The fourth day of my trip has just about ended, and the only thing I have to say about London is that I love it. It’s so different from America! First, the cars (as well as pedestrians) walk on the opposite side of the street. This is proving to take some getting used to seeing as everyday I almost get hit by a car because I look the wrong way before crossing… Secondly, shops close at such strange times! Today we were in the heart of London and quite a few of the shops and small restaurants we passed were closed on Saturday and Sunday! This never happens in America because weekends are usually the busiest! Speaking of restaurants, the pubs are much different too. I have yet to be “waited on”. You simply walk into a restaurant, seat yourself, look at the menu, and then order at the bar. You provide your table number and then the food is brought to you. It seems very strange, but I kind of enjoy that way of dining. Its much more casual. Thirdly, the way people here live is so different in subtle ways. There are no screens on the window which really freaked me out at first, but now I’ve just learned to close the window when I’m not in my room.
And WALKING. The British walk everywhere. There hasn’t been a day since I’ve been here where I have walked less than five miles. Today I even put in a whopping ten miles (and I have the blisters to prove it). My flat is not in the heart of London, but in Kingston. It is about a 25 minute train ride from Kingston to Central London. The train and tube system is not so hard to navigate, and after doing it for only two days, we are finding it pretty easy! I enjoy the freedom of so easily being able to go back and forth between Kingston and Central London.
Tomorrow is the first day of actual classes and we already have a field trip! I’m going to Hampton Court Palace with my British Culture and Society class. This was a palace Henry VIII would frequent, and I am SO excited to see the grandeur that the palace has to offer.
I have attached a few photos that I took this weekend while I was in Central London.
Maddie Spero is a psychology major with a concentration in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She is excited to study abroad in London, England. She cannot wait to experience and learn about another culture.
I’m Never Going Home
The fourth day of my trip has just about ended, and the only thing I have to say about London is that I love it. It’s so different from America! First, the cars (as well as pedestrians) walk on the opposite side of the street. This is proving to take some getting used to seeing as everyday I almost get hit by a car because I look the wrong way before crossing… Secondly, shops close at such strange times! Today we were in the heart of London and quite a few of the shops and small restaurants we passed were closed on Saturday and Sunday! This never happens in America because weekends are usually the busiest! Speaking of restaurants, the pubs are much different too. I have yet to be “waited on”. You simply walk into a restaurant, seat yourself, look at the menu, and then order at the bar. You provide your table number and then the food is brought to you. It seems very strange, but I kind of enjoy that way of dining. Its much more casual. Thirdly, the way people here live is so different in subtle ways. There are no screens on the window which really freaked me out at first, but now I’ve just learned to close the window when I’m not in my room.
And WALKING. The British walk everywhere. There hasn’t been a day since I’ve been here where I have walked less than five miles. Today I even put in a whopping ten miles (and I have the blisters to prove it). My flat is not in the heart of London, but in Kingston. It is about a 25 minute train ride from Kingston to Central London. The train and tube system is not so hard to navigate, and after doing it for only two days, we are finding it pretty easy! I enjoy the freedom of so easily being able to go back and forth between Kingston and Central London.
Tomorrow is the first day of actual classes and we already have a field trip! I’m going to Hampton Court Palace with my British Culture and Society class. This was a palace Henry VIII would frequent, and I am SO excited to see the grandeur that the palace has to offer.
I have attached a few photos that I took this weekend while I was in Central London.
~ Maddie 🙂
Madalena Spero
Maddie Spero is a psychology major with a concentration in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She is excited to study abroad in London, England. She cannot wait to experience and learn about another culture.
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