Good People and Weird People

So. On Wednesday I went with the history society to the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum), marking my second tube excursion. Basically it was the whole board of the society, who are all British third years, so they kept to themselves and didn't really make an effort to talk to the rest of us, which were basically American study abroad kids. So I made friends with two other girls from America and we toured around the museum for three hours. There is so much to see there we didn't do it all. And I had eaten at like 9:30am but not until after 4pm did I eat again. Augh. We met them in the cafe and then had to wait to take a picture of the group, etc. etc. We got the tube back to embankment and Mirina left but Kristen and I got paninis at this little cafe place near the station. WE WERE STARVING. And it was really awkward because the waitress kept hovering near us the whole time. Then I caught the RV1 back home and did laundry and had dinner essentially.

On Thursday I had class at noon so I went to that and actually talked once, though it was a mediocre statement. Then I walked to Natwest, which was swamped, so I decided not to bother trying to get my debit card. I went to O2 to try to explain the situation but I can't buy a phone without the UK debit card either. So then, because it was decent weather, I found a statue and some steps where I ate my lunch and brooded a bit. Then I had Jacobean theatre. I didn't really contribute to that class because I didn't reread the play and hadn't really paid attention to the themes. After that I walked back to Natwest and they were closed so I went back to Strand because there was going to be a drinks reception for English Undergrads. I still had like forty-five min to kill before that and nothing to do, so I just went home. I was home for maybe twenty minutes and it was Kristen's birthday, so she invited me out to dinner with her, Mirina, Emilie (who I know from gdsa), and Mini (who also lives in gdsa and is study abroad from Australia). So I had to go back to strand area, although for some odd reason, the RV1 stopped completely at Waterloo. There was this very weird, homeless I'm guessing, man on the bus who all of a sudden just started yelling a bit. He kept saying, "Dirty scoundrel!" and threw out the n word a few times (I think) and queer. It honestly startled me because of the abruptness of his yelling. Very odd.
So I got off at Waterloo and had to walk across the bridge to where I normally get off, which is where I told them I'd meet them. We went to a place called Garfunkel's which had a wide variety of foods. I got the cottage pie, which is shepherd's pie with beef. We all got ciders. It was Kristen's 21st birthday so we toasted that and new people. The evening was really fun. Then I got the bus back with Emilie and Mini, and kind of just plopped when I got home. I tried to read but my eyes weren't focusing that well so I just took a shower and vegged. At quarter to midnight, Michelle IMed me because there was a death in her family so I went and talked to her for an hour before going to bed.

Today was the first day of my history class. It was honestly kind of boring, though everyone in seminar said it was exciting. Maybe that's just cus I got like not even 7 hours of sleep last night. After that I went to Natwest and braved the long line only to find out that, even though I got my account two fucking weeks ago, they've JUST ordered my debit card today. So I don't get it for another week and then the pin will follow one or two days after that. I wanted to have a bitch fit at the girl working. I understand that they have a huge influx of students, but WTF. They obviously need better preparation for that. I'm pissed, too,  because Michelle opened her account on the same day and got her debit card in the mail over five days ago. And yet again someone asked me for my phone number today. God.

Augh, now I'm just angry lol. But history seminar was ok. I felt a little superior because it's a first year class and I'm a third year, but once discussion got rolling, I was definitely impressed. It's kind of annoying that we've got at least one of those guys whose personality is just like, he has no qualms about talking all the time and putting his opinions out there and thus being a bit obnoxious. But hopefully I can deal with it. It wasn't too abrasive today. Anyway. Then I came home and did my dishes and kind of realized how gross our kitchen is. There's food around the sink that's been there for days that no one has cleaned and the counters aren't very clean. I will own up to the stove because there's ramen around it, which Michelle and I made the other night here. I don't want to be the one to like go to the flat and be like, "This needs to be done." ...but it does. Oh well. Anyway, it's a beautiful day (not that I care, as long as I don't have to bring my umbrella around with me) and I am trying to see Winnie this weekend and also do some shopping so that's good!

Who knew this is what London was really going to be like?

