Latest blurbs, Mayor of Thames Fest, the Internet and the Like

It has now been 10 days since I left the United States and I already feel rather acclimated to British culture. I can certainly spot tourists gawking at the architectural and historical design of the city - much like I was only a week ago. I do not have an accent but I have picked up on many different ways of speaking. For example: If I, after hoo-ing the linens, were to get lost while walking along the motorway after passing the chemist, I would find a bloke and ask him where the nearest bloody tube was because I left my reading in the toilets near the way out after minding the gap.
Got it?
ok great because I didnt' either only a week ago. Differences in languages was the topic today at dinner with our new homestays - two more girls from Italy (Gabriella and the other's name is the italian feminine version of Frederick...I'm just going to call her Freddy), and now two boys from Norway (Sebastian and a unique Norweigan name that sounds kinda like "turban" with a bunch of accents... and I used to think Miltiadis was tough). I better learn these four new homestays names because they will be here for the duration of my stay in London as well.

The other big news this weekend is the renowned Mayor of Thames Festival. It is a festival that extends a couple miles long just south of the Thames river. Imagine a long stretch of sidewalk surrounded by tents, booths, stands, and displays varying from clothing to pottery to food to an acupunctural neck massage. A buzz of people from around the world fills the air. It is impossible to walk more than ten feet without hearing at least 3 or 4 different languages. It is here I witnessed a street magician perform his show, bought a lamb wrap from Sweden, examined pottery handmade in Jerusalem, nearly walked into a Pole (get it? haha), and even took a picture of Michael Jackson:
If anyone is looking for a definition of the word "diversity", you need look no further than the Mayor of Thames Festival. The cultures represented at this festival span the entire globe. Just the possibility that there was a person from nearly every country in the world at this festival absolutely blew my mind.

Feeling quite inspired by the multitude of cultures, I couldn't wait to submerse myself right in the middle of other countries. So I went online to my new favourite travel website (travelsupermarket .com) and started searching. Currently, I now have trips booked to Barcelona Spain, Paris France, Geneva Switzerland, Wales UK, Rome Italy, and a return flight from Tel Aviv. Ireland I will book soon and I will try to squeeze in Germany and Austria for my final open weekends of this trip. The Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate is taking a big hit on my bank account but hey, when will I get this opportunity again? (besides, I didn't work 3 jobs this summer for nothing).

I have spent at least 6 hours total looking around on the internet for the cheapest flights, buses, hostels etc. which leads me to realize how dependant I am on the internet. Without the internet I would completely lost in this foreign land. I would have to travel to travel agencies to buy my tickets, yet, to find these agencies, I would search online. I even go online to find directions to where the nearest Greek Orthodox churches are located. As an American living in a foreign country, the internet has become my best friend and my worst enemy.

I find myself spending more and more time online. Some of it is very productive yet a significant amount of time online has been surfing through facebook, watching youtube, and checking on my ever-important Baltimore Ravens. Of course they don't broadcast NFL on European TV so I spent about an hour today trying to find some live feed of the Ravens-Chiefs game - of which I had no luck. I don't like being dependant on the internet yet I find it can be incredibly addicting. I'm going to try to limit myself to only productive things online. I don't know, I guess I'll wing it. and now I'm rambling...Hey it's London.
Until next time!