Week One

Wow, it's so weird to think that week one is over. I've officially moved into the flat with four friends (Danny, Hannah, Denzel and Ariana), and we had our first flat-family photoshoot to christen the place. It feels so weird to live in this place, because it doesn't seem real. I feel like I shouldn't decorate or unpack because we're going to be moving and leaving shortly...which is completely untrue. But we finally have a place to call home, and I am so grateful. Now to get the internet set up, the stovetop fixed (doesn't work at all), and figure out some more necessities!
Yesterday was mostly focusing on grocery and household item shopping, but I'm going to hopefully finish that up this afternoon after class. Indeed, my first day of class! But it always frightens me to see my money going down the drain in the manner that it does. Yes, groceries are expensive. Yes, toiletries and such are expensive. But man, I have never felt more poor as I do in London. Not to mention that traveling by the Tube every day adds more expenses as well. It's exhausting to think about! People have said to try and think about the £ as an equivalent to the $ so you don't stress yourself out too much, but it's hard not to! When I spend £20 and it's really closer to $40, I feel like I've lost a lot of money. But I'm working on it. I don't want to psyche myself out for the next four months; that would be painful.
Meanwhile, I accessed a bit of American culture last night by joining Ned, Danny L, and Graham in one of the only sports bars that broadcasts American football. So we watched the Seahawks/Bears game (poor hawks didn't do so well; but they got a couple touchdowns, which is all I asked for), followed by the Jets/Patriots game. We left early because we were sleepy, but it was a fun time.
I've started saying "excuse me", "sorry", and "thank you" with a British accent, and I've started asking questions sometimes with British inflection...it's been a week...I'm not really intending to come back to the states with a British accent...but I don't know how to stop my "sponging", as I shall call it. Anywho, I'm looking forward to the first week of classes! Hopefully things will run smoothly. We see shows very frequently with the Interrelationships course, so our first show, The 39 Steps, is on Wednesday. Cheers!

Moving Right Along!

The five of us have successfully found a flat! After around a dozen viewings, we decided on a lovely little place in Bayswater. It is such a great area with lots to do, ranging everywhere from a mall to pubs/bars, a bowling alley/ice skating rink to an Asian food market (obviously my favorite part). It's a mere walk away from the Tube, and we have friends close by. The location is great and most everything is literally within blocks. I believe we're signing the lease today and moving in this weekend, so things are finally starting to move along before classes start on Monday. Meanwhile, I should probably begin to figure out my class schedule and what times I need to be where. I have a couple more days, so I'm not too worried. I should also print out my Dublin tickets so I'm prepared when my friends and I take our journey there next weekend.

And now, I shall address an ever-popular subject among Americans: British food. Personally, I don't really like it much. Tuesday night, we traveled to a pub near the hotel, and Danny and I decided to get the fish and chips. Mind you, I absolutely love fish and chips. I was ecstatic to try the "real" thing in a "real" pub. Our food arrives, accompanied with a whiskey and lemonade (apparently nobody likes to make whiskey sours in London...I've tried more than once already), and I'm thrilled to dig in. Unfortunately, there was more breading than fish--I dug the fish out of the batter and ate it. :( The chips are fabulous, though! Sarah, who was in London the previous semester, said that when you go back to America, the chips are never the same. I need to stop ordering things that come with them, though, or I'll gain too much weight! Damn delicious carbohydrates.

Speaking of losing weight, Ned and I asked about gyms in the area, and I think we might be in luck. The idea of paying between £40-60/month is not the most appealing, especially after the free use of the fitness center in Ithaca, but I'm willing to pay it. I haven't been to the gym or stretched since the Sunday before I moved and I'm definitely paying the price already. Five days gym-less makes me sad. The lack of stretching is my own fault, I'll admit...BUT. Things are looking up! Plus, in my defense, I have been walking around a lot in the last couple of days. :)

Well, that's all for now!