“But isn’t London the same as America? Don’t you want a more…challenging study abroad experience?”
I was asked this question plenty of times before I flew away. I even had teachers that felt as if London was too basic and would cheat me out of my study abroad experience. I cared not what others had to say. Soon after landing, I found out that afternoon tea, Harry Potter, and stories of white washed history did not even begin to explain this amazing city.
The Royal Opera House where world class opera is performed
I studied at Goldsmith’s University, an art school situated in a poorer section of London, about a thirty-minute train ride from the city proper. There were no official museums or glitzy plazas, instead I was invited into a London less focused on tourism. I learned to love London for what it is today, a cultural mixing pot. I had access to almost every culture in the world within a bus rides distance. For example, on any given day I could get authentic Indian food, hear a Muslim call to prayer, go to an underground rave, and visit a free world class museum. Or maybe the next day, savor a bowl of Vietnamese Pho, turn into a prune in a Turkish bath, relieve any further stress in a Japanese cat café, and run into the real life Neville Longbottom outside of a stage door.
The Queen's guards
Opportunities to learn are endless. The theme for the city was the juxtaposition of the old and new. Ancient Roman walls were set against the backdrop of some of the newest and tallest building in Europe. Years of British history was what I knew before I arrived, but a living history was what I found. Famed poet Samuel Johnson once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” And in the off chance that you did want to leave, this centrally located city was a great jumping off point for further international exploration.
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, better known as "Bath Abbey"
Even better than endless options of activities, was the attitude towards the people who lived here. Businesses often closed at 4pm so people could spend time with their families. Access to brilliant theatre and the arts was not limited to the wealthy. Families ran the local pubs where you could get a Sunday roast and spend an entire day in conversation with a stranger. I finally felt free to explore who I was and what I stood for, without any sort of judgment from the people around me. I felt both strongly supported and fiercely independent. I love London because it taught me how to finally live free.
Making friends abroad!