First Day

The time is now 6:40 AM and I probably slept for a total of 2 hours. Being really jetlagged, I thought I would just knock out and sleep like a baby, but that was obviously not the case. Our apartment, or "flat" as they call it here, is located right on the street. And we learned that it's an extremely busy street the hard way. While I was trying to sleep, I heard cars drive by, a trash collector, several police sirens, and last but not least, drunk people walking back from the pubs. This noisy concoction lasted the entire night, making me toss and turn all the while giving me flashbacks of the flight to London.

On the bus ride from Heathrow to our apartments, I noticed all the buildings and how unique they all were. Every single building was oozing with character, the walls were wearing away from the weather, the roofs had tiles missing, and bushes and trees covered all four sides. This was completely refreshing when you live in America and see the epitome of suburbia and capitalism with rows of identical buildings covered in advertisements. This place has character, and I'll be sure to savor it.

The weather the first day was excellent. It wasn't too gloomy, and the temperature was probably in the mid 70's. The sun even came out for a few hours. Within a couple hours of landing, we all went to a local pub for a reception but on by ACCENT, the company hosting us and other student travelers. The finger foods at the pub was terrible, an assortment of fried sausages, quiches, and foreign things I only consumed because of my hunger. I also had a glass of Guinness. It was cold, smooth, and the perfect welcome drink to London.

One thing I noticed about this place, everyone is dressed up! At the pubs, all the men are wearing slacks and dress shirts, making my t-shirt and jeans the ultimate tourist indicator. I should keep this in mind when going out, the last thing I want is another Brit saying something like "there goes a bloody American."

The "flat" is pretty nice. I'm sleeping in a triple bedroom, with two other roommates. There is also another room with 2 guys. The flat is the "guys" flat, since there are a total of 5 of us on the trip, as opposed to the 11 girls. There are two bathrooms which saved us (5 guys using one bathroom can get pretty ugly). Heaters galore! At every corner of the place, there are those antiquated heaters that are stuck to walls, I guess we'll be needing them soon enough.

Alright, orientation and a walking tour starts in 2 hours, so I'll keep this thing updated. So far, I'm having a great time, and it's only the beginning.