Day 2: "'Scuse me, Where Do We Make Good Party?"

So I still don't think it's hit me completely- "it", of course, being the fact that I'm living in London. But I guess after a few hours of orientation after waking up to a delicious English Muffin breakfast it slowly started sinking in. So, between awkward commentary on gender sexuality being not allowed, the amount of alcohol in each drink (complete with pretty pictures of said alcoholic beverages), and academics, we 40 kids learned the basics of living in our fantastic London house, travel, and how we have more breaks than actual school days.

Girl's night out.  With Cameron

So, today consisted of more eating (I swear I'm about to pop. I mean, really, roll me away from the restaurants) and far more orientation than necessary. We had breakfast, orientation, a beautiful walk around London (I REALLY am living here, aren't I?), more orientation, dinner at this absolutely fantastic Italian restaurant (again, roll my fatty self away), and then the night was ours. So, naturally, we students took full advantage of the fact that we don't have to wake up until 1 tomorrow afternoon. What does this mean? Pubs.

Now, of course we already spent 50 pounds on our Tube cards, but that didn't mean we had any qualms against wandering around London, failing at our first pub, and then finding another pub right across from our university (literally a 1 minute walk across the park) . So Cider... this stuff is delicious. It's like sparkling cider, and yet has the potential to get you sufficiently happy if you haven't eaten about an elephant's weight in carbs. My mistake. So our huge group (yes, we basically had a sign on us saying: YES, WE ARE FROM AMERICA) enjoyed fantastic conversation and frequent bathroom runs in this first pub, supposedly a Imperial College Hangout (when all of the students arrive in October).  From this place we migrated across London, getting me sufficiently lost, and found a pub that Kalie and I found to be our first London pub experience. This place reeked of London, and, in such, awesomeness. More cider and conversations later, Kalie and I found ourselves at a table talking to a guy from Denmark who mistook us for Londoners ("scuse me, ladies, where do we make the party?"), which I guess was quite the compliment... Regardless, he was amusing and it was our first non-American "testosteronial" approach. The night continued with further conversation with our increasingly awesome London Pepperdine group, and then we migrated yet again. We found some little place that stayed open after midnight with this fantastic guitarist who played covers of most excellent songs. So, while I sipped another drink that was bought for me that evening (thank you very much, sir!), I met a French guy with one of my London guy friends. Said french guy decided it would be interesting to introduce me to his friend, Pierre, who then thought it would be smart to use me to get more drinks, and while he offered to pay for me, he decided creeping on me would be far more advantageous. Intriguing.  Apparently the French aren't as good at kissing as they proclaim to be, just saying... I would get chatted up by a sleazy guy on my first night out. Yuck.

So our night ended with a mad dash back to the house. Good thing out housemates aren't as directionally challenged as myself. So, all in all? An absolutely fantastic night. Tomorrow shall prove to be a continuation of such excellence, I should hope. And now? Now I shall romance my bed and crash out until Kalie and I wake up to enjoy the beauty of a Farmer's Market tomorrow. Peace out, America. I am.