London Calling

As I sit in my flat overlooking the Spitalfields area in the financial district of London (closest to the Liverpool tube stop), I can't help but think how just two days ago I was back home in Michigan, watching my older sister graduate in the Big House.Since that exciting day, I've traveled across the pond, all across London, and seen many amazing things! 

The flight to London wasn't bad, all thanks to The Hunger Games series. The best part of the flight had to be nighttime over the Nova Scotia area, where I felt surrounded by stars as we flew into the darkness. When we flew into the UK, the bright green ground and sprawling rivers were also a welcoming sight. I did manage to catch a few hours of sleep on the plane, but that didn't keep me for feeling like a living zombie all yesterday after we arrived in London. A friend on the trip and I took the tube and hauled our luggage from Heathrow Airport to Liverpool.

View from my room overlooking Liverpool!

Our housing consists of flats for two, where we each get our own room while sharing a kitchen and bathroom. The best part of the flats, besides the awesome location, is the view from the rooms. The buildings quite tall, and my room overlooks some amazing buildings and unique architecture.

After placing my luggage in the flat, the group met and went on a tour of the Spitalfields area. There are pubs, cafes, restaurants, and shops on every corner. I couldn't ask for a more perfect area to stay in. While this area used to serve as the site of offices and was cleared out after the workday, it's become newly developed and becomes alive at night with the city's youth. 

Greene King Pub in Liverpool

We had a series of orientations after the tour, and then came the moment I had been waiting for: my first search for Fish and Chips. After peeking in to different pubs with Stephanie Clark and others to find a pub that served fish and chips AND had the ManU versus ManCity football match on, we found a great pub across the way from Liverpool Station.

Called the Greene King pub, it was full of locals intensely watching the match — exactly what we were looking for. And, the fish and chips were more than I could ask for. They were served on a wooden platter, with a paper bag full of piping chips and a roasted lemon to squeeze over the battered and fried fish. It was delicious, and it was another moment that made the 35+ hours I had been awake amazing. 

First Fish and Chips

I made it to the half of the football match, then headed back to the flats to get some much needed sleep. After a quick Skype with friends and family, I snuggled into my bed in my flat with the window open to the sounds and cool breezes of London :)