I haven't written cus there hasn't been much to say. Sunday and Monday I literally didn't leave my building and I read all day for class. SO MUCH READING. My eyes are dead currently.

Last night was good. I caught up with several people and laughed a lot but the feeling didn't last. I went to bed at midnight but couldn't fall asleep for over an hour. Then I woke up at 7:30 and feel back asleep but my alarm woke me up after 8. Hating everything. Took the bus to school. Talked to people in my Jacobean theatre class and like it. Then I went to the Terrazza and read. I decided I wanted more quiet so I was going to just read outside my next class but I ran into Michelle and we went and found out our history seminars. I was in fucking 5PM on a FRIDAY so my next break I went and switched into one of the 1PMs (:-D). Then she and I went outside my next class and talked until she had to leave and I had class. British Lit and Cinema. I felt like the lecture was bullshit but I guess it made a bit more sense when we got to seminar. After that lecture I got lunch really fast and read and then went to as much of the Part-time Work Fair as I could. I only filled out like four things and then I had Irish Lit. Blah that class blah. Then Brit Lit seminar which was ok and she knows my name already and it's only 8 of us now (I wonder if those other few people switched).
I got home dead ass beat and most of my flat was making dinner so I socialized a bit and then kind of did my thing. Then, completely randomly they all decided to go out clubbing tonight but I didn't want to go cus I was gone from 9AM-7PM and I had hw, etc. They all have quite an open schedule and not that much hw--I'm jealousish. But I went to the other flat to drink with them. I had some peach schnapps (bad memories) and a shot of lime vodka. Then I took my leave. Oh, our flat is having a cocktail night this weekend, complete with dressing up. Everyone is responsible for a cocktail. Guess what I'm doing? Erotica. Gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar. And now I'm in my room bumming. Bumming, bumming. Tired as hell and ish. I wish it would go away.

Tomorrow is free day and the history society is planning a trip to Victoria and Albert. If I get my shopping done in time I shall go cus why not? Then hw and laundry. Yes, I do need a bit more excitement. But I am worried about money a little bit.

So. tired.

so much hw, so much rain

Notable thing I did today: saw Van Gogh's works in the National Gallery.
Extra notable: Sunflowers :) :)

Thing I am doing right now: listening to Kate Nash's second album.
Thing I am doing two weeks from Monday: seeing Kate Nash live.

Book I like right now: Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier)
Book I don't really like right now: Dubliners (James Joyce)

My desk right now: a clusterfuck of coursepacks, papers, fliers, dishes (dirty and clean).
My floor: needs to be vacuumed.

Oh, bugger. 

:)

