A&A Thursday!

First of all, I want to wish everyone a very, very Happy Thanksgiving!  Despite being in the UK, I plan on celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow with a bunch of lovely Americans and super excited Europeans.  It’s going to be a wonderful day.  We even managed to find a turkey!  (You would not believe how incredibly difficult it was to find a turkey here.  You could find guinea fowl, pheasant, and partridge all before you could find turkey.)  But anyway, let’s get on to A&A Thursday, which you’ve all been waiting for with bated breath. 

Awkward

• Using words that are perfectly acceptable in American English but completely inappropriate in British English.  This usually results in my English friends sniggering at me and then having to awkwardly explain what the word “actually” means.
• The ONE TIME I make food for one of my housemates and I (accidentally) heavily over-salt it.  Thankfully he was such a gentleman he had TWO helpings!
• The amount of times I go into Hardy’s Candy Store.  The young guy at the counter (who is incredibly cute…another good reason to visit) must recognize me by now (if not by face, by accent) and he probably thinks I’m the biggest pig in the world.  What can I say?  I love my British candy!
• The first night my American friends stay over they’re super tired.  And, of course, this is the one time my usually anti-social housemate has like five people over until 3:00 in the morning making a ton of noise in the common room (which is right outside my door).
• Me: Who’s that guy?  Rob: He lives with us.  Not recognizing my housemate whom I’ve lived with for two months…well, in my defense I don’t think I’ve seen him since the first time I met him two months ago. 

Awesome

• Having American friends visit for the weekend!  We ate good food, saw a good play, wandered the city, chatted about people at home, and generally reveled in our American-ness.  (See a teaser photo above.  Awkward: our squinty-ness.  Awesome: Us in general.  More awesomeness to follow in a full blog post.)
• Not having an essay due this week.  And then my DoS cancels the essay he was going to assign me!  Yippee!
• Thanksgiving approaching!  I’m so excited for stuffing and rolls and sweet potatoes and turkey (if we can find any…apparently there are no turkeys in England).
• Getting a package of sweaters from my wonderful Madre.  I’m totally prepared for the chilly English days ahead of me. 
• Getting three cards from my friend, aunt, and mom within two days.  The porter asked if it was my birthday and I had to just tell him that I know some pretty amazing people who always brighten my day with mail!