More Than One Culture

Since coming on the SEA trip I have found that there are things about me that I never knew.  It has been a hard and trying journey to embrace those parts of myself while adjusting to a new environment.  I have traveled before so I didn’t find the idea of study abroad all that daunting.  I found out fast that I was wrong.  Here I am living in a different country and supporting myself while before it was only traveling and visiting.  I have to admit, I am not a fan of that difference.  My personality tends to be reclusive and I like it that way.  I do not like going out partying every night or hopping on the tube and seeing where it takes me.  I would rather sit in a nice sunny spot on the lawn and read a good book.  But there is one thing I have to admit, it is not that hard to make friends even if you panic in crowds.  I have met people from different countries and a lot from the U.S.  It seems that no matter where I go I can find someone not from the UK in less than two minutes.  That is what I like about this experience, going out and meeting people from different cultures and not just the one I am studying in.  I prefer to be that way, finding people not from the country and talking to them.  It helps me relax and enjoy myself since I have had a total of five panic attacks since I got here.  Now it may not seem like it, but I have tried going out with the group a few times and I have gone exploring, but I just do not think city life is for me since there a so many people.  What can I say, I may like experiencing different cultures, but I am pretty sure all this was just too much too fast for me.  Maybe by the end of this trip I will be more comfortable in this city filled with numerous cultures.

Great River Race 2012

  Ever since stepping foot in London our group has had one adventure after another, and have enjoyed every minute of being over here in the UK.  We have seen so much already and have been too many activities that have either taken place in downtown Richmond or in Central London or elsewhere in the country.  One event in particular that I went to with a few of my fellow SEA friends was The Great River Race 2012.  This was a race that took place down on the Thames River from Central London all the way to Richmond, right downtown from our campus (about a 5 minute walk).  This race was a 23 mile long race with teams of rowers ranging from groups of 3 all the way up to 10.  The finish line was where we all ended up watching the race and cheered on the teams to the finish along with the locals.

            It was a unique experience because there was a feeling of camaraderie in the crowds of people cheering on the teams and it seemed like we just fit in with the rest of the locals from around town.  We really got to see and experience firsthand something special and be a part of true English culture.  Another amazing aspect that we got to witness was seeing the Queen’s Ship that was made especially for Her Diamond Jubilee.  This was the nicest ship I have ever seen and something that I certainly will never forget; the ship even had two Olympic rowers on board to help row the ship. 

            Overall this was one of my favorite parts of the trip to be able to spend time with the locals and be a part of something that was so captivating.  London has offered many great opportunities and provided many memories to be made and this is one that I will not forget.  I highly recommend if anyone comes over to London to take a walk by the Thames River and if there happens to be a boat race to stop and watch.  You never know what you might be able to see and experience.  

Stonehenge and Bath

Since arriving in the UK every week has brought on many new experiences. So far after being here I have seen sights such as the Tower Bridge and Big Ben, I have been on the London Eye, and I have been able to experience many festivals going on in the center of London. On top of this, last week I was lucky enough to get tickets for a trip to Stonehenge and Bath with three other students. The trip started off with waking up at 6 in the morning to catch the tube to the Kensington campus where would board 3 buses with other students. After a long and bumpy bus ride we finally arrived in the first location which was Stonehenge. This was such a sight because we were able to see a very famous historical sight in England. While we were there is was also interesting to hear how it is still a mystery of who actually built this stone circle. Being at Stonehenge was such an amazing experience because we were really able to take in the beauty of the landmark because we were so secluded in the open field where lambs were roaming around.
Bath was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It was such a relaxing and beautiful city, where beautiful music filled the streets. Bath is extremely famous for its Roman Baths, the public bath house was a place where people went to socialize and do business, as well as getting clean. Many people thought that this natural hot spring was spiritual so people from all over the world would come to visit in hopes of their wishes coming true. At the end of our tour we were even able to drink some of this “spiritual water” which was an experience in itself. Overall this trip we took was great and I learned so many things about these historical places and was also able to explore around new cities. This a trip I would definitely recommend for anyone visiting London to take.

A Day At The Bay

On September 15^th I attended the reopening of a very popular European skate park called Bay Sixty 6. The park celebrated the reopening by hosting a skateboard demo with the Nike Skateboarding team.

Being able to go to such a monumental event was amazing because I was in the right place at the right time and It was a once in a life time occasion. Being able to watch a skate demo is a fairly difficult thing to do because they can become very packed, so being in another country and being able to watch a demo was very rewarding and almost surreal. I got to spend the whole day meeting a lot of the locals and skating the brand new park course.

