This is it.

After months and months of excitement, worrying, and planning the moment is finally almost here. In a few hours I will step off my plane and into Heathrow Airport...I have been watching this scene since I was a little kid and now I get to be apart of it (any Love Actually fans??)!

I am going to meet up with two of my roommates, who also go to Pitt, at the airport and we are going to get to our apartment together! 

I can't stop smiling...but I also have a massive stomach ache. Switching between extreme excitement and worrying is how I have been feeling for the past week or so. I think that until I have spent at least a day in London the anxiety isn't going to go away...but as the Doctor (from Doctor Who) says:

“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant.”  

Nerves are sometimes good and I know I won't let them spoil my excitement! 

So...LONDON...get ready..because Hope Perri is on her way :) 

1 day until I leave for London!!

I can't believe it...I have everything set to go (at least I hope I haven't forgotten anything)! We started this countdown together 30 days ago and now it is finished!

It is weird. I thought I would feel more nervous. Maybe I do feel nervous but it just isn't showing yet. I am not sure! hahaha. I guess feeling this calmness is good, right?

It isn't hitting me just yet.. that I will be in London in two days.

Please wish me luck in my flights tomorrow! I hope nothing major goes wrong :)

2 days until I leave for London!!!

Last year the only hiccup I had during my travels to Rome was that somehow my luggage didn't make it. To make a long story short my luggage arrived one week later! By that time I had already rushed to the store and bought a few days worth of clothes and toiletries....spending that was not in my budget. Luckily I had packed my computer, contacts, and daily medicine. This year I want to take it a step further and pack at least a week's worth of supplies. 

Here are similar items to what I included:

3 days until I leave for London!!

This is what I have decided to wear to the airport! I want to be comfortable while still wearing something that I want to arrive wearing in London! 

Jeans and Cardigan: Forever 21

Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Boots: A store in Rome 

4 days until I leave for London!!!

So after doing this whole packing thing twice...I have a few tips to share with anyone who is about to study abroad!

First things first, contrary to most people's recommendations I always pack shampoo and conditioner! They might weigh a lot but overseas they are super expensive and aren't worth my hard-earned money! In Rome, the bottles were about 1/3 the size as in the US and they cost about €6 each! I honestly think I would have had to buy a bottle every two weeks and that €12 would've really added up! I am not sure what they will cost in London, but I am packing them just in case! 

My packing strategy is similar to what you will find suggested online. I pack my heavy items in the bottom to create a 'solid base' and then roll my clothes tightly on top. Both times as I packed I thought to myself "is rolling really the best method?" or "what if I just lay them flat?" but both times I just wasted time trying different techniques only to re-roll each piece of clothing. 

Lastly, I would never even think of packing only one suitcase. Just like when I went to Rome, this year I have two suitcases I am going to check (one a standard suitcase with wheels and one large duffle bag with wheels), a travel backpack as my carryon, and a very large purse! This may seem like a lot but for London I had to pack professional clothes and shoes, everyday clothes and shoes, evening clothes and shoes, and running clothes and shoes (hopefully I will actually use the running gear haha) so trying to fit that all in one suitcase would have been nearly impossible! 

Check back to see what I packed in my carryon just in case my luggage gets lost again!!

5 days until I leave for London!!

Today, I've got quite the treat for you all! An exclusive q+a with Jack Megaw, London-born, Philadelphia-based photographer who works across the globe! I know him through my sister and brother-in-law and thought that he might have some useful insight and tips for me and anyone else traveling to London! 

 1. Introduce yourself and tell us your relationship with London. 

My name is Jack Megaw. I grew up in London before moving to Philadelphia with my family just before starting high school. I stayed in Philadelphia for art school before moving onto Point Park University in Pittsburgh to study photojournalism. Since graduating I have been between London, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a short stint in Dubai. Last year I lived in London for six months photographing London during the Olympics and then photographing Premier League soccer for the several months.

2. What is your favourite area in London and why?

I love London because there are so many amazing areas of the city. I grew up in Pimlico which is right in the centre of London. As far as my favourite areas of London go I really like Chelsea. Kings Road. There are lots of great shops and cafes to go even if it can be a little expensive. 

I love going to the parks. It's strange that in such a big city there can be this oasis of green between St. James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Holland Park all in a row. Hyde Park is my favourite. It reminds me of Central Park in New York. 

