So I should just preface this post with the fact that I no longer think that it is possible for me to write down everything that I have done and everywhere I have been! I will do my best...I have done so much already and it hasn't even been a week. I LOVE it here. Just try to get me to come home (just kidding Mom and Dad).

On the 12th, we had our first day of classes. Every Tuesday I have "The Art of Listening to Music: Public Performance in London." We have lecture for a bit and then head out into London to hear a free concert. They have free concerts during the lunch hours at various places around London. Did I mention that I love this place?? We heard a string quartet and then a quintet with a clarinet at St. George the Martyr Church in Holborn. This concert was in a direction that I have not walked down yet, so it was nice to explore some more.

I think that the best thing that I have decided to do is to be about and and about around London as much as possible. I have been cramming my days in with exploring and wandering. I feel that no matter how long I spend walking around I will never see it all. But I am going to try!! I can already feel my leg muscles...my calves hate me right now. At the end of the day I am so sore that I can hardly move but that makes me happy. Every day I can go longer without feeling like I am going to drop. Chapel Hill feels as big as a postage stamp compared to here!

After class on Tuesday, my roommate Katherine and I hopped over to the British Museum to get a feel for it. It is around the corner from our flat so I hope to be able to become well aquainted with it. Its a good thing that I started early, because that is going to be QUITE the task. My tour book recommended to take one exhibit at a time in order to really get everything out of it and more than one person has suggested going in for a bit each day, even if it is only for a few minutes. On Tuesday we chose the smallest section and couldn't even get all the way through that! I looked at the first floor of the Ancient Egypt Exhibit. It was absolutely incredible. You must go to this museum...its unlike anything I have ever been too. I got to see the Rosetta Stone! I felt like my history textbooks had moved off the page and I was walking around in everything that I have learned and seen pictures of.

Today we had a private tour with one of the top people at the museum who is a UNC alum. We hit a few key points around the museum and it was great because he had uncovered and worked with most of the things that he pointed out! An absolutley briliant bloke, Sam Moorhead. I can't wait until he shows us around again soon! So much more to see...

Wednesday's classes weren't quite as intriguing but I am going to blame that on the jet lag. Yesterday was the worst in terms of jet lag (the culmination of many nights with little sleep finally hit me yesterday). Today I feel like my clock is pretty much reset so hopefully those days are behind me. It would certainly help if the sun came up! I haven't seen it since we got here. That's right...6 DAYS WITHOUT SUN. And it looks like it may not come up for a week. Its worth it though, the sights make up for the clouds and rain. I may be Vitamin D deficient though.

After class Mary Katherine, Beatrice, Doug and I discovered an OUTSTANDING Thai restaurant in SoHo that was not far from our flat. London is the most multicultural city in the world and you can get food from all over the world that tastes like it was home-made in their countries of origin. The Thai was the best I ever had and SoHo isn't far from China Town...I think I will try that next. I believe it when they say that there are more people from around the world here than in any other place. I have heard as much French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, German, Russian, and more than I have heard English!

Also, yesterday I went with Doug and saw a play called War Horse. It was absolutely brilliant and fantastic and amazing. It's based on a book by Michael Morpurgo and was adapted to the stage by Nick Stafford. I did the standby liine and we almost didn't go because of the price. I am SO glad that we turned around and went inside. I teared up several times during the performance and was dying to give a standing ovation. It is about a cavalry horse from England during WWI and how the relationship between man and horse affected men from both sides of the war. Our Shakespeare professor said that she has seen it four times already and I can understand why. I would go and see it again in a heartbeat. I can't wait for more London theater that is coming my way...next up is hopefully The Misanthrope with Keira Knightly. We also get to see several plays as part of our program.

Had many more adventures today and will soon be having more tomorrow...it's getting late here (5hr difference is A LOT), so stay tuned....