First day in London!!

Today was my first full day in London and wow... I already wish I could stay here forever. My adjustment process has not been totally seamless: I'm still learning to navigate the British pounds, and I learned that you do NOT buy organic milk at the corner market. But other than a few minor speed bumps, I love it here.

Today we took a bus tour around all of the major sites in London- Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Bridge, etc. While taking photos at all the major sites, it hit me that I'm really here. It was so amazing to take in the sites, but to know that I had the next 8 weeks to come back and see everything at my own pace. The historic buildings and monuments are absolutely gorgeous, and I love that random parks pop up in the middle of metropolitan areas. We also stopped and ate fish and chips at a pub downtown- we're really British now :)

After our tour and an orientation session at Anglo-American, the IU School of Journalism hit the tube for our first adventure. Getting my oyster card and navigating the stops during rush hour was kind of insane at first, but I feel like with practice it will become second nature after awhile. We also saw The Phantom of the Opera in the theater district, and it was amazing!! The singers were great, the costumes and set were incredible... you guys know how much I love musicals, so I was in heaven. Apparently we get to see shows every Monday, which will be great!

I'm starting my internship tomorrow, and I am excited but nervous. I always get nervous about my employers liking me, and I feel even more nervous that it's British people with different standards and a sense of humor. I am also nervous about how to get there... I've planned which tube stops to take, but after that it's all luck and the kindness of strangers. Wish me luck tomorrow! Hopefully I'll have some good stories to tell.