Valentine's Day just isn't the same when you're 1,067 miles away from your husband. But, strolling the streets of London with good friends and eating good food is a great way to cushion the blow of feeling lonely.
Last week I found out I'd be traveling to London to work on a research project for the School of Communications. It's a pretty cool project, and I want to share with you what I wrote in my application for grant money so you have a better idea of why in the world I left my husband for Valentine's Day:).
This spring will mark 200 years since the First Vision and the beginning of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a young boy, Joseph Smith had a question. After facing many confusing and differing opinions, he decided to turn to a divine source for answers. Likewise, many people today have questions regarding faith, religion, the existence of God, etc., and there is a myriad of sources that claim to have the answers. As BYU communications students, we want to spark dialogue with young adults all over the world to let them know that they are not alone in their quests for answers and that there is a divine source ready to help them.
In order to know how to get young adults to turn to God for answers to their spiritual questions, we need to understand the attitudes of young adults from all over. While my fellow research team members are in the States traveling around different church historic areas like New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, I got the OK to travel to London and meet up with Caroline, another student on the team, to conduct interviews and gather even more insights.
Though it wasn't ideal timing (and the short notice made it far more expensive to fly, ere go we didn't pay for a ticket for Hayden to come along), it was a truly amazing and unique experience to travel to a land with so much church history and hear the perspectives of members and non-members from one of the most diverse cities in the entire world.
I flew in on Thursday night and met up with my friend Tarryn at Institute at the Hyde Park chapel. I met some new friends there and loved hearing the comments from young adults from all different backgrounds. It was a really refreshing discussion, and the diversity made for some really interesting conversations.
Tarryn is THE BEST for letting me stay with her and the family she nannies for. They live in Notting Hill on only THEE MOST adorable street you can even imagine.
(I'll apologize now for the lack of quality photos, Hayden is the one with the good camera and, well, my phone is older than dirt).
Buuuut how cute is this?? I realized that all I knew about London I had learned from Disney. Can't you picture the chimney sweeps leaping from roof to roof? Can't you imagine Mary Poppins or Peter and Wendy flying through these skies? Doesn't it seem like penguins and carousel horses should be running through this park? Okay, maybe not, but I have Disney to thank for preparing me to visit this beautiful city.
I couldn't get the song "Feed the Birds" out of my head for most of the weekend because there are seriously birds EVERYWHERE. And they have no fear! I wish I had gotten a better picture. There are so many different species too, it's amazing. They just land on people and try eating whatever is in their hands!
Anywhooooo, the next day, after strolling around Notting Hill and Hyde Park, I met up with Caroline at the church and interviewed some young adults from the ward. We got some great insights from missionaries, recent converts, and lifelong members to use for our project.
Here's cute Caroline and me just outside the church in Hyde Park. Apparently, the church stands on the same site where a house was hit by a bomb in WWII. It was so crazy to think about all that has happened in London, and in walking the streets I really felt like I was in a movie.
After our interviews, Caroline, her friend Christian from her mission, and I hit the town and spent the whole of Valentine's night passing many of the famous London sites. It was really one for the books: two girls, one married and one with a serious boyfriend, and one English guy walking around stopping to get food and treats and really having quite a lovely, well, date;). We ended the night driving around listening to Coldplay which, what a dream come true, am I right?
Saturday after I left Tarryn's place I was pretty much all alone until my flight left at 6:00. Solo travel may be fun for some people, but I really wished I had someone to share the day with! I'm really glad we already have plans to go back in April; that day left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth because the weather was MISERABLE. I mean, London certainly isn't known for its clear skies and sunshine, but this was Storm Dennis, a big storm that eventually caused a lot of flooding and postponed a lot of travel. I managed to get a few low-quality pics, but I'm just glad this won't be my only time in London.
Here's the London Eye overlooking the FILTHY Thames.
A half-face selfie in front of Buckingham Palace for your viewing pleasure. Not pictured: the British flag was raised to the top of the pole meaning that the queen was inside, probably sipping tea and wondering when "this dreadful storm will pass" (must be read in a British accent). Notice my coat was SOAKED because I was battling using my umbrella against the heinous winds.
This is the cutest little bird keeper cottage in the park next to the palace. So adorable! And I bet that guy had quite the job taking care of all the birds.
And this was perhaps the most disappointing thing of all...Westminster is totally under construction and will be for years. You can't even see Big Ben from all the scaffolding, and I'm reallllly sad about it.
After walking in the rain and wind for what felt like hours, I was so ready to get on the train to the airport and head back to sunny Madrid. Riding through the English countryside Harry Potter-style was a dream. What a beautiful place! I'd live there if it wasn't so darn gloomy 95% of the time.
Well anyway. Two days, two nights, one turbulent airplane takeoff (seriously the scariest takeoff of my life), and too many pounds of food later (get it?:) I made it back home safely. Next week's destination is a far more sunny place that will hopefully cure some of my annual spring fever (I've got it baaaad, as always). Stay tuned to see where we go next!