Getting Oriented and Exploring!

After two days of having no internet in the dorms, I finally have a chance to update my blog. Yesterday morning three other girls and I walked to the local grocery store and did our first round of food shopping which was rather successful. We had our first orientation meeting where we talked about British culture and how if we should not ask where a bathroom is in a restaurant because a bathroom is specifically for baths. If you ask for pants at a clothing store they will show you underwear, and if you look for the "exit" signs in the tube stations you will never get out (you have to follow the "way out" signs to get outside). After our meeting we got into groups for a scavenger hunt through which we became more familiar with the tube system. We briefly visited St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and a few other famous sites that we will definitely come back to for tours and longer walks. Also, to my disappointment, contrary to Mary Poppins' lovely song, there is no bird woman at the steps of St. Paul's. Maybe she'll be there when we go back. By the way, the tube's similarities to the Boston T system makes it so easy to navigate!

Me, Megan, Nikk, Emily, and Brian in front of St. Paul's!

View of St. Paul's dome from the back

One of these does not belong...

Brian, Emily, Megan and I at Trafalgar Square

The Tube! The most miraculous subway system I have ever been on.

Pretty view of St. Paul's :) 

Today we had more orientation meetings about British culture and British academics. Did you know British university students only take classes in one department (which they call a faculty)? (Which I think is the case in most countries besides the US?) So the students in my history classes will only take other history classes throughout the next three (not four, like us) years. After orientation some friends and I went to explore the pubs that seem to be such a big deal here. The pubs are filled with people of all ages (well, people of all ages above 18) and are great places to observe the natives and listen to a lot of British accents and really get a taste of this city's vibe and culture. At around 9:30 pm we still didn't want to go back to the dorms, so we took the tube to Westminster where we saw beautiful views of the London Eye, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey at night. It felt so good to be there, right in the center of London!

Emily, Megan, and I at a pub down the street from our dorm

Pimm's: a British alcoholic
drink that tastes like a sort of
fruitier version of sprite

Emily, Alexandra, me, Jacob, and Megan 

on our pub-hopping adventure

BIG BEN!!!! Finally!!!!

Megan, Jacob, me, Brian, Alexandra, and Emily

in front of the London eye which I cannot wait to 

finally go on!

Westminster Abbey! I'll post more pictures of
it when we return for a tour :)

xoxo,

Sarah