peace.love.laughter.

wordpress

2009-04-29T18:23:00.001-07:00

http://peacelovelaughter.wordpress.com/

wordpress, here i come! =)

thing 3

2009-03-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

3) i love my brother. a lot. i (often) act like he annoys the crap out of me but to be honest, i'm just afraid of the day he'll wake up and realize he doesn't actually want me around. he's another one of those people who's really shaped me. he matters a lot more to me than i let on.

thing 2

2009-03-27T08:58:00.001-07:00

2) i love mangoes. scratch that, i love all fruit. i can eat it all day, every day. as a matter of fact, growing up i would go to my grandparents house every saturday evening. knowing i was coming, my grandma would cut up entire cantaloups, honeydew, watermelons, anything in season, and put it all in a the world's largest tupperware so it would be all set to go when i get there. without fail, every saturday evening, i would devour the whole container.

the only reason i've been restricting my fruit consumption these days is because i was told i eat nearly quadruple the recommended fruit serving. the point: i love fruit. a lot.

just dance!!!

2009-03-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

to remember for the future:

1) to JUST DANCE!!! let go, let loose, and crank that music up!!!

2) scripture. TRUE ARE HIS PROMISES. but it helps to know what they are. even if you can't pray, read.

3) cry. cry. and cry again.

4) run. if you can, sprint. then scream. LOUD!!!

5) avoid large groups of people. they make me wanna pull out my hair and i feel like i'm going to suffocate from all the eyes.

6) talk. tell the people who love you unconditionally and understand that you're not understandable at the moment. these aren't necessarily the ones you love most or even the ones who want to be there for you right now. but they are the ones that just allow you to be free. the ones who, in the midst of your 993810948039 simultaneous feelings will just let you just be. they will listen and not attempt to comfort but just listen. they won't be thinking about how they can help you because you can't be helped right now but will just be there, because that's all you need. thank GOD for these people. THANK YOU GOD!!!

7) praise God. praise Him for being faithful. praise Him for His love. remember how faithful He has been. remember His love. KNOW that He knows best and that He made you fearfully and wonderfully. that you are His and He is yours.

1 of 25...

2009-03-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

writing all 25 "who are you" examples is simply too overwhelming for my feeble mind. so one at a time it is... =)

1) my great aunt and uncle raised me. my uncle is a jewish american physician and never loses his temper. my aunt is this beautiful woman who loves to shop and acts not-so-nice but deep down loves her family... just in a way that can't understood sometimes.

my childhood with this family exposed me to opportunities i would have never otherwise experienced like classical music (i didn't know there were other kinds of music until middle school), vacations (annual vacations to south carolina), jewish traditions (i love me my matza!), 18 acres of open space to explore (their estate was - and is - a serious monstrosity), and more...

they're two people who've shaped me greatly and who i'm eternally grateful to... God, please open their eyes to who you are...

how do we determine what we believe???

2009-02-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

i read this on janet jang's old xanga blog as i was sifting through my xanga subsciptions...

"tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you.
tell him that the bench is wet with paint and he'll have to touch it to make sure.

how do we determine what we believe???"

Psalm 68:28

2008-11-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

"Summon your power, O God;
show us your strength, O God, as you have done before."

GRE's in exactly 24 hours... God, it's yours.

random

2008-06-10T18:15:00.001-07:00

so i have several more cities i could blog on (florence, italy/lyon and avignon and nice, france/athens and crete, greece/dublin, ireland) but loading pictures has grown to be a pain (for now)...

i'm contemplating weather to keep up with this blog business now that i don't have cool pictures to post. on one hand i really enjoy reading everyone else's blogs but on the other, the introvert in me tends to avoid such overt declarations of my thoughts...especially on the cyber realm. =)

i'll put some more thought into it and get back to my 3 loyal readers...
h

Venice, Italy

2008-05-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Our hostel room.... so the ONE day our entire trip we had crappy weather (rainy and gray and cold) was the day we arrived in Venice. Because the weather was so miserable we were upgraded from tents to this spacious room WITH HEAT... blissssss =)

Venice was an uber chill city for us. As a matter of fact, we spent a lot of our time meandering the streets (because we were ALWAYS lost!), stopping at EVERY store (even though they sell the same things!), reading on benches, and falling asleep in the sun...

Near all the sightseeing stuff with Joyce...

The Grand Canal from the Ponte Rialto

Venice was very relaxing. The 2.5 days we spent there were probably the most unhurried, chill times I had during my month around. To be completely honest I don't entirely understand all the hype about Venice. It's geared so entirely towards tourists that its impossible to get a feel for what the city and its people are really like... plus, the canal water doesn't smell so hot! =) Whatever the case, I'm really glad I went!!!

Rome, Italy

2008-05-21T02:19:00.000-07:00

THE Colosseum...

@ the Palatine... so Joyce and I didn't know anything about the place other than that its the largest plot of preserved Roman ruins and that Augusto had something to do with it. Being the people that we are, we walked around making up really ridiculous stories about what the ruins meant... I won't go into greater detail but let's just say that the main character's name was Gusto and there was a lot of giggling involved =)

Joyce eating the world's largest donut... well, maybe not, but its bigger than her face!!! =P

Me with gelato... man, I ate A LOT of gelato in Italy. My first day I had two cones this size only a few hours apart from one another and had a really weird sugar high... but do you notice the mini cone? It helps you scoop the massiveness! genius! =)

Inside the Vatican Museum. The Sistine chapel (which you can't take pictures of) is amazing for sure but the rest of the building is pretty darn sweet too! It's all frescoed which that means they'd have to paint everything before the fresco dried which is insanity because you're hanging from the ceiling and you gotta get all the perspectives and stuff right because its the ceiling AND its curved!!!

Last but not least, we saw the POPE!!! We were just walking around Saint Peter's Basilica when we saw this massive crowd and BAM! There was the Pope! Cool and all but it really wasn't that interesting when you don't speak a hint of italian...

