Payday goodies...

Hey everyone...

Its my favourite time of the month, PAYDAY. Every payday I treat myself to some things to say well done on working so hard and so I can have fun before I have to buy necessities like rent, food etc. This month I really treated myself here are some of the things I treated myself with...

CK underwear.

(It is very hard to photograph bra's well, sorry)

I have been in love with the modern t-shirt bra and pants for a long while and I decided as a motivation (to look great in it) I got it. I am still waiting for the pants to arrive but I am already so in love with the bra. It is well worth the price. It is so comfy and soft it is almost as if I'm not wearing it. That may be too much information but I am more than comfortable sharing about the worlds greatest bra. 

Trainers.

(Snazzy new nikes)

With my recent purchase of a gym membership I felt that I really needed to get myself some decent gym gear so I am more motivated to actually go to the gym. I really liked the look of these trainers as they aren't too much which is great as I like to lay low at the gym, which is hard when I am normally dying on the cross trainer.

Sports Bra.

(I love this print, I should have got more)

Again, I was in desperate need of gym stuff and I LOVE this crop top/sports bra. Although I like to lay low at the gym it doesn't mean I can't get fancy with my sports bra's. This one has this really cool tie-dyesque print which underneath my gym top makes me feel uber funky and teamed with my funky playlist it gets me ready to really kick butt and work hard.

Have you got yourself anything nice this payday? Let me know on Twitter/Instagram. Stay tuned for my next post all on what I'm looking forward to the next month.

See you Thursday,
Love Katie x

Self Love Summer Revisited...

Hey Everyone,

You may have seen at the beginning of summer I posted about how I wanted to decrease my insecurities and have a summer full of self love. Well as summer is drawing to a close I am reflecting back on the summer to see if my little experiment worked. (Featuring pictures from throughout the summer, some selfies, sorry)

(Giggles on a night out with friends)

Overall I would say that I am definitely happier. I started this summer ridiculously hung up on someone who was not worth even an ounce of my time and I shouldn't have let it effect me but I did and it did not make me feel great about myself at all! It is safe to say that I don't feel hung up on him at all and can stomach myself a little more (crazy how us girls let guys make us feel so bad) and looking back I realise it was just stupid. I am in a much better place and enjoying my own company and I am 100% ok being single and if I meet someone I meet someone and if I don't it is all ok.

(Spontaneous hair chopping = instant confidence boost)

Exercise wise I didn't do too great. The running didn't stick for long, but hey I tried. I did however join a gym last week and I just got loads of new gym gear so hopefully I can get the bug and then my body confidence will go through the roof. However I do love my lumps and bumps a little more. Diet wise as well I did start eating better but long days with no structure did take their toll and biscuits were well needed. I tried and I will definitely try again once back at work (even with tea and cake friday).

(Surprise birthday drinks, reminding me I have the best friends ever and I am more than loved)

I recently got into a whole new beauty regime and new make-up which has made me feel so much more confident with my looks. Buying new clothes every month although it has killed my bank balance has also made me feel 100% better about myself as I realise I can pull off the latest trends and in fact I do really enjoy a lot of them.

(This cheeky little pup has been making every day a barrel of laughs)

Even if we haven't had much of a summer (the weather has been awful) I definitely feel better in myself. Being that little bit selfish and focusing on me has done me wonders. I smile a lot more, which for a girl with a usual 'speak to me and i'll kill you' resting face, this has done me wonders as people have found me so much more approachable. Obviously I still have my moments where I panic about things and I have evenings where I get emotional and sad but those nights have gone down an awful lot. It really has been an eye opening summer and I am so glad I did it. I am also hopefully going to try and continue this mentality throughout the rest of the year and I'm sure in no time at all I'll be loving myself even more (but not too much, I don't want to be an arrogant diva, ok maybe I want to be a diva... just not an arrogant one).

