5 Things you Must Do in the Highlands of Scotland

One of my top favorite places to go in the world has to be Scotland, more specifically the highlands. I’ve compiled a list of my top favorite things to do, but there is so much more. These are just some of the interesting things I did when I visited.

1. Hairy Coos

When visiting the highlands you must find these beauties. Our bus tour got so pumped every time we saw one. At one point our driver graciously stopped for a photo op. I love these fuzzy cows! You must find one and take a picture of or with one- which if you drive around the highlands you are hopefully bound to see some!

2. IrnBru

This crazy looking beverage is a must try in Scotland and although crazy sweet, it is strangely addicting and I often find myself wishing we had it in the US.

3. Castles

See all the castles. They are awesome and never get old. Our tour guide called our tour the ABC tour, or another bloody castle tour. Which was true, but it didn’t make it any less interesting. I would do our exact same tour again anytime but would love to see more castles that I haven’t gotten to explore yet.

4. Play with weapons

Do something crazy, like pose for a photo with an ancient sword outside an awesome old castle in the middle of nowhere in the highlands. These kind of awesome crazy things happen, and it is fantastic.

5. Climb a big hill

Go hiking, see the beautiful views, break in those wellies. Every blister is worth the amazing view from the top. We accomplished mountain goat status by hiking up some awesome hills and seeing some ancient homes with fabulous views. Don’t forget to venture through some streams and take some pictures. Also, try to spread your arms in victory better than I did, I suck at it.

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Other things I enjoyed.

• Lochs
• Haggis
• Rain
• Loch Ness
• Edinburgh
• Everything

Here’s a link to the tour company we used through school!

Be a Traveler not a Tourist: Part 1

go somewhere

So many people go on trips every year (sometimes more) and really don’t get anything out of it. Although I know that everyone has different ways of wanting to go on vacation, I hope that this post can give people an idea of how they can travel, let’s just say “better” than before. Not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, just wanting people to think about what happens in places where tourism is such a big part of that place. So many people go somewhere typical (which is fine) and just check off the things one should see in that location. Example, I’m going to Rome so I’ll see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. Then I’ll go have some pasta and some gelato and perhaps some wine. Check, Rome is done, I’ve seen enough- maybe some day I’ll come back when I have more time. FALSE. Try something different, go outside your comfort zone.

I’ve been on a lot of cruises (which by the way are very cool and a great way to get a taste of so many different places in a very short time) and it is really hard not to just be a tourist on these trips. You are drug around in a group of individuals clad in walking shoes, D-SLRs around everyone’s neck, and of course the lovely walkie talkie contraptions or “whispers” as some guides call them also draped around one’s neck. You look foolish, but you get to see a lot this way. The problem is the only thing you are doing is SEEING a lot, you aren’t diving into the culture head first. The first time I went overseas I just spent a lot of time looking at the sights and I didn’t really get a lot out of the trip other than I saw a lot of cool things, basically all I was doing was following the tour group and seeing what was in front of me. I wanted my next trip to be something I got a lot out of both educationally and emotionally, but I’m different like that, I use travel as a way to express myself and learn more about myself. That isn’t how everyone likes to do things, but I’ve found I really come back from trips feeling overall better about myself if I really immerse myself into the locations I visit.

