I spent 30 days in the wonderful city of London, and the experience has left a permanent mark on me and the way I view the world. This may sound like hyperbole, but rest assured, there is veracity in every ounce of that statement.
When I first arrived back home in San Diego, I was shocked by the immediate differences that I noticed between an American and a Londoner. (Yes, a Londoner and not a European. Most Londoners don’t like to be referred to as Europeans.)
Being from Southern California, I’m used to smiling. I smile at my 65-year old neighbor walking her dog, the young store clerk as he hurriedly puts my groceries in my bag and just about anyone I encounter on my daily routine. I thought smiling was a widely accepted gesture in all parts of the world—I was wrong.
Not even a day into my study abroad program in London, my preconceived notions were immediately shattered. Nobody smiles here. If you did try to smile, you would be greeted with scowling looks from the locals. And that’s exactly what happened to me on my first day in London.
Editor’s note: Curious what day-to-day life is like while studying abroad? Interested in off-the-beaten-path locales? Danny Dyer has you covered. Danny kept this journal recapping each day of an unforgettable journey to Ecuador this summer.
Continue reading “Excursions Through Ecuador: A Grupo de Gringos Story”
Since arriving in this country over seven months ago, I’ve grown accustomed to most aspects of British life: rainy weather, two-pence coins and non-refrigerated eggs in the grocery stores, to name a few. But as my time in England nears its end, I’ve started to reflect on things that I hope to remember above others, whether it be for significant, sentimental or just plain funny reasons.
While Canterbury may be a far cry from the hustle and bustle of central London, the town does know how to cater to its younger population, and especially university students. From good to great, here is a rundown of some of the nightlife Canterbury has to offer.
For most international students at university, the end of fall term signaled the return to their home country, where they could once again speak their own language, sleep in their childhood bed and eat all the food England’s supermarkets hadn’t bothered to carry. For me, as I watched my friends leave one by one, Winter Break wasn’t about returning to the familiar; rather, I was preparing to dive headfirst into the unknown once again.
Pancakes are an American classic; these sweet, cake-like pastries are thick, fluffy and topped with sweet syrup and butter. Swedish pancakes are different. So different in fact, that they aren’t even considered breakfast food. Swedish pancakes have many of the same ingredients as a simple American pancake recipe except they are much thinner.
This last week I went to the Finnish Lapland with the international student group at my university. We left early Sunday morning and drove up to Stockholm where we took the ferry for a 10-plus hour drive to Helsinki, Finland.
After being in Korea for more than three months it is safe to say that I have noticed some things I am not particularly fond of. These are things that not everyone does, but I have noticed them more often than not. Also, there are a bunch of things that you won’t find in America that I would gladly accept if they migrated across the Pacific.
Since my time here in England is coming to an end, I feel a great deal of pressure to take advantage of my last six weeks. I’ve booked flights and train tickets to several other countries in order to make the most of my study abroad experience, but one thing I really enjoy doing is just staying at my university and spending time with the friends I’ve made here.
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 