Eloise at the Plaza, its a story about a little girl who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York. She causes a lot of trouble and manages to get everyone angry at her, but she is just so damn cute! So it doesn't matter.
Thanks to the loveliness that is the BAA, British Airways has put me up in a hotel for the past 4 days, and I check out tomorrow to **hopefully** catch my flight. Hotel living is kinda fun and sad at the same time. I get to lounge around in my room and watch TV, which I haven't done in months! I mean, who thought that catching Dukes Of Hazard last night on TV would make my trip. Thank god no one tried to talk to me after that, or they would have heard the worst of accents. But at the same time, it's a bit lonely.
It was more fun when Anna was here, because there was someone to talk to. I really now only have myself to talk to, and as my Aunt Mary says: "At least you know you're having an intelligent conversation." The plus side is, I don't have to worry about waking anyone up, or having them wake me up. I can do whatever I please and no one can stop me. I really have no responsibilities right now, and therefore no one to answer to. I could be doing some studying for my exams in January, but I'd rather not. I might work on my Chemistry coursework that is due when I get back, but I'm not going to stress over it just yet.
The most interesting thing about being in a hotel is eating alone. I could just order room service, it's about comparable to the restaurant... but I feel that is even more sad, and then I would never really leave my room. So I go to the restaurant. It's funny how many people are down there eating at a table for 1. I even thought about asking one of them to join me, or just sitting at one of those tables and making conversation. But that would be weird, maybe I'll try it tonight when I go down. And I will report back as necessary. Who knows, I may meet the love of my life down there.
Here is what one does in a hotel:
1-eat
2-sleep
3-take really long showers
4-watches TV
5-goes to the hotel bar/restaurant
6-talks to people at home
7-goes exploring
8-reads
9-Anything else that doesn't involve studying
I think a nap may be in order... along with some lovely TLOTR:FOTR (if you don't know what that is, shame on you)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
LHR, my Frenemmy
December 18, 2010:
Ever seen the movie 'Love Actually?' Honestly, who hasn't? It's one of the great recent Christmas movies that has come out recently. Although it is great, there hasn't been much competition for amazing Christmas movies. But that is an argument for another time, place, and day.
The reason I bring it up, is 'Love Actually' starts with the super awkwardly sexy voice of Hugh Grant (I love Hugh Grant) saying something along the lines of "if you ever need to believe in love, go to the Heathrow international arrivals area..." They never said anything about the departure zones.
I was supposed to be leaving for home on Saturday (18/12/10) to go back to the US, where everything is bigger, steak can be served at every meal, and anything will probably give you a heart attack just from eating it (although it is probably worth every delicious bite). And here I am, stuck, at Heathrow. Where there is probably the best shopping, food, lounging areas, or anything else that makes you think of comfort, happiness, and spending too much money. But you have to get past security first. Which means you have to have a boarding pass. Which means that you have to have a flight that is taking off. Which I don't have...
Why? You might you ask... simply because Heathrow airport got some snow. Oh LHR! One of my favorite airports. I rave about how I love to fly in and out of here all the time. I'm a pro! I love to take the Heathrow Express from terminal 1-3 to terminal 5. It's so fast, and well, AWESOME! But nope, today British Airways (BA) had to cancel flights from 10-5 today. There is a total of about 5-8 inches of snow, and the roads were pretty terrible on the way in today. Ashley and I worried about it on our way and even laughed when traffic slowed down and we just kept saying "it can always get worse." The sad thing is: I knew about my flight getting cancelled at about 9 AM, I was just already on the bus on my way to Heathrow and there was no turning back. It's kinda ironic. There is nothing that I can do to fix it, except maybe offer to shovel. But at the same time, there isn't that much snow, why can't they cope? On our drive in today, there wasn't a single plow that I saw on the road and it was a 4 hour drive. Where are all the plows? Scotland?
I'm not hating on the system, I understand they have no idea what to do and how to appease 2,000 people who are all stranded before the holidays. But man, it's fun to sit next to some sisters from Frankfurt and hear them swearing in German as they try to get home. Or even some other American citizens who are on my same cancelled flight discussing the ability to pay for hotels and trying to find out where to go for the night, and even worse: how to get there. I'm only a few hours into my waiting, but I think I'm going to stick it out. Hope for the best. I'm sure I'll be updating this every little bit, for you it may be a new paragraph, for me a few hours. I think I need to find a way to play my epilepsy card.