go somewhere and don’t just follow the leader

Let’s make this silly situation better! Let’s say you ARE on one of these tours and you aren’t off on your own (which I find is always the best way to see anywhere if you have more time and aren’t on a time constraint- if you are on something like a cruise I do think the shore excursions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck ), there are plenty of ways you can still discover what your destination is all about. Most trips give you some free time to eat or shop, take advantage of that! Find a map, wander down some side streets, get kinda lost and then figure out your way back to where you came from- it really gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to find your way around somewhere completely foreign to you. It also makes you figure out what makes that place tick. Do the places to eat/drink get cheaper as you walk down side streets and get further away from tourist traps and closer to where people actually live? Usually it does. These are also AMAZING places to eat because it is where the locals eat, so usually a more reasonable price and you get the chance to talk to people who aren’t used to having THOUSANDS of tourists encroaching on their space every single day. From personal experience this is when I’ve really learned the most about cultures elsewhere is just by doing this little trick, going off the beaten path. Sometimes you don’t even have to go that far to find places with menus only in the local language (MOST of the time you can get by with English, but I find that it is polite to try to communicate in the local language first before going to English). Remembering you are a visitor to someone else’s home, be polite and be willing to try new things and talk to new people. You never know who will be willing to talk to you or what you will encounter. That is truly the beauty of traveling.

The times that I’ve strayed off the beaten path have been fantastic. I’ve found great hidden places to eat, lovely shops, and amazing people. I’ve wandered around places in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Monaco, Alaska, Canada, New York, Turkey, Malta, and so many more places. Each destination has something to teach you, my goal each time I travel is to discover what exactly I’m learning from that place. Holland taught me that I CAN find my way around a city I’ve only been in for literally minutes, Greece taught me to see the beauty in simplicity, Scotland taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and England taught me that I can be so much more than I ever thought I could. Traveling really has helped me find direction and meaning to my life and traveling alone has helped even more.

go somewhere ready to try to “fit in”

Do research before you visit another country, learn how to say hello and thank you at the very least. I know so many people that complain about people who visit America or even move to America not being able to speak any English, give other countries the experience you want to have with foreigners, or at least try! Learning languages can be fun and a great family activity to do before embarking on a cruise or going on a trip if you are going somewhere as a family. Duolingo is a great little app that gets you started with the basics  Look into customs such as dress and body language. For examples there are cultures where one finger pointing not something you should do. Always be aware of things like that. Walk with a purpose, don’t feel bad about stopping to take photos, but be respectful of the people around you. Don’t stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk, go off out of the way so the people who live there can continue to go about their daily business.  Always carry currency of the country you are in, don’t expect places to “just take” the dollar because you think they should. (I’ve seen this happen in a few different countries, the end result was never a friendly exchange…).

This blog has mainly covered the basics of how to turn what would have been a straightforward tourist experience into something where you become a traveler and really start to learn about other cultures and places in a more personal and in depth way. Remembering everyone has their preferred way of traveling and I’m not looking to boss people around into changing how they vacation, this is purely food for thought and a reflection on how I like to travel.

Look for more in this series of posts, I hope it helps others prepare for travel abroad (and even in their own country). I’m aiming to help others grow through travel the way I have, it really is a way of life and once that travel bug bites you there really is no better way to learn more about yourself or relax.

Disney Vacation Club: Tricks and Tips

Introduction to vacation club

If you’ve never heard of Disney Vacation Club and are curious to learn more, please start reading here, if you know a bit about DVC feel free to skip this intro section and move on to the “tips and tricks sections”.

There are a variety of different resorts to choose from when you buy into Disney Vacation Club. There are currently 9 resorts at WDW (I’m sure more will be built in the future), they include: Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, and the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. In Disneyland there is the Villas at the Grand Californian. In addition to the park resorts there are three beach resorts that are destinations within themselves: Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach in Florida, and Hilton Head in South Carolina.

DVC operates on a point system. You buy a certain number of points and each year in your predetermined month you are rewarded that amount of points to use. You can use these points at the DVC resorts but they can also be exchanged for Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney and partner hotel rooms around the globe. However, the most bang for your buck is to use them at the DVC resorts, if you want to do a different kind of vacation other than what the resorts offer, your best bet may be to rent out your points for that year and then use that money towards the vacation you wish to do.

Another bonus of having DVC is that when you go to the parks your room is larger than a regular studio and includes a microwave and a mini fridge and if there is no washer/dryer in your room you get tokens for free laundry! The one bedrooms and up have a full kitchen so you can make your own meals and save some money in the parks!

