British Efficiency...Or Lack There Of

Before I embark on my first reading assignment for class - "Lonely Londoners" by Sam Selvon -, I wanted to itemize a few brief reflections on the day and Britain in general.

Item One: Best Conversation of the day:

Leaving Black Writing in Britain
Girl: "Hey, you're an American too? Oh, good I thought I was the only one!"
Me: "Ahh me too! I'm Mary by the way."
Girl: "Oh, that's my middle name!"
Me: "Really? That's great.  What's your name?"
Girl: "I'm Patricia."
Me: "Patricia?"
Girl: "Yeah"
Me: "No way, that's my middle name!"
Girl: "What! Wow! Where are you from?"
Me: "Hagerstown, Maryland."
Girl: "Ok yeah. I'm from Arlington."
Me: "My sister lives in Arlington!"
....continues on that she goes to Villanova, close to Muhlenberg, and is in my London Architecture class too. Small world!

Item Two: The British and their cards

Why do the British, or at least Queen Mary, find it necessary to have a different card for every single function?? At Muhlenberg, my ID functions as identification, gets me into my housing and buildings, has my meal plan, and can have money on it for laundry.  Here, I have an ID card for merely that purpose.  Then I have a card to swipe me into my building - which requires me to swipe at least twice, by the way, and you have to press a button to exit the building because every door is super fireproof (because it totally makes sense to make it difficult to exit a building in case of a fire...).  Next I receive a laundry card which requires me to register it online and top-up with money.  If I had a meal plan, I would need paper meal vouchers - just like in elementary school.  Maybe it is only Queen Mary, seeing as my Oyster Card gets me on every form of transportation, but still.  I hate to be one of those people to say that the United States does things better, and I cringe every time I think it, but really, we just do.  The US knows how to be efficient and run things.  The disorganization of this school is insane.  Most abroad students were registered for classes that overlapped times because the departments don't release what day and time classes are.  How is anyone supposed to plan their courses then?! It really makes no sense. Also, they run classes right up to the hour.  Meaning, one class is 2-3 and another begins 3-4, so the hallways are jam packed with people waiting to get in and out of classes.  It was a mess.  I just don't understand why they think it's a good system.  This leads me to...

Item Three: First day of class!

Black Writing in Britain should be interesting, although since I don't know modern British history (1948-present) very well I was lacking in background information but the teacher seems great and very willing to answer any questions and explain further. She also is totally Natasha Richardson's doppleganger, so I like her merely for that reason. Architecture in London: 1600-1837 is going to be awesome.  Every other week we have a field trip to look at buildings which is going to provide such a wonderful way of seeing the city.  I have two papers in each class, which shouldn't be too bad hopefully.  I'm looking foward to tomorrow's classes which will hopefully prove as stimulating!

Item Four: Student Diet

Friday I had pasta for dinner.  Sunday I had pasta leftovers for breakfast and lunch and pasta with butter and pepper for dinner. Today I had an egg and toast for breakfast, leftover pasta and peanut butter sandwich for lunch, and soup for dinner.  Carolyn blessedly had oreos and other cookies so I finally satisfied my sweet craving of the last few days, along with an impulse buy of a Snickers bar when I bought stationery and textbooks.  If I have to eat plain pasta one more time...It also just doesn't leave me full! I need more protein and veggies but I don't want to go to the grocery store because...

Item Five: First week of Rainy London!

Sunday it rained.  Monday it rained.  Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, continuing on down the week.  Ah yes, I knew last week's weather was a trick!  The wind today was so intense I thought my umbrella was going to blow up inside out at one point!  I found this Jane Austen quote that sums up basically last week's weather: ''What fine weather this is! Not very becoming perhaps early in the morning, but very pleasant out of doors at noon, and very wholesome—at least everybody fancies so, and imagination is everything."  All of us from the US were saying how chilly it was, while all the Brits were saying how this is their nice weather and how summery it is.  Now that it's rainy, my flatmate Esme says it will continue on like this at least every other day until May, with a slight cease in December to just be really really cold.  Lovely.

Item Six: The End!

My rant ceases here. Off to read!