When in England...Pound=Quid=Dollar and Pence=Cent

It's high time I mentioned something about the money system, though I think I'm finally getting used to it, after nearly a month in this country. Two things drive me the most crazy: there's no such thing as a 25 pence coin and a pound comes in coin, not bill form. I didn't realize how much I relied on counting coins using 25p as the number to fall back on when figuring out change--52 p? Oh yes, that would be two quarters and two pennies in the U.S. Here, it's two 20p coins, a 10 coin, and then a 2p coin--they have, for your info, coins valuing 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, 1 pound, and 2 pound. That's 8 coins! And goodness, the pound coin...somehow, changed from paper to coin form, the value of the pound feels far less than the value of one dollar in the States. I always feel like change is never worth that much, so I don't take them into consideration for how much money is on me. I still feel the same, but I shouldn't, because I can have no bills, and only pocket full of change, but depending on the number of 1 or 2 pounders in there, I could have quite a decent amount of money. That blows my simple mind.


These are the coins in order, from left to right, 1p to 2 pounds. Hmm, are there names for these coins? It'd be so much easier than saying 10 pence coin, etc. Also, congratulate me on my first picture! Though it's not one I took myself...I just have yet to have any really impressive pictures worth extending the size of my post for.

One more thing--I knew the pound would get confusing! I bought a pound of lychee, and the seller got confused and wasn't sure if I meant a pound, weight-wise, or money-wise (I meant weight!). Hah! This is what they get for using such a confusing term for the money system. :)

On other things, I discovered shopping near me, and now I really want to be making money, so I can just buy clothes. I've met some people in my class, so it's nice, knowing some faces. On class, I'm currently writing an essay--2000 words (it's also odd basing it on amount of words rather than number of pages), so I'm procrastinating by updating. I went with Colin to Tate Modern a week and a day ago--there was one exhibit that disturbed me a lot, and I still freak a little when I think about that exhibit. No, I don't think torture and self-mutilation is an interesting art topic.

I also went to the Lates at the Science Museum, though I was a bigger fan than Colin--I went with a bunch of other Affiliate students from UCL, so I'm glad I'm hanging out with some people. It was Japan-themed, and there was taiko, a kendo demonstration, and origami! There were so many people, and when we got there, we had to wait in a 3 block long line! I'm looking forward to the next Lates!

I made sausages for supper this evening--yummy! It satisfied the craving I've had all day for them!

Wish me luck on my essay--for those curious, it's about genes and biased sex ratios! :D Go females!