The initial cost to join is rather large, but continues to get larger each year so if you think this might be for you and you have the ability to join go ahead and do so before prices go up, you can always sell your contract if you find DVC is not for you. Keep in mind you will have to pay annual dues/maintenance every year so keep that in mind when you pick which resort to buy into.

Mickey Ice Cream bar

best ways to use points

There are plenty of options when it comes to using DVC points, but there are ways to get more bang for your buck! I’ve compiled a list of things to do to ensure you can go on more vacations- if that is indeed your goal!

1. Stay during the less busy season. This means the point chart will be in your favor and you can stay at all of the resorts for less points. This also means you can stay longer, or stay in a bigger room or even at a nicer resort if that is what you are looking for.
2. Stay in studios instead of one or two bedrooms. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper point wise to stay in a bunch of studios instead of the larger suites, be sure to check the point chart so you are getting the most for your points!
3. Rent points out and use the money toward cruising, or do half points/half cash to pay for the cruise so you can stretch the points as long as you can- the same applies to adventures by Disney.
4. Don’t be afraid to resort hop- stay a few nights at a monorail resort and then spend the rest of the time at a cheaper point resort for different experiences and point savings!
5. Try to use points for DVC resorts, not for exchange programs or cruise and adventures by Disney, the points go so much further at the resorts, but if you really want to use points for these things go ahead.

Fountain in Toontown

Travel hints and General tips

When you buy into DVC it comes with some perks- be sure that you utilize them! For example there are member get-togethers on board DCL and in the parks, just call member services or ask when you get to your destination for what is offered for members- and usually we get lanyards and sometimes hats when we ask what is going on for members. There are also special events that go on from time to time like the Typhoon Lagoon beach party that are going on later this summer.

Remember you get discounts throughout downtown Disney and in all of the parks and some of the resorts, a list can be found on line, but be sure to carry your membership card around with you and ask everywhere you go if there is a DVC discount- it never hurts to ask and many locations offer a discount!

At DVC resorts your self-service laundry is free! Even if you don’t stay in a unit with a washer and dryer you can ask for tokens to use in the laundry rooms!

Member lockers are a great way to leave stuff that you need at the park and not have to drag it back in forth, another good thing to look into if you visit the parks frequently!

Dining plans are available for DVC members and their guests while staying at a DVC resort- an opportunity only offered to those staying on packages if you are just the general public.

You aren’t charged extra when two or more adults (+18) are staying in a room, if you are not in DVC the resorts charge extra!

Conclusion

Overall, if you are planning on vacationing at Disney for at least the next 15-20 years (if not longer) DVC is a great idea for you! Even better if you have the cash to pay for the points at hand and you are wanting to stay at deluxe resorts and for sometimes extended periods of time, or a few shorter vacations a year. DVC isn’t for everyone, so if you aren’t a Disney die-hard, it is not recommended- but if you love all things Disney and think that you will continue to vacation at Disney, this is the program for you!

Disney Dilemma: Cruise or Park?

When it comes to planning a Disney Vacation you have endless opportunities to do so many different things, all centered around our favorite mouse!

I’ve had many people ask whether they should spring for a Disney Cruise or if they should go to the park, which was the better way to have a Disney vacation? There of course is no right or wrong answer- it just depends what your budget is and when and where you want to travel and what you want to do. If you just can’t decide- there are always the land and sea packages so you can do both!

So- like anything else I blog about, I usually make a list- if items on the list apply to you for the particular vacation experience you are wanting to have then look further into that destination! I hope this serves as a helpful tool for those who are deciding what kind of vacation to take!

