Day 1: What up, London?

There's something about saying goodbye. I mean, you wait and wait and wait and wait and finally the desired day or moment arrives. And yet.... although you're rushing like an absolutely insane person, it still doesn't seem completely real, but rather surreal. The moment doesn't exist. Goodbyes are irrelevant because whatever thing you're waiting for really isn't going to happen. Well, at least that's how I felt. I mean, I learned in October of last year that I was accepted into Pepperdine's London program. It can't really be time to hop on a plane and live in a foreign country for 8 months, can it? Oh, wait- yes, it really is time. So 2 50 pound bags later, I've successfully employed the help of my former roommate and crammed what looks like less than half of my wardrobe into the aforementioned bags. Did I mention how absolutely intimidating such a process is? It's awful. And still, after all of this, after all the mad dashes to favorite food places and multiple hangout sessions with friends, I still can't come to terms with the fact that I'm leaving. Because now that really means I have to say goodbye.

Movie nights, exorbitant amounts of food, firepit shenanigans and 2 trips up to Malibu still don't completely drive home the fact that I won't be living in SoCal very much longer. Each day and night feel like every other- another day and night of summer, another Mexican food run, another late night drive, another Mini Cooper dance party. The pattern hasn't changed, so for me the routine isn't going to change, not really. Except- it does.

It's the morning of and I'm so wired I can't stand still. Driving turns into a ridiculous experience of loud music and offkey singing. Chairs aren't safe because I'm spinning my body off of them without care. I'm dancing around my room while my roommate stares at me like I'm mental, which I probably am. But, hell, it's finally time. I've just gone on my last walk up Spyglass hill, eaten my last home-cooked meal, among so many other random things that have become such a huge part of my daily life. And I still haven't said goodbye- not to everyone.  I think it took a spontaneous trip to my sister's high school to give her a final hug, a letter from the same sister that had me tearing up, a El Ranchito run by my mother, and the appearance of friend on my doorstep telling me goodbye to make me finally realize: this is really happening.

Didn't see that one coming.

So, I finally got in the car, worked my way through the heinous LAX lines and security, and grabbed food with people I know will creative this blog's title of "shenanigans" with me. But, finally! My year abroad has begun. School in London! With stewardesses dropping lines like "cheap as chips" and "rubbish bin", flying Swedish Fish from an over-exuberant Kalie, and 2 hours of wine-induced sleep, my adventure has finally begun.

The door to our home!

So, I guess this is where Day 2 begins, but we'll keep it at Day 1: the plane ride went without problem, we (all 41 of us students) went without sleep for what felt like days, grabbed our luggage, hopped onto our bus, and were driven to what I get to call my home for the next 8 months: Pepperdine University, London Style. I can't begin to explain this house- it's absolutely gorgeous. Not only do we live, study, and utilize an amazing kitchen all in this 4-level (plus a basement) "house", but it holds lounges, offices, an elevator (the ever-temperamental "lift"), a covered outdoor eating area complete with a ping pong table, but Kalie and I also managed to grab a 2-person room over-looking a gorgeous park with a window ledge that we can sit on. Our bedroom? Let's just say it's a little piece of heaven, and it's only going to get better as we make it home.

So, naturally we were not allowed to sleep, even though we were up all of Wednesday and arrived here Thursday at 11 am. We were given a mini-orientation, toured around the house, then allowed to unpack into our beautiful wardrobes, walked around London in small groups before attending our first group dinner. And now? Well, now I'm going to shower off all that airline nastiness (although New Zealand Air was positively fantastic, wine and dine included) and pass out and prepare for tomorrow. So, all I can say now is:

What up, London? The best year is about to begin.