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By Jess Yacovelle

As anyone with a newspaper, TV, or computer knows, an Ebola outbreak in Western Africa has killed thousands of people. 70% of people who catch the illness will die, and it is fairly contagious, especially to the doctors and nurses who risk their lives treating the victims and tending to the dead bodies.
Currently, the entirety of the US has a few cases in Texas - though they appear to be heavily isolated for now. In Europe, on the other hand, the threat of Ebola is much greater. Since Europe is such a relatively small place and it's so easy to travel from one country to another, Ebola is a viable concern. Multiple cases have broken out in Madrid, Spain. Recently, it was announced that London airports and international train stations will begin screening all passengers for Ebola. The screenings will consist of passport checks and basic questions about travel history. For most people, it should be mild and easy to get through. In fact, the UK offers no direct travel to and from the impacted areas of Africa so the heaviest questioning will probably stem from people traveling to London from Paris or Brussels (places that do still offer direct travel to and from infected areas of Africa).
In London, Ebola is the front page of every newspaper and news website. It's not just foreign news; it's a genuine, persisting threat that they need to take preventative measures against. In speaking with some local Londoners, it seems like a similar (though less extreme) approach was taken a few years ago when swine flu was a present threat. In Europe, swine flu was predicted to wreck havoc. Yet in the United States, we didn't really give it much thought. From talking with my parents back home, it seems like the same mindset is present in regards to Ebola. People are aware of it in the United States, and some are even concerned, but most people relegate it to be a foreign problem.
In London, however, people are much more careful. You don't hear people making jokes about Ebola, like Americans did in regards to swine flu. No one thinks it's funny. In fact, most people are wary; if the virus mutates and becomes airborne, Europe will be in serious trouble. Not to mention that Spain is close enough where some of my classmates actually have friends or family living in Madrid and who are genuinely concerned for their safety.
So how is this impacting me and my experience? I've become much more aware of how world events impact Europe differently than they do the United States. A foreign threat in the US is bad, but (generally) not the end of the world. A foreign threat in Europe, however, has a much great impact because everything is so much closer together. In the states, the world news section of the newspaper is shorter than the sports section, and it's buried in the middle of the paper. In London, however, world news is often featured prominently because it can have such a large impact on home affairs.

By Jess Yacovelle

One of the beautiful things about studying abroad in England is that London is one of the biggest centers of travel in Europe. People from all over the world journey to London in relatively large numbers, and the transportation systems within and surrounding the London area are superb. You have a myriad of different choices each and every time you wish to travel, no matter where you want to go. You can travel by bus, train, plane... In fact, it's almost overwhelming.

My grandfather's brother and his wife have recently moved to Paris from the states, and my family has mutually decided that we should check up on each other whilst I'm studying abroad. As a result, I had the rather interesting experience of single-handedly planning my travel from London to Paris. To make my life more difficult, I also arbitrarily decided to stop off in Nantes along the way to visit a GW friend.

Did you know you can get from England to France by using four different modes of transportation? I didn't either. You can take a train, a plane, a bus, or a boat (though the latter option is ill-advised).  Picking a mode of transportation sounds intuitive; just book the cheapest tickets. But, as I've discovered, there's more to it than that, especially when you're leaving from London.

To begin with, there's the element of time to consider. Planes may technically offer the shortest amount of travel time, but you also have to pass through airport security before you fly and customs after you land. Recently, England has also decided to start screening for Ebola at all of their airports, so that now adds another time constraint to airport travel. And, if you're leaving from London, the cheapest flights leave from well outside of the city, meaning you have to pay cab or train fairs to get to the airport.

Trains are a little more expensive and they take longer, but they're generally more comfortable, and you only need to be at the train station half an hour or so before your train departs. The bus is obviously the cheapest (seven pounds from London to Cardiff!), but it can take forever. A Megabus journey from London to Amsterdam can take half a day, especially if the bus has to make stops along the way.

So what's the cheapest, easiest, and fastest way to travel around Europe from London? Honestly... it depends on where you're going. For me, I use the bus to travel from London to the rest of the UK, the train to travel from London to the far west of Europe, and a plane to go to countries as far away as Italy. In the end, I suppose saving some money by taking a bus is nice, but it isn't always the answer.

By Jess Yacovelle

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. So how are you supposed to eat delicious food without busting the bank or settling for American fast food? Have no fear, here are 5 affordable places to eat that I've discovered in London.

1) Nando's. This South African cuisine is truly a London staple. You can order large amounts of chicken for a little bit of money, or simply bask in the glow of their delicious side dishes: sweet potato mash, garlic bread, spicy rice... Nando's has something for everyone, and the peri-peri sauce that they cook their chicken in is to die for.

