London has treated me very well so far. I have made so many new friends and have had the opportunity to take in a lot London’s attractions. Some of the experiences I have had include: the British Museum, Tower of London, Big Ben, the Olympic village, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, the Museum of London, a boat cruise down the Thames River, a bus tour of London, and more (side note–show your student ID and you will get a discount basically everywhere for admission)! Of all the attractions I have visited so far, my favorite has been the Winston Churchill War Rooms; its easily one of the best museums I have ever been to. If you like history, it’s a must see.
Besides the high prices, adjusting to London has been relatively easy. Using the tube, one of my early concerns about traveling abroad, is actually much less intimidating than one would think. There are so many signs that point you towards the right platforms to reach any destination. I have all the resources I need in close proximity because of the tube. The Westfield Mall, which is one stop away from Queen Mary, has all the essentials for a dorm room in its stores. I even got my new cell phone plan from this mall at a store called 3. For only 25 pounds a month, the service gives me 12GB of data and 600 minutes of talking. It will even work in other countries while I travel. If you plan on just staying in the UK, however, I would recommend getting a plan with O2. O2 offers a plan for the same price with unlimited data and 3,000 minutes of calling, but it will not work in other countries.
That’s all I have for now.