mostly cloudy with light showers in London

Since I started this a week later than anticipated... I've really forgotten each and every day since last week. Instead, I'll do a quick run through of the most important bits.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

(More pictures will be uploaded at a later date)

Finally! A campus that actually feels like a campus. Its nice to see courtyards and garden

squares in an area that is surprisingly quite. The neighborhood while in the midst of a large city, is comfortably quaint and looks lovely in the morning light (when there is a morning light).

I'm especially fond of the University of London's Student Union, ULU. The student lounge has a bar! And student discounted drinks! What is this place?!?!?! (I still can't wrap my mind around drinking being such an accepted idea. But I'm sure I'll be able to manage...)

Unfortunately, campus is 30 min away from NIDO. Which means classes are a bit further away than I would like. Then again, the walk is pretty straight forward and we walk past a beautiful church that I've forgotten the name of, THE Kings Cross train station, at least a dozen or so pubs, and 5 Starbucks.

A SIDE NOTE ON COFFEE and TEA

Coffee is enjoyed here. It is not a to-go beverage

used to wake you up but people actually sit down and drink their coffee in legit mugs! It was astonishing to find myself the only person on the street carrying a t0-go coffee cup. I swear I got a few haughty glances. At least it tastes the same, if not better. (I do advise against the Americano at the cafe in 43 Gordon Sq. Awful, awful, awful...) Apart from that, their brew is darker and their milk is creamier. They use

instant coffee often and they have a strong fondness of serving their

cappuccinos lightly dusted with Cadbury chocolate powder. ALSO Ali, Joan and I

happened to stumbled across the cutest tea parlor while we were wandering through Soho. I've included some pictures courtesy of Joan and Ali's Facebook uploads:

More later....

^_^

partly coudy with a chance of rain in London

I'll be honest. I didn't want to come. I didn't want to leave home. I didn't want to pack and organize for study abroad. I didn't want to meet new people. I didn't want.... (you get the point)

But a week later, as I'm sitting on my bed contemplating if I want to start an new entry in this 'blog', I can confidently say that things are looking a little bit sunnier (Ahaha, funny b/c I've only seen the sun once since I landed here in London... but more about that later.)

Today's date is January 21st, 2010 at 2:32 AM. (9:32pm NYC time)

It's been 8 days since I've landed in London. I've been here before too, summer of my junior year in high school. I came with People to People Student Ambassadors and I can remember feeling excitement mixed with a generous douse of apprehension.This time around I felt more of a sense of dread... I was just so

comfortable at home.

And now I'm being forced to leave the country for 6 months! I

packed my bags the day of my flight, collected $____ in cash from my dad, stole my mother's laptop (since mine conveniently broke a week before my departure) and left home with only short goodbye to Mom and May...

(Isn't she cute?!?!?! I LOVE MAY!)

I don't really know what I was expecting. I guess you could say I was looking forward to seeing my friends and traveling across Europe hopefully within the month. Little else apart from that... rumors were that classes were hard, weather was mostly cloudy, and food at best mediocre.

After a week, the rumors proved true. The classes are hard, the weather mostly cloudy and I won't mention the food. On top of the that British Pound is a form of legal thievery, campus is a 30min walk from my dormitory AND I completely fail at integrating myself into British society. Is it to much to want one cute, intelligent British boy to introduce himself to me and declare his undying love? Not to mention have him be (most conveniently) ridiculously wealthy and charming? *Sigh...a bit of wishful thinking on my part...

At the very least, I always have my friends to pull me up... both here and at home, talking with them has really made the difference and I honestly can't imagine what I would do without Skype. Hahaha. I do wish that a few of them could be here with me, it would make all the difference.