Let Her Run: Jetting off to...Luxembourg!

I can't believe that it's actually time... after a year of build-up, months of detailed planning, and a very meticulous packing job...today's the day.

Since Luxembourg has a campus for my university, all of our credits transfer very smoothly. There's nothing in particular that I am going to "study," but I will continue my classes as if I was in Oxford. I am finishing my French minor there, taking a business course for my business minor, and working on some Arts & Sciences classes as well. Weekends are left open for traveling and adventuring, which we've been working on planning very carefully.

What we've planned so far...

My 20th birthday in Paris - this trip isn't exactly finalized...but we hope to spend January 31-February 2 seeing Chenonceau Castle and Versailles. For those of you that don't know...I have been reading about Versailles and the French Royal Family since seventh grade. There's one book in particular that I like to read about Marie Antoinette (in fact I've read it four times)...it'all very intriguing to me. It would be amazing to come full circle and walk the halls that these people lived in and see it in real life, instead of in pictures. I'm excited to see the grandeur myself. (I know this is very touristy of me.)
A weekend in Belgium - from February 7-9...plans TBD...
A week in the United Kingdom - now this is going to be an exciting week (February 14-21)! We've planned a low-key weekend in Edinburgh, where we haven't scheduled much but hope to hike around, soak in Scotland, and relax for a few days. Hopefully we see the universities (St. Andrews), and possibly the National Park. On that Monday we'll head down to London, where we'll (hopefully) see The Eye, go to a street market on Portobello Road, see the changing of the guards at Buckingham, see War Horse in the New London Theatre (we splurged on tickets), and then go on a day trip for a guided tour of Stonehenge, Windsor, and Bath.
A study tour back in Paris - I guess this is the part where I should clarify that I've studied French for the past 8 years and am a French minor. We're headed to France many times over the course of the four months and I couldn't be more pleased :) This study tour is a bit of a mystery so far but we know we'll be there from the 21-25 for a Media class.
An Eastern European study tour - this is looking farther ahead, but we'll also be spending some time seeing Eastern Europe! From April 11-16 we'll tour around and see Prague and Krakow, and maybe one other city but it is slipping my mind at the moment...

Other activities of interest...

Running around Europe! I've looked and looked for good races to do or travel to in Europe but these are expensive and often on a date that won't work out. So we'll be running around for fun in Europe! I can picture myself frolicking in the fields of Scotland now :)

The Chocolate House in Luxembourg. Need I say more?
Eating real gelato in Florence. It was actually PB Fingers that gave me this idea... and now I can't get it out of my mind!

----------------------

This morning started like any other (except that I woke up extra early - for me - to say good bye to my mom before she went to work). I woke up and had my cup of coffee with almond milk. I did mix it up a little...instead of clementines I had a piece of American croissant for bfast...trying to get into that European state of mind and all.

Otherwise things were very normal...woke up and read all of the news and did some emails...bundled up in the 10-degree weather and ran. Not very far because I didn't have a lot of time...but I did get that last run in!

Saying goodbye in CLE.