Like Sarah Palin in a Gun Shop

Since I have been in the Land of the Dragon (or sheep...as seen pictured to the right- a herd of sheep on the Gower Penisula in Wales) I have become a pro at "fannying around" ("procrastinating" for those of you not as down with the British lingo).

It has taken me over 6 weeks to get this up and running. Pathetic, I know, however, with 6 weeks worth of traveling, accents, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches (cheapest, easiest, and most nutritious sandwich), that means I have a lot of ketchuping to do.
-Ketchup cost an outrageous 10p a packet at McDonald's! What is this world coming to? Bye-bye days of grabbing handfuls of ketchup and sticking them in my pockets. But with that being said, paying for packets of ketchup has surprisingly been one of the biggest culture shocks I have experienced thus far. Life over here doesn't seem that different than America. (And the teeth over here... not that bad. you can find worse in any trailer park in the states).

American culture is a big part of the culture over here. From being able to sip on a caramel frappocino amongst trendy scholars and their Macbooks at Starbucks, to discussing with mates the mishaps of the Desperate Housewives on Wisteria Lane, I feel right at home. Certain American restaurants such as Subway, Pizza-Hut, and yes, "Southern Fried Chicken" are within a walking distance of the city-center, and going out to the clubs is like stepping into a 2 month lag of American Top 40 Music. Oh yes!

And if you thought Obama was a celebrity in America, you may want to reevaluate. Because over here people are in love. My friend Katie and I met one guy at a club who was sporting an Obama t-shirt, American obsessed. There was even an event, with bubbly and all, held on campus for Obama's inauguration. I was even interviewed by the British Broadcasting Company for it, and although I don't remember a word I said, probably because of the blinding spotlight on my face, I am sure something profound came out of my mouth. (above is a picture at the inauguration ceremony of Obama right before he stuttered over the pledge- he's pictured above the American flag and the sweet Welsh flag)


But despite the parallels, I have found life over here to have some key differences.
-Sports: Football (soccer) and rugby fans over here are just as insane as my mom and brother are with Carolina football (American-football) to the point that drinks can't be served in glass at pubs on game nights for fear of stabbing.
-Style: The style over here is much more trendy, including guys, which is really messing with my gay-dar. My favorite store in Swansea is called TopMan, which is the counterpart to the female store TopShop, and includes a variety ranging from informal indie-rock-influenced casual-clothes to high-street formal wear. The first time I walked in the store, I walked to the first section, expecting just a small corner section for men, as seen across any store from back home, but found myself like Sarah Palin in a Gun Shop when I realized the whole bottom floor was just for men! Blimey!
-Toilet: If you have to relieve yourself, you are going to the toilet. Not the restroom, not the bathroom. The toilet! Makes sense to me. But how different can going to the toilet in another country really be? The stalls are still defaced with obscene gestures and drawings. For instance, written on the wall of a stall in a pub in Swansea,

"Some come here to sit and think,
some come here to shit and stink,
but I come here to itch my balls,
and read the writing on the walls."

If anything, maybe the defacing over here is more creative. And not only are the stalls graffiti'd, but it seems people everywhere are still having trouble aiming. But the differences...there really are some major ones:
1. Going # 2 on campus almost seems out of the question, even coming from a self-proclaimed IBS recipient and lactose-intolerant guy. I'm not sure if people have smaller poops over here or what, but finding a roll of toilet paper is just not possible. The toilet paper dispenser only gives you one thin sheet of paper at a time, like a cheap tissue box. 2. When flushing the toilet in my flat, it's more like performing a WWF elbow drop.
3. Being a guy over here has its perks. A majority of the stand up urinals (pronounced ur-anals over here) are just walls with flowing water. And in Amsterdam, I was given the opportunity to pee in public free of charge. (as seen on the right in the city center in Amsterdam)

And I realize I am rambling on and on about the toilet, but you don't realize how much you use it, until it changes on you. One of the funniest mishaps with involving the toilet was a gay bar that labeled the Men and Women's room as (Fags and Hags).