I must say it's been a good couple of days (MOTHER). Yesterday I had no class again so I went to Tesco's and did some shopping and then in the afternoon I went up to Strand area and went to Waterstone's to buy the books I need for the first real discussion week. I randomly ran into Flynn there, which was nice. That Waterstone's only had one of the three books I needed but the service guy called over to the closest store and they had them. Conveniently, they had a map of the area that I could take so he showed me the way and I walked through the rain (with an umbrella thank god) to the other Waterstone's, which happened to be located right by Trafalgar Square. I only glimpsed it and I wanted to make the quickest shuttle back so no gawking this time around. I got the books I needed and learned of the location of Topshop, where I must go! Then I booked it back to Waterloo but had JUST missed the shuttle so I went into the cafeteria area of one of the buildings and read for Brit Lit and Cinema. Then I caught the bus home, stopping at a tiny store for some stuff before making it back to my room. Dehydrated, I drank a bunch of water and I only had ten minutes to eat two pieces of bread with jam before booking it back to Guy's Campus, where I stood in the growing dusk and rainishness at the wrong spot. Luckily, there was a girl also going to Sexpression who happened to ask a passerby where the Spit was, so together we found the correct group! And then I took the tube for the first time! It was scary. Celia had to buy me a ticket cus she pulled out her card faster than I did, so I owe her money but I got a day card and was whisked along to the Jubilee line with a change to Circle in order to plant us in South Kensington. It was rush hour so we were a bit crammed and the thought of us travelling beneath London kind of blew my mind lol.
This Sexpression event was actually a "Lates" put on by the Science Museum, where they keep the museum open late for special exhibitions. Last night's feature was all about STIs and such. We sat in on a talk about approaches to VD in the 18th century and then a brief talk about living with HIV. Then we briefly watched some old sex ed videos but because I couldn't really hear it, I ended up chatting with this girl who was there with us. She's technically a first year, but because she took two years off after sixth form she's my age, and she's gotten all the partying stuff out of her system, so she and I seemed to click. We stuck together for the rest of the night and have made tentative plans for shopping and museums. And she's going to Kate Nash with me in just a few weeks! (Her name is Winnie, she's a nursing student. Lol that's relevant!)
So we stayed til the end of the night, with the museum closing at 10pm. Then, because the tube gates were closed nearest to us, we had to walk a ways to get to the other entrance and things were much less crowded. We got back to London Bridge station, which, after Borough, is closest to me. Now from there I know how to get home, but actually because there are like three exits, the one we came out of really confused me. Winnie knew how to get home from there (she lives in Wolfson house, which is roughly in the same area as gdsa) so I headed off with her, thinking I was going in the right direction. I ended up going the wrong way down St. Thomas Street (I think) and somehow I think I ended up on Tooley Street and it was nearly abandoned and I began to worry. So I doubled back as nothing looked familiar at all (and keep in mind it's like 11pm and raining and I'm walking alone). I remembered Weston Street as the street where the nightclubs were off of St Thomas but when I came out the other side I didn't recognize the street name, but at least there were more people around. I continued up the street and was still panicking so I walked alongside a couple (the man had just paused to light a cigarette. He was tall and was wearing a coat that went back his knees. Dark hair. A little older and with an attractive blonde. He was dashing and handsome and mmm but nice.) I asked what way to Borough High Street and apparently, as I discovered walking a bit further along the road, it was the next road coming up. In the dark it was hard to tell but I passed one of the entrances to London Bridge station I'm familiar with so I was happy. Then it was the issue of actually getting home safely. I walked briskly, trying not to freak out in my head so it wouldn't show. I thought angry things and balled my free fist up and looked pissed. Staring straight ahead, I stepped in a deep puddle and I was wearing tevas so my feet got all wet and my pants did too. But I finally made it home dead ass tired but hungry so I ate a little and watched one episode of peep show and then I feel like I didn't even sleep well cus I was so tired.

