Alive and in London...

So all those wondering if I made it...I did...I didn't loose anything while traveling...a first I think...but I did leave lots...like all my favorite clothes that my mom said I wouldn't want to wear (aka my rainbow striped dress)...fyi London fashion isn't just the sophisticated Burberry London look I found out...everyone has their own style...it's incredible not one person was dressed in just normal jeans and a t-shirt...people had on bright purple tights, electric yellow skirts...and get this old school keds (and my mom calls my plaid ones grandma shoes and never coming back...) They had an entire wall dedicated to every color and pattern of off brand keds. I made my first fashion purchase (DAD...don't freak out...I spent more on grocery's yesterday than on this) a pair of leather flats with strawberries on them...so cute...I had to own them to match my strawberry bag...and they were 1/2 off. Ok anyways...I have a little catching up to do...

So my flight went well except for: 1) the lady I sat next to on the plane from Spokane ate jerky and it was so strong it made me nauseous 2) My flight was delayed from the computer failures (as Grandma stated) I guess people would enter in flight info and then the entire flight would be deleted or something so they didn't know what flights were flying where...luckily they knew where mine was going. :) 3) People in Seattle are rude and kept cutting in front of me so I was even later. 4) Security was soooooooooo long 5) I forgot to change into my sweatpants before I got on in Seattle so I had to do it on the plane 6) I actually never got to change into them b/c I sat on the window seat next to this little old Indian couple that didn't speak English (and I'm not mean enough to wake them up and ask them to move) 7) thus I was not able to move the entire 9 and 1/2 hours...aka no walking to let the blood circulate or going to the bathroom...I drank my beverages in moderation...8) then all the restrooms are on the other side of customs....So I had to wait even longer...it was just great 9) and then finally...I get dropped off at my apt. building and some nice guy lets me in b/c the receptionist isn't there at the moment, so I sit down and wait...and then I wait...and wait some more and finally 2 hrs later (the sign said be back in 10 mins) this man, who was way to happy for how tired and aggravated I was, appeared and checked me in and said there was a meeting in five minutes in the flat next to me. 10) The meeting was over an hour long and the whole time he was on a crazy power trip and took any chance he could to tell us how important he was and how he ran the whole building (he's the assistant to the assistant to the assistant or something...humm)and all he was telling us was how we would be evicted if we smoked, did drugs, or dropped things out the window (the thought of dropping him out the window passed a few times when I never thought he would stop talking...I hadn't slept in 36 hours by that point or eaten since 8 hrs before...) 11) and finally...we have one mini fridge (like the ones you take to college) for 5 people... 12) oh and the power trip man keeps calling me sweetie and honey and announces that I'm his favorite in the building and made a date with me to set up my Internet after he gave everyone else their codes earlier...he told me just to come down and he'd get it all in tip top shape for me...he's older and bald and has a tattoo of a skull and flames on his arm...not really my type...plus he insulted my computer and called it a clunker...

OK so I'll stop the negative Nancyness...Positive things that happened: 1) I live on the 10th floor and have an amazing view that includes the London Eye. 2) My roommates are awesome (so far at least we still have 2 more coming) One is from Sweden and really sweet. The other one is from Wisconsin, I just met her, but she seems nice. Another girl lives next store who my roommate and I have hung out with since we got here, is awesome and a lot of fun. She's from Korea but went to high school in Australia and now goes to a design school in Philadelphia. There is one other girl from Philadelphia who we have hung out with too...she has purple hair :) and seems to be nice and interesting. 3) London is FABULOUS....AMAZING 4) the architecture is amazing..every building no matter how run down is so beautiful. 5) I bought my first drink 6) a really nice classy pub with lots of cute British boys is literally 10 ft. out our front door, so if I ever have to cart any drunken roommates home...it won't be that far...:) 6) the fashion is incredible...indescribable...

OK so today we got up and walked the 30 mins to the school and met the study abroad people who were so sweet and nice and hilarious. Then we walked another 10mins that turned into 40 when Jin kept saying the place to pick her phone up from was "just around the corner"...but on the way back we got to stop and go in all these designer stores like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Viviene Westwood, Issey Miyake, and this one place where Jin knocked a 3,000 pound ($6,000 American) dress off a hanger....opps, and lots of others. We also had quite the adventure when we went into Topshop that is 4 floors and HUGE and we all got separated. We were able to all find each other (and a pair of really cute shoes mentioned above) except for my roommate Emily...so we search for her for 2hrs...and they wouldn't call her over the intercom (not that any of us could remember or pronounce her last name, so we were going to have to go for "will Emily from Sweden please find her party?" We finally gave up and called the emergency number (our study abroad coordinator's cell) to get the apt. # so we could call and see if she had just gone home. She was there and had finally just walked herself back (how she found her way I'll never know...she didn't even have the map...we had both of them...). So after that fiasco we walked home and took quite a few wrong turns but managed to find our way. :) We came home and met our new roommate and sat and chatted and made dinner....then I had my date (that's what he called it) with the assistant to the assistant over my computer. He asked if I defragged my computer (b/c it was being slow) and I said I defragged, disk cleaned, and emptied my temp files weekly...he was speechless...I was a little impressed with myself (I think he thinks women are incompetent of doing anything compared to him). And now here am I sitting in the hallway outside my flat typing to you all b/c the building is so old and the walls so thick that the wireless can't get in my room. I might of give too much detail of my life..but hey I'm in London! How many girls from the University of Idaho get to say that?!

Well I miss you all and hope everyone is doing well!

PS Mom and Aunt Leanne...you two are going to die when you come see me...the shopping is so amazing!!!!! (Dad you better start saving..........................;))

Love,
KAT