Strange Strangers

I was warned by friends, family and even my program's orientation that the British are stuck-up or reserved. In general, I have found that to be completely untrue. I've had to ask quite a few native Londoners for directions, and nearly all of them have been friendly and very helpful. At the same time, they've nearly all been real characters. So here, for your enjoyment, are the top 5 most entertaining strangers I've met (so far).

1. Jon: Jon sat down next to me on the bus the other day. He looked to be about 15 years old. I knew immediately he was thoroughly British because he didn't have any front teeth. I asked him for directions, and soon found out that he was actually 20 years old and studying at a local university... I'm still not sure I believe him. Regardless, he was kind enough to help me figure out which bus to take home.
2. Escape Guy: Donnie and I met this guy while at the club Escape near Piccadilly Circus. Unfortunately I forget his name, even though we ended up hanging out with him and his two friends for several hours. The Escape Guy was originally from Bolivia but has lived in London for about a year. He is fluent in 7 languages and could do great impressions of accents. He's also a very enthusiastic dancer, particularly when Lady Gaga comes on. We had so much fun hanging out with him and his friends.
3. Guy on the Tube: Yesterday afternoon when I got on the tube, a guy sat down next to me. He asked me for directions, but had a very thick accent (possibly South African) and I couldn't understand where he wanted to go. When he found out I was from America, he asked if I was a born-again Christian, explaining that there are many born-again Christians in the U.S. He rattled off some Bible verses for a while, but finally asked if he was making me uncomfortable. I said yes. I don't know what was more awkward... his rant, or having to sit next to him for four completely silent stops.
4. Cute couple: I was walking back to a tour bus from Buckingham Palace when out of nowhere, a man in his late 20's/early 30's whipped around and asked if I wanted a "sweetie." Because of his very thick British accent, I had to ask him what he said about 3 times before I saw him holding a bag of assorted brown jellybeans. I said, "I'm not supposed to take candy from strangers!" Then he told me that it was his girlfriend's birthday and that it was both their first time in London. I just thought they were cute.
5. Moon dude: I had literally just stepped off the bus at Trafalgar Square when a guy in a fur hat said I looked lost. He helped me find the next bus to get home and told me to call him if I needed more help. None of that was terribly peculiar... but his business card was. It had a name, an e-mail address, and a large picture of the moon, with absolutely no explanation of what his job was or anything. Needless to say, I didn't call him.

Yesterday I went on a 3-hour bus tour of London with some other students from my program (that's when the photo by the Tower Bridge was taken). Today, I wandered around Camden Market, which is HUGE and awesome, with Emily and Sean, who are also both doing home stays in my program. And tomorrow, I have my internship interview! Wish me luck!