Top 7 Recommended Applications for Studying Abroad!

I’ve only got a few more weeks here in London so I feel as if I’ve learned the ropes of getting around! Traveling around London was so much easier with the help of these applications. I felt more confident in navigating my way through this unfamiliar city. We are the technological age after all, so why not take full advantage of our capabilities and having the world in the palm of our hands? The majority of these apps are meant to navigate, but I included a few that aren’t travel-related. That being said, given most of them are travel-related, let’s start with those!

Google Maps

1. Google Maps: This is hands down my most used navigation app over here. Although I’m sure you know what this app is, I’ll expand on what I use it for. So, as I’ve mentioned several times in previous posts, walking is definitely the best mode of transport when you’re out and about. I use this app’s walking function so much, due to the fact that things are so close to each other I use it to plan out my route if I have a lot of places I want to go. This app tells you the exact turns to make and makes you feel a lot more confident in traveling around. My friends and I also use this app to search up a place to see what the closest tube station is. So, if we are using the tube then we can find out what the best line to take would be. This leads me into my next most used app…
2. Tube Map: This app is the best to figure out the quickest lines and transfers to make to get to your destination. This app is especially useful when you first get here and don’t know the lines that will get you to your location. With this app, you won’t have to look at the map and trace the lines (although that’s included too). You simply type in your starting station and your destination station and the best routes and alternative routes are given to you, including live updates. You can even plug in popular landmarks and the app will tell you the closest route.

Tube Map selection

Tube Map routes

3. City Mapper: A lot of my friends over here use this app frequently, so I thought I’d mention it. I use it sometimes, it’s very helpful on the bus when you want to see how many stops are left until yours. However, I don’t use it besides for bus routes because it confuses me quite a bit. I prefer the above two but this one may be your new favorite! I’m sure if I gave it the time I could figure it out so maybe this one will work for you, as it does the rest of my friends. It even let’s you know the approximate cost for an Uber!

   

   City Mapper

 

4. Train Line: So, these next two are going to be related to traveling outside of London. As I’ve mentioned before, I highly recommend going on weekend trips to other countries and the best way to get to the airport you’ve chosen is by train. At least, that’s been my experience. This app allows you to look up live updates for your train and has your boarding pass information at your fingertips.It helps a lot with stress-free travel.

Train Line

5. EasyJet/Vueling/RyanAir: These are the applications for the top three budget airlines for traveling around the UK. I don’t know what I would do without these! They are all the same basic layout, but you have your boarding pass, live updates from your flight and can even book a car or hotel through the app. Again, it makes for stress free traveling and helps you keep track of all your travel information. Something I’m all for!

Easy Jet dashboard

Vueling dashboard

RyanAir dashboard

These next two applications are non-travel related but I use them so much I thought I’d include them:

6. What’s App: This is the best free messaging app to use when you don’t have a big plan on your phone. I can message people via text with the SIM card I bought here but What’s App is the best way to message a lot of people without your bill skyrocketing. What’s App is so key to stay in contact with people when you are far away from them. It also allows you to make calls that can last as long as you want! There’s even an app on the laptop so when you’re on a break from your homework you can easily send long messages.

What’s App (picture taken from app store)

7. XE Currency: This app is really useful for figuring out how much the dollar is worth over here. When I go to take out money from the ATM I always use this app to see when the projected best time to cash out would be. It’s also nice to use when you’re trying to budget and need to track how much is actually being taken out of your bank account (in USD) when you’re buying something with your card. Lastly, I use this for paying people back using an app like Venmo. If they use their card and you want to pay them back it’s best to see how many USD you need to pay them back rather than GBP, because the pound is worth more than the dollar right now.

XE Currency

So those are my top 7 most-used apps when I’m studying abroad! I don’t know what I would do without these, they make me a much more confident traveler. I’m able to enjoy being in London rather than worrying about how to navigate from place to place or what to do if I get lost. Make sure to download them before venturing out to study abroad!

Hi There, Barcelona!

Welcome to Barcelona!

The motto for this excursion was RESILIENCE! My trip to Barcelona was a bit rocky, but that’s okay because I’ve learned a lot about how to handle certain situations. First tip: ALWAYS double check your ticket. Yes, I went to the wrong airport in London to fly out to Barcelona. I realized too late that I booked a train ticket to the airport I was flying back into London rather that out of London. So, I found myself at the wrong airport alone and there was no way I was going to make my previously booked flight in the different airport. I was very upset for a while, but then I realized I simply had to book another ticket because I wasn’t going to let this stop me from going and meeting my friends! I bought another ticket for the airport that I was currently in and waited around that airport until it was time to take off. Gatwick Airport has a terminal full of bookstores, duty free stores, and restaurants so it wasn’t hard to stay busy. When I finally boarded the plane, we landed late and I couldn’t find my bus to meet my friends at the Airbnb. That was also tricky, and I had a dying phone so I was panicked. But, when I finally got a hold of my travel mates, after calling and worrying to my parents a bit, I had just enough battery to make it to the Airbnb and get inside the building. I was so grateful because my phone was on 3%! Second tip: ALWAYS travel with a fully charged battery AND a back-up power bank just in case. I plugged my phone