New York Part 2 and More Coming Soon

8/19/14 (At least, when I started this entry it was the nineteenth.)

On we go to the second day here. 

Originally, I'd planned on going to the Arthur Kill Boat Graveyard (look it up), but upon actually looking it up to get directions, we found that it was something like an hour and a half away...by cab. Not exactly how I want to spend what little time I have in the Big Apple. So, instead, I decided to opt for Pomander Walk, as it was within walking distance, or at least a very short drive away--more on that later. For now, pictures.

I had just stepped out of the cab and already was taking pictures.

Same spot, but with a wilder lens flare.

Probably would have looked more quaint without the cars, but I'll take what I can get.

Along the way we found a secondhand book store, where I got a paperback about dragons for a buck fifty.

There really is no way to describe buildings here other than ''looming.''

Between the little sections of cottage-like apartments were alleys where you could see miles ahead.

After finishing up with Pomander, we killed some time looking around the area.

It's going to be a long, long time before I get shots of cityscapes like this again.

Turns out we weren't too far from the side of Central Park we didn't get to on the first day, so that was our next stop.

It was a long walk back to the hotel, but better to be tired from an eventful day than bored from a dull one.

 I'll have Part 3 up soon!

The Payoff of All That Work And Holy Crap I'm In New York

8/18/14

I actually meant to write this yesterday, when we first arrived, but I was pretty exhausted and had some tech-related difficulties I wanted to sort out before going to Iceland (which, by the way, is just 3 days away--AHHHH). Currently it's a little past 4 on our second day, and I haven't sorted through today's pictures yet, so instead I'll post yesterday's:

The day started early. Like, really early. I had to get up at 4:45 to finish packing a few things, and we were out the door and on our way to the airport by 5:30.

That actually worked out in my favor, as I'm an early riser by nature.

There's no better place to listen to music than in the air.

Plus,

the

view

is

unbeatable.

The pilot was so nice she actually let me get out on the wing at one point to snap a few photos!

Just kidding...mostly.

After landing and dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we headed to Central Park for a few hours.

There was this cool (if slightly dangerous) concrete playground attached to a big rock formation.

The shade was desperately needed since it was scorching outside.

It's deceptively calm in these pictures--you could hear all the sounds of the city even surrounded by trees.

The light at the end of the tunnel, which in this case was a water break.

Okay, I´m going to '86 the captions for the next few, so just enjoy the nature.

All these rock formations made for good hiking practice.

As another exchange student said, ''Þar annan dag'': ''Until another day''!

< 2 Weeks Till and Party Against My Will

8/4/13

Hey, would ya lookie there? Two entries less than a month apart for once. Either I'm becoming more responsible or this is my new medium for procrastination. 

Anyway, leaving to go to a new country for ten months is not an easy thing to comprehend, but now, just under two weeks away from leaving for New York, I think the shock has worn off. Now my brain is going into hyper-drive trying to get anything and everything done with time to spare so that my last few days here can be (sorta kinda) stress-free. 

Alright, so the party wasn't really "against my will", but it was planned without my knowledge, and "will" is a lot easier to rhyme. Basically, my friends and family threw a surprise party for me, and it was kind of the best thing ever. I was too caught up in the moment to even think of taking pictures during the party--though my mom got plenty on her phone--but I did get quite a few of the aftermath (yes, I finally have my camera again!).

"I walk in the club and this is what I see..."

They took a "Happy Birthday" banner and just removed the "birth" part...

...And put it on the piano.

Not much to see here. Just the room where we sat around and talked--wait, what's that folded over in the corner on the right?

Why, yes, that is a life-sized Captain Jack Sparrow cardboard cutout! Thank you for asking.

A mere sampling of the many hats we wore throughout the party.

PRESENTS! (Notice the Uncle Sam starter kit that my sister and her boyfriend got me as a gag gift. At least, I really hope it was a gag gift...)

My sister doesn't play around when it comes to decorating w/ streamers.

Before I got home, my friends decided to give my ceiling fan a makeover.

Who knows? Maybe I'll keep it like this. It's kind of relaxing, in a way.

The End.

Host Family Joy and Fall Out Boy

8/1/14

It's a new month, and with it has come a new family.

That's right; ladies, gents, and non-binary readers, I have received word on my host family with just over two weeks to spare. Hurray! Let's get right down to it, as I would like to email these lovely folks ASAP (oh man, my Icelandic is beyond shabby, so that should be fun). I'll be living in Reykjavík, or--to be more specific--near Seltjarnarnes in an area of Reykjavík called Vesterbærinn, or "the west end". To be completely honest, I had been leaning towards more of a rural lifestyle than an urban one since it would give me more of a chance to experience the nature there, but it's just about impossible to escape nature in Iceland, so it shouldn't be an issue. Besides, there's so much to do in cities! Even if I wasn't placed there, I would definitely want to go to Reykjavík at some point during my stay, and this way I'll get to see even more of it.

As for my actual family, I'll have a host mother and an older brother and sister, though I think the sister lives somewhere else. We seem to have a lot of similar interests from what I've read so far, which is great. That'll definitely make getting them a gift easier. 

So, to sum up: they seem super nice, the location is great, and I'M REALLY EXCITED, OKAY?

Okay, now for the explanation of the latter part of this entry title. In short, I went to a Fall Out Boy/Paramore concert with my family as an early birthday present for my sister. In length, I went to a Fall Out Boy/Paramore concert (though I don't really listen to either group's music, but I have nothing against them) with my family and met up with a friend and some friends of hers and we sat on a blanket all the way in the back on a hill and could see everything and even though I only had my crappy iPhone camera since my Canon is still being borrowed it was magical. Here's what I managed to capture, but again, I apologize for the quality:

Over on the far left of the stage where we were seated, nature was already hard at work reclaiming the venue even as the concert went on.

         

Paramore!

As Paramore wrapped up their half of the concert, I texted my friend to ask where she was and began the perilous journey through the crowd to find her.

This was, without a doubt...

...the biggest concert...

...I have ever attended.

Shortly after finding my friend, Fall Out Boy started. I was a bit more familiar with their music, but the real reason I enjoyed the duration of their performance more was definitely the view.

Seriously, we were almost dead center. Hilltop is just unbeatable.

Oh yeah, did I mention the live fire?

As the night wore on, the lights on stage went from brighter than the sun...

...to a hypnotizing glow...

 ...to a dim spark. And as the concert came to a close, it seemed the venue was lit only by cell phones and moonlight.

I, like I imagine most attendees did, came home completely exhausted, remaining that way even into the following day, but the experience was most certainly worth it.