It is with great sorrow that I write this post so late...a week+ overdue. Soon, you will all see why and hopefully you will forgive me. I shall try to make up for it by providing you with some hopefully entertaining (probably won't be) info just to catch you up on what's been happening.
It has been a fabulous two weeks with lots of little bits from home. I was feeling very homesick and stressed out because I had my first paper due and I really needed to vacuum. I don't know if this happens to everyone else but in order for me to get work done, I can't be distracted by a dirty carpet. That's when I got my mission...
Mission 1: I first had to make sure that a civilian group from the US got through London safely. Virginia, Barb, and Vickie brought Vickie's grandson through as the secret service was looking to place him in a school here in the UK. It was great to see them all and show them around the city. As good of a secret agent that I am, I do love to show off this city. It was great to get my first little taste of home.
My next mission was to house two people who were in a little too much trouble with the wrong people. Since I cannot disclose their full names, I will refer to my Bilbao-ean/Australian (we're not really sure) charge as Wadley and to my German/Italian/British? charge as Katie.
Wadley and Katie arrived on Thursday after I had had began the week with great sushi and absolutely no celebration of Halloween (my version of the perfect Halloween)...other than the fact that I got my ears pierced. But it's for the job. I needed some place to store the new microphones and microscopic cameras for my protection mission. Anyway, Roni installed the devices and was fabulous! He talked Margaux and I through the whole thing and made sure that they were perfect. Without Desiree's moral support, I'm pretty sure Margaux and I would have been the worst secret agents ever and freaked each other out...girls...you are the greatest partners a secret agent could ever ask for. You are the Double 0's to my 7. Let's please be assigned to one another forever!
Once my gear was installed and my carpet vacuumed, I finally received Wadley and Katie. I secured their cargo and their healthy selves and we relocated back to my flat. The weekend was fabulous and full of sights, and museums, and markets. Hannah...I mean Katie, met a boy (but shh don't tell Sam) named Big Fat Ben. I think it was love at first sight and his rather large face just pulled her in. Especially the way he lit up in the dark when she walked by. If my spy innards could have emotions they would think that this was sooo cute. We also had tea IN the Tower Bridge. My high security clearance got us IN the bridge...yes IN it. It was fabulous.
I had also walked all of Portebello market with them and helped them find gadgets and presents that would get them back home and help them become readjusted after their crazy adventures. It was successful and that is also when I found out the real reason for protecting Katie and Wadley...Katie is royalty (evidence in her jewels) and Wadley has an impeccable Australian accent.
We finished off the weekend with a trip to see Skyfall. It was a little awkward watching Daniel Craig play the cinema version of me...but I guess if people think my job is just made up in movies then it's better for my cover.
Needless to say, the weekend was a success and after lots of laughs and extremely good times, my mission was done and I saw them safely back to their base locations. The bad guys were taken out by me (yes I can be two places at once) and I will miss them greatly these next few months.
Mission 2:
I had the very special duty to protect one of my very own. On special assignment to the UK, was my father. He some very important business to attend to and information to find before heading back to the US. It was a bit like double dipping as I'm getting paid to show off my new city to someone that I love very much. Dad and I had a blast (while I was protecting him of course/working). We saw the sights and I showed him the government buildings right away. But the weekend is where things really started to get tricky...
We headed down to Portsmouth (southern coast) and got to see the historic harbor. We infiltrated the Royal Navy and got to see Nelson's Victory and as well as some new top of the line destroyers. It was a great trip. I loved Portsmouth. It's a very livable city; quiet and big enough to have variety while also small enough to get around. We had a great dinner at The Dolphin to end out day. Mission completed.
Our final task for the week was St. Paul's. My favorite place in the city and probably the most dangerous in my mission. How to get in...the place is huge and exploits so many opportunities for us to be over taken. Luckily, there was a perfect time to infiltrate their system...organ concert at 16:45. We arrived early so we diverted to St. Bartholomew's which was amazing. It was so old and the stone and dark lighting set the scene for a mid-evil night at church. We got to sit in on a string orchestra's practice. It was really great. We sat and listened to the beautiful music in the perfect setting. If I had spare time in my secret agent career...I would do this all the time.
We finally ended up at St. Paul's and were able to listen to some great organ music under the massive dome that is St. Paul's trademark.
My mission with my dad will soon be complete. He flies out early Wednesday and while I know he's probably about ready, I am not. It's wonderful to be able to share this with him and for all of you that are reading I wish I could do the same for you. I truly do love this city, but I love all of you more. I have learned so much and grown (although not grown out of hating laundry which I did today...no hand washing...be proud people, be proud) so much. I will miss it here and seeing that the 14th will mark one month until the end of school here...the feeling is bitter sweet. I don't want to get too sentimental now, but I will miss it here. I have made some amazing friends and been to some amazing places. I know I will be back to visit and my friendships will carry on when I leave. As much as I love it here, my heart lies at home in the US.
So, until next week and my next mission, if they don't take away my license to kill, here's to making this last month an amazing one!
Cheers,
Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment