling guilty about spending money! (Although, rest-assured, financial guilt is in no way hindering my vacation...I kindly term my disposition as resistant...much to dad's dismay...) :) (hmmm...I make a lot of smileys....time to grow out of that??) hah.

We've also found it impossible to stay away from our Harry Potter books...I'm currently on page 487 with butterflies in my stomach--who's going to live!?!...spoil it for me and I'll hunt you down...I probably know where you sleep...

Anyway!
Sophia's parents have been nothing short of wonderful in their hospitality and willingness to speak as much English as possible. I'm in love with German food and dining atmosphere and hope to bring some better eating habits back with me! They have a breathtaking garden that Sophia's mom designed herself and an equally stunning home they built around 15 years ago. Their two dogs are very well-tempered and friendly, providing nice excuses for walks in the countryside.

Our last days together will include moving Sophia in on Thursday, Hannover and a tent party on friday and spending time with her brother on Saturday. Sunday I fly back to London, spending the evening with Grandma and Granddad, leaving for the states Monday morn.

Let's see if I can get some pictures up now!
Take care** and thank you for reading this!! It truly means a lot to me, and I can't wait to see all of you and be filled in on every tiny, insignificant detail of your summer!
-Alison

Finally, new pictures!

I managed to get quite a few pictures on here, even though I'll be home in 3 weeks....but oh well. There's actually three pages of them--so don't miss any! The Oxford ones are towards the back--but there are lots of new ones. Enjoy!

BERLIN PICTURES begin...quite a few

discussing our footage with Aljoscha at a smaller table in the conference center

at the Ellington Hotel outside in the courtyard with Sophia

inside the Ellington! best breakfasts I've had in a long time...

on top of the roof at rbb--radio company that broadcasts Radio MultiKulti--station that broadcasts in 18 different languages and has programming for all of them as well.

inside the Sony Center--having cocktails with Sophia on our last night in Berlin--the roof is that purple dome--continuously changing colors

The concert "popeuropa" at a site by the river--you can see a pool IN the river, a sand beach, and to the left is more seating, with the actual concert inside the building behind me

a group of us on the balcony at the concert--Sandra, Jacob, Virginia, me, Lene, Tereza, Zach and Filip

Inside the Berlin Opera house--where we saw a polish orchestra with the most amazing mezzo accompanying...why aren't I doing that, again??? hmmm...

in the old dutch quarters of Potsdam--completely soaked but completely content with the world's best hot chocolate in my stomach

on the bike tour...cheesy, I KNOW, but the only shot of me actually on my bike...not an easy task, thank you Tereza!

At the Stalin memorial in Berlin--if anyone remembers the actual name of this, please let me know!

Tereza, me, and Alexandra, enjoying a cup of coffee on our last day

at our farewell party! Paula from Panama, Alex from Romania, and Tereza from the Czeck Republic

and of course Sophia, mon amie that I'll be spending my last three weeks with

in the European Information Center--where we had our lectures and discussions--the table's actually in a U-shape--seated are Elke, Katerine, Tereza, Viginia, Stefani, and Aljoscha--our film advisor

me, Fabian and Elke, posing with our camera, trying to feign experience and skills we obviously lacked... :)

one last lunch on the lawn--many times we only have an hour or so break for lunch, so we'd pick up sandwiches from the bakery and eat in the sun. sorry the pics are so dark...

BERLIN PICTURES

The entire group in front of Axel Springer--biggest publishing house in Europe. building is much taller than appears, naturally. V. Exciting, as we got to talk with the Arts Producer of Die Welt and tour the newsroom. Quite different from home

inside the Bundestag!! (German parliament) purple really livens up the room, eh?

The documentary group--reviewing our footage and frusterated with the over-abundance of Nat-sound...

OXFORD PICS cont...

my bedroom at Oxford--a view from the door...

and a view of the door--with jess waiting to go shopping

in the morning on the way to lecture...trying to figure out how to cram two nutella croissants into my mouth in the next two minutes...

our last formal dinner--jess, kortni and I in the queens room for pre-dinner drinks

previously the warden's lodge, now Merton's library

The Shakespeare theater where we saw MacBeth--actually flooded the next week

a walk from my place to the quads. is there a single place in oxford not perfectly picturesque? i really don't think so.

the hall where we ate all our meals....yeah...i know.
us having one of our first meals, complete with beaucoup de mushrooms, of course. jess on the right
jess and I in the gardens--one of my favorite pics, taken by world renown photographer Jennifer Novotny.

last niht at oxford--Jess, Kortni and I with some of our favorite drinks--Guiness, Pimms and lemonade and a sexy susan
the Camera of the Bodelian--where I went do research for my paper. you order the books online, then they're retrieved from the stacks underground and delivered to the reading room of your choice. the briggs dims a bit, no? :)

the path to my "dorm building" for lack of a better term. More like apartments, jusit without kitchens and such.
My door is there on the right--and this road leads up to the high street

Tutor Steve Kershaw and his jazzband we went to see one night--one guy from Sweden and the other from Russia. That's Dr. Kershaw playing the bass!

Pictures, finally! in no particular order...

formal dinner in the Hall--Gwyn looking ?? , me trying to explain something (fascinating, I'm sure..) and Sam listening attentively to Dr. Brooks, or contemplating how to approach his dessert...)
discussion with prof. kershaw over a pint in the college bar after our last formal dinner
a shot of the crowds at the Tour de France--taken by steve--with me in the right bottom corner looking thrilled about the wait!
a cyclist, obviously--again, taken by steve
One of the recovered roman mosaic floors of a palace--dug up by accident while installing a water main in Fishbourne. One of our "field trips"!!

So it's taken me ages, but now that I'm at Sophia's house, I finally have time to proprely update this thing.

We'll see how many pics I can get up on here...