I recently moved across the pond to London from the good ole U S of A. I decided to take a crazy, once in a lifetime opportunity and pursue a master’s degree abroad. I’ve always had a wandering soul and it’s been a dream of mine to live abroad at some point in my life. I’m young, unattached, and the timing for this was too good to pass up. So here I am living in a foreign country (I hail from Alabama, so it’s quite a bit different) as a postgrad student. Fortunately, I do have a friendly face and flatmate to keep me company. My sorority sister and bff from my undergrad adventures is also pursuing a master’s degree in London which means we’ve been able to tackle this experience together. It has been a whirlwind since our arrival, and somehow I’ve been living in London for a month now. After gallivanting around the city, here is what I have noticed so far:
- People really do dress better here. I have yet to see a pair of sweatpants on anyone out and about. Men in particular seem to dress a bit more smart (translation: well-dressed).
- I am loving walking everywhere and taking public transportation much more than I thought I would. However, I do have a longing for my trusty car. Delilah lets me belt out my favorite 80’s anthems sans judgment which can’t be said for the strangers I pass on my walk to class.
- It doesn’t rain as much as everyone would like you to believe. I was ready for constant precipitation. I have yet to be caught in a rainstorm -knocks frantically on wood. Winter is coming (GOT fans I’m looking at you), and I have been told that the cold rain is surely to come so I’m not sure how long my luck will hold out on this front.
- People try desperately to ignore each other whilst walking on the street, taking the tube/bus, or taking the elevator. Maybe it’s because I’m from the South, but I love throwing a smile out to my fellow humans.
- We may speak the same language, but there are marketable differences in our terminology. For example, I have recently found out the ‘college’ in the U.K. is comparable to ‘high school’ in the U.S. and ‘uni’ would be our undergrad. This is frankly the tip of the iceberg. There are many other examples
- It is considered rude to wait at a crosswalk for the little green man to appear. Also as a side note: Drivers in London are crazy. That is all.
- I’ve already started picking up sayings from my British classmates. I have caught myself referring to things as ‘quite lovely’ which was not a regular part of my vernacular before being here.
- It is quite hard to take a leisurely walk in London unless you travel to one of the parks around the city. I find it difficult to let myself wander around without a destination in mind. There is a certain energy in the city that is invigorating, but also makes me feel a bit like I must always be in a hurry.
- It is quite normal to see a fully grown adult riding down the sidewalk on a scooter (think back to Razor scooters circa early 2000s).
- It is always time for a pint at your local pub. Always.
These are just my ramblely thoughts after my first month living abroad in England. I’m trying to be present and enjoy every moment of this journey. I don’t know where else this adventure will take me but cheers to finding out!
embracethestorm 
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