I met some of my IB (International Baccalaureate) students the next day, and chatted more about the IB curriculum with the former drama teacher (as well as meeting after meeting) before Ms. Hoskins (aka my former English teacher) took Mo and me to the train station to sojourn back to the UK. I read the curriculum for IB theatre (sounds fascinating to an academic like me) on the train and ate myself two more gofers. I managed to coordinate our trains all the way out to Diss where G2 picked us up and we visited with his mum, her S.O.-Clive and little sister Lucy (whom by the way is an all grown up flight attendant now for Monarch Airlines). Remember we haven’t seen them in 7 years! We don’t see G2 (Mo’s bio-dad) all that often either as he lives in my home state of Oregon. Finally, we traversed to Granddad Harry Peacock’s for the rest of the stay. Fortunately, and unfortunately, Harry and his long-time significant other Pauline are totally into spoiling their grandchildren, and it wasn’t long until Mo was acting like a little LORD! They have a magnificent house and a farm. Mo really loved the dogs.

We went mountain bike riding through the Thetford forest with G2’s mum and family, and had so much fun! I kept imagining all the history that took place on those very forest grounds, like Robin Hood, and King Arthur! That was really the most fun day. The other days were filled with visiting, walking though town, showing Mo English life, shopping, visiting old churches and grave yards (I know it’s morbid, but these tombs date back to Renaisaance and medieval times!) and on the last day a visit to an actual medieval castle with a moat! This kind of stuff just fascinates me!

That pretty much covers the 10 day adventure. Mo really wanted to stay as he gets all kinds of attention from the grandparents and again he loved the dogs. But we’re now home prepping for grad. school and the move to Waterloo. Wish us luck.

Mo and I made it to London with only a slight bit of motion sickness for me, due to the crowded shuttle that took 2 hours to get us to the hotel (if I’d known better at the time we could have taken the underground for 1/10^th the cost). Our plane was 3 hours late taking off from Phoenix, and G2 missed his plane from PDX all together so we did not meet up at London Heathrow and I had to navigate the shuttle and undergrounds all myself, which proved rather easy, I was quite proud of myself. The first morning Mo and I headed to the Globe where we took the tour. It was an interesting site although not worth the $35.00. I didn’t learn anything new, save that they don’t use microphones and theatrical lighting as they try to keep the productions as authentic as possible to the day (save again stinkard groundlings). I wanted to see Othello but it was much too cold and rainy to stand up as a groundling for a three hour play. That evening we maneuvered to Victoria Station where we saw Wicked, and it was all I expected and more. I almost cried it was so good and little Mister Contrary loved it too.

Day two was spent traipsing through Hyde Park between fits of rain and visiting Kensington Palace and gardens. What an amazing Renaissance place, with all kinds of interesting history! We even got to view some of Princess Diana’s evening gowns. I sure would love to wear some of them! After making it back to the hotel I was so freezing and Mo and I still hadn’t adjusted to the UK time zone we just hung out in our room watched TV, ate and slept as we had to be up early to catch the Eurostar to Brussels.

I navigated the underground to the international station and we had no problems getting to Belgium (in the chunnel we were only underwater for about 20 minutes and it really wreaked havoc on my eardrums). I had my first gofre (SIC) aka Belgian Waffle in 30 years on the train and boy was it GOOOOD! The director of the school picked us up in Brussels and it took us about 30 minutes to get to the school. We had lunch in the cafeteria which used to be the old, old gym when I went to school there and Brother Brannan, now known as just Brannan, or Mr. Gary, greeted me with a warm hug. I had seen him 10 years ago when G2 and I visited on our honeymoon. Brannan took me on a tour of the school and a small Scottish teacher named Mr. Moe took Mo with his class of students. Mo cried but went anyway being a trooper. I met the former theatre teacher, whom was very helpful and wanting to make the transition as smooth as possible for me. The stage was more than amazing, the web site doesn’t do it justice. I continued on with meeting after meeting and eventually got to check into the Hotel Ibis, really near my old dwelling and have a little snooze before diner with my old English teacher whom is now the Director of Admissions and the school director’s wife who is an 8^th grade science teacher at the school. Before dinner Mo and I traversed over to the old GB supermarket which is now Carfer (I think) but the old GB Quick hamburger joint (the only fast food place when I lived there) was still there. In the direct area there now is Pizza Hut and Dominos Pizza, we shall survive!

I am back from my grand adventure to London, Waterloo and Diss. I have a lot to tell but I forgot my camera at our bus, so it will have to wait until tomorrow where I can post some photos too.

Mostly, the school was fantastic, a bit overwhelming, but very exciting! Wicked was absolutely the most phenominal show I have ever seen, although it turns out I will be escorting my students to London in October, so I could have seen it for free. I will also be taking my kids to Norway in January for another theatre festival. Oh the life!