Lettuce Meat and Ketchup.

Greetings from London!

Sorry I havent started this blog sooner. I have been busy scouring the streets for Ron Weasley. (Alas...) But really, I only just got internerd in my flat a few days ago. Since then I have been continually abusing my liver in a pub called the Hobgoblin, which is located about 45.4 seconds away.

So much has happened in the past week, it is hard to know where to start! I suppose the begginning of my trip did not start with a bang, but a whimper. (Pardon the misused Eliot quote.) Quite literally. I was a blubbering mess when I said goodbye to my parents at the airport!I was realy very scared of flying, as it has been 11 years since I've been on a plane! My dad told me to find an old woman to sit next to who would invariably tell me her entire life story, thereby distracting me from the impending flight. Success! I met a Norwegian woman who did, in fact, tell me her whole life story while we were waiting to board the plane. This woman had been visiting the states to see her ailing mother. She was a recent widow and seemed like she needed me to talk to as much as I needed her.

There are nine Northeastern students on the trip. However none of us knew eachother before boarding our flight, with the exception of Molly and Alex. Since we arrived we have met so many other American students. We all live in Loring Hall, which is actually a grouping of different buildings. Everyone is very friendly. I feel like I've known them for ages, not just a week. In my group I have become known as "G'Ma Boston," because I am one of the oldest and my maternal instinct has kicked in. I suppose it is a compliment?

For the foodies:

Alas, I have yet to be blown away by any of the local cuisine. I went to a pub in central London and had some chicken tikka masala. "Why would you eat an Indian dish while in London, Laura?" you might ask. Well nibbl on this nugget of information! CTM is argued to have orginated IN Britain! Some would say that it is the quintesential British dish. And one of the most popular meals here. So THERE!

I do promise to eat some fish and chips soon. I am holding out for the perfect street vender who will wrap it in fake newspaper and serve it with malt vinegar. (Do these venders exist?)

More on food. (Did you expect any less of me?) The CANDY here is amazing. I got something called a "crunchie" which is made by Cadbury. Its center consists of a "honycombed" suger, which is then covered in delicious and rich chocolate. I tried a few other candy bars, but the Crunchie is the one to write home about.

For the logophiles (ish...or those who want to learn british phrases!):

"Bless his/her cotton socks"
"Take a piss at you" - tease you
"Kip" - a nap

More to come on British slang, hopefully. Well, more to come on everything. I hoped that I would have some profound statements to make about the beginning of my own journey here, but I don't. Perhaps the profundity lies in the simple fact that I have begun. Does that make any sense? Probably not. Blame it on jet lag.

Cheers!
LB