The variety of places in London is one of the things that make it so special.

3. What are your top tips for a twenty-something in London?

Well my first tip would be get a bike. I like travelling on buses and I like travelling on the tube but my favourite way to get around London is by bike. The last time I was in London I brought my bike over from the States - a beautiful red single speed and it was perfect. It's amazing how distances shrink in London as soon as you get on a bike. There are also the Boris Bikes which you can hire out - but they are quite slow and heavy! (just remember which side of the road to ride on!)

Another tip would be to go exploring! Go and discover different areas. Keep an eye out for events coming up in the city. A great thing about London is as one of the major cities of the world absolutely everything comes to London. Sporting events, concerts, art exhibitions so keep an eye out for those!

A top tip of mine is to get to a football match. I would recommend Chelsea because that is my team and they are one of the best teams in the world today. Chelsea tickets can be expensive but there are smaller clubs like Fulham which are much easier to get low priced tickets for. Even take in a cricket match at Lords or the Oval where the game has been played for 200 years.

4. Describe your best photography experience in London.

Without doubt my best photography experience in London was the 2012 Olympics. Amazing pictures were everywhere. You must understand that normally in London....like in any city really when people are on the underground/subway they just stare blankly at their newspapers and make every effort to ignore the people around them. During the Olympics it was completely different with complete strangers chatting to each other about the games. That summed up the whole event. Never in my life have I seen London so united like it was for those three weeks. I miss that actually. Hopefully I will get to experience that again in my lifetime.

5. Everyone who goes to London has photos of the iconic stuff (Big Ben, The London Eye), but do you have any suggestions to take photographs in London off the beaten path?

Obviously there are the famous tourist sights. Let's face it how many times can you take pictures of Buckingham Palace and Big Ben like the millions of other people that go to London every year before it gets a bit boring! I like the London Eye because you can look all around London and see the sights. A great place to take pictures is from Primrose Hill in Regents Park. From there you can see a great view of London. Richmond Park too for the same reason. The truth is that in London there are great pictures to be had pretty much anywhere! London is a very Instagram friendly city.

In conclusion London is a great city to visit and a great city to live in. It's a city which you can completely immerse yourself in and at 27 years old I still cannot get enough of it. I crave trips back to London and the things I miss range from proper fish and chips from a chip shop, to chocolate, to cycling around the city on a crisp spring day, to people watching in cafes and even...the rain. It doesn't rain THAT much in London. Don't believe all that people tell you! London is an amazing city to fall in love with and it's absolutely worth the trip. You won't want to leave.

To check out some more of Jack's amazing photography visit his site: http://www.jackmegaw.com/

6 days until I leave for London!!

And....I am sick! I don't know how this happened. I rarely get sick and I can't believe it is days before I go abroad.

To get my mind off my strep throat, without further ado, I am going to announce my internship placement:

The Royal Automobile  Club 

Once I arrive in London, I will have a lot more details on this placement! After doing some research, it seems like quite an amazing club to work for and I hope that I get the internship position. I have to do an interview my first week so wish me luck!

7 days until I leave for London!!

Things I am excited to do the first week there:

1. Take a walk in Hyde Park
2. Try out my internship commute
3. Go to Camden 
4. Eat fish and chips with a pint
5. Explore the streets by my apartment
6. Window-shop on Kings Road in Chelsea
7. Find a delicious pastry to eat 
8. Go grocery shopping
9. Get a picture in front of Big Ben (touristy, I know!) 
10. Drink a cup of tea 

I can't believe it is only a week away!!!! 

8 days until I leave for London...again

Whoopsie...I messed up.

So, actually today I have 8 more days until I leave. I guess I was just excited...a little too excited.

I think now is a good time for me to take a step back and look at what I have accomplished this past semester!

Last year, I made this post about how to make study abroad happen! In all honesty, this year was almost exactly the same.

Here are a few of the minor differences:

1) I did a program provided by my school rather than an outside provider! I thought this was going to make the process a lot easier...but it really didn't change much.

2) I had to save up wayyyyyyy more money this time! There are three reasons for that. First, I had less time to save up because less than a year ago I was in Rome making no money. Second, London is extremely expensive (the pound is worth more than the dollar and the euro). Third, I want to do a lot while in London and that adds up.

