Goodbye

A song to fit the mood:

I was reading through my blog posts from last fall when I was terribly homesick for Bentonville. I remember feeling so lost and yearning for all the comforts of home. The experience of arriving in London alone, having never been, with two big bags on the doorstep in South Kensington was so surreal. It took a few months for it all to sink in. Now that I've been here for over a year, I don't want to go home. 

I miss my family and friends, but London is so full of life and unending places to explore. I don't think I've taken much for granted now as I'm contemplating  all I've done. I knew that this year would be one of the best years of my life, but I'm not sure I was expecting to be so heartbroken at the end. There is nothing better than just walking through the streets and getting lost. Until you live in London it is hard to explain the draw that the city has. This last week I've been saying goodbye to all my favorite places and taking mental pictures so I can think back to it; I think those can sometimes be better than pictures on a camera. I'll never forget the way Embankment looks at night when the water is lit by St Paul's, Parliament, and the Southbank lights, or the way it smells when you walk through Borough Market in the winter.

I feel so blessed for the friends I've made here- you all know who you are- and I know that even though our lives are taking us in different directions we will still be lifelong friends. 

I stepped away from Bentonville last August and was on my own for the first time in my life. Since then, I've learned what it means to stand on my own two feet. There is a song by the Weepies that says:

"Yesterday when you were young everything you needed done was done for you. Now you do it on  your own, but you find you're all alone- what else can you do? You and me walk on, walk on, walk on, cause you can't go back now... The only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself."

I'm going back to Arkansas and moving forward, but I think part of me will always consider London a home. I can look back on this year and know that I worked my hardest in school, experienced the city (and plenty of others in Europe) and made friendships and memories that I'll never forget. 

By fall the clothes of the town changed 

and I found a new place to call home

I fell in love with a city-

Places and moving water,

The changes in weather,

and the curve of the streets like the 

contours on a face.

With veins full of red boxes

and a clock tower to show me back to the bank

Lit up bridges led me straight to her heart

I saw the city moving sideways 

through a window of blurred lines.

I took London Town as my own,

and she showed me how to Live. 

Now home is not home,

and my left is right

I left part of my heart in the Thames

and promised I'd return.

Cheers, y'all

Carly 

Hampton Court Palace

Today I was on my own since Kate worked, and since it was my final day in London I decided to venture out into the country to see Hampton Court Palace. It is about an hour train ride from where I live. The weather wasn't the best (the last few weeks I've been going 'Oh, there you are London weather, I've been wondering where you went') 

Hampton Court is best known for being one of the main homes of the Tudor family, namely King Henry VIII, who reformed England from Catholic to the Church of England and had several wives beheaded. I was able to tour through to see all the royal paintings as well as the bedding and tapestry from the 14th century. They had the palace set up to look like it would have 500 years ago. I saw the kitchens, servants quarters, and royal bed chambers. They had a special exhibition on about the royal bed chambers- apparently there was a system to how kings and queens woke up and went to bed! 

The best part of the entire experience, however, was seeing the gardens around the palace. There are so many fountains, mazes, and flower beds. They also have the largest grape vine in the world.

I walked into the first open area, and saw this guy from across the yard card. I thought he was real and he was staring right at me- he gave me a fright!

Selfie galore on my own in the palace gardens

So lovely! Even though the weather is turning cold I thought the gardens looked great.

Found some of the prettiest, unique flowers in the gardens today

Ceilings in one of the staircases

Lisa's boyfriend, King Henry VIII- portrait by unknown artist after Holbein.

Family portrait, notice his two daughters are on the ends. 

King Henry VIII's chapel- I got in big trouble two seconds after I lifted the camera for this. Luckily, I pressed snap before she stopped me. 

It was a great last day!! I had such a good time walking around the grounds, seeing the swans swimming around and exploring Tudor life. I don't know if I'm ready to get on the plane tomorrow morning- guess we'll see!

Cheers, y'all

Carly 

Grad School Barbie, London Special Edition (Accessories Sold Separately)

A new gift idea for your loved ones: Graduate School Barbie (TM).
Graduate School Barbie comes in two forms: Delusional Master's Barbie (TM) and Ph. D. Masochist Barbie (TM).

Every Graduate School Barbie comes with these fun filled features guaranteed to delight and entertain for hours: Grad School Barbie comes out of the box with a big grin on her face that turns into a frown after two weeks of reading 80 pages a day or her first advisor meeting (whichever comes first). She also has adorable black circles under her bloodshot eyes.

Comes with two outfits: a grubby pair of blue jeans and 5 year old tank top, and a floppy pair of gray sweatpants with a London tourist t-shirt. Other accessories include Barbie's own passport for European travel, reading glasses, and a Kindle for tube travel. Grad School Barbie talks! Just press the button on her left hand and hear her say such upbeat grad school phrases like, "Yes, Professor, it'll be done by tomorrow", "Gender is a social construct", "These views are being perpetuated by binary points of discourse", "I'd love to rewrite" and "Why didn't I just get a job, i could've been making 40k a year by now." (9v lithium batteries sold separately.)

Grad School Barbie is anatomically correct to teach kids about the exciting changes that come with pursuing a higher education. Removable panels on Barbie's head and torso allow you to watch as her cerebellum fries to a crispy brown, her heart races to 200 beats per minute, and her stomach lining gradually dissolves to nothing. Deluxe Barbie comes with specially designed eye ducts. Just add water, and watch Grad School Barbie burst into tears at random intervals. Fun for the whole family!

Other accessories include:
Grad School Barbie's Fun Fridge (TM) Well stocked with microwave meals, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Healthy Choice Ham (99% fat free!), and a small bottle of Mattel Brand Rum (TM). 

Grad School Barbie's Medicine Cabinet comes in Fabulous (peptobismal) pink and contains Barbie sized bottles of Tylenol, Zantac, and your choice of three fun anti-anxiety drugs! (Barbie Medicine Cabinet not available without a prescription).

Grad School Barbie's Computer Workstation. Comes with obsolete Macbook in pink, rickety desk, and stacks of class readings to decorate your workstation with (Tech support sold separately).

And Grad School Barbie is not alone! Order now and you'll get two of Barbie's great friends! Graduate Advisor Ken (TM), Barbie's mentor and advisor in her quest for knowledge, higher education and decreased self-esteem. Grad Advisor Ken comes with a supply of red pens and a permanent frown. Press the button to hear Grad Advisor Ken deliver such wisdom to Barbie as "I need an update on your progress," "It could be really great, or really really boring", and "This is no where ready for publication."

Buy 3 or more dolls and you can have Barbie's Thesis Meeting Committee! (Palm Pilot and tenure sold separately.)

Real Job Skipper (TM) When Barbie needs to talk, she knows that she can always count on her good friend Real Job Skipper, who got a job after getting her bachelor degree. Press the button to hear Skipper say, "Sometimes I wish I'd went for my masters degree" and "Work is so hard! I worked half an hour overtime!" and "I went to bed last night at 8 o'clock!" Real Job Skipper's Work Wardrobe and Savings account sold separately. 
(Warning: Do not place Grad Student Barbie and Real Job Skipper close to each other, as there have been several cases of children leaving the room and coming back to find Barbie's hands mysteriously fused to Skipper's throat.)

Our thesis is officially due today, so I thought I'd repost my own version of this parody.
Negative?- maybe. Funny- yes! While I've enjoyed traveling and exploring London, I am SO GLAD the academic side of it is over! YAY!!!

Cheers, y'all!

Carly