Today starts the regiment of 9am classes. This wouldn't be bad... if I wasn't still jet-lagged. Oh and the fact that our beds are old school and are about 6 inches wide with no topper. This is quite a change from my 18 inch wide bed at home. I thought that I was already grateful for my comfy bed at home, but now I really understand how lucky I am. I guess you learn when your budget doesn't include mattress toppers. For breakfast I had oatmeal and tea, grandma, you were right it's a great idea for a breakfast on a budget. I see a lot of oatmeal in my future. 

The last picture shows my lunch, it was my only option before my class that starts at noon. Here there are many more small differences to food. The hash brown was fried in a different oil that doesn't taste...healthy. But none the less most of it was yummy, minus the baked beans. On the plane ride over an englishman fondly remembered eating fried bread and baked beans for breakfast, I knew then that I wouldn't like it. 

Class seems to speed up the longer the lecture draws on, eventually I just stop writing so I can listen. Good thing the lectures are later posted online.  

Today I had lab for the first time. It is so much more relaxed than at UCLA, there is no dress code and our professor apologizes profusely for having to emphasize the fact that we can't be late. There is also a T.A. for each 8 people, a big change from ucla where there is one T.A. for 28 students. I also like to think the T.A.'s here are better, considering they are English guys our age (with accents) who are undergrad physics majors. 

As you can see in the photos, basically every building here is made from brick and greenery surrounds everything...unless there are stairs. 

Here, it is much easier to study in groups and attempt problems together. As we work on physics, a friends flat mate cooks a dinner of lemon pineapple glazed chicken with celery and lettuce, which is considered a good dinner here since we are all new to the kitchen. I'd say a fire alarm goes off in one of the American's flats every hour. 

Later I plan on watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars with a new friend. Earlier today I attempted to find this show online and got quite worried. There are so many licenses for shows and websites that can only be accessed in the U.S. Of couse, she had already found a different website to use, and word of mouth travels fast when it involves accessing something that reminds us of home. 

It's 9:30pm here and the sun is just starting to set. Miss you all. 

Love, 

Nikki 

(no one is really named Nicole here, so the English just call me Nikki) 

Fruit here can be unripe, so decided to caramelize them a little? Success. 

Doing laundry is 4 pounds, that's like...six bucks :(

Oh you know, just a forest on our campus. 

The grocery store on campus (frequently visited)

Near Our Flats (dorms)

Sometimes it can look magical here. (my lab building)

Sometimes it can look like a prison... 

So baked beans for breakfast....no.