Update 1(3:30 PM): Ashley's flight got cancelled and she is coming to terminal 5, where it is considerably less crowded, to join me. This should be fun as we try to figure out what to do about a hotel. BA is paying for it, I have a letter to prove it, so why not?!? I'm going to go try to talk to someone again, who I'm sure will tell me to go home if I can and call and reschedule. But I want to get out of here soon... so no, I'm not going back to Cardiff. That is a residence, not my home. Virginia is my home, get me there!
Update 2 (8:30 PM): no hotels, they were way to expensive and the queue for hotel reservations was crazy not fun times. We were in line for almost an hour, when the lovely Anna showed up and we decided it would be better to find a plug to charge our phones and get a good dinner and go find a place to camp out and go to bed! Well, trashy magazines, sausage and mash, and a lovely bit of relaxing on a couch later... we are back to hanging out in Terminal 5. Keep in mind I'm the only one flying out of this terminal (if I get a flight). But it's so comfortable, and less crowded, and somehow has happy babies, not screaming ones. There is a queue from one side to the other in the terminal, with who knows how many twists and turns for rebooking in the morning. The desk for rebooking doesn't open until 5:45 AM... and its not even 9 PM yet. Oh I can't wait for the morning!!!! Well it seems we are getting comfy, as Anna and Ashley have blankets. But i'm sure I'll have something to say in the morning. Especially now that I finally have internet after trying for 6 hours to get onto it, and paying 9.95 pounds for it for the next 24 hours.
Update 3 (10 PM): MOM GOT ME A FLIGHT! Ok, by this point I know you don't care. But she did, and she is awesome. She told a stranger that she loved them, but hey, it worked. This means I'll be stateside tomorrow by about 3 PM! Hopefully that will actually happen. Now if only I didn't feel bad about leaving Anna and Ashley with the luggage while I go have a celebratory drink at the 5 Tuns, I wish they could just bring it to me instead of me walking the 27 feet... now just waiting for the confirmation email.
December 19, 2010
Update 4 (5:45 AM): looks like most flights are cancelled again today... I think Anna and I are going to go find a hotel, because this floor is not comfortable. Ashley stands a chance, but we are considering trying to get a room simply for the shower and the actual bed to sleep on. Well here I come Radisson Hotel...
December 20, 2010
Update 5: We did get a hotel. We did take a shower, which was very much needed. But the best part: We took baths. I haven't evne had to option to take a bath for the last 3 and a half months. I dont understand how this is working. BAA keeps cancelling most flights, today for the third day in a row all flights have been cancelled for the rest of the night starting at 4 PM. They will be trying to get international flights, and have eased the night flying restrictions to allow airlines to operate through the night if they can. it feels like they don't know what they are doing. i have to say, hope is gone for most. I'm sticking with my Thursday flight, and praying I don't get bumped. If anyone knows where I should go to pray and/or make sacrifices to the airport gods... let me know, because I'm going to apply to be head priestess. Anna has run back and forth from the airport so many times today! I just hope that the next time she goes she can stay and get on a flight. I know our plan for the day involves finding food, watching movies, and doing what we can to get home earlier. I hope for the best...
Ever seen the movie 'Love Actually?' Honestly, who hasn't? It's one of the great recent Christmas movies that has come out recently. Although it is great, there hasn't been much competition for amazing Christmas movies. But that is an argument for another time, place, and day.
The reason I bring it up, is 'Love Actually' starts with the super awkwardly sexy voice of Hugh Grant (I love Hugh Grant) saying something along the lines of "if you ever need to believe in love, go to the Heathrow international arrivals area..." They never said anything about the departure zones.
I was supposed to be leaving for home on Saturday (18/12/10) to go back to the US, where everything is bigger, steak can be served at every meal, and anything will probably give you a heart attack just from eating it (although it is probably worth every delicious bite). And here I am, stuck, at Heathrow. Where there is probably the best shopping, food, lounging areas, or anything else that makes you think of comfort, happiness, and spending too much money. But you have to get past security first. Which means you have to have a boarding pass. Which means that you have to have a flight that is taking off. Which I don't have...
Why? You might you ask... simply because Heathrow airport got some snow. Oh LHR! One of my favorite airports. I rave about how I love to fly in and out of here all the time. I'm a pro! I love to take the Heathrow Express from terminal 1-3 to terminal 5. It's so fast, and well, AWESOME! But nope, today British Airways (BA) had to cancel flights from 10-5 today. There is a total of about 5-8 inches of snow, and the roads were pretty terrible on the way in today. Ashley and I worried about it on our way and even laughed when traffic slowed down and we just kept saying "it can always get worse." The sad thing is: I knew about my flight getting cancelled at about 9 AM, I was just already on the bus on my way to Heathrow and there was no turning back. It's kinda ironic. There is nothing that I can do to fix it, except maybe offer to shovel. But at the same time, there isn't that much snow, why can't they cope? On our drive in today, there wasn't a single plow that I saw on the road and it was a 4 hour drive. Where are all the plows? Scotland?
