I Arrived!

Sunday morning, Jon and I ran the Susan G Komen 5K race, so I was pretty tired by the time I got to the airport. (It also made my legs really wobbly today since I sat for 10 hours after) We all ate lunch with Chris in LA and then went to the airport.

Check-in was pretty easy, dad checked me in online. Everytime I had to check my baggage, I always got a little anxious. Would my baggage be too heavy? Will they unpack my suitcase? Did I pack something that wasn't allowed on my carry on? But I made it through without any problems and got to the gate right when they were allowing the first group to board.

The first class seats are VERY nice. You get your own cubbie area! My seat was VERY small, but it did the deed, it got me there. I got to watch Becoming Jane and The Hoax and a few TV shows. Food was pretty good, I even got wine with my dinner!

The landing was TERRIBLE! If you ever have flown with me, especially when I was little, I didn't fly well, but I thought I got over it. It was rocky the whole way home, and took us 30 min to land. I had to put myself in ritual mode (4-6 fans of air with a magazine, one sip of water) until I felt better. It was close, but I made it fine without getting really sick.

Mommy and Daddy had a driver waiting for me when I got off the airport, getting my bags and going through customs was not bad at all (or at least they didn't catch me).

I must have walked passed the driver, but I ended up finding him. He was very nice. He comes to CA with his wife every summer, they like Palm Springs.

He showed me the cameras around the streets that document everyone's actions throughout London, and the speakers that replay messages on the streets. You can't do anything without it being recorded.

Their billboards change and rotate advertisements like they do at baseball games, or at the malls!

Everything is HUGE in the center of London. Lots of brick homes where I am. It's easy to walk around everywhere. The grass is bright green.

I got to my first dorm, Rosebery Hall, around 10:30, but I didn't get to check in until 2. So I had to put my bags in this room with everyone elses luggage, there was hardly any room.

Since I had to kill time, I went for a walk around town. I stopped at a little cafe on the streets and got a cup of granola and yogurt. Everything is SO expensive! I was amazed that homeless man came in and asked me for spare change and continued to do the same with EVERY customer.

Then I went and shopped around on this little street and bought a little journal. I found a small park filled with flowers and a little gazebo to sit down and read my book and right in my journal. There are parks everywhere!

I came back around 1:30 and had to wait again, because they wouldn't check me in until 2.
By 2, they checked me in, and i had to grab my luggage from the room, and find my room. I got a little lost going to my room which made me very frustrated because I expected to be able to take a nap as soon as I got there, but hadn't been able to. All I wanted to do was lay down, and I had to meet Mel by 2:30.

Finally I found my room, but the elevator near my room was broken, so I had to take my luggage through 10 DOORS! That was horrible.

By then I was having a breakdown from the lack of sleep, and I found out I didn't have internet, which meant I couldn't update you all, or call mom and dad on internet, and my calling card didn't' work. I later found out they make you buy THEIR calling card and it only works at their hotel. Then mom and dad called, and I became overwhelmed. But they calmed me down.

Mel came to meet me after she found out that I was stressing and brought friends of ours. That was really nice, since I was supposed to meet her. We got a bite to eat (Linner I guess... Lunch/Dinner), and now we're at her apartment getting ready to go out tonight. I wrote a list of things to tell everyone, but I forgot it at home. I think I've covered most.

I hope to take pictures tomorrow. My camera was dead today (which also made me frustrated, because I realized that at the park), so hopefully I can charge it by tomorrow.

Hearing the British accent on the 'tele' or radio isn't so unusual, it's hearing it at restaurants or stores that is weird. You feel like the outcast, kind of. But it is such a nice place, and it will be a really cool place to study. I'm glad I picked England.

London

I'll be arriving in London on the 24th, and stay at Rosebery Hall. My UC orientation does not start until the 26th, so I have time to tour London, and visit my old roomate/sorority sister, Mel. She's studying in London, and has been there since late August.

The 26th, I will move to Passfield Hall for the UC orientation, details bellow.

The 29th, I will move to Colchester, Essex, and stay at the Holiday Inn, because I will not be able to move into my dorm until the 30th.