Day 1 of my year in London
September 14, 2006
OY! What a long way to travel! I had a hell of a time getting over to
London... waking up late, leaving the house late, thinking I forgot my
passport and making my dad pull over on the way to the airport while I
rummaged through my stuff, didn't find it, freaked out, and then found
it hidden between papers, carried super heavy bags everywhere, had to
say goodbye to Zach at the airport while I was feeling really sick to
my stomach, couldn't sleep on the plane, ran like hell through JFK with
my baggage cart wearing way too many layers of clothing, waiting in
lots of long lines, not sleeping on the plane AGAIN, and then not being
able to exchange any of my money because the girls I met on the plane
said the rate was a rip off. Taking the bus from Heathrow to my new
dorms didn't look like anything special. It was very green, but looked
like it could have been many places I've been in the U.S. Still one of
the biggest cultural differences here is driving on the other side of
the road, and on the other side of the car. Riding on these huge buses
(yes, the red double deckers are real, and are everywhere), I ALWAYS
feel like we're going to get in an accident. Anyway, getting to the
campus I'm living on was nice, though. You have to drive up this skinny
little road called Snakes Lane that's lined with trees. It looks like
something out of a movie. The campus itself is beautiful as well. it's
very green, and we have this big mansion that we have classes out of.
It's in the middle of a park (Trent Park), so that should explain quite
a bit. The weather was moderate, which surprised me. Everything is
pretty disorganized here, generally, and so I had to stand in line, or
queue, rather, for a LONG time just to get my keys. During my short
time here thus far, I've found that British people have a very
different attitude about waiting in lines. In America, everyone is very
impatient on a constant basis, but here, people don't find standing in
line, and are polite and quiet about it. Anyway, I live in a very, very
old brick building called Gubbay Hall, and I live on the second floor,
even though it's called the first. I have my own room at the end of the
hall in the corner. My room is ugly, but it makes me laugh. It's got
stained and scuffed light yellow painted walls, a very ugly printed
bedspread, beat up wooden furniture, a VERY stained old blue/gray
carpet, and the ugliest curtains anyone could ever compose. And the
radiator behind my desk is leaking. I do have a nice view out the
window, though. Yesterday we took trips to the local Asda, which is a
grocery store here (or market, rather). I think I spent $100... I
needed to buy a lot of food because there's no meal plan and I'll have
to cook out of the kitchen that I share will a million other people.
The exchange rate makes us all cry. I went to a place to get my money
exchanged and I gave the man $200 and got £101 back. Sigh. Also I've
been having a hell of a time getting ahold of people at home because I
can't find a place to buy a converter, and my phone cards aren't
working. Everyone smokes and drinks and is very friendly. More friendly
than people had told me. Random people working at the school will start
talking to me and the other US exchange students at random. I love it.
But I do miss California and everyone there very much. Anyway, I have
to go to bed, but soon I will take pictures, and I will write about
other things I've done.
