Day Fifteen: First Day of Class (Unoffically)

I finally made it to a class, so it was my unofficial first day of classes, er class... one, singular. I woke up at 7 and then I woke up again at 12:30 and i still had more than enough time to get ready for my three o'clock class, which was my first and only class of the day, British Life and Culture. It was a very slow morning, do to the fact that i could only move at my slowest rate. Walking to class took about 35 minutes, it was suppose to be between a 15-20 minute walk, so yeah it was a very relaxed pace. It only ached a bit, but i was on the pain killers that Philipa gave me, so i made it all the way to class without having to come back to my apartment.

Class was interesting, because it really analyzes the British culture and people. For example their nationality is very skewed because they are European (recently), British (which is all of the United Kingdom) and they are English. Not to mention that they have been invaded by so many cultures such as the Saxons and the Vikings. So, that is part of what i learned today and I did not even take notes.

Allie and I walked back from class very slowly and then we decided to go out to dinner. We ended up at the Albert, which is the pub on our corner. I had a cheeseburger and chips (fries) and it was very delicious and satisfying. It was kind of like Dad's cowboy burgers the way they cooked them, and they even gave me a side of ... salsa? I just ordered a beefburger so i guess that is how they cook them over here. It was sooo good. Allie and I ended up sitting there for about two hours just talking. We are getting along very well. OH also we split the most delicious brownie and ice cream. It was not your standard brownie and ice cream, oh it was sooo much more. I cannot even explain it to you. The chocolate was more chocolaty and the vanilla was more vanilla-y. So. Good.

We both agree that we lucked out in everything that has happened over here. Getting the Adams family, our little flat that is separated from the main household so we can have more freedom, having the Albert so close when we do not want to cook, having a small convenience store conveniently on the corner of our home, a giant park at the other end of our street, the hospital down the road and getting each other as flatmates. We have really got so much good from our experience.

There are some people here who fill out the stereotypical American to a 't' which is sad. They are quite foolish in how they are taking advantage of their time here. They choose to go out every night and spend their money on cover charges to clubs or on massive quantities of alcohol, but instead i am going to travel Europe. I am very glad I am me, and that i rather experience what i cannot get at home while i am home... so yeah, haha. It had to be said, sorry.

Anyway, now i am lying on my back with a heating pad trying to catch up on everything i feel behind in. I am still trying to see if I can afford Norway, i should know by the end of tonight. I need to start my paper for one of my classes. I need to plot out when my breaks are and when I have trips, and so much more. I cannot even think of all i need to do before i am allowed to sleep.

UPDATE: I have officially bought a round trip flight to Norway to see my relative Helene Hommo in Telemark, Vinje. It is on a fjord, from what i can see on google earth... !!!!!!!!!! I am very excited, and nervous. Also, I am slightly concerned to the precise time and date that I grew a pair bold enough to buy a plane ticket by myself to travel to Norway by myself to see a relative i have never met in person and who knows very little English. All i can say to them in Norwegian is "shut up," and that may be inappropriate. Oh lordy, adventure! I am going to need prayers and luck on this one guys!

Love you all!

Day Fourteen: Ow

I am updating my blog so early today, because at the rate i am going i will be unable to do anything at all today. I woke up in some serious pain, back pain... to be more specific lower back pain. It hurts so much I cannot move, so I am lying in my bed, face down, not moving. This is very hard, cause i like to move and i am very anxious by the fact i cannot move.

I tried to walk to class this morning, but i only made it a half a mile way from my flat when i realized i would not make it to Knight's Park for my very first class here, the sustainability of design. It hurt so bad it took my breath away, so i walked back and Philipa helped me. She used to be a nurse, so basically another wonderful reason why I lucked out in getting her for housing. Philipa is the greatest person. She gave me hard core painkillers and a bag of frozen peas to put on my back.

So, i guess I am going to spend the rest of the day lying on my stomach, writing, playing Sims, watching TV. AWESOME! Oh also, i have had a lot of Hershey Kisses (dark chocolate), its how i am nursing myself back to help.

