Cheerio! From England

So excited to announce…

Lauren — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:58:35 +0000

that I’m on my own domain!

It will give me much more flexibility as I continue to write and improve my blogging. It’s been a lot of work but I’m learning a significant amount. This will be the last time I switch domains (another reason to finally get my own) Please visit me there and thank you for all your support!

www.laurensroadlesstraveled.com

Five things being a temporary adult taught me

Lauren — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:15:34 +0000

I got lucky.

Before moving, I thought I had it made. I was moving to DC (or so I thought), working for a well-known international corporation, moving 4-hours away from my boyfriend (amazing, considering we’d been doing distance from Wisconsin to Paris) and most importantly, it was the perfect opportunity to start a new adventure. I was on cloud 9 and that’s exactly when the rain poured down. I didn’t move to an ideal place, my job was extremely frustrating at the beginning, I broke up with my boyfriend and suddenly, my adventure seemed like a disaster. However, I have learned more in the past eight months about life than I ever have. As much as I hate struggling through difficult situations, it’s the only way to grow stronger.

Lesson 1: I want to work to live, not live to work. I will never spend 10 hours a day, 7-days a week devoted to my job nor will I ever move to a tiny city just for a job . It’s not my personality and it never will be.

Lesson 2: In the workforce, everyone is in it for themselves. You need to be aggressive, persistent and stand up for what you believe. Passive-aggressiveness will only cover your face in footprints.

Lesson 3: As cynical as this sounds, the only person you can truly rely on is yourself. No matter how much faith you have in friends, family, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc, it is you and only you who can get yourself out of a rut.

Lesson 4: Be selfish. This is a dog-eat-dog world. If you want something, go for it. If you don’t, I guarantee someone else will.

Lesson 5: Network, network, network. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you meed someone at a bar, take their card. If you meet someone on the bus, get their card. LinkedIn is a fabulous resource for younger people and may very well open a lot of opportunities for you.

Fact: the best way to discover your city is to act like a tourist

Lauren — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:51:41 +0000

Camera in hand, I was ready to rediscover DC. The atmosphere was alive with tourists from all over the world marveling at America’s history, monuments and memorials. Eyes wide with anticipation, I blended right in.

No matter how many times I stand at the foot of Abraham Lincoln, I always notice something new. At the end of the day, despite looking like a tourist, a French traveler asked me for directions. Ahh, there’s no better way to feel a little more at home.

Fountain in the middle of the Sculpture Garden

This is no ordinary house. Look closely; what do you see? I’ll give you a hint. It’s NOT 3D.

The Smithsonian Information Center

The Capitol

Ulysses GrantCapitol Building

World War II Memorial

The man, Abe Lincoln

The Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument
Georgetown

Red Velvet Cupcake from Baked and Wired

Reteaching myself to be a student

Lauren — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:14:50 +0000

Most internships last three months; mine lasted eight. I haven’t crammed, whined about homework, or spent hours stressing in the library since last December. That is a long time to go without studying. At the beginning, I really missed being a student. Although I’m excited to get back into the university setting, I’m not particularly ready to be in student-mode.

The only thing I’ve been “studying” lately is my Italy 2010 travel guide. I’m worried that I’ve lost a certain level of intelligence (my grammar and spelling are noticeably sloppier); my French is pitiful compared to what it used to be (definitely have to work on that before I start classes again), and my economics knowledge has been replaced IBM terms and lingo.

So, what am I going to do to solve this problem? Continue to read my travel books. Who needs school anyway?

Everyone deserves a second chance

Lauren — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:09:04 +0000

When I studied abroad for six months in Brisbane, Australia, I assumed it would be my only long-term trip abroad. However, after traveling almost every weekend, I developed an insatiable craving to see the world. Just six months after my return to the states, I jetted off to DC and postponed my graduation in the midst of my senior year. When it came time to decide my next steps, I felt that finishing my last semester back at Madison was a step backward. So, I took a leap forward: I decided to study abroad for the second time. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Life has got to be lived–that’s all there is to it.”

As I reflect on the upcoming months, there are some things I plan on doing differently this time around:

1. Get a part-time job as a bartender or waitress. Except for my semester in Australia, I’ve spent the last four years working. I don’t regret not working in Australia, but I’m definitely going to find a job in England. It’s a fantastic way to connect with interesting people and I’ll need the money for traveling!

2. Not settling for an apartment. My living situation is extremely important to me. Although anxious to find housing on my own, I don’t want to sign a lease just to get the chore off my chest. My ideal situation is a flat with girls (I’ve tried living with guys and will never do it again) from all over the world.

3. Focusing on taking really great pictures. Because my father is a fantastic photographer, I’ve always been inspired by his work. He generously lent me his camera and I plan to really work on my photography.

4. Planning trips around the seasons. There are a few countries (France, Italy & the Netherlands) that I want to visit while it’s still warm.

5. Traveling before and after my program. I have a 16-day backpacking trip planned throughout Italy before school starts. We’ll see about the after part…

6. Running a race. Not only to motivate myself to exercise while I’m abroad (I’ve shed 17 lbs since my return), I think running a race in a foreign country would be incredibly exhilarating. Racing through the hills of Ireland, anyone?

7. Spending less on stuff and more on food. Although English food is apparently terrible, I can’t wait to savor exquisite cuisine. Who needs toilet paper anyway?