Today I signed up for a library card and got the creepy, super conversational guy that Shubha had. He kept asking me about American slang and it was awkward for the most part. Then I went to class. I had Irish Lit discussion first and the classroom was hard to find (see entry on confusing building layout). I feel like the reading for that class is going to be good, but I'm not sure if I'm going to like it overall cus the teacher is so serious (although granted the subject matter) and the people are really intelligent. I had written down two things that actually would have contributed to discussion but especially the first few meetings I get terrified of speaking so I was afraid to jump and afraid that I would say something stupid and irrelevant. But then both things ended up being brought up and of course I mentally kicked myself. I guess I'll just have to try harder for next week.
I then had a two-hour break but I went to the cafeteria and got a bad piece of pizza and continued reading Rebecca (for lit and cinema). Because it was so packed, two people asked to sit at my table and eat there while I read. I was absorbed in the book. It's very good so far. It makes me think that for Brit lit and cinema it's going to suck if I really like the books because then I have to watch the movie adaptation and it's not going to be as good. But then again, that's the point of the class--to work through the similarities and differences.
Then I went to sit outside the next classroom and at 3 had my class on Jacobean theatre. I like that teacher the best thus far. He's very Britishly witty. And outgoing. The structure of the class is pretty open and we have to do "presentations" which are more like facilitating discussion on two plays throughout the semester, much like leading discussion in Intro to Lit Studies with LaMont (:-D <3). So I feel like it'll be a relatively easy class, minus the amount of reading. OMG the reading! That's one thing I don't quite get here. There's the required reading list (which is already pretty intense) and then like three pages of suggested additional stuff and it's like, what are you supposed to do! It's intimidating as hell. That goes for all classes. My only complaint about my Jacobean theatre prof is that I feel he calls a little too much attention to the fact that I'm American--not really in negative ways, I just don't like being pointed out so frequently. It makes me feel like a brown-noser.
That brings me to another interesting observation I've made. University here is 3 years, but apparently even English majors don't really write essays in their first year, they take exams. I've just been noticing like the differences between them as second years and myself as a third year student. They have strengths that I don't have, like immediately jumping into a brief passage and dissecting it whereas I barely skim the surface. But on the other hand, I have two years of writing papers under my belt (and Jacobean prof pointed out that due to the American system, we are a bit better at essay structure than the British students would be because they didn't even write for a year!). Interesting.
I'm definitely happier than I've been. I'm extremely tired at the moment, but I had more long talks in the kitchen with my flatmates (I was in there for three hours!) and my oyster card came. :) :) I have met some people who seem like they will make my time here worthwhile and I am happy that I'm making seemingly important observations about my surroundings. Things are looking up. Although tomorrow it's supposed to rain. ;)