Love you!

Day Thirteen: Laundry

I did laundry, cleaned my room and vacuumed. It was... great.

Also, I got a package from home. Thanks mom and dad! Love you!

and...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day Twelve: Sunday Roast

Two words: Sunday Roast. I would like to describe it as a weekly Thanksgiving, except rather than turkey you can have pork, chicken... and maybe lamb? Philippa had Allie and I upstairs for one today. She made pork and apple sauce, leeks, carrots, snow peas, broccoli (mmm), potatoes and wine. Still do not really like wine, but i found one i can handle called Asti, it's sweet. It was sooo delicious, and what i would do to get my hands on more of those leeks, the way she prepared them was kind of how Grandma does cabbage (i think). Eating took about two hours with conversation and then we moved on to dessert which they call pudding here. No matter what it is, apparently it is called Pudding. Dessert was two... pie like dishes. One was an apple tart and the other was more like a pudding pastry.

At the Sunday Roast, there was Allie and I, Philipa and John, Joe and Kia (who is Joe's girlfriend), and then two new girl Claudia and A... oh no i have forgotten her name. The later two girls are both from Italy and are getting the work experience here in London. One of the girl's grandfather's owned the house in Italy that Philipa and John (her husband) now own. Confusing enough for you? Well, let me sum this up, i am going to Italy in two weeks!

Haha, now i am soooo full that i am just relaxing. We did go for a walk after we ate. But this was my Sunday, food. This is probably a good thing because, I am planning on eatting eggs and cereal for the next three months so that i can afford to go to Norway, cause i really super want to go there. And i do not need the fancy food to survive, as long as i get my nutrients. haha.

Hopefully tomorrow i will make the video of the rest of my apartment to show you guys. Whoever you guys are that are reading this, haha.

Love you!

Day Eleven: And what a busy day it was... in central LONDON

PICTURES: The changing of the guards, the park, a sculpture at Buckingham Palace, me and my styling outfit and the Big Ben!









Exceptionally long day, my feet hurt, but it was wonderfully glorious.

Lowdown: We went into central London today, we got on the 9:30 train from Norbiton (like Norbert... Hagrid's dragon, haha) to Waterloo (as in ... ABBA?) and arrived in London. After meeting up with Kat we exited the train station practically at the base of the London eye and i was thrown back into my sophomore year of high school, when i was there last. It was a weird deja vu and it felt very surreal to walk under the London eye, and see the Big Ben and even take another picture of that silly elephant statue. I walked right over to the wall between the walkway and the Thames Rivers and held on tight. I did not speak for a few minutes all i could do was hold on and stand there and look at the buildings that had danced around in my memory from the very first time i had seen them.

The Big Ben is amazing, the way it takes in the light. It seems to collect all the sunshine that cloudy England has to offer and let it glow from the inside. Beautiful.

After i regained myself and Allie had calmed down from her excitement, we walked across the bridge that i had once run my whole hand down as if i was afraid to loose the memory. But i was back, and now my memory wont be lost, cause i am older... and wiser, haha! We went to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards which happens every even day at 11:30. There were massive amounts of people around it was great. At one point the guards started playing Abba on their instruments, there was a lot of Abba on this adventure. It was fun to see, and the sculpture at Buckingham Palace is amazing!


We walked to Trafalgar Square, where the lions looked much smaller than my memory. There was an Indian concert going on in the square, which was very enticing music. But i was hungry so we went to get lunch, which turned out to be a 30 dollar lunch, yeah London and you're expensive habits. $7 bottle of water and the likes, ew. But lunch was delicious, very, very delicious.

After lunch we went to the Covenant Gardens, and there we watched two beautiful and happy opera singers. They were fantastic and really talented. They were funny and they should be on the real London stage, just my opinion, they may already be... haha. Also there was a very talented acoustic musician in the Gardens whom we also stopped to listen too. Not only was he talented, but he was attractive. One of those singers that make you excited inside.