You should cruise if:

• You have a fairly large budget (or if you don’t you are willing to compromise on stateroom or length of cruise)
• You love eating (so many great food options and so much is already included!)
• Your kids will utilize the kids areas (or your over-sized kids will utilize the fantastic adults only areas)
• You are willing to pay more than other cruise lines in exchange for the unforgettable Disney experience
• You enjoy live stage Broadway like performances
• You want a place where your family can all go and do their own thing and/or stick together and do family activities as well
• You want to experience the fantastic rotational dining Disney Cruise Line has to offer
• You don’t mind paying for shore excursions or doing some research on the ports you stop in and doing your own thing (remembering the boat doesn’t wait for you if you are on your own!)
• You want to have an opportunity to have something for every member of your family to do at any given time
• Your kids are more independent and like doing things on their own (kids club activities and teen spaces)
• You want to see different parts of the world with the comfort of knowing Disney is your guide
• You have smaller children (babysitting is available for charge for those children not yet old enough for the kids spaces)
• You want to see fireworks on the high seas and experience open air deck parties and princess gatherings and special character meet and greets
• You want to see the places on the itinerary of the cruise you’ve chosen or you don’t care where the cruise is going and just want time to relax and enjoy the ship

You should go to a Disney Park if:

• You have a smaller budget (you can always just stay in a Disney Resort Hotel and get the Disney experience without even paying to go inside the parks)
• You love rides and want to see the Disney theme parks and all they have to offer
• You want to do more family activities together and less splitting up
• You love sitting by the pool or going to water parks
• You have kids old enough to walk around and not be afraid of characters and rides
• You want to experience Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs in WDW)
• You want to be able to see things like Universal Studios or Sea World as well on your vacation (all are within reach)
• You don’t mind large crowds or waiting in lines
• You don’t mind paying a lot of money for food (or you don’t mind bringing in your own or investing in a meal plan)
• You don’t mind investing a small fortune in park tickets- or if you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for tickets you have something in mind you want to do outside of the parks
• You enjoy staying in interesting hotels and trying different kinds of foods

Overall, cruising is a great way to have a family vacation where everyone gets to do what they want. You can let your kids wander around the ship with no problems or worries and you can sit back and enjoy all the fantastic adult areas and entertainment and activities. Of course you can always do things as a family but cruising is a great way to let everyone do what they want.

A theme park vacation is also a great way to spend those vacation days, and there are many different ways you can enjoy the theme parks and Disney Resorts. There are less opportunities for kids to do their own thing and more opportunities for family activities as I’m sure very few parents are willing to let their young children wander around the park unsupervised. There are plenty of things to do even if you are just enjoying the spas and pools and shopping and not riding the rides and seeing the shows.

Most of the time I find it comes to the budget when it comes time to decide on a destination- cruises in general tend to be much more than a park vacation- but the food is all included (unless you go for Palo or Remy)- also keep in mind alcohol and specialty drinks are additional charge so that is something to keep in mind when budgeting!

I hope this little blog helps some of you determine where you go with Disney next! Enjoy and feel free to share 🙂

Disney Cruise Line: Mediterranean Cruise Overview

Have you ever wanted to explore the Mediterranean from the comfort of your favorite cruise line? Have you dreamed of walking in Ephesus or longed to see the unique architecture in Barcelona? Do you have kids or young teens wanting to explore the world but are unsure of where to start? Do you want a safe way to tour Europe without unpacking your bags more than once? If you answered yes to any of these questions, a Disney Cruise to Europe is for you!

The above itinerary was what we had for our cruise when we went in the summer of 2013. If you’ve never been to any of the locations on the cruise, or just want to get a taste of what the location is all about, there is no better way to discover Europe than on a cruise!

I’m sure looking at the huge price tag for the Europe cruises has a lot of people wondering if the cruise is actually worth all that money, my response to you would be in multiple parts. The first being- can you afford to go on this cruise? If it will be a huge financial burden,  move on and look for perhaps a single destination you would be comfortable with on your own, or perhaps even a different cruise line (Princess, Royal Caribbean, Costa all have similar itinerary for sometimes a much smaller price tag). Second, if you want to spend more than a few hours in any given location, the cruise is not for you. Say you want to explore a lot of different places in a short amount of time, you are comfortable with the price tag and everyone in your group is willing to spend 12 days on a cruise- this is for you!

