So we begin!

Hullo!

Flying alone overseas? Check. I sat next to a Canadian woman named Wilma, and she was the greatest. We were friends and tackled security together. :)

Finding Hannah at Cafe Nero in Terminal 4 on the third floor: easy peasy. (after asking a great many airport workers how to get there... "How can I help you, love?")

Getting a Tube ticket, changing trains, and getting to the hotel: Did that too.

And now, today was our first day!! Sun streaming from a clear sky, we went to the Tate Museum to refine our tastes for modern art, some of the pieces I had studied in my art class last fall, adding to the interest that accompanies... intriguing... modern works.

The group met up today! All 40 of us crammed into the hotel bar area and hugged and introduced and it was so good, and a little overwhelming,  to see everyone again!! We went on a 4 hour "scandals and royals" walking tour through London which I enjoyed just for the chance to see more of the beautiful architecture and the "posh" people walking about.

The way they phrase things here is so funny to me: to "nip around the corner", find the "way out" and avoid somewhere because it's "dodgy". They also say "sorry" instead of "excuse me". Those aren't even my good examples, but I can't think of anything else at the moment. I'm suddenly very aware of all my "awesome"s, "cool"s, "bummer"s, "oh my gosh"es--so American.

For fun on weekends, Londoners meet at every bar, order a pint, and stand outside talking to one another until all hours of the night. That's it. That's what they do. It's so funny to see a bar, and then, sure enough, the sidewalk outside has a small crowd gathered around its door just standing there smooshed together. Apparently in the 1940's (I learned this on the scandal tour) workers manufacturing things for the war started to get paid more and they spend their extra money on alcohol. They would stay out very late and work very poorly the next day, and it had such a negative affect of productivity that they had to make it a law that it was illegal to drink after a 11PM. The law stayed into effect until recently, I think.

That was free, just a little tidbit.

I'm doing well, a little tired but that's expected. It's crazy trying to get 40 kids on the same train at the tube station. "Ridiculous, is what it is". We're like one big blob of people making a mass exodus or something. But it really is so good to see everyone here!

Tomorrow we begin classes from 9-12 in a church! I love you all!

Hannah (back), Laurel (front) and I got quiches at the Borough Market after the Tate and ate them in a cathedral's courtyard with other picnic-ers!

Half of our group during the walking tour.