(a night out in an outfit I thought I rocked)

Did any of you have an eye opening summer like me? Are you loving yourself a little more after this summer? Let me know on Twitter/Instagram.

See you Sunday,

Love Katie x

Back to School...

Hey Everyone,

So Summer is almost coming to an end which means it's time to head to Uni or school. Which means time to knuckle down and get back to work. This post is all my back to school essentials that everyone needs to be prepared for the next academic year.

1. A diary.

(I love a good floral print)

This is my ultimate essential (well other than pen's, obviously) purely because I love being organised. With an academic diary I can write in all the important dates, like trips, term dates, appointments etc. so I don't double book and it also helps me budget my weeks.

2.  A lunch box.

(Perfect for left over pizza, haha)

If you are planning on saving money and have long days at uni or want to bring a snack to munch between lectures, or during, I don't judge) its perfect. I went for this Star Wars lunch box, as firstly I am a massive Star Wars fan. However, I love the style of it the fabric band ensures the lunch box is always shut so you, hopefully, don't spill your lunch over your bag/work/laptop.

3. Stationary Essentials

(You can never have too many highlighters)

Every year at the end of summer I go on a mad one and stock up on every possible stationary item there is out there. Some of these I don't really need (in my three years of uni I did not use a pencil, ruler or rubber). However for some courses these are essential. My current essentials include, black pens and highlighters. As I'm working in a school now anything else I need is already there. Just think sensibly about the course you are doing and if you really need that bumper pack of post-its.

4. Folders

(can you see I have a running theme in my stationary this year?)

I could not have enough folders, however like stationary I realised I didn't need half as much as I had. This is where you need to think practically again, not 'OH BUT THAT FOLDER IS SO PRETTY SO I NEED IT'. It happen to the best of us, I understand just if you are on a budget it is not ideal. Think about what you need it for as some people might need one for each module, others not so much. I current am using mine for all the planning I receive and to keep records in.

Is there anything you think I have missed? What is your stationary essential? Let me know on Twitter/Instagram.

See you Wednesday,
Love Katie x

Beauty Loves...

Hey everyone,

Todays blog is all about the beauty products I am loving right now. This isn't a usual blog post as I haven't really covered beauty before but as a girl who is just getting into her beauty stuff I really want to share what I am loving with you all.

Cleanser:

I am loving Garnier's Micellar water. Micellar water seems to be everywhere at the moment but Garnier is the only one I found that works for combination and sensitive skin which is perfect for my dodgy dry one minute oily the next skin. I use it on its own some mornings (if I am feeling lazy) or after my oil cleanser in the evenings and it picks up all the last bits of make-up/dirt that other cleansers may not have picked up. If you haven't already got some Micellar water in your beauty routine you need to, it is a live saver.

Hair:

I have said in other blog posts about my hair routine and my love for the Daddy-o shampoo made by Lush however, my current favourite hair care product is my heat protecter. I am using the Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray. It is great. It leaves my hair with a smooth shiny (frizz free) finish which is handy as I now have to straighten it almost every day since chopping it all off.

Make-up:

I was a massive sceptic of the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara when it first came out as I felt for me it didn't really live up to the expectations, However that was a lie. I continually used it and over time as the mascara became less wet it worked and made my lashes look amazing. I even treated myself to a proper tube last week. I don't know if its just me but I do find the mixture a bit too wet to begin with but that is nothing a wipe on a tissue cant solve and then you have a fabulous curl and length that lasts all day. Its great and best of all, it doesn't give you spider lashes.

Have you got anything beauty wise that you are loving? Let me know on Twitter/Instagram. Stay tuned for my next post which is all about my must haves for school/uni which means all things stationary (my favourite).

Love Katie x

Welcome to August...

Hey everyone,

We are now in the centre of summer and in less than a month it draws to a close with the start of school and university, sad times. However that gives everyone the opportunity to make the most of this last month of summer and here is what I am looking forward to this month.

