Act Like a Local: London Customs and Phrasing

       I went to England thinking I would be able to understand everyone perfectly; they spoke English, right? Wrong. British English and American English are very different, and on top of that, they have small phrasings and words that weren't anything I'd ever heard. However, as soon as I got the lingo down, living there became much easier, and I began to feel like a local.

• Quid = Pound (like buck = dollar)
• Half 10 = 10:30 (half      =    :30)
• Take Away = To Go
• Jumper = Sweater
• Pants = Underwear 
• Trousers = Pants
• Loo/Toilet = Bathroom
• Cutlery = Silverware
• Chips = French Fries 
• Crisps = Chips
• Fizzy Drink = Soda/Pop/Soft Drink
• Coach = Bus
• All Pear Shaped = It Went Wrong (the more wrong it went, the more you down play it - AKA: My car was on fire, so it was all a bit pear shaped.)
• Cheers = Thanks
• Hiya = Hello
• Lift = Elevator
• Car Park = Parking Lot
• Brekky = Breakfast
• Flat = Apartment 
• Sauces = Condiments

Along with an altered language comes different etiquette.

• Walk on the left - no one else will, but they drive on the left, you should walk on the left
• Speak quietly - America is a loud place, and so we are all used to speaking loudly; London is shockingly quiet, and so it's important to keep your volume low and be aware of how loud you're being
• Talking on the tube - people don't talk on the tube, so if you do, be sure to be quite and courteous towards fellow riders 
• Order at the bar - at most pubs you seat yourself and order at the bar rather than having a waitress come to your table; pick a table, have your table number if there is one on the table, and go up to the bar when you're ready to order

Documenting Your Adventure

      No one wants to forget their time abroad, that is why it is so key to take steps to document and immortalize your journey. In the new technological age, there are a million things you could do, from vlogs to old-fashioned journaling. These are the two I did:

Pictures - When I was in Japan, I barely took any pictures because I just wanted to experience it, not take my time worrying about taking pictures; however, now that four years have passed, I wish I would have taken pictures of my adventure to show others what I did and where I went. I vowed never to make that mistake again. I was armed with a camera and a phone, ready to take every picture imaginable, and I came back with a couple thousand to choose from, some of which I've posted on this blog, all of which I shared with my family and friends on Facebook so that they could see what I was up to, as I was not blogging while I was abroad. My cousin, Lisa, gave me a gift card for Shutterfly before I left, so when I got back I was able to put all my favorite/best photos into a book for me to keep and show people, because people want to see your adventure, and someday, when your memories are fading, you'll want to look back and see it, too.

Journals - I'm a writer, and so I'm an advocate of a good old fashioned journal for keeping your thoughts and documenting your days. My boyfriend, at one point over the last 5 years, gave me a TARDIS notebook, and it wasn't until I decided to go to London that I found the perfect use for it. I am a proud geek, and as such, I confidently carried my TARDIS journal with me everywhere I went to write down my thoughts, feelings, and observations around the city. Some days, it was just a few quick lines about what I did that day, others it was two pages about an interesting person sitting across from me on the tube. One day, I wrote, "There is a man across from me on the Northern Line, Charing Cross Branch. He's in a nice navy suit and slightly lighter blue tie. Headphones in, plugged into his Andriod phone that has a blue dinosaur case... That was the first thing out of place I noticed. Then, the neon purple and pink running shoes with black laces and the childish camo bag between his feet with bright yellow straps" (June 2, 2015 - 10:25am). I wrote about a lot of interesting people I saw on the tube, and often gave them stories, destinations, origins. I'm also an advocate because with a journal you are able to tape in all your tickets, pamphlets, and receipts you'd like to keep in one place.

Distance Makes the Heart Grown Fonder: Relationships While Abroad

       "Absence is to love what wind is to fire: it will extinguish the small and enkindle the great." My boyfriend of five and a half years says this to me quite often, as we were never the traditional couple that went to the same high school, and even now we don't attend the same college. There is always that fear when you or your significant other travels or goes away for an extended period of time, the fear that they may forget about you, that they may find someone else, that they may realize that they don't miss you at all, or worse yet, that you may find you don't miss them. But things like that happen when the wind has extinguished a small flame of passion masquerading as love, for when two people truly love each other, distance can only make that fondness stronger.