So I'm too lazy and my computer too slow for me to put up pictures from all the incredible sights in Rome but my favorites were probably the Vatican Museum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish steps (minus the ridiculous amount of tourists). Joyce and I were also able to meet up with my friend from high school who took us to Rome's best cannoli and coffee shop... yum =). I don't even like coffee but when you're in Italy, coffee really does taste better! So much so that I considered (but decided against) taking it up! =)

I really enjoyed Rome but I'm super glad we weren't there during peak tourist season because even when its not its pretty touristy...

Ciao!
-H

Paris, France

2008-05-19T01:13:00.000-07:00

Dates: April 24-25

In front of the Louvre (home to THE mona lisa)... there is THE MOST amazing elevator inside that I forgot to take a picture of =(

Sorry that its basically the EXACT same pic with a different background but the Arc de Triumph...

Gardens in Paris are incredible. They take beauty and elegance to a whole new level! That's the huge spider sculpture in the middle of the Jardin de Tuillieres... (btw, I'm SURE i'm spelling everything wrong but I'm too lazy to wiki it...)

Joyce, Me, and the Eiffel Tower... the ultimate Paris trademark. This picture has some major self timer action going on =)

Paris is beautiful. All the cliches you hear about it are really true but in the best possible way. Though my stay there was cut short by a day I know I'll return again one day... you could spend a week there and still have not seem all the incredible sights. Plus, I loved the pain au chocolat... yum =)

Gotta make it out to Versaille next time...

Au Revoir,
H

Stockholm, Sweden

2008-05-19T00:58:00.001-07:00

Dates: April 21-22

Joyce and Me next to our hostel that was a BOAT!!! =) and yes, our bags were monstrous and heavy!

Inside our hostel on our beds... not gonna lie, it was pretty sweet! =)

The beautiful view from the patio of the Modern Art Museum/Architect Museum...

Me and Joyce with the cherry blossoms (???) that lined both sides of the street... SOOOOO pretty!

The cute old men playing jumbo chess... I've decided I need to do this sometime! =)

The two of us on the Ballerina boat around Stockholm. It didn't quite take us all the way out to the archipelago but there were still incredible views EVERY where!

Stockholm is AMAZING!!! To be honest, the only reason we went was because there weren't any direct flights from Amsterdam to Paris but it turned out to be incredible! Everything about this city is breathtaking, the buildings, the people, the architecture... Plus, we were apparently there on the nicest day its been all year which is always a good thing. =)

I've always heard the Nordic countries are nice places to live and I totally agree, except that it also means being subject to crazy taxes/prices. One day, when I can afford exploring for over a day, I definitely want to go back...

Amsterdam, Netherlands

2008-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Dates: April 19-21

Me and Joyce in this really beautiful enclave that's been preserved...

THE smallest house in Amsterdam... less than 2 meters across!!!

you can't go to Amsterdam without riding a bike! i LOVED it!!! =)

you know what they say about big feet??? you need even bigger dutch clogs!!! =) joyce is SOOO strong!!!

the BEST french fries in europe. the line went around the corner and this place ONLY sells french fries... granted you can choose from like 20 different sauces.

THE Anne Frank house (its the one with the green doors). Its definitely a worthwhile exhibition and makes the childhood book all the more realistic... highly recommended.

Fact: Amsterdam, when founded, was intended to be THE perfect city. Therefore, rather than creating their city on the typical grid pattern with parallel and perpendicular streets, the designers created the streets to be a series of concentric circles. Unfortunately, this means that you are ALWAYS lost. At least Joyce and I were... we ended up giving up on the map and just starting on the outer most circle and biking inward until we could find what we were looking for!

Amsterdam was great. Contrary to popular belief, the city isn't just made up of pot smoking tourists and the Red Light District. Most of it is actually quite picturesque with its quiet canals and flat brick roads. Plus, its ridiculously convenient to bike anywhere you'd want.

Long Overdue...

2008-04-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

hey ladies and gents

no pics today because its not my computer and my pictures aren't uploaded. only the briefest of brief updates on my life. i've spent the last 10 days or so traveling with the amazing joyce oh to amsterdam, netherlands/ stockholm, sweden / paris, france / rome, italy/ and now, venice, italy. it has been INCREDIBLE. some nights have been insanely cold but we have had the most beautiful weather during the day. blue skies, green grass, sunny sun!!!! our hostels have been great, food wonderful, people hospitable, everything you could ask for. plus its not quite the peak of backpacking season so its not AS crowded as it could be.

i'm about to get kicked off line in 2 min and 38 secs so i have to go. but to all my peoples back home, GOOD LUCK ON FINALS and ENJOY the last moments together before summer!!!

mwah!
h =)

Appletree + Astana, Kazakhstan

2008-04-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

Laura with the Sasha and ??? ... it was a nice day so we got to play outside

Playing our own version of volleyball... me with Vera. I love this girl! Despite not being able to communicate intelligibly with her... =)

In action shot of Michelle running after our train as we left Karaganda for Astana...

Bayterak - the Statue of Liberty equivalent to Kazakhstan... you can see the entire city's amazing architecture from the top

Trying to fit my hand into the President's hand mold... apparently if it fits, a song plays throughout the building. My hand didn't fit... =(

=)

Appletree is the amazing small institution Laura volunteers as that is open to abused children in the suburbs of Karaganda. The kids go for a few hours before or after school and hang out and get a warm meal. Because it was nice they were able to play outside for a few hours but it made me really sad to see little kids running around in a lot filled with pieces of broken glass. I don't know, I'll definitely remember it as one of those 'wow, that's some much need perspective' kind of moments...

Astana is Kazakhstan's capital. It's an incredible city because the capital used to by Almaty (further south) and after moving it, the government has gone to great strides to make it aesthetically pleasing. The architecture is INCREDIBLE wherever you turn. It actually seems slightly out of place given the dry stretches of steppe that surround the outskirts of the city.

Gotta stop procrastinating... =)
- H

Karaganda, Kazakhstan + LAURA!!!! =)

2008-04-14T04:23:00.001-07:00

Inside of a yurt (homes of nomadic Kazakhs) displayed at church...

what's wrong with this picture??? =)

Karaganda Team minus Ethan and Michelle but plus Katie and Sasha

We're half standing a lake thats still frozen...