The day started off well, ended well, the middle was kind of not so great.

So today was my first day of classes! FINALLY. I barely slept last night. I went to bed late and I was talking to people from home so that made it harder and then I had class on my mind so I didn't get to sleep until after midnight and woke up before my alarm went off at 8:20 this morning. Then I had an adware cookie making checking the weather difficult. I headed out at 9AM, and Arif was already at the stop. We chatted and then the bus came and after we sat down Michelle came along and then Flynn came on it! It was like the party bus--a super great way to start the day. I was pumped walking across Waterloo Bridge.
Now for all those who attend Michigan, you are familiar with Angel/Mason/whatever other buildings are there. Strand Campus is like that, only worse. The Strand Building is the front building through which you enter from the Strand. It has 8 upper floors (the floor you enter at is 0) and three basement floors. The elevator only goes to the 7th floor. There is only access to the King's Building (the building behind and connected to the Strand B) on certain levels (I think). Kind of like how Angel and Mason are slightly different heights, King's and Strand and Macadam Buildings require you to zigzag through many corridors, up and down stairs in order to arrive in the correct building. It sounds simple--one building connects directly to the other. But no. Certain groups of rooms are in parts of the hallway that have their own door sectioning them off from the main hallway. So I got lost in the basement of the Strand Building trying to find my first class. But I was not alone. Three other people approached a janitor to ask for directions (and this was after I asked a facilities office guy). Finally we found the room. The girl I was with sat next to me and we chatted a bit before class started. Our teacher was really nice and talked us through the syllabus, which is different from those in America. Ish. Lectures only meet once a week and seminars (discussion) once as well. And that's it. So basically for that class, on Jacobean theatre, I will be reading a play a week probably in addition to supplementary stuff. And the syllabus contains the list of what we have to read each week for class and then like three other lists of extra reading for context, etc. Probably over 30 books.
Well, anyway, that class went smoothly and then I went off to run my errands. I went to NatWest, where I now have a UK bank account, in order to transfer funds to it. Nope. No checks, just have to wire the money. Ok, not getting too upset, I went to O2, a cell phone provider, to find out they've run out of their ten pound phones but they have a 15 pound one, oh but wait, you have no money in your UK bank account, you can't buy a phone cus you'd need to set up direct debit for your phone plan and they need to check that you actually have money before they can do it. Ok. No phone until money. (I have no idea how to wire money from my TCF account because apparently they only wire to other "qualifying" TCF accounts. We'll sort this out later.)
So I'm walking back from the phone store and I double back to a fruit smoothie sign in the window of a tiny restaurant because I'm already hungry and a fruit smoothie (no powders, no syrup) sounds healthy and somewhat filling. So I sat in this Japanese-ish restaurant staring at my planner, making notes of things that need to be done this week and sipping my Tropical Storm. By the end of sitting there, I was getting panicky. As I've gotten older, panic has come to me more easily, especially when I'm waiting with nothing to do and have all the apprehension. I left the restaurant and went to the King's Shop to look at their portfolios for storing papers (I haven't found any folders here!). They were not something I would want to carry around and of course everything in that store was overpriced because it had the school logo on it. So I went back to campus and went up to find my next class, which didn't start for over an hour. I sat on a bench watching MTSS on my iPod as it was dying (and my only way to tell time) and not feeling well.
The class in the anatomy theatre got out so we shuffled in. I don't like this place. The writing surface is so far away from the seat I literally have to sit on the edge of it and it's still very uncomfortable. And that professor talks SO softly I could barely hear her. I don't know if I'm going to like that class but we'll see. I had another two hour break after that, and I found the cafeteria Michelle had told me about. Nothing looked especially appetizing but I bought some chili pasta for 2.70. It wasn't great. I wasn't in the mood for it. I was sitting there depressed again (and tired, etc.) so I ate as much as I could and just went to find my next class. It was in the same confusing hallway as my first one, but this time it was in the King's Building and I had to go through a door and through a dinky little hallway to get to it. But because I still had over an hour, I just in the main hallway (something no one here really does) and just wrote what I was feeling and then I daydreamed. Hardcore. Not nasty, but happy things that made me feel better. Finally, close to the start of class, I stopped in the bathroom and it was seriously one of the bathrooms out of my nightmares (you know the ones where there are literally 50 toilets and you dream that you have no privacy when you pee, yeah I dream that). The bathroom was HUGE. It had shower stalls and like a whole area in between the toilets and sinks where there was a big mirror and places to sit at it! Crazy.
After that I went to class: Irish Lit and Culture. Cozy little lecture space. That class looks to be ok. Pretty good. Ahhh, I have so much reading to do for next week. Oh! Another difference here is that they make coursepacks for you and just hand them out in class and then expect you to pay them. My Irish one was 4 pounds and Brit Lit and Film is 8. I went to seminar for Brit lit and film straight after that. Even in this enclosed space, tiny room, I could barely hear her! We went through the coursepack and then went around and said what nationality we considered ourselves and cinema related to that. I was really surprised at how diverse our group is! Oh, and apparently we don't have a weekly screening because she said we could just watch the movies ourselves so I get to go home at 6 on Tuesdays!
God my oyster card needs to come through! I got on the bus and thank god it was home time! I got off and starting walking down Borough High Street. Normally, I cut through Guy's campus, but that area can be kind of dead and I wanted to avoid cutting through the park cus it was dusk and people get mugged there at night). Plus I was alone. So I set off down the high street and then I see Joel at an ATM. Having not seen him since last week, I went over and said hi and he was heading in the direction of gdsa so we walked together. We just chatted about classes and then, after I explained that I was avoiding walking through the park alone, he walked me through it and then set off on his own errands.
I came home and made a grilled cheese and I've ordered most of my books off amazon. I have to go to Waterstone's tomorrow (they're the big booksellers here) to get the books I need read by next week. I also need to do some grocery shopping cus I've run out of meals except for cereal. Then there's a free Sexpression social at the Science Museum, so I'll go to that most likely. Now I plan on a cup of tea and some Peep Show (a comedy, not a porn!) before bed! Cheers!

