It's always a learning experience

How long have I been here? I guess this is only the two week mark, but it seems like longer. I am a firm believer that people learn something new every day, and here in London I learn something new every minute!

Street Smarts
I am still adjusting to the cars on the other side of the road. In fact, I'm not certain that I will ever be totally comfortable with it. It is just so unnatural for me to look right and then look left when crossing a street. Luckily, I haven't been hit by any cars. It doesn't help that on the skinny roads cars just drive right down the middle; that just confuses me even more! The roads are certainly not made to have cars parked on either side and two-way traffic. Margery explained to me that you can tell which roads the Romans built and which roads the English built. Roman roads are straight because they wanted direct lines between their cities to make travel easier, especially when trying to protect an empire. English-built roads are curvy because they simply build around whatever gets in their way.

I love seeing all the cars that are sold here that we don't have in the U.S. It makes me wonder who decides which cars should be imported. Like the Toyota Aygo, why don't we get to have that one? And I think the Nissan Micra is pretty cute. It sounds like they are paying me to advertise for them, but I just like cute little cars. And here, they are everywhere! It's probably a good thing that everyone drives little cars because it allows them to maneuvre through traffic better, which is necessary when everyone drives like their wife is in the hospital about to give birth. Just keeping us on our toes!

Buses
The double-decker buses are another London classic that I am learning about. My Oyster card allows me unlimited access to the Tube and the bus system. The buses are great. There are tons of them and they go everywhere! I was told that the best seat on the bus is the second level, front row, on the left (what would be the driver's side in an American car). From this seat you are up quite high and have a great view. Plus, next to you is the sidewalk, so it's great for people-watching. However, it can be a little bit scary. Every time the bus makes a turn you feel like you are going to slam in the street signs. And when the bus stops, it's possible that your face will smash into the windshield.

The Tube
The Tube is really easy to use. I haven't had any problems knowing where I'm going or what train to take. But, once on the train I have made a few mistakes. The other day I was on the train home and these three teenage boys wanted to get on. Two of them jumped on before the doors closed, but the third smashed into the closing doors and was left at the platform (it was quite funny). But then the two who made it on the train realized that they were actually on the wrong train, which was additionally funny to me, until I realized that I too, was on the wrong train. Most trains have one line and it's hard to make a mistake. But the train to my house splits and one of the trains is a "fast train" which means it only stops at a few stations (not Pinner). I was on a fast train and ended up 3 stops past where I wanted to be and had to hop back on and go back. I also fear that one of these days I will fall asleep or space-out and miss my stop. They don't make announcements at the stops on some trains.

Pubs
Here is what I can say about pubs. They have pretty good food that isn't too expensive and are a good place to hang out with friends. Some of the pubs we have been to have pool tables, but the pool tables are much smaller and the balls come in two different colors rather than stripes and solids. Pubs also don't stay open late. Most of them close around 11 p.m. during the week and maybe 1 p.m. on the weekend. Although, that is in Pinner, I'm sure the pubs in central London stay open much later. We went to a pub in Greenwich last week and saw A Comedy of Errors upstairs in a tiny little theatre. It was a great show and the performers were less than a foot away from me. It was great fun! Why don't we have pubs in The States?

Dubstep
Anyone who knows my family would know that my brother Damian is the dubstep man, and that I stick to the likes of James Taylor and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, but apparently I like dubstep. Who knew? On Friday night my new friends from school wanted to go to a club. I decided that I would go, no matter how apprehensive it made me feel. The plan was to leave the house at 11 p.m., get there by midnight, and then catch the first Tube back in the morning (around 5:30 a.m.). Needless to say, I was concerned. I was also convinced that I was going to hate it, despite my best efforts to be excited. I decided to think of it as a learning experience, if nothing else. But I think this club may have changed my life...

Fabric is an extremely well known club in London, and we happened to go on a big night. Unfortunately, that meant we had to wait in line for hours. Here is a quick rundown on my night.

• 12:00 p.m. – Arrived at Fabric and got in line.
• 12:15 – Met drunken man who called me Caterina or California and decided I was "his girl" so he helped get Megan and me further up in the line.
• 12:45 – Met Jarred and Jack who rescued us from drunken man and helped prepare us for what to expect inside the club.
• 1:00 a.m. – Lost all feeling in my face, hands, and toes. Did I mention that it was about 35° F outside? 
• 2:30 – Finally made it in the doors. 
• 2:30-6 a.m. – Danced the morning away.
• 7:30 – Arrived home safely and as quietly as snowflakes.
• 7:45 – SLEEP.
• 11:15 a.m. – Started my day!

Me, Amanda, and Morgan before we left for Fabric

I think that my ears have stopped ringing now, but they were still ringing when I went to bed last night. I don't think I could explain why the night was so great, but it was pretty epic. Between the people I met in line, the incredibly loud music, the amazing light show, and experiencing something unlike anything I could possibly imagine, it was one of the best nights of my life! One of the great things about a venue like Fabric, or probably any night club, is that there is a sense of freedom. The same way I think about a masquerade, behind a wall of pounding bass and dim lighting where no one knows your name or who you are, it's judgement free! No one cares if you are a good dancer or not. No one is going to see you the next day and give you a weird look because you were yourself instead of the person they want you to be. Plus, it's also a great community event. That sounds weird to say, but it's true. Everyone is there experiencing the same thing together and sharing the joy. So, I have been converted. Little Miss Hanna appreciates dubstep, likes night clubs, can stay up until 8 in the morning, and knows how to have a good time! And it only cost me £11. I also got a free Caspa T-shirt at the end.

Like I said, this is all a learning experience. And one of my greatest goals for my time abroad is to learn about the world, but especially myself. I think I'm off to a great start. Next up, Edinburgh and York.