Pre-Departure
So I will be studying abroad in London this July. I’m sure for people who are going to more diverse cultures, like parts of South America or Asia, that they could possibly experience a culture shock and things might be very different for them. Since I am going to London, I don’t see this being the case with me. I understand that England is not America and is very different, that being said in my heart I’m a native Londoner. Since I was 10 years old all I’ve wanted is to study abroad in London, in middle school I watched BBC News every single day, now practically the only television shows I watch are British shows (not just on BBCA but online as well, thank goodness for Netflix). Thanks to my love of all things British, I’m quite aware of their culture, attitudes, language, customs, and much more.
So I’m mostly just incredibly exited to “interact” with my “host culture” because it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Obviously I’m also a bit nervous because of the fact that all my dreams are coming true thanks to this opportunity. And of course, I’m exited to learn a ton about the culture that I can’t learn from television.
I will see you all very soon,
Allison
With the love of all things British that you’ve had for so many years, I can only imagine how excited you are about actually living in London for a month. And you’ll discover an amazingly diverse population of Londoners who come from many countries around the world. So even though you’re going to an English speaking country, you’ll hear many languages spoken as you move throughout the city. Also you’ll find many ethnic restaurants close to King’s College–Indian, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, etc. You’re going to have a wonderful time, and I hope you fall in love with London as much as I have. Michele
I feel like you are so prepared for this trip and it’s awesome. I decided that I wanted to go to Argentina like 1 month in advance. So I didn’t get to do much research or practice up on the difference in the Spanish spoken here. It’s completely different than anything I imagined. So I hope you have a wonderful trip and learn lots of wonderful things that you can’t learn by just watching TV. I am excited that you finally get to go after waiting so many years. I will look forward to reading the rest of your blogs.
Melissa