Home on the Range

I have been told that my posts are missed. If you really want to hear about my day-to-day happenings in Bowling Green, Ohio and the surrounding area, I guess I can fulfill your wishes. The other option is you donate so I can go back to England ASAP!

I do realize that I didn't tell you about the final night and my homecoming experience.

The night before my return, I went to the 2nd to last rehearsal of St. Bart's Choir before their concert (which was yesterday). It happened to be Ivor's birthday. There also happened to be a horrific gas leak somewhere in the area outside of the church (which is right on Covent Garden). Instead of evacuating us, the authorities locked us inside. No matter, my post-rehearsal plans of meeting the Exmouth Market gang at the choir's pub-of-choice was not disrupted. In fact, I'd say it was quite a success, although I have to admit that I cried the entire tube ride back to Gloucester Square. I know I've apologized a ton already, but: I'm sorry I was such a wreck, Jonathan!!!

I was luckily given a very sweet German Methodist minister as a seat neighbor for the cross-Atlantic flight. We chatted a bit on the plane (in English- he had to brush up for a conference in Tennessee). When we got to O'Hare, he helped me with my overhead bag. This is no small feat- it was stuffed of all of the programs from the summer concerts (i.e. VERY heavy).

At Immigration, the officer asked me how long I was out of the US. Slightly shocked at such a large number of days, he asked me if I was studying. I informed him that it wasn't- I was observing the LSO thanks to the help of some friends in the orchestra. "For 3 months (uh-oh)?" "I'm studying to be a conductor." "Well, that sounds like the best kind of lesson." FINALLY- someone who understands!

Holger (German friend) and I met again up at baggage claim. My bags were in the very last load off of the plane, but he patiently waited with me the entire time. Next was customs. All the officer did was take our filled-out cards. He didn't even look at them! As both of our connecting flights didn't leave until 4, we passed the time in one of the airport restaurants. Not that there was a load of time- it took us over 2 hours to go through immigration, baggage, customs, re-check baggage, and re-go-through security.

A bit after 3, I walked to the area Jordan where and I had decided to wait for each other. In case I failed to mention this earlier, Jordan and I both arrived in London the same day in May. We met on our first night at the hostel. We happened to be chatting online- when both of us were in Germany- when we discovered that we would both be flying home the same day with a layover at the same time in the same airport!!! Crazy, no? Jordan's final destination was home on the West Coast. I was afraid he wouldn't get there in time, but he had better luck in security/immigration/etc. We talked for about 20 minutes before I had to board the puddle-jumper to Toledo.

I move the rest of my things- and myself- to the apartment in BG Saturday morning. I still need to make a couple of phone calls, one of which will determine whether or not we get internet...I should get on that...

Part of the Exmouth Gang: Matty and Adam

Hostel Buddy, Jordan

And Now, the End is Near....

I said I was going to write a new post yesterday. Sorry I've been slacking these last few weeks. It is with deepest sadness that I announce that this will be the last post of this life-changing trip. My plane leaves Heathrow at 10:25 AM tomorrow morning from Heathrow. I have yet to fit all of my things into my luggage. I wish I'd have listened to everyone before I left and put a smaller suitcase inside of the bigger one. I insisted that I'd have enough room. I now find myself going home with my friend's fold-up suitcase so as to avoid overweight luggage.

I was going to go out and do some last-minute touristy things, but have decided against it. It would have been a visit to Westminster Abbey to do the audio tour just because it's said by Jeremy Irons. Instead, I'm staying in and packing, playing piano, and practicing trumpet. Yesterday was the first time I played piano in a VERY long time...well, more than my short attempt at Michel and Monir's. That doesn't count. Yesterday, I sat down with music I've played before and struggled more than I ever have to get through simple pieces. I'll be playing my trumpet at some point later today, too.

Germany was wonderful- except for the sunburn part. I find it interesting that I got a worse burn in Germany than I did in Spain. The Spanish sunburn was gone by the next morning. The German one's still sticking around. As for the flight- if you ever fly on one of the cheap European airlines, choose in this order: 1) Easyjet 2) Aer Lingus Lastresort) Ryanair. The flight to Munich was one of the smoothest I've yet had. On the way back, the pilot informed us where we were when we were flying over something exciting thanks to the incredibly clear night. He pointed out our flying over the Dutch coast and when we got to the southern coast of Britain. Pretty neat. Sadly, the pictures out the window didn't turn out too well. I wish I'd not have slept the entire ride there, as it was during the day.

