You'll be missed, London

London is a magnificent city.  I'm positive that one could live here for a lifetime and still not experience everything the city has to offer.  I've seen history, art, and architecture beyond comparison, and I've tasted the whole range of delicious ethnic foods that barely even exist in Texas!

Here are the things in London that I will miss the most, in no particular order...

• The markets.  On any given Saturday, as you walk through the boroughs you'll run into tents upon tents of freshly-cooked food, baked goods, clothing, jewelry, etc.
• The theatres.  London is home to so many of the most famous productions in the world.  I just saw Les Miserables last night and it blew me away!!!
• The parks.  No other city does green space like London.  Every few blocks, there is always a lovely, well-manicured square of grass and trees where children are running and people are having picnics.  Not to mention the massive Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and Primrose Hill, and Hampstead Heath!
• Thai food.  We've got plenty of Mexican food in Texas, but we run a VERY short supply of good Asian food!  Thai is my favorite; I eat it all the time here and it will be hard to find good places when I'm home!
• Hillsong Church.  This place has been a home to me during my time in London.  Brothers and sisters in Christ surrounded me with love and encouragement as soon as they met me on my first week.  I had so much fun serving on Host Team while I was there!  
• Walking into an embassy every day.  It has been an honor to work for my country abroad.  I have never felt more patriotic, and I have such an appreciation for the Foreign Service Officers that devote their lives to serving at posts in the best and WORST parts of the world for our country's prosperity.
• My friends.  I've really connected with some of the interns at the embassy and the friends I've made at Hillsong.  It's heartbreaking to think that I may never see some of them again!  But I'm ever thankful for the memories we've made :)

On the other side of things...there are some things in Texas that I CAN'T WAIT TO RETURN TO!!!  Going home is sure to result in an epic indulgence of everything I've missed over the last 3 months.

• MOMMY, DADDY, KELSEY, AND AVERY (and the kitties).  When I get back, we'll be spending the weekend in Houston watching Kels kick ass in volleyball!  My family is my greatest joy; I honestly can't wait to be crammed in a hotel room with my favorite people in the world!!! :) Can't wait to snuggle with my sissies!
• MEXICAN FOOD.  If you're from Texas, you understand.  There are two food groups for us: 1) Mexican and 2) everything else.  Queso, guacamole, enchiladas, margaritas...my mouth is watering!!!
• MY CAR.  I haven't driven in ages!  And the only driving I have seen in the past 3 months has been done on the left side of the road.  This should be interesting...
• The Promised Land - College Station, TX.  The home of the Spirit of Aggieland.  Can't wait for football season and reuniting with all my friends, the most important of those friends being...
• MY ROOMMATES.  I am BEYOND EXCITED to live with Amanda, Bailey, Jessie and Morgan in our new house in the historic district (along with honorary roomies Emma, Loren, Lindsee, and Emily).  I hope that each and every one of you reading this comes and visits us - our door is always open!  Adventures and baked goods are guaranteed upon entry :)
• RUDDER LOVE.  I spend nearly every waking moment with my Young Life team back in College Station, so it's been really weird not seeing them for this long!  I can't wait to get back to my team to serve the Lord and hang out with high school kids together.

I depart London at 10:25 am tomorrow!  Tonight I'll be saying goodbye to friends and celebrating the time I've spent here (and finishing up my packing...bleh).  I can't wait to see you all when I'm finally home!

Much love,

Hayley

Last day of my internship!

I have enjoyed an amazing internship with the U.S. Commercial Service, where I have been challenged and expanded my knowledge of international business.  It was exactly the type of work experience I was hoping for, and more!  Thank you to everyone at the CS London office and the American Embassy who made my experience so worthwhile.

Paul's attempt at an artsy photo of the flags...not bad I guess

There have been a lot of great memories in this office.  From crazy, angry callers to duck-and-cover drills, Paul and I have had quite an experience.  After spending every day for the last 8 weeks sitting next to each other and chatting, it'll be so weird not having him around anymore!  We've had a lot of fun together - he would get along great with Bailey and Emma because he's a pro at picking on me...

Me and Paul at the Intern Headquarters

During my time here, some pretty important people have come through the embassy, like Secretary of State John Kerry and Madonna!  Here's a photo of me with the former Deputy Chief of Mission, Barbara Stephenson.  Unfortunately, I will miss the arrival of the new Ambassador by only a few days!

