What's a loo?

So this is a HUGE trip for me!!! As terrified as I was,  I am here and in one piece. Though my internal clock has been thrown through the ring of fire, and I feel as though I could totally pass out at any given second, even after like 8-9 hours of sleep (yes I was out by 8:30-9 PM last night, and that's out like a candle being blown out that isn't a self relighting candle).

But yesterday when we got here Taylor and I briefly walked around the "Market" for something to eat because we both were starving. Then we walked up and down the street just looking at what they had. LOTS of stuff is being sold.... clothes, touristy things (key chains, post cards, misc. items/junk), shoes (OMG the shoes here.... are AMAZING!!!!! Some are practical, and some that are asking to break your ankles, and then there are some that are just down right amazing). I'm currently at the moment kicking myself because I didn't take my camera with me on my/the first walk about of Camden Town, London UK.

So why am I here.... and why for a month?

Well, I'm a senior at Miami University (OH, USA) and I need to do a "Senior Capstone." This past January/February I was looking into what I could possibly do for this course, when I saw this opportunity to go to London and take a deeper comparative look at how another established country looks, assesses, and implements care for lower SES adults, children, and families. My radar instantly popped up and was totally zoning in on more information about this opportunity.  So I was totally "jonesin'" to go from that point on.

As the start date of this trip got closer and closer, my goals for this trip totally came together!! Because I am a Special Education Major, the biggest thing I am interested in is how does the UK identifies a child considered to be "at risk" in their learning development, in whatever case may be; emotional disorders, a mental or physical impairment, Autism spectrum, birth defects, etc? How does the government, or the education system provide and pay for services a child may need? What do these services look like as far as how much and how often they receive them, who pays for them, etc? If a child is in an orphanage and they need these special services, do they receive them? If not, why? Over all how does the government, communities, and families help the future of London, Great Britain, UK to rise above their poverty to be more, or do they just stay in the same cycle?

Now the fun part... PICTURES!!!

  This is Tony one of the AIFS Student Advisors. He gave us a quick walking tour when we all got here.

 The student lounge area on the ground floor

 A 360 of my room.... the first half. Bathroom to you left... Kitchenette to the right. Behind the mirrors is the refrigerator, and the place to keep clothes.

 The showers here are really weird!!! However, AMAZING!!!! The water pressure is out of this world awesome!!! In my room, I have a separate shower part that is enclosed. However in my peer's studios the shower is in the middle of the bathroom.... toilet is right nest too where the water pours from the ceiling, and the sink is the controls for use of the shower or use of the sink. Odd...

To control the lights in the room.... I have to put my room key/card in that little slot thing that has the orange light on it. No card = no lights.