Maidenvee

Hi there, everyone!! It has been almost a week since I last updated the travelblog with our recent sightseeing, so I have a lot to tell you! Perhaps you should go grab a snack or a cup of coffee before reading this entry all the way through. :) Wednesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 23 On these days, we went to Westminster Abbey. It is one of those places you always hear the name of, but aren't ever sure what it is. I mean, an Abbey is a really pretty church, but what is so special about this particular one? Well, we found out on our tour. Basically, here in the UK (and to my understanding, all over Europe) people are buried in or near churches. I guess the idea is that your body should be ... read more

Hello Everyone! We have visited different places each day these past few days, all of which have the letter P in them! Sunday, we visited Kensington Palace and Clink Prison Museum. Monday we went to Platform 9 3/4, and Tuesday we went to the Palace of Westminster and saw the Perfectly timed clock, Big Ben! Sunday: One of the many palaces here in London is Kensington Palace, which is where 7 different princesses have lived. I am not sure what the palace is currently used for except for a tourist attraction, but I got the impression that it was used for something else as well, I just don't remember what it was. Anyway, this used to be a royal residence, and it is located near Hyde Park. There is currently an exhibit there that is about ... read more

International Study at King's College London The long awaited post of Ben's international studies is here at last! (applause) There is so very much to write, so be prepared: I will likely be forced to write additional entries to spaciously honor the important events and knowledge gained here. This post will refer to the beginning and basics of my medical studies in London. Reflections on the British healthcare system will require its own entry at a later date. I arrived at King's College London's Guy Campus approximately fourty-five minutes late of the beginning of my orientation. Oops. There is a fair explanation which involves a very, very, very obvious route between the tube station and the target building that mysteriously resulted in a very, very, very long detour around downtown London. It was only a hundred ... read more

We are writing this entry together, combining our thoughts about London so far. This is sort of a continuation of the last entry. Differences Betweeen the US and UK We hope to not have mislead you in the previous entry that the US and UK are nearly identical. As it was said, all of the core aspects are the same: they eat much like us, their days follow the same schedules, and virtually all major aspects of their behavior match our own. However, now it is time to highlight the minor but fun differences that make them British! There are, of course, the obvious ones that any American would know. They drive on the opposite side of the road, and while this may seem like a fairly easy thing to grow accustomed to, we find it ... read more

Hey there everyone! Great news! We finally found a place to live for the rest of our stay here!! Yay!! It is a studio "flat" (that is what they call an apartment) with 3 areas. The first area is a living room/bedroom with a TV, internet access, a dresser, couch, and fouton. Ben and I are sleeping on the fouton. The TV only has a few channels, including BBC. But at least that way, I can watch the news. :) The next area is a very narrow kitchen. It is so narrow that when I open a drawer, I have to stand to one side of it because it almost hits the wall on the other side! But, it has a toaster, clothes washer, small refridgerator, and oven and "hob" (what they call the stove). so, ... read more