       It was not easy to say "see you later" to Taylor and board a plane for 3,724 miles away, but we both knew that this was an experience I could not pass up. That is the first part of this, the first part of any big decision in a couple's relationship made by one that affects them both - it's the question of support, and, quite honestly, if your significant other doesn't support you going abroad, it's time to reconsider the relationship. Now, do not misunderstand me. I don't mean that you should dump them if they're sad or hesitant about you leaving for 6 weeks or 4 months or a year; I mean that they should, no matter how much that distance will pull at their heart, support you in the adventure you'd like to embark on. 

       Every couple will have their own way of dealing with this time apart and their own method of communicating because usually you won't have a normal phone while abroad and will be completely reliant on wifi. 

Emails - When I went to Japan for three weeks during high school, we could only communicate through daily emails. Emails are nice because they are long love letters you can keep forever, but they are slower than the communication most of us are used to today, and that may cause some frustration if you're used to talking constantly with your significant other. 

iMessage - If you and your significant other have iPhones, iMessage is probably the easiest way to go, considering you're basically just texting them as you normally would and can use it as long as you're on wifi. 

Viber - Taylor and I used an app called Viber that allows instant messaging, calls, and facetime through wifi. It was very reliable, and I also used it to keep in touch with my family. It's free and you can talk to anyone who has the app as long as you both have wifi/data.

Facebook - Facebook is pretty obvious, but it's an easy way to keep in touch with messaging. 

To my surprise, I got to talk to Taylor a lot more than I expected while I was in London, even with him working full time as a chef and the 5 hour time difference. Every couple will be different, and Taylor and I had it easy because, as I said, we aren't used to seeing each other all the time. But as long as both of you work and you take your significant other's feelings into account, you should return to loving arms that missed you dearly and be able to pick up exactly where you left off.

Bucket Lists

       It's important to research your host country before going, especially in terms of what you'd like to do while over there. I had only 6 and half weeks to do everything I wanted in London, and as I said earlier, attacking London must be strategic; you have to prioritize and organize to get everything you want done. Pinterest and travel blogs are great places to get ideas of what's worth doing, what's just okay, and what are must do's, as well as finding the little hideaways and secret places others have found on their journeys. Refer to It's Okay to Be a Tourist and Must Do's From Me to You for my opinions on great things to do in London.

My Bucket List:

• Climb Big Ben - Unfortunately, I did not get to do this because you have to be a UK citizen to climb Big Ben, but I very much enjoyed staring at him and taking photos.

• Go the the Doctor Who Experience - It was a whovian's dream come true, and I recommend it for everyone who loves Doctor Who. The Experience is a secret, so you'll have to go to actually know what goes on there, but they have all the costumes and props (including the TARDIS!) from the show. Three friends and I took the train 2 hours outside of London to Cardiff Bay, Wales and spent the day at the Experience and then exploring the Bay: we saw Torchwood tower, street performers, beautiful sites, and had a great dinner before heading back to London. It was by far the best day of my trip. 

http://www.doctorwho.tv/events/doctor-who-experience/


• See a Show at the Globe Theatre - I actually got to see two shows: The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It. Both were absolutely amazing, and though it was painful to stand for three hours, it was worth it to get the groundling experience. It's 5 pounds for a groundling ticket, and worth it to see Shakespeare come to life. 
  
• Ride the London Eye - The morning we were set to ride, my friend Katy and I accidentally got on the wrong Underground train TWICE. We had tickets for 10am, and as we sprinted up Westminster Station steps, we could hear the seconds ticking down. The second my foot hit Westminster Bridge, Ben began tolling 10, and we just made it and were able to meet up with our friends to ride on time. It was an absolutely beautiful view and worth the pain in my chest from running to catch it. 
  
