The Best Weekend So Far!

This last weekend in London has thus far been my favorite. Having a set plan really helps you when you're in a city with so much to do.  The weekend began Thursday night when a few of us went to the Hard Rock Cafe, which originated in London, and watched the Italy v. Portugal football game.  

Friday night, I met up with my friend Emily and toppled over tourists as we sprinted to Leicester Square to make it to a musical by 7:30. Flushed, we slammed into the ticket office at 7:30 exactly, and to our dismay we missed all the shows. Luckily, they ended up adding an extra showing that night.
Chicago stole my attention and had me laughing, smiling, and in awe. Perplexed about how the dancers could exhaust so much energy but still sing beautifully, I gawked at the show in amazement. Ironically, I had to travel to a different continent to see a show about a city in the USA.  It was completely worth the trip. Theater tickets can be a bit on the pricey side, but I am determined to make it to Wicked or The Lion King.

After the musical, we hopped on the tube back to Kings Cross and went to bed early because with the morning came our first excursion. The 7:30 wake-up call was a bit rough, but it was nothing a coffee couldn't fix. The entire Intrax group took a Mercedes coach to Stonehenge and Bath. Our tour guide was a mix of a paranoid, elementary school teacher and an encyclopedia, but he did end up teaching us a lot along the way. For instance, he made sure we'd remember, by telling us 203948 times, Avon means "Old River." I now have a plethora of useless information about Stonehenge and Bath in my brain.

The most memorable and impacting part of Stonehenge for me was not the rocks, but the fields of grass as green as a painting and the air that smelt so fresh compared to the city air that I was used to. I kept saying, "I'm so happy right now, I'm so happy." To be in the countryside, or what the tour guide said was 'real Europe' was so pleasant and a much-needed break from the fast pace of the city.

After an hour of taking in the crisp afternoon air and awkwardly walking around the stone monument, we were back on the bus and heading to Bath. To say my expectations were exceeded is an extreme understatement. From the limestone walls to the adorable bridges, Bath's picturesque atmosphere delighted my eyes. There is an actual huge green bath at the center of the city, which people used to believe had magical healing powers. To me, it was a massive, green pond, but hey, maybe I'm not the most cultured individual. Sitting right next to a beautiful river with flowers all around us, and the most soothing music playing, I felt like an actor in a movie. The entire atmosphere was too good to actually be something one would live in their normal life. If I had the choice, I'd stay in Bath forever.

My job is going really great and I love working in the office. It's nice that the host companies know you're just an intern and that this may be your first work experience in an office. Just answering the phones, doing small tasks, and reading the material they give you can teach you so much about your field. Without overwhelming you, the companies give you work that you will be able to accomplish but will help you grow. There is word that I will be going to a movie set this week, so I have my fingers crossed. The world of Public Relations is so interesting, and I am seeing that I could see myself in this field forever. Daily, I am impressed with the quality of work my co-workers hand me. They really know what they are doing!

Differences between interning abroad and studying abroad are far vaster than you would imagine. If experiencing a culture is your driving factor for traveling outside of America, I would recommend interning abroad so much more than studying, because you are forced to assimilate into a different lifestyle. What I have noticed through my friends here that are studying is that they spend almost all their time around Americans. Their classes are taught by American professors, and their classmates are American. It's basically taking your school and changing the outside environment. When you intern abroad, you are alone in a sea of culture, and it is vital that you learn or you will sink, not swim. If it weren't for my internship, I feel like I would have come to London and stuck with all the things that we're comfortable like Subway and McDonalds. Now, I eat rocket and king prawn like it's second nature. Go Google what they are if you're curious.