Myself and former DCM Barbara Stephenson

At the end of the day I'm looking forward to the customary intern-leaving celebration - my whole office will go out for drinks together to send me off.  They're a great group of people and I have really enjoyed working with them!  As I'm leaving the embassy I'll have to turn in my badge :( working here has been an amazing experience, and I'll be sad to see it end!

Much love,
Hayley

Half my room is packed :(

This will be a very brief and un-picture-full post...My time in London is drawing to a close!  There are still lots of adventures I need to write about, but I want to quickly say how sad I am that I leave in only 3 days!  Well, it's bittersweet.  I'm absolutely bursting with joy at the thought of seeing my family and my roommates, but there will definitely be tears of sadness as I depart.

Within the last few weeks, some pretty exciting things have happened!  For one, Secretary of State John Kerry showed up at the embassy on very short notice!  We got to hear him speak, and some of the interns even got to shake his hand (not me though...).  Also, there was a bomb threat at the embassy today...although our office didn't know about it until it was pretty much over with, so not much to comment on there.  My cousins Johnny and Kandis visited this weekend!  We had a great time touring the Cabinet War Rooms and exploring Harrods.  I also had my first run at Mexican food in London!  Wasn't too bad, actually.  We went to a place called Benito's Hat (apparently the owner married a San Antonio girl), which was a lot like Chipotle.  I even had guacamole, which I've really been craving!

Like I said, not too much to write about for now.  More to come very soon :) In the meantime I just posted a bunch of pictures of recent adventures on Facebook if you'd like a sneak peek!

Also, for the record, I beat Paul (my co-intern) to work today.  This never happens.  Although none of you all really care, it was a very important moment in my career as an intern, so I would appreciate your applause as you read this.  That's all :)

Much love,
Hayley

Brighton, Oxford, and the lovely Rachel Thompson

Hi friends and family!  Before I start this post, I just want to say I can't wait to be home in only 8 DAYS!!!  I miss you all dearly, but I'm also trying to soak up as much of London as possible before I go.  My heart is so torn!

I have this sweet, amazing long-time friend named Rachel Thompson :) and I got to see her not once, but TWICE over the last two weeks!  And a third reunion is on it's way...we're going to see Les Miserables next week!  It has been a huge blessing to have adventurous, quality time with you, Rachel.  We've seen each other more in London than we have in the last year!  Let's keep up the pattern when we get back to the States :)

On the first weekend Rachel was here, I took her to my favorite place in all of London - Borough Market.  We stood in line for nearly half an hour to try the famous duck sandwiches.  They were delicious!  Also had some sparkling Prosecco to go with it.

Could we be sisters?  I think YES!

We also explored a North London neighborhood called Hampstead, which is a pretty upscale area.  It's full of boutiques, restaurants, and townhomes with Audis and Mercedes parked out front.  In the middle of Hampstead is a giant park called Hampstead Heath, where we hiked to the top of Parliament Hill for a great view of the London skyline.  It was a lot like Primrose Hill, a favorite hangout spot of the interns, but from a different perspective - very cool!

Hampstead Heath

Whilst exploring Hampstead, I came across this little gem and instantly missed College Station!  The new home where I'm living with my roommates is also white with a red door :) Made me miss my roomies!!!  I can't wait to be back on Suffolk Avenue with my girls.

The Suffolk Casa look-alike

Rachel and I also enjoyed a showing of The 39 Steps, a very clever and entertaining West End comedy performed by only four actors!  They brought the entire story to life with limited props, and several of the actors hilariously changed back and forth between characters in the middle of a scene with the flip of a hat or a coat.  I highly recommend it to those of my friends in London!

We also visited the sweet seaside town of Brighton!  Rnd vegan cafes called The Lanes, as well as an exciting nightlife on the Brighton Pier.  Relaxing on the pebble beach and dipping in the cold water was just what we needed as a break from London.  I had low expectations for a pebble beach, but it turned out to be a pleasant experience since there's absolutely no sand to worry about!  We still felt clean even after sitting there for hours.  Such a beautiful day with our friends Mina, Maimuna, and John.