Some of the girls on the rickety old roller coaster that needs some serious maintenance!

I love love LOVE this picture!!! =)

Thank you LAURA!!!! The two of us on a ferris wheel that had no door...

Karaganda Kazakhstan. Everyone has got to go sometime!!! It's like an entirely differently world. Its the strangest thing to walk on dirt paths, ride in teeny tiny van/bus things that would defy every safety code in America, while also seeing the most high tech cell phones and ALL the women wearing 4-5 inch stiletto pointed boots!! Super bizarre...

Its really crazy to see Laura live and work here. I got to sit in all of her classes (she's a fabulous teacher btw! =), listen to her translate all the Russian I didn't understand (believe me, I understand NO russian), and watch her relationships with both her team members and the Kazakh nationals - and it's all incredible! Really made me think about how the harvest is truly plenty...

Some of my favorite memories: walking around with Asima and Afia, listening to Michelle's class give presentations (favs were how to put a gun together and how to make a greek salad), Karen's pet Rosco, playing with Vera at Appletree, watching the worship team at church, meeting the Simm's family, Laura's reaction to frosting covered waffle cookies =)... I can't fully describe it but I just felt incredibly relaxed and comfortable the entire time I was there. There wasn't any adjusting necessary despite some of the major differences...

Thanks Laura for an AWESOME time!!! =) Miss you already...
26-28

- H

Jersey Boys + English Countryside

2008-04-02T05:32:00.001-07:00

Fire Juggler in Covent Garden... dude, its crazy! =)

Me, Sana, Laura after the Jersey Boys Musical

Sana and Laura... I majorly love these girls!!!

English Countryside...

All the houses and stores are made out of stone. PLUS all the villages we saw were made up of less than 8 streets!

Me and Juliet... it was chilly, rainy, and gray. What a stereotypical English day to visit the countryside... Can you tell we're cold and wet??? Maybe we just look awkward and scary... =)

I went to Covent Garden with some friends to this place Dirty Martini, apparently known for their amazing martinis. Having never tried most of their flavors before, I decided to be exotic and got both a chocolate and lychee one (not together). THEY'RE SOO GOOD!!! They costed an arm and a leg but, I thoroughly enjoyed every sip! =)

So Jersey Boys was AGES ago (like before Greece and Turkey) but I HAD to post it because it was INCREDIBLE!!! The cast was amazing, the music was amazing, and most importantly, my company was AMAZING (Sana and Laura). And the best part was, we got FREE tickets and had INCREDIBLE seats. Its definitely, by far, my favorite musical to date! No wonder it was voted Best Musical two years ago...

The rest of the pictures are from visiting the English countryside. We took a bus out like 2 hours and saw four villages: Stow-on-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotwolds, and Buford. It was crazy! All the streets were cobblestone, all the houses made of stone, there were daffodils EVERYWHERE, and they were all picturesquely quaint. Plus, each of these villages were separated by miles of pastures and sheep. It was awesome getting out of the city for day but I don't know how much I'd like living in the English countryside... though it rained ALL DAY (which is weird bc it hasn't rained much in general), I think it gave me a glimpse of what England is really suppose to be like; rainy and gray.

I'm traveling to Kazakhstan to visit the WONDERFUL Laura tomorrow morning. For the prayers out there, could you please lift up the next two weeks please? That Laura and I would have a wonderful time together and that in the midst of it all that I'd get my work done as well. Unfortunately I have to take my work with me to Kazakhstan to finish... =/

Cheers!
Hannah =)

Istanbul, Turkey

2008-03-29T16:05:00.001-07:00

Outside Hagia Sophia (the FIRST solely Christian church). We're both gross from a 10 hour bus ride. I was STARVING (seriously, I thought my stomach was gonna eat itself) but for some reason Joyce wasn't... maybe she's become accustomed to the greek tradition of no breakfast???

Grand Bazaar - crazy shopping!!! LOADS of fake stuff. Its the kind of place you have to barter at, which I STINK at doing =)

Inside the Patriarchate - apparently where the Pope-like person of Istanbul lives...

Dino with our tea (turkish, orange, apple) at the super sweet outdoor cafe we stumbled upon...everyone plays backgammon in greece and turkey. I sort of learned but I stink... =/

Joyce with the MASSIVE PITA @ Emek Saray (our FIRST Turkish meal) Seriously, isn't that thing ginormous!? It's like as big as she is!!!

I love this picture of Istanbul... =) In front of the University of Istanbul.

What else? We visited the Sultanahmetiblue (Blue) Mosque, ate a TON of Karisak Tost (toast with Turkish salami type stuff and cheese... SOO GOOD!), and went to the Hippodrome where we saw the obelisk of Theodosius, the serpentine column, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm II. We also crossed the Galata Bridge where tons of older guys stand and fish for these itty bitty fish that look pretty unappetizing and we were able to RANDOMLY attend this leather fashion show which was... interesting??? On an entirely separate note, turkish delights are AWESOME and turkish baklava is better than greek baklava (they're less honey-y and more nutty).

All in all the trip to Istanbul was really good =). I wish I'd researched a little more ahead of time but it worked out well. Besides, I think I really needed a break where I could just sit back and soak everything in without feeling pressured to see everything for a change.

Insanely tired...
Hannah =)

Thessaloniki, Greece + JOYCE!!! =)

2008-03-26T14:27:00.001-07:00

So apparently the garbage people went on strike...

Joyce and me by a buncha OLD rocks

B-E-A-UUUTIFUL!!!

Joyce with a gyro (officially pronounced gyeee-ro)

Dino, Me, Joyce, outside the Rotunda (made in the THIRD century)

the monstrosity they call crepes in greece. strawberry, banana, nutella.... yummmm =)

Joyce and I sat on this Old Walls that protected Greece and watched the sunset... ahhh, so romantic! haha =)

What else? Visiting Thessaloníki's patron saint's church (St. Domitrius), the MESMERIZING water (sorry no pic, but pics really don't do it justice), our 10 euro ALL YOU CAN eat greek meal, our homemade kimbap dinner, ble pizza and dessert, trekking all the way up the old walls, admiring the Rotunda, Kamera arch, gyro's from The Best (really, that's what its called!) all the stray dogs, and most importantly, the CRAZY BLUE SKIES!!!!

