hi,
if you look across the top of the screen (below your time logged in, etc.), you should see a row of buttons: Home/Help/Search....
click on "my messages" to see your Inbox.
As far as emails, you need to go into your Profile and look at your Notifications; make sure you have set things to email you notices.
I'm also going to pop this over to the Help/Glitches forum.
HTH a little.