FUBAR

Well the insanity continues but I have just stepped out of a nice well-deserved hot shower and I think I have come to a point where I can be somewhat coherent, entertaining, and not clinically insane.

I will direct you to Jess's most recent blog post http://gitnerblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/multi-tasking.html and my comments. I guess I could repeat them here, but eh, I think the point has been made. I'll make a slightly more coherent retelling.

Didn't get much sleep on the plane, had a real hellish trip from Heathrow to Holborn by tube because my other checked bag would not fit ont he one with wheels, so I had to carry it, strap over my shoulder. And it weighed 70 pounds. Ouch.

So then I get to my dorm, meet my really nice flat mates and then proceed to make an even better impression by frying my 120-volt surge protector and killing some of my flatmates' power for a while.

But all through this, it really seems much more complicated and overwhelming to move in. I have only found one "general store" (Argos) where you look the item up in a giant catalog, and then give the item number to order and it is brought up to you. Neat, except it costs an arm and a leg and I am looking to cut back on costs and maybe get some ultra-cheapo hangers (anyone, any ideas? Please?) And then only one Food Store which seems decent but I want to see the best. The food store is not so important, but I want to go to a store where I can buy all the non-food supplies I need and not get ripped off. And I need to get them now, have no experience, and if I get ripped off now, that lasts for the year.

As it is, I am being a frugal as possible and I am haemorrhaging money like no tomorrow on God knows what, because my room is as bear as a pauper's. Also after frying my surge protector and having to get a replacement, as I unpacked my clothes, I realized LSE was kind enough to give me the smallest furniture possible, even a desk with the least amount of drawers possible, so now it seems like, unless I have a bright idea, and even with that bright idea, I will have to be living out of piece of luggage or two for the rest of the year.

All this while, thank God I was bumming around with JP getting food or finding our way or meeting people, but I don't think I slept at all on the flight over. I entered near sleep a few times but can't remember going into sleep at all.

Just to give you an idea of how tired I was, Kristen surprise Skyped me, which was nice but at the end, I was talking to her and my eyes began to close and I would babble utter nonsense. It happened twice to the best of my efforts not to. So I said good bye and took my mom's skype and explained my situation. Of course my parents said I looked really tired and asked if I was alright.

They tell you at orientation for study abroad that you may panic and feel homesick at first. You laugh it off like it could never happen to you: you're all revved up to go, you know others more worried than you, you're all prepared, etc Then you get there and all Hell and pandaemonium breaks loose and you wish things could be simpler like at Georgetown.

Like eating. Here, there is no meal plan: fend for yourself. But 3 of the people in my flat are Britons and one got here earlier in September from Hong Kong, so they all staked claims with food and cabinet space for their cooking utensils. Which leads me as the odd one who came in with nothing. So now I need to worry about getting all this stuff. It seems a waste to buy and throw at the end of the year, but since everyone bought stuff already, I would feel like a mooching douchebag if I asked to borrow cooking gear. Guess I will need to sort that one out.

For not a few times today, I wished this could be as easy as moving in to Georgetown. At least, thank God, I have this week to buy what I need and get myself settled, I hope.

PS- Jess if you read this, tell me how you made your banner and the links on the side. I am proabbly missing something very obvious here...