After that we walked to Piccadilly Circus, which is exactly what it felt like. There we so many people I got overwhelmed and my secret that i am county girl was quickly spotted by Kat and Allie. We walked down Regents Street, where the rich people shop and eat. I paid thirty dollars for lunch, wonders what the rich pay... damn, haha!

Then we ended our trip into central London by sitting in a St. James... Johns? Park for a few, maybe one, hour(s). We got ice cream and relaxed. I made friends with a pigeon, and i named him ... oh goodness, i have forgotten his name. At least, he has one now, hopefully he will remember (it started with an 'F').

We took the train home, and then i fell into bed while i got the motivation to cook. I ended up having toast, an egg and yogurt. Oh, and a bag of sun chips, haha. Then u skyped with my family for a very long time, and stuff.

I left a lot unfinished in my exploration of London, and i cannot wait to get back to it!

Also, if my budgeting works out... I may be going to NORWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! (<- how awesome would that be!)

Day Ten: Bought my plane ticket for ITALY

PICTURE: Where I will be going in Italy. As Philipa put it, "in the fleshy calf of Italy."


I finished cleaning my room this morning and then met Allie for coffee at starbucks. We ended up sitting there for about 2 hours just relaxing and drinking our coffees (i had a mocha frap, jealous Hanna?). I wrote down a list of things I needed to do and doodled, so that was exciting.

When we came home, we bought our tickets to Italy... yea that's right, ITALY! I am leaving October 8th and i will be in Italy until October 11th. It is going to be so great. The place Allie and i are going is Philipa's home in Italy. It is in a little Italian town a 20 minute drive from the sea, so i will probably try to walk there. It is not like a tourist attraction, so we will be really living in the Italian countryside as if it were our second home. Apparently there is a very good and very Italian (no wonder, haha) Restaurant in the town we are near. I am very excited for this trip, it will be my very first out of England.

Also, i watched the newest version of the Office today. Awesome. Funny.

Now, i am making dinner... a hamburger and ... noodles. haha


***You may have also noticed that i have a new header on my blog. This picture was taken of me by my flatmate Allie. I was playing in the English Channel in Brighton. In the pictures, as awesome as Allie made me look, I was nearly falling into the English Channel. Hope you like it!***

Day Nine: Planning Tours

There is less than three months left of my trip here, and i am finally getting ready to travel outside of England. I had a lot of options to choose from, but i finally narrowed it down.

All day i organized tours. I budgeted twice and finally registered for four tours, two theater nights to see Wicked and Billy Elliot, a weekend tour to Amsterdam and a weekend tour to Wales. With my budgeting i also made room so that i could go to Italy with Phillipa, Paris in December with Kat and if it really works out a short trip to Austria to see Justine and maybe if i get super lucky a quick trip to Norway if i can get in contact with relative Helen. It's awesome that i am so stingy or none of this would be at all possible, haha.

Allie made a cod fish dinner tonight, which was excellent and we ate it with the Adam's family, haha. We then visited with Phillipa and tried to make Allie come to Italy too (you know you want to run to the sea, and make your own olive oil).

I have now just put an apple crisp in the oven, mom i would like your recipe please. I cannot wait to eat it.

That was my day, and if you asked me i accomplished a lot having woke up at one! (I. am awesome!)

Love you all! (really, i do!)

Day Eight: Brighton

PICTURES: First, Me and my feet on the beach (note the stones). Second, Me with the sea behind me, compliments of Kat. Third, The Bright Pier viewed from the beach. Fourth, the beach and its few fall visitors. Number Five, the waves crashing on the stones.
Six, Flowers


Today we went on the first trip for the British Life and Culture class, it was to Brighton. It was a very very very long day. I woke up at 7:00 so i would be able to leave my apartment by 8:30, so that i could make it to the campus by 9:30. It was a lot of planning. I even laid out my clothes the night before and planned what i was going to have for breakfast the night before... and then i did it.