3) I made less lists than last time! I still had weekly to do lists but that is a step in the right direction, last year I made daily ones! And honestly, I felt more relaxed (my study abroad counselor may not agree after receiving all my emails during the semester but ah well! haha).

All in all, the process was the same but I was different! I felt more comfortable, confident, and in control than last time.

So now that I have done the entire pre departure process twice, my biggest advice is just to be confident!! People at the study abroad office, financial aid office, etc. are paid to help you! Don't apologize for asking questions or sending emails. Don't be afraid to correct them when they make a mistake...they probably deal with over a hundred students a day in some form or another and they can't remember every detail about your study abroad experience like you can. Lastly, don't be afraid to go for what you want! Your experience abroad can be anything you want it to be as long as you just got for it and have no reservations!

8 days until I leave for London!!

I have briefly talked about my first trip to London with my sister, but I thought I would take some time to go a bit more in depth about it!

We went to London, Brighton, Bristol, Paris, and Rome! It was my Senior Trip but instead of going in the summer, we went in March! This was my first time going abroad and I remember the night before being so nervous! I wasn't sure what to expect and the fact that my parents weren't coming with us scared me even more. Despite all of my nerves, we had an amazing time! It was better than I could have ever imagined!

Our flights were great and we only packed carry-ons so no missing luggage! We then took the tube from Heathrow to Camden High Street to our hostel! Our first three days my sister showed me all around London (we walked a lot!!). It was beautiful! Everything I had imagine and more! My favourite spot was the Camden  Lock Markets (same as my sister) and walking in Hyde park was like a dream.

While in London, we went on two days trips around England! The first was Brighton, which is on the southern coast. It was so cute there! Streets with all different colored houses and flowers! In my dreams, I will raise my kids in Brighton or somewhere similar to it! 

The next day we went to Bristol, which is near the western border near Wales! It is where one of my favourite TV shows, Skins, is filmed. The area isn't as nice as Brighton but it was a great day! We got to see all of the Skins locations, Annie got a pastry called a 'yumyum'...and we got lost. Haha very, very lost. 

After England we took the Chunnel to Paris! The first day we were there we had perfect weather and then the second it stormed! But both days we explored Paris and had a blast! Lastly, we went to Rome! My cousin Tony and Great Uncle Peter picked us up at the airport! It was the first time I had ever met them and it was one of the most extraordinary moments of my life. Looking back, it is so weird that when I left them I had no idea I would be spending four months with them and getting to know them so well less than two years later! Tony and my cousin Peter showed us all the major sites of Rome! 

It is so awesome to think that less than three years ago I was going abroad for the first time! Now, I am about to go back to London and live for four whole months!! 

9 days until I leave for London!!

As some of you already know, my awesome sister and brother-in-law got me a ticket to see Richard II the second week I am in London! And...I CANNOT WAIT!!

Doctor Who has become my favourite TV show and David Tennant is my Doctor! That is actually the understatement of the century haha...he is my favourite person. I think is he more perfect than anyone in the world (except maybe my nephew).  To say that I am going to see him perform live is something I thought would never happen and is a dream come true.

What makes this even better is that my apartment isn't far from the Barbican where the play is performed! Barbican and Farringdon are both actually apart of the area of Islington! 

10 days until I leave for London!!

Somehow my course schedule is even better than in Rome!! I only have class Wednesdays and Thursdays! Plus, both of those days I have time for a long lunch. I can already picture myself going to the Bluebird in Chelsea or walking around Hyde Park in between my classes! I can't wait!! 

I put question marks next to the days I intern because I am not 100% sure that will be my schedule. But, I mean, I have to work 15 hours a week and those are two free days so it just makes sense really. 

Then, somehow I have a three day weekend again! Since I will be pretty busy during the week, that will be a nice time to relax and explore different areas of London! I want to go to Camden and Regent's Park a lot! Covent Garden and Soho seem like amazing areas to get dinner and have a night out too :) 

AHHHHH, 10 days!!! Even though I am typing it I still can't believe it! 

11 days until I leave for London!!!

