Packing

O how stressful it is. I am all done now my suitcase is stuffed and half of the stuff i was going to take did not make the cut. My 12 boxes of kraft macaroni and cheese turned into 2 boxes, there shall be no tomatoes and corn going back but the box of twinkies made it. Twinkies are disgusting but the brits need to try them just to understand how nasty they really are. Jess and I decided it is now a requirment to stay in the Inner Circle. My totally awesome shoes made the cut as well so I am pretty much stoked. A totally seperate bag is full of american candy. O yes the candy that England does not have I am taking back for my flatmates to try. Swedish Fish, Sour patch kids, dove chocolate, normal skittles, normal starbursts, tootise rolls, salt water taffy, nerds and gummy worms. It is going to be a sugar coma party once everyone is back! Do not worry, I will get pictures of the faces when they eat a twinkie for the first time. :D

WinterFest!!!

Our final big night out before we all went our seperate ways for the Holidays. It was so much fun. There were Fair rides and reindeer and ice skating (on plastic ice) and fake snow and lots of dancing and totally awesome music. Chrissy and I had the genius idea to go on the fair rides 10 times. . . of course we screamed like girls and there was a moment when I thought we were going to die but we survived. more or less. Chrissy and I also had a heart to heart about some very serious issues. I guess that is what happens when you are close to death. problem solved this next term shall be interesting ;).

ellie goulding was one of the DJs for the night. i am going to be honest I have no idea who she is, so it was fake enthusiasm whenever anyone would mention her. Poor Fred was soo excited to hear her sing but his heart was broken when she didnt. I laughed, he didnt.

(This is her. why yes I youtubed her)
Jess got a little upset when we continued to mock her for her adorable dimples. but they are just soo cute. hahaha we tried to make it up to her by singing to her but that just embarrassed her so we continued.
It really was such a fun night and there are plenty more to come next term. Lindsay O block is the place to be!

Snow?

I was awoken this morning. . . ahem afternoon by crazy people knocking on my door going "Becca! Becca! Becca! It snowed it snowed it snowed it snowed!" I wasnt even able to blow dry my hair before I was dragged out side to play in the snow. Now when they said that it had snowed. . . there was like less than half an inch on the ground. It is kind of like the presnow that we get in Utah. But it was pretty there is no denying that.











We got into a snowball fight and threw rocks on to the lake because it made funny sound. Then jess decided to act like a child and climbed into a stream but then couldnt figure out how to get out so mummy chrissy had to save her.

In other news I am coming back to Utah Dec 12-30! wooo Ill get to see some real snow! O yes Happy Thanksgiving to ya'all back in the states.
As you can tell my thanksgiving dinner was delicious and of course grandma's chocolate pie that I made was amazing as well. mmmm.
and in other news just in case you havent heard. . . UTES WIN!!! BYU FAILS!!! WOOOOOO!!!!! GO UTES!
that is all.

U of U blog

http://uofustudyabroad.blogspot.com/2010/11/becca-packer-keele-university-uk.html

my blog entry for the University of Utah Study Abroad Blog. Scholarship requirements complete.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS part 1 EPIC ADVENTURE!

I was going to tell you all about the epic adventure I had to go on to see Harry Potter at midnight but my heart is not in it. Basically the short version is we had to go all the way to Manchester to see a midnight showing because stoke is lame. we took a bus back to stoke at 4 am slept for an hour before going to Newcastle to see the movie again. I am a dedicated Harry Potter fan after all.
The moive (in my opinion) was truly amazing and so true to the book. I was a little upset that Pettigrew did not die though. But all in all I was so happy with the movie and loved every minute of it. Even though I was crying throughout the entire thing. From the time Hermione obliviated her parents memories until Dobby was buried. It was such a sad, touching movie and the fact that there is only one left didnt help anything. If I am being honest I cried the majority of today and I still am a little emotional destraught. I cant believe it is all almost over. That being said as of right now I am never seeing the final movie. I may (most likely will) change my mind in July but right now I cant handle the idea of harry Potter coming to an end. so if i never see the final movie it wont really be over.

"Sure we have to leave for the smmer but imagine how totally awesome coming back is going to be. Until then we have to go back to the muggle world. They are going to tell us that it wasn't real and none of this happened. You know what, it was real and it did happen. we spent time here and we made friends here and that is a part of us. Hogwarts is bigger than any of us. It's bigger than any of its founders and its going to be around long after we are gone. Maybe we will see our kids come here one day. That's the thing about Hogwarts. No matter how long you are away from it there is always a way back"

#46, #48, #59, #61, #108 and #111

Well I had a very busy midweek in London this week. 6 things off of my bucket list!? really? I am still not sure how all this happened but it was fun.