2) Slug and Lettuce. If you want to take the time to dine without paying a fortune for food, Slug and Lettuce is a great place to try. The food is healthy, the portions are large, and the menu is well-varied. Be cautioned, though, drinks are expensive.

3) Camden Market. This isn't a restaurant, but rather a marketplace. Open every day, this market features affordable food from every culture imaginable: Polish, Mexican, French, Chinese... whatever suits your fancy, it's at Camden Market. Check out some of the sweeter booths (like cakes or crepes) for dessert. Be aware that it's mainly a cash-only market, though.

4) Belushi's. This is a bar/restaurant chain that has locations all over the UK. The food is quintessential sports bar food: nachos, burgers, hot dogs... But bars are notorious for being expensive places to eat, right? Wrong! Belushi's is partnered with local hostels, so they offer student discounts such as 25% off all food to their student customers. It's well worth the trip!

5) Pret a Manger. Pret isn't necessarily the cheapest sandwich shop in London, but there is literally one on nearly every corner, so it's pretty convenient. Pret has premade sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. Their coffee is also really delicious, so explore their liquid beverages.

By Jess Yacovelle

I've been living in the UK for about a month now, and some stark differences between my host country and the US have started to pop out at me. Here are 5 major differences between living in the United States and living in London.

1) There are no trashcans anywhere. I was in King's Cross train station earlier this week, carrying around an empty coffee cup for over an hour because I couldn't find a trashcan. And the surprising thing is that the London streets and businesses are all incredibly clean. Unlike in the US, there's hardly any trash on the floor, and there's certainly no gum glued to the cement. But how on earth do they keep the city streets so clean without any trashcans?

2) It rains a lot. Everyone knew this already; it's one of England's stereotypes. What you didn't know is that though it may rain 4 out of 5 days a week in London, it will only rain for an hour or two at a time. I've been here for over a month now, and I still haven't experienced a long rainstorm like we get in DC. The endless days of rain just don't happen.

3) The London subway system rules. Sorry DC, but your metro has nothing on London's public transit. Most working people in London take the subway - or the "tube" - to commute every morning to their jobs, so the underground system in London has to run quickly and efficiently. Trains arrive every couple of minutes, so it's never the end of the world if you miss one. Even better, your underground ticket or pass will also work in the London bus system. You can literally get anywhere in London via their public transit.

4) People generally keep to themselves. It's very rare in London to see strangers start talking to each other on the subway or while in line. Unlike in DC (and within the US in general), people don't feel obligated to make small talk with strangers. That's not to say that Londoners aren't friendly, though; far from it. If you're lost and you ask for help, people will kindly give directions - they just won't chat with you about the weather.

5) Travel is really, really easy. There are trains, buses, and planes leaving from London and going to literally anywhere in Europe multiple times a day. You can take a bus to Cardiff, a train to Edinburgh, and then a plane to Paris all in the same weekend if you so desire. The opportunities to travel are so vast that it almost feels like a waste not to go.

By Jess Yacovelle

The Thames River, for those who don't know, cuts straight through the center of London and divides the city into two: the main city and the southbank. I spend a lot of time walking between the two because I live on the southbank, but my classes are all on the other side of the river.

In fact, many people make the daily commute across the river; there are five different subway lines that run from the southbank into the city, an overground line, countless buses, and a bridge every half mile or so.

A fair few years ago, the Thames River was one of the busiest in the world because they didn't have these transportation lines. People had to take ferries and boats across the river in order to go to work or have a night out. In addition, the river was a bustling place filled with various vessels involved in the shipping industry; the river wasn't just a place of commute, it was a place of commerce as well.

Yet in present day, it isn't any of that. The water is brown and murky, and it looks as though it will kill you if you were to fall in. There is no animal or sea life visible to the human eye within the water. Remnants of tourist trash float down after the "City Cruiser" tour guide boats. Most unsettling, algae coats the piers and bridge pillars throughout the river, completely overrunning the vast expanse.

And yet I will maintain that being on the river Thames is still the most beautiful part about visiting London.

Why? Because the city is laid out to be seen from the river. Hundreds of years ago, when they were first building London, the river was more than an annoyance that needed to be crossed; it was a lifeline. People needed its water to drink and for irrigation and for trade. It was an integral part of London, and because of this, some of the most beautiful parts of the city are visible from the Thames.

I took a boat down the river yesterday, and from the vessel we could see the Parliament building. We passed by the restructured version of the original bridge built over the Thames. We sailed next to the Globe theatre and made our way past the Tower of London and Tower Hill. So much history can be seen from the river; so many lives were changed by its presence. Even now, when use of the Thames has been greatly limited, it's still a part of London's rich history. When I rode that boat on the Thames yesterday, it was like I wasn't simply sightseeing; I was seeing and experiencing reflections of past London life.

