Orientation, Frank the Ugly Fish and Professor Sprout

Hey everyone! It's been a few days since I've written. But first off, I'd like to say happy birthday to my dad! Happy Bday Dad! I hope it's great! Not too much has happened since you last read. I still haven't started school - I go to see my course director on Monday, he will assign me my classes and then hopefully I'll get started!

I went to my day of orientation on Tuesday, which was fine, it was only for international students, so I met a few more Americans and some from Germany, Hong Kong and Sweden, among others. Everyone is really nice, so that's good. I can't help but feel a little intimidated by this whole process. Everyone here is so artsy - I hope I do well! I think I'll feel better once school starts...gah! Anyway, we spent the day getting ID cards, eating mini-sandwiches and then going on a creative tour of London. Basically they took us to Soho and the more fashionable and older parts of London. I think it was more geared toward the Fasion majors, but it was still interesting.

From there, my flatmate Manon and I went back to the dorm because we had scheduled a flat dinner. All six of us got together (plus one of the girls from my trip, Katie - she does anything and everything to meet new people, so she decided to come along), and went out to the Chinese restaurant underneath our building. It was nice to visit with everyone. So far it's three guys and four girls; two are from France, one from Russia, one from Liverpool, one guy who I still haven't met yet (he didn't show) and Manon (from Minnesota) and me. A pretty eclectic bunch. I like everyone, but the only down side is that they all smoke! And they prefer to do it in our kitchen, so that's a downer. Other than that they seem nice.

That was Tuesday.

Wednesday I think I slept in. It was wonderful! I hadn't been able to get a good night's rest, so I slept in until 10:30, and felt so much better. Then Manon and I went to the Big Fayre - an event my university put on in a big warehouse in central London filled with clubs and sports teams, etc. I met a few British students, there, and they were amazed that I was 21 and kept asking how I lived without alcohol until now, haha. I told them it wasn't that bad. Later in the day, Manon and I went out to Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus to explore a bit. We went around Leicester Square and saw the Odeon cinema, where all of the big London premieres are held. There were handprints all around the square, like in Hollywood, which was neat. The best one, though, had to be of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Who knew he was such a big actor here? :) Sean Connery and Maggie Smith were also there, among others.


Thursday I spent the day by myself. I thought I should go explore alone, get a little more acquainted, but it was no easy thing to do. I was nervous, but I decided I'd buck up and head outside. Fortunately it wasn't raining out, but it sure was cold! I thought I'd spend a few hours in Westminster Abbey, and I'm so glad I did! It was amazing. I walked around for about 2 1/2 hours just mesmerized by everything. I saw tombs and shrines and monuments, amazing sculptures, everything was so beautiful. I lit a candle and prayed for a bit before leaving. It felt nice, and I felt better when I left.



From there I decided to walk around and grab a hot chocolate - it was just so cold out! I walked over the river, and sat with my hot chocolate on a bench overlooking the river. Luckily I finished my hot chocolate before I was scared away by London's scary sea gulls. They are just frightening! I could have sworn one was about to attack me - but that's me just being over-dramatic. It's the beady eyes, I think. Suspicous.

Right behind me was the London Aquarium, and I thought, what the heck? So I paid my 11.25 pounds, and headed in to Zone One (of 14): the River Thames. It was pretty neat. But I started to feel really lonely there. There was one other old man, probably in his late 70s there alone, so I stuck close by him. The Aquarium was pretty nice, and I made it just in time for shark feeding, which was pretty cool. By the time I reached Zones 11 through 14, I was just about ready to go. Tired and lonesome, I headed out, only to be met with the ugliest fish I have ever seen. It was huge! About the size of a large party platter, but fatter, with a crooked bottom lip, bug eyes and weird tan color. Not the prettiest fish in the sea, by any means. But I liked him immediately - he looked friendly. So I stood there, introduced myself (very quietly, of course, I didn't want to seem like some crazy American), and named him Frank. We just kind of stood there for a while staring at each other, when I saw the old man head out for the exit. I took that as my cue to leave. So I said goodbye to Frank. No tears were shed, but those few moments were magical. Then I headed back to catch a tube home. Not too bad of a day.

But it wasn't over yet! Almost there, I know this blog is incredibly long, but it'll be over soon! That night my program director took us all to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre to see The Merry Wives of Windsor. I hadn't read it before, but I was excited just to be there. So we got there, and I sat down, and this friendly woman behind me asked our program director, Rachel, if we were drama students. She told her no, but that we were from America studying abroad here. Then she said that Rachel should tell us she was Professor Sprout from Harry Potter - and she was! I completely flipped out! We got pictures with her and everything - she was so nice! And had quite a hearty laugh.


The play was amazing, one of the best Shakespeare's I've seen. I smiled that entire night, my jaw even hurt afterward. It was so much fun.

Anywho, that's pretty much it for me. Today I went shopping, bought some gloves and scarf, and tomorrow a few of us are planning on going to Brighton for the day. I'll let you all know how it goes! Stay tuned!

P.S. Here are some links to my updated photos: Westminster Abbey and Randon London