(Image from Pinterest)

Movies:
This month see's the release of some really great looking films. One of these is Fantastic Four, the latest Marvel release which is a re-vamp of the 2005 film. If you haven't seen the older film it is about 4 young scientists travel to an alternate universe and upon their return their bodies have been altered to give them super human powers. This becomes a challenge as they have to harness their abilities to help save the world from the evil Dr. Doom. Another film I am looking forward to this month is Trainwreck. This is all about a career woman who has always believed that monogamy doesn't exist which gets put to the test when she finally meets a decent guy. I am looking forward to seeing this as it hopefully will be the breath of fresh air very much needed in the romcom genre. It is also from the guy who did Bridesmaids, so hopefully it will be just as hilarious.

(Preview into my trip to see the dinosaurs)

In regards to my blog this month I will be telling you all about my spontaneous trip to visit some dinosaurs, a tour of fun things to do around my home town and I will also be giving you some summer cocktail recipes so you can make the most of what is left of your summer. I will also be doing a back to school/uni post full of the best things to kit yourself out with ready for September. I am hoping as well for a few more spontaneous trips this month, all things for you to keep up to date with on my Twitter and Instagram.

Are you looking forward to anything this month? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram.
See you Sunday,

Love Katie x

July Payday Treats...

Hey everyone,

I have put myself on a very strict no shopping this month after a big blow out this payday, but that doesn't mean no payday post, after all you probably want to know all about my blowout?

(insert heart eyes emoji here)

This payday I really treated myself with a new rucksack, my old one sadly broke on me while I was in America last year. I did replace it but I wasn't in love with the replacement however, on my spontaneous adventure I walked into Zara and could not leave without this stunning leather look backpack. It will give an instant grungy yet chic edge to any outfit I pair it with, PERFECT.

(contrast trims are in... my wardrobe)

I also picked up these two cropped tee's from Topshop and H&M. I am completely in love with the Foxes tee (part of the HMLovesMusic collection, which is great) and the contrast trim style of the Topshop tee is perfect with some mom style jeans for that 90's vibe.

(The holy grail, white jeans that do not go see through)

I also recently have got back into loving jeans and there is nothing more summery than a pair of white jeans. This was a challenge in itself as super stretchy jeans tended to go see through over my thighs and no matter what size I tried it didn't seem to help. Then Topshop came to my rescue and their white Jamie jeans now have a firm place in my wardrobe and I am looking forward to wearing them out for chilled drinks this summer.

(Topshop really know how to do denim)

While hunting for the perfect white jean I also discovered this stunning denim pinafore dress (also Topshop) this teamed with my cropped tees or a sweater on cooler days again will throw me straight back to the 90's (where I truly belong... I think anyway).

Have you guys treated yourself to anything new this payday? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram.
See you Wednesday,

Love Katie x

Netflix Top 6...

Hey everyone,

It's summer (even if the rain today says otherwise) which means for some people a lot of time off. I often find my time off involves a lot of Netflix. I am one of these people that can easily get wrapped up in series and can go through them very quickly. This post is dedicated to the series I am loving on Netflix right now and in no particular order...

1. The Office (U.S)

(Image from Pinterest)

This comedy is set in the office of a branch of paper company Dunder Mifflin where a documentary crew has been invited in to see all the dysfunctional happenings within this 'family'. I personally found the first 2 seasons a bit hard to watch and struggled with them, but 5 seasons in I am loving it. It is definitely one of those programmes that just get better and better with time. So if you start watching it, just stick with it. Not an episode goes by where I don't giggle at top seller Dwight or the pranks other characters pull on him.

2. Daredevil

(Image from Pinterest)

This is a Netflix original series that I was super excited to be released. I am a massive fan of all things superhero so this show would be right up my street. I have only seen the first episode so far (due to waiting to continue with my dad, yawn!) but I loved it. It is very dark and has a different edge to many other superhero related programmes. I am looking forward to continuing on with this series in the near future, and hopefully it will all live up to my high expectations.