The river may now be a soiled and smaller reflection of its former self, dominated by tourists and river guides, but not so long ago, it was a symbol of London; it was a symbol of life.

 

By Jess Yacovelle

I've only been in London for two weeks, and already I've encountered a slew of rather interesting cultural food decisions. Admittedly, some of the food I've tried has tasted better than others. Here are the 5 most memorable dishes I've consumed!

1) Chips. I don't mean potato chips; no, I'm talking big, thick steak fries. Chips in England are generally very large and not as salty as most Americans are used to. They are absolutely delicious, however, and way better than most fries served in the US.

2) Yorkshire pudding. Which is, by the way, not real pudding. It's essentially a sugar-less donut in both look and taste... until you realize it's served with meat and covered in gravy. Perhaps my own personal distaste for gravy stunted my ability to enjoy this good, but I most confess that the Yorkshire pudding wasn't really to my taste. Give me English chips over Yorkshire pudding any day!

3) A cheese plate. Not so unusual, right? After all, we serve this in the states as an hors d'oeurve or an appetizer. In England, however, you're far more likely to see a cheese plate listed as a dessert, and not just in the posh restaurants. They serve you three or four really strong cheeses with crackers and biscuits - aka shortbread cookies. I've never eaten cheese on a cookie before, but I must admit that it was better than expected.

4) Scones. Again, we have these in the US, but we tend to stick with simple flavors: blueberry, chocolate chip, plain... I stumbled across a mint and green pea scone with basil and cream cheese on top. Let me tell you, you have not been adventurous until you've tried something that out of the box. It was interesting (certainly better than the salmon and walnut scone, but I dislike fish), however the flavors were almost too overwhelming.

5) Rabbit. Yeah, I ate little bunny foo-foo. I was given a rabbit's leg - on the bone - and a stew with kidney beans and vegetables. The rabbit itself wasn't bad; it was a little tough in texture, and it tasted like a chewy chicken. That being said, it was a weird experience, especially since we have such a perception about rabbits in the United States to be adorable little creatures. The entire time I was eating, I couldn't get over the fact that in the US, we might have made this bunny someone's pet. The meal was delicious, but I don't think I'll be ordering it again.

By Jess Yacovelle

I've been in London for about a week now, and I've been surprised as to how similar the UK is to the United States. Sure, there are small cultural differences here and there (such as the UK's startling lack of peanut butter, for one), but for the most part, the two countries aren't quite so different. Or, at least, that's what I thought before I ventured into Argos.

If you've been to the UK, or you watch British panel and comedy shows, you've heard the store's name thrown about here or there. The concierges at the hotel I've been staying at have equated Argos to an American store like Target. Having been to Argos, I can say with full confidence that anyone who compares Argos to Target has never set foot in a Target.

Basically, Argos is a warehouse - a bit like Costco, really - only instead of being inside the warehouse, patrons don't get to look at the items they're about to buy until they've already paid for them. Instead, they flip through a catalogue searching for what they want, then enter the ID number into the computer and hope it's in stock.

It's very much like shopping online, but without the added benefit of knowing the store has whatever you want to order. I set foot in Argos with a list of 12 things (blankets, pillows, towels, etc). Of the 12 things, 4 were completely out of stock, and 3 were only available in limited sizes.

The amazing thing is that this is not only considered a normal shopping practice in the UK, but it's beloved by the people there. Whereas my mother and I got frustrated by the lack of stuff, everyone else in the shop looked pretty cheerful, or at least content. As Americans, we were annoyed and upset by the lack of availability of our items, but the locals accepted this as a fact of life with ease.

Unwittingly, I stumbled upon the greatest difference between the UK and the US. Americans are a little more uptight; we expect for things to be easy, and when they aren't we get upset. Even if it's only a minor inconvenience, such as the towels coming in the wrong sizes, we're still conditioned to be angry. The Brits have a different attitude. They accept that sometimes things don't go the way you want them to, and there's no use getting frustrated over the matter. They don't focus heavily on the minor unpleasantries; they know it's okay if Argos doesn't have any comforters in stock because it's not the end of the world.

By Jess Yacovelle

One of the things the GW Study Abroad office will stress before you begin your journey is that you should travel light. Pack only what you need, and make sure that the items you bring with you don't exceed two suitcases. The Study Abroad office also recommends bringing a small, empty duffle bag with you to transport any purchases you may make while abroad back home. Go for a simple cloth duffle that you can roll up and stick in your suitcase.

The question is, in terms of souvenirs and remembrances, how many should you buy? Obviously you want a souvenir from every major country or city that you visit, but you don't want to clutter your small abroad room or exceed your baggage limit on a plane. How can you purchase all of the remembrances from your trip that you desire without going over the limit - and without breaking the bank?