• Have Afternoon Tea in Fancy Hotel - Thankfully, my program, CAPA, took care of this one for me. Our first week, we all gathered at a hotel in South Kensington for proper English tea with finger foods and in fancy dress. It angered me slightly that some students showed up in street clothes, as that is not at all appropriate for tea, but my friends and I had a wonderful time. 
  
• Try Cider - This was the most dangerous thing on my bucket list, for once I tried it I could not stop drinking it, and I have craved it every day since coming home. English cider, unlike American Angry Orchard or Red's Apple Ale, is not as sweet and has a more bitter taste like beer. Because I am not a beer drinker, I doubted I would like it, but it ended up being my favorite drink and was always refreshing after a day of running around the city. Aspall and Strongbow (including Strongbow Dark Fruit) were my two favorites. Old Mount Cider is great if you want a fruity, refreshing drink on a hot day. 
  
• Eat REAL Fish and Chips - It's true that fish and chips are better over there. They're served with peas (either whole or smashed) and tater sauce, so if you like ketchup, like I do, you have to ask for "sauces" (refer to Act Like a Local: London Customs and Phrasing for proper ordering etiquette). I never had fish and chips I didn't like while I was over there, but the pubs know how to do it best, and you can't beat a cider to wash it down. 
• Take the Stereotypical Picture by a Phone Booth with Big Ben in the Background - Of course, everyone should do this because have you really been to London if you don't? It's a popular destination, so you have to be strategic about getting your photo. When we went to do ours, a bride and groom were doing photos, and we had to wait until they left to take ours. The photo's worth the hassle, though. 
  
• Have a Drink at the Old Bell Tavern on Fleet Street - My friend, when she went to London, frequented this pub most nights and told me I had to go and have a drink there. So, one night my two friends, Bridget and Katy, and I found ourselves near Fleet Street and decided to grab a pint. The entire way down the street we sang songs from Sweeney Todd and joked, we sat around a circular table by the horseshoe bar and drank a couple pints, and as we were knee-deep in a discussion of American politics and America's future, a Lithuanian man came and sat next to us. At first, we thought nothing of it and tried to include him in the conversation, but he was so drunk and his accent was so thick that understanding him was nearly impossible. It got better when he took a liking to Katy and put his arm around her. We tried every diversion tactic in the book: bringing up her imaginary boyfriend, telling him we were having a girls night, flat out ignoring him... Finally, I just pretended our friend texted us and that we had to go meet her, but, because we were two pints in at that point and not really thinking, we just went to the next pub on the street, and not two minutes later, once we had our drinks and a table, he walked in wanting to join us again. We got rid of him eventually, but it was a very interesting encounter, and one that has fondly burned the Old Bell into my memory. 
  
• Take a Picture at Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station - A must do on any Harry Potter fan's list. I went twice, once with my friends and once with my family when they came for vacation, and both times were absolutely amazing and fun. Pictures are free and the line moves pretty quickly, plus the store is pretty cool - I got a t-shirt from there that was very comfortable. 
  
• Talk to a Stranger in a Pub - This happened several times, obviously. There was the Lithuanian guy, a Greek man I had a lovely conversation about the English language with, and two men who bought us a round and danced with us at a pub with live music (that night I was also asked by an extremely intoxicated man if he could take me home, which was both flattering and hilarious). 
• Do All the Touristy Things - You have to, you just do, when you're in London. There are so many cool things and historical places that are just fun to go to, and with the London Pass, it's easy to do them all for a very discounted rate. 
  
• Find a TARDIS - I did find one! It's outside Earl's Court Tube station, which also happened to be the station for my family's flat when they came over for vacation. 
  
• Get a Great Family Photo - This was the first time my mother, father, sister, and I have ever been on vacation together because my parents are divorced and my sister is my half-sister, so I've never had the chance to be with just them somewhere else, and on top of that, a picture of the four of us together never actually existed before this trip. So, thank you to my wonderful roommate Bridget for taking such a wonderful photo of us.
  
