You look like a bunch of Sluts from the United States!

Okay, I don't know if this was a compliment here in London.... being called a slut.... but it took a few minutes to realize what he was saying. After Wicked last night at the Apollo Victorian Theater some of us when to the pub that is next door to the Stay Club.

After we ordered our drinks we got a table next to these 4 people (2 gals 2 dudes). A few minutes after we sat down this dude next to me (he was hairy and not sober) started spouting off of how the "You look like a bunch of Sluts from the United States!" He repeated himself a few times too, while his friends sat there and giggled/laughed.

I ordered a blush wine and I was feeling pretty good before it was gone. That's never happened!!!!  I don't know if the alcohol content is more here.... but it was strong!!! I also tasted some beer called "Shandy" and it was good!!! I'm totally getting that next time, because the wine.... blah..... was sour and dry.

Yesterday was a FULL day!! My legs.... tired and sore! But I'm ready to go for the first day of class.... at 1 PM.

We had a tour of London from Nigel Hake, a 65 year old retired police officer who has gotten his "Blue Pin" for tourism. He was fabulous!!! Very animated, and a hoot to listen to talk about the sights to see when we had more time to check things out, where to eat, historical facts, etc. He's in a few pictures I snapped. (I got like 234, or 236 pictures yesterday - PLUS video of the dismissal of the guard).

We got to see the Business parts of London, the Royal Parts of London, as well as the theatrical parts of London, the Bridges (especially the infamous "London Bridge"), and the retired fighter ship, castles (some of which we will get to tour through later on ing the month - The Tower of London - where the crown jewels are)

 Nigel, our animated tour guide

 This is the Bank for Marry Poppins, when the bag lady sang "Feed The Birds"

SOO COOL!!

These birds were just chillin' on the grass!!! There was even a brown pigeon too!! 

 The Tower of London

Where they keep the "Crown Jewels"

 The London Eye

 London Eye and Big Ben

 Parliament and Big Ben

 Big Ben and His Clock

 Changing of the Guard

 Prof. Kevin Bush's cousin was playing the Trombone in the band!!!

 Buckingham Palace

 This is for Kyle Landgrebe!!!!

 After "Wicked" we came here to get a bite to eat....

 Getting on the Tube...

 Different folks on the Tube...

The tour began at 9:15 AM and ended at about 2 at the Dilke House where we got to see the Student office for AIFS. After a little briefing there we got to got eat lunch at the "Farmer's Market" that was a block over (only happens on Thursdays here). I got this combination of pasta.... Lasagna and this green pasta that was so good (I can't remember the name of it... but it started with a "P"). Picture to come later when I get it, I didn't take a shot of it with my camera because it was put away. I took it with my friend's iPhone.

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.