Second Star to the Right: Sneaky Summer

I thought that by coming to London I had escaped the hot summer weather. For the past little while I have been very happy with overcast and sometimes rainy skies. Today was HOT! Though I guess for most people reading this, eighty degree weather doesn't sound too bad. But I've grown so used to my wonderful cool summer that to have to face the heat again was sad for me. I broke out the sunscreen, broke out the shorts (and promptly put them away again when I saw the state of my lower half) and broke out the amazing sunglasses given to me from Braeden and Olivia.

In the morning we had a surprise lecture from one of Wade's associates. Well, I guess it wasn't technically a lecture because he taught us the rules of cricket! (Though I'd get in trouble if he caught me calling them rules. They are apparently referred to as laws). Our entire group then took the tube out to see the England vs South Africa Cricket Match! Both teams are very prestigious and have been playing this current match for the past five days. The way that this tournament works is that they play five days, about seven hours every day. Today was the last day, so we got to see the conclusion to the whole thing! It was such a cool experience! We got great seats really close to all of the action and had great British people around us that were willing to help us understand the game. The atmosphere was so fun, it almost reminded me of watching baseball back home. Cricket, however, goes at a much slower pace, which is probably why it can go for five days. That baffles me, though they do stop for lunch at 1:00 and Tea time at 3:00. Seriously. And I must confess that it did feel pretty good to sit in the sun a bit today. I even managed to escape without getting sunburned, which is always a plus! Hooray for SPF 50! We snuck away from the game after two hours because we didn't think we could last the full six/seven hours, even with tea time.

I retreated back to the center where I decided to kick the crap out of my midterm essay. I managed to get my first rough draft finished even though the paper is not due until Friday. Sometimes I forget that we are actually here to study, and other times it smacks me in the face. I decided to fight back! TAKE THAT HOMEWORK! I will now proceed (hopefully) with fun stuff, as much as anyone wants to read about my paper about Thomas Becket kicking the bucket.

Once my essay was finished and dinner was eaten a bunch of us went back to the Coronet (awesome opera house converted into a movie theatre) to see the Dark Knight Rises! It was such an amazing movie! A bunch of people in the program said that they would wait to see it when they got home, but I am so glad that I saw it here. Not only was it an amazing movie, but I got to create such a fun memory of the movie as well. Because for me, books and movies are not just about what happens in the show, but what happens while you are watching them as well. I remember all the places that I read The Book Thief. I remember seeing The Emperors New Groove with the family for Christmas Eve. My family saw UP at Disneyland together. I read the 4th Harry Potter Book up at Snowbird after I found out that Bryson had been hiding it from the rest of us. And now I will always remember having seen a great movie with my classmates, in an opera house in London. Though I am pretty sure I will have to watch it again when I get home. For those of you who haven't seen it I add my voice to the many that are probably annoying you, but GO SEE IT! (Makes sure it's with cool people).

Less than three weeks left in the program. The Olympics begin this Friday and I know that these next few weeks will go even faster than the last few have. It's freaking me out but I am going to make the best of it! Bring it on!

"That's not cricket!"