Pebble beach and Brighton Pier

Me, Mina, and Rachel

The next weekend, Mina and I traveled to Oxford with another of the interns named Maura.  The town was surprisingly quiet, and yet again another refreshing break from the bustle of London.  We explored the various museums and shops before meeting up with Rachel to take a tour of her college!  She's been staying at Wadham College, and the place is just like something out of Harry Potter.  We even visited The Eagle and Child pub, where literary greats C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien used to sit and discuss their works!  Oxford is covered with amazing pieces of history.

Einstein's chalkboard!!!

Wadham College

The dining hall at Wadham College

I'll be home SO SOON!!!  It'll be a bittersweet goodbye.  I'm going to do the best I can to work hard and enjoy every moment of London right up until I step on the plane to go home.  I can already feel the tears coming - both of sadness and joy!

Much love,
Hayley

Hillsong Conference

I don't even know how to begin to describe the experience I had at Hillsong Conference.

London, The O2 Arena.  Brian Houston, Kari Jobe, Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, Judah Smith.  Lights, musicians, dancers, worship.  Wisdom, truth, inspiration, the Word.  Thousands of people from all over Europe, THIS IS REVIVAL.

I guess I'll really start by explaining what it is.  During my time in London, I have been attending Hillsong Church in the Dominion Theatre.  This is the Hillsong of Hillsong Live - a pretty well-known Christian worship band that many of us have listened to for years.  The church puts on a conference every year for all of the church's European locations.  It's very similar to the yearly Passion conference for college students that takes place in Atlanta, GA.  In short, it was incredible.

The conference took place over three days during the week, so unfortunately I didn't get to attend the entire program.  However, they opened up the night sessions, so I had the privilege to attend two of those (and for a much cheaper price!).

The first night, we heard Hillsong's band open in worship, then a message was given by Brian Houston, Senior Pastor of Hillsong in Sydney.  He preached on one of Hillsong United's songs, "Oceans" - if you have never heard it before, go download it right now!  The lyrics are comforting and inspiring...

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown, where feet may fail.

And there I find you in the mystery

In oceans deep, my faith will stand.

We all know that our God works in mysterious ways, but how many of us actually love that about Him?  For most of us, it's scary and frustrating that we can't see into our own futures, and as a result we can grow to resent God for keeping His secrets.  I know that I sometimes do!  Why can't he just spell it all out plainly for us?...The answer is, as always, HE LOVE US.

Brian Houston

I was skeptical at first too with another appearance of this win-all answer, but think about it...what's more mysterious, beautiful, and exciting than a romance?  After all, we, the Church, are the Lord's bride.  He woos us and delights in us and wraps us in His everlasting arms.  Would there be any fun in that if we didn't wonder just a little bit what He's up to?  Where will He lead me?  What is He thinking?    The mystery guides our interactions with Him.

Imagine if God actually handed you a to-do list for the next 10, 20, or 50 years.  That would be totally overwhelming!  Like I said, He loves you, and He doesn't want you to deal with that.  And for you go-getters out there, can't you see yourself eagerly taking ahold of that list, and saying "Thanks, God, see ya later!"  We could easily fool ourselves into being able to independently carry out all His plans for our life.  Keeping His plans a mystery is His way of keeping you close; always seeking, always growing the relationship.

Sounds pretty romantic to me.  After this message, I felt a renewed desire to not only accept His ways of mystery, but also to love that part of Him and to follow Him into those mysteries!  Such an adventure!  My favorite lyrics in the song...

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever you would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

The second night, we heard from Louie Giglio.  The title of his message: "No Funerals Tonight!"  As always, he was incredibly engaging and inspiring.  He took us through the story of Jesus raising the widow's only son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17).  The compassion, the power!  Jesus is in the business of interrupting funerals.  This story applies to every one of us: when you choose to believe in Christ, He interrupts YOUR funeral!  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

This really put salvation in perspective for me.  The stark contrast between death and life is so important for a believer to understand - it can seem metaphorical because we haven't actually "died" yet, but before we believe, death is our future and there's no way out.  Not only do we await death, but we live in death as we live in our sins.  When Jesus enters your heart, you are literally raised to life in God's eyes!