But I gotta say, none of the stuff above compared to seeing the amazing JOYCE B. OH!!!! =) Thanks Joyce for an AWESOME week!!!!

Missing everyone mucho...
Hannah =)

Tower of London

2008-03-15T11:53:00.001-07:00

On the way, we witnessed a protest against the Scientology center around my school. Notice the V for Vendetta masks?

The Chapel inside the Tower of London... the light shining through made it really pretty, especially since it was a dreary day.

Juliet and Me in one of the prisoner towers... =)

In front of one of the prettiest cannons I've ever seen... not that I've seen that many...

Juliet pointing at the ravens (in the black cage). Legend has it that if there are any less than 6 ravens kept in the Tower of London, the fortress and monarchy will fall. Its actually a royal decree to have 7 ravens at all times.

White Tower (foreground: holds the Royal Armouries collection) and Waterloo Block (background: home to the Crown Jewels)

Sorry there isn't an actual picture of the entire fortress but the thing is simply too big! The fortress is made of up over twenty towers in addition to several mounts, memorials, and other sites. My entire day flew by exploring everything. Its actually a bit creepy to walk around the towers people were held prisoners in and reading their etchings into the walls. Not to mention seeing replications of the torture devices they used on people. Its quite amazing to see this historic place so well preserved and in the midst contemporary London. I think that's actually one of my favorite things about being here, seeing the juxtaposition (haha... SAT word) of history and modern culture everywhere.

School is OVER in less than a week.... crazy.

Extra... GIFT
Remember this???

-H

London Eye

2008-03-12T13:26:00.001-07:00

Pretty...

More pretty...

London Eye Capsules...

Bro, Dad, Me...

I don't even know... =)

Browski and me...

Ok, so I can't lie, the London Eye is definitely worth the hype. On a clear night like last night, you get to see London in all its glory! Only bad part is that it only lasts for half an hour... =( Now I get to say that I've been on the world's second (thanks gerald =P) largest ferris wheel!

Both my dad and brother left today. I have to say, the past week was AH-MA-ZINGGGG to see familiar faces and act completely free. THANKS BROWSKI and DAD!

A little something extra...
Christian Umbrella Remix

-H

Frankfurt, Germany

2008-03-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dates: March 6 to March 9

In the land of BMW police cars...

... and Mercedes taxis (they were the norm, NOT the exception)

Romer... "old" Frankfurt. cool eh??

Bro and Me in front of the Alte Oper

THE BEST street performers I've EVER heard....

Me and Dad at Seoul Korean Restaurant. Yes, we traveled to Germany and got Korean food =)

Frankfurt flea market... I realize, I love markets. Notice the weird trees? They were EVERYWHERE...

Sausages and meat on the brilliant grill contraption! It was DELISH!! =)

Bro, Dad, Me, Invisible Mom (Umma, that space is for you!) at the Palmengarten

Frankfurt was great. I don't think we needed 3 full days there (2 will do) but I loved walking around. The city itself isn't too big so you can get from one side to another relatively quickly. I probably visited like 10+ museums while I was there because they have soo many! My dad and bro weren't so keen on that part but we all loved the Palmengarten, walking around Zeil Street (shopping district), and taking the boat along the River Main. Oh! And all of us were AMAZED by how many nice cars there were! Maseratis, Porsches, Aston Martins... not to mention the ROWS of Mercedes taxis lining the streets.

Words to remember: infatuated and preparation

Missing you all...
- H

Randy Pausch

2008-03-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

Be humbled by this man....
Take 11 mins to put life into some major perspective.

Randy Pausch

Picnic at Regents Park + Madame Tussauds + Tate Modern + St. Pauls Cathedral

2008-03-05T01:49:00.001-08:00

Regents Park: isn't that INCREDIBLE???

Browski with his Greggs wrap... WE HEART GREGGS!!!! (best bakery I've found)

Madame Tussauds: Bro and Nicole Kidman

MT: My interview with Oprah... =)

MT: Muhammad Ali and Bro... he's so mature =P

Me and Van Gogh... Audrey, this was for you but while I was uploading I realized you liked Monet, not Van Gogh. But its the thought that counts, right??? =)

Brother with the London Paper on the Millennium Bridge in front of the Tate Modern

Bro and Me... St. Pauls Cathedral in the background.

Yesterday was insane! My brother and I were literally out for 12+ hours!!! Plus my lectures in the morning. But it was well worth it... =)

I totally thought Madame Tussauds was gonna be overrated lame-ness but it actually ended up being super fun! (Note to future self: don't get so caught up in the pictures that you forget to actually appreciate how AMAZING the wax models are!) Hope you enjoy a few of the HUNDREDS of pictures we took.... =)

After walking through East London for the day we ended up WAY North for dinner at Andy and Sie-Yan's (the young adult couple that lead 20/20). It was sooo nice to eat a home cooked delicious-ness, not to mention the great company.

My dad comes in t-minus 6 hours...

Until next time,
Hannah =)

Markets... and HTB

2008-03-02T17:51:00.001-08:00

Brick Lane Market... this is just fruit, but they sell THE MOST random combination of stuff

taking a break near Spitalfields...

New Spitalfield Market food stalls... yummmmmm =)

Brother at Old Spitalfield Market...

Pizza Express for lunch...

Holy Trinity Brompton church... prettttttyyyyy =)

Out all day: Brick Lane Market, Old Spitalfield Market, New Spitalfield Market, Pizza Express, Harrods, shopping on Brompton Road, HTB, home... midnight McDonalds run =)

Showing my brother around really makes realize how much I've settled in here. It's nice to know the area well enough to show him around! But it also makes me realize how little time I have left here... so much left to do!

Tired... =)
-H

BROTHER + Greenwich

2008-03-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

BROTHER IN LONDON!!! seconds after meeting him.
I gotta admit, I was soooo happy to seen him!!! =)

FOOD!!! Thanks Umma!!! Mothers are THE best!!! The WHOLE suitcase was FOOD!!!