#46 Walk along the Thames at night

Jodi's favorite thing to do when in London, so I took her suggestion. Almost the best 2 hours of my life.

#48 Visit Cock Lane

Color me immature but I am still convinced this is my favorite lane in London. Stumbld acrossed it 3 years ago while on a ghost tour my mother dragged me on. Found out it is rightly named because it is where the brothels used to be back in the day. It is also the place of the famous ghost scratching fanny of cock lane.

#59 Find the London Stone

"So long as the stone of Brutus is safe, so long shall London flourish"
This little guy is very well hidden. . . kind of. It actually lives in the side of a wall on Cannon street. There are no signs or directions on how to find it you just have to know where to look. In fact I almost walked past it but luckily I did a double take. Many people do not know of the stone but it has been around since Roman times. Like the ravens at the tower it is believed that if this stone is moved or destroyed destruction will fall upon London. During the time of the Romans the stone was the place in which all distances of Britania were measured.

#61 See the Cheshire Cheese

It is a famous pub just off of fleet street. Though it is not the original (that burned down during the great fire in 1666) there has been a pub at this location since 1538. It is believed that famous literaries such as Mark Twain, Oliver Goldsmith, Alfred Tennyson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens were regulars at the Chesire cheese back in thier time. It is thought that Dr Samuel Johnson visited here a lot but that has never been proven- they only think that because he lived around the corner.

#108 Visit the Mini Big Ben

Isn't it cute? I havent been able to find a story as to why it is there, it just is. But it is suppossed to be a copy of the actual Big Ben which is located at the other end of victoria street.

#111 Go to Ye Old Cock Tavern

Again with the immaturity I know, I know but it had a funny name and I had to go there. To be honest I only found this place on friday by accident but now I know where it is located for future refrence. . . right across the street from the royal courts of justice.

My childhood in real life!

As you all know the whole entire reason I came to England took place Thursday night. The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Premier in London. IT WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! Got to the square at 5 AM and there were people camping out in tents-I was worried I would not get a good place in the crowed. Because of my ninja skills however I was in the second row to the red carpet, next to the arch where they were doing interviews. it was amazing! Of course I was trapped like a sardine for about 6 hours but it was worth it. . . so worth it. Jo Rowling was literally standing 5 feet away from me. I could have reached out and touched her. I did reach out and touch Tom Felton. O my I am soo in love with him. I am determined that I will marry him. Like seeing him in the movies and in pictures is one thing but in real life it is a totally different experiance. He is so attractive I know.
But seriously when I saw Jo Rowling for the first time I almost started crying. She is freaking real. I mean she really exists and isnt some mystical person! It was a very shocking moment for me.
And then of course there were a whole bunch of other characters there like Dan Radcliff, Emma watson, Rupert Grint. Rupert is actually very attractive in real life. A little scruffy but attractive.




Dean Thomas was there, Arthur Weasley (he wasnt very nice), Tonks, Bellatrix, Voldemort, Jason Isaacs was there but I some how missed him, Fred and george! Bonnie Wright. Kingsley.Neville!








It seriously was such an incredible night and I am still kind of in shock that I was actually there and that it all really happened! Harry Potter is pretty much my life. I have grown up with it, became obsessed with it, moved to England because of it. I am seriously going to cry when it all ends next July. Seriously on July 15 2011 I will not know what to do with my life anymore. It will be a sad sad day. But I promise my kids will grow up with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco. People may think it is a generation thing but the legacy will not die if I have anything to say about it!

London and Protests

November 10 there was a huge demonstration in Parliament square over Tution fees. 50,000 students showed up to protest and I was one of them. . . well I was for about and hour before I got bored and left. Which was probably a good thing because it turned violent after a while and there were fires and broken windows and cops.




From what the BBC was saying, the demostration did not do much good and Nick Clegg is still going against his pre-election promises (is he bff's with obama?) I dont understand what the people who started the violence were thinking it did not help anything.
So after the protest I wandered back down victoria street and stumbled across Westminster Cathedral
I have seen pictures of this place but have never actually been there and have never actually seen it until now but I found it! and it was really pretty inside (and free!) but I will admit that there is a reason it is not a top tourist destination and I would not have gone out of my way to find it.
After leaving the cathedral I countinued down to victoria station to find Little Ben! the minature clock tower.
It was adorable. i saw it 2 years ago but it was dark and we couldnt really see it. But I am glad I went back and saw it cuz it really was adorable. plus I saw the theater where Wicked is performed. I want to see that play really bad!