Screen reads "rising up from the ashes"

Louie had another piece of advice that really hit home for me.  He banned everyone in the room from ever again saying "My testimony is not that great."  I have always said that, and you may be able to relate to that as well!  Because I've never experienced a major tragedy or obstacle in my life, I'm quick to write off the story of my belief as less exciting than others'.  REALLY?!  You were DEAD, and now you're ALIVE!  How much more amazing can it get?!  Once I understood how real that was, I couldn't thank God enough for the amazing, eternal work He has done in my soul through Jesus Christ.

I could go on about this all day!  I hope I get the chance to talk to each and every one of you in person about what I learned at Hillsong Conference.  The Lord changed my perspective on His Word and refreshed my heart through the amazing worship (Chris Tomlin on night 2 was a dream come true for me!!!).

I'll be home in 2 weeks!!!  Can't wait to see your lovely faces :)

Much love,
Hayley

Summer Slackers Reunion: London Edition

Whew!  What a week...I mean, two weeks.  Dang it, blogs are the hardest things in the world to keep up with.  But they're also a lot of fun :)  My excuse is that I had two lovely visitors to entertain...the first of which this lovely post is devoted to: my sweet friend Kelly Barnett!

For all of you who don't know (or don't remember), I spent a month last summer working on Summer Staff (affectionately referred to as "Summer Slackers") at a Young Life camp in Canadian wilderness.  The camp, called Malibu Club, holds one of the most precious pieces of my heart.  I saw the Lord transform lives and build beautiful friendships - one of those being between me and Kelly!  Since she is studying abroad in Florence this summer, she was able to hop over to London to hang out for the weekend :)

After a stressful yet God-graced bus mishap (myself and Kelly's bus were both exactly 40 minutes late to the meeting spot - without the means to communicate, we were both freaking out that the other person had been waiting the whole time, yet both of our lateness was perfectly timed!), we hiked up to Primrose Hill to meet up with the rest of the embassy interns.

Sunset over the London skyline

***Side note: this group of interns is AWESOME!  I couldn't have asked for a nicer or more interesting group of people to get to know this summer, and I think everyone else would agree.  We are all proud to be members of what we have deemed the INTERNet (haha, get it?).

Anyway, Primrose Hill is one of the highest natural points in the city, where we watched the London skyline darken among the rays of a gorgeous sunset.  After dark we ventured to one of our favorite hangout spots - a pub in Soho called The Green Man - where one of our British friends works (an honorary member of the INTERNet, or "Team America" as he prefers to call us).

On Saturday we explored through Borough Market, Portobello Road Market, and something else.  I've decided that Borough Market is my absolute FAVORITE London Saturday activity...so much delicious food!  Portobello Road is home to some upscale boutiques and antique stores, but also the cheap stands of little trinkets and paintings.  Also on Portobello Road is the Hummingbird Bakery, where you spend a fortune on a (red velvet) cupcake, but it's amazing!

Breakfast at Pure Waffle

London's oldest market - and my favorite!

SO MUCH CHEESE

A quintessential image of Portobello Road

Cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery (that's Kelly!)

Love these crazy girls SO MUCH!!!

On Sunday, Kelly and I headed over to Greenwich with Ian, another member of the Summer Slackers.  Greenwich is the neighborhood in southeast London home to the Royal Observatory, the Royal Naval College, and...the Greenwich Mean Time!  A.k.a., the Prime Meridian!...The definitive point in the world from which all time is denoted (or just a line on the ground, whichever way you want to look at it).  The town of Greenwich is full of quaint cafes and narrow, winding roads, and there is a beautiful park and some tucked-away gardens; I found this area to be one of the most charming in London that I've been to.

Greenwich!  And some important ship...

We made our mark

The Painted Hall

Cool mirrors that help you look at the ceiling, although I think we spent more time looking at ourselves....

Greenwich Park and a gorgeous view of the Old Royal Naval College

There it is!  The Prime Meridian

On the last night Kelly was here, we were reunited with yet ANOTHER member of the Summer Slackers, Wilson (and his girlfriend <3, ooh la la).  Good times and reminiscing about our time in Canada was another perfect cure for being homesick.

Primrose Hill Round 2 is happening tonight!  More pics to come from that as well as Hillsong Conference and Rachel's visit.

Much love,
Hayley