My trick? Postcards. For awhile now, I've collected postcards from all of the places that I've visited. They're cheap, lightweight, and you can write fun anecdotes on the back about where you were and who you were with. I date each postcard I buy and write the exact location I bought it on the back so that I'll always remember the details of my trip. Are postcards not your thing? Then find something small that you love! Maybe you'll try to find a magnet or keychain from every city you visit. Who knows? But find something small and inexpensive to help you remember your trip.

Obviously there will be one or two larger souvenirs you just have to have. Maybe it will be a native scarf or dress from the country you're visiting. Maybe you'll fall in love with a hand-carved figurine. Maybe you just love the chocolate and you want to bring it home for your friends and family to try. It's okay to buy a few big-ticket items, but make sure you really want them. Don't buy things impulsively! Save the room in your suitcases for the purchases that you fell in love with, and use small items like postcards to simply remember your trip!

In traveling to England for the first time, there are a litany of things that I'm excited to see, but there are also many things from back home that I will miss. Here's a quick list what I'll miss about living in the states.

1. Driving. This is actually my biggest pet peeve regarding both DC and London. As a native San Diegan, I have to drive everywhere: to the store, to the gym, even to my mailbox. I’ve learnt to take solace in the inevitable amount of driving that I do, and it’s come to be one of the things I love most about my daily routine. London, unfortunately, will not provide me with the opportunity to drive. Not only do they drive on the left side of the road, the dashboard and interior of English cars are completely flipped. Furthermore, London traffic is supposed to be notoriously bad, worse than traffic in DC, even.

2. No fish. In London, seafood is a quintessential part of thee cuisine. Whether it's upscale dining or a fish and chips stand, it's difficult to escape the English seafood. This is rather unfortunate for me, because all seafood makes me quite ill. Don't get me wrong; if you're visiting London, I encourage you to try it, but it's just not for me.

3. Sunshine. Perhaps it's my own personal bias, but there is no place in the world that has sunshine like my San Diego hometown. In London, it's dreary and rainy pretty much every day. One of the biggest tips I've received is to bring a raincoat and a good umbrella; apparently, I'll need them.

4. TV. Of course this was going to be on the list! I have a finite amount of time living in London; I don't want to waste it watching my favorite shows on Amazon Prime and Netflix. But how will I get through an entire 4 months without my Arrow or Parenthood fix? Of course, I won't be completely without visual entertainment. Nerd that I am, I've already familiarized myself with British television: from dramas like Doctor Who or Broadchurch, humorous "factual" programing like Top Gear, or channel 4 panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats or Mock the Week, I think I have my British TV bases covered.

5. Knowledge of my surroundings. Though I look forward to seeing and exploring London, the fact is it's a little frightening to enter a foreign country with little knowledge about the shops and hang-outs near my apartment. Will I accidentally stumble into a bad part of town? Successfully navigate the tube system? Be able to find Argos when I need it? I hope so; I plan to make it my personal mission to learn and explore as much about London as I can whilst I'm there.

By Jess Yacovelle

GW offers a litany of different countries that you can study abroad in on every continent in the world, save for the frozen one. There are literally opportunities to suite any desire that you may have.

 

So why am I going to London? After all, it's a rather expansive world out there, so what was it about London that intrigued me? There's a myriad of reasons, truth be told, but I won't bore you with them all. In summation, there were two deciding factors: the language and the culture.

 

I'm not going to lie, the fact that England is an English-speaking country drew me towards it. It's not that I don't want to learn a second language - quite the contrary, actually - I just possess a knack for utterly butchering any foreign language I attempt to speak. French, Spanish, you name it and I can't speak it. No joke, I was literally told by my GW Spanish 4 professor that I write as though I'm in an advanced Spanish class but I speak as though I'm in Spanish 101. I figured I'd best stick to English-speaking countries, lest I accidentally wander into a restricted area because I can't understand what local law enforcement is saying.

 

The overwhelming reason I chose London, however, has to do with the literary culture. I'm an English major; nothing gets me hotter than curling up with a cup of coffee and reading Thomas Hardy or James Joyce. Though there are some profound American writers that I enjoy, it's the writers from the United Kingdom that truly peak my interest. The world has changed tremendously since Beckett or Dickens last published their work, yet I still feel as though I need to walk in their shoes and experience the progression of their cultures. I want to be able to discern between the cultural differences of those from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I want the ability to pick out a Yorkshire accent from a UK line-up. I want to learn about the culture and the history of the writers who inspire my own writing.

 

In truth, my journey to London begins with one part ineptitude, two parts curiosity. Though I don't expect my own failings with enunciating in Spanish to be assuaged anytime soon, I hope this utter chance of a lifetime will somewhat satisfy my curiosity. I doubt it, though; I bet no matter how much of London I see, it will never be enough. But such is life, eh?