Finally Here!

I finally got in yesterday around 12:30 PM London time. Katy and I took the tube (yes, Dad, you can take the tube on the Piccadilly line) to Gloucester Road (pronounced Glouster--weird!). We took a cab for four pounds because we had no idea where to go and we had our luggage, but it was pretty close. We checked in and had quite the surprise--Katy was living on the second floor in Atlantic House (the main house where the library, computer labs, and dining hall are located) but I was living in Ambassador House, which is a five-minute walk away! We had requested to live together so needless to say, we were super confused. We went up to her room and upon talking to her roommate, Lauren, we found out that Lauren had met a girl on her flight over and wanted to room with her. If we could convince my roommate and and Lauren's friend's roommate to move around, it would all work out. Unfortunately, my roommate hadn't arrived yet (and still hasn't!) so we couldn't ask her.

Katy and I then brought my luggage over to Ambassador House where I found I was living on the second floor... not too bad until you realize that the ground floor isn't the first floor, it's the ground floor. It's quite a hike to get up to my room! It's a cute place though. The showers and toilets are separated though, so I had a little adventure finding both of those. My room is actually quite large. I'll take pictures and post them later. The bed covers are awful--they look like hotel comforters. I think I can handle it for a few months though. There are two desks and chairs, two wardrobes, a sink (!!) and a set of drawers. I unpacked last night because I knew it would stress me out if my stuff was everywhere in the morning when I needed to shower.

After we ventured to my room, Katy and I headed back to Atlantic House to pick up her folder of orientation papers because she had left it there, and we followed a group of people to a meeting we had to attend. It was actually quite pointless--most of the information they had already told us and the rest of it was in the orientation folder. All the questions I had before the meeting are still there. We have meetings with our RAs tonight though so I figure I can ask anything then.

After the meeting, we ate dinner and explored Atlantic House a bit. We ended up meeting two girls, Nikki and Molly, with whom we hung out for the rest of the night. There was a "Meet and Greet" at a local pub that night but the four of us wandered around the neighborhood instead and found a couple pubs to go to. We had fish and chips, too!! Super exciting and sooo tasty. Katy and I headed back early, around 10, because we were tired and sort of stressed because we really hadn't had time to get organized. I went home to Ambassador House and unpacked, seeing as my roommate, Beatriz, still hadn't arrived. I slept really well, even with no background noise! I must have been exhausted!

This morning I woke up at eight so I could shower before I met Katy for breakfast. I wandered into the shower area and it was sort of like three personal bathroom showers. There was a door for each shower area, which you could lock, and then some space to change clothes I suppose, and then the actual shower. It's a good thing there were doors because the shower doors were very see-through! I panicked a little until I realized the other doors were lockable. I got ready and did nothing to my wet hair because I didn't have a hair-dryer or any mousse to put in my hair... it's looking a little crazy today!

I walked over to breakfast and slipped various times (it's snowing today) and when I was ALMOST there safe and sound, I completely wiped out. Nice. I finally got there though and had some breakfast before heading off to go shopping on High Street with Katy. We bought shampoo and random things like that. She also got a phone and I put money on mine so now I'm all set!

Lunch is in about an hour and then we have a bus tour. Then it's dinner, floor meetings, and then a pub crawl tonight! It should be fun! It's been a little crazy and hectic so far but it'll be nice to get into a routine and sort of know what I'm doing. ALSO, Katy just called and told me that we're roommates now!! She and the girls in the switch talked to the housing director and he said it'd be fine. I'm off now to help Katy with her luggage!

:)

Jackie