I am not sure how long the drive was, because i slept both there and the way back. It was best to sleep on the ride, because they drive horrifically over here. I though we were going to kill at least 10 people, so i decided to ignore it by sleeping... it was good, i felt refreshed.

When we first got there we were taken up into the lanes (small street shopping centers), and then were left to do as we pleased. Kat and i got bagels and Allie ran off to take pictures. I enjoyed my bagel, it was a tune melt, poppy seed. Then we wandered a lot. The streets were full of really cute and small shops. You could find everything from kitchen shops to clothing shops to more adult like stores right next to each other. There was very planned and artistic graffiti all over the alley walls, some of which was disturbing, but i enjoyed most of it. In our wanderings we made it onto the Brighton Pier, where all the rides where shut down. We walked all the way to the end and really enjoyed being so close to the sea, it was beautiful and it just felt so great and fresh. On the sea where big boats and many sailboats which were fun to watch speed around. On the pier we also got ice cream with flake bars (yeah Hanna, i think you know what i mean, haha). It made me really chilly, because i was already cold and then ... yeah, kind of self-explanatory.

After we wondered around Brighton for about 2ish hours (?) we had a tour in the Royal Pavilion at Brighton built by King George and visited twice by Queen Victoria. It was very, very beautiful. The artwork and sculpture in the pavilion will stick with me forever. We were not allowed to take pictures, but the pictures would not have been able to truly show how fabulous and expertly skilled everything in the pavilion was. Also, i like the excuse not to take pictures, haha. It was an oriental themed Pavilion, which was an interesting concept to me. It seemed that every room had a very beautifully sculpted dragon. I cannot even describe it in justice. They said that in the time that it was used, it was a very popular party estate and the rooms were hot and filled with the sent of spices. In the dining room there was a chandelier that weighed one ton, and was held on the ceiling by a very large silver dragon. It was said that some people were afraid to eat under it, do to the intimidation of the art.

It was.... great!

Then we had more time, so after i stole two maps of Brighton, we went to the Art Museum. They had exhibits of chairs, Egyptians, WWII in Brighton (they had been hit by air raids, just like London), and other world art such as pacific art and other artwork that resembled the art of native americans. That was also really fun and interesting.

Then we walked back to the beach because i wanted a rock, i got three. We sat and looked out at the ocean after an apparent photo shoot, which i did not realize was happening (if you can tell by the picture of me above, haha). Allie and Kat went to get fish and chips and then i saw a girl who was on the plane with me, so i went over to talk to her. Her name is Jade, and whether she likes it or not she is my new friend, haha.

We went home, i slept and then i made dinner. Aka: i made pasta, and then Allie and i ate it. The end.

OH YEAH, also there is a really tall, cute, red headed, Norwegian boy running around. Just thought i would share.

Day Seven: Three Months Left

Hello -

Today, was a very lazy, nothing day. It has been exactly one week from the day that i arrived here in the UK and to celebrate I decided to do nothing. I did eventually make three hamburgers, which was fun and they turned out to be delicious (well, one of them was, i have only had one so far). I played SIMS, i wrote a little, talked to my dad via skype.

Also, Allie and I were offically invited to Italy with Phillipa. Which i readily accepted, even though i will have to skip the classes that i have yet to take. I am very anxious to have class, i do not think i like waiting till Sep 28th for classes... this is way too much free time for me. Everyone home is going to be taking midterms before i even take my first class! I rather be in class than be doing nothing and having nothing to do.

I did try and prebook tours around Europe, but i never heard anything, so i do not know if they went through. If not, i will have to plan for myself. OR, i will have Kat help me make plans, haha.

Anyway, things I have learned that i would not have learned in class. Band-aids are called cushioned plasters. They do not beep out on the television, nor do they hide anything with those fuzzy screens. Basically, really, England is like the US. Only, they have accents, the food is less sweet and packaged cooler, they drive on the other side of the road and i know very little people. In conclusion, my British people pedestal is gone and i see them the same as everyone else.

