Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Rundown

I couldn't leave this blog without posting one last time, could I? I've been back in the States for about a week now and have decided to compile a little list of statistics about my trip. This idea is in no way stolen from my brother's blog about his trip to Ireland.

My study abroad experience
  • Days abroad: 161 (including 1 partial day)

  • Days in UK: 145 (including 3 partial days)

  • Days in continental Europe: 17 (including 2 partial days)

  • Earthquakes missed: 2

  • Favorite foreign accent: New Zealand

  • Favorite city visited: Rome

  • Favorite city visited (UK): Edinburgh

  • Cathedrals visited/seen: 7+

  • Favorite cathedral: Duomo

  • Castles visited: 3

  • Favorite castle: Cardiff



  • The UK
  • Classes taken: 4

  • Classes passed: 4 (hopefully)

  • Essays written: 4

  • Times had fish and chips: 3

  • Yorkshire Pudding: 1

  • Bangers and Mash: 1

  • Doner Kebabs: 1

  • Times said "Oh capital!": 2

  • Times laughed at for saying "Cheers!": 1

  • Times said "Cheerio guv'nor!": 0

  • Henge: Stone

  • Professional football games attended: 1 (score: 1-1)

  • Professional football games attended in lifetime: 1

  • Rainfall total: Incalculable

  • Sheep total: See above

  • People from Wisconsin at Lancaster: 7+

  • My place in Line of Succession to Throne: 13,480,582


  • Ireland
  • Years under British rule: ~750, depending on where you start

  • Preferred drink: Guinness

  • Price of Corona in Dublin Temple Bar: €6.10

  • Seconds our group discussed whether to travel to Belfast: 4

  • Times nearly missed train due to Daylight Saving Time: 1

  • Would have liked to have seen: Cliffs of Mohr



  • France
  • Work week: 35 hours

  • Strike week: 85 hours

  • Paintings seen: 13,422

  • Paintings truly appreciated: 407

  • Meals baguette served as main component of: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Commute time to Beauvais Airport: 1 1/2 hours

  • Times actually attempted to speak French to French people: 2


  • Italy
  • Governments since 1946: 62

  • Gaffes of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: 0 (source: Silvio Berlusconi)

  • Cities visited: 3

  • Churches visited: Countless

  • Pizza places eaten at: 4

  • Gelato places eaten at: 2

  • Times actually attempted to speak Italian to Italian people: 0

  • Times used Spanish instead to talk to Italians: Enough to get me by


  • Places I would have liked to have visited but didn't
    Isle of Man, Glasgow, Loch Ness, Nottingham/Bingham, Canterbury, Normandy, Germany

    But as MacArthur said
    I shall return