My first few days

As my plane landed at Heathrow airport I saw one thing even before we touched the ground that made me smile and think, "Holy shit I'm in London." It was a bright red double-decker bus. One of those things you automatically associate with London.

Now, clearly my trip wasn't that great, but they never are and I was grumpy for a couple hours yesterday, and Angelica told me about 15 times that it wasn't allowed and I still was ornery, so I got it out of my system. So I needn't tell you all about it. I'll just say that I'm rather sore from lugging my suitcases all over, I wish they had lifts so I didn't have to carry it up a couple of flights of stairs rather awkwardly in public places (thank God for chivalrous males), and I wish I could have gotten better directions from people who are supposed to know how to get you somewhere.

Once I got here and all checked in we did a walking tour of the area and our main buildings that we will be using all semester so it was useful. We also went to Boots which is their equivalent to CVS. And the whole time I was just like, "Oh look they have this, and this and this, just like us" I don't know why, but I seem to be acting like the British are aliens and don't use anything that is the same brand. I find it funny and amusing to find different brands, and amazed and glad when I find something the same...even if I don't use it. Its reassuring somehow. Angelica and I grabbed a quick bite at a deli before the tour, and I got something different, cause I am in London after all. I had a sandwich called Tripole (tree-p0-lee) which is avocado, mozzarella, tomato, and basil on bread that is best compared to Cosi's bread. And it was delicious. Mmmmm.

So after our tour we all came back to our flat.....where 13 of us live together....and relaxed. I took a shower to get cleaned up because I realized that I had been wearing the same clothes for 24 hours straight and was rather gross (dragging luggage across London = lots of sweating). We then went to dinner and I had my very first legal alcohol. Hooooray! I had a glass of red wine with my delicious pizza (I ate the whole thing...hehe). And I was impressed with the wine, because it was rather good, and I don't usually like red wine. Directly after dinner our group went to Kavanaugh's. Its our local bar...and by local I mean around the corner. And there I had my first pub experience. And I drank a whole pint of Carling! Although everyone else had 2 or more, wine goes right to my head, and I just can't drink that much liquid. Plus, a pint and a glass of wine is pretty much my limit. Some of the kids ragged on me, and said by the end of the semester they'd have me drinking 5 pints a night. But really, thats just too much peeing, and far too expensive. Haha. After the pub we came home and called it a night, because we were all absolutly exhausted from our long day. I figured that by the time I got to sleep around midnight I'd been awake for 35 of the last 36 hours (I only got about an hour on the plane).

Thus far today we've been rather busy as well. We had a walking tour given by a blue badge. I guess that means they're a real guide...meh. It was nice though. We walked all over Kensington and got to know the area, were given great places to shop for things and saw Kensington Gardens and the palace. And we learned quite a bit of history of the area. Like double buses came into being in the year 1851 because thats when Crystal City was built. It was a arts and sciences fair that Prince Albert supported (he was their patron). In the 3 months it was open 6 million people visited it (London now only has 7 million people). And there wasn't enough transportation so they started putting benches on top of the carriages, and people loved it...thus double decker buses. We also saw the houses of T.S Eliot and some other notables. After our tour Angelica, Dianna, and myself all went to find something to eat and came across a super cheap and rather decent pizza place just around the corner and down the street from our flat. We then had orientation where we received our ID's and tube passes and all sorts of information.

And thats everything I've been up to since I've been here! We're about to go to a welcome bbq and have free burgers and beer. Yup, the program is providing alcohol. Its sooooo different!! Also, the UK subsidizes alcohol for university students....they make it cheaper and easier for us to drink in the university pubs! And we have access to them because we're temporary members of their student union.

I guess thats all, because we're about to leave. Lots more to come!