it's been a month

 

 

 

 

I can't believe how fast the time went! I arrived in England exactly one month ago on September 3rd. I remember stepping off that plane like it was yesterday. It was my very first time traveling alone and setting foot in another country. I was beyond excited for my adventures ahead. But I was also very, very terrified. I was basically in another world, and I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I was familiar with British culture through the films I've watched and the books I've read, but nothing could prepare me for what was to come. My parents weren't going to take care of me. It was time for me to be an independent woman (cue the Destiny Child's song) and actually take responsibility. In other words: I had to become an "adult," which is something I've never really felt even though I'm three years past 18.

I've always been a relatively shy and introverted person, and I initially thought that studying abroad would be way out of my league. How was I going to make new friends? Who was going to ask the store clerk where the sugar cubes were located (for a proper cuppa, of course)? And going out to a pub? You must be nuts! But guess what: I have made friends, I did ask the store clerk about the sugar cubes, and I did go out to not one, but two pubs! Living abroad has definitely challenged me to come out of my shell and speak up for myself in certain situations. And you know what: it feels great. I think I'm becoming the person I've always wanted to become. I feel like I'm growing into a more confident individual, and I push myself everyday to do something out of my comfort zone.

And how is life abroad so far? Well, it certainly has not been easy. There can be a few frustrating moments: like getting constantly lost because you have no idea how to read a map. Or not understanding what an English person is telling you even though they speak the same language. I get especially confused when I'm greeted with "are you alright?" What do you mean "am I alright?" Do I look sick? Is something in my hair? AM I ON FIRE? The phrase is actually just the equivalent of "how are you?" But hey, I'm learning! Homesickness can take a toll on you as well. During the first couple of weeks here, some days I would suddenly burst out in tears, wishing that I could be back at home. I just had to keep telling myself: You're going to be OK. Have fun and enjoy yourself! So it takes time to adjust, but I'm getting used to it day by day.

So in spite of these obstacles, this first month abroad has truly been wonderful. I've visited so many places I had always dreamed of going. Seeing Big Ben, paddle boating at Hyde Park, and going to the Harry Potter Tour were some of my favorite moments in London. And I'm still getting to know Manchester, but I love going to the City Centre and always get struck by the University's beautiful architecture every time I go to class. I've also met some of the friendliest people--both British and international students. This has probably one of the best things about studying abroad; I've been meeting people from all over the world, including those from China, Australia, and Germany. It's been so interesting to share stories about our own cultures, and it's allowed me to gain a new perspective about the world we live in. The food in England has also been delicious and very comforting. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to fit into my jeans by the end of the semester. Maybe I need to slow down on the fish and chips and dark chocolate digestives... or not. And I'm still trying to nail the English accent. I've learned a few British slang words and phrases from one of my flatmates, but it always sounds better when she says them. Oh, how I envy her.

I'm looking forward for these 2 and a half more months! I feel so grateful to be here, and I wish you guys were here with me!

uceap orientation

Yesterday, we finally got to meet the other UC students who will be studying in Manchester! It's been exciting getting to know all of them. We've attended a couple of (surprisingly) fun meetings at the London Study Centre with our program advisors, Monika and Holly. Both of them have been incredibly helpful, and I can't thank them enough! Because a lot of students flew in that morning, we ended our day early with dinner together at Byron Hamburgers. We were free the rest of the night to go out or go back to the hotel. Stacie and I decided to go back to the hotel to finish watching My Mad Fat Diary and Orphan Black, a few of our favorite British shows.

Today, we had a walking tour of London that took up the majority of our afternoon. I had already seen most of the places we visited on the tour, but it was nice to see everything again and to take some more photos. It was especially interesting to learn about the history of the buildings, streets, and monuments. We had a sweet and funny tour guide who made the whole tour very enjoyable.

Passed by a man painting a lovely picture of Buckingham Palace

At night, we went to watch The Importance of Being Earnest at the Harold Pinter Theatre. I love watching plays, but I had no idea what to expect for this one. Monika described it as being "very British," and indeed it was. It was a bit confusing sometimes because the cast talked really fast, and I didn't understand some of the jokes/British humor (but laughed along with the audience, anyway). But overall, I liked it.

I'm not sure if I was allowed to take pictures of the stage. Shhh.

It's been nice getting to know London. I have to say--I'm going to miss going on the Tube and swiping my oyster card everyday. It was busy and hectic almost everywhere we went, which is definitely something I'm not used to. Especially as a shy person, it was really scary at first. But once I observed the Londoners and their way of life,  I became more confident when I went out and learned to speak up for myself in certain situations. *pats self on back*

Tomorrow, we'll all be going to Manchester! I wonder how different Manchester will be, since it's another large city in England. We'll just have to wait and see...

the harry potter tour

So I didn't really go to Hogwarts, but I came pretty darn close. For one of our last days together in London, Stacie and I decided to go on the The Making of Harry Potter Tour. I absolutely love the Harry Potter films, and going on this tour made me appreciate the movies even more. It was so fun from start to finish. I'll let the photos do most of the explaining.

1. The Entrance

We had a great introduction that led into...

