London – Page 5 – GW Blogs from Abroad

The (American) Elephant in the Room

AdminOctober 3, 2016December 14, 2018

Whenever I tell people here that I'm from the U.S., there's usually one topic they cannot help but discuss: Donald Trump.

People I've encountered from Greece to China to Germany and the U.K. have all asked me with a sense of curiosity and often a healthy dose of friendly ridicule how the man they knew as a brash and boastful reality television star became the Republican nominee for president.

Without getting too political, let's just say he doesn't appear to be too popular overseas.

There's usually a similar set of questions: What do you think of Trump? Can he win? Why does America like him? Do you know people that support him?

...continue reading "The (American) Elephant in the Room"

A Whirlwind First Week

AdminSeptember 26, 2016December 14, 2018

By agoudsward

My first week in London has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. It has been a whirlwind of new and unique experiences. Each day almost feels like a week in itself.

First of all, if you're planning to study abroad in the U.K., I'd highly recommend not coming through Ireland. I did because it was a cheaper fare, but it was a mistake. If you come through Ireland, you don't go through immigration upon arrival in the U.K. which means I wasn't able to get my student visa on arrival as I planned.

It wasn't a pleasant experience landing alone in a foreign country for the first time and having customer service at the airport tell you that they "don't have a clue" how you could get a visa that you need to enroll at your new University in three days.

Luckily, after consulting with GW England staff I was able to get the visa, but only after taking a last minute EuroStar train to Paris and then returning to London the same day so I could reenter the U.K. and get the visa, the night before I had to officially enroll at UCL. I know, you don't feel bad for me that I "had" to go to Paris and truth be told the city was magical... during the 90 minutes I spent there.

...continue reading "A Whirlwind First Week"

First impressions

AdminSeptember 19, 2016December 14, 2018

By agoudsward

My first few hours in London have been a whirlwind. It's a unique experience landing, for the first time, an ocean away from home on a completely different continent with about 40 minutes of sleep under your belt.

Everything should be, and truly was exciting from riding the train past the post-card worthy thatched roof houses in the English countryside and riding The Underground for the first time to eating my first meal of fish and chips.

...continue reading "First impressions"

The Waiting Game

AdminSeptember 12, 2016December 14, 2018

By agoudsward

This time next week I will finally be in London. I will finally be able to use this space to write about my actual study abroad experience (instead of speculating about what it will be like or writing about my dull preparation.) Next week, I will finally be able to offer impressions of England, my thoughts on traveling alone thousands of miles across an ocean and what's it has been like to live in a foreign country (at least for a night or two).

But at this point it's all still theoretical, almost imaginary. Big Ben, Tower Bridge, UCL, my soon-to-be dorm room, all still seem like another world, a world that I've always wanted to visit, but that still feels inaccessible in a certain way.

...continue reading "The Waiting Game"

Confronting the unknown

AdminSeptember 1, 2016December 14, 2018

By agoudsward

This week, as most of my friends packed up and headed back to school, it suddenly started to seem real that I was about to do something very different. It was no longer a dream or a vision, in a few weeks I would actually be living in London. Choosing to study abroad wasn't an easy decision for me. Even though it was always something I knew I wanted to make part of my college experience, last spring, the end of my sophomore year, I finally began to feel like I found my place at GW. For a few weeks I agonized over whether I wanted to leave my friends, Washington D.C. and taking classes in my major. In the end, the pull of experiencing something new was too strong. I knew I might never get a chance to live abroad again in my life.

...continue reading "Confronting the unknown"

A London Full of Surprises

AdminMarch 31, 2015December 17, 2018

View of the entire premiere set up at the Tower of London

This past weekend, I traveled to London to visit two of my best friends. Being with my people, and not to mention in one of the best cities in the world was amazing, to say the least. We had a weekend filled with laughs, adventures, and memories that will last us a lifetime. One of the craziest things that happened to me while in London was something that began with a simple visit to the Tower of London. After a long day at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour for the making of the Harry Potter films (if you’re not jealous at this point, I may need to check your pulse), we decided to take an evening stroll along the Thames. After stopping at the London Bridge, we hung a quick left and ended up at the Tower of London. Since it was 17 pounds just to get in (around $25), we decided to just walk around and enjoy the beauty from the outside. What can I say? I’m a tourist on a budget! As we approached the tube station to get home, we passed a car with a Game of Thrones decal, and a bunch of tents. At the time, I thought this setup was nothing more than a raffle or publicity event for the show. So, we were on our way.

11082639_10206567855097851_6990083204250750673_n — Red Carpet Area

About half an hour later, however, my friend received a text from someone she knew talking about the Game of Thrones premiere that night. At that point, the instinctual GoT fan living inside of me knew that we had to go back. Lo and behold, only an hour later, the red carpet for the new season premiere was in full swing. And let me tell you, HBO went all out for this one. There were bonfires set up everywhere, and a giant projector that was showing animations of dragons and interviews that were going on inside the tower. Let’s not forget all of this is taking place on the lawn of an ancient fortress. All of it was 100% Game of Thrones.

