Lauren\’s London Life

You want to study abroad so you can see the world, right? Learn a new language, travel, try exotic new foods and drinks? Of course! That’s all part of the experience. But sometimes, students can get too caught up in weekend excursions away from the city they’re living in.

When I was in Barcelona last spring, I spent the majority of my weekends away from the city I had adopted as my home for four months. During my first weekend in Spain, I flew off to Geneva, Switzerland by myself to explore. It was a blast - I saw fantastic sights, took lots of great pictures, met some interesting people at my hostel. I used some of my almost-forgotten French. I ate fondue and lots of chocolate. It was great!

My second weekend - an orientation trip to Southern Spain. Sevilla, Cordoba, Cadiz. Beautiful sights, warm weather, orange trees everywhere. Cathedrals galore!

And so on and so forth - I visited Brussels, Paris and Valencia. I spent spring break touring Italy. I saw so many countries and sights! I took hundreds (thousands, really) of pictures - I think I had more than 60 Facebook albums by the end of the semester. Not even a quarter of those are from the city I lived in.

Europe is a fantastic continent to study abroad in - travelling to other countries and cities by plane, rail and bus is incredibly easy. But all that travelling can get pretty tiresome, too! At the end of my semester in Barcelona (and even now), I regretted not spending more time in my adopted city. Barcelona is a fascinating place with so many amazing sights and so much culture - and I really didn’t take advantage of that enough.

This semester in London is quite different. Although I have done some travelling, much of my time has been spent in London. I’m getting to know the locals, sampling the native fare (such as it is), familiarizing myself with the city, and going to the theatre. I’m spending more time immersing myself in London than I am jet-setting around Europe. I’ve seen most of the famous sights here and really feel like I belong in this city.

So, my advice? Definitely take advantage of the easy travelling in Europe - but take some time to explore the place you’re living. After all, you’ve chosen that city to study in for a reason, right? There must have been something that drew you towards it.

So how do you get to know your new city? Well, ask yourself a couple of questions first - is there an underground/metro system there, or do people use buses and trams to get around? Is it more of a walking city? What is there to see there, and where are all of the main attractions located? What are some quirks of the culture there? Etc, etc.

Take London for example - like most major European cities, it has an underground system - which we Londoners call “the tube.” It’s a huge network of trains that encompasses six different “zones” - only two of which can really be called “central” London. Keeping in mind that I was living in Zone 2 and that I would be using the tube frequently to go to various theatres for class, I bought a unlimited one-month tube pass on my Oyster Card (sort of like the NYC Metro card). Observing how much I used it in the first month I was here, I opted to buy an unlimited three-month pass once the first one expired. I think it was the most worthwhile investment I’ve made since I got here - not only can I use it for zones 1 and 2 on the tube, but it’s also good for all of the buses in the city (yay, red double-deckers!).

You can also walk to a number of places from where I live. For instance, my school is less than 2 miles away - so I can walk there in about a half-hour. Hyde Park and some museums are also in walking distance from my flat. Hammersmith, a great shopping area, is really close by - about 10 minutes walking. A large supermarket, Tesco, is 15 minutes walking from my flat. And so on and so forth - not to mention all the walking I frequently do in central London, exploring various historical areas. And going to shows in the West End - walking around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square at night is so much fun! So my second most-valued item in London?

A sturdy pair of walking shoes.

With all of this walking and exploring, it’s easy to get lost in a large city like London. Luckily, most convenience stores sell something called an “A to Zed” (yes, I stole the title) - which is essentially a listing of all the streets in London and extensive maps of key areas. A £5 investment which is definitely worth your while! I never get lost with my “A to Zed” in my pocket. Picking up a detailed map of the city you’re living in is definitely a good idea - no matter where you’re living.

So, the top three most important items to have in any major city when studying abroad? A public transport pass, a good pair of walking shoes, and a city map. With these three things, you’ll be ready to explore your new city and make the most of your time abroad.

Cheers,
Lauren

“Study abroad” can be defined in any number of different ways. A really brief and informative summary of studying abroad can be found on the highly reputable (*wink*) Wikipedia website:

Cheers,
Lauren

I am not a study abroad coordinator, working in an office and handing out leaflets about study abroad programs to college students. I do not work for a travel magazine, jet-setting around the world to explore exotic locales and uncover the best restaurants, hotels, and tourist hotspots. I have never written a travel guide like Frommer’s, Let’s Go, or Lonely Planet. So who am I, and why am I qualified to write a blog about studying abroad?

~Lauren~