City Cruise down the Thames River...

Browski and Me in front of Tower Bridge

Brother and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Navel College (Greenwich)... breathtaking...

Chapel at the Old Royal Naval College (Greenwich)... stunning...

Browski and Me at the Naval College
I promise we're not matching on purpose! =)

So I actually thought my brother was coming yesterday (friday) but turns out he left friday and arrived saturday... oops! =) Regardless, it was awesome seeing him! He got in pretty early so we dropped off his stuff and made our way towards the Thames, got on a tour boat, and spent the day in Greenwich. Devoured traditional fish n' chips (delish!) for lunch, toured the market, and went around the town (National Maritime Museum, The Queen's House (idk why they call it that bc she doesn't live there... =/), and the Old Royal Naval College). Great day AND I got to do stuff I havn't done yet!

Cheers!
- H

Brick Lane

2008-02-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

BRICK LANE!!! =)

Britain's infamous brick lane beigel (aka bagel) shop!

our pound fifty bagel and salmon... yummm AND cheap =)

Emma in front of Rough Trade East record shop... only 2 in the world. Also a recording studio....

Finally, the view from my bed this morning.... =)

MY BROTHER'S COMING TOMORROW!!! PYSCHED!!!!! =D

Changing of the Guards + Delish Dinner

2008-02-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

The amazingly beautiful tree I walk under to get to my room every day... ignore the random hanging piece of toilet paper =)

Changing of the Guards: band

Changing of the Guard: guards...

Seriously dude, is that massive gun necessary???

Dinner at Joy's: beef curry, cashew chicken, string beans and corn.... all homemade!!! =)

This weekend:
Friday: This girl I randomly met at a pancake thing invited me to OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship) so I went there. It was kinda like Koinonia because most everyone was Asian but clearly not as cool! =) I had like a gagillion cookies here...
Saturday: Changing of the Guard in the morning, Spitalfield Market in the afternoon. Except that the market was closed so... I ate a nice lunch and had the most amazing chocolate at this place called Montezuma (supposedly Britain's Best chocolate). At night I went to Joy's apartment (a girl from LSE I semi-randomly met) for home cooked food. SOO GOOD!!!! It was really nice to get in some quality girl time =)
Sunday: Church, lunch, tea, nap, AMAZING thai food and pubbing with friends visiting from Scotland.

Sorry I wrote out all my activities but it was kind of to remind me what I've been doing and enlighten all you curious peoples =). I'm starving right now but I have no food.... =(

Miss you all!!! Hope KSA night was great!!!!
Me =)

20/20

2008-02-20T16:31:00.001-08:00

Laura, Louie, Me
Laura is my American friend from LSE (London School of Economics)!
I really really like her... =)
Louie is this CRAZY kid who is honestly one of the funniest people here!

Laura, Louie, Me being more like ourselves =)

Random dude, Sie, Josh... I have NO idea... =)

Catching up on reading I havn't done all term plus busting out two major papers ='s all I've done from Wednesday to Tuesday. I've also eaten an OBSCENE amount of pb&j sandwiches because I just never left my room.... but I am now FREEEEE!!! Well, for the next two weeks... =)

So freedom today was AMAZING. I slept in, had tea (ah, I love drinking my tea! =) with a friend for hours (it was great!), then went to the National Gallery where I saw a free concert (it made me REALLY miss my cello and chamber music!), then 20/20 (mid-week service), and then a pub with church peoples (where I saw a mouse! definitely sat indian style the rest of the night =).

I absolutely LOVE the National Gallery. They have INCREDIBLE pieces of art in THE MOST beautiful rooms! But I need to go back because its HUGE and its too overwhelming to deal with all at once...

I'm tired...
G'nite!
Hannah =)

Edinburgh, Scotland (Part 2)

2008-02-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

My favorite structure - the Sir Walter Scott memorial

I got to see Anjali (friend from high school) for some incredible Indian food. Btw, I LOVE NAN!!!

At the top of Arthur's Seat =)

Inside my favorite museum... The National Museum of Scotland

How could you not think its beautiful???

Procrastinating on writing my paper... yet again. =)

What I did: New Scotland tour for 3+ hours, Indian dinner with Anjali, Holyrood Palace, Arthurs Seat, Deacon Brodie pub, National Museum of Scotland, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Scotland, Mosque's Kitchen, Tartan Weaving Museum, Edinburgh Castle, Sandy Bells Pub, Grass Market (where I tried a deep friend cheeseburger...just a tad overwhelming =)

I'd say my favorite place was Sandy Bells (this super cute Scottish/Irish Pub that plays live folk music) but that my favorite thing about Edinburgh were the incredible views! The city is super hilly so on a clear day you can see for miles on end... unfortunately, it's foggy a lot. =) They also have some of the most original museums because the buildings themselves are like art.

The only downer about my trip was not being able to visit the highlands (known for being absolutely gorgeous) because one my friends sprained her ankle on the way from Arthur's Seat. Other than that it was amazing...

Love you guys LOTS!
Hannah =)

Edinburgh, Scotland (Part 1)

2008-02-13T01:27:00.001-08:00

The "Original Hogwarts" - the castle like structure in the background was the inspiration for Hogwarts... it's some elite private school in Scotland that I can't remember the name of...

Greyfriar's Cemetary - rumor has it that there's a tombstone with Voldemort written on it... *dum dum dum*

Where J.K Rowling wrote most of "The Sorcerer's Stone"

Holyrood Palace - where the Queen spends 4 months of the year...

Scottish Parliament - is that not the coolest Parliament building ever???

The monstrosity we had to climb in order to get to Arthur's Seat =)

That's what's at the top - Arthur's Seat!!!

Taking a break on the way down from Arthur's Seat

Edinburgh Castle: B-E-A-UUUTIFUL!!! Inside AND out...