Positives and Negatives of this cruise

We went on the Magic before it was refurbished, but the ship was you could tell in very rough condition, still beautiful but very beat up. I’m sure after the refurbishment the ship is as good as new and the staterooms are back to their glorious selves.

The food started out very poor quality, but after they restocked food in Rome and we complained about the food not being up to par, our meals went from drab to fab overnight and our dining staff was very helpful in being sure we got amazing meals from there on out.

I wanted to spend days on end in some of these locations. Cinque Terra, Italy is my new dream home location. Instead of going to Florence where all the museums were going to be closed that day, we ventured over to the picturesque towns of Cinque Terra. I had never even heard of these cities and we were informed that you could hike or take a train between these cities and many people spent a week or so just traveling from town to town discovering what each had to offer. I wish we could have spent the full 12 days in those towns, but instead we had to get back on the ship and move forward on our journey. The one thing I don’t like about cruising is that you cannot be spontaneous and change your itinerary because you found something wonderful, you have to keep going with the ship- but on the positive side I now know of a place I am dying to go back to when I can afford to.

A beach in Cinque Terra, Italy

The shore excursions are all quite expensive and it is a gamble to go with outside tour companies at most of these ports since the main city is far away from the port in most cases. However, the excursions were well done and we thought well valued, although I can guarantee that you can expect to spend at least $100 per person per excursion if you want to actually do something for more than an hour while in port. So be sure to add in the added cost of excursions to whatever itinerary you are planning to do.

A Disney let excursion through a beautiful walled city in Malta.

Safety Concerns

With places like Greece and Turkey on the itinerary I’m sure some of you have safety concerns, but when we visited in summer 2013 I never felt unsafe in either of these locations. The only place I ever felt uncertain was in Rome but we had an excellent tour guide that quickly steered us away from any possibly bad situation. Be aware that this is Europe and summer is tourist season, carry a bag in front of you and never let your important possessions out of your site and do not separate from your tour group- this is dangerous to you and also puts your group behind of schedule and may prevent everyone from getting everything out of the tour that they should have.

Library of Celsus in Ephesus, Turkey

Things to be aware of

In many of the different places different currency is used besides the Euro, be sure to change money on the ship when needed so you have some emergency money in case anyone might need a drink of water or a trip to the bathroom. (Most places charge for bathroom use)

Babysitting is available during the day in ports- don’t worry about dragging your small kids around places they don’t want to see. This is Disney, they have the best childcare available, use it!

The ship might not dock right in the heart of an interesting place to go explore, sometimes the ship docks far away from any tourist friendly areas and there is sometimes a shuttle back and forth from places of interest to the ship. Be aware when this last shuttle is and be sure not to miss it- also do not plan as if the ship docks in the middle of Athens or right in Rome, because it doesn’t, extensive transportation is needed for most of the places the ship docks with some exceptions. Mykonos is easy to get off and explore on your own and where you dock in Turkey also has some tourist areas right off the ship.

Mykonos, Greece

Bargain with vendors when you can, most can be talked down in price for little gift objects, and many cafes and places to eat right on the path will be more expensive than if you wander down a side street to where there are more locals.

All in all, if you use your time in port wisely and think long and hard about what you want to see on your excursions you can easily get your money’s worth of these amazing cruises! I hope you enjoyed this post and I will soon be posting individual port reviews of what all you should see when you visit a few of these places. Also be sure to check out my other blogs on Disney Cruises for more information about other sailings. Feel free to share this post and leave comments on what should be added!

*All photos are my property and can be purchased, please leave a comment and I will work with you if you’d like to purchase a photo from anywhere on my site*

Food: Favorite European Beverages

While studying abroad I discovered many new foods and also many new drinks. Most cannot be purchased in the United States, but they are oh so yummy and must be snagged up if you ever come across them. I’ve found some in liquor stores but most I’ve never seen outside of the UK or Europe.

