It's Always Sunny in.. London?

P1040324
Originally uploaded by awolice89

I'd be trying to play humble if I said I didn't get very excited over the fact that my desktop weather says it is currently in the 60s and raining in DC.. That's not to say I wish ill or misery on my friends back at AU, but after hearing a countless number of people tell me, "Oh, you're going to London.. pack an umbrella (wink wink)" it feels good to say that we've been here a day short of a week and haven't even felt so much as a drop of rain. In fact, just to throw salt on any wounds back in the US - it's currently in the low 80s with a slight breeze and beautiful sunshine. But I'm sure there will be plenty of rainy days ahead, so I should probably bite my tongue.

I had 6 hours of classes today, so it looks like my (unfortunate) daily napping habit will continue for at least 1 more day.. my professors seem good but no matter who you are, a three-hour class about an unfamiliar country can get exhausting.. although listening to professors with British accents helps a bit.

I'm still stressed over money issues - although I suppose that's not much difference from how I'd usually be feeling during this time of year in the US. But here, I'm buying my own food, paying for my own books, and had to purchase my own "mobile phone" as well as a UK calling plan.. props to those kids who've been doing that for years, but it is my first trip ever outside the boundaries of the US.. I'd kick myself if I end up sitting inside because I can't afford to see anything.

That being said, I DID buy my desired Euroramen (don't worry, I'm the only person calling it that). I bought 6 packs along with two 5-packs of crisps and a few cans of soup for.. drumroll.. three pounds! My digestive system may need a surgical makeover when I return to the states, but at least my wallet will still hold some weight for a little while longer. And AHH! As I'm writing this, I just remembered that i have one last treasured paycheck from my time spent slaving away at the DQ this past summer.. although, I'm sure as per usual the dollar figure will be smaller than I anticipate.

They haven't cleaned our rooms today like they were supposed to, so my bed is kind of in shambles right now since re-covering a top bunk mattress is a slight challenge when you just want to plop down on the bed and pass out for a few hours. I understand that our classes here should be at the very least a little bit easier than our usual classes at AU, but I really don't understand how people concentrate while abroad.. even if I'm not energetic enough to go out into the city, there's so much within a few square miles that I just want to immerse myself with - and very few of those options involve a textbook and powerpoint.


So I learned a few other life lessons - the first being that evidently notebook sizes are different here..so while my mom did me a favor by packing me a 5-Star Notebook, all of my handouts stick out of the top by a good inch or so. For a country that's so "green-minded," they sure waste a lot of paper by having a couple inches of blank footer space at the bottom of all of their papers.. I also learned that no one actually really uses the term "loo" unless they're a little kid or just a childish adult. And, if you really want to sound like a drunken native, you could make a fool of yourself by saying "I need to see a man about a dog" in reference to having to go to the bathroom. I've also gotten better at winning the ever-continuous Cat & Mouse game that goes on between pedestrians & drivers.. although I still wouldn't duck out in front of a car on certain roads...



Countdown until I rejoin society (aka, FIE takes the insane amount of money we've paid and finally provides us with a 21st century-style internet): 6 days!