Arriving in London

I have had my sights set on spending a semester in London with Samford since very early my Freshman year. This is Samford's only true semester abroad experience and everyone who has told me about it says it cannot be missed. I didn't need too much convincing to set my sights on spending the fall of my Junior year in London.

I arrived in London a little over twelve hours ago and I think I might be even more excited than before I arrived. The Daniel House, Samford's residence in South Kensington, is even more charming than I pictured. It is a true Victorian house; I'm told it's about 140 years old. After taking the taxi to the house, I rang the doorbell and one of our wonderful professors in residence, Dr. Service, ambled to the door to let me in. When I walked through the door I felt like I was walking into history. I think the Daniel House deserves a post of its own, so I will save the detailed descriptions for another time.

After a "second breakfast" of nutella toast, I began to unpack my cases, as the British call them, and settle into my cosy room. I opened the window and leaned out to see flocks of businessmen and women headed to their jobs in the center of the city. When I was finally settled in, I met with our London-based administrator to get caught up on orientation. 

Out of the 11 in the program, only Hayley and I are not interning. So, while the others set out for their work-orientation, she showed me around the immediate neighborhood and we ran errands to the bank, Tube, post office, and grocery store. Later in the afternoon a group of us went to Kensington Gardens to relax and read. It was an uncharacteristically beautiful day. 

We finished off the day with a traditional pub meal of fish and chips and I am ready to put my jet lagged self to bed.