Dauymn. Almost a week without a post. I've sat down to write this a bunch of times so that's why it might not have the same flow as my other posts but whatever. Ya'll deal.
Last Wednesday afternoon I had my Islam class. We tried to crush most of the history of Mohammed and some of the Sunni Shi'i schism in our 3 hour lecture. I think it's going to be a tough class trying to cover the entire culture and religion of Islam just because it is a culture and a religion that people have such a skewed mindset about. I love it. After class, we had our welcome FIE reception where we were able to mingle with other FIE students at Imperial College. It essentially turned into 'well, I feel awkward introducing myself to a big group of kids so I"m going to stick to my college'. There was a raffle for a weekend trip to Scotland or Ireland for a pound that I entered. All proceeds went to a children's school in Africa that I guess an FIE student started or something. Yasin and I were talking to our RA Erica who 'fancied' the guy who was running the tour to Ireland. We told her to go mack it. Later in the night, we saw her totally hitting it off with the guy. At one point, he whipped his phone out to take her number. Ryan sneakily stood in front of them and I got a picture as proof. Ike, our 'RD', totally knew what were doing and just sat at the table shaking his head at us. Finally, a couple of us took our guts and decided to talk to a group of kids who ended up being from Temple. They were very chill and I hope we end up going out at some point.
Now, this is where the night got interesting. about half of us went back to the flat, but the other half of the group went to the Imperial College 'club'. I spent the night cleaning out my closet which was a hot mess and then just being silly with Ryan and Yasin. At around 1am I was in the living room watching shitty British TV when the group from the club stumble in...but I hear British voices. I turn around and 2 very nice dressed blokes are sitting at my kitchen table drinking peach Schnops and wine. Their drunkenness was quite amusing.  At one point, "Burty" came inside to watch South Park with me. He decided to show me all the free stuff he got from his STD testing earlier that day. I told him I was proud of him for being so responsible. Also, they couldn't get over the fact we ate biscuits with gravy. Like in a KFC dinner? They thought it was absolutely repulsive. Fact: in KFC here, not that I've been but it's rumored, that they don't have biscuits, gravy, or corn on the cob. What the hell is the point then? It's not Kentucky Fried Chicken if you're not going to copy it straight from Kentucky. Hell, even in America we serve Fish and Chips on newspaper (god I hope when I eat my first Fish and Chips its served on a newspaper so I don't feel like a dumbass). 
The next day I didn't have class so I slept in a little later than usual (after being up until 2am being entertained by how the Brit's say 'ya'll', I think it was well justified). I walked into the living room to go put on the TV and I found Zac, with his shirt off, his jacket over his body, sleeping on the couch. I was so confused I started laughing out loud, which I guess woke him up. He was still so drunk he thought I was Racheal. Being the sweet loving American that I am, I made him a slice of toast, he brushed his teeth (his friend put his toothbrush in his 'tweed' because they knew they were going to be out all night) and he went on his way. I needed to go grocery shopping so I walked onto High Street and went into Whole Foods, which is exactly like a Whole Foods in America, except more expensive and all British products and imported products from Egypt and Morocco (I didn't know Whole Foods could get even more expensive than it is in America. It can.).  I walked around the 2 floor store for about an hour before picking up the basic products I need for luckily about 14 pounds. After leaving Whole Foods I walked around High Street and began drooling over the little boutiques that lined the cobblestone posh area. After passing about 5 of the stores, I decided to go into one where I saw a light turquoise dress where the tag said it was on sale for 10 pounds. I went inside, tried it on, and decided it was mine. It's beautiful; and if you're also following me on Facebook, in my week 2 I'm wearing it with Lauren and Gabby. Continuing, that night FIE had given us tickets to go see a play in the West End, which is like Broadway. My ticket was to go to see Blood Brothers, which is an epic musical with a tragic ending. I thought the whole production was entirely different than an American broadway play but it was still fantastic. Also, the music, which was live, was incredible. It sounded like it was expensive recording but then I caught sight of a timpani in the back and I was blown away that the music was live. After the play, Rob couldn't stop singing 'and we were dancingggggggg' so now that's forever ingrained in my head.
Friday morning I awoke to go to class at 7:30 and began walking the mile to the Foundation House. When I arrived, I looked at the plasma screen TV announcement board which announced that my class was cancelled. Whomp Whomp. Yasin, Ryan and I were lazy around the flat until we walked to get somosas at the Sandwich shop, where they have veggie, chicken and lamb for 80 pence...what a steal. We got there and they didn't have anymore :(. So we got falafal sandwiches for dinner. That night, the Westminster girls came over and we pregamed with a big group in the 6th floor flat before heading out to Picadilly. We ended up at the White Horse where an outgoing Brit finally stepped to me and began to talk to me. His name was Tom and he introduced me to all of his friends and told one of his crew to buy me a beer so I wouldn't feel left out. I ended up staying behind with only 3 of the 'USA' girls while the rest of the 'USA' peeps went a club. I was explained more deeply the meaning behind British culture, the do's and don'ts, what's acceptable and not...etc. At 11 we were of course, kicked out, and Kayla and I went downstairs to get our drinks in to-go cups. Lauren and Katie ended up walking off by themselves into the middle of SoHo and getting lost for 2 hours. The rest of the Marist crew came back to the White Horse and Kayla and I headed out with them to another club, Luvo? Again, I stand by my statement, that Brits can't dance. But us Americans had a great time, throwing our hands up in the air, showing the club love...we heard every American club classic. All in all it was a great night. We left the club and then realized that we should probably find Katie and Lauren. About half an hour later, they show up on the corner of the street we were on with a group of guys. We head back to our flat safe and sound. Solid Friday night I'd say...got to shake my booty and a Brit asked for my email. Get it.
Saturday came and Yasin had a craving for panini's...a.k.a real food. We remembered that FIE had given us 5 pounds worth of food vouchers that would work at Starbucks. On our way to the V&A we stopped at starbucks and got really good sandwiches, chips, and coffee. We discovered that in London so far, whatever meal we eat we're never stuffed or hungry when we're done eating...just perfectly satisfied. At the V&A the featured exhibit was Chinese Imperial robes, which we never even got to go to because the V&A is so massive and beautiful. Almost all of the museums in London are free, which is fantastic, so we're definitely going to come back and explore those mystical Chinese Imperial robes. On our walk home, we finally got our somosas, which were delicious. That night the flat was just having a chill night, and earlier that day I had actually received an email from Tom. Tom took me for Chinese food in SoHo and then to a pub; it was quite the British night on the town. I came home and the flat was either piss or silly so we all ended up watching the Jersey Shore until 3.
Today Ryan Yasin and I decided to take a walk through Hyde Park, which is right across the street from our flat. There's a statue of Peter Pan in it that everyone's been talking about that I've been bugging everybody to go see. Hyde Park is beautiful even in this weather; I can't imagine what it would be like in the spring/summertime. People of all ages were outside just playing soccer (football), walking, or just letting their dogs run around. We got back and Yasin, Gabby and I went grocery shopping because I was almost completely out of food. As of right now, our professor for British Life and Culture is bringing us on a field trip to Parliament tomorrow and I have about 50 pages of Islam to read and a chapter for BLC. Remember, maze is a firearm in the UK so leave your pepper-spray at home!