Inside the Great Hall in the Castle

Sandy Bell's: live Scottish/Irish Folk Music

For Uncle Doyle: bangers & mash!!! =)

Dates: Left late Friday Evening - Returned early Wednesday Morning (Feb 8/Feb 13)

Ediburgh is exquisite. Its one of those places that's definitely a city but small enough that you could become familiar with it all. I loved loved loved it!!! Not to mention that it was a major source of inspiration for Harry Potter!!! =)

This post only has Edinburgh's main attractions: Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's Seat, both of which are freakin A-M-A-ZING!!! Too tired to continue... more to come... =)

Pudding Party + Valentine's Ball

2008-02-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

Delicious desserts (aka pudding) with Chapel Girls. I brought cheesecake but didn't realize it had to be defrosted for 2-3 hours, so it is not shown =)

Before the Ball - Ramsey 4th Floor NY

AMAZING view from the Number One Club (that's actually what it's called)

Faith and Me - my token Korean friend =)

Rose with the Chocolate Fountain!!!! See those near empty bowls around it???Compliments of Rose and Me!!!

Resting because our feet kill... =)

Monday: The Westminister Chapel Ladies Night is a lot like Koinonia feminar without the testimony. Awesome food and even more awesome fellowship. =) It was nice because it sort of gave me a chance to get to know some people better. Though I have to admit that it was kinda hard because for some weird reason I don't talk in front of them!

Tuesday: I actually left my camera at ladies night so I don't have pictures of England's National Pancake Day!!! Apparently they have NPD because traditionally for lent you're not suppose to eat any flour, eggs, or milk, so what better way to get rid of all of it than to make pancakes?! I really really really wish I had my camera because I was invited to the Christian Union (club) house party where we made hundreds (literally!) of crepes and had a gazillion toppings and fillings!!! Needless to say, the combination of the desserts the night before and the 30 crepes I ate that day left me feeling kinda ill.... but wow, it was SOOO good!!!! =)

Wednesday: Ramsey (my dorm) Valentine's Ball!!! They rented out the top two floors of THE MOST AMAZING club EVER. The view was INCREDIBLE because it overlooks Leicester Square and the London Eye and I think I spent half my time at the floor to ceiling windows admiring the view! The other half was probably at the amazing chocolate fountain which had creme puffs to dip! =) Nearly everyone on my floor got dressed up and went so it was loads of fun to be with people I like!

Today and Tomorrow: GAHHH!!! I HAVE PAPERS TO WRITE!!!! Crunch time. I need to do some massive quantities of research and writing... boo! This really puts a damper on my 5 month vacation theory =)

Question: Who's pacers??? And, are you guys doing anything for lent???

Mwah!
Hannah =)

A Weekend in Cambridge

2008-02-03T04:52:00.001-08:00

Bronwyn Doss - FUNNIEST little girl EVER!! =) Its soo cute to listen to her speak with her English accent.

Clare Doss - I've never met a 6 year old as eager to meet new people as Clare... Clare's accent is funky because its English with an American twang.

Cambridge Town

Eagle Pub - where Watson and Crick FIRST announced their discovery of DNA. I was gonna take a picture of the plaque but it required me to lean over these people eating their lunch... awkward!

Eagle Pub ceiling - WWII bombers would sign the ceiling with candle wax and stick a 2 pence coin into the fireplace before going out. If they survived (the odds were highly against them) they'd come back to Eagle Pub and take their 2 pence back and buy a drink. If they died, the coin would be bent down and still remains there as a memorial...

Patty, Jim, Clare, in front of a Cambridge University garden

Clare College at Cambridge

Kings College at Cambridge

Punting in Cambridge

Doss Family and Me at Cambridge

I had the awesome opportunity of visiting Cambridge for the weekend and spend time with some family friends. Home cooked food, a day in Cambridge, decent water pressured showers, what more could a girl ask?? =) I also watched the Chronicles of Narnia, which I HIGHLY recommend.

I did have a few WEIRD experienced on the bus there and back though. On the way there, within SECONDS of moving we got into an accident. My driver drove straight into a stationary bus!!! Everyone was fine but the other bus was pretty screwed up. The strange thing was, my driver crashes into this bus then turns around to look at us and just shrugs and says "oops". Bizarre...didn't exactly instill a whole lot of faith in my driver =) On the way back, I leaned my chair back and was sleeping soundly when all of a sudden the woman behind me kicks the back of my seat and angrily says "SIT UP!". I was so shocked I did as I was told but when I looked around EVERYONE was leaned back and sleeping AND the woman had an open seat next to her which she could have sat in instead. I had this urge to turn around and say something or just lean back in spite of her request/command but I suppressed it...

Ok that was my attempt at adding anecdotal stuff to my blog because all I do is post pictures... =)

Koinonians, HOW WAS RETREAT?!?!?

Mwah,
Hannah =)

Portobello Road Market + Abbey Road

2008-02-01T02:36:00.000-08:00

Notting Hill... this area is SOO nice!!! or as the brits say, very POSH! =)

Portobello Road Market - best known for their antique selection

Abbey Road Studios - where the Beatles recorded!

People like to leave their mark...

Yellow Submarine

Failing to replicate the infamous Beatles Abbey Road photo =)
Props for trying though, no???

It's official, if I ever want to live in London and have loads of money, I definitely want to live in Notting Hill. The whole place is just beautiful. The architecture, the markets, the boutiques. Not to mention its central but not too central that you get all the noise and traffic. Too bad the people that live there are like Claudia Schiffer... =) Portobello Road Market (adjacent to Notting Hill) is also beautiful but isn't quite as appealing during the week.

I'm currently ADDICTED to english breakfast tea with milk. try it!!! =)

Living Love

2008-01-29T14:36:00.000-08:00

"Bill Pannell, while he was in Costa Rica, mentioned that Christ never said to anyone, "I love you." And he is right, for he gave such a powerful demonstration of love that it was not difficult for people to realize how much he loved them. It's not talking about love, it's living love."

Are we LIVING love???

Regents Park + London at Night

2008-01-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

Look what I found!!! =)

Stream running through Regents Park

Emma and Me in front of a fountain in RP

Sunset in RP

Big Ben at Night

London Eye at Night

Seriously... too pretty!!!

Gorgeous....

