Summer in England

I'm back in Manchester and I'm loving it! I'm lucky enough to have my partner living in the Northern Quarter: the hippest, most creative and artistic portion of the city with the coolest coffee shops and bars. It's been sunny since I've gotten here and it almost doesn't feel like I've left the comfort of my California home. I have to admit - for the first time in a long time I'm feeling just a tad homesick, as the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays... almost as great as Christmas! I'm planning on finding an American-themed restaurant to eat my feelings away tonight.

But back to the amazingness of this city - I've already had lot of time to explore. I arrived about one week ago from today, which has FINALLY given me enough time to (mostly) adjust to the time change here - a whopping 8 hours! Jack's parents live in a beautiful English countryside home with sheep and cattle to look at as you wake up in the picturesque "is this place even real" grassland. After a night there, it was back to Manchester, where I've been able to exercise through shopping and also got my first pair of Birkenstocks (hooray!). 

I'll be sure to post some pictures soon of the good eats, beautiful views and volunteering I'll be doing this summer. Many more adventures to come!