3. Orange is the New Black

(Image from Pinterest)

This is another Netflix original series but it took me a while to get into. I had heard loads of positive reviews about the show but never thought I would get into it as I just didn't understand where the story could really head. Boy was I wrong, I became obsessed. It is great to watch a programme so female dominated that has elements of humour and serious matters. You really get to know the characters and connect with them on a different level. I would recommend this series to anyone, just to warn people the title sequence will never feel any shorter... sorry.

4. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

(Image from Pinterest)

 This series was an easy watch that made me giggle every so often. Kimmy comes out with some classic remarks which made the show, I never thought a show about a girl from a cult going to New York would be so funny. A personal highlight is the Pinot Noir song.

5. Parks and Recreation

(Image from Pinterest)

This is only available on the US Netflix (unfortunately) but it has been one of the best series I have seen ever. Again it is very similar to The Office (U.S) but set in the parks and recreation department of a city's council in Pawnee, Indiana. Each character had me in stitches and I still find myself watching episodes and best of videos before bed. If you enjoyed The Office (U.S) or fancy an easy comedy get on it.

6. Pretty Little Liars

(Image from Pinterest)

I could not a do a Netflix top 6 without mentioning the series that seems to be taking over the world. I have been following the 'Liars' since it all began in 2010 but with the series recently being picked up by Netflix it has taken the world by storm and everyone seems to be talking about it. With a new episode being released every Wednesday (until the mid-series finale) there is no better time to get involved. The first two seasons are a little cringe looking back but it is so dark and twisted now you really wonder how on earth these girls cope. Dubbed the teenage desperate housewives but darker it is not really for the faint hearted (always watch in daylight guys) but definitely a must watch in my eyes. Honestly, give it a try.

Hope you enjoyed finding more about the series that I watch religiously on Netflix. Is there any series you think I should see that you enjoy on Netflix? Just let me know on Twitter or Instagram. Stay tuned for my top 10 songs of July and its a birthday/summer special, going live Tuesday.

Love Katie x

Landan Town...

Hey Everyone,

For Christmas my dad's girlfriend got my two brothers and I tickets to see Bend it Like Beckham the Musical and, finally after months of waiting it was time to go. We really wanted to make a day of it and there really is nothing better (in my eyes) than taking a stroll around London.

(The Phoenix Theatre shining in the sun)

Being so close to London (about an hour on the train) it is actually quite rare that I get to go to the fabulous city. Whenever I go to London I do dress up a little as you never know who you might meet so I popped on some liquid eyeliner (becoming a bit of a rare sight these days) and headed out the door. As the weather was great we decided to walk from Paddington to get some food. We decided on Five Guys on Argyle Street as it is a firm favourite in our family and was fairly close to the theatre. I went for my usual Little Bacon Cheeseburger with Cajun fries. It was delightful and as I have said before the drinks machine DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

(Why have one guy when you can have FIVE GUYS?! - Single Girl Mantra)

After stuffing our faces we headed to the theatre. Bend it Like Beckham the musical is based on the hit film that graced our screens over 10 years ago. It was a firm favourite for me when I was younger. When you go into the theatre you feel thrown into the two different cultures that Jess has to battle with. The set design on the stage was great and transformed for each place with ease (going from a football pitch to the front room doesn't sound easy at all). The cast were absolutely amazing, I was giggling throughout and they really suited their roles. A personal favourite for me was Paula, she was so clueless yet supportive and Sophie-Louise Dann played her brilliantly. The songs and choreography were also fantastic, I was still singing the songs during the week after the show. I would highly recommend people seeing this show especially if you were a fan of the film. It takes it that step further and it works perfectly on the stage.

(The curtain before the show, a mix up of cultures)

After we did a little shopping on Oxford Street which on a sunny Saturday was probably a death sentence but we got everything we were looking for (and maybe a little more). We had another little stroll around London (did I mention it was my favourite thing to do?) before heading home. London is probably one of my favourite cities as there is always so much to do and see.