• Ride a Double Decker Bus - Another must do in London. Buses are a bit difficult to figure out and are certainly not more convenient than the tube, but are fun and not a bad way to get around London while still seeing everything, considering the tube is very much underground. 
  
• Go to the Natural History Museum - I'm not one for museums, but they are free in London, and the Natural History Museum was amazing and full of interesting artifacts. 
  
• Go to a Night Club - This is a bit of a cheat, since I counted my "night club" as a bar with dancing and live music. Clubs aren't my forte, but I did enjoy the pub we went to. Koko in Camden Town, though, is, from what I hear, a great club to go to if you're into that kind of thing.
• Take a Picture with the Royal Guard - Another must do, of course. They're every where, but it is difficult to get close to them. The closest we got was at Windsor Castle. 
  
• Go to the IceBar - Absolutely go! It was so much fun. You have to prepay online and book, but it's right in central London, and for your admission price you get an awesome cloak, a cocktail in a glass made of ice, and 40 minutes. It's actually not that cold, and really the only reason you're there is for the awesome photos, but the cocktail was delicious, and we had a blast. 
  
• Climb to the Top of St. Paul's Cathedral - 528 steps to the top of St. Paul's dome for a gorgeous view of London. Bridget and I dragged ourselves to the top, and it was worth it in the end, but my legs were definitely not happy the next day. We were dying, but we still looked pretty from the top!
  
• Find the City of London Crest - This one was actually given to me by my boyfriend, and at first I didn't understand where I was supposed to find this mystical crest, but as soon as I went from Westminster into the City of London, it was literally everywhere. 
  
• Find a Piece for my Wall - I have a wall in my room covered in random things from all over the world, from Shisa statues from Okinawa to Italian masks to a preserved spider from the Middle East, so I knew I needed something from London to add to my collection. I ended up finding many things, including a painting and several photos from all around London that I am very excited to put up. 
  
• Go to the Bedlam Museum - Unfortunately, this was put to the side and I never got to go, but I did so many amazing things that I'm not too upset about missing out on one museum. 
• Go on the Jack the Ripper Tour - Katy, Bridget, and I ended up going on this tour together and it was so much fun. Our tour guide was the most amazing man, completely hilarious and entertaining, which you don't think of when you go on a Ripper tour, but it actually made it that much better, and he was very knowledgeable and took us around the sites where the women were found. 
  
• Go to Hatchard's Book Store - Hatchard's is the Queen's bookstore and the oldest bookstore in London. I ended up buying two books and a journal, all of which were very good buys. It's just one of those spots you should see. 
  
• Kenilworth Castle - This was a site my program took us to see. It's a castle in ruins with a recreated rose garden in the back and was said to be the home of Queen Victoria's lover. It's an amazing place, and we had so much fun running around and taking pictures. 
  
• Cardiff Castle - Because I was only in Cardiff for a day rather than a weekend as I had planned, I didn't get a chance to go, but hopefully I will get to go back and see it some day. 
• Stonehenge - An obvious tourist destination, but it is absolutely wonderful and worth the trip outside London to see. I could feel the energy and history of it, and though we will never truly know how it was used or built, it's mystery makes it that much more appealing to curious humans. 
  
• Bath - The Roman Baths were really cool; however, the tourists were absolutely awful. They all had the audio tour which made them stand in the middle of everything without moving. My favorite part was sitting by the baths and writing. 
  
• Princess Diana Memorial Walk - It goes across four parks, but we only did a bit of it in Hyde Park because, quite honestly, we got distracted by food and had a hard time finding the plaques we were supposed to follow. We ended up having a very nice day, though, as we rented a paddle boat and went out on the Serpentine for an hour and sang to Taylor Swift. 
  
• Read Shakespeare in the Park - I did this several times, as I was taking a Shakespeare class and parks are the perfect places to read. My favorite day was reading The Tempest in St. James' Park with the animals frolicking around me and people walking by. 
  
