Flightmares and Squeezy Brown Sauce

I'm here.

As I sit drinking H2O out of a small sauce pan (due to my lack of proper china), I'm beginning to realize that essentials are truly meant to be accumulated over a life time — not two days. I figure I can't possibly begin to explain all that has happened since I've come to London, so my choice of weapon against this daunting task is a pseudo-chronological list.

1. Around 300 pounds of luggage will cost about $400 and a severe lower back ache.

2. Though international airplanes are large, the luxurious seats that fully recline will just be a visual tease as you are pushed to the back of the plane. I dare say that the Megabus seats were far roomier and more comfortable than the middle seat of the back row on American Airlines.

3. I boarded my international flight at 8 p.m. in the Chicago O'Hare Airport.

4. I stepped off my international flight at 10 p.m. in the Chicago O'Hare Airport.

5. I reboarded my international flight at 11 p.m. in the Chicago O'Hare Airport and was promptly told that the coffee maker leak was finally fixed. Phew!

6. The touch screens on the plane worked fine. It only took the English man behind me about 8 hours, or the total length of my flight, to realize that you don't have to forcefully tap the screen to get it to work.

7. Customs with a full colon is not a pleasant experience. Although, the free luggage carts were a huge help in moving my overweight, American baggage into my first black cab (London's famed taxi service).

8. The cabbie was very nice. He even told a lady to "@#$! off" when she about rammed or little vehicle off the road. By the way, you know that they drive on the other side of the road here, but you don't understand how odd it really is until you are riding in the left lane.

9. Britain smells different than America. I don't know. It just does.

10. Housing = A-. Service = A. Location = B+. Mattress = C. Shower = EPIC FAIL! Think of a square that is four dollar bills by four dollar bills — sorry, no ruler — and then cut that diagonally. That is my cleansing station. When I'm being groped by the shower curtain, I'm hitting my noggin on the shower head.

11. Utilizing my MacGyver minor, I fashioned bed linens and pillows out of a few sweaters, a dress shirt or two and my peacoat. After a fairly sleepless night I made getting real bed things a top priority.

12. I also became quickly aware that the closet provided might only hold my shoes, ties and scarfs...

13. Hence my first trip to Argos! It's a completely weird store where you go in and look through huge catalogues, check the availability of items, order and pay for the ones you want, wait five minutes and pick them all up at a service desk. My treasures: hairdryer (WITH European plug-in), two pillows, a set of three sauce pans, two skillets, a rolling rack :) and a partridge in a pear tree.

14. Refrigerators in England are TINY. Our gallons of milk would not fit on any of their shelves. When visiting a small grocery near my housing, I quickly learned that American's are the true kings of bulk purchasing. The largest jug of milk I could find was half a gallon and it was in the skinniest container you've ever seen.

15. Notes to self: Get hangers for all of the clothes laying around your room. Register at the FREE doctor's office nearby. Carry a bucket next time you go out so that you can hold all of the ridiculous amounts of heavy coins that you get back. Buy plates and glasses ANYWHERE! You really are tired of eating and drinking out of skillets.

16. They have dollar stores or, rather, 99 pence markets here. They sell things like tomato plant food, Prawn Cocktail flavored Pringles, Halloween AND Christmas decorations, Hannah Montana deodorant (thank the Lord), a toothpaste called "Smoker's" and a mystery jugs of "Squeezy Brown Sauce". (The girl from Holland who lives next door bought some out of curiosity... to be continued.)

Ok. My next post will not include any lists, I swear.

My room is actually a lot bigger than I expected and I love everything about my flat of six rooms except my shower, if you can even call it that. The accents are lovely and I think I'm going to continue being infatuated with them for a while. We really are the movie and musical capital of the world. Everyone here has seen the movies that I love and the musicals that I have been in. English people love that you are allowed to study things other than your chosen course in college — or "uni", pronounced you-knee — in America. I'm super excited to start classes next week and I have already ventured down to Oxford Circus to see my building.

London is everything I ever hoped it would be and more. I just wish that I had all of my favorite people here to share it with. Ta-Ta, Nadia, and I will try to keep blogging whenever I get a spare moment. I feel the breath of the oncoming storm known as school and I don't know how busy I'm going to be, so keep checking back.