Ice? You mean frozen water? Never heard of it.

So since this blog is devoted to documenting my experience in London, I thought I may point out a couple of things that have really transcended the normal reactions one would have in a new place….

1.) In pedestrian traffic areas there is no established side that people walk on. In the states, we drive on the right and in most situations would walk on the right as well. So here…people drive on the left, so there would be an assumption that people walk on the left as well. Wrong. Wherever you walk it is one big helter-skelter of a mess with people dodging each other as though it was a professional sport. You can tell there are some who are better at it then others too because they have sophisticated side-step moves and the ability to squeeze themselves between people walking closely together. In the tube, signs actually say “stay to the right”. In my opinion this is the source of all the mystification regarding proper walking etiquette in this country. That one instruction throws off everyone’s equilibrium, as everything in their body is inherently telling them to walk to the left because that is how their brain has been trained.

2.) There is no ice. Ice does not exist in the country of England. Well, ok, it exists but people look at you with a mixture of bafflement, contempt, and pity when you ask for it. In our first couple of weeks here, every time I asked for water it would come back, room temperature…no ice. So one day I said “is there anyway I can get ice in my water?”. And the waitress paused for a second, stammered on a few syllables and said “Ice? Um, yeah, I think we can do that”. And then she came back with a glass on her tray and I could hardly stifle my excitement. Finally! Ice! It may have even had a glowing aura of light protruding from the rim and angels were singing… it was quite the moment! With conviction and pride she set the glass down in front of me, pleased with herself at the victory of fulfilling such a monumental request. I look down with trepidation and anticipation… And there I see them; two of the most miniscule, barely-there, shards of ice known to man bobbing back and forth in my water glass. Mocking me… laughing at me. Two ice cubes? REALLY??? What am I going to do with TWO of the worlds smallest ice cubes!! And they weren't even cubes! They were just little slabs! Ice can be found without such a zealous effort at your finer establishments of course, so apparently only people with money in this country deserve to have cold beverages.

3.) Public displays of affection are much more acceptable here than in the US. There hasn’t been a day yet where I haven’t passed a couple (or two, or three, or four couples) engaging in some tonsil hockey…literally devouring each others faces. Those are rather unnerving and unnecessary and I have to suppress strong urges to scream “Get a room!”. However, EVERYONE holds hands here. It is the cutest thing. Especially elderly people. Any couple one may come across holds hands while they walk, while they eat, on the tube, everywhere. A clear, palpable message that two people very much enjoy each other. Yup, I dig it.

4.) The word “Cheers” is ubiquitous… It is used as Hello, Goodbye, Thank You, You’re Welcome, See You soon….basically every form of courteous verbal gesture and/or small talk can be substituted by the word Cheers. I have yet to start saying it because it just feels weird, that …and I am just not that fond of it to be honest. I like words too much to have one be used as a universal transaction.

5.) Lastly, the one that takes the cake for me is the street signs here. Wait. Let me rephrase that…The one that takes the cake for me is the total, utter, complete LACK of proper street signs here. Oh sure, there are street signs…they do exist, and sometimes you can find them dangling from a nail on the third or fourth building down the street up in between 2 second story windows. It is infuriating, and it is beyond me how anyone navigates this city without anyway to identify what road they are on!


Well there ya have it. Just a couple of things I have noticed in this land I am living in. Beyond that…there are no real updates. The job search is still in full throttle and I am just waiting to get some sort of normalcy in my life underway. Until next time…Keep on keepin on.