YES. After three delays, one missed flight, and uncomfortable night spent at O'Hare, we finally made it. We got through customs (with our duty-free liquor purchased on the flight) and made it to the flats around Midnight. Most places in the neighborhood were closed, except a nice little Fish & Chips spot we had to try. Contrary to what we heard previously, they do in fact have Ketchup to put on your chips (fries). Although, salt and vinegar is a much more popular choice.
The flats are perfectly adequate: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a kitchenette, and a common room (sadly lacking the Gryffindor-esque fireplace of my dreams). The flats sleep 8 but since there's only 7 of us guys, we have one extra bed in ours. The girls are in the other 3 and then there are 2 more occupied by students from Arizona State Univ. My one complaint is that Brits don't use a sheet- just a comforter. That will take some getting used to.
We woke up early this morning and went and got our Oyster cards for the subway (Underground). We have yet to test out this subterranean means of transportation as we spent most of the day walking. After we got our cards, Matt and I went in search of Paddington Recreation Ground to see if we could find a football (soccer) game to join. Instead we ended up getting lost. But found our way back an hour later by spotting the steeple of St. Augustine's, which is just down the road. London is actually a pretty navigable city once you get the hang of it. The hardest part is remembering which way to look when crossing the street! We had a couple close calls and almost ended up as Mini-Cooper hood ornaments.
Then at noon we all went down to Westminster City College for orientation. Lucky for us, the school just got renovated and is quite impressive. We are actually the first Ball State group to enjoy its facilities (pictures coming soon). In addition to that, our classroom is the penthouse of the building. And due to it's floor to ceiling glass windows, we have a 180 degree view of the city stretching from Wembley Arena to Downtown. Another big plus is our Brit teacher Lyndon Sly. Not only is he a fellow Tottenham supporter, but as a local he has great insight into the functioning of our daily lives. Probably the most important info he gave me today was that Londoners don't tip bartenders, although offering to buy them a drink is more than welcome.
After a late lunch at a local pub, we are now back at the flats having a little siesta before going out tonight. Incredibly, it is about 50 degrees outside! But our hopes of comfortable weather were dashed when Lyndon informed us that this is quite abnormal for January, and that it will return to the traditional temperatures next week. Bollocks!
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