Pics from one of the best days ever!

Me, Alexandra and Amy at Spamalot!
Thats right... thats Tim Burton... there is no zoom on here! He was actually this close.
more tim!
thats johnny depps limo... he ran away really fast.
the beedle!
the premiere!

OMG JOHNNY AND TIM BURTON

most amazing night of my life. saw johnny depp and tim burton and the rest of the sweeney cast at the premiere in london. and then saw spamalot and then went out to celebrate! wow. i am speechless. i just saw johnny depp. no pics of him tho... he was shy... but tim came right up to me!! see pics! AHHHHHHHH!!!!

view from my window!

showers and socializing (not at the same time ;) )

So finally there is water again and i;ve taken two showers in the past like 12 hours, just in case it goes again. lets see... yesterday I had no class and did barely anything... napped.... but then at night Alexandra and I decided to be sociable and went down to the crazy end of the hall and was entertained for hours by the boys and their antics... at least there is entertainment whenever we want!

Today I had intro to greek archaeology at 9 am. ickkkk. but the prof is really nice and explained the arch library to me which I then went up to and did some reading.... need to do more but I need to get up the courage to ask the librarians for help...

On the way back from class and on the way to subway for lunch, I found a healthfood store, where I got fruitleathers!!! expensive, but a treat.

I love getting the caucas news from the brits. Some of the boys were actually going to watch it. and one of the americans didnt even know what it was. oh well. its all just interesting. Its also funny that everytime they mention football, they have to let us know that they mean soccer.... we know!! its just funny thats all.

funnnn

so i was about to write an entry when the third fire alarm in 2 days went off! yayyyyyy. ugh, and there has been no water in 3 days.... so no showers.... ugh.... fantastic!

First day of classes... well one class

Today was my first real day- real classes (well one) real cafeteria food, real experience(?). anyway, I got up early to eat breakfast which is only served from 8-930 and it was not that appetizing, but being optimistic- it wasnt that bad. then I walked around, sat in the archaeology park which was nice and was very early for class at noon- but thats not unusual for me. anyway, it was a good class- maritime arch, but it was so short and quick and he gave us the notes- why did i buy notebooks? and we are only meeting 9 times more, and only on the medival period. anyway, its just a half a class so thats fine... i think its just one paper and a in class paper (maybe). I asked if the books listed under each date were the ones needed to be read and he said if i wanted to. I have to figure out how to get the books. anyway, i am the only affiliate in the class right now, but thats ok. He was a very funny lecturer. I think i really like the british sense of humor. Then Amy and Alexandra and me walked to oxford street again- its such good shopping! its like having a mall like 10 blocks away! its prime sales time-- everything is cheap(er) so we better buy it now before sweaters become 40 pounds again (90 dollars). we then had ramsay hall dinner- which was ok. mashed potatoes and omlete and soup. This is all interesting. I love being an anthropologist and getting to analyze everything!! Thats one of the huge reasons i wanted to study abroad! I dont have class tomorrow and I have no idea what I am going to do! I got a different sim card for my phone to call home for cheaper- no change in the number tho! cheers!

My room!

Some pics of my room--- I need posters!

Sunday at IKEA

So I was going to go to the park today and explore by myself, but the girls on my hall were taking a trip to IKEA outside of London. So I had my first tube experience and found the IKEA, which was insane, but I got things I needed for my room, like a bowl and file holder and small blanket and hangers. Then we ventured back, tired and hungry and bought food stuff at tesco and went to dinner (pizza again). Its so cheap- 4 pounds for and individual pizza-- I think i will probably eat there alot. We went from restaurant to restaurant looking at the prices and couldnt eat at any of them... special nights maybe. The British students are moving in, met a bunch from my hall- they all are nice and it will be a good time on this hall I think. They say its a party hall, very sociable- which i'm happy about. Also they say the food downstairs isn't that bad. So thats good. Tomorrow I have a class (just one every day and none on tuesday), I have Marine Archaeology, which should be great. I have the usual worries of introducing my self to the lecturer (not proffesor) and the students. It will be fine tho.

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.

Housing!

So I got my assignment for housing at UCL! I'm in Ramsay Hall with a bunch of other study abroad people. I get a single room with a sink, with a tv lounge on the hall and the usual hall stuff. The housing is like 3 blocks from UCL, like a five minute walk! I am so glad I won't have to spend money on transportation to school everyday! Now I just have to pay to get to the pubs! Also UCL is going to give me sheets and blankets and pillows, which is super. I got my plane ticket also. I guess all this really means I am going! I have like 11 days until I leave and I have not started packing or organizing my life! I need to go clothes shopping too. and figure out what I am going to pack in. so many worries. I can not wait to go.

meeting people already!

So again, not studying for finals! amc is doing an amazing movie marathon and we can't stop watching! tomorrow is a better one, but i think me and tess are going to study elsewhere so we dont get sucked into watching more movies. must study tomorrow. I put a countdown on facebook and its like 15 days and 23 hours. soooo scary. I am meeting people going on my program on facebook and other online places... lots of archaeology students surprisingly. Kinda nervous that they all know where they are living and i dont yet. but i am trusting butler... and i think that they're great and have pulled through before! back to the movies....

Procrastination and blogging

So its finals.... and I'm in the library instead of writing papers and thought that I would start my London adventure blog early.... why not? So on December 31st I will be flying from Newark to Heathrow and beginning another life adventure as my dad would say... I just respond with life is an adventure... or its just life. There is so much stress to deal with before I leave and I can't imagine the stress I have to deal with when I get there. Lets just take one step at a time. My mom keeps bugging me about all of the things i have to do and I know, but I have very little motivation or time to be motivated. We are looking for housing for when we return.... more stress. but just surviving the next few days to get home and packed and fly is all I am really worried about..... thats a total lie. I'm worried about so many different things..... including housing and sooo much more. Any way, we shall see how things proceed.... I'll probably post more before I leave.... either to procrastinate more or to update on the packing/ getting the things done that my mom is bugging me about. wish me luck.