So today, I am officially a student again. A more grown up student, but a student, none-the-less.

Being back on a campus is odd, and sometimes refreshing. By refreshing, I mean I get student discounts on beer again. No, seriously, it's good to feel like a student again, because that means that somehow, I belong, that I'm not a tourist. And it's a neat place to belong. Not only do you hear all different accents (Americans/Canadians are evereywhere, I swear) but you also hear as many different languages: I walked down a sidewalk for about 100 feet and managed to hear French, Arabic, and something VERY Eastern European. And everybody looks different and just slightly out of place. Ah, the start of a new year. The crowd looks young (I SWEAR I never used to be that young and silly-looking, right?), but at least this is such a big city, that I can disappear into a swarm of 20- and 30-something professionals, should I so choose. It's a young city.

I am still amazed that this is a serious, internationally well-known university that not only serves booze at their official school functions, but also in their student union. Brilliant. And that contraception and emergency contraception (which is over-the-counter here, as I learned when I registered for health services) are practically handed out on every corner around campus. It's just a much more liberal (and dare I say, learned?) attitude toward all things puritans run and hide from. And funny, nobody seems to be dong anything stupid. I have yet to see a terribly drunk kid stumbling down the street or starting a brawl because he was drunk. If you don't make it a big deal, it doesn't become one.

Anyway, enough with that preaching; I swear I drive myself crazy sometimes. I would like to say, though, that for the second time since we've been here, a big group of people has walked into a place (this time, a movie theater; last time, a bar, for example), looked around, saw all the empty seats, and insisted on cramming in next to us. I haven't figured out if its a cultural thing, but as an American with a very large personal space bubble, I find it uncomfortable.

Also, I've decided to amend my previous statement about how much I love the fashion here. I hate skinny jeans. Audrey Hepburn, what were you thinking? Though the boots here are way cool.

Oh! And I almost forgot to report the most expensive tequilla ever: it's a bottle of which there were only 300-some made in the world. A Cuervo brand. 70 pounds a shot; that's about $140 per SINGLE shot of this tequilla. Talk about rich! Sold in the Basement Bar, a quaint (but yes, overpriced, though they may not be kidding with this one) little bar down the street from our temporary housing.