A Chance Encounter with... an Indoor Swingset

Hello Friends!

It has been a delightful first week in London. I've made great friends with my "flatmates," finished our London program orientation, and ALMOST completely adjusted to the new time zone.

Living in an exciting new city is interesting. We haven't gone to all the touristy spots simply because we're here for almost 4 months, and we want to space them out. However, it almost doesn't feel real that we are here yet.

The British accents are great, and we're slowly becoming "tube" experts (one wrong turn at a time.)

Being in a large city is certainly different than what I'm used to. There are so many options for what you can do. On Friday night, we went to the Tate Modern Art Museum.

London is fantastic in the fact that most museums are free. They ask for donations if you are willing, but it makes it so much easier to choose to pop into the museum for a short trip rather than making you devote the entire day to ensuring you see everything.

In the Tate Modern, there are incredible amounts of art. We spent two hours there and didn't get through half of it! What really sets the museum apart from the others is the massive indoor swing set and pendulum--so much fun!

We have not delayed in eating our typical British foods. Fish and chips were a must, and I thought they lived up to the hype. We had them at Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden, and I would highly recommend the restaurant if you're ever here!

We've had a lovely afternoon tea, and we are keeping up with the average British citizen by drinking 2-3 cups a day! (I'm drinking a cup as I write this!)

I even learned all the tea etiquette, so I am ready and waiting for my invitation from the Queen!

We finished out the first week with a tour of the city. Needless to say, we just got a taste of what there is to see in the city! There is so much that goes beyond the typical city landmarks that includes either interesting history or simply beautiful streets like this one. I am excited to continue exploring what is practically my own back yard!

All in all, the first week has been great. I miss you all, but I hope you enjoy staying in touch through this blog! I'll try to keep you all informed throughout my trip as best as I can!

If you're willing, I'd love your prayers for a safe and exciting time. We hope to make the most of this opportunity and would love any and all thoughts and encouragement during our time across the pond.

Lots of love,

Shelly