My birthday and Good-byes

So it's our last day here, and I haven't kept up on the last few days of the trip. I think I've been gearing up and trying to squeeze so many things into the last few days that I just haven't had the time (or energy) to sit down and actually write out everything I've seen of late.

Yesterday was my birthday- the last 20-something birthday I'll ever have, so I celebrated with people from our program. I also ate bread and butter pudding, which is to-die-for. I'm certain I will miss the food here. Every meal I've had has been fantastic. I'll post some pictures here of people in my program. They're blurry (as some of the night ended up being) but you get the idea. It's not easy to get 10 or so people organized for a picture on Blackfriar's Bridge.

This evening (soon) I'll be handing in my access-card to the internet. I'm actually nervous about that. I hate being "disconnected" for too long, as most of you know.

But I'm very sad to leave here. The last two days have brought on absolutely gorgeous weather. I paid my respects at John Milton's grave (pictured above). I finally saw part of the London Wall everyone kept talking about. I walked around the Guildhall library and the Barbican Centre. Those two entries will be much longer and posted at another time.

I'm starting to wonder what life will be like at home. I'm turning over a few "new leaves" so to speak, so I'm anxious to see what my day to day will be when I get back. I recently got our draft work-schedule, which was a nice push back into reality. haha! I'm excited to see everyone and tell everyone the great experiences I've had here...but I'm also wondering when I'll get back here for another visit, and how many times I'll cross the Thames before I leave tomorrow morning.

So I leave here at 6am tomorrow. Flight finally lands in Cleveland around 6pm, and then I have to see if I can remember how to drive. It will be around 11pm in my head/body so I'm hoping I can get back to Columbus in one piece so I can size up the damage of my apartment with a clear head. Hahaha. (I know how jet lag works and it inevitably kicks my butt on the way home.)

Anyways, I'll see you when I get back....and will post info on the Barbican and Guildhall when I get back, too.

xo Cheers!