Recap of First Two Weeks

Well I've officially been out of the US for 2 weeks.  WOW!  That's all I can really say.  Part of me thinks it couldn't possibly have been that long and another seems to think it's been way longer than 2 weeks.

Since I've been here, I've had a roller coaster of emotions.  I knew it would be hard to leave everyone and everything I knew behind, but I didn't realize how difficult it would really be.  When I moved into my flat, I found out how alone I really was.  Staying at the hotel for 3 days didn't make the move seem real.  I was in vacation mode and that changed quickly.  On my first day, I completely unpacked and went for a walk back up my street to the main road.  I went in search of a grocery store, and I figured on was up in that direction as I kept seeing people coming in my direction with grocery bags.  Well 20 minutes later (I took the scenic route on accident-aka I got lost) I finally found the store.  Apparently Sunday is market day for everyone because Sainsbury's was packed.  (**found out it is not just Sunday's, that store is ALWAYS crowded).  I managed to purchase a few essentials, like bread and milk.  Monday I set out to find my University because I needed to endorse my checks and I had orientation that afternoon.  I managed to navigate the bus system on my own and got there in one piece.  Orientation was good, met a lot of new people.  Now this orientation was for all new international students so pretty much all my new friends are American (2 from Texas, 1 from Arizona [though originally from Texas], and 2 from NYC).  I also met a girl from Iran.  Everyone was super nice.  Since then several of us have hung out.  Gulmina (from NYC) lives about a 15 minute walk, or 3 bus stops, from me so we see each other on a fairly regular bases.  In the course of our adventures around London, we picked up a couple of other people.  Lindsey is from Vancouver and the only one of us with someone at home.  We met her at Argos (discount store) and she lives literally 2 blocks from away from me.  Other than shopping for the flat and meeting my advisors, I've done a bit of site seeing.  Last week, I visited the National Gallery, the Tate Britain, explored Portobello Road in Notting Hill, and tried a few new restaurants.  Oh, did I mention, that it only took 1 1/2 weeks for me to finally have my first real British meal-bangers and mash on Sunday at this quaint little pub in Pimlico.

The term officially started on Monday, but since I don't have classes it doesn't seem like I do anything.  My advisors instructed me to create a working bibliography of British history relating to my topic and in 3 days I've come up with 30 pages of possible sources and that's only using 4 keywords thus far.  I've not been able to go to the library and go through them yet, as my student ID has still not arrived and it could be another week (YUCK!).

Besides research and exploring London, I don't do too much.  I'm still in the adjustment stage of being here.  Well, that's all for this update.