I moved to London!

Greetings from London!!

Seriously, that never gets old. Several times a day it hits me again that: 1. I am currently in London 2. I LIVE HERE NOW which means 3. I have a whole year to explore this amazing city! And trust me, there is plenty to explore.

I have been in London for 8 days now, and am finally starting to feel like I'm adjusting to the time difference (7 hours ahead of Denver) and am finally starting to feel settled. It's been a crazy week, between international student orientations, graduate student orientations, Sport Psychology orientations, and then trying to buy food and bedding and toiletries and keep my Oyster card topped up and getting a UK sim card so I can use google maps when I get lost (because it happens. This city is huge and there are so many people and buses and tubes and... well, you get it) and trying to find where laundry facilities are and getting my BRP (Biometric Residence Permit- kinda like a green card in the states- means I'm legally allowed to stay here!) and trying to remember to look right first when crossing a street, I feel like this first week has seriously flown by.

And despite all the problems, it really has been a great first week in London. I've traveled into Central London a few times already and played tourist there (insert cheesy picture with Big Ben here), went to a few parties and pubs, and have wandered around my little area of the city enough that I actually feel quite content with my little lot in life here. I know all the most important things now (where the nearest Nandos and Wagamamas are, as well as Boots, Asda, Sainsbury, and Primark), as well as a few of the buses ("this is the 265... with service to... Putney Bridge". Also the 72 bus which takes you to Hammersmith. In case you wanted to know), and now know my way around campus. I've made a few really good friends, and am super excited about my programme starting next week. 

Overall, I'd say things are pretty damn good with my life right now.

Of course there are already things I miss about the states and my life there (my car for one- trying to get massive grocery bags on and off the bus is not so fun. Also I miss my friends and family dearly, although Facebook messenger has been a lifesaver- I talk to them almost as much as I did when I was in Denver!), but overall I couldn't as for much more here. It's still gonna take some getting used to of course, but what better time in my life to do something like this?

I am also seriously looking forward to all the traveling I get to do soon! I only have classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I have five day weekends every week! I'm already working on trips to Oxford, York, Cornwall, Edinburg, and maybe even Amsterdam. :) 

I guess that's about it! I'll keep updating this periodically as my year in London continues, but until then... Cheers!