8. Going out of my way to get involved with activities at school and forcing myself to be extremely outgoing and friendly. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more introverted. I used to be extremely extroverted, positive and outgoing. I don’t know where that Lauren went, but I hope I find her again.

9. Packing less! I don’t need to bring my entire collection of shampoos, notebooks and clothes. I know I’ll end up buying stuff while I’m there, so there really isn’t a point.

10. Doing everything in my power to convince my family to spend the holidays with me. They didn’t come to Australia, but here is their second chance. I have a 3-week break beginning on my birthday and ending after Christmas. There’s no better way to spend the holidays than with people you love.

11. Go abroad and stay abroad. My number one goal is to find a job in Europe. In Australia, I had every intention of coming home. Now, it’s quite the contrary.

Everyone deserves a second chance: I can’t wait to live mine.

You don’t need to crash a White House party to get a tour

Lauren — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:17:55 +0000

If you’re interested in getting inside of the White House, you’ll need to make a request through your Senator’s office. For Minnesota residents, go here. They recommend requesting a tour date at least six months ahead of time, but they responded to my request in about two. They ask for your personal details, including your SS# (if you’re a US citizen) or a passport number (if you’re not a US citizen), so they can complete a background check. I don’t have photos to share from the inside because I wasn’t allowed to bring anything (except my ID & cell phone, which had to be turned off), but it was definitely a worthwhile experience.

I think my favorite part was watching the snipers. They are so intriguing and intimidating with all of their equipment. Look closely and you can see them standing on the roof.

Sculptures on New York Avenue

Tourist group in front of the Old Post Office

Flag at the Washington Monument

People visiting Washington monument

The Washington Monument

I only have 3 weekend left in DC! I sent my visa application to England and now the waiting begins. Fingers crossed!

Friday Traveling Tidbit #3

Lauren — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:11:41 +0000

If you’re like me when it comes to planning a trip, you have papers strewn across your desk. As much as I try to stay organized, I have maps, flight itineraries, hostel booking confirmations, and packing lists everywhere. To add a little humor to my mess, I use these clips. Trust me, when you see “merde” clipped to your boarding pass, you won’t lose it.

*click image for source*

Reverting back to the stone age: learning to catch (and cook) my own food

Lauren — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:03:23 +0000

There’s no better get-away from DC than a weekend at the Eastern Shore. About two hours from my house, I love waking up to the sun rising over the water. There is always one thing I can expect: fabulous, fresh food.

On the menu? Crab.

This wasn’t ordinary crab; it was crab caught in the backyard and I was going to help cook it. I never thought I would say a crab is beautiful, but look at the coloring on its claws! You’ll notice that they change color after a little steam bath later on…

A dozen crabs are worth about $40 now. Earlier in the season, they were worth $80. My uncle and aunt caught over 3 dozen of these guys! WARNING: They are feisty! I watched in horror as my uncle successfully avoided the clamping claws.

Transferred to the pot and coated with seasoning, they steam for 20 minutes. Although my uncle said they didn’t “scream” like lobster, I couldn’t watch.

Here they are Once on the platter, we ripped off the legs and outer shells, and ate the delicious meat. It took a little while for me to not feel guilty obliterating these guys, but fresh crab is so delicious!

Why you should never wait to apply for a visa…

Lauren — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:57:35 +0000

Okay, I’m panicking. I leave for England in a little over a month. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I began the application for a Tier 4 Visa into the UK. I was spoiled when I went to Australia; I simply had to type in a code, pay and I received an email confirmation of my visa 2 days later. I expected a similar process this time around; instead, I got a slap in the face.

As I’ve moaned and groaned to whoever is willing to listen (mostly my cube-mate at work), a lot of people have said: “My friend/son/daughter studied abroad in Europe and never had to do that.” Well first, although part of Europe, the UK has very different visa standards. Because I need to work while I’m there, a Tier 4 visa is my only option. So what exactly is my problem?

Well the first thing is that I’m a big-picture kind of gal. I don’t pay attention to the nitty-gritty details and that’s what’s gotten me in trouble. This application is incredibly detailed and if you miss anything, you’re likely to get rejected. I thought I had finally collected everything I needed yesterday, only to learn that I’m still missing a couple of pieces. So far, I’ve accumulated:

1. An 8-page application completed online

2. Passport photos of myself, on a white background, not smiling, with nothing covering my face

3. Another 8-page hand-written application with original evidence of acceptance letters from both my home university and my school abroad, my application documents to get accepted into the exchange program, transcripts, etc.

4. A letter from my bank stating that I had enough money in my account to last 5 months. The funds MUST have stayed in my account for 28 days, not dropping below the required amount (3000 pounds). That’s tough.

5. My stamped biometrics appointment confirmation. (I had to go in and get my fingerprints and picture taken)

6. My flight itinerary

7. My passport

And now, after all that, I’m still missing a document. I neeeeed to send this in ASAP to make sure that I get it in time. However, if I make one mistake, I have to resubmit it and pay the $312.00 all over again. sheesh. As soon as I get everything I need, I’m sending it overnight to NYC and crossing my fingers that luck is on my side.

If you know me well, you know that I’m going crazy right now.

photo credit

Friday Traveling Tidbit #2

Lauren — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:52:54 +0000

Jetlag is not fun, especially when you’re only visiting a place for a couple of days. When I had to adjust to a 16 hour time difference in Australia, and a 7-hour difference for my 3-day trip to Paris, I used No Jeglag. Purchased at Whole Foods, these tablets definitely helped.

*image credit