Beginning Life in London!

My first week and a half in London has been a whirlwind! For the most part, it has been completely great and exciting, as I have began to explore new places and immerse myself into a new culture. I can already tell it is going to be an amazing next three months and I am so excited for all that is in store! I love this place!! However, I have also experienced times of irritation, frustration, and being a bit overwhelmed with this new way of life. 

But all in all, I have learned so much this past week!

So here’s a list of a few things I have learned through my adventure so far! And I know there is still so so much more that I have yet to learn!

*Bathrooms are called toilets! And a lot of other words are randomly different too. I think it will take me a long time to actually feel comfortable asking someone to direct me to the toilets, as opposed to the bathroom! I don’t know why, I just feel weird saying it!! Also, my favorite leafy green, arugula, is called rocket! And I’m not entirely sure why.

*Don’t tip like crazy at restaurants! Apparently, you aren’t supposed to tip the regular 18% at restaurants! Sometimes, service charges are included on the bill and if not, people generally wouldn’t tip over 10%! And it’s not even weird if you don’t tip at all! Imagine doing that in the US!

*Having a chip in your debit card is a perk! The chip machines are used literally everywhere here!!!

*I take cellular data for granted! Both Morgan and I spent the first week here without cellular data at all, and had to rely solely on places we could get wifi! Being in a new country without data and trying to navigate yourself around without actually being able to use maps or siri is kind of difficult! Oh, but once you do get data (which we did end up doing), Citymapper and Zomato are the best apps ever to satisfy all of our direction and restaurant needs!

*Public transportation or walking is how everyone gets around, but it is kind of confusing at first! Between the double decker buses and the tube, you can get just about anywhere.

*It’s okay to get frustrated and feel overwhelmed! I was super frustrated the first few days with not being able to figure out anywhere Morgan and I were going and not having internet access on my phone to look things up! We made several mistakes on the buses and ended up getting on the wrong route once. But, as it turns out, it is really easy to get used to! Not to brag, but I already feel like we are becoming Bus and Tube pros!!

*Feeling uncomfortable is normal and okay! Even though I do not have to deal with a language barrier (thank goodness), London is still very different than anywhere I have ever been! And it can be slightly uncomfortable as I adapt to this new way of life! I have had times of feeling like the annoying American, as I ask loads of questions to locals for directions and guidance. And I have had times of just feeling awkward and out of place! But I know that with time, these feelings will subside and I will start to feel like I fit in!

*Prepare for jetlag! Both Morgan and I had at least one night of virtually no sleep! Thank goodness for my emergen-zzzz!

*Good news for the cliche American, Starbucks is basically the same, aside from a slightly different cup!

London has been so exciting and eventful! I just LOVE it here and am sooo ecstatic to be here. And despite the difficulties and challenges that I know I am bound to face, I am so glad to be stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing new things!!!

Here are a few of the things we’ve done so far!

Here's to learning new things!

<3Bren

London Calling!

Tomorrow, I am leaving on the trip of a lifetime and I couldn't be more excited (and completely terrified)! I am heading to London, where I will be spending my entire semester, aka the next three months. I'll be exploring the city and other parts of Europe too, adapting to a new culture, hopefully seeing a lot of shows, and I guess finding some time to take my classes too (just kidding, school is important and of course I'll be taking my classes)!! 

As I prepare to head out on the trip, I am filled with a lot of emotion. The good news is that for the most part, I am so incredibly excited for what's ahead! But I am also scared - scared for the uncertainty of a new place, the unavoidable homesickness that I know will hit, and the dreaded flight. I completely hate flying with all of my heart! Thank goodness I will have my bff to travel with and hold my hand when the flight gets too turbulent. Because I am weird/crazy/paranoid, there are a few quirky travelling essentials I have and a few must-haves for the plane and beyond. 

So, here are my travelling tips for the average crazy person:

*Emergen-zzzz because you know it’s about to be a looong and terrifying plane ride, so I might as well prep to fall asleep! I tested this stuff last night and it worked wonders. I put the power packet into about 6oz of water, drank it, and after about 30 minutes, I was dead ready to sleep. It’s all natural and has melatonin in it, but also helps the immune system! I know it’ll be a life-saver for the plane and for being jet-lagged when I arrive in London.