I’ll begin with the first cider I had. This was at a pub quiz at a near by college pub and one of the first nights we were in London. Brothers strawberry cider was recommended by someone and we all tried and LOVED it. Sweet, but not too sweet and just enough kick. One of my favorite drinks I had in England! Also a very pleasing red color.

Crabbie’s my all time favorite. One of my friends who had been abroad the semester before had told me I HAD to try it, so I did and I was not sorry at all. An alcoholic ginger beer that tastes oh so good chilled out of the bottle. A Scottish specialty but it can be found in the United States if you look hard enough, I found on a military base, but some stores do carry it and you can just buy directly from the company as well.

IrnBru, a crazy orange colored orange creme-sickle flavored soda. Another Scottish specialty, that I do not think you can get in the United States at all. I found it quite refreshing and it became on of my favorite beverages while I was abroad!

Kopparberg cider. It comes in a variety of flavors, my favorite being mixed fruit and pear. A Swedish brewery makes this tasty cider and it can be found in most pubs and stores in London and it is distributed very few places in the United States. Nebraska is not one of them so if anyone ever brought me back some I would be the happiest camper ever. Easily my favorite beverage ever.

On a completely different level, Costa hot chocolate is my other favorite beverage ever. Those marshmallows are just amazing and the hot chocolate is hands down the best I’ve ever had. If you see a Costa coffee shop you must go in and get one for yourself, be sure to have marshmallows! 

We found a few pubs that served this organic strawberry beer. Quite a different taste than a cider and very flavorful. We first tried it just because we had no idea that strawberry beer was a thing, and a sign said that it was on special so we just had to try it! Definitely worth the try!

Okay, some people might think this is weird, but I love flavored water and this is the best flavored water ever. It comes in these massive bottles, and so cheap, probably only 89 pence or so, I was sure to get one of these from the corner store to last me the day of classes. I wish we had it in the United States because it is so much better than drinking soda all the time!

That was just a few of my favorites, overall I swear that any beverage in Europe is better than the United States, no idea why, it just is. Europe is a great place to try new alcoholic drinks as well as un-alcoholic drinks as well!  Everything is sure to be packed with flavor and worth every penny (or pence).

*All photos are property of Julianna Zieno Photography, to learn about purchasing photos please leave a comment*

My Bucket List.

Everyone should have a bucket list- some sort of list of things that you would LOVE to do someday. This is my ‘someday’ list.

1. Travel without a destination in mind.

I’ve always wanted to just drive up to the airport (ideally an international airport) and just take the next available flight to somewhere. Once I got to that somewhere I would find a place to stay, discover the local flavor and scene, and talk to the locals. Many travel blogs recommend that you ask a bar tender or a taxi driver about what to do/see in where ever you happen to be at. I’d love to have this experience. There is nothing better than the feeling of conquering a new city that you’ve never been to before and because discovering something new is the best way to grow as a person that is why this is at the top of my bucket list.

2. Live in London Permanently (or as a second home)

London is by far my all time favorite place I’ve ever been. I felt more at home in this city than I do in Omaha. The fact that I could stumble across a quaint little cafe or a movie set around every corner was pretty sweet. There was never a lack of things to do and when I felt the need to discover something different, I was always only a train ride away from a new country or a new town with something unique to offer. I know this is one of the priciest places in the world to live but if I ever make my millions on something the first thing I would do would be to buy a home in my favorite city. I even have my favorite part of the city (and even ideal location for my flat) picked out.

right about here would be nice 🙂

3. An around the world cruise.

Cruising is my favorite way to travel. It is an awesome way to sample a lot of different places all while returning to the same home base and never having to unpack bags more than once (ideally). I wanted to do a Semester at Sea for my study abroad experience – but I ended up in London instead. I still feel the need to go see as much of the world as I can before it all becomes one big tourist trap. China, India, Africa and South America are all places I want to explore hopefully on this dream cruise I want to take. I guess I could just take a bunch of shorter ones as well instead of just one big around the world voyage (when I find my imaginary money tree). Traveling really helps me put things into perspective and grow as a person, so the more cultures I can experience the better!

