Orientation, orientation., orientation!

Today was quite a day! We started very early this morning (around 8am GMT), and it felt even earlier because of jet lag. Last night I went to bed at 4am GMT because it felt like 11pm to us Yanks. It also didn't help that we trekked out to Picadilly Circus to the one place that plays all sorts of American sports in the cold. It really woke me up! Unfortunately, the website was not accurate and it was closing after the last NFL game of the night. I had about an inch of slushy ice-snow melted on my hair! But, as the group says after every slip-up, it was a memory! And now I know how to get there for the next ball game...

Last night I had my first experience with British late night television...all I have to say is that they DEFINITELY have seriously different television standards. I was shocked!!! Sometimes, because of all the American stores and products that are here, I don't always realize that I am across the pond. While watching that late night show (before we hastily changed the channel), there was no doubt in my mind about where I was.

Today's theme was orientation! When went over to Winston House, which is the builiding that UNC owns. It is absolutely beautiful and I can't believe that it is actually where I get to take classes. As an English major who is used to Greenlaw, it is definitely a pleasant change of scenery. We also received a tour of the University of London student Union (the ULU). Our lovely tour guide was not too keen of anything American. American football makes him sleep, he thought that UNC was extravagant for having its own building, and said that we don't appreciate real football enough. Pleasant fellow, he was! For the most part, people are really friendly and interested. I am just going to wright Mosh off as bitter for not being a Tar Heel ;)

Afterwards we went over to the British library. Between the sleep deprivation and jet lag, I really didn't appreciate it as much as I could have. We had a guided tour that was over 2 hours long and not quite on point. He was fascintate with the digital library that the library has been compiling in order to save space. I was more interested in the actualy texts, as was the rest of my program. We plan on returning and getting a library card (which is free!!) and going through several more times to really get the feel of it. It is intimidating and a bit overwhelming, but AMAZING! It is the 3rd largest library in the world, but definitely "the greatest" according to the Brits ;) The Magna Carta, the Gutenburg Bible, Shakespeare's handwritten drafts, the Beatles music, and so so much more are all in there! The world's largest book, the world's smallest book, and every book in the English language that exists today is part of the museum. They receive around 8,000 new books every day! I am still having a hard time imagining that...

This evening we went to dinner with our professor, his wife, and the Winston House facilities manager. The manager is only a few years older than us, and afterwards hung out with us for a bit. We ate British pot pies and had bread pudding for dessert at the Newman Arms. Whoever said that British food is terrible never ate there! Afterwards, we went to a pub on the street that Virginia Woolf and many of her contemporaries and other writers lived and wrote. The craziest thing happened there...I met a girl who overheard that I was from Virginia when me and one of my roommates where in the loo. She asked me where in VA I am from. It turns out that we are from the same town, went to the same high school, had the same principal, and she knew and played in the orchestra with my older sister. Imagine that! In the bottom floor restrooms in a random pub in London a fellow Warhawk! What a small world! London is the most international city in the world, and I believe it! I feel like I hear as much French, German, Spanish, Swedish, etc. as I do English. I hope that they think my accent is as cool as I think their's are :)

First day of classes tomorrow! Music class at 11:30 and then the rest of the day free to explore. What a life!