Planes and plans

After a full day of phone calls and currency exchanges, I'm feeling one step closer to London. A quick scare last week that came in the form of subject line: "Flight Cancelled" and a phone call later led to confirmation of my booked flight to London. It's exciting, and a bit nerve-wracking, to think that in a week from tomorrow I'll be boarding a Heathrow-bound plane.

Now that I've officially exchanged dollars for pounds, I'm looking forward to my upcoming European adventures. I've scoured my travel books for some of the most beautiful and most fun places to visit in Europe. Because I'm bound to forget, here are the places I'd love to visit in my months across the pond.

• United Kingdom

1. Oxford

2. Cambridge

3. Bath

4. English countryside

5. Edinburgh

6. Dublin

7. Ireland's West Coast

Gloucester, England

• Spain, Portugal, Morocco

1. Seville

2. Granada

3. Lisbon

4. Marrakesh

• France and Switzerland

1. Paris

2. Normandy

3. Bordeaux

4. Geneva

Normandy, France

• Germany and Austria

1. Berlin

2. Vienna

• Italy

1. Venice

2. Tuscany

3. Florence

4. Amalfi Coast

• Central and Eastern Europe

1. Budapest

2. Warsaw

3. Iceland

4. Brussels

5. Luxembourg

6. Prague

Prague, Czech Republic

• Greece

1. Athens

2. Kefallonia

3. Koufansia

4. Crete

Koufonsia Islands, Greece

Look out, London!

Excited. Enamored. These are two of the first words that come to mind when I think about the opportunity I have to live in London next semester to study and work in Parliament. I'm also so thankful to have such a supportive group of family and close friends. I know it'll be so difficult to move a continent away from the people I love most, but their encouragement and support will no doubt follow me across the pond.

Last week I found out that I've been accepted by an MP's office, who'll remain nameless for the time being. From my understanding, MPs offices in Westminster are very small, typically with only one or two staff members, so I'll hopefully be extra involved with the every day workings of his office. I'll also be working in Parliament during the election season and with my previous campaign experience in Tennessee, my MP's office asked that I travel to his district some next semester to help campaign as well. I can't wait to see how the political system works both in Parliament and in campaigns in England!

As I have now officially accepted the offer to study abroad and am about to begin my visa application, the opportunity is beginning to feel incredibly real. This week I visited an English pub with one of my friends who participated in the program last semester. Hearing his experiences makes me want to hop on a Heathrow-bound plane ASAP. 

I was also introduced to my first Pimm's and lemonade which, by the way, is incredible. 

Cheers to London and the amazing adventures that await!

Lovingly,

Loren