London

So why don't i make a list of what i will and will not miss about living in London (or the UK) just to remind myself of what i can still take advantage of while it lasts. So let's start with what i shan't miss so we'll end on a good note. It all is part of a memorable year and I wouldn't change a detail.

What i will NOT miss.

1. British pork
   
2. ebay.co.uk/amazon.co.uk.
   
3. food portion. thats why yall so skinny.
4. the tube.
   
5. banking system, counter and online. You cannot go in and open a bank account without prior appointment. How shortsighted and parochial is THAT? Whats more, for HSBC cards at least, when asked to put your card number on a website, that means you have to type in your "account number" not the "card number" as imprinted ON the card. stupid much? And, your online bank account takes a few working day to reflect your current account. There's no such thin as "pending transaction"
   
6. AND to open a bank account, you need a residence verification letter. fair enough. But, UCL registrar cannot issue a letter to confirm that i, the undersigned, do indeed live in a, erm, UCL-OWNED hall of residence. Seeing as UCL loves breaking records and climbing world rankings, there goes one new thesaurus entry under stupid.
   
7. everything shuts off at 6PM. why?
   
8. Charing Cross road saturday nights. on second thoughts, it's a good opportunity to call out racists.
   
9. People don't say sorry when they push or walk past other people. I'm not generalizing. if you conduct a statistical analysis, i'm certain one of the findings would be people in Paris say "pardon" more often than people on the tube here.

What i will miss (in no particular order)

1. Ryanair
2. my flatmate's Belfast accent
   
3. my friend's Dublin accent
4. the first three go to the Irish. EAT THAT, BRITAIN! haha
   
5. Covent Garden
6. Selfridge's
   
7. roast duck at Four Seasons!
   
8. ridiculously flexible cellphone plans
   
9. free admission to museums (the National Gallery in particular)
10. the narrow, pedestrian-friendly streets
11. the best public transport, hands down. (minus the tube's ventilation system, or the lack thereof)
12. the gorgeous unfolding curve of Regent Street at Piccadilly Circus.
13. the walk along the South Bank at night
14. the pretentious Mayfair, Marylebone high street, and everything the postcode W1 encompasses.
15. Kensington high street
16. Carnaby street
17. the intellectual Bloomsbury
18. supermarkets. the selections are madness!
    
19. Marks & Spencer
20. Superdrug
    
21. countless kinds of beers/lagers
22. the Londonpaper
    
23. the 5pound unlimited BlackBerry data plan. are you JOKING? the world's cheapest.
24. the Brunswick, Russell Square. rain or shine the place makes me happy whenever i come.
25. Charing Cross road (except sat nights)
26. space & time for me to self-actualize
    
27. the Britons' much narrower personal space than their American cousins. Seriously, being neurotic is never in vogue.
    
28. amy winehouse. hah.
29. frozen food
    
30. red leicester cheese
31. olive oil spread - totally underrated. Seriously how many geniuses did it take to come up with that?
    
32. baked beans