4. See the Northern Lights.

As a photographer this is another dream vacation. I’ve always wanted to go and hunt for the Northern Lights and try to capture beautiful photos to remember them by. I’ve known a few people that went to go see them in places like Iceland and I would absolutely love to experience this miracle of nature. I’m not usually one that wants to camp, but I think I could deal with staying a few nights in a cabin in the woods so I could snap a few awesome pictures of the lights!

5. Go to the Olympics

I’m not sure why I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics, but every two years when it appears on our TV screens on NBC I always have this desire to be there right in the thick of the action. I think it is something about the fact that the whole world gets together to compete against each other and to celebrate the best of the best in the athletic world. I think that being right there and experiencing people from every different kind of culture would be such an amazing experience as well as getting to see athletes who are at the peak of their career. I’d love to go see the equestrian events as well as some of the other sports. Overall, I just think going to the Olympics would be a great experience.

This is the end of my list that I will share here, there are many more things I’d like to do and places I’d like to see, but I won’t bore you with everything else (at least not in this post). Happy traveling and remember to live your dreams!

That one time I went to hogwarts.

Ever since I read the first Harry Potter book back in the third grade I’ve dreamed of going to Hogwarts. Yes, yes, I know it’s not real, but how many Potter fans haven’t checked the mail for their Hogwarts letter from time to time? When I was given the opportunity to study abroad in England I felt like I was packing my bags to go to Hogwarts and all I had left to do was buy my owl and then hop on the Hogwarts Express after arriving in London. Even though Richmond was located in one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in Europe, I still had the need to go on a search for Hogwarts. After all, it must be real as there was an entire book series written about/in it.

My adventures began when I traveled to Scotland for a tour of the highlands. Our tour began in Edinburgh where we had time to stroll around the city and we found the pub where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book on napkins.

As I am obviously an Harry Potter fan, this is a must do for anyone who is ever in the area. The fact that I sat in the same place that J.K Rowling sat when the idea of a boy wizard who went to boarding school and eventually saved the world (ok, thats not quite the story but close enough) is just AMAZING. I ate a delicious meal there and upon using the toilet found that the bathroom was COVERED in Harry Potter quotes. Truly a must see on my way to find Hogwarts.

After returning from my trip to Scotland, I discovered that there was a way for me to see Hogwarts. The Harry Potter Studios, where the films were shot recently opened for tours. The tour is pricey, but luckily my school had a discount deal and we all got to go. I was THRILLED and the experience was once in a lifetime. I must say that when I get back to London I will take the train over to the studios again, I enjoyed it so much and it truly was the best way I could have spent my day. Here are some of my favorite photos. If you ever get a chance to, go visit. It is AMAZING and you get to see the REAL HOGWARTS, or as real as it gets!

Last photo^ I SAW HOGWARTS!

 

Why everyone should study abroad.

Last spring I spent the semester living and learning in the lovely London, England. I called the posh neighborhood of Kensington my home from January til May and I would not have traded that experience for anything else. I originally thought that I wanted to do Semester at Sea (which I still would love to do) but Creighton would not accept the credits for study abroad because you are not staying in a singular country. Devastated, I returned back to the drawing board. My best friend for forever was already planning on spending a year abroad in London. I also had a few other friends that live overseas from Ireland to Holland so I had options of where people were that I could call on. I ended up narrowing down the countries to English speaking ones as my language skills are still in the process of being developed via multiple language learning apps. So obviously England and Ireland were at the top of the list. Many people asked me why I chose London and this is my answer:

Why London? The history. The art. The theater. The location.