I'm not hating on the system, I understand they have no idea what to do and how to appease 2,000 people who are all stranded before the holidays. But man, it's fun to sit next to some sisters from Frankfurt and hear them swearing in German as they try to get home. Or even some other American citizens who are on my same cancelled flight discussing the ability to pay for hotels and trying to find out where to go for the night, and even worse: how to get there. I'm only a few hours into my waiting, but I think I'm going to stick it out. Hope for the best. I'm sure I'll be updating this every little bit, for you it may be a new paragraph, for me a few hours. I think I need to find a way to play my epilepsy card.
Update 1(3:30 PM): Ashley's flight got cancelled and she is coming to terminal 5, where it is considerably less crowded, to join me. This should be fun as we try to figure out what to do about a hotel. BA is paying for it, I have a letter to prove it, so why not?!? I'm going to go try to talk to someone again, who I'm sure will tell me to go home if I can and call and reschedule. But I want to get out of here soon... so no, I'm not going back to Cardiff. That is a residence, not my home. Virginia is my home, get me there!
Update 2 (8:30 PM): no hotels, they were way to expensive and the queue for hotel reservations was crazy not fun times. We were in line for almost an hour, when the lovely Anna showed up and we decided it would be better to find a plug to charge our phones and get a good dinner and go find a place to camp out and go to bed! Well, trashy magazines, sausage and mash, and a lovely bit of relaxing on a couch later... we are back to hanging out in Terminal 5. Keep in mind I'm the only one flying out of this terminal (if I get a flight). But it's so comfortable, and less crowded, and somehow has happy babies, not screaming ones. There is a queue from one side to the other in the terminal, with who knows how many twists and turns for rebooking in the morning. The desk for rebooking doesn't open until 5:45 AM... and its not even 9 PM yet. Oh I can't wait for the morning!!!! Well it seems we are getting comfy, as Anna and Ashley have blankets. But i'm sure I'll have something to say in the morning. Especially now that I finally have internet after trying for 6 hours to get onto it, and paying 9.95 pounds for it for the next 24 hours.
 |
| The queue for rebooking, featuring 5 Tuns in the background |
December 19, 2010
Update 4 (5:45 AM): looks like most flights are cancelled again today... I think Anna and I are going to go find a hotel, because this floor is not comfortable. Ashley stands a chance, but we are considering trying to get a room simply for the shower and the actual bed to sleep on. Well here I come Radisson Hotel...
 |
| waxing the floor around the people sleeping... I would hate to have that job! |
December 20, 2010
Update 5: We did get a hotel. We did take a shower, which was very much needed. But the best part: We took baths. I haven't evne had to option to take a bath for the last 3 and a half months. I dont understand how this is working. BAA keeps cancelling most flights, today for the third day in a row all flights have been cancelled for the rest of the night starting at 4 PM. They will be trying to get international flights, and have eased the night flying restrictions to allow airlines to operate through the night if they can. it feels like they don't know what they are doing. i have to say, hope is gone for most. I'm sticking with my Thursday flight, and praying I don't get bumped. If anyone knows where I should go to pray and/or make sacrifices to the airport gods... let me know, because I'm going to apply to be head priestess. Anna has run back and forth from the airport so many times today! I just hope that the next time she goes she can stay and get on a flight. I know our plan for the day involves finding food, watching movies, and doing what we can to get home earlier. I hope for the best...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Another item marked off the to do list...
For anyone who doesn't know, the UK is going through some pretty terrible times. Like most universities did in the states, the tuition fees have to rise due to cuts in education. Coming from a family of educators, I realize how important education really is. Heck, I've been in the education system for 20 years non-stop if you count pre-school and learning to read at home before I even entered kindergarten. (If not then its only 17 years... but still I have another 3 ahead of me) This is all I know, this is all I know how to do, going to class is what I do best. It's my fulltime job and I try really hard to be sure to do well and realize that especially college is for education, not just a social life.
Well here comes the problem. The UK tuition fees have been capped at the University level at somewhere below 3,290 pounds a year. That's only about $6,000 a year. For my last year at JMU my tuition was somewhere in the ball park of $7000. Which really isn't that bad for in-state tuition, and JMU is considered somewhere in the middle of the tuition fees world. That did not include the $1,200 I had to pay on books and lab fees, etc. But it overall isn't too shabby.