*Reed’s Ginger Chews! Travelling makes me very nervous and so do new places! But these ginger chews are great for digestion and taste soo good! Plus – it’s always smart to have these on hand for random stomach aches/nausea!!

*Compression Socks are killer to avoid dizziness on planes!

*Hand Lotion and Chapstick because being on a plane makes my already extremely dry hands even drier!

*A Cute Travel Journal, so I can write record all of my experiences and look back on it in years to come!

*Pocket Travel Guides (strictly for plane and apartment room use)! I won’t let myself be seen in public with this because I will look like waaaay too much of a tourist! But it’ll be super handy for being in a new city!

*Neck Pillow, so I don’t feel completely horrible post plane ride!

*All the actually normal things: clothes, toiletries, 3 month medicine supplies, etc!!!

I am so excited for the incredible opportunity and learning experience that awaits me! 

Here's to stepping out of comfort zones and taking new adventures! Wish me luck on the flight tomorrow!

<3Bren

Where'd my hair go?!?

If you couldn't tell by my face in the mirror, I was pretty dang nervous to cut off 8 inches of my hair this past Friday! I have always wanted to donate hair, it is even on my bucket list, but I have never bothered to grow my hair long enough. This past summer, I made the decision to commit to growing my hair really long, so that I could chop it all off later in the year! And I did it!!!! I donated it all to Pantene Beautiful Lengths! I chose this organization mostly because the minimum requirement is 8 inches instead of 10, and I wasn't about to cut off 10 inches! But I did A LOT of research and came to find that Pantene Beautiful Lengths is a fantastic organization! I am so glad to have put all this hair into the right hands.

It's all gone!!!! But I am super happy with the result! And happy to have given all the hair to a great cause! I brought my bff Morgan with me for moral support and for a lunch date post haircut! 

We hit up Homegrown and got chicken pesto sandwiches and salads. Best place ever!!!

Yay for short hair and items checked off the bucket list!

<3Bren

To New Year's Resolutions

It's a mix between depressing and refreshing as the holiday season comes to an end and people begin to create lists and goals of ways to better themselves for the upcoming year. It's exciting to have a fresh and new year ahead, but it always bums me out when the Christmas decorations get put away and I stop hearing Christmas music everywhere I go. Nevertheless, time continues and a new year starts. 

I spent this past New Year's Eve with some of my best friends, who happen to be a couple (aka I third-wheeled)! We went to our favorite dumpling joint, Din Tai Fung, and waited a solid hour and a half to enjoy their delicious juicy pork dumplings, chicken fried noodles, vegetarian fried rice, and vegetable and pork spicy wontons. If you haven't been to Din Tai Fung, I highly recommend it. Expect a ridiculous wait, but I promise it's worth it!!! Post food, we went to my home where we watched Office reruns, drank Martinellis, and made what turned out to be a really good dessert of angel's food cake, mixed berries, and cool whip! It was a great and relaxing way to start the New Year!

Something I notice a lot is that I constantly hear people bagging on the New Year's Resolutions of others, claiming that they will be broken within weeks, if not days. I don't really understand this. It is not our job to judge the validity of each other's New Year's Resolutions and have a pessimistic attitude that they will not be achieved. What we should be doing is encouraging those around us and reminding them of all the reasons they initially wanted to achieve those resolutions!

As far as your own personal resolutions, my greatest suggestion is to compile a list of goals! Write them down, review them frequently, and don't give up on yourself! Even if you falter, you can always get back on track! 

A few of my less personal and general resolutions this year are:

1. Live each day to the fullest and don't count time down, despite how much I miss Alex!

2. Get out of my going to bed late and sleeping in late mode! I hate more than anything feeling like I've wasted my day!!

3. STOP procrastinating on the computer! Get done what I need to get done and don't waste time!

2015 was full of challenges, but also full of triumphs! I am beyond grateful for the year I had, the friends I made, the amount I grew, and the things I achieved. I am so excited for 2016 and all that it holds - a semester abroad in London, the return of Alex, and an opportunity to grow so much more! Here's to a new year and a new adventure!

<33Bren

Until Next Fall, Chapman!

I can hardly believe I have now finished my fifth semester of college. Somehow, a year and a half has already gone by since I started at Chapman. I can hardly keep track of how quickly time is escaping me. 