V&A + Rent

2008-01-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

Entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum

Mural thing made completely out of nails - the photo doesn't do the real thing justice

Olu Amoda - Artist of the above work. This is how he explains his decision to use nails... I especially liked the second half.

You can't tell from the picture but inside each of the clear pieces were these white floating bits that look like clouds. It's amazing though, it REALLY made you feel like you were looking at clouds on a clear day....

Annie Cattrell - Artist to the above work (lady in the red)

Random beautiful light fixture in the foyer of the museum.

Super serene and gorgeous pond/garden at the center of the V&A

RENT!!! 525,600 minutes.... =)

Me and Emilie on the way back from Rent...

Random sign preparing for Valentines...

Of the 4 museums I've been to so far, Victoria & Albert has been my favorite. The building itself is simply breathtaking, not to mention its contents. It shows SO MUCH stuff ranging in everything from time, culture, genre, etc. I also really just liked that the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed at V&A than the other museums. Its not as pin-drop silent, people can take pictures, but it still maintains the museum reverie that I love. We'll see if the Tate Modern compares!

I've seen Rent the movie and listened the the soundtrack a bagillion times but WOW, the musical was great! Emilie and I sang bits and pieces the entire tube ride back =).

Best
Hannah =)

VodPop - 999

2008-01-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

Emma as Fire (you can't see her flames) - Fez as Fireman =)

SUPERMAN!!! I forgot to take a picture in a phone booth! =(

And to think, there were THREE floors like this!

Surprise guests - Finalists of the UK equivalent to American Idol

4th Floor NY! =)

VodPop is this university club night they have every month in Central London and is PACKED. We must have waited in the queue (line) foreverrrr. 999 ='s 911 here and was the theme for the event. 95% of the guys were firemen or FBI/CIA, while 95% of the females were scandalous nurses and cops. I wanted to throw my sweater over them the whole time! haha =) Good music, good people, good times!

Ahh... Lecture-less Wednesdays =)

2008-01-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

Chalk Drawing in Trafalgar Square...

I got a pet - Leo the Lion. =) I couldn't get ON it because it was slippery. Next time...

Quote on Westminster Abbey

In front of Westminster Abbey...

Westminster Abbey in all its glory...

A tribute to my KU girls... =)

Me & Heather in front of the London Eye/Aquarium/Thames

THAT is Big Ben... =P

Juliet, Me, and Ben

Harrods - the second building on the right

My first attempt at an artsy fartsy shot

My second attempt at artsy fartsy-ness

Today I got to go Holy Trinity Brompton's Alpha Course, shop at Harrods (more precisely, gawk at the RIDICULOUS price tags!), walk around Trafalgar Square, admire the new photo exhibit (as well as other things) at the National Portrait Gallery, go to the National Gallery, and attend mid-week at Westminster Chapel. In short, I LOVE not having lecture on Wednesday.

My feet hurt. A lot.
Me =)

P.S. You know how I update a lot? It's partly because it only seems fair given how much I want to know what's going on back home too! So PLEASE peoples, update me on your lives!!! =)

My First Real Sabbath in London...

2008-01-22T05:30:00.001-08:00

St. James Park - look how close those ducks get! They eat out of peoples hands! =)

Archway to the entrance of the National Mall (Buckingham Palace is across from it)

Trafalgar Square

For the Wonderful Weng-Tink... just made me think of you! =)

I accidentally skipped the morning service to church because I set my alarm clock wrong because I'm silly and didn't have my mobile set for military time so I woke up at noon. Oh well =). I ended up eating at a little sandwich shop and walking to church (which is a bit far) for the afternoon service to take in some of the sights and do some thinking and such.

Trafalgar Square is really pretty with fountains and statues and the hub-bub of the city all around. The National Gallery is adjacent to it and the square itself has these gigamundous lions that I really wanna sit on! It was the first time I was really alone in exploring the city which was really nice, just to walk slow and soak up everything at my own pace.

I'm beginning to get more and more sleep deprived as things begin to pile up and as I realize how much there is to do here. I want to do it ALL!!! =)

Kisses (That's how a Belgium classmate of mine signed their email)
Hannah =)

BTR + Gelato + Covent Garden

2008-01-19T05:14:00.001-08:00

BTR- Be The Reds.... I thought that was quite funny! =)

yummm..... tiramisu + black current =)

juliet really loves her gelato...

covent garden - cute little assistant girl =)

covent garden - tricks with a ladder...

covent garden - walking the not-so-tight rope and juggling knives

Covent Garden is BEAUTIFUL. It's an outdoor upscale market place with tons of art galleries and specialty shops (e.g: kaleidoscopes, hand painted ties, etc). They also have street performances (as pictured above) and debates and theatre in the center of the market. Its fun because they really try to get the audience involved.

Not pictured. I met up with the Korean society at UCL yesterday and found it really... interesting? Hahaha... no, it was fun. The KSA here has WAY MORE school pride than at Case (Someone randomly yells "UCL FIGHTING!!!" at least once every 15 mins) and most of them are fully bilingual. We watched a movie type thing and then went to this internet cafe/restaurant called BTR (Be the Reds...haha).

I'm on an updating roll! Lets see how long I can keep it up!

Much love <3,
HC

P.S. Contact information...

Mailing Address:
Hannah Cha
Ramsey Hall
20 Maple Street
London
W1T 5HB

Mobile:
Dial... 011-44-750-463-5798

Skype Name:
cha.hannah

Zimbabwean Night Out

2008-01-18T01:01:00.000-08:00

4th Floor New York...

Reading the newspaper on the Tube like a true Brit...

The Zimbabwean Band - AMAZING!!!!

Las chicas + Ben

4th floor New York went out to celebrate someone's birthday at a Zimbabwean themed pub. The website said it was Zimbabwean "trance" music but not so! Or it least it wasn't trance-like. They had this crazy percussion thing going on and even though I couldn't understand the lyrics, it sounded crazy cool! =)

On a entirely separate note, I just found out I know someone who made it to Hollywood on American Idol!!! Isn't that INSANE?!

