So... London...
Hi-o!
After almost 14 months of applying for Cornell's study abroad program, direct UCL enrollment, BofA loans, and 1 year student visas, I'm finally here. And it's crazy. The flight was 10.5 hrs and then Karina took me on a 12 hour walking tour of Westminster. 3 hours of sleep later, we found a train to the airport and I dropped her off. After setting up my little dorm [pictures of which I'll post as soon as I get my network set up in there], I explored. I wish I could tell you about all of the places I've been... but to be honest- I don't even know what these neighborhoods and things are called. I'm pretty much in a constant state of errant meandering. Seriously. It takes me 1.5 hrs to get to school simply because I take a different route each time and get completely lost along the way. In Spanish the word for lost is 'norteada'. Which I think would translate to 'northed' and that's exactly how I feel all the time. I perpetually forget which way is north and without a sun or a coastline I can't guesstimate.
Anyways.... I have had a lot of fun. My school is lovely. My dorm is down the street from where Charles Dickens used to live. The Houses of Parliament are gorgeous after sundown. And there was a FOX burrowing through my dumpster! <3
On the down-side... I do have a near-death experience at least twice a day. Generally related to crossing the street. It's not that I forget to look right then left... it's just that bicyclists and motorcyclists travel at ridiculous speeds and seem to follow different rules. Also... my campus is 1.3 miles from my dorm and there is no reasonable bus or underground route, so I think I'd better invest in some cross-trainers. But most of all... things are just ridiculously expensive.
However... I do seem to fit in a bit here. The people on the subways avoid eye-contact and ignore everyone else just the way I do. My hair-style is everywhere. My Cornell hoodie is a conversation-starter because people actually know what it is and care. I seem to get along best with other Californians and Italians. I just met my housemates yesterday... but I hope to make friends soon. 2 of them are from France, so that could be a good opportunity to visit.
I have yet to see a show or go to a pub or take tea or anything, but that's because I've been afraid to go out after dark on my own. As a result, I've become kind of an early riser: I leave the house at 8am in order to be back by 6. But now I have a mobile, so that should change soon because I do feel a little bit safer.
I'll post my number as soon as I remember it. If you want it soon, though, just email my brother and I'm sure he'll be glad to give it away.
After almost 14 months of applying for Cornell's study abroad program, direct UCL enrollment, BofA loans, and 1 year student visas, I'm finally here. And it's crazy. The flight was 10.5 hrs and then Karina took me on a 12 hour walking tour of Westminster. 3 hours of sleep later, we found a train to the airport and I dropped her off. After setting up my little dorm [pictures of which I'll post as soon as I get my network set up in there], I explored. I wish I could tell you about all of the places I've been... but to be honest- I don't even know what these neighborhoods and things are called. I'm pretty much in a constant state of errant meandering. Seriously. It takes me 1.5 hrs to get to school simply because I take a different route each time and get completely lost along the way. In Spanish the word for lost is 'norteada'. Which I think would translate to 'northed' and that's exactly how I feel all the time. I perpetually forget which way is north and without a sun or a coastline I can't guesstimate.
Anyways.... I have had a lot of fun. My school is lovely. My dorm is down the street from where Charles Dickens used to live. The Houses of Parliament are gorgeous after sundown. And there was a FOX burrowing through my dumpster! <3
On the down-side... I do have a near-death experience at least twice a day. Generally related to crossing the street. It's not that I forget to look right then left... it's just that bicyclists and motorcyclists travel at ridiculous speeds and seem to follow different rules. Also... my campus is 1.3 miles from my dorm and there is no reasonable bus or underground route, so I think I'd better invest in some cross-trainers. But most of all... things are just ridiculously expensive.
However... I do seem to fit in a bit here. The people on the subways avoid eye-contact and ignore everyone else just the way I do. My hair-style is everywhere. My Cornell hoodie is a conversation-starter because people actually know what it is and care. I seem to get along best with other Californians and Italians. I just met my housemates yesterday... but I hope to make friends soon. 2 of them are from France, so that could be a good opportunity to visit.
I have yet to see a show or go to a pub or take tea or anything, but that's because I've been afraid to go out after dark on my own. As a result, I've become kind of an early riser: I leave the house at 8am in order to be back by 6. But now I have a mobile, so that should change soon because I do feel a little bit safer.
I'll post my number as soon as I remember it. If you want it soon, though, just email my brother and I'm sure he'll be glad to give it away.