(pre-show smiles from my brothers and I)

See you Tuesday,

Love Katie x

Cardiff Bound...

Hey Everyone,

Last week it was S at Eleven oh Seven's 21st birthday and as we are all miles from each other (sad times) we had to try and arrange something to do. She had decided, seeing as we still had our student digs for a weekend, we would go for food and cocktails in Cardiff. She doesn't like big birthday fusses (which I personally don't get being the ultimate birthday princess) so we just kept it super casual.

(Cocktails are the perfect way to celebrate any birthday, Anne Maries Salad - Ten Mill Lane)

I arrived into Cardiff quite late due to having to go to work earlier in the day and rather than being my usual tired self, I was buzzing. This may have been because I was having a reunion with some of my favourite people or because I was heading back to my second home, Cardiff. After a short while making sure we were all ready (toilet and outfit checks, obviously) we set off. Cardiff has so many great places for food so was very hard for us all to pick but Wagamamas is a firm favourite of S' so seemed like a great choice. I had never been before but I loved every mouthful of my Yaki Soba and I cannot fault any restaurant that stocks peach iced tea. I also tucked into some chicken and duck gyoza's and I wasn't too keen on the chicken ones but I still catch myself dreaming about the duck gyoza's daily. I am looking forward to my next visit to this great restaurant.

(Yaki Soba, Peach Iced Tea, and the heavenly Duck Gyoza's)

Next it was cocktail o'clock and S opted for somewhere we had never been to before, Ten Mill Lane. After walking down the flight of stairs the atmosphere was just perfect for the girly catch up we were in desperate need of. The bar staff were fab. After being unsure on what cocktail to order we told the bartender we liked it fruity and he started making. We were loving the fact we got to give it a shake ourselves and made to feel like a celeb with the house photographer taking candid shots of us (although my double chin makes far too many appearances, haha). After our pomegranate cosmo's we couldn't resist trying one of their signature cocktails and we all know, you can never just have one drink. We opted for Anne Maries Salad which contained strawberry, balsamic vinegar and basil. An odd but fabulous mix, it went down very well with me anyway.

(Got a fit of the giggles but still felt like an a-lister)

I love Cardiff its such a great city and I am looking forward to many more visits in the future. If you are looking for a great place for a few chilled cocktails Ten Mill Lane is your place, if Japanese food  isn't your thing check out my Cardiff Bucket List for more fab restaurants situated in Cardiff.

See you Wednesday,

Love Katie x

Hey July...

Hey Everyone,

It's July and this year really is zooming by. July is by far my favourite month of the year for many reasons so this blog post is all about what I am looking forward to this month and there is a lot.

(Image from Pinterest)

Movies

(Image from Pinterest)

This month I am super excited for the release of two films. One being Magic Mike XXL. As a girl of course I am going to be excited to see Channing Tatum getting his kit off for a second time. This time around Mike is coming back to the stripping world for one last show, I'll be straight in the cold shower after seeing this one. Another film I am looking forward to is Ant-Man, Marvels latest hero to be shown to the world. I am also excited to see Paul Rudd in a more serious role, although Marvel films have comical moments I think Paul Rudd will do it justice.

Celebrations

(Image from Pinterest)

This month has lots of celebrations, I will be blogging about my recent trip to Cardiff for S from Eleven oh Sevens birthday. I also have my graduation and birthday coming up which calls for lots of drinks and celebrating. I will be doing posts of my party planning and lots of Instagram posts of me at my graduation, so I will apologise for the spam now.

Trips

(Image from Pinterest)

This July I will be welcoming Eleven Oh Seven and TurnerTurner to my home town and will be doing a post on my fabulous home town and how cute it is. I am also heading to London to see Bend it Like Beckham in the theatre and I am sure that will be a great trip. July also means the end of school so I will hopefully make a few spontaneous trips around my town and maybe a far.

