Okay, so maybe the title makes me seem crazier than I really am.
Backtrack.
As you may remember, this summer I am set to volunteer at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy in Kolkata, India. I had been super-procrastinating buying my ticket when someone told me I was crazy if I didn't try to make a stop in Europe. I've never been to Europe, so this seemed like an appealing idea. Then I proceeded to procrastinate some more because, you know, busy student and all ... One morning I woke up about an hour before my alarm was set to go off, and decided to take time to look at some flights.
And there it was, a one-way ticket to London for $370. YES!
I have a friend studying in England now on a Marshall Scholarship (a Princeton grad, Class of 2013), and so I contacted her. What I should have probably calmly written was: "Hey, just found a cheap ticket to London for a two week stay. Do you have any time to hang out?"
Instead:
[30/04/2014 09:36:17] Rachel Newman: hi! I found a flight to London in late may that is cheap!!!
[30/04/2014 09:37:05] Friend: yay! keep me posted on details
[30/04/2014 09:37:14] Rachel Newman: ok, I'd need to buy asap, does may 26 work????
[30/04/2014 09:37:48] Rachel Newman: it's a bit of a long stay in London, but maybe I could find a good youth hostel or maybe stay with multiple people (do you have good friends??)
So tact was never my forte. Anyhow, my friend was super gracious and since then I have found lodging for my stay within her community in London, have a place to stay in Cambridge, and am taking a trip to the HARRY POTTER STUDIO (and obviously Oxford, for the real Hogwarts). I get two weeks there and then off to India for my internship.
I should have sporadic internet access and hope to upload updates from my trip. This is such a new and exciting experience and I can't wait to share it with all of you.