• Windsor Castle - It's everything you want a castle to be! It is slightly touristy, but you can see what a working castle looks like and it's absolutely beautiful. Bridget and I began our London Pass week here, and we had a wonderful time and sat for a nice lunch at a place called Bill's before heading back to London. 
  
• Frolicking on Castle Grounds - Because who wouldn't want to do this? Natalie and I skipped in the grass by Kenilworth castle, holding hands and laughing. It was a beautiful, sunny day, barely any clouds in the sky, and felt pretty magical. 
  

Bucket Lists really help to keep your priorities in line, and there's no harm in adding as you go. Mine streamlined what I really wanted/had to do, and now it's a fun thing to share with people who ask about my trip. 

Common Sense: Your Most Important Tool

       We've all heard it before: gypsies are real, wallets get stolen, people get mugged/raped/drugged/hurt, look left instead of right, etc. etc. etc... But all of these things are so important, especially when traveling somewhere you've never been by yourself.

Things To Keep in Mind:

• Keep your wallet in your front pocket
• Get a crossbody purse/messenger bag and hold it in front of you so that you never have something on your back - it's easier to steal it if you can't see it
• Be aware of who is around you
• Cover your drinks - if someone offers to buy you a drink, go to the bar with them to make sure they can't put anything in it
• Don't go out at night alone if you can help it 
• Do not engage with people who are drunk on the street or look sketchy
• Be polite - you're more likely to get hurt if you ruffle some random person's feathers
• No one left behind - DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT leave your friend, or let your friends leave you, alone at a bar/pub/club; people are more likely to be attacked/mugged when they're alone, especially if they've been drinking
• Make sure you have a DW (Designated Walker) - someone who can get you and everyone else home safely so that you aren't a group of drunks wandering through the streets alone
• Take turns drinking excessively when you go out so that everyone gets a turn to be a little crazy, but always make sure someone is sober enough to get your home alright
• Ladies, watch yourselves - there are a lot of perverts out there, so buddy up and keep your wits about you
• Do not go out with anyone you don't trust 
• If you are drinking in London and the tube closes or you don't think you could navigate it, please, please, call a taxi; they aren't too expensive and it's better to pay a little more to get home than to be wandering for hours or try to figure out the bus system drunk (it's difficult enough while sober)
• Likewise, if you're with a friend who is going somewhere different from you and has to travel alone, it is better if you put them in a cab and have them pay you back than risk them not getting home safely

Admittedly, I am not a city girl by any means, so going to London was completely outside my comfort zone, but that was also a big part of why I picked it: I wanted to experience city life. We went out almost every night to a pub to drink and relax, which was a lot of fun, but we always made sure someone was sober enough to get us home (especially if we had to navigate the tube). London, however, is also not like most cities. It is perhaps the safest city you could be in, and I say that for several reasons: 1) guns, knives, and mace are illegal, so it's a safe bet that those who would try to mug you have only a very small pocket knife or just their fists, 2) there are lights and cameras EVERYWHERE, so finding a place to hurt someone without the risk of getting caught is difficult, if not impossible, and 3) the city closes early, so most likely you will always be out with people around and very rarely find yourself on an empty street while walking home. I am a very cautious person, someone who usually carries a pocket knife in my purse and was very uncomfortable not being allowed one in London, but I soon realized that I felt so entirely safe there. We went on countless night walks, and never once did I feel in danger. As long as you are aware of your surroundings and don't look like someone who would be an easy target, you'll be fine. 

Stick with your friends and have common sense, simple as that. 

Are You Who You Say You Are?

       I think one of the biggest anxieties among students traveling overseas, especially since we are traveling, maybe for the first time, without our parents or a wiser family member, is the fear of not being allowed into the country, of being sent away for one reason or another, or even for not being able to get back into the States. That is why it is paramount to have every piece of documentation your could ever need with you, safe at all times.