The history of London is spectacular, it dates back to Roman times and some even say Jesus visited. Around every bend in the city there are things that can be learned and stories that can be told. Many buildings display plaques that state what famous person once lived within the walls.

The art. Oh the art! There is art everywhere. I have never been to so many museums in my entire life in such a short period of time. I went to the biggest museums (featuring the fantastic British Museum) to the smallest white cube galleries. The city is a hub for both modern galleries and for collections of historical art. I visited galleries that were selling art from hundreds of years ago to modern art. The national gallery of art and the national portrait gallery take you on a walk through the history of art, heaven for lovers of art history.

The location. No, it is not in mainland Europe, but between the chunnel and all the flights from London’s multiple airports Europe is a door wide open to you from London. I wanted to be able to travel to multiple locations while I was abroad since I originally was hoping for a world tour on a semester at sea.

This is why I chose London. But in the end, I think something inside was telling me that London was where I belonged. London taught me so much about myself. I learned to not be afraid to get lost, always ask for directions, and how to read the tube map. The bus map however I never quite understood. I learned to look the way I didn’t think I should look when crossing the street. I learned that taxis don’t stop for pedestrians. I learned that you will make the best friends where you least expect them and some people who you think are friends will not be friends. People you travel with you will either learn to love or hate. I learned that in order to learn about yourself you have to go on an adventure by yourself. No one can help you and you have to figure out things on your own.

So- why study abroad? Become independent. What is that? You think you are already independent? So did I, you are wrong. Go to a foreign country alone and learn to find your way, have a budget, and make amazing memories and you will become an independent person who is one thousand times more aware of who they are than when they left U.S. soil. Find yourself while meandering through beautiful boulevards, gazing at ancient artwork and seeing the views that you’ve only ever seen on pinteres or Instagram in real life. I remember that the first day we were all in London taking a tour of Kensington, one of the girls in our group remarked “It’s like we’re walking through Instagram”. I believe that everyone should have that experience. Oh, you’ve already seen Europe when you were younger? That’s great! But you were younger, you had a different world view. Seeing the world as a young adult/college student gives you a perspective you would have never had as a high school student or younger. Instead of dragging through museums wanting to go back to the hotel and swim, as a college student you will admire the art and treasure every moment you have among ancient objects.

So, go grow your wings kids. STUDY ABROAD. To those who are past college age, it is never to late to learn. Go exploring, go alone, there is always something new to learn about yourself.

Word on the Street

Street photography is something I would love to get more into. Just taking photos of the everyday normal things that we see both in our own environment and when we travel. I often take photos of the locals wherever I visit just to get a taste of the local culture to keep forever. If you’ve heard of Humans of New York– this concept is something I would love to put into action in Omaha. I love to hear the conversations of strangers and get to know the local flavor. I always try to take a lot of pictures of locals doing their own thing, which may seem creepy but the photos that result are always some of my favorites.

From my trip to Italy this summer I captured some stunning shots while visiting some of the smaller fishing towns along the coast. This set of photos I like a lot mostly because it captures the feeling of the town. The vibe of the little villages that we visited had an air of peace and tranquility as well as a rustic feel which I attempted to capture in my photography. Here is the set of photos that followed:

I saw this man sitting on a bench in the town square and could not resist taking a photo. It just seemed like the scene captured the vibe of the town. Even though there were quite a few large tourist groups this guy just sat down and started reading his paper and enjoyed the beautiful summer day in the beautiful resort town.

While waiting for our tour group to move on to the next town I was just waiting in the town square and noticed that this woman was putting her laundry out, and I couldn’t help but take a photo. It just seemed so quaint and rustic and so deserving to be captured forever.

This last photo is one of my favorites, the bright colors of the clothing and the rich color of the building just made the photo so warm and inviting. I think that this photo captures the rustic nature of the city as well as the laid back feeling you got just from strolling around.