The first week at any "Uni" aka University, is called "Freshers Week". Freshers Week starts as soon as you move into halls (or dorm as we say in America), goes on throughout orientation week and lasts until the night before your first day of class. It consists of meeting new people and going out every single night! Our freshers week began the Saturday we all moved into Wigram House. Everyone who had moved in decided to meet outside our halls at 8pm to go to a local pub. I met people from other floors and just got a taste of the English nightlife culture. We didn't stay out long, but instead decided to come back to halls to have a kitchen party. People ended up all coming to the kitchen I share and it was a great night until some people got in trouble for going out on the balcony. We hadn't been told we weren't allowed, so it was weird when we were told that the balcony is off limits and the people who had been on it got into a bit of trouble with the security of our building.
The next few nights, we went out and experienced a number of good and ....memorable nights out as the English would say. Sunday night, we decided to walk instead of taking the tube. It was a nice way to see our area at night, but quite a long walk into the center!! We walked past Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace on our way.
Then, we went to a pub and then afterwards, a club in Leicester Square. Little did we know how horrible the club was and on top of that, how few people were there! We paid only L3 to get in, and knew why when we walked down the steps to find about 5 other people in the club listening as the DJ attempted to put together a few songs. The most we got out of it was a few laughs and the experience so we know not to ever go there again.
Tuesday night of that week was my 19th birthday!! I had found out that Holly's birthday was the same day as mine and so we had planned to go out with everyone in our flat! So my flatmates, Matt, and his friend John all went to a pub in Leicester Square and then after its closing, went to Sports Cafe, which is a bar/club on Haymarket. The music was good and the drinks were great! I ended up trying some drinks I had never even heard of and really liked. It was an awesome night and the best birthday night ever! (And yes, I was able to order alcohol on my birthday even though I was just turning 19!) But that night was not my only birthday celebration.
On Thursday, Matt had me meet him near Oxford Circus for another birthday night. He had planned a surprise for me and I really had no idea what he had planned for the night. We ate dinner at a restaurant on Oxford Street (aka shopping street) and then walked through Piccadilly Circus until we stood right across from the huge billboard-like sign displaying the theatre poster for Mamma Mia, the musical! It was wonderful! He knew how much I had enjoyed the movie, which I saw with my mom over the summer, and decided to buy tickets for the theatre's version. I loved it! It was such a fun and lively musical and a great end to my birthday. It was perfect :-)
As Friday was the last day of orientation, the Study Abroad Advisers from the university had organized a "Boat Party" for all of the international study abroad students. We had to meet at Monument tube station and we walked to the River Thames, where the boat was waiting. It looked like a mix between a circus boat and some sort of pirate ship. The inside had 2 stories and we were also allowed on the deck up above. It was pretty fun, but I had lost my voice by this point (I'll explain later on) and as the music was so loud for people dancing, I couldn't really talk to anyone. We left after a few hours and I was able to get some much needed sleep/rest!
By this time of the week, I had begun to feel a little worn down and developed cold symptoms. Soon enough, I was coughing nonstop and couldn't sleep. My parents suggested that the symptoms I was having were consistent with those of my asthma, and thank goodness, I had brought an emergency inhaler which tamed my cough until I was able to see a doctor. That brings me to my experiences with the NHS. Because I will be in England for over 6 months, I am entitled to register with a medical center and can go there for my medical needs. The NHS (National Health Service) provides free healthcare to everyone and keeps all prescriptions at a reasonable price (about L7). Although this is a wonderful system in that respect, it is certainly the most annoying and frustrating when it comes to treatment and organization. The first time I went to register on a Friday, I was turned away because the registration nurse had called in sick. I told the receptionist of my situation and she gave me an appointment for the next Monday. I arrived 10 minutes before my appointment time and waited an HOUR before my name was even called! When I actually was in with the doctor, she simply asked me to use the peak flow in her office and a bit after, wrote me prescriptions for 2 different inhalers to use. She thought that the pollution and the excessive cigarette smoke could be affecting my lungs. I will be going to my own doctor while I am home over winter break to decide what I should do about my asthma.
3 comments:
haha you don't have a £ sign on your mac do you?
I just love those pics of Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace at night!. Don't you just want to pinch yourself?
Is there any way we can get notice when you update the blogspot?
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