All these things I will hopefully be writing exciting blog posts on so you will have a lot to read this July. Keep an eye out for the things I'm doing on Instagram and Twitter.

See you Tuesday,

Love Katie x

June's top 10...

Hey everyone,

This months top 10 is going to tie in with my 'self love summer' feel and are going to be my favourite sassy and happy songs.

(Image from Pinterest)

1. Destiny's Child - Bootylicious

It would not be a good list of sassy songs if this wasn't on there. From the 'can you handle this' at the start you know you are in for a sassy ride. This is one of my favourite girl anthems and always gets me dancing.

2. Everybody (Backstreets Back) - Backstreet Boys

This is one of my favourite songs ever (not sorry at all). I hear this song and instantly my mood is lifted. This song may not be sassy but I certainly make this song sassy when I dance to it.

3. Life is a Rollercoaster - Ronan Keating

This is not a sassy song but it is on my sassy playlist because it completely sums up the reason why I want to self love summer. Life IS a rollercoaster and I need to just ride it and not worry about the little things that I spend to much time worrying about.

4. Gas Pedal - Sage the Gemini ft IamSu

This song makes me feel like Rhianna, sassy, sexy and badass. I put it on, attempt to twerk and nothing bothers me anymore. It's great to feel good for a couple of minutes.

5. It's My Life - Bon Jovi

Nothing more selfish than screaming its my life from the rooftops right? This is the key to SELF love summer so remember it's your life.

6. Shake Your Ass - Mystikal

This song is a getting ready song that helps me burn a few extra calories before I head out. Gets the endorphins going and the sassy mood too.

7. Bye Bye Bye - N*SYNC

Again like the Backstreet Boys this is one of my favourite songs and makes me so happy. I also have the dance routine down and make it super sassy, trust me.

8. Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake

This doesn't need too much explaining, Im bringing sexy back this summer.

9. Don't Matter - Kings of Leon

It don't matter to me, that line sums up my feelings towards drama this summer. No time for it and it doesn't matter to me.

10. Lose Yourself to Dance - Daft Punk ft. Pharrell.

This is my number one song for feel good summer. This is because I really want to just dance and feel amazing this summer.


If you haven't seen my self love summer post check it out here. Follow the songs I'm listening to and how my self love summer is going on Instagram or Twitter with the #BOTTSelfLoveSummer.

(Image from Pinterest)

See you Tuesday,

Love Katie x

Flashback Friday...

Hey Everyone,

This weeks post I am going to give you an insight into 3 months that changed my life. Why now? Why bother? Well I am addicted to the Timehop app and it recently reminded me (I didn't need too much reminding) it has been a year since I spent 3 months stateside. It really was the best experience and I wouldn't change a single moment.

(In New York living my American dream)

It all started in September 2013 when out of boredom I started researching into summers in America because I couldn't bare a summer sat at home doing nothing. So after hours of searching I decided I wanted to try the summer camp experience. There are many companies out there that help you with this experience so you can shop around. I went through a company called Camp Leaders. For me, personally, they were so helpful and tried their absolute hardest to get you hired and on your way to America and I loved that. One of the things they do to be super helpful and get you to America is that they organise job fairs for people to get hired by camps.

(Left: The camps bus, Right: My smore making wasn't too bad)

It was at one of these job fairs that I got hired by the best camp in the world (I'm serious, there is no better camp) Tamarack Camps. While I was queueing I got to talk to some previous international staff who were sussing you out to see if you were right for the job. When you got hired they got you in a circle and shouted welcome home. After that it was a long wait until I could finally get on my way 'home'. Like anyone would be, I was terrified to go. Travelling half way across the world on my own it was scary. I met two others going to my camp at Heathrow and we had our last bacon sarnie (Jewish camp problems) and got on the plane to Detroit. After a long flight we landed and after meeting more people from camp we were on our way. We left the airport on a Forrest Gump style bus. I was sold. American life would be easy and it only got better.

