An Adventure Called London…

**NEW blog post alert** After a few months of downtime we are aiming to get Elsie back to her former blogging self. January 2014 not only brings a new year and a new semester but we also welcome a new addition to our administrative team, Jess. Another one. We just like to keep you on your toes! Jess #2 is a true Londoner and here she introduces herself to you and gives you a flavour of what this great city is all about...

Exciting times: Christmas, New Year’s Eve, London life!

Starting a new chapter in a faraway land can feel surreal. Some of you may be planning your London ‘To do lists’ already, others may only get excited when you touch down at Heathrow and are cordially welcomed to our lovely island by the Queen*.

What to do? Where to go? What to wear? Is it true they call chips ‘crisps’?  What the what?!?

Ahem, moving country can be overwhelming. I was born and raised in London and I still find it a curious, bamboozling paradise. Welcome (almost!). I’ll be working at Ithaca two days and week and it’s my aim to make you fall for London's charms and feel prepared and excited to explore the city.

My name is Jess. I am very tall. I’m not trying to show off honest, it’s just there are two of us Jess’ (What is the plural of Jess? Jessi?)  at Ithaca. Little Jess and I met in the depths of the Costa Rican Jungle. Fact.

But back to the urban jungle, London. When you arrive please feel free to ask me all about my hometown. To give you a taster for times ahead, I’ll leave you with a few small tips. Some sensible, others less so. Enjoy, relax, merry Christmas and have a jokes** New Year!

*We cannot guarantee this will happen. Apologies.

**Jokes= funny/great. I will be testing you on your knowledge of English English. Prizes will be awarded for the correct use of British slang. Just saying.

       1. DO get yourself a calendar/diary and make lists of festivals and events throughout the year! Click here for a festival calendar

2.       DON’T stand still on the left side of the underground (tube/metro) escalators. Unless you want to see a super angry Londoner (see below). The left is for people in a rush, standing on the right and people watching is a much safer option.

3.       DO make a London play list

4.       DON’T be offended if Londoners say ‘Alright?’ or ‘Aight?’ to you.  That’s just how we say hello!


5.       DO be prepared to see your money run away on to your oyster card and then disappear (There is a reason the oyster card is blue). Fear not, I’ll try and regularly update Elsie with cheap and cheerful tips. 

A brilliant blog for cheap food ideas (when you have a kitchen)

An Android App for tracking London Buses (buses are much cheaper than the tube! My friend told me this app changed his life!) 

A cheap place to grab a snack in Central London. This is a Chinese treasure!

That's all for now!