Congratulations to ... Myself! 
One year ago, (at pretty much around this time), I was arriving at SeaTac airport with three very heavy bags, a plane ticket to London, a letter from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth saying I was going to be studying there for a year, and a lot of nervous excitement at what lay ahead. Things didn't turn out anywhere near what I expected, some of it admittedly for the worse, but a whole hell of a lot of it for the infinitely better.
I got to see an American election through the eyes of the rest of the world:
I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner with a Canadian, South African, Londoners, German, Dane, Irishman... umm... who am I forgetting...
I got to examine clothing pieces older than my home country...
I worked on a West End show (!!)
I saw two theatrical GIANTS take on Samuel Beckett...
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I had sugar glass smashed into my head, and made a medieval knight out of yarn and a duvet cover:
I've toured Berlin...
... and Dusseldorf (and Koln)...
... and even Milford-on-Sea (super exciting, that last one!) ;)
Had countless crazy days with some of the greatest and dearest friends I will ever meet (obviously, not all pictured here, but they know who they are ;) )
Some excursions were AMAZINGLY fun...
Others, a bit more painful:
I piloted a TARDIS...
... and became a werewolf (Aarrrrouuuu!)
Somewhere in all there I managed to become a Master of Arts...
... alongside these crazy (but oh so lovely) ladies:
There's so much more, but I only have the patience to upload so many. ;) Needless to say, this has been a truly amazing year of my life, and I am amazed to look back and reflect on how far I've come... and how far I may go in the year(s) ahead!!
In the meantime, however, I thought it only appropriate to bring this blog to its official end on the anniversary of the start of this past year - my course at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth (now officially renamed the Arts University College at Bournemouth) is over, my Master's awarded, and the city of Bournemouth nearly all but moved out of. Obviously, my undergrad friends remain, three of my four fellow MA Costume girls will still be in the Bournemouth area, and I think it silly to say that the ocean spray and the screaming of Toko are finished with me entirely. Nonetheless, I turn my attentions east-ward - to a new journey, a new adventure, new faces and new friends, new opportunities and a new horizon to ride off into.
I officially sign the lease and receive the keys to my flat in South London this Friday (October 9th) - I'm still working out massive amounts of details (arranging a mover, turning on utilities, filling out change-of-address forms, trying to find myself ID that isn't my passport (or an expired student ID), etc, but the plans seem to be falling into place and I can only fall on my knees and thank the good Lord that the next stage of my journey is beginning. A few days back, I went down to the sea and sat on the beach, throwing my hands in the air and saying, "Okay, where to next?" I guess we never really get to see too far down the road ahead of us, but it's always lovely when we can make out a road sign along the way. ;)
This post serves as my official ending to this blog, but I will update once more to point you all in the direction of the next - I don't know when, as I'm still trying to sort out internet connections at the new flat (dear old Katy, am I doomed to repeat your many misadventures as the days progress?!), but the next installment of the Bonney Olde series is on the docket. Stay tuned, loyal viewers, and many thanks for following me thus far. :) Love to you all, and - as we say - Cheers!
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