Nikki is not Morrissey

Is it bad that this is the song that I always think of in regards to the upcoming trip?

I *promise* to be good.

T-minus 1.5 days until take off. :0

Nikki is not living in a dorm.

Finally.

Two weeks before I ship off to the UK, I’m beginning to get some idea of what my life over there will look like.

An apartment building that looks like it was built in the 1970’s.

I was given an address, or rather a range of address, apparently located about 10 minutes off the UCL campus.  A little Google-mapping reveals that this address (these addresses?) are on a street that looks exactly like you would picture a London street – 4-story brick buildings with flower boxes on the second floor windows, cars parked on the “wrong” side of the street and overcast skies. However, there is one monstrosity of an exception. My building.

I’m looking on the positive side. Because if I live in this eyesore, I won’t have to look at it outside my window.

This is an Arcadia apartment building. So, from my understanding I will be living with other Arcadia study abroad students. Which, is not quite what I wanted. I knew that when I signed up for the UCL study abroad that there was a chance that this would happen, that I wouldn’t be living with the Brits, but I ignored the warnings.

So it’s not ideal, but I’m definitely planning on making the best of it. I’m going to be in London in just over two weeks, so really, what do I have to complain about?

Other updates?

I have started packing yet, and I’m still in the process of locating all of the items I plan to take across the pond.

Rather than saving all the money I made this summer for my fantastic European adventure – I spent it all on a fabulous new wardrobe. So maybe, if I get ambitious enough, I’ll do a wonderfully fantastic packing/style blog entry.

I’m sure you can’t wait.

16 days until take off.

Until I have a reason to write again,

Nikki

Nikki is not prepared.

I’m not very good at traveling. I don’t enjoy packing or constructing elaborate itineraries. I don’t always do enough research as I should – and if I do research, it’s usually only about the local gastronomic specialties.

It’s been years since I’ve created a packing list and counted the number of pants vs. shirts vs. shoes to be packed neatly and orderly for a getaway. I tend to favor the “throw a bunch of stuff into a suitcase until it’s full and wait to be surprised when it’s time to get dressed” approach.

I’m usually pretty good about planning the “get there” and “get back” part of trips, but I’ve been known to leave the whole middle part up to daily whims.

So, it’s only appropriate that with exactly one month left until I leave for my 3 months abroad in London, the only thing I know is that I will be leaving Minneapolis-St. Paul on September 12, and after a quick transfer in Chicago, I will be landing in London’s Heathrow airport the next morning with two suitcases, one carry-on bag, my laptop, and the largest purse I can manage.  I will also likely be wearing tall boots and a winter coat (to save space packing, of course).

After arriving I will apparently be picked up and taken to some unknown hotel for some sort of orientation. Then I will apparently complete a homestay with some sort of British family unit, and then, apparently I will end up in some sort of housing a reasonable (hopefully) distance from University College London.

I obviously know what is going on.

So, about this blog.

I plan on trying to write regular entries. I’m going to try to be reliable. I’m going to try to post pictures. Maybe I’ll even vlog. (I know, right?)

Maybe I’ll even get one of those iPods with a built in video camera. But if that’s the case, I will most likely only bring it out at inappropriate times.

So, in summary, hopefully I’ll create something semi-regularly for you crazy life-stalkers. (This will be done in between the time spent traveling, working, exploring London, and actually, you know, studying.)

This site itself I’m considering under construction for the moment. But the chances that it will actually change much from its current state are small to none. (Unless I have any awesome friends who know how to create an awesome personal blog site and want to help me for free.) I, unfortunately, am not anything that resembles a web designer.

I just happen to own a plethora of Adobe products.

T-minus 1 month until take off—lets do this right.

So, until I have another reason to write again,

Nikki