Also, i think my three month and six day adventure/experience here will be enough. Maybe i'll come back, maybe not, who knows. I am just glad that i decided to do this, because i feel like it is really letting me let go of all my holds and preconceived ideas about my future and what i define as success and let me be and do what i want to be and do. hahahaha, if that makes any sense. Now, i can stop judging myself harder than anyone else could ever judge me and my career choices. However, do not ask for the correlation between this experience and my ideals, because i do not know where it came from. Maybe its all this... free time.

I cannot believe i wrote so much, when i did nothing today. Pardon my rambling, you do not have to read it.

Love you! Miss you!

PS: In the near future i am going to take a video of the rest of my apartment... and this time i will speak (just for you RobbY).

PPS: Thank you for the comments, I love hearing from you guys! Its nice to know what you are all up too!

Day Six: Adventure Day

PICTURES: These are from the walks I went on. First, this is a section of the nature preserve, look how pretty!!! Second, is the Kingston Shopping center about a mile from my flat, I have to walk through it when I walk to my campus. Third, is the three of us walking in the nature preserve. Fourth The buses at the bus station that i have to walk by everyday i walk into Kingston, there are loads of them here.


Hey-lo!
Today, we did a lot of walking. I started this morning by waking up at nine so that I could meet Kat at the international office while i picked up my final timetable (my class schedule) and Kat added ... or dropped a class? I do not remember what she had to do, but we went to a really friendly Italian cafe and i had a delicious chicken melt and ... water (its free, haha). I then brought her back to my flat, because Allie really wanted her over for dinner and I really wanted to show her the flat.

On the way back, i went grocery shopping, cause we needed stuff. However the most important, part of my shopping was that i got hamburger meat, so now i can make meatballs or... meatloaf or... just cook it up with a bit of oil in a pan. That is my story. Oh, also i showed Kat the flake bar, which i love and will love forever.

Kat and I also bumped into a guy who tried to sell us paintball tickets. He was very good at his job, and if i had 50 pounds extra lying around he may have convinced me... and i do not even play paintball, haha, oh man. I would like to point out that i was wearing a dress, which is obviously very paintball like. He told me that they would dress me up like Laura Croft... hahahahahahahaha! That's all I have to say about that.

Before Allie cooked the most delicious dinner, we went on a walk through the nature preserve right down the road from our house. It was beautiful, there were so many trees and flat spaces of land. It was nice to discover that nature is so close to my apartment, so i can just run off there is the busy streets of Kingston become to much for this country girl. So far so good though, having my own room makes it easy cause i can just slip in there and close the curtains and pretend that i am all alone. But the park was beautiful and the trees were so large and old and ancient. I could spend hours there. Also, i am putting more pictures of it on my facebook, so those of you who have one, can see more of what I saw.

Then we came home, and sorted the oyster cards. I have one now, so i can travel. Which reminds me, i spent my last 10 pounds on it, so Dad... i am going to need my pin number, haha. Wish i remembered that i had forgotten it before i left. Too bad i was worried about survival, rather than access to my bank account. Anyway, i can travel now, so when i want to go into central London it will be a cheaper trip, and when i do not want to walk to class in the winter i can take the bus!

Alli made a pasta dish with basil and broccoli for dinner. With a side of avocado and strawberry salad and garlic pita bread, mmmmmm. It was great, there was wine also, but I could not drink it. I am not a wine person, i have finally and officially decided. We watched Friends while we ate. OH and we made brownies, which we each had two off, we needed them. However, i do not think i can eat anymore chocolate/bread-ish products for a bit. Considering i had a chocolate muffin for breakfast, haha.

Yep, so i had a very long day. And i know more happened, but i have no clue what it was.

Love you all!

Day Five: Minigolf

Hello people,

I have no pictures today, but i am okay with that. I woke up at a kinda normal time today which was nice. Phillipa's son and his girlfriend took us out to lunch today, which was great cause it was a meal that did not need to be worried about. Later in the day they took us minigolfing. Hmmm, i do not really think i did too much today, but i am feeling better. Sleep times are still adjusting.

