Traveling Across the Pond

I made it! Here is a little bit about what I have been up to my first week in London:

My Flat

Once I arrived I met up with Aya, my roommate from last year, and we took the tube to the station nearest our apartment.  We then had to walk to the place to pick up our keys and then walk to the apartment (all together about a mile walk).  When we finally got to the apartment we found our rooms and I unfortunately got stuck with a 4 person room and the top bunk-bed.  We then had to go walk to pick up our class schedule, books, tube pass, etc.  We also went on a walking tour of the local area then went to get some dinner with some people from LMU.  

The next day we had 6 hours of orientation (which was super boring)! After that Aya and another girl and I went walking around the area.  The area we live in is very very nice and very very expensive, which has been the hardest thing since being here.  But its a very nice area, and super safe! The last thing we did that day was have a meeting with everyone in our apartment/flat and our RA.  I really like all the people I live with! 

Friday we had one last orientation for our internship and then a few of us went to walk to get our cell phones all fixed up so that we can use them here, and to buy groceries! After that Aya and I went to Hyde Park (about a mile from our flat), which I loved because its just like Central Park.  Right next to/in the park is Kensington Palace which is where Kate, William, and the baby are moving into in a month.  We walked around the gardens for a little while and then learned to take the bus back to our flat.  Friday night a bunch of us LMU people went out for the night to explore and ended up staying out really late, but it was fun because I ended up getting to know a lot of them really well.  

Kensington Palace: Home to William, Kate, & baby George
(And sometimes Harry)

Saturday we all went into central London for a tour of Parliament, which was really cool but a lot more walking!  A few of us from LMU then went out to lunch and walked around the area.   Central London is where all the touristy things are like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Palace, and the London Eye.  So we walked around and saw all of that.  We actually also walked through the big park they have there and ended up all laying down and taking a nap in the grass because we are all so tired!  All together it was a pretty good day!

The London Eye

Yesterday we had a scheduled bus tour that took us around the city which was very interesting.  We were able to see a lot of the sites we had already seen, and more, as well as get some cool facts!  Also yesterday a few of my flat mates and I went shopping and bought a few communal groceries, since food is so expensive here.  Last night we all stayed in and made our own dinners... I had rice and milk.  Basically the last few days I have been living off peanut butter and jelly, rice, and milk.  So between my new diet here and the amount I have been walking, I may or may not come back 50 pounds lighter! 

Today I stared classes.. Happy not so Labor Day to me!  But it wasn't that bad since on Mondays I only have one class 5pm-8pm (all my classes are 3 hours long).  It was my European Cinema class, so basically we watch European films and analyze them.. In a few weeks we watch Bend it Like Beckham! I also have this class with all LMU students, so its basically everyone I live with!

Buckingham Palace with my flat-mates

I am really enjoying it here, and I think it will even be better once we are done with all this orientation stuff and once I get used to the horrible time difference.  The weather is surprisingly warm, which is nice but I was not prepared for! So, so far everything is super expensive, a lot of walking, and really pretty! I will try to send emails, pictures, and blog every so often!

Big Ben

Miss and love you all!

Love,

Bri