A Lesson on the Essentials

On Wednesday, I drove down to Hattiesburg for a British Studies pre-departure orientation at Southern Miss. Let's just say that by the end of it my head was pounding with all of the information attempting to sink into my pour, frazzled brain but my heart was also pounding with unbearable excitement. Can I just go ahead and board the plane and leave tomorrow, please? ;)

The orientation was full of bagoodles of extremely important information. Probably the most important thing I learned was that if I plug my American hairdryer into a European outlet it will explode. If it explodes the power will go out on my entire block, and all of the Brits will be mad at me. Needless to say I was a Target buying a dual-voltage hairdryer the next day, because I don't want any angry Brits. 

Okay, so maybe that wasn't the MOST important thing. I was also handed my International Student Identity Card which will provide me with discounts from all over the world, and an entry letter that will assure the people of the UK that I have come to their country for the sole purpose of taking a class and having a wonderful time. I was instructed on how to transfer my Jeffersons and Lincolns into Euros and Pound Sterlings, told what to pack and what not to pack (after hearing the story of a student missing the bus to The Hundred Acre Woods because he was depending on his cell phone alarm instead of a real alarm clock I know what the first thing going in my suitcase is going to be), was informed that the weather may be either cold and rainy or warm and rainy but its hard to say which one it will be (okay, so that was pretty un-helpful), and was assured that upon arrival I would be handed a map with explicit directions on how to get to the grocery store from my official residence of the month, Kings College (whew!).

As of now, my plan is to never waste time sleeping because on don't want to miss a second of my time in London, and to live off of peanut butter and cheese sandwiches so that I can save all my money for things such as going to the theater or museums. Do you think that will get me through four weeks? ;) Well, I suppose I don't really think so either, but it never hurts to dream! One thing is for sure, I'm buying a nice, large jar of peanut butter and sticking it in my suitcase-- right next to the alarm clock. I've heard peanut butter isn't as popular over there which is truly unfathomable to me. You just wait and see, by the time I leave Europe I will have every European eating peanut butter and cheese sandwiches and they will all love me for it. In fact, they will be begging me to come back and open up my own sandwich shop in Europe. Problem of "What am I going to do when I grow up?" = solved. Cha ching! :)

Only 10 more days and it all begins. The countdown is on!