Weekend!

Today Stephanie and I walked forever around central London. We walked for 4 hours and I bought 15 pound boots on Tottenham. I really needed a pair. They probably will hurt my feet. We went to Oxford Street (which I've been to 3 times already). Its crowded and crazy but its shopping central. I need to go on tuesday and do some shopping. I bought towels and sheets today while we were out. Also there was blue sky today (see picture) and that was so nice. It was kinda cold, but nothing like Massachusetts cold-- like 45 degrees. We went to this really cute area with random shops and pubs and had fish and chips (again) and beer. I love how every lecture I've had so far begins with, "Those of you who had a really good night last night, thanks for coming anyway." There are constant jokes about drinking even by lecturers and its what we do here, except its not getting drunk, its casual. Like grab a beer between classes type thing (I probably wont tho.) Don't really have anything else to say... Hope we go out tonight!

smelly courtyard!

So the main courtyard of UCL smells like vomit.... and all the drinking around here would explain that BUT its not vomit its: "It's actually a tree called a Ginko, donated by a country to our uni recently- it's seeds, when crushed, smell of vomit to attract insects." (uni=university) (Ginko=Ginkgo biloba). Interesting huh?

Here are some views of the main buildings of UCL!!!

So.... here I am

So I arrived yesterday morning to my UCL dorm... Ramsay Hall. Its interesting... you have to flash this detector to this black box like 4 times to enter the building... My room is bigger then my single in Ziv but very plain... and since I have no belongings (I really only packed shoes and clothes) the room is really empty. Its kinda shabby as well... but I'm a positive person... so its ok. My bed however is a board... well hard as one and after sleeping on it last night... I am complaining. I had orientation yesterday and today... I registered and took a picture for my id that makes me look 12. I got an internet logon and bought a voucher to get on the internet in my room for 36 pounds. I've met people and walked the streets a bunch to get my bearings.

Food is a problem... the dining halls are not open until monday (i have a meal plan)... my stomach is upset by everything, food is expensive... fish and chips for 9 pounds (about 20 bucks) and my meal plan is mon-fri breakfast and dinner. oh well.

I met the archaeology institute (dept) affiliate (study abroad) tutor (adviser) and picked classes but i have to register online at some point. I picked Intro to Maritime Arch, Intro to Greek Arch, Archaeometallurgy (cool), Egyptian Arch, and the field school at the end. It all seems so cool. and its amazing to actually have archaeology classes to take!

Its not bad weather wise... like 48 degrees but it is cloudy... not that much rain yet tho. I'm off (don't know where to!) maybe I will wander the streets somemore... i need tissues and maybe a new current converter...

cheers!

more first reactions

here's more that I wrote in word when I had no internet (thank god I have it now in my room for 36 pounds (about 80 dollars...eek)

1030pm 1-2-08

So last night we went to a pub, and I had a really good time. These girls mostly go to Westminster so its like a few blocks so we can hang out later. (they went out again, but I need to relax…. I can’t be so sociable all the time!) I only had one pint of Strongbow, which is beer and cider… tasted really good. Some people got very drunk, I just took it easy, I didn’t know how my stomach would react… and it did, badly. So I know the consequences… it won’t stop me! We didn’t realize that one pint here is two beers at home so the girls who had 4 pints had soooo much in actuality. We had fun and a learning experience. All day today was orientation… a lecture on academics, a lord from the house of lords spoke about british politics, and we had a former policeman talk about safety. All talks were soooo funny. Whitch made sitting there for hours better. The safety talk was slightly intimidating. We WILL be robbed here, pickpockets etc. we are supposed to separate everything on our body. The guy carried a false cell, excuse me, mobile, to give a mugger.

We then had meetings about the butler trips, our family homestays and what orientation tomorrow at ucl will be like. We also went to see tintin the musical (?). it was so good, but my sleep is wacked and I slept for a little of it. Oops. Now the girls are out, I’m relaxing, I have to pack up again and leave in the morning at 830am and see my new digs!

I'm here!

Ok, so I arrived and didn't have internet access for sooooo long so I wrote alittle in word and it is pasted below!

430pm 1-1-08

So I’ve made it to the hotel, after a decent flight with decent food. Tried to sleep most of the time. Heathrow was so simple, not even customs! And butler was awesome and picked us up right from the airport.

We are trying so hard not to sleep so that we can align to London time, the true GMT! Anyway, we went exploring. The area where the hotel is, is actually near my neighborhood. The weird thing is exploring with people who don’t actually go to my school and I probably wont really hang out with or see often. Lots of shops on the streets. And very dangerous crosswalks. On the streets, like on the actual ground it’s written “look left” or “look right” because the double decker buses are coming and will kill. I bought a mobile (not cell, its mobile here). And it’s a paybyyougo so I have to keep topping up. I was able to call home for like 1 minute and it cost like 40p. not to bad. Things are really expensive. They told us it was going to be, but its ridiculous. The prices you would think would be reasonable, you see 5.05, not bad, but then you remember to multiply it by two and you gasp. Everything is soooo expensive. Thank god I don’t have to buy my meals.

Stomach is upset already. Booo. We have our first orientation meeting tonight and then dinner in the restaurant in the hotel. And a group of us (people I probably won’t hang with later) are going to a pub. Who knows. I really need sleep.