Finally a chance to write!

Well, London is an AMAZING city. I have been doing and seeing so much already and I've only been here for about 5 days. I started classes yesterday (not all fun and games I guess). I have met many amazing people that are on this trip with me. It's so cool because everyone gets along and meshes so well with everyone else. Plus most of us are on the same page of "I want to get out and go do things and explore and see everything possible of London and Europe." So yeah, that's fun as well.

I have taken a TON of pictures and am trying to post a bunch of them up HERE .

I'm almost finished with Paris. I apologize for them not having captions though, it just takes too much time that I don't really have. Hopefully at some point I can go back and change that! :)

Things I need to get adjusted to:
- rain
- driving on the left side of the street. I didn't think this would be that hard to get used to, but looking to the left when crossing the street is something that's a habit, and hard to break.
- Pedestrian's DON'T have the right of way. I have been pretty close to getting run over about 3 times since coming to Europe. As a factor of looking the wrong way or just not being used to the way the streets are set up (different enough than America to make a difference)
- blander food
- bathroom stalls that are actually private, the toilet is basically in it's own little room
- 8 different coins! 1 pence, 2 pence, 5 pence, 10 pence, 20 pence, 50 pence, 1 pound, and 2 pounds. (and the size or thickness of the coin has nothing to do with how much it's worth
- smaller living space
- the very crowded city
- walking walking walking! Hopefully I'll get a little more in shape!
- fast pace! It reminds me of New York in that way. People are always rushing and in a hurry to get from one place to the next.
- fish and chips
- expensive! (the pound is about double the dollar right now, so paying 5 pounds for food is like paying $10)
- the Tube (that is an amazing way to get around!)
- smaller portions
- no free refills, and smaller drinks
- the loo (or toilet), the lift, way out (instead of exit), bill (not check), mobile (instead of cell phone)
- packing your own groceries
- way less water pressure!
- tipping less (only 10% is customary, and if you get bad service it is perfectly ok to not even tip at all)
- people not necessarily being as friendly, you don't really say "hi" to someone you walk by on the street. Basically you don't start up conversations with strangers (I mean you totally could, but they'll probably think there's something wrong with you), people tend to mind their own business
- standing in line or "queing up"
- reading maps
- paying more to sit down to eat somewhere than if you take it out
- paying to make calls

I'm sure I'll be updating the list some more soon! After all I haven't even been here a week :) None of the things above are meant to be negative (well except maybe the money part), just new things to adjust to.

Tonight we're going to a "pub quiz". I'm not exactly sure what that means, but apparently it is a very common thing to do in London!