My time in London is flying by! I have been so busy with class, work, and traveling I feel like we just got here but we are already halfway through. There is so much to do here and we have been trying to fill our free time so we can explore as much of the city as possible. Two weekends ago we ventured outside of the city and took the train to Brighton. Brighton is a beach town so it was a nice change of scenery. I tried fish and chips there for the first time and it was so good. We also went to Notting Hill for the first time and it is definitely one of my favorite neighborhoods I’ve been to in London so far. There were so many street vendors and shops to see and try. This past weekend my roommate and I traveled to Santorini, Greece and it was absolutely amazing. It has always been a dream of mine to go to Greece and it definitely lived up to my expectations.

Adapting to the culture in London has been pretty easy which definitely made the transition earier and helped me jump into everything quickly. The culture here is very similar to the culture in America. I identify most with the relaxed atmosphere here. There is a very good work-life balance and they value time spent with others greatly. The pubs are definitley a big part of the culture here. They are always full at the end of the day with people socializing and talking. Another big part of the culture is football (soccer). There were a few big premier league games happening when we first got here. Since we live so close to the Arsenal stadium, the pubs were packed with fans on the day of the Arsenal and Everton match and the energy was so high. I also love the public transportation here. It is so easy to use and going on the tube is always a fun time. Another main part of the culture is theater/musicals. I love going to theater shows which is perfect because there are so many options here. I went to the Harry Potter show, which was 6 hours long, and was so good! I plan on going to a few musicals before we leave too. In terms of the “deep culture,” I have noticed that sarcasm is a big part of the communication style here. British people have very dry humor which was hard to catch onto at first. I feel like I have a good understanding of the “banter” now. One word that is used often here is cheers. People say it all the time instead of thank you or have a good day. There are a lot of phrases like this that I am starting to pick up on. The driving here is also very confusing to me. They drive on the opposite side of the road so I always have a hard time crossing the street because I forget which way to look. Pedestrians do not have the right of way here and I have almost gotten hit by a car or bus many times. Bikers are especially scary because they go so fast and they really do not care if they are going hit you or not. Another thing that has been difficult to get used to is the way they read time and temperature here. Military time is used most of the time used especially when making bookings so I always have to double check and count that I am doing things at the right time. They use celcius here and I still do not have any gauge of how hot or cold it is when someone says the temperature. 

My interactions with locals have always been very pleasant. One thing about the people here is that they are very friendly and welcoming. The locals are always willing to stop and help if you are lost and need directions or even if you need a reccomendation for places to eat or see. I also love their accents so I am always looking for an opportunity to talk to locals. These interactions have been impacting my own identity in a positive way. Their friendly attitude has helped me become comfortable here. I love learning about the British culture and just getting to know the locals.

As the weeks go on I feel more and more like a local myself. I feel like I know my way around the city pretty well and feel comfortable here. This weekend we are traveling to Dublin which is super exciting and I can’t wait to write about it.