Feb Snow in Oxford= Cold and Pretty

My January arrival in England: My first impressions of London:It's Expensive, and cold, and the language sound like English...yet I still fail to understand every fifth word. From there to Oxford--even more cold. The bulidings are old = inadequate heat. if you are planning on coming in the winter months bring clothes for the cold and wet weather and utter lack of sunshine. this dreary weather and new germs meant i got sick quite often my first month. It also adversly affected my mood= :(
That said, Oxford is beautiful, even in the winter (but if you have the option of when to come, choose late Spring or Summer). One thing I did experinece that occurs rarely in Oxford: Snow! Got out of a local club, Clems, the music is good and it can be fun to run into randomly costumed charcters but do not even get me started on the inadequcy of Oxford night life. After sweating inside we leave to be greeted by pretty white flakes. While some of the crew opted for a taxi, others stayed behind and enjoyed the scene of nature of beauty and drunk people slipping and sliding on thier attempt to return home.

INtroduction to the Oxford Bop

Sorry for Post delay. been busy in the UK. Blame the dealy not on the infrequency of travel but rather the intense demand of academic life at Oxford. Now that the term is done I am left with more time to update you on my whereabouts. I am backtracking from Jan 2009. One of my first parties at college introduced me to waht would become "my crew", my close group of fellow visiting students that I would travel with on weekends. But first, a weekend at Oxford and my first "Bop" ( I beleive that term is still used in the US by those who danced in the fifties. Here at Oxford this term is not remiscent of the good old days of pigtailed girls and booby socks. Nope, it's more like a good old American frat themed party (Slthough much less fratty)-- lots of wacky costumes. The Brits use Halloween as a day of ghosts and gore and use all otehr occasions as an excuse for "fancy dress" (dressing creatively) and lots of drinking. My first introduction into this wass our college Bop "SEH" for St Edmund Hall. Students had to drees up as a thing that began with an "S": Shadow, Sheep, Superhero, Satan; "E":Edgar Allen Poe (me),; or "H": Homeless person, Harry Potter character, Hippie. What I love about these bops is it is not about being pretty or looking cool but rather how creative and or silly one can be.

London, England. Leaving Osprey, Loving Louis V

OK, so this nine month endeavor little resembles my last seven month backpacking adventure. For one, I will be studying which means no books for leisure (not that I do not immensely enjoy my one's assigned by my professors, now "tutors"). It will also mean less traveling during the terms and more local explorations. What this also means is that I have replaced my Opsrey backpack with My Louis Vuitton luggage. I have also expanded my four lonely outfits from my last trip to include: my fur coat, 16 pairs of shoes, and a few more outfit changes.
Just to offer reassurance, while Osprey did get left behind, my adventuress backpacking spirit did not remain storaged in Ny, like him. No, this trip will be a welcome hybrid of goose down comforter, pretty clothes and Prada purses luxury mixed with roughin it, backpacking budget exploration.
Some of my "not so roughin it" London adventures have included:
* tea at the beautiful 5 Star Dorchester in Mayfair, a posh London neighborhood.
* dinner at one of the highest rated international restaurants. Food was great!
* exploring Harrod's the department wonder-they have multiple food and meat sections-In a Department Store where Gucci bags are sold in the next room. I found this strange

London, England. When Getting Out is the Most Difficult Part

After a six hour flight I arrived at my friends apt at St George Wharf around 11pm. I left the dinner party early to catch up on sleep. The next day I was alone in the apartment contemplating my first day in this new city. I consulted the "Lonely Planet" guide for what to do,and yet....
There's always a certain amount of fear that builds when being alone in a new city. The longer I looked out from the apt balcony to the River Thames and the city of London, the more fearful I became. But from all my travel experiences I have learned that if I want to enjoy my time, it's ok to feel fear but i just have to do it anyway. The "doing it" part for me constituted just leaving the apartment. Ok, so although leaving the safety of my living environment to explore the unknown is difficult regardless of what city I find myself in, in London I found it virtually impossible. The door exiting the apartment did NOT HAVE A DOORKNOB!! (see pics provided). Something that I was capable of doing in NY (opening a door) turned into a twenty minute escapade.
This episode served to be what would become my London experience: everything I thought I knew, was different here; this included the words, the food and even the doors.

Zany, Crazy, Funny, Beautiful...MINE!