We spent about an hour at the premiere, catching glimpses of whomever showed up next (Lena Headey, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Alfie Allen, and even Charles Dance), watching the live interviews, and being shocked by how overwhelming the red carpet actually seems. After a while, we got cold, tired and hungry, and decided to grab something to eat. But, I can honestly say that showing up to the Game of Thrones season premiere was one of the coolest, most spur-of-the-moment things I have done. That’s what I really love about traveling—you never really know what you are going to come across on any given journey. Whether it was a talked-about premiere, a trip to Windsor while the Queen was actually in residence, or teatime with the most hilarious storeowner I have ever met, London was full of surprises that I’m sure I will carry with me for a lifetime.

My Identity

AdminFebruary 5, 2015December 14, 2018

By mluevano17

I identify myself as having a Mexican ethnicity and an American nationality. My background is mostly a source of pride for myself but it can be quite confusing. One of the main issues for me is the fact that I do not look or act according to many people’s expectations of a person with Mexican ethnicity. I find discomfort in the fact that for many people in the United States, especially in my home state of California; “Mexican” also brings up subjects such as “illegal immigration” or a certain kind of job such as “housekeeper” or “gardener”. ...continue reading "My Identity"

A Final Farewell: Leaving London

AdminDecember 31, 2014December 17, 2018

By Jess Yacovelle

I'm currently sitting on a plane from London Heathrow to San Diego's Lindbergh Field. I waited until I was on the plane to write this last post for two reasons: 1) packing woes previously overwhelmed me, and 2) it felt silly to write about my overall London experience whilst still in London.

The past three and a half months were more than I ever thought I'd experience in regards to Europe. When I entered my freshman year at GW, I had no plans to study abroad. My parents were against it because of the cost, my then-boyfriend didn't like the idea of me leaving the country, and my own personal goals as a student and a writer meant that I didn't want to be away from GW. In the second semester of my junior year, I chose to study abroad on a whim - literally two weeks before the application deadline for King's - and I barely submitted my materials in time. In truth, I can't remember what made me decide to study abroad - the promise of adventure, fear of the future, a desire to get away - but to any GW students still on the fence about study abroad, I can tell you this: it was the best decision I've ever made.

Studying in London allowed me to start over in a new city but with the safety net of GW ready to provide help if I needed it. I had to find my way (literally and metaphorically), make new friends, and create a life for myself in the King's community in a very different way from when I started as a freshman at GW over three years ago. It forced me to stand on my own two feet. I'm still terrified for the future and apprehensive for life after GW, but I'm now confident in myself and my ability to build a life and identity for myself, no matter what.

More importantly, study abroad opened my eyes to the different cultures of the world. I grew up fairly sheltered - I've traveled heavily in the US and Canada, but I never left North America as a child - and it's only through participating in study abroad that I've realized just how much there is to see, and how easy it is to see it.

There's a famous post on Tumblr, in which a blogger states: "My bro just came prancing into my room with a Burger King crown. We don't have Burger King in Belgium. He drove all the way to the Netherlands." That sort of cultural-merging is absolutely true about my experience with living in London. I remember back in October I spent the morning in Prague and the evening in London. I took a train from London to Paris in 2 hours. A flight to Ireland lasted barely an hour. All of these different countries and cultures are so close together, there's no reason not to see it. As Americans, we're at a disadvantage because these things aren't at our fingertips.

Study abroad changed my life, because I'm now determined to return to Europe and spend a month or two backpacking. Public transportation passes like the Eurail Pass make it affordable to travel for a couple of months without breaking the bank, and hostels are decent enough accommodations. In fact, I've done the math and - as a west coast girl - the most expensive part of my trip would be the plane tickets there and back; the plane tickets are almost equal to what hostels and train tickets would cost for one month.

I now have a strong desire to see the rest of the world, to experience the differences between as many cultures as possible, and I didn't before. It's a cliché (perhaps it's a cliché for a reason), but study abroad opened my eyes to the rest of the world, and I would highly recommend it to any and all GW students.

5 Fandoms You Can Explore in the UK

AdminDecember 27, 2014December 14, 2018

By Jess Yacovelle

For the majority of my blog posts, I've written about the United Kingdom social culture or the schooling system. This time, I'm going to wax on and on about arguably my favorite part of the UK: the fan culture. Living in the United Kingdom is like living in Hollywood: chances are, someone has filmed something on every major street in London, so if you're a big nerd like me, you can experience some major geek-out moments no matter where you go in the UK. Here are my personal top give fandom tidbits about the London and the United Kingdom.

