The Great Britain Pound Kills

So these past few days have been alcohol-filled and interesting. I've managed to meet some nice people, and it's starting to feel a little like the days are going by a little faster. I went into Brighton today and Kevin and I found the 99 pence store!!! I also discovered a milkshake place that has over 150 flavors... yeah, that's right. A MILKSHAKE PLACE. I'm definitely coming back there. It was karaoke night tonight, but a group of us ended up going to eat fish and chips instead. The portion as bloody huge. I've taken more public transportation within the last two days than I've ever taken in my entire life, and I think I might almost be getting used to it. The people on the bus kind of smell funny though, but the best part is getting on and off the bus and hearing the bus driver say, "Cheers!". I'm think about getting on and off buses for fun just so I can hear it over and over again. On the ride back, I tried to say it to one of them as I was getting off, and it just sounds retarded in my American accent: So I faked a British one. I was like "CHEERS TO YOU!!" and just jumped off the bus. Weekdays are kind of a drag though because there really isn't much to do on campus. All of the places to eat close at 5, and everyone seems to be consumed by the physics program. I thinking about buying a bus pass, and taking the bus into town by myself when I get bored. I sure wish everyone were here with me, so that we can all lounge around together and head to the pebbly beaches. But the pound makes me depressed... tickets to Spain cost about 80 pounds... that's almost 160 dollars. But I guess it's like traveling in the states. The girl next door to me came with her friends, and as I am typing, they're over there laughing and having a ball. I miss you guys like no other.... Never thought I would have such major withdrawals. Even lounging around with other people doesn't feel the same as whitening my teeth, dying my hair, playing spades, eating til I want to puke and napping with you guys. In addition to that, food here just isn't the same. I hope you guys will be up for an American food binge when I get back... because man do I miss it all. No wonder the people here are so skinny. Oi. BUT I did have a decent meal, and it was at the Queen's Head! I had a traditional English breakfast for 6 pounds... and it was SCRUMPCIOUS. Eggs that were poached/sunny side up, English sausage, ham and baked beans with this fried tomato thing.. and toast too! That was the first meal that filled my up since I've been here.

Might I add that the toilets are hard to flush...

Despite lack of good food, yet still gaining weight from random alcoholic binges,
captain

Operation Captain England Tasks 1-4

1. Meet someone named Seamus. Calmly remark that you supported Bulgaria in the Quidditch World Cup.

2. Take a picture on Abbey Road in the Beatles pose. Be the first in line and wear all white.

3. When there is an awkward pause in a conversation with someone from England, shift your eyes around nervously and in a low drone, mutter "bluhhhdyyyy" in a stretched-out fashion. This should last at least 3-4 seconds, and make sure to avoid eye contact.

4. Get some Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Determine if they are better than standard American chocolate.

Scratched: Among a group of soccer fans, say "I'm really glad David Beckham went to the LA Galaxy. He deserved to play in a place where fans actually appreciate him and genuinely understand the game."

Cheers! from Brighton

Hello, mates. Cheers from a place where their beaches have rocks instead of sand, they drive on the wrong side of the road, sit on the wrong side of the car, have way too many coins for their currency, and where the people have the strangest spoken version of English ever.

I arrived at Heathrow yesterday morning totally unprepared for the wrath of public transportation. Okay fine, it's not that bad. But when you're travelling by yourself, you're a little asian girl in a crowd of white people, and the combination of all your luggage bigger than you--public transportation is not your friend. But back to my adventures! I got to Heathrow Airport, which is in London, went through customs and all that and found my way to the NationalExpress central bus station, where I purchased a coach ticket down to the vacation/seaport town of Brighton.

When I got here, I climbed onto the local double decker bus and went about 10 miles down the opposite way that I was supposed to be going. I reached some town that reminded me of The Shire. I started sweating a bit, and so I asked someone sitting next to me--he confirmed that I had gone the wrong way. So, I ended up staying on the bus and going back around... not knowing which stop to get off at. Once we got towards the seafront, I walked up to the busdriver and asked him if he knew where my street was, and just my luck, he said no. I decided to get off and walk right there, and I found my way to the hostel (that doesn't even look like a hostel) by asking people, and inevitably looking like a stupid American tourist.

I walked in thinking that it was going to be some scary, old, rickety place, but it's not like that at all. The walls of the entrance hall were yellow, the kitchen is like a maroon (as is the common room) and my room is lavender! The people aren't shady either, although some of them are quite douche-y... must be a European thing. I've already been called Chinese. Haha. But my roommates were three other girls, one from Canada, one from England, and one from Australia. I went on a walk through Brighton with a guy from Spain: I got to walk through little alley ways with restaurants and pubs everywhere-it was way too cute for words. And a used book store!! I'm definitely hitting that up before I head off to Sussex for school tomorrow.

Food has been terrible. I haven't found anything good, but maybe that's also because I'm trying to save as much money as possible. The GBP is seriously killing me already. BUT I just bought a bottle of white wine today that I plan on drinking whilst watching more episodes of FRIENDS thanks to the lovely Princess.

Tomorrow will be a long day of moving into the dorms at school, but I'm excited! Hopefully, my internet will work there; otherwise, I'm going to have an aneurysm. Everyone at the hostel gets wifi except for me, and the internet cafe is like a hike from the hostel. But it's worth it because I honestly miss you guys.

off to decipher what's under the Brit accent,
captain at sea.

Great Britain: In The Season They Call Summer, 2009