Kyle on Idol - click to see! =)

Here's a little plug for Kyle. He is GENUINELY THAT sincere and funny. Within 10 mins of meeting him for the first time, he started singing (loudly, I might add) the Oklahoma state song WITH the hand motions! Wishing him the best!!! =)

X's and O's,
Hannah

Camden

2008-01-16T15:54:00.001-08:00

Camden Lock

Juliet and Me in front of the street market

Juliet and Heather

This one is for Rachel Liou... =)
(King's Cross Tube stop)

Camden is essentially this uber cool shopping district that's comprised of a bunch of street vendors and markets. It is also home of the world's best donuts! I would have taken a picture, but I ate them too fast for my camera! =) 4 donuts for 1.5 pounds (now that's CHEAP). I went there with 2 of the American students studying here (Juliet and Heather).

I went to the college/young adult service at Westminster called 20/20 and liked it. Only in London would I find it normal to go to a pub after service. =) I promise, it's not some crazy congregation! Other than that, I've just been running around campus trying to find the gazillion books I need for class. I swear, it's harder to FIND the books than to read them! Grrrr...

Hope it's not getting too cold back home!
Cheers!
Hannah =)

Korean Food + Tourist-y Stuff

2008-01-15T05:39:00.001-08:00

korean food with british floor mates...

elliot & seb - viv & emmanuel

faisal- killing the daeji bulgogi and haemool pajun =)

Tourist-y Things...

changing guards - big ben/parliament

pretty building with mermaids on top - buckingham palace

quote at the british museum - wayyyyyy in front of buckingham (it's back there somewhere!)

Thus far, I have to say that it's been great! After satisfying my Korean craving with my floor mates I really can't ask for anything more! =)

It was a bit difficult in the beginning adapting to the culture and the nuances of living abroad but I'm finally starting to get the hang of it. I found a great church (Westminster Chapel) and am starting to get plugged and am hoping to attend their mid-week services. I've also been really blessed to have awesome British floor mates because they're exceptionally close compared to the rest of the dorm and are really friendly (more pics of them to come).

And while I sometimes forget (I swear, a part of me thinks I'm on a 5 month long vacay!), I AM STILL IN SCHOOL!!!

Monday: Lecture from 10-12 & 3-5
Tuesday: Lecture from 10-11 & 12-1
Wednesday: Nothing... =)
Thursday: Lecture from 9-11
Friday: Nothing... =)

Basically I'm only in class 8 hours a week but they expect a ton of out of classroom work which is bad because I keep thinking I have all this free time when I should be thinking "I have all this reading to do!". Hopefully I'll start managing my time better once I start getting use to this whole system.

Nonetheless, I miss you all like crazy! To my Case folk, hope you guys have an INCREDIBLE first week of class!!!

Best,
Hannah =)

Sweeney Todd + Spamalot + Tea

2008-01-12T05:55:00.000-08:00

Sweeney Todd Premiere:
My first movie premiere in Leicester Square. Look carefully at the picture on the left to see Helena Bonham Carter in the red dress. Picture on right, proof that she wore that dress!!! =) Sorry everyone but I couldn't get a picture of Johnny Depp, but I DID see him!!!

Spamalot:
My first theatre experience in London (which btw is really cheap!). For those that don't know, Spamalot is a parody of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and is HILARIOUS!!! Picture on Left: front of the theatre. Picture on Right: Inside of the theatre from our seats.

Tea:
My first cup of British tea + an almond croissant. Perfect for that drizzly day where its not quite raining enough to go back home but rainy and therefore wet enough to take a warm tea break. And like the typical tourists, my friend and I both have our London maps at hand.

My Room

2008-01-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

I like it. I live in a dorm named Ramsey Hall which is made up of 4 Blocks: London, Paris, Rome, and New York. Of course I'd be in the only NON-European one!

My floor happens to be ALL PINK!!!
The picture really doesn't do the pink-ness justice... =)

AHHHH!!!

2008-01-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm definitely jet lagged which is not a good considering I have my first round of classes tomorrow. I'm sitting here looking at airfare to various places and am FREAKING OUT because it's SOO CHEAP and feeling all these mixed emotions because I just want to purchase the tickets but don't know anyone to go with me!!! (btw, the excitement is NOT helping me fall asleep! =)

So PLEASE pray that I can find a travel buddy SOON... that's all. Yes, I feel the need to post at 3:30 in the morning about travel companions... =)

If only one of you guys were here.... =)

In London...finally!!!

2008-01-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

So I'm finally here! I left Cleveland on New Years and ended up missing my connecting flight in Cincinnati because of bad weather. I ended up spending a night in a hotel in Kentucky, flew to Georgia the next afternoon, then finally ended up on a plane to London.

So far so great! Location wise it's perfect because I'm literally in the CENTER of London.

If you can find it, I'm right around the Goodge and Warren stops. Everything you can imagine when you think of London is within 20 minutes walking distance or a few tube stops from me. As for the university, it definitely has more of a campus feel than Case because it's less dispersed and even though its located in a city there's a distinct "college" feel.

Things I've noticed thus far...
1) Everyone here is insanely fashionable. Seriously! EVERYONE looks good ALL the time. And the men where man bags.
2) For every 5 shops I've passed, there's always at least 1 pub.
3) The Tube (subway system) and National Rail (train system) is eerily quiet. If someone speaks, its at no louder than a whisper.
4) It's always wet outside but I have yet to see it rain... very mysterious.
5) I walk A LOT here and therefore feel the need to eat at least once every 3 hours... =)

Room pictures to come soon... right now it's a colossal mess! =P

Still Home...

2007-12-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family...

This is how I hope to keep in touch with all of you wonderful people for the next five months so please check back regularly!!! For those of you who didn't know, I will be attending the University College London as a study abroad student for the remainder of my junior year. I leave January 1 and return June 6.

Please please please update me with emails and phone calls because I know I'll want to know everything thats going with the people that I love... I really am going to miss you all like crazy!!!

My email address is cha.hannah@gmail and my skype name is cha.hannah (so unoriginal, I know). And I'll make sure to write my phone number and snail mail address when I find out.

Until next time... =)