1) Soccer, aka football. I'm not one of those people who insist sports aren't fandoms; anyone willing to spend hundreds of dollars a year on stadium tickets belongs in a fandom, and the UK is therefore a great place to visit. In London, there are (at least) four different football teams and games are shown at almost every pub. You can essentially watch a soccer game anytime you want. Many stadiums also offer tours, and all stadiums have a gift shop! If you're a soccer fan, the UK is the place to feed your addiction.

2) Olympics. In the same vein as soccer, some people are massive fans of the Olympics. The 2012 Olympics were held in Stratford, just outside of London, and you can go tour the area! Some of the stadium is closed for renovations until 2016, but the rest is currently open to the public and visitable. Furthermore, you can see some of the medals and the Olympic torch, which is kept in London's City Hall, by Tower Bridge on the Southbank.

3) Doctor Who. It's the show all generations of people love. Doctor Who recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. In Cardiff, Wales a Doctor Who Museum and set tour has been assembled for fans of the long-standing series to peruse. Fans of the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood should also go see the Roald Dahl Plass, where the Torchwood hub is marked and Ianto's Door, a memorial to a fictional character. You can also check out sites that appeared in the show, such as Cardiff Castle, Canary Wharf, and Trafalgar Square. Want more Doctor Who goodness? Check out fan forums for tips.

4) Literary love. If you're a fan of any English literature - Shakespeare, Victorian, Irish - there are tons of places you can visit in London. A replica of Shakespeare's Globe theatre stands on the edge of the Thames. The Fitzroy Tavern in Holburn offers literary pub crawls. Plaques all over London and Dublin detail the places favorited by writers and poets, or where they used to live and write. A certain cafe in Edinburgh boasts being the writing home of JK Rowling. For Victorian writers like Dickens, you can still see the same streets and landmarks that are mentioned in their stories! Do some research and check out the best sites!

5) Harry Potter! Remember how I mentioned JK Rowling earlier? The after effects of her works are visible all over London and the UK! In addition to visiting the famous Rowling cafe, you can head over to Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station. Then, visit Leavesdon Studios (off of the Watford Junction train stop outside of London), where they filmed the movies. You can take guided walking tours of places either mentioned in the series or used in filming, including Borough Market in London and the Millennium Bridge. Get your wizarding nerd on with some Harry Potter love!

These are just my nerdy Brit-joys; research yours and enjoy the experience!

Christmas in London

AdminDecember 24, 2014December 17, 2018

By Jess Yacovelle

London as a city is obsessed with Christmas as a holiday. From the day after Halloween up until Boxing Day, London is decked out in Christmas spirit and cheer, even more so than in the United States. There is no question of political correctness and whether London is allowed to celebrate Christmas when not everyone does, and as a result, the city has transformed into a holiday wonderland. Here are the top five pre-December 25th London Christmas facts!

1) Everyone wishes you a Happy Christmas. Yes, London acknowledges that other religions and holidays exist, but Christmas has sort of become so separated from actual religion in England that it's perfectly normal to wish everyone a Happy Christmas regardless of their beliefs.

2) Decorations. Decorations are everywhere. Christmas trees pop up in shops and lobbies, tinsel and lights are hung across streets, and fairy lights decorate trees and bushes. For nearly two straight months, you can walk down Oxford Street or Chancery Lane and see near-constant decorations, and it is absolutely beautiful, especially at night.

3) Hyde Park. Northwest of Buckingham Palace is Hyde Park, a lovely large patch of grass and trees that stretches into Kensington Gardens. During Christmas, the southwest corner of Hyde Park is transformed into a Winter Wonderland carnival. There is a ferris wheel, carnival rides, ice skating, games, shops, and every type of fair food imaginable. It's free to get into, and absolutely worth attending, especially since Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are gorgeous tourist destinations in and of themselves.

4) Winter markets. There are Christmas-themed markets hidden all over London, especially along the Thames. I've accidentally stumbled upon three thus far, and there are more I haven't been to yet. Some of these markets - like the one in front of the Tate Modern or by the London Eye - are temporary and not there for eleven months out of the year, so these holiday markets are truly a unique aspect of Christmas in London.

5) Everything is set to shut down Christmas Day. All of those markets and the Hyde Park fair that I mentioned earlier are completely dead on Christmas day. Theatre shows don't have performances, shops close, and public transit is much more limited. In fact, only nice restaurants offer Christmas dinners on December 25th, but you have to make reservations months in advance.

Bonus: Christmas TV specials. Yes, we do this in the states as well, but England as a whole has a tradition of creating new Christmas specials every year. From scripted shows like Doctor Who to comedy panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats, England produces new Christmas specials every single year. One of the better known panel shows that is released only at Christmas is The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, a show that is released once a year around Boxing Day, and one that I luckily got to see recorded live.