I've spent the last two weeks in the states visiting family in Florida and friends in Kentucky.
After a crazy travel debacle, I made it back to London on Monday morning,
and white the happiness I feel to be back in the UK is not at all shocking,
having a break home couldn't have came at a better time.

I had this terrible anxiety the weeks before my trip.
Every time I have left London in the past years, it had always been a one-way flight
and the future of when I would be back in the city was unknown.
I was having of a Pavlovian reaction,
feeling like I had to do everything in the world before I got on that plane.
Heather literally had to sit me down and tell me, 'Caity. YOU ARE COMING BACK.'

And, of course, I did come back.
It's a great problem to have, loving a place so much that you don't want to leave.
But going home at this particular time was the best thing I could have done.

I have lived in London for almost a year now.
And while I love it - absolutely, with all my heart, love it -
it is one of the most stressful and difficult things I've ever done in my life.
The stress and anxiety of taking that jump and making your life how you want it is terrifying,
and stressful - did I already mention that?

Two weeks away gave me that little break to clear my head,
and see the ones who love and support me most in this crazy ride.

To have these dreams that may seem irrational or impractical to some,
and have people that believe in me that I can make it happen?
And not only that - but allow me to go off and do the things I need,
then welcome me home, even if only temporary, with open arms as if I never left.
I'm a very, very lucky girl.

I'm all for making your dreams come true;
in fact, I annoyingly URGE you to go out and do that.

But don't forget about the ones you left behind.
Because they are the reason why you're able to do this.
Without my parents raising me to go for what I believe in,
or the friends who still manage to talk to me daily after not seeing me for months/years at a time,
without any of these folks who support what I do, who tell me how proud they are of what I am doing,
there is no way in hell I would be where I am.

So this post is a big thank you to them,
and a reminder to you;
don't forget about the ones that love you.

Whether things work out the way I've planned,
or take a completely different turn from this,
they are ALWAYS there to cheer me on.

I've been very much in 'London-mode,' as I've been living here for almost ten months now.

But I wanted to back to the expat-topic a bit and talk about my time being here in regards to working.

While I'm still in London for university, it's been much different than my last time here.

I'm able to work now - let me rephrase that;

I NEED to work here now because I need to pay rent - also different from my previous stay.

I've had a few jobs here now; which I think has been good. I can broaden where my experiences lay and get more of a feel for what it is like to work in the city.

If you aren't going into university like I did,
there are still different ways you can still make these dreams happen.

Before I decided on getting my degree, I had looked into a program called BUNAC.

This company assists in finding internships and work in the UK & Ireland for a set period of time.

It's a great way to get over into the country, make some money while you are there, and connect with people that may be the ones to help you with your career in the long run.

From my experience and sharing it with local friends and others who want to go out and explore the world,
The US is a great place to work as well.  As an born and raised American, I know the benefits and impacts working within the country can have on students from outside countries.
And luckily, there are outlets that offer assistance for that too.

The International Student Company (The ISC) specializes in assisting qualified students & young professionals

from all over the world in finding work in the United States.

All of these positions are either paid internships or entry-level work, so no worries about making an income; you will be paid.
BREATHE!

Similar to the programs I considered, The ISC they help with visa paperwork, pre-departure & arrival orientations, as well as on-going support throughout your stay.

On top of this, they offer guidance and advice in your CV & resumes to make sure you land that dream role.

I can't tell you how grateful I was to have someone there for me on my first time abroad

when I had, to put it lightly, absolutely no idea what in the hell was going on.

I still had the freedom of feeling independent in the city, but if there was ever a problem

or something that I needed, I always had that there for me.

On top of it all, these programs are just a fantastic way to get abroad.

If you have never studied or traveled like I have, and found that love for exploring the world,

The ISC is a way to give you that insight and let you experience something that you never have before.

Get a taste of someone else's world, understand culture outside your own.

It's necessary. Believe me.

Check out The International Student Company on Facebook here, or at their website here!

