Terra Incognita

brief update
I'm still having fun. Thanks for all the emails and Talk Backs you guys have written. Yesterday was full of getting to know the area and the college a little more. (Cafeteria food in the U.K. is just as bad as cafeteria food in the U.S.) The college surprised me with how many Asians there were; more Asians than Europeans. Interesting.
Last night we went to a Sports Cafe (think Hard Rock Cafe but sports, and a lot more fun) to catch a bit of the Mizzou basketball game. I really feel that the group of us students are getting to be close. It's kinda funny, but the first few days of studying here remind me a lot of the first few days of beginning college. Everyone is really nice to everyone else because we're all out of our comfort zone and just really want to have people we can call friends. There are the initial hook-ups (two couples already, and none of them knew each other before! crazy!) and roommates are trying to figure out how to live together. It's really interesting to watch everyone.
We found out yesterday that the program is going to go in for group rates for a bunch of theatre productions! While everyone else was getting excited about learning where the best pubs in London are, Laine and I were getting excited about the shows! I can't wait!
We also had a "bobby" (police officer) come in and talk to us about safety in the city. He was really funny and helpful. After his talk, the roommates and I figured out that we really didn't need a purse to go out to the Sports Cafe and managed to carry all we needed (money, ID, keys, lip gloss) in our pockets last night. Spike, the bobby, also explained to us the alcohol rules in Britain. 18 is the legal drinking age, but there is no public drunkenness. If you are passed out in public or are causing a disturbance, whether it be picking a fight with a trash can or singing at the top of your lungs, you can be arrested and taken to the police station. After two occurrances, you can be taken before a judge. If you are foreign, you will be deported. Those laws seem much more reasonable than our 21 years old drinking age and obscene drunkenness.
Today we had a short meeting to be briefed on what to expect from our internship and interview. I find out my placement tomorrow morning and will go to interview with the publication either Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of this week, so it looks like no long-term exploration of the city. I'm really nervous!

observations
Half the people we've seen in the city have been foreigners. I love listening to all the languages and have understood some of the French conversations I've caught!
Dr. Pepper tastes different here.
The Brits use the word "whilst" a ton.
Mickey Finn is slang for a date rape drug (thanks to Spike).
Europeans don't understand that the phrase, "I want to dance with my friends" means "I do not want to dance with you. Get away."