It was tough but I made it here in one piece. The flight was long, but uneventful, but once I got to London things got a little dicey. I took a cab to the center, which cost 60 pounds! the equivalent of about 100 dollars! I also got help up at customs; I think the Israeli's put me on Interpol’s list of potential terrorists. When I got to the BYU London Centre it was well past midnight and all the lights were off. I rang the bell repeatedly but didn't all that I got in return was silence. I knocked on the door . . . still nothing. Finally, I pulled out my cell phone and decided that this was a worthy to use my phone to get a hold of someone at the center. I called the centers mainline, but no one picked up. I started working my way through my emergency contact list hoping to wake someone up to let me in. After a few calls I finally got a hold of someone. A sleepy woman's voice answered the phone. I realized it was after 1:00 a.m. London time and quickly apologized and explained my predicament. She told me the code that would allow me to get into the building and then the phone went dead. I quickly entered the code and got out of the freezing weather. I stood there in the dark corridor wondering what to do next. I figured that since the woman hung up right after she gave me the code she was coming to meet me. I waited in the darkness for what seemed like forever waiting for this stranger to guide me. I checked my phone and realized I had been standing there for about 10 minutes. I figured if the woman was coming to guide me I would have heard her by now. I wasn’t sure what room I had been assigned too or where the administrators lived. I placed my suitcases on the floor and pondered my predicament.
After evaluating my options I decided I didn’t have much of a choice. If I went looking for my room chances are I would walk into a girl’s dormitory and probably scare them half to death. I went into the lounge and cleared a small area for me to lie down on. The house is extremely old and very creaky. I decided it was worth the noise to try to locate a bathroom. After stumbling around I found one in the basement. I brushed my teeth and headed back to my little nook on the floor. I pulled out my pillow from home and a blanket I stole from American Airlines and settled down for the night. I struggled to fall asleep and the little red blanket covered the area between my waist and my knees but nothing else. When I last looked at my watch it was 2:00 a.m.
I woke up to a bright light. Some of the other students were asked to help out with breakfast and were setting things up. I looked over and it was about 6:30 and I decided to see if I could help. The girls seems a little started and asked where I came from. I mumbled a response about sleepy in the lounge. They gave me nervous smiles and let me help out. After breakfast we had an orientation about London and then the time was ours. I knew if I went to the dorms I would fall right asleep and mess up my internal clock so I went out with a group instead. Sigh, I’m so exhausted.
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