Bipolar Weather...

Is what I have to say about London's weather. One minute, the suns out and your sweating because of all the walking, then it pours. What is this? Nonetheless, it fails to rob me from the excitement and my new found love for this place. It's hard to believe that all of it is literally my backyard. Hyde Park, and through that gigantic mass of nature, you can hit Buckingham Palace... Go down a little further and you end up and the river's edge. The walk along the river takes you past Parliament and Big Ben, the London Eye, London Bridge... Oxford Street.... Amazing shopping! And I kid you not, I have already found a store that has clothes at a better deal than even the States. I thought I should also add that I found Dominion Theatre... aka, Hillsong London on Sundays! You can say that I am fully enjoying myself here, not to mention, am getting quite the hang of taking and navigating the labyrinths of streets and tube directions.

Academically, the BU London staff has grilled us for the past two FULL 7 hour days with Orientation Lectures... aka, lectures on England and all that jazz. I appreciated it, but it was rather long. I start my classes today, which should be interesting. Being around all these private school kids somehow motivates me to try harder... Maybe because I realize the weaknesses in the public school system, but nonetheless... I thoroughly love UCSD. I do feel though, that I will come out of this a better student. Which is why i'm her anyways, right?

I do want to add something to this post, mainly because it's a testimony of encouragement that God never leaves. No matter where you go, you can't escape His presence. So as with anything new that you do, the first days are rough. And my first day here was indeed just that. So, I just started to stand on Psalms 16... Particularly versed 8-11. It's not fun when you're in a comletely new enviornment, new school, and hardly know anyone.

8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Standing on this, I just asked God for some sign of comfort... Mainly becasue I knew He meant for me to be here for this divine and ordained season. Well, the day of our boat tour [the next day from the first], I met Tosin at the information fair - a British guy who would help me check out his Church... And then, I saw this guy wearing a InterVaristy shirt. I still have yet to ask him about it, but it was like a reminder that God was still with me. Then on the boat, I met Katie... She ends up being a Christian and used to be in InterVarsity at BU. So that whole day was seemed to be an evident reminder that God was with me.

Since then things have indeed been picking up and getting better. London is an amazing place and I am thrilled that it gets to be a part of my home for the next 3 months!

With love from London,
Carla