The border agent back at Stanstead (i.e. London) gave me probably the 2nd worst time I've had entering the country. I had forgotten to bring my itinerary back to the US with me. Here is a paraphrase of our retarded conversation:

"You've been here enough times you know you need to have it with you. Why were you here for almost 4 months?"

"Um...it was less than 3....I was here to observe the London Symphony Orchestra."

"And you really needed 3 months to do that?"

"Um....yes....*thinks: Yes. If you were cultured, you'd understand.*"

"What address is this?"

"The flat at which I've been staying."

"Whose address is it, then?"

"Well, I guess it's my flatmate's..."

"Why did you need a flat if you were only here 3 months?"

*thinks: Where the hell am I supposed to stay for 3 months? Do YOU want to pay 3 months of hotel fees?* "Um...yes...."

She then asked about my money situation, quizzed me on when my flight leaves Tuesday, interrogated me about my being at university, and informed me that she'd be taking note of my not having my itinerary. Thank God the guy on my first trip here didn't write down the same, even though it happened then, too.

Oh, and I'm not staying in the *entire* day- I'm going to the 2nd to last rehearsal before St. Bart's Hospital Choir concert next Tuesday. Today's Ivor's birthday, so it's either going to be great or horrible....After, I'm meeting up with the Exmouth Market gang at the choir's pub of choice. It's going to be a sad night of festivities....

This summer has been beyond words. If you've been reading up on all of my adventures, you'll understand how overwhelmingly perfect it's gone, for the most part. There are a billion things I couldn't fit into this blog, but I've been keeping a separate and more-detailed journal saved on my computer. Perhaps you can read it in my memoirs at some point down the road...it is about the length of a book.....

See you all on the other side of the pond tomorrow.

Prost!

All of my bookmarked websites have translated themselves into German. This can only mean one thing...well, two...either my computer has some awesome virus, or (more likely) I'm in Germany. The answer is: I'm in Munich! I'm visiting Julia, who was an exchange student my sophomore year of high school.

The 2 Berlioz proms were fantastique. The first night was the Te Deum, a new work, and Beethoven 4. Afterwards, a friend of mine drove me to a Heathrow hotel to visit Dr. Papanikolaou, my Music History 2 professor. She was in London for a whole 20 hours. I'm glad we were able to have a little chat! The second night was Beethoven 3, the overture to Les Francs Juges and Symphonie Funebre et Triumphale. The latter was written for a band, so there were zero strings, 9 bassoons, 14 clarinets, 10 trumpets, 4 cornets, 12 (!) French horns, 8 snareish/field drum things, 3 bass drums, 4 sets of crash cymbals, 8 or so trombones, 2 tubas, and a smattering of whatever else I forgot...oboes...whatever, there were a whole bunch of not strings. I would love band if we played music like that. Sadly, we don't, so I am an orchestra girl. I met Michel and Monir before hand and had a little picnic in Hyde Park.

I woke up at 5 AM yesterday morning, walked to a bus stop, went to Liverpool St. Station, got no the Stanstead Express, had my bag searched at the airport, and eventually boarded the plane which was 40 minutes late. Julia met me at the Munich airport. An S-Bahn took us to Marienplatz. We walked partway back to her place and took another train partway (it's not very far, though- I'm going to walk back down there as soon as I get myself together). I threw my stuff down, then we went for a traditional Bavarian meal. I had Pfannkuchensuppe and Leberkäse, which is kind of like a processed meat thing with a fried egg and potato salad. It was oddly tasty. The menu added another crazy-long word in front of it. Julia made me practice saying it before ordering. I managed! Wonder what I'll eat today.....

Oh, by the way....6 days, and I'm back in Findlay. :/

On the Road, Again

In the last 2 weeks, I've spent about 12 hours on trains. I don't really have much time right now, but thought I should let you know I'm still alive. I'm back in London...until tomorrow morning when I head to Munich to visit Julia. I had a wonderful time in the Lake District...beautiful weather, beautiful sights, and great company! I need to run off and do some packing before meeting Michel and Monir for dinner before the second Berlioz prom.......hope to update from Germany.