Finally in England!

I have finally arrived in the United Kingdom. After saying a few tearful good-byes, Bill (a fellow biomedical engineering classmate of mine) and I boarded our plane for a direct flight from Cincinnati to London. Despite taking two Benadryl tablets in hopes of knocking myself out for the overnight flight, I only managed to get a few hours of sleep before our plane landed in London Gatwick Airport. For the most part, the flight was uneventful. However, this was the first time that I have seen the sunset and sunrise from thousands of feet in the air on one flight. The view was gorgeous.

Passing through customs at the United Kingdom boarder also went smoothly. There was a long line of non-European travelers, but we only needed to wait about twenty minutes before "officially" entering Great Britain. From London, Bill and I caught a 40-minute train to Guildford. While on the train, I got my first experience of being a "stupid American". After boarding the train with several pieces of luggage, I quickly realized that there was no room for all of my bags. Taking a risk, I stored them in the aisle in hopes that the train would empty on other stops and I could move them to a more convenient location. However, I didn't realize that an attendant and a snack cart would be perusing through the aisle only a few minutes later. Muttering apologies, I tried to move my bags -- obliviously dropping my heaviest bag onto a lady's foot. I tried to apologize, but my American accent gave away my nationality. Needless to say, the look on her face seemed to shout every American insult and stereotype currently in a existence. Luckily, Guildford was the next stop and I hopped off the train to put my embarrassment behind me. Unfortunately, I have no doubts that I will have several of these moments throughout the next semester.

Leaving the train station, Bill and I hailed a cab to take us to the university where Bill could pick up keys for his one-week temporary dorm room. After showers and a quick lunch, I called my landlords and asked them to pick me up at the university so that I could move my luggage into my new room. Taking one step past the front doorway, I instantly fell in love with the house. It's old and has a great deal of character. I have my own room with a twin bed, shelving, desk, chair, and closet. I'm sharing the bathroom with my landlord's daughter and have complete access to the kitchen. The best part is that wireless internet, water, and utilities are all included in rent! My landlords are awesome people and often go out of their way to make me feel at home. Tonight, Colin (my landlord) fixed my computer so that I could send emails to family and friends. Maria (Colin's "wife") also invited Bill and I both to dinner, which saved me a great hassle of fending for myself.

Besides frying my voltage transformer, I've adjusted quickly to British life.

Maybe I'll even come home with a British accent. ;)