Just take a couple deep breaths...

Oh wait. I can't. Why? Hmm, where to start? Well, I've had a chest cold since I got here (25 days ago)... it seems to be allergy-related since no one has caught anything from me, but who knows? I've never heard of allergies going to your chest before... So breathing in the air seems to be a bad idea. And taking a deep breath, well any extra lung activity seems to induce coughing fits... and after several weeks of this, I just can't cough anymore. So that's part of the reason. But, you know what? Even if I wasn't allergic to Scotland, I still wouldn't be able to breath easily here. Every resident of the UK smokes ALL the time! If you are outdoors, and there is another human being around you, chances are you will be surrounded by a cloud of cigarette smoke. And if you know me at all, you know there isn't anyone in the world that hates the smell of cigarettes (and is more sensitive to the smell) than I am. Gross. Luckily you can't smoke inside public buildings, but that doesn't stop crowds of people from polluting sidewalks, busstops, and entranceways... Ok, so maybe I'm being nitpicky. And maybe the smoke wouldn't bother everyone. Well, what about the B.O? Its very likely that I'm the only person in the UK who has showered everyday in June. What's up with the BO people? And the greasy hair? Take a shower! And while I'm on the topic of personal hygiene (even though I haven't gotten close enough to smell the effect of this yet, thank goodness!) what the hell is up with the teeth here???