United Kingdom – Page 2 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Gender 101

AdminOctober 26, 2015December 14, 2018

"In what ways has your community supported the thoughts you had on your identity before going abroad? In what ways has it challenged or altered how you identify yourself?"

I have to admit, I struggled a lot with this prompt. Without a doubt, I'm not the same person I was before I left for study abroad. I've become more adaptable, adventurous, self-sufficient, and comfortable exploring other cultures.

But of course, I knew this wasn't the prompt meant.

It's difficult to explain how my host community has supported and/or challenged my sexuality because in many ways, it's done neither. People seem to be generally accepting here; being gay just isn't that big of a big deal. On the other hand, there isn't a lot of gay visibility either. Exeter is extremely homogeneous; most people here are straight, cisgender, white, politically-moderate youths from Surrey. Beyond the university's LGBTQIA+ society (which doesn't do activism) and Exeter's one small gay club, there isn't much of a queer community or dating scene to speak of. And as lonely as that can be, it's given me a lot of time to focus on my own identity as a bisexual woman outside of the context of relationships and community.

The moment that kickstarted that reflection came in the form of Gender 101, a discussion hosted by Feminist and LGBTQIA+ Societies on the basics of gender identity and expression. At one point, a facilitator stated that there are as many genders as there are people, because each person interprets what it means to be, say, a cisgender woman, differently. This opens the door to multiple cisgender femininities, an idea that I had never considered before but found incredibly intriguing. ...continue reading "Gender 101"

Hello, World!

AdminAugust 18, 2015December 14, 2018

By Closed Account

Welcome to my first foray into the GW Blog-From-Abroad-o-sphere! My name is Robyn, and I'm a twenty-year-old junior hailing from Brookfield, Wisconsin. I'm studying Political Science and English Literature with special interests in comparative politics, human rights, ethnic conflict, and women's issues. After I graduate, I hope to go to law school somewhere in the Midwest; I'm still working out what comes after that!

...continue reading "Hello, World!"

The Differences Between the UK and DC

AdminOctober 11, 2014December 14, 2018

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.

Farewell Ye Land of Haggis and Bagpipes

AdminMay 31, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

As I reflect back on my semester abroad a number of things pop into my mind: my first walk to class, getting lost on my first walk to class, eating a full Scottish breakfast and learning to properly say “cheers” instead of thank you. Surprisingly however, the most memorable experiences of mine occurred in the last two weeks of my stay here. The first of these is my visit to The Big Cheese and the second is my long-awaited trip to the Scottish Highlands. The Big Cheese, you see, is a type of a student club, occurring solely on Saturday nights. ...continue reading "Farewell Ye Land of Haggis and Bagpipes"

The Identity Crisis

AdminApril 30, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

In my first post, I gave a brief account on my background as an Ukranian-American. Following up, in the next series of posts, I described the categorization of Americans that takes place here in Scotland. Interestingly enough, not much has changed in terms of my identity. It's pretty clear to everyone around me that I'm American. When asked where I come from, my first instinct is always to say New York. However, if asked about my nationality, I do tend to delve a little deeper and illuminate my audience on my ethnic diversity. Going back to the United States, I will definitely be much more aware of my American dialect. Out of all characteristics differentiating me from my peers, it's the one that's been the most poignant. While not everyone here is of Scottish or English descent, they have all grown up learning "British" pronunciation and grammar. These are students coming from all over Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. So of course it’s hard to even get into the topic of identity when the first words of my mouth give it all away. ...continue reading "The Identity Crisis"

To Identify or To Not Identify…

AdminApril 2, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

The thousands of American/abroad students and other foreigners from outside the UK make up the majority of the student population here. I guess you could say Edinburgh hasn’t really altered my communal values. To a certain extent however I feel more comfortable identifying myself as a Ukrainian than as an American. Stereotypes flow freely across Europe, and as soon as my New York accent flies off my tongue I automatically get badgered with questions and comments. “Why would you ever leave and come here?” “I want to marry a New Yorker.” “How do you say ‘hot dog’?” ...continue reading "To Identify or To Not Identify…"

My Community

AdminFebruary 19, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

com·mu·ni·ty

noun

a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

"the sense of community that organized religion can provide"

That is the three of us! Sabrina, Ariel and I: the three stooges from GW.

We all arrived here together and have become great friends during the last month.

My community here first and foremost includes these lovely ladies; I would be a complete mess without them.

This is George Square aka Our Campus here at the University of Edinburgh.

This picture doesn't do the vast property any justice, but you can take my word for it that it's absolutely stunning.

My sense of community here arises from my classes, my professors and my fellow student body.

I spend most of my days here, so I figured it's only fair to feature it in this post. ...continue reading "My Community"

Categories, Labels and Identities

AdminJanuary 29, 2014December 14, 2018

By sonyakalmin

Hey there! My name is Sonya and I am a junior at GW currently studying English Literature for a semester in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Stemming from a first-generation Ukrainian family, I have always oscillated between my American and my immigrant identity. Growing up in an all-Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York further accentuated the difference between my peers and me. However, it wasn’t until High School that I began to understood how little of a role my heritage played in the grander scheme of things, and by that I mean the millions of various backgrounds each teenager growing up in New York encounters. So in a nutshell, while feeling confused, even uncomfortable with my identity as a pre-teen, by the time I reached young adulthood I was fully aware that I wasn’t alone in the ‘strange family’ category. It wasn’t long before I became quite content with my own unconventional heritage. ...continue reading "Categories, Labels and Identities"