My experience with the British so far has been a very easy transition! The lack of a language barrier helps significantly, but beyond that our customs and behaviors are far more similar than I was expecting. There is a certain expectation of politeness throughout Europe where ‘thank yous’ shouldn’t be expected in return for basic actions like holding a door. I would argue the British are as nice, if not nicer, than Americans. They can sometimes come off as intimidating due to being quiet and in their own world, but it’s very easy for them to open up provided you are casual and non-invasive with your conversation.

One big thing we were taught during orientation was the importance of queues. There is a certain order and civility expected around waiting in lines, and supposedly violations of this can cause fights to break out. Maybe something I should test my last week? 

In the classroom, it’s been very simple to follow along. Teachers are always responsive and clear, and we haven’t had many graded assignments that were not completion-based. There is definitely less structure around the classroom, but it’s never been an issue. 

While London is a very international city, most of my interactions from locals have been aligned with the English customs. Most of my diverse experiences have come from my travels to countries such as Czechia and Norway. However,  adaptability isn’t necessary unless you really venture far off the beaten path. I’ve found all of the European cities to be tourist friendly and filled with fellow study abroad students from United States colleges. 

Overall, I think a massive piece of the easy transition has been the language barrier. I always make sure to download the local languages on Google Translate, and that has come in handy a few times when reading menus and signs to get around. A big component of the easy transition has been my phone, as tools like translate and maps make it easy to navigate. I can see when down to the minute I need to leave my housing to get to campus, with delays and cancelled trains from my bed in the morning.  I can use my phone wallet to tap and pay on transit, and can buy data plans to keep me connected no matter where I am. I sometimes reflect on the abroad experience 10 or 15 years ago, as I imagine the adaptability needed to navigate a foreign country was far higher.