I'm Here!

I can't believe the day has finally come. For almost almost a year now I have been talking about and planning for this trip and now it's finally happening! After Daddy and Mattie drove me down yesterday, I met my group at the Atlanta airport where we departed at 11pm. The 8 hour flight was pretty rough considering I had an aisle seat + broken recliner= wake up every 15 min. But, the flight attendant was really nice and gave mw 5,000 frequent flyer miles for having to sleep sitting up.
            We landed at London Heathrow airport around noon and began our trek through custom, to baggage claim, then to the bus. I was constantly shocked and tickled to hear British accents. The funniest thing I heard today was an airport worker say, "The party was just ok, because the DJ was a bit crap." The way she said it just cracked me up. When we arrived at the Daniel House it was very surreal. I had looked at it so many times on google earth, and here it was in real life! Walking into the main hall and looking up the stairs really felt like a movie.
             We received our room assignments and began the hunt. Almost everyone has there own room, but four pairs are sharing a room. I am sharing a room with my sweet friend Susie Walters. All the way up on the 6th floor. There are 2 bunk beds, a desk, 2 armoires and a sink. We have a neat view out our window of the London roof tops!
           After lunch we split up into teams and went on a scavenging tour of the city: buying tube passes, learning our way around and buying some groceries. Later we went on a walk to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. We returned to a dinner of pizza and finished the daunting task of unpacking and making our room into a home. Now that we finally got everything in place, I am at peace and ready to make up for some lost sleep!
         Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouragement, and thank you God for bringing me here safely. Big day tomorrow. Good night!

Psalm 139

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,I know that full well…All the days ordained for me were written in your book  before one of them came to be... 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:7-24

Thank you Lord that you will always be with me!

Getting Ready

Hey Everyone! I am so excited and feel so blessed to have the opportunity to spend the semester studying abroad in London. I will be staying in Samford's Daniel House with 25 classmates and studying history, British culture, music and art, and even getting to experience an internship in a British school! I will also have the opportunity to travel for 3 weeks in Europe including a trip with Samford to Paris and Edinburgh.  I depart Aug. 30th and will return Dec. 17th, so I'm just packing and getting excited! I would love to stay in contact with everyone while I'm gone and share some of my adventures with you. If you have any suggestions of "Must See Places" or travel suggestions I would love to hear those too! Finally, if you want to be penpals, mail me at:

12 Ashburn Gardens
Kensington, Greater London SW7 4, UK

Talk to you soon!
Sincerely, Kelsey