Cheerio...or something

Hello all. I won't bore you with all the minute details of my travel, just know that I got here safely. It might be worth mentioning that I got to see some of the countryside on my trainride from London to Bath, and it was quite pretty. The first thing I did when I got here was get settled into my house. It was built in the 1800's, so it's kind of quirky, but very charming at the same time. My roommate Melissa is very nice and we get along great. There are seven people, total, in the house...5 girls and 2 guys. There was a little bit of food here in the house for us to tide us over until today when we can go grocery shopping after orientation. Last night after we made dinner,we walked around the city. It's a World Heritage City, very historic and very beautiful. My camera charger won't plug into the wall adaptor here, so hopefully this evening I'll buy something that will fit and I can start facebooking my pictures and perhaps posting some on here, if I can figure it out. The houses for the program are scattered throughout the city, so we're not all clustered together. I've only briefly met some people from the other houses at orientation today. My roommate and I came back to the house and made lunch but the rest of my house went exploring restaurants in the center of town, near our orientation. Melissa and I are just trying to save our money a bit. I don't really want to eat lunch out unless I have to, because there are about a MILLION little shops and restaurants around town that look expensive but intriguing. There are also lots of pubs, which again,I see as an occasionally fun experience but also something that will suck people's money right away. There is an abbey here which is quite beautiful from the outside; I haven't been in it yet. There are several parks in the city, one of which costs a pound to go in but has blue and white striped cloth lawn chairs everywhere. I think it will be my study spot. I figure the money I'm not spending on beer will be put to better use studying in a beautiful park-gardens thing. Orientation is a little bit overwhelming, especially since we're all jetlagged. They give us some information, then hand us a cup of tea, then give us more information, and refill our tea. The tea here is more like expresso, I think. It's very strong and it's served with milk and sugar. I don't think I'll need Starbucks for any reason, but we did pass one. It's a very walkable city, there is no need for personal or public transportation. We walked around almost the whole of it last night. I could spend a couple of DAYS just exploring Bath. Classes don't start until Monday, so I have lots of information sessions and receptions between now and then, plus a trip to Stonehenge, Salisbury (cathedral), and Avebury on Sunday. I'm getting wireless internet in our house, so I don't have to go all the way to the study house (in case you haven't caught on, everything is in houses here, not classroom buildings) to use the internet...unless our neighbors put a stop to us.
So far, I really,really like it here.I know I'll get homesick eventually, maybe when I'm not caffeinated, but I am surrounded by beautiful scenery and friendly people and I'm on the brink of adventure.
Oh, there is a shower in my room. Yes, IN my room. No curtain, either, or even frosted glass. So Melissa and I are going to go looking for a curtain today. But it has good water pressure and I don't have to share it with the guys (the rest of the house shares one bathroom, which is where we have to go for a sink and toilet) so I'm very happy about that...even though it's a little awkward looking when you walk in our room.
We have a back patio and an apple tree (real apples, not crabapples). How could I not love it here?
I do miss you all.
But don't worry about me because I'm doing well.
Love always,
Me