Now here is the problem... with the cuts in education that the government has been creating, there is now an issue of how to fund the university. They decided to raise said cap of fees to 9,000 pounds a year... which is about $14,000 a year give or take a few hundred bucks. Thats kinda crazy, and the worst part about it is that the government loans they are offering aren't increasing with the tuition cap. Therefore:
Problem
So there have been loads of protests, and recently I got to go to a bit of a sit in at here at Cardiff. It started as a trip the library to work on my biology coursework that is due in soon. I was in the silent section of the library, 2 floors up from where the protest was occurring and still I could hear them. As an international student, there is no cap, they just make me pay an absurd amount and I just say "OK, sounds great to live in another country and get the degree I want. Why not?" I figure, they might think about raising mine as well, and its on my bucket list to attend a protest. Its like the gods were trying to tell me to do this right now! The sit it was relatively peaceful, and there was a lot of chanting, but it was nice all the same. They walked into City Centre and literally stopped traffic here in the capital of Wales. As I told my sister later that day "might as well buy me a beret, learn french, and spend all my time sitting in coffee houses fueling up for the next fire that I plan on fanning"
But at least there weren't any rubber bullets or tear gas. This was a protest, not to be confused with the JMU Springfest Riots of 2010. Now that was some crazy s***. I'm really hoping that thing here don't get that bad. The student protests have been going on for weeks while the JMU riots went on for less than 12 hours. Lets see who can do the most damage. Right now JMU is still in the lead with the most number of vandalized cars, accidents involving police dogs, and best youtube videos. But JMU also looses because it was just a drunken fest, while at least the students here are rioting for a cause. Recently, students have been getting arrested in higher numbers in London, but really considering the amount of protestors and as of today 3 national days of protesting, not including the sit ins, and the vote due before Christmas in Parliament, I really would like to see if these protests pay off. If you want real information on the UK tuition fees, I say go to BBC and click on the education tab. If you want my version, watch the video's below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-4qcJ53QU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wexfpL9yuII
Well here comes the problem. The UK tuition fees have been capped at the University level at somewhere below 3,290 pounds a year. That's only about $6,000 a year. For my last year at JMU my tuition was somewhere in the ball park of $7000. Which really isn't that bad for in-state tuition, and JMU is considered somewhere in the middle of the tuition fees world. That did not include the $1,200 I had to pay on books and lab fees, etc. But it overall isn't too shabby.
Now here is the problem... with the cuts in education that the government has been creating, there is now an issue of how to fund the university. They decided to raise said cap of fees to 9,000 pounds a year... which is about $14,000 a year give or take a few hundred bucks. Thats kinda crazy, and the worst part about it is that the government loans they are offering aren't increasing with the tuition cap. Therefore:
Problem
So there have been loads of protests, and recently I got to go to a bit of a sit in at here at Cardiff. It started as a trip the library to work on my biology coursework that is due in soon. I was in the silent section of the library, 2 floors up from where the protest was occurring and still I could hear them. As an international student, there is no cap, they just make me pay an absurd amount and I just say "OK, sounds great to live in another country and get the degree I want. Why not?" I figure, they might think about raising mine as well, and its on my bucket list to attend a protest. Its like the gods were trying to tell me to do this right now! The sit it was relatively peaceful, and there was a lot of chanting, but it was nice all the same. They walked into City Centre and literally stopped traffic here in the capital of Wales. As I told my sister later that day "might as well buy me a beret, learn french, and spend all my time sitting in coffee houses fueling up for the next fire that I plan on fanning"
But at least there weren't any rubber bullets or tear gas. This was a protest, not to be confused with the JMU Springfest Riots of 2010. Now that was some crazy s***. I'm really hoping that thing here don't get that bad. The student protests have been going on for weeks while the JMU riots went on for less than 12 hours. Lets see who can do the most damage. Right now JMU is still in the lead with the most number of vandalized cars, accidents involving police dogs, and best youtube videos. But JMU also looses because it was just a drunken fest, while at least the students here are rioting for a cause. Recently, students have been getting arrested in higher numbers in London, but really considering the amount of protestors and as of today 3 national days of protesting, not including the sit ins, and the vote due before Christmas in Parliament, I really would like to see if these protests pay off. If you want real information on the UK tuition fees, I say go to BBC and click on the education tab. If you want my version, watch the video's below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-4qcJ53QU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wexfpL9yuII
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