I could not put minutes on my phone today, nor could i get the oyster card. The phone store was closed, and apparently my student number does not exist? Meaning i do not exist? So, i will have to talk to them tomorrow when i go pick up my new schedule.

So, that was basically my day. It was nice and relaxed and nice. Oh i watched a lot more office too, funny how this happens. haha, i love the office.

love you all

Day Four: Update

Finally made it to a pub! It took me two days, geeze, haha. Ally and i wandered around Kingston's night life and scoped out all the places we want to hit once we make friends and have a good group of people with us!

We ended up at a pub on the other side of the shopping center and stood outside with our drinks. I had a nice girly s. ice and she had a delicious beer. This place is great!

Day Four: Um... I got to see the Office!!!!

PICTURE: My new bag that i fell in love with on my first day here, and finally got to go back for. Good thing i needed one too! Also, i will not be buying anything else like this in the future, as far as i can see into it anyway. So basically the next three months until i get a job! (but it was worth it!)


Today, i did nothing. I woke up at 1 and then made an omelet and toast. Then i did dishes and skyped with my parents and ko. Then i took a shower.

I did go into the shopping center of kingston and bought a great, fantastic, cute bag which i am in love with. And now you can see why from the picture above. I also got a notebook and a sketchbook for classes. I tried to figure out why my minutes did not seem to work on my phone, but i brought the wrong receipt with me so... that was a bust. And i didn't want to walk all the way back and forth so, i decided i would do it tomorrow, if i do not go into central London.

Right now, life here is odd for me. I am not used to being soooo alone. I have a bunch of people who can vouch for that. In school there were always people coming in and out of the room and i had a bunch of awesome roommates. And whenever I did family things, well... i have a brilliant and large family. So, this is my adjustment, learning to be alone. Not independent, because i can do that, just being alone.

Also, this walking thing. My mom is right its going to get old, it already has gotten old. So far i have walked 3 miles everyday minimum. The day before last, i walked three miles there and back, plus i walked the usual mile and a half to the shopping center and back. So that day i walked 9 miles. (lets just say the muscles up and down my legs and my butt hurts so very much). The thing is, i don't even think the locals walk as much as my roommate and i have, because there are hardly any people on the sidewalks till you get into the shopping center and there are loads of people on the bus. So, i need to get an oyster card, which i was going to do today, but then i didn't. I guess i can do it online right now if i really want... so maybe i will do that.

Hershey's chocolate is a delicacy over here. They only have them in American food stores, but i guess they are not around where i am? I gave a dark chocolate kiss to Phillipa and she said it reminded her of her childhood, which made me laugh. It was funny to think about.

Oh, and good news, i got to watch the office today! And watching it made me feel a bit of normalcy (as sad as it seems). It was great loved it, so glad they are all alive. Haha. Could have used a bit more Ryan though. And can i say that i loved the beginning where andy jumped off a truck into a box? haha!!!!!! oh man, good times.

Day Three: Lazy Day

PICTURES: These are two pictures from my walk to the international office (about a 3 mile walk).


Today, I decided that i was going to get my classes organized and then pick up a few things. So i walked for about three miles to the international studies building and they got me into a creative writing class (WOOOO! I am really excited about that.) And then i walked the long way home, it was near the Thames river so was trying to see some views. On the way home I picked up pita and turkey for lunch. Later i went and got almonds for the dinner i tried to make, which needed something ... but i dono what.

Then, i skyped meg and sandy. And i may do more later, but who knows, i'll talk to my roomie.

k, bye!

Day Two: Overhwelmed

Wow, there is so much here. I am sooooo overwhelmed and hungry. This feeding myself thing is going to be hard, all i want is a chicken. Or a pizza... or both. I did go food shopping, but i did not know what i needed then, so my supply is a little lack. I am so tired I cannot even think about going food shopping i should do again, cause I said I would cook dinner tomorrow... what was I thinking, haha.

