Because I had visited my sister abroad when she studied in London, I wasn’t anxious leaving Boston. I had done the trip previously, and for the most part knew what to expect. I also was fortunate enough to be able to fly with two other girls from Rollins: one in my sorority and my roommate. When we arrived in Heathrow, I was able to navigate us onto the tube and to our flat on Goldhawk Road.
It’s been weird trying to adjust to different stores in London. At home I know where to go if I need towels or clothes. Here, M&S is a clothing store in the front and a grocery store in the back. We were able to get essential things, and we’re fortunate enough to have a grocery store quite literally right below our flats.
For my time abroad, I’m hoping to mainly learn about the culture of London. I like that CAPA: London is mainly focused around learning about the culture that you’re immersing yourself in. I’m taking five classes, and I’m traveling outside the classroom into the city at least once a week. They believe that you should explore the city while you’re here and not just stick to typical classroom protocol. They also have a program called Global City. Each week they release different weekend tours that students can sign up for on a first come, first served basis. This past weekend we all traveled to Stonehenge and Bath on Saturday and the Beatles tour on Sunday- all for free!
I’m excited to try things outside my comfort zone, and I’m trying my best not to go to any American stores that are here! Although I want to try new things, I’m still skeptical of different food variations. Curry is very popular in London, but I’ve never been a fan. I don’t do spicy food and curry never agrees with my stomach. I know that it’s the main London dish, but I don’t think I can bring myself to try it. CAPA has a free curry night tomorrow night, but I’m not sure that I’ll attend.
Before arriving in London, I knew that everyone dressed very nice all the time, that people stand on the right side of the escalators on the tube and ran up the left, that people don’t tip in restaurants, and that it’s unusual to have dryers – just washers. It was nice to have all of this information before from my sister who studied here. But it was also nice to have already visited so that I know my general bearings. In Europe, London is probably the closest culture to that of America. But on the other hand it’s very different. People here may not speak or look cheerful on the tube, but if you ever ask a question or accidentally bump into them, they’re extremely nice. I don’t think I could say the same for New York.
While here, I’m hoping to learn more about the UK’s history. I really want to know what it was like around the time of the American Revolution, as our history was really the same before that. There are coffee shops called Boston Tea Party, American Food Stores, and so many people wear Red Sox or Yankees hats. I want to know if there’s a fascination with American culture or if they just like to watch our sports teams.