Sometimes you have to leave all you know to realize all you already have. This is my greatest lesson learned!! Loving this opportunity for travel and all it entails but missing so much back home- my friends, my bed, my cute cozy NY apartment, my clothes, but most importantly...MY FAMILY!!!! I miss them all, and there are quite a few! ;)
Realize that a portion of this trip was running away. In October my little brother Pedro died at the age of 22. Was so heartwrenching and difficult to deal with and did so alone(well not without friends and support but with no family nearby). Six weeks later, my uncle( who took me in (along with his amazing wife, my Aunt Cathe) and raised me and whom I consider like a father)was diagnosed with cancer. It just became too much pain to deal with. And so, as part of a solution, an attempt to run away from my hurt, pain and dissilusionment with life, I packed up my belongings and headed on this journey. After a billion tears and a lot of insight I have realized that as long as I choose to love- pain, hurt and loss is inevitable.
So here I am, feels like a million miles away and missing my family like crazy!!!! I´ve always said if my brother´s and sister´s were not related we may not be friends(we are sooo different) but I am so greatful that God has Blessed me with them. Crazy, silly, goofy and chaotic they are a part of me and have made me who I am.
And my friends- well, I see my friends as the family I have chosen.
I miss you all so much. Please know that while I am not currently with you, it is your love, laughter and all the memories that are sustaining me while I am away!

love n miss, Carolina

y para todo mi familia en Mexico-te quiero y te extrano mucho!

LOOKING BACK...INDIA

Ok, so here in Berlin and having a difficult week. Really strugglin with this whole cast thing-being uncomfortable and sweaty and itchy, going to doctors and police stations and the adjustment to my lifestyle-no yoga or bikeriding or even proper hair washing. Ahhhh the limitations of only having the use of one hand. So its made me generally grumpy and irritable. But today had a chance to download my pics from my India portion of this backpacking journey and it changed my perspective ENTIRELY. Reminded me how much I have done and seen on this trip and how grateful I am for it all. Ok, so I am currently broke, casted and in pain and discomfort but also know that this is only temporary.
Posted some of my fave India pics. Hope u enjoy :)
*Elephant ride in Chilla National Forest
*Holy man
*Yoga posing under Buddha tree in Varanassi
*Traditional Rajastani in Agra
*Young Buddhist monks enjoying sodas

Broken in Berlin, Day ONE

border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084216171561911906" />





It is 12.01 am. My cast feels heavy and arm is in pain but I survived my first day. Only 41 more to go. HA! So after making phone calls last night and watching The Holiday felt a lil better. Tried to get accustomed to fallin asleep with my plastered arm which was rather painful and uncomfortable but after some tears, bible reading and prayers, i fell asleep. Woke up this morning in acceptance of my situation. That lasted about...ummm....5 minutes! Had to get help wrapping my hand in a plastic bag in order to take shower and wash my hair with one hand/ GOOD TIMES! Discovered I can not put lotion on my own right hand. Walked out in the rain lookin like a dork with my plastic bag covered left hand. With every new limitation encountered, fresh tears were spilt. Then saw a German woman on the train sitting across from me who had her leg in a cast. She saw my arm and we both laughed out loud. Something so comforting about the power of identification. made me feel not quite so alone. But then as the woman was leaving, her husband grabbed her bag for her and helped her outta the train. This made me feel more alone. Lonliness on this trip has come and gone at different times but for the most part I can totally deal but something about my current situation has made it rather tough. I equate it to being sick and I am such a baby when I am sick. Just wanna stay at home and ignore the world while someone brushes my hair, feeds me icecream and tells me it will all be ok *not that this has ever really happened for me prior but its always been my secret fantasy when Im not feelin 100%
So anyways moved outta church office today to stay with this really sweet girl Madeline. Struggled with packing and closing up my suitcases with one hand. This brought on a whole new tear dropping session and more prayers to help me get through it. So basically day was tough and I struggled, a lot. But now that it is midnight it is a new day with another opportunity to try again. Have to say though as much as I wish i didnt have to pack alone etc am so greatful that I am strong willed enough to be able to.

I will leave you with a verse I love that is helping me.

*and in the pic of me with the Berlin sculpture please take your eyes off of HIM and notice my cast covered in a plastic bag :P

Lord I pray that You would open the eyes of their hearts that they may see You, and know that You are ever present in their lives.
prayer of Elisha. 2 Kings 6