(a view of the lake from the flag poles)

Tamarack Camps is a large Jewish camp in Ortonville, Michigan with campers ranging from 5-16. The campers I worked with were special need adults (18+) in the Avodah programme. They never failed to keep a smile on my face and keep us all laughing for hours and hours. Being around your campers pretty much all day everyday was tiring and got to much, but camp knew this and gave us lots of opportunities to burn off steam or chill. Whether it was organising days off for the international staff, fun activities for us all to try like roller disco, or letting you have a period off if you were really struggling. I got the opportunity to go on a camping trip in Mio where we canoed and swam in the massive lake there. It was incredible. Everyday was different but so much fun. Towards the end of camp you forgot you were working as everyday was just so great. However you slowly came to terms with the fact you were leaving and soon travelling. I had made a little (or not so little) family with all the people there from fellow brits to Americans and Israeli's. I was devastated to leave them but I knew that I had 3 weeks of travelling that would be just as fun as camp and I would see some of them again soon.

(Left: the Chicago theatre, Right: Me on the SkyDeck, I was terrified)

In my 3 weeks of travelling I visited Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington D.C, and New York. Every town and city brought its own memories and adventures. Chicago there was a big group of us staying in hostels and we all met up again, which settled all our post camp blues. I also got to conquer my fear of being by glass at height (its odd, I know) on the Sky Deck. I was so nervous but after crawling onto the edge I sat there for a few minutes and managed to stand. I was so proud. I also ate at my first Man V Food featured restaurant, Giordano's, true Chicago style deep dish pizza. True heaven. Indianapolis had the best hotel of my travels by far. A massive bed, free cupcakes, and a bath. Something I had been craving for a long time. However, there wasn't too much to do in Indianapolis, we shopped, biked, and worked on our tans but that is all we could do really.

(Left: New Yorks number 1 tourist attraction, the Naked Cowboy, Right: the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.)

I had a quick pitstop in New York for a week but only after a 20 hour Greyhound bus journey. Loads of people were warning me about Greyhound busses but they worked for me and I didn't have a bad experience on any of the ones I went on and would recommend them to anyone. While in New York I did all the usual touristy stuff. Times square every night, shopping, and the Empire State Building. It also brought some drama as the girl I was travelling with twisted her knee. Finding an emergency room in Brooklyn that would take her was so tricky. After all that drama I was glad to be escaping the hustle of New York to meet some of the boys from camp in D.C. I loved Washington, seeing the monuments all lit up at night was magical. It was so calm and I felt so safe (maybe because I was with 3 boys). We spent hours and hours walking and exploring the city and checking out the museums, I learnt lots about planes... fun? maybe. However I got to see a space shuttle, that was very cool. After that it was back to NYC to discover more of the city. We had all been before so wanted to see different things. This lead us to going on to Intrepid's Hangar Deck. It was more planes but also more space shuttles that made me very happy.

(Left: Monuments at night in D.C, Right: The White House, Hello Mr. President.)

It was super sad to be leaving America when September came around. I made so many memories I will hold dear to forever. If you are deciding whether to do Camp Leaders or a Camp America programme I would highly recommended it. Every camp is different, my camp was quite laid back and chilled, they also organised a lot for us at and away from camp. This isn't the same everywhere but from what I have heard, they are just as fun. Its not all like Beaver Fall's so don't go out just expecting to shack up with an American, its way more than that. Also if you cant see yourself in the camp way of life, I would highly recommend travelling America. It is stressful at times but it is so different everywhere you go. I definitely will head back someday, to camp to visit or to travel more. Michigan will always have a place in my heart and I will never forget those Ortonville sunsets.

(Left: the start of an Ortonville sunset, Right: The sun setting from the Empire State Building)

Stay tuned to things I am up to by checking out my Twitter and Instagram, see you Monday.

Love Katie x