When it comes to cultural confrontations in London, it’s difficult to find the right words. This is thanks to the assumption that I have never been subjected to a significant cultural confrontation in London. My time in London has been incredible. I’ve been welcomed by British people, and since we all speak English, it’s difficult to locate a culture confrontation. However, I can speak about a cultural confrontation I encountered at the start of the journey. The cultural confrontation I encountered was how much different transportation in the United Kingdom is from that in the United States. In my view, most of the United States is designed for driving, which I enjoy doing, but it’s not the same in London.
To get to my final location, I take the London Underground, sometimes known as the Tube. Because I’d never used the Tube before, this was a challenge for me. As a result, I was frequently getting lost, arriving late, and waiting for extended periods of time for the Tube. Also, London has chilly weather, so I wear a jacket, scarf, hat, and other items to combat the chill, but when I got to the Tube, it was really warm and sometimes seats weren’t available, so a 50-minute journey standing in heavy garments was not enjoyable for me.
I decided to chat to my friends, instructors, supervisors, and other individuals about how they move along the tube after discovering how transit works in London and feeling like I didn’t fit in. They all advised me to download an app called Citymapper, which, according to their definition, is a public transportation app and mapping tool that offers transportation alternatives, generally with real-time timing. For me, this app was a game changer. I began not to get lost, to arrive early in order to find open seats, and much more. I now appreciate UK public transit a lot more. This is because I am highly informed and understand how everything works. I’m glad I was able to get an orientation before coming to London because it helped me prepare and have the appropriate perspective that these problems happen, but there is always a solution.