I really wanted to got back to Kensington Gardens and see the italian gardens because I have never gotten the chance. so I got on the tube and headed that way. After I got off the tube I was walking down bayswater street and stubbled upon The Corus Hotel. It was a great time. This was the hotel I stayed in 3 years ago when I went on the Harry Potter Tour.

It was on those stairs in front of the hotel that the entire tour group sat on July 21 2007 and read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was a great bonding moment for us all. I was the first one done with the book I am proud to say although people kept yelling at me to stop talking about it. After that walk down memory lane and a ride in a elevator just for the fun of it I walked to Kensington Gardens. Found the Italian gardens which were very pretty and I am glad I finally got there.
I was then going to go find peter pan but some guy started following me and I got creeped out so I headed towards Royal Albert's theater and then headed for the Tube to go to my hotel. made it there safely and locked the door. Then went to bed at like 8 because Thursday was going to be crazy!
On Friday I slept in a little because the premier totally drained me. I decided I was going to spend the majority of the day in the actually city of London. But first I had to go back to Liecester square just to be sure that yesterday really happened. . . it did. I then found my way to Piccadilly circus which is the Times Square of London and then I went to trafalgar square just so I could get the picture of the horses butt. It is from this horse's bottom that all distances in London are no measured. It was suppossed to be the head but they messed that up. I am a dedicated picture taker. I then walked to charing cross road to see the newly refurished cross.
The original cross was built by King Edward I for his wife. He built a cross everywhere her coffin stopped while on progression to its finally resting place. Of course I went inside the tube station to visit WH smith!!! This is where I bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the night it was released. such great memories. I then I found myself walking down the strand. So i went in search of the royal courts of justice. It was while I was looking for the courts that I found the Austrailia House.
This is where they shot scenes of Gringotts in the first Harry Potter film. Technically I wasnt suppossed to be there cuz Morgan would get angry but it was by accident. I was about to cross the street to get a picture of the house when I looked across the street and saw Lisa Dickson standing right there. what are the freaking chances. We were going to hang out in London but could not manage to get a hold of each other in time. But still the fact that we were at the same place at the same time was pretty awesome- especially since I ended up there on accident. We talked about life and freaked out about the day before and how totally awesome it was. Then we kept walking down the strand so I could see my courts and then we walked down Fleet street (Sweeney Todd!!!). She was planning on going to Samuel Johnson's house (He was the guy who said "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life because there is in London all that life can afford") so i went a long. It was cool. .. kind of. We then went to St. Brides church! I finally made it in side! This church's steeple was the inspiration for the design on the wedding cake.
We then went and got yelled at by a cop for being in the wrong place (it was Lisa's fault). Then i dragged her along in search of 2 very important things. 1. the london stone and 2 The little golden boy of pye corner. both trip were successful! Although we did almost walk past the london stone because it is very well hidden.


The little golden boy lives on the corner of Cock Lane (snickers to self) and is a staute in memorial to the great fire of london in 1666. It was on this corner that the fire finally stopped. After this we walked to St. Pauls and got some hot chocolate at starbucks and then Lisa left me because she had two papers due that she had not written yet. So then I got lost trying to find my way to the Thames. The streets of London are so confusing. I finally found the Thames path way and walked along the river for a good two hours. I walked from St. Pauls down to Tower Bridge and then crossed the bridge to get to the other side.



And then I walked down to London Bridge and some how ended up crossing the river again and ended up back where i started with no idea how that even happened. So I walked down to Millennium Bridge and crossed back to the other side so I could see the opposite side of the city. Can I just say it was truly terrifying to cross that bridge. I practically sprinted across because I was terrified Deatheaters were going to swoop down and snap the bridge in half. (This is the bridge that is snapped in half in the beginning of Half Blood Prince) I really was scared though and was thrilled I made it across alive. I finally could not handle walking any longer so I walked to Waterloo station a good half and hour walk away from where I was- especially since there was construction going on everywhere! Of course I found it totally necessary to listen to Waterloo by Abba as I walked through the station. Then it was off to London Euston where I caught the train that took me back home. Twas and epic adventure in London and I think it is one of the best times I have ever had there. Time just seemed to stand still. Walking along the Thames at night was so peacefully and if you every get the chance I recommend you do it. Although being by the Tower of London at night was very eerie and it scared my a little.