My favorite British/Irish/Scottish things:

1. Harry Potter (duh)
2. Doctor Who (double duh) 
3. MIKA
4. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
5. Brighton
6. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging 
7. Pride and Prejudice
8. The Tudors (Elizabeth I and King Henry VIII)
9. Freddie Mercury
10. Made in Chelsea
11. Oscar Wilde
12. Camden Lock Market
13. Fish and Chips
14. One Direction
15. Tea
16. Skins
17. Russell Brand 
18. Love Actually
19. Hugh Grant
20. Hyde Park 
21. A Midsummer's Night Dream
22. David Tennant
23. Jane Eyre
24. Scottie Dogs
25. The Full Monty 

I hope I didn't forget anything...that would make me feel very guilty! Hahah :)

12 days until I leave for London!!

As I announced a few days ago, I received my housing assignment for London! At first, I was a bit let down because I had never heard of my neighborhood but after looking at it on a map, I realized it is an amazing location!!

Alright....I think I have built up the suspense enough...here goes:

I will be living in Farringdon!!! It is on the East side of the city! Apparently it is up and coming area with more and more restaurants and clubs moving into the area! Close by is a gorgeous square called Clerkenwell Green that has restaurants and shops!  Not only that but the Exmouth Market is pretty close as well so even more shops and places to eat!

If you look at my Pinterest map below, my apartment is close to the #12 pin. It is far from Kensington and Chelsea (where my school is and on the west side of the city). Besides that area, all other pins and neighborhoods are in walking distance and an even easier tube ride!

I can't wait to get all settled in, in less than 2 weeks! It seems like such a cool area to explore!

Don't forget to stop back in tomorrow to see where I will be interning! 

13 days until I leave for London (New Year's Eve)!!

Get ready, folks, 2014 is going to be an amazing year for Hope Perri! I can just feel it :)

Remembering this list will help me work towards becoming an even better

 version of myself in the new year and in London!! 

2 weeks!!!

I got my packet with all my information in it! I can't wait to share it all with you!! Don't forget to check back tomorrow!

15 days until I leave for London!!

I can't believe that soon I am going to find out where I will live and work in London! Since I don't have that info yet, I have just been looking at these two maps almost everyday and trying to memorize all that I can!

This first one isn't too bad.  I have been comparing this one to the map on my pinterest board! I think I now have a clearer idea of where each area is!

The underground map is where I have trouble...haha there are just so many stops and lines! Once I get my housing and internship assignments, it will be much easier! I will then focus on the lines that I assume I will use most!

16 days until I leave for London!!

I want to live my life doing what I would do even if money was no object! I understand that I have to live in the real world and make money to survive, but like this video points out a life lived only for money is a waste. I want to chase my dreams and never let anything distract me from that! I want to break the cycle for my children and create a new way to live for them! I know this is a very challenging way to live but I want to strive for it anyways!

As I have said before, living in London has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school! I can't believe I am about to achieve it! I've had to do a lot of hard work to get me to this point but it is all worth it because it has all led me to this amazing opportunity! 

17 days until I leave for London!

Some how it took me 13 days to realize that I hadn't posted about the Harry Potter studio tour in my countdown! It is one of the main things I want to do during my four months in London. If you look at the website, you can check out an interactive map of all the movie sets that you can explore during the tour! It looks wicked (as Ron would say)! The Great Hall, the Burrow, Privet Drive, and more are there ,so you really get the full Harry Potter experience from all of the movies!

As I was looking at the ticket prices (30 pounds) and calendar, I tried to think about when I should go! There is the "Hogwarts in the Snow" event that I was going to try and do but I thought it might be really cool to go on my birthday instead! It is on a Tuesday this year and what better way to turn 21 than to do it in Hogwarts?? Most would probably say go to a club/pub with my friends but my 9-year-old self would be so angry with me if I passed up this opportunity! Plus, I can start the day off with butterbeer and end it with a Strongbow :)

Photo Credit: Nytime.com

18 days until I leave for London!!

For a while now, I have been pinning places I want to go to in London! It is great to have one long interactive list on Pinerest to look at rather than bookmarking each site!

 I got a few recommendations  from my sister and some from the reality show Made in Chelsea. I have been looking at different  from top ten lists online and others I just stumble upon while looking at London blogs! I am so happy that I have found a variety of restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. They range in cost, location, feel, and food choices!

Pinterest recently added a new feature that allows you to enter in the location of your pin! For some boards like fashion or baking this isn't that helpful, but for my "Places to go in London" board it was perfect!! Now, I don't just have a list but a map showing me where they all are in relation to the other!