I’ve really been enjoying my time in the UK, really I have. However, I’ve had a few moments of frustration while I was here. I remember, most clearly, perhaps the most absurd example of this happening. I was in the mood for peanut butter, and I remembered that the UK didn’t have any.
I was probably annoyed from more than just a lack of peanut butter. It was probably a few things that built up on top of each other to that moment. For example, as much as I loved the UK accent when I first arrived, I didn’t always understand it. I missed being able to clearly understand what people are saying. I also wasn’t used to the weather. I never realized how much the cold keeps you from doing things outside. I also found the UK style of learning difficult to adjust to. Over here, there is more self-study and less contact hours than in the United States.
All those things were probably bothering me just a little bit, but the peanut butter was the straw that broke the donkey’s back. I got very upset about it and starting thinking how much I’d rather be home. In a country that understood the importance of peanut butter as a food staple. Funnily enough, I went to the store later that day and found out that the UK does, in fact, have peanut butter. They had many of their own brands (Sun Pat is my favorite), and they even had Skippy! I was quite happy to find out that the UK had peanut butter after all.
I think that the fact I was told to expect some cultural confrontation helped me when I actually experienced it. I was able to tell myself that it was normal to feel a little out of place. It helped me to call home and keep relations with friends and family back in Florida. I found that it also helps to integrate yourself into college life as much as possible. I joined a lot of clubs: Archery, Harry Potter, Investing and Finance. Doing so can help you feel like less than a stranger and lessens cultural confrontation. And if there is something that is really bothering you – like a lack of peanut butter – and you just want that one piece of home to help you in a difficult moment. Look for it! You never know, you might just find it…