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Twenty-nine days remain until I depart for a study-abroad in Manchester, England. Have I thought at all about what my topic of study will be while I am abroad? No.

I did, however, start planning what footwear to pack by putting every pair of shoes I own to a rigorous test. Each pair must be comfortable enough to wear many miles a day, yet fashionable enough to stand up to European standards. Europeans, being generally more chic than Americans, do not believe in the Reebok Princess (see picture, right).

My brown Doc Martens make an obvious choice. They are comfortable, water-proof, and even English! I'm now testing my pink flip-flops from Kroger ($4.99 special), as my Adidas sandals, known for their comfort but also their ugliness (all the little nubby things fell off long ago, and the formerly-white stripes are more of a brown color now) are no longer up to the test. Will the Kroger flip-flops stand up to the challenge?