Emosity

Hiya! Welcome to my world.

Today I woke up too early due to all the slamming doors on my hall. I laid in bed until my alarm, comfortable in my cocoon of warmth and thought. Sat around for two hours as I don't have class. I had made a plan last night that I was going to walk around on my own today, even though in the daylight that kind of terrified me. Before I left my room I was panicking a little bit, but at least I knew that I didn't have to wait on other people and that if I wanted to stop, I could just go home. I did one of the walks in the book my mum bought for me that took me around Southwark, where I live. It gave me new appreciation for the sights I walk by each day. I saw a graveyard, a beautiful park/garden, the original site of the Globe, and I paid to view an old operating theatre that is located in the roof of a church a few streets away. The theatre was from before the time of anesthesia and the idea of a sterile environment. There was also an herb garret, with all different samples telling what they were used for. There were surgical instruments, too--lots of forceps for midwifery and a rather frightening cervical dilator. Augh. The whole thing was accessed by a frighteningly narrow spiral staircase and I held onto the rope going up the middle like my life depended on it (which it sort of did).
After that mini adventure, I came home and did not for two hours again. Today was just a depressing day for sitting around cus I suppose I am getting a bit sick of it finally. Staring at the computer for so long. I caught the shuttle to Waterloo after having another brief panic, but it was the cool busdriver. I ran into Michelle, who had been at Strand since 9am, who didn't want to turn around again to go to the History welcome party. I trudged on and signed up for a library tour on Friday. I also learned that indeed, history classes do not meet this week. Then I sat while the party was being set up and because there were two people who were talking near me, I finally worked up the nerve to talk to them for a bit. I had also met two "buddies" for first years who are both on the board for the history society in the elevator and so I said hi to the girl who I saw again. Then, seeing as the one girl I had talked to had dispersed and I had met a "buddy" who I will see again this Friday for the haunted tour of London, I left. I grabbed the RV1 home and made soup and sat in the kitchen staring off into space even though three of my flatmates were there. I'm really struggling with a thing right now and it kind of hit me a little bit when I was waiting for the party to start. I remembered a really happy memory and it's weird how something like that, even though you're on this great adventure in London of all places, can make you feel so incredibly isolated. I guess time is the only way to heal this thing, although the thought of it healing completely scares me. Augh, my life.
In other good news though, Sexpression e-mailed out and there is a lot of good stuff happening in the next two days that I hope to make it to. Also, training weekend is coming up in October so I am going to do that. They are going to teach me how to teach sexual education and then I get to go out and do that in South London schools. My flatmates tell me that teenage pregnancy is a huge problem here so I will be doing good! Also, I am watching the new eppy of the Inbetweeners tonight with Katherine and Arun!

My life is kind of a mess...

So. Yesterday we went to Strand area in order to open bank accounts, which was successful, although we don't get our debit cards for ten working days. The guy who set my account up was really nice. He told me I had a nice name (but he was wearing a wedding ring, so don't get any silly ideas!). Then the phone place was CLOSED!!! All weekend. So I guess that'll happen when I come to Strand for classes. We got chai lattes at Apostrophe (insert all sorts of umlauts and other symbols to make it look more hip), which were pretty bad and def. a waste of money. Because it was sunny (albeit a little chilly cus of the wind), we decided to "amble" back to home and to stop at Tate Modern on the way.
I have to say that Tate Modern was a bit of a letdown, though we only went on one free floor (we were tired!). And I guess it was a bad idea to go on a Saturday, but it was busy and we pretty much only looked at modern art, which is kind of stupid but ok. It def. straddles a line. So hunger brought us home after five hours of walking around. Are we in Europe enough that it's ok for people to snog full-on in public? When we were walking the Thames diversion path, a couple stopped by a tree and just kissed for a minute, then just started walking again. There were so many people around! Also a couple was being kissy in the Tate. Am I just jealous? Probably. But I still think PDA like that is weird.
Anyway, so I came home and made a better grilled cheese, ham, and pesto than the other night. So good! And I kind of sat around watching shows and doing su doku. Made plans to get a drink with Flynn. I looked up places that carried Brothers cider, so Flynn, Michelle, Arif, Flynn's friend Tom, and I ended up going to Southwark Tavern, this really cool place near Borough Market. They have "cells" in the basement which are really more like little rooms that they've remade into booth areas. So we snagged one of those just as some people were leaving. The conversation was ok. A little awkward where everyone paused and sipped at their drinks, but overall I didn't see it as a failure. Because I still need to build up my alcohol tolerance, and because that damn thing of cider was so big, I was already feeling it in my head and had just over half a pint. Sad, I know. But it was good! They didn't have strawberry pear cider, just pear, but it was still good. So we stayed there for two hours and then I was ready to head back. I was goofy and such until Michelle worried that Tom couldn't wait to get away from us so from that point all I did was worry. And the night for me kind of turned into a mess.

It was weird because Tom asked what our favorite thing was about Britain so far and I drew a total blank. It's not even that I'm not having a good time, it's just completely not what I expected. I've barely met any English people, aside from those in my flat. I've met mostly other American study abroad kids and maybe two or three European study abroad kids. That's why I'm so anxious for classes to start. It's not really fun to do all this stuff without certain/different people. I'm mixed up right now.