*This post was sponsored by The International Student Company,

but I wouldn't write about anything I didn't feel dearly about.

And exploring the world is definitely something that I do! :D 

I'm off this week for a dance with the devil dressed as a finance exam. Wish me luck with that one..

Oh, look - pictures!









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Miss last week? Check out my favorite post from Jacqueline's adventures in New Zealand's glow worm caves.

You know what to do - link up below!

 

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Tuuuuuuuuuuesday!

Miss last week's linkup?

 No worries - find my favorite post here -->

Sara's Abbey Road Fail

It's okay Sara, I'm pretty sure London decided to name another stop 'Abbey Road'

just to mess with tourists.

REAL FUNNY GUYS.

Link up below!

It was a quick tube ride on the Central Line over the Bethnal Green to the Affordable Vintage Fair,
and about 2 minutes away from the station until we were at York Hall where the event was held.
The room was lined with tables of different sellers full of gorgeous goodies.

Day ... and money .. well spent, I'd say.


Find Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair on Facebook here
or check out there website here to stay up to date on future events!


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Do I need to tell you what day it is?
I think we've been through this enough now.



Miss last week's posts?
I've got my favorite of the link up right here -->
Natalye is a Cali girl gone German, and she's explaining why she decided to make the move HERE.

Link up below!

 
So I've been around the block a bit when it comes to life.
 From Chicago to New York to Ohio to Kentucky to Ohio to Massachusetts to Florida to London,

there's been more than a few places that I've spent my time.
But there are only two places that I really consider myself 'from.'

I spent my childhood in a little town up in northeast Ohio called Chardon.

It was the absolute perfect place for a child.
We lived on a cul-de-sac with a group of kids,
where we would have weekly kickball games and capture the flag.

My backyard was full of forest, and it became our own little world.

I could leave the house at 9 years old and my parents wouldn't have to worry.

Then next half of my life was spent in Louisville, Kentucky.
Like Chardon, it was the perfect to be for the age that I was.
Louisville was big enough to have all the things you want as a teenager.

Mixers, movie theatres, and malls.

It was the type of place where your parents went to your high school,

and their parents went as well.

A literal 'born and raised' city.

Having moved there when I was 12, though, I wasn't apart of that.

I didn't have any ties to the place besides the ones that I was making on my own,
so it wasn't hard for me to leave for college in Ohio - I was used to change.
 Which also made it less difficult to adjust to when my parents moved down to Florida a few years later too.

I've had places that I call home, but I don't know if I've ever felt entirely connected to a place.
Which, I think, is a reason why I was okay with leaving.
Six months felt like a long time to leave for another country,
but it wasn't scarier than the thought of staying put.

I have always felt like my life was meant to be something special - like there was always more to it.
I still feel like that.
Call it my terrible anxiety with 'settling' but I have never been a person to want to feel anything but that I am living one hell of a life.
Which is why I can't just 'let it go.'  Why would I do that?

My biggest fear is to live a life of 'what if's'
so I guess there's nothing left to do about that
other than do everything I've dreamed about.

Yep - I'm okay with that.

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It'ssssss Tuesday!
And you know what that means.

Miss last week? Check out my favorite post from Sara's wanderings in Prague.

Link up below!

Heather Here. I'mmmmmm baaaaack!

A few weeks ago, I finally got to leave London for the first time in months

There weren't too many helpful guides on the city out there when I searched,

and I loved the place so much that I thought I would help you out next time you decided to make a visit!

We stayed at an awesome hostel - St. Christopher's Inn.

If it sounds familiar, it probably is.

There are a ton of St Christopher's located around the EU and UK - it's one of the most popular out there.

The reception was stocked with a full bar, and the drinks were REALLY cheap.

And if that doesn't convince you to book a stay, I'm not sure if I ever will be able to.

The hostel is no more than a 10-second walk from the Rosa-Luxemburg subway stop,

making it convenient to get anywhere in the city.

