Pub Life!

Whew! This weekend has been spectacular. First, on Thursday after meeting up with several English students, I went out with them to my first pub. One of the boys (who, on my life, I swear looks just like Daniel Radcliffe) bought me a drink, and one of the girls who had bar tended before explained the drinks to me (she ordered me a gin and tonic which, though stereotypically British, is not something I'd order again). Everyone was kind enough to explain drinking etiquette too-- they buy rounds for the table here, drink slowly but steadily, and typically have little respect for American beers (which some disdainfully referred to as water).

On Friday, Tracy and I met up with Ivo, a young man from Peru who was hanging out on the front steps of our building just trying to meet some new friends (our building has no lounge). Ivo, it seems, parties hard, so after Tracy, me, Adesewa and Jewel had met up with three of Tracy's friends from school (two from Ireland, one from Scotland) to watch a movie, we called Ivo to ask about the hottest places to go on a weekend. Ha! Apparently though, Ivo parties even harder than we expected- the club he was at had a line stretching clear around the building. Since half of us were clad in jeans and tshirts, we decided to bail and hit up a pub next door instead.

Since family reads this blog as well, let me put this delicately: when you "go out for a drink" with girls from Ireland and Scotland, don't expect to walk home in a straight line... After the first pub, the girls insisted we go to an authentic Irish pub just down the street where they could order a specific drink they loved from home. Poor Jewel stuck it out the whole time, keeping track of all five girls (Adesewa opted to go back early) and even putting up with an onslaught of the cheesiest 90's music ever (90's music is huge here, it is truly played everywhere). Finally, the pub closed, the girls caught cabs, and Tracy, Jewel and I headed home. After a delicious fast food "vege" (veggie) burger, I crashed.

Today, Tracy and I met up to split the cost on a printer (hooray!) and then hosted the best, most eclectic Wine and Cheese Party you have EVER freaking seen: all of our wonderful Chinese flatmates, our Korean flatmate, our Nigerian friends, the lovely girls from Ireland/Scotland, plus Tracy (Canada) and me. It was bring your own booze, so I tried quite a few interesting new things, especially once we broke out a deck of cards for some games. Overall, it was just such a sight to see the adorable girl from China mercilessly assign all her drinks to poor Jewel from Nigeria, to hear an Irish accent answered by a Korean one. Thus far, this has been my favorite night yet- there's nothing like hearing laughter from all corners of the globe together in one place.

Highlights:

Me- "Haha, oh yeah, there are some pretty bad stereotypes about Kentucky..."
Daniel Radcliffe dude- "Oh, right, yeah- if you're from the South then you're a little red around the eyebrows, huh!"

British dude tagged me on Facechat the other day with "oi, jfed." It was the only thing that could top hearing some dude say "smashing" when a waitress let him know his fries chips were ready.

Walking back from ordering our printer, Tracy and I actually (I am DEAD serious) walked past a group of British individuals dressed as Waldo. Where's Waldo? Apparently in Bristol with the rest of his extended family.

An adorable British waitress to me: "Sorry but, I just love your accent, where are you from?" X3