2. The Grand Hall + Sets, Props, Costumes, & Special Effects

3. Butterbeer! & Backlot

I was so excited to finally try butterbeer. It was quite an interesting treat. I have no idea how to describe the flavor. It was a carbonated drink with foam on top--similar to caramel whipped cream.

4. Creature Effects

5. Diagon Alley

6. Arts & Graphics

7. The Hogwarts Model
Words cannot describe how amazing this is to look at up close.

This was probably my favorite part out of our whole week in London. It truly was a "magical" experience. I would totally do it again, and I definitely recommend anyone traveling to London to check it out! I also took a lot more photos, and I'll upload those soon for you to see!

Now I'm off to meet the other UC students at another hotel for orientation. Two more days in London, and then we'll all be heading to Manchester!

off to hogwarts!

And the only way to get there is through Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station. I can't wait to tell you all about it!

fish, chips, and swan!

Stacie and I started off our day a bit later than usual, so we decided on having a healthy dose of fish and chips for brunch at Masters Super Fish. Oh man, nothing compares to the fish and chips here. The piece of fish was massive and fried perfectly. I don’t know why America even tries.

To burn of the calories consumed from our fried feast, we headed to Hyde Park--one of the largest parks in London. Along the walk we stumbled upon swans, squirrels, ducks, and more swans. But there was also a lovely rose garden and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. We also rented a paddle boat for fun. All went well in the beginning until one of the paddles accidentally hit my foot really hard, which caused me so much pain that I had to stop paddling. Poor Stacie had to do the rest of the work. But on the bright side: she burned more calories?

Near the end of the day, we went to Portobello Market in Notting Hill. Before you ask: No, I sadly haven’t seen the Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant film. I wonder why though, since I love them both. And now I love Notting Hill, so I have to see it. There are wonderful antique stores, boutiques, and restaurants everywhere. Portobello Market is also my favorite market we’ve been to so far. Some booths sold the cutest clothes and accessories, and others sold delicious looking food, collectibles, and plenty of artwork. I wanted to buy so many things.

London in cookie form!

Well, there’s nothing officially planned for tomorrow, so we’ll see how things go. I want to sleep in so bad, but there’s no time to waste! 

fine art and fine donuts

Today's highlights:

1. Crosstown Doughnuts at Leather Lane Market
I got the creme brûlée with a vanilla custard filling. Probably one of the best donuts I’ve ever had.

2. The British Museum
This place is massive. We could easily spend two days here because there’s just so much to see. There are artifacts from all over the world, and I’m still in awe at the level of detail that went into some of these projects. We’ll possibly return to explore some more. Favorite exhibit: MUMMIES!

3. Mussels and Fries at Belgo
I don’t think I’ve eaten this many mussels in one sitting, but they were so good. And the restaurant itself had a really cool atmosphere. Thank you to Stacie's uncle for the recommendation!

4. Borough Market
Food EVERYWHERE. I love how there are so many outdoor markets in London. This one did not disappoint.

5. Tower Bridge + The Shard
Took a moment to take in the lovely view among the hundreds of people rushing to get home from work. 

Also: I heard the word “cheers” (which means “thank you”) a total of 4 times today! The way they say it makes me really happy.

who's big ben, anyway?

Today was basically full of sightseeing, walking, and eating. We started our morning by going to Beigel Bakery for a quick breakfast. I had a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. It was really good and I would go back again, but a) the walk to the bakery is kind of far from the hotel, and b) I’m slightly embarrassed to go back because I got confused between pounds and pence, so I paid the lady 2 pence (the bagel was 1.60) thinking it was a 2 pound coin, and she said, “What’s that?” in a rude voice. So obviously, not everyone is nice here. 

Then we rushed to Buckingham Palace in order to see the changing of the guards, which is supposedly a “must-see” event. We got there right on time, but the whole area was already surrounded with people in every corner. So sadly, we were only able to see the guards cross the streets to enter the gates. But we did see a duck with the most interesting feet at St. James Park.

Next, we went to Parliament Square to see Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and anything else that was in the area. Of course, we had to take touristy pictures at a red telephone booth with Big Ben in the background.

Our next stop was Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery. I love museums, and I’m glad most of them are free in London. The Gallery is huge, and the paintings were amazing to look at.  After the museum, we saw a group of guys break dancing near the center of the Square. They mainly drew in the crowd by taking off their shirts and not through their actual dance moves. But hey, I wasn’t complaining.

We then went to The Attendant to grab some iced lattes. Fun fact: this cafe was once a public restroom. But wanting some real food, we found Mother Mash in SoHo to eat some classic sausages and mashed potatoes, or what the British call “bangers and mash.” Indeed, they call their sausages “bangers.” My plate was smothered with gravy, giving me a comforting yet quite disgusting feeling. 

We ended our day at Harrods, the largest department store in Europe. Basically no one can afford anything at Harrods, so I just imagined myself owning a Celine handbag and Jimmy Choo shoes. But we mainly went there to see the Food Hall—fancy food everywhere!

Well, the Wi-Fi on my laptop is still only 30 minutes at the hotel, so I’ll just be writing my posts in a document and adding as many pictures as I can within that timespan. I’ll probably post more of my pictures elsewhere soon. I’m exhausted, but I can’t wait for tomorrow!