I won't be back at Chapman until next Fall because I am spending my next semester abroad in London! I am so excited for this opportunity and even though just the thought of that 10 hour plane ride puts my stomach in knots, I am so confident that studying abroad will be such an amazing learning experience for me! And plus, when else will I have the opportunity to travel around Europe for an entire semester?! I am so ready to explore a new country, experience a different culture, and I guess take a few classes too. 

Despite my obvious excitement, I was a little sad to leave my Chapman home behind for the next basically 9 months. I will miss Chapman and the abundance of fountains on our campus, and the palm trees and the beautiful sunsets. 

All of my best friends and I wanted to do something special before we left for Christmas break. So we went out to dinner for Thai food and then had a gingerbread house making competition. 

Needless to say, things got a little out of hand with the frosting.

and we took a few dysfunctional roommate pictures along the way.

but the good news is, at least one of the gingerbread houses turned out! 

and the other one fell apart completely! 

But that's okay because I couldn't have had a better time hanging out and making a huge mess with my friends in our tiny on campus apartment!

I will miss all of my wonderful friends and roommates (except for my roomie, Morgan, who is studying abroad with me) and I will miss Chapman so much, but I can't wait for the opportunity that awaits! 

Here's to my next adventure in London!

<3Bren

*My striped sleep leggings are from Madewell

HBD Alex!

Last week, my favorite human in the entire world turned 20! It is the only birthday Alex will ever have in the mission field, as he left just a few days after his birthday last year, and he will be home before his birthday next year (in less than a year)! That's right - less than a year until I get this cute boy back. 

He is serving in Mexico City!

I miss him terribly! And I know I still have 11 months left until I get to see him again, but him coming home actually seems like a reality now! The first year Alex was gone I spent counting up and now, I can actually start counting down the days! 

In addition to Alex turning 20, he also just hit the year mark on his mission! I'm so proud of this kid and the decisions he makes and his whole-hearted desire to serve others. He is my greatest influence and inspiration and I look up to him in every way.

To celebrate both his birthday, hump day (missionaries call the year/halfway mark hump day), and fall, I sent Alex a little package! Last December, I sent him a huge Christmas package full of clothing items, candy, Gatorade packets and all sorts of cute stuff. However, the customs in Mexico are horrible and they destroyed all of the contents of the package. I was so sad! I was very careful in what I put in his package this time and kept it very small, but I still think it turned out really cute! 

It features some J. Crew socks, a camel (to signify hump day of course), a mini Seahawks football, as well as mini football beads (he loves football and fall), a birthday badge and a long long letter! I'm so excited for him to get this package! Fingers crossed this one actually makes it to him!

On his year mark (September 17th), my sweet roommates threw me a surprise "Alex hit the year mark on his mission cupcake party"! I got back from class and they were playing the song "Living on a Prayer" and had a box of cupcakes, as well as cute signs they had made! It was such a great surprise and I feel so lucky to have such supportive friends! They are there for me every step of the way through this journey!

Happy Birthday & Happy Hump Day, Alex!

I love you!

Hey LA! & Chapman

I am back in California!! I flew out last Friday from Seattle and am officially back at Chapman in the adorable city of Orange. California is wonderful and it's really good to be back in sun and palm trees, but every time I leave, part of my heart always stays in Washington. There is something about that beautiful place and its lush greenness and abundance of evergreen trees. I miss it already!

But....I am SO excited for the start of a new school year and the approach of my very favorite time of year, fall (even though I don't get much of a fall here in California)! 

For our first weekend back, my friends and I took a trip to LA. We walked around and did some downtown exploring and took pictures at the infamous pillars at LACMA! 

  

My bff Morgan and I have gotten really into Teva sandals lately! They are perfect beach or hiking shoes (necessary for California), but are also great shoes for a casual, comfortable outfit! 

 LACMA is an awesome museum full of beautiful art and sculptures and in a really cool area!

There was even a sculpture that literally looked like spaghetti noodles. 

"Who needs meatballs when you've got friends?!" - Morgan :)

It was a great weekend and it's great to be back in this place. Here's to sophomore year and many adventures to come!

*My overalls are from Aritzia

*My striped tank is from Madewell

*Morgan's striped shift dress is from Nordstrom

*Both of are Teva sandals are available at teva.com