First Two Days in London!
September 16, 2013 at 4:00pm. This was the time of departure from O'Hare Airport in Chicago, IL. Surprisingly, I did not feel very nervous and my emotions were under control. While on the plane, I decided pass the time (and try to forget that we were flying over the ocean--YIKES) by watching a few movies and getting some sleep. The first movie was The Croods. I don't know why I decided on this movie, but I'm glad I did. Given the storyline, it's kind of ironic that I would choose to watch this film on my flight to Europe. For those who are unfamiliar with the film, here is a brief synopsis:
The Croods is a prehistoric comedy adventure that follows the world's first family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures -- and their outlook is changed forever. (www.imdb.com)
The film is mainly about exploration, and not letting fear control your life. One of the characters goes on to explain that simply existing is not living. Don't live in fear and hide away from the unknown. The world is both a beautiful and scary place. Take a chance once in a while. Don't stay in your cave when there is so much to see! It was a great film to watch as I ventured into the unknown.
Day 1
I arrived safely at Heathrow at around 6:00am London time. Of course, it was cold and RAINING--stereotypical London weather! I can't move into my accommodation until Saturday, so I'm in a hotel. The first day was certainly eventful. One of the first orders of business was getting a SIM card so that I could use my iPhone in the UK. Many international students use GiffGaff or Three--companies with monthly pay-as-you-go plans for less than 20 pounds a month. I decided on GiffGaff, and so far, am happy with the data package I chose (for only 12 pounds a month)! After settling in, I took the tube from the hotel to my soon-to-be accommodation. I decided to walk from my accommodation to UCL in order to get an idea of the distance, and to decide if I should budget for an Oyster Card (although they save you money in the end, Oyster Cards are indeed a monthly transportation expense that I want to avoid). I'm a Chicagoan, and we're fast walkers. So, I figured it wouldn't be too much of a problem. BUT, a little bit of fear did kick in, as the area through which I must walk...is...shall we say...a bit dodgy? It's not horrible, but it's so not what I expected. I was picking up the pace as I walked by certain parts of the street--feeling paranoid and uncomfortable. I'd have a good pace going until I reached the end of each block, realizing that once you get to the corners, you must be VERY careful crossing the streets. I thought downtown Chicago was bad, but the driving that occurs in London is horrifying to me. As a the bus driver told us, London streets were not clearly designed for modern cars and transportation. You have to be careful crossing and really must look both ways because...they drive on the wrong side of the road. If you aren't used to seeing this, believe me, it throws you off and can be a little confusing. Not to mention, the narrow streets with only two lanes and fast cars making sharp turns (with cyclists riding in between the cars!) was intimidating. Basically, having to walk through a dodgy area in order to get to my university made me a little frustrated and upset--especially after realizing that an Oyster Card is definitely necessary. I had to remind myself to stay calm, positive, and not let the fear overtake me. It is easier said than done, I must admit. I tried to stay positive, but it was definitely the downer of the day. I know people who've gone to university in metropolitan areas, like New York or even downtown Chicago, are probably laughing at me right now because it sounds so ridiculous (I'm not a city girl, what can I say...). But understand, as someone who has never experienced anything like this before, it was a shock to the system. Leaving one's comfort zone won't always be smiles and rainbows. Reality and realizing that you have to adjust to a new way of life can absolutely slap you in the face. But as another postgraduate told me, every area in the world has it's "bits" and reputations. Just calm down and it will be fine. Communicating with my parents also helped me to calm down and not let my mind wander into having only negative thoughts. So, I'm hoping that once I actually move into my accommodation, meet fellow residents, and explore the area more by implementing the "buddy system," my mind will be more at ease and I'll feel more confident. Of course I wouldn't end this post on a downer (or without pictures). The walk from my accommodation to UCL has been my only shaky experience. Everything else has been awesome!