I went to the park with four of my Richmond student friends who are also into the action sport scene. As I was standing at the sideline of the course ready to get a trick in I started talking to my friend Rob who is from Belgium. As I was talking to him I noticed that he was wearing a belt with an “h” on it and I recognized that it was a Hermes belt. I was shocked when I saw that because I know that Hermes was a very expensive designer brand, so I was at a loss for words that he wore it to a skate park where your clothes get ruined or dirty. When I asked him if he was crazy for wearing that he didn’t understand why I found it odd to wear something so nice to a skate park where it can get ruined. He then explained that where he comes from, designer things are not cherished to be a flashy piece of property that most others see them as. To him it was his regular clothing but to me growing up in the US and having the influence of the media that I’m surrounded by, designer clothing is only something I hear about in a rap song. In all It was a very special and eye opening day in London!

It’s a Learning Experience

When I first arrived here in London, I had no idea what to expect. We have only been here for three and a half weeks but it feels like we have been here for much longer. I am having a great time learning about a new culture and making new friends. I am learning something new every day that I am here. The first week we made an effort to travel through as much of central London as we could by going on the bus and boat tours with the school, we also took a day trip of our own. We ventured out to the tube and managed to get ourselves right into the center of London (an accomplishment in itself) then walked for miles to see everything from the London Eye to the Tower Bridge and everything in between. I also learned quickly in that week how weak the U.S. dollar is and that I am not going to make the conversion in my head every time I make a purchase since that will only depress me.

Once we began classes, it was a completely new experience. We learned to integrate waking up on time and getting homework done with still exploring the place that we are living in. Then we began our first three week class which is what we are taking now, I am finding it a bit challenging to keep up with learning a week’s worth of material in a 3 hour time period but we are all working together.

Finally, in this three and a half week period, we are all finalizing our plans for the trips that we are going to take during the semester. Many people made plans during the summer but now we have to make sure our hostels are booked and there are planes, trains and automobiles to get us where we need to be. Personally, I had no idea what I was going to do for my fall break or who I was going with, all I knew was at some point I wanted to make it to Italy. Turns out, that is where I am going to spend an entire week! I had to work together with the people I am going with and the school to learn how to find cheap flights and hostels in a short amount of time and split up the payments for it all. Then, the whole group, all sixteen of us, decided that for our last hoorah, we are going to Porto, Portugal! Once again, we had to book hostels and flights.

As I’m sure you can tell, it has been a busy three and a half weeks and that is why it feel to me that we have been here for so much longer. This experience has been a great one so far and I am gaining so many tools that many of my peers back home will not acquire. I am not only learning about myself while I am here but I am becoming aware of a new culture and even though they speak my language, they are not at all the same as me.

The Queen's Walk

Hi everyone at WNE! At the beginning of our semester abroad in London we traveled to the Queen’s Walk in Central London. This was our first trip to London alone as a group, which was extremely beneficial for getting closer to our fellow SEA group members.

We first had to get onto the tube, which seems like an easy enough task to accomplish, but with 16 people, it can get quite tedious. Once all of us had gotten on the tube it felt like we accomplished some great feat! It took a little bit of time to arrive at our destination, but once we did, I realized at once: we weren’t in Richmond anymore!

View of the Queen's Walk from Tower Bridge

The first aspect of the walk that stood out to me was how culturally diverse it was there. At first glance, I could easily see so many different people from various cultures. It totally blew my mind; I could not believe how many different people there were in one place. This first experience really opened my eyes for the first time that there really are so many different people in different cultures and how much we as Americans have to learn about the world around us. I can really relate this eye opening experience to seeing the London Eye. As I looked at the London Eye for the first time, I could also truly say that my eyes were open for the first time to a very culturally diverse environment.  But, this walk also gave us a view into some of the oldest parts of London.

We were lucky enough to see the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Globe Theatre, Big Ben, Southwark Cathedral, and St. Paul’s Cathedral to names a few. These historical places in London are really just the tip of the iceberg, but they really overwhelmed me. I could stop thinking about how extraordinary these were and how well they were crafted. I mean the Tower of London was built in 1066 and looks like it is brand new! The architecture is truly remarkable and is awe inspiring. From this, I learned to really appreciated history. Since we have none of this at home, I was truly shocked that these historical artifacts are still in such great condition. For me it also puts things into perspective as well. In America, we think buildings are old and historical if they are from the 1800’s, but in England, it is totally different. Their buildings are hundreds of years older and they are in great condition. It just shows you how your perspective and where you grow up can truly shape your view point on other cultures. 

"Mind the Gap"

This weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Paris, France. Although it was quite an unorganized hassle to travel in a large group, I was surprised at how quickly we were able to journey from one country to another. France is just a train ride away from England, but when I stepped onto the platform, I felt like we were in a whole new world. I stepped back to observe my surroundings; herds of people walking in a fast pace, speaking to each other in French, security officers walking around in camouflaged uniforms and carrying intimidating guns, all surrounded by signs and advertisements displaying foreign words that I did not understand. In England, where English is the native language, it is much easier for me to take in and adjust to my surroundings when I can see and hear things I comprehend. It was a vulnerable feeling to be in a country where I was the minority, as I do not speak nor understand the French language. Besides the language barrier, there were a number of vast differences between the French train stations and the British ones that I am accustomed to. In Gare du Nord, the station in Paris, France, even boarding the subway was a foreign experience. I have become accustomed to the polite nature of the British underground where people would wait for all the passengers already on the tube to get off before boarding themselves. In France, it was every man for himself as a scrum of people tried to force their way on the subway while others tried to get off it before the doors closed. In England, the phrase “mind the gap” is plastered all along the platform and echoed in constant voiceovers throughout the tube to warn you about the small distance between the subway and the station. In France, we had to practically leap to clear the distance between the platform and the train. Even though the gap was significantly larger, there were no written or auditory warnings cautioning people to be wary while getting on and off. I never thought I would experience culture shock coming from one foreign culture to another. However after the trek back from Gare du Nord to King’s Cross Station, hearing the familiar woman voiceover saying “This is a District Line Train to Richmond,” has never made me feel more at home in London.

A Birthday to Remember

As almost everyone knows by now I just celebrated my 20^th birthday on Monday.  Now I know that I am not the only person who will be celebrating their birthday here in London this semester, but for me it was a memory I will never forget.  I have never been this far away from my family and friends for this amount of time so far and I had never pictured celebrating my special day in a foreign country, but here I am!  On Sunday night, we all decided to go to the fireworks on the Thames River and didn’t get back until midnight, which is technically my birthday!  I have to say that it was a great way to start off the day and one of the best fireworks shows I’ve ever seen since we were practically right underneath them.  Even though the initial culture shock I had when we first arrived in London is starting to wear off and we are all getting used to everyday life, I couldn’t help but feel a little homesick when it came to thinking about my birthday. However, it actually helped by going to class and surrounding myself with the rest of our group because I learned that we will all most likely feel like that at least once within the next few months and it’s completely normal.  I have learned from this experience so far that it’s really not about what you do, but about who you’re with that matters because that can really make all the difference.  I am going to remember this birthday because it was different and stands out more than all the others.  Adjusting to life in England hasn’t been completely easy so far for me and I didn’t expect it to be, but I’m just glad that it has opened my eyes to new experiences and broadened my horizons so that the next few months will be the best they can be!

A Different Level

A Different Level (Week of September 3-9) 

Upon my arrival in England I did not really put any thought into the fact that, despite being an English speaking nation, the way of life in England, compared to the U.S., is not exactly the same. I realized this first hand when I tried locating my friend Nikola’s room for the first time. Nikola is a football player from Bulgaria that me and a few other WNEU students met on the football court. We play football almost everyday and we always try to organize games. On Thursday, after playing football, Nikola asked me to get him from his room when we were ready to play the next day. He informed me that he lives in room 46 on the first floor. What I did not realize at the time was that the first floor in England is different from the first floor in the U.S. So the next day when I looked for his room, on what would be the customary first floor in the U.S., I could not find his room. I felt lost and I didn’t know whether or not I had taken a wrong hallway. That was when I remembered, from my french class in highschool, that in Europe the ground floor is the first floor and the second floor is the first floor. Situations such as these were one of many cultural adjustments that I have had to make since arriving in England. I’ve also had to adjust to looking the opposite way one would in the U.S. before crossing the street. There are some instances where I just look both ways because I would rather be safe than sorry. Some of the group members have almost gotten run over from confusion over the local road rules. One big culture shock is the conversion rate. The U.S. currency is weak compared to the British Pound and if one were to make the conversion each time a purchase was made, it would be sad. In order to adjust, I have told myself that if I would pay the similar price in the U.S. then I can buy items at the British price. By the way, I was eventually able to find Nikola’s room and we all played football.

Adapting to a New Life in England

Coming to London I did not quite know what to expect. I had never stayed in a foreign country or even met many people that had grown up somewhere other than in the U.S. or on a military base. Even though it has been only a little over a week so far, I now know students from Bosnia, to Germany, and to here in England. It is a great experience because it has allowed me to, not only meet a new friend, but a new culture as well. It was overwhelming at first; I missed my friends and family back home and craved some familiarity. But as the time has gone on I have been able to move pass this; to broaden my horizons and learn about my new friends. In fact just yesterday I was playing football with nearly a dozen international kids. Even a simple experience such as this though showed the difference of culture as the gameplay focus shifted from individual skill to one centered on teamwork and finesse.

Traveling around has also been a learning experience for me where the underground and street traffic have forced me to slow down and adapt to a new lifestyle. Due to the close proximity of traffic to the sidewalk I have learned to be more aware of my cultural surroundings because if you do not, you will be hit by a car. This includes looking both ways when crossing the street because it is still a challenge to remember which way to look for oncoming cars.

The tube is an entirely different experience. I had never been on a subway much before coming here but now I see the convenience and necessity of it. Already I have thrice gone to London by taking the District Line into the center of the city. Here, I am able to observe the daily interaction of homegrown Englishmen and women which further deepens my understanding of the culture.

 By semester’s end, I hope to fully understand and appreciate this unique culture and dismiss all preconceived stereotypes so my experience can be more rewarding.