Today we did orientation, and learned a lot about what we will be doing. The staff seems very welcoming and so did the students. Studies are going to be very different here, but i cannot wait for a schedule. I need so stability i think, and to be around people. I am not an apartment person, i am a dorm person. (Which is sad considering that i am going to have to be an apartment person soon, but i like being around lots of people all the time).

I did meet a lot of people today. I finally met up with the girl i talked to all summer in the program and with her she brought a Norwegian girl named Kat and a girl from Denmark named Rose. I met loads of other kids, one from Germany, tons from America, France, Cyprus, Nigeria, and I have probably forgotten some. I did meet another girl who went to Oneonta, but ... i lost her? I dont really remember her name either, haha, hm.

Towards the end of the day I got very overwhelmed and socialized a little less, but i am sure i'll get over it soon. There is a lot that i have to do, which is all new to me. Like finding my own food, which my roommate Ally has been wonderful in providing for these two days, and walking almost 25 minutes to where my classes are. Putting minutes on a phone (which i did not think about factoring into my budget, which makes me think of how i do not really have a budget.)

At this moment, I miss the comfort of being in America. Knowing that I am surrounded by customs that I know, and comfortable with, well basically everything. But is only my second day here and I am assuming that this is normal. It was certainly expected. I could really use... a mcChicken and I do not even like McDonalds. Maybe i'll go to the dominoes place on the corner? Nah.

Love and Miss you all, so much!

My Room

This is a... moving visual image of my room. Its HUGE!

Day One Abroad: Made it!

PICTURES: First, Ko's sad face while she was lying on my suitcase (trying to make me not go). Second, Me at 4:00 am at Aunt Sandy's. Third, my carry-on mess.














Hey guys (Sandra Sola, scroll down for your bullets, haha) -

So I am in London now, and am really disorientated, haha. After traveling from my family in Albany on a train to NYC I was met by Meg, Sandy and Aunt Sandy (which was great!) Aunt Sandy kept the three of us entertained by food, pizza more specifically, and it was great seeing everyone. Next, Aunt Sandy and i woke up at 4 and got to the airport, had breakfast and we said goodbye by security (thanks for all your help!)

The plane was really simple, i got on, sat for 7 hours listening to french babies babble and sing away. I also watched bits and pieces of movies like, Monster vs. Aliens, I love you Man, Wolverine, The Boat that Rocked... yeah, I could not get attached. I kept going to the bathroom just so I could stand up and walk around. OH also I kept winning all my sudoku games, which was awesome! ...and that was the plane.

Getting through Heathrow Airport is where it got complicated. I asked where I should stand, because there was a lot of options and there was a homemade sign for first year students, but it seemed more professional than I my personal adventure (ironic), but the man directed me to that line. I stood in that line for 3, three, hours. It filled the area of a 20 foot by 10 foot square and there had to be 100 students in the line at all times, and it still took three hours. Everyone in the line was either Indian or Asian, except for two boys who got off the plane with me, so I was the minority (nice!). It would have been a very long line if they had not been there, being entertaining like. Anyway, i got to the front eventually, and was told that I could have gone to another line, because I was only a one semester student. ... ... ... THREE HOURS LATER! Meanwhile, my ride left because I was 2 hours after the scheduled meeting time, so I called Phillipa (my landlady...?) to ask the next step. She, thankfully and amazingly, came to get me at the airport and bring me home... and fed me lasagna.

SO, now I am in my room. I have slept for about 5 hours? And when I woke up I had NO idea where I was, an then I laughed and got excited when I remembered everything. My room is huge, and ... well look at my video and you can see. Everyone has been great so far, so that's awesome, could not really ask for more.

Now I am going to unpack a little... maybe a lot, and maybe 'accidentally' fall back in bed and sleep again. Now that I am more settled, it may be easier.




Sandy- I took a plane to London and waited three hours in a line and got picked up by my landlady, then I went to bed after eating lasagna.

Love and Miss you All!!!