Day 2
On my second day, I had the best time taking an escorted tour of London. :) I think it's an ideal way to see the city and to help get acclimated to a new culture & country. If you ever travel to a foreign country where a company called Golden Tours runs, you must book at least one tour with them. It was phenomenal. I did the full day trip where we had a bus tour, walking tour, lunch, and ferry ride on the River Thames. I plan to book this company for an escorted trip to Paris. Seriously, it was fantastic. (See pics below). Some of the sites we saw were:
Westminster Abbey
Buckingham Palace
The National Gallery
The Tower of London
Big Ben
The London Bridge
St. Paul Cathedral
The River Thames
The London Eye
[caption id="attachment_412" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This is the bag I purchased from the gift shop in St. Paul's Cathedral. We were able to tour the cathedral and the crypt beneath it.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_413" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Here is Buckingham Palace. I plan to go back and take the tour inside.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_414" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Here is a picture over looking the River Thames[/caption] [caption id="attachment_416" align="aligncenter" width="224"] This is a raven taken behind one of the London towers. According to the tour guide, If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it. That's the folklore. Do you believe it?
"Quoth the Raven, never more."[/caption] [caption id="attachment_437" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Throughout the various museums, we saw many suits of armor, crown jewels, and old weapons of torture. What a variety.[/caption]
This tour was a full day trip and packed with things to do. In this regard, it was a bit rushed and I didn't get many pictures, especially with myself in them. I plan to actually go back (hopefully with new friends) and take more time exploring and taking pictures. Stay tuned!
I have to mention some of the lovely people in my tour group. I can't say enough about them.
There was a woman from Norway named Anna, taking the tour with her son. As we moved through the walking tour together and had lunch, I learned so much from her. I was interested in hearing about Norway, and she, about America. She provided detailed insights into the differences between Scandinavian countries and the UK--the culture, ways of thinking, food, etc. Before the tour ended, we made sure to exchange numbers and e-mail addresses. She even offered to show me around Norway when I visit in the future! I'm really happy to have met her. She was unbelievably kind and told me that traveling Europe will be great. I'll make friends all over the world and the experience will enlighten me on a level that I don't expect. She even emphasized that I must take my experiences and share them with my students, should I return to teaching. Helping others to learn about foreign places and cultures will help to stop the ignorance, and even inspire them to one day venture out of the US.
There was also a girl from Nigeria who befriended me early on in the tour, as we were exploring St. Paul's Cathedral. She told me that she likes to travel to places outside of Africa as much as possible. She said that the idea of getting lost and then finding her way again is a thrill. Wow, that's brave!
There was a couple from Bombay with their niece who sat at the same table during lunch. Again, great to chat with and learn from.
Tour guide David was once a reporter for the BBC and worked in New York for nearly 15 years. He spoke 4 languages and overall, an awesome tour guide!
Again, I cannot recommend this company and taking city tours enough! When I get back to the States, I even want to book their tour of Chicago. I'm sure there are parts of the city that, as a Chicagoan, I should see and know about. Being here is also giving me an appreciation of the U.S. Though the US of A is not perfect, there are definitely some aspects of our country that I'll miss for a year.
So, first impressions of London so far:
A Few Not-So-Positives
Stereotypically cold, dreary, and rainy.
Some dodgy/scary bits within the inner boroughs.
Not really London's fault, but I'm frustrated with myself for not being able to quickly adjust to military time, Fahrenheit to Celsius, and gallons to liters. Ugh. It can't be this difficult...
Just like downtown Chicago, the prices are high if you shop in the city. Oh, and the exchange rate is horrible. Just an FYI, the dollar means nothing here.
A Few Oh-So-Positives
Fish & Chips!
Most people have been extremely kind and accommodating. People such as the hotel bellman, the lady in 3 UK who helped me get a SIM card/phone plan, our tour guide (David), Jenny in Starbucks (ordering my drink was a funny ordeal :) ) have been absolutely great meet. Their kindness means a lot to someone like me--new, nervous, and in the middle of adjusting to London life. I've met some very lovely Brits. :)
Unbelievably beautiful architecture, museums, and history!
London has an excellent transportation system.
The diversity is much like Chicago. Everywhere you turn, you'll see someone different.
Realizing how close you actually are to other European countries.
As you can see, the positives are currently outweighing any seeming negatives. Well, that's all for now. I have International Student Orientation coming up on Friday and Saturday! If you have a question or want me to expand on anything, just leave me a note in the comments section! I tried to be as detailed as possible in this post, but I'm sure I missed something. I'm happy to answer questions. :D I'll keep you posted.