What Documents You Need:

• Driver's License/State ID - if you're going somewhere where you'll be allowed to drink, you may be carded, and a driver's license is the easiest way to prove your age
• Passport - this is obvious, but you will need it to leave and get back into the country and to prove your identity at the airport and customs 
• Insurance Cards - your American insurance cards probably won't be much help overseas, but having them is part of the "better safe than sorry" side of the argument; you will most likely also have an insurance card and/or insurance information from the program, and this card/information should always be on your in your wallet/purse in case of emergency
• Student ID - you'll want to have your home school student ID on you, not only for the program, but also for any concession rates offered; you may also receive an international student card, and it is important that is always on you so that you can prove you're a student
• Entry Letter - most likely you're program will give you an Entry Letter to present to the boarder patrol which will prove that you are coming into their country to study and are enrolled in a program 
• Flight Itinerary - because you are on a student/work visa, you will have to show proof of departure and intention to leave the country within the confines of your visa 

The easiest way to keep all these things together is to get a folder or some kind of document holder - document holders can be found anywhere, but Etsy offers from great homemade and unique ones for not bad prices. 

This is mine - it's cloth with an old map design and has two passport holders and two card holders; it kept all my documents safe and together during my trip!

I bought it from The Ruby Cottage (https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRubyCottage?ref=l2-shopheader-name) whom I found on Pinterest 

Also, be sure to make copies of all your documents before you leave! Make a copy for yourself, which after you arrive should be hidden separately from your actual documents, and a copy for your parents to keep should both your copies and your originals get stolen/lost. 

Carry-On, My Traveling Son

       Your carry-on is probably the most important bag you have while abroad. It will carry all the most important things you have, will mostly likely be your travel bag while abroad for weekend trips, and will save you, hopefully, from fees on overweight luggage when coming back to the States.

What to Pack in Your Carry-On:

• EVERYTHING IMPORTANT - this means your documents, copies of your documents, passport, boarding passes, flight itinerary, entry letter, program details, ID, money/credit cards/debit cards, and emergency numbers
• Things to keep you entertained - laptop, books, phone (even though you probably won't be able to use it once you take off), iPod, notebooks, journals, headphones, puzzles, etc.
• Valuables - this is all the jewelry you're taking (don't take expensive stuff - god forbid you lose it), chargers, electronics, prescription medication and prescription from the doctor, and irreplaceable items
• A change of clothes (or two) - as much as we hate to admit it, bags get lost all the time; keeping an extra pair of underwear, socks, pants, and a shirt in your carry-on gives you at least a day's worth of clothes to get your bag back or quickly buy some replacements until your bag is found; my bag was lost when I traveled to Japan, and thankfully I had an extra outfit in my carry-on which was just enough to tide me over until my bag arrived; EVEN IF YOU HAVE A DIRECT FLIGHT, PACK EXTRA CLOTHES, YOU NEVER KNOW
• Travel toiletries - a hairbrush, hair tie, make-up, mouth wash, feminine products (you never know), and pain reliever; it's a safe bet you're going to be on the airplane for at least 6 hours, most likely over night, and you don't want your host country's first image of you to be unbrushed hair, morning breath, and yesterday's make-up smeared across your face; freshening up in the airplane bathroom before landing will wake you up and make you feel ready for the day, no matter how bad your jetlag is; just be sure to keep these toiletries in compliance with airport regulations and in a Ziploc bag 
• Magical Items - I'm a superstitious person and never travel without one item to protect me; in Japan, during a series of unfortunate events, I bought a stuffed Shisa (an Okinawan lion-dog that's said to be a guardian of fortune) which now sits in my car everyday, but because I was traveling a long way, I decided to bring him with me to avoid bad luck; magical items should always be kept with you rather than in your checked luggage, really just as a courtesy to the item; would you want to be shoved in a suitcase for 8 hours and stored under a plane? probably not
• Overflow - anything that you can't keep in your big suitcase because you're over 50 pounds because you just absolutely needed that third pair of heels or that fourth dress because what if you're out at a pub and a really cute British guy comes up to you and asks you out; you would definitely want to wear it on your date with him

Luggage my mother gave me for Christmas - the suitcase and carry-on matched and was very easily identifiable in an airport; the carry-on was also spacious and had a laptop pocket - always useful!