Cheerio!

Today has been one of those days where you stop and say "wait, has it really only been 24 hours? I feel like I've been here a week!" I know that because everyone kept saying it, and I kept answering "I really *have* been here a week!" But that doesn't really matter.

Today has been the first official day though. Starting off with an orientation about the housing, interrupted because one apartment's key had broken in the lock and one boy missed the entire orientation because he couldn't get out. It didn't reflect well on the housing staff.

I hadn't met many people from my program since we had been interspersed with the London Freshmen last night, so I had only known the girls in my apartment and the ones next door, who are sweet, I just wanted to meet the others. Which I did, on the 3 hour tour around London. The only thing I can remember right now about it is that there is a midnight Jack The Ripper walking tour. Everyone knows I hate to walk (slash...move) but a dark foggy night learning about serial killers? Brilliant!

Tonight we went to The Volunteer (the pub next door) to meet up but it was crowded with 30 something fancy investment bankers wearing suits. They weren't so happy with American tourists there so a few of the International Student Housing kids and myself headed over to the bar next to their housing. There we commenced a picturesque evening of exactly what I thought of when I thought of people's semester abroads: people from everywhere drinking pints and bonding over their hatred of the London Freshmen Program and their love of Veronica Mars (that might've just been the people in my vicinity...I think everyone else was bonding over their love of beer)

One girl told me she was from Malaysia and I was like "Wow! That's awesome!". She tilted her head and said "Do you know where Malaysia is...?" to which I replied "Um...well...no". She got exasperated and said "Americans! You don't know any geography! It's ridiculous!" I said "No! No! It's just me! I'm really bad with countries!" So...sorry guys, I'm not doing such a good job being an ambassador.

And for today's "Aviva's Magic Ability to Talk Faster Than She Thinks" is:

I was in the kitchen with my roommates and we were all talking about food. I said "Omg, I'm the least pickiest eater. I can eat whatever, whenever." So they looked and me and said "Um...don;t you keep Kosher?" "Oh..uh..I mean...Of the pre-approved food that I'm allowed to eat...I eat all of it." I forgot that "eating everything" in real life is different than in Jew-life.

Tomorrow is more orientation. I feel like orientation is longer than the amount we have in this country. TTFN!