Although it wasn't the closest stay to the city centre, the location is great if you are looking to do some shopping in the boutiques and malls!

Friday:

Depending on the time you get to your hostel,

going to one of Sandeman's Free Walking Tours is a MUST!

They are everyday starting at 11AM and 2PM right in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

I can't say enough about how amazing, fun, and informational the tours are!

AND THEY'RE FREE!

This will give you a great foundation of knowing the city for when you are walking around without a guide later.

A few of the places we crossed on the tour:

The Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe - by far my favorite memorial I've ever been to

The parking lot above the bunker where Hitler killed himself

Bebelplatz - where the book burnings took place

Checkpoint Charlie

The Berlin Wall

and so many other sites!

After this, you can stroll right up to Museum Island and the Berliner Dom.

While it's still light out, head into the Berliner Dom and take a self-guided tour inside the cathedral.

It's only a couple Euros, and if you're a student you'll even manage a discount.

 After you've seen the tombs and chapels, climb up to the top and get a gorgeous view of the city.

From the Berliner Dom, you can walk around the island and enjoy the free museums.

I suggest hopping across the bridge and finding yourself an outdoor seat at one of the nearby cafes

to enjoy the beautiful view of the river and Museum Island.

Saturday:

Saturday gives you the chance to see a different part of Berlin.

There are dozens of different markets all over the city for everyone to enjoy.

Taking a stroll through one of the many parks, I've heard, is an amazing experience.

As it was too cold to stroll around Mauerpark, which houses the Berlin Wall Memorial

as well as a large strip of the Berlin Wall,

Rachel and I decided to forgo that opportunity.

During the spring and summer, though, it's a wonderful place to sit and relax.

If you're lucky, you'll get to enjoy one of their many open-air events

Großer Tiergarten is another park closer to the centre of town.

It holds a supposed haunting ground, as well as The Victory Column, different museums, cafes, and the Reichstag.

The Reichstag is the equivalent to the British Houses of Parliament, and is an absolute must-see.

Located on the edge of the park and adjacent to the Bradenburg Gate, it provides stunning views of the city. 

The top of the building has a massive glass dome with a spiral staircase that leads all the way to the top.

In order to go, you'll need to make a reservation at least a day in advance - but it's free!

From here, you are just a few minutes walk from Fassbender & Rausch Chocolatiers am Gendarmenmarkt,

which is a DELICIOUS chocolate store.

They had chocolate sculptures of the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag, and a real chocolate volcano!

Plus, they have about 500 different truffles to choose from - good luck with that.

The top floor is an elegant and inexpensive restaurant that serves different forms of chocolate with each tea, bread basket, and meal.

Don't forget to indulge in dessert (don't worry, we don't count the chocolates with the meals as dessert) with a delicately designed mocha or a shake!

After this, you should be ready for the evening.

Berlin is known for it's eccentric nightlife.

And although I didn't get to experience the famous bars and clubs around, it's definitely worth exploring.

Or, if you are up for a more leisurely night, I suggest the Hofbräuhaus.

And it's only a stones through from St. Christopher's Inn!

If you've never had the pleasure of experiencing a Hofbräuhaus,

just imagine leaderhosen, 1 litre steins, cute men everywhere,

loud music, drunken dancing, and one thousand of your newest and closest friends.

What's not to love about that?

Sunday:

Since Sunday is normally a travel day, it's best to catch a morning tour.

Rachel and I chose to go to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial with Sandeman's.

They have loads of other tours, as well as the postdam tour, the Third Reich Berlin Tour, the alternative city tour,

and even a pub crawl.

We also chose this day to walk up and down Unter den Linden - the central road in Berlin -

to buy some keepsakes and souvenirs.

Berlin is such a wonderful city - I hope you get the chance to enjoy it someday!

It definitely sits in my top four favorite cities so far. The culture, history, art, and beauty of the city

is what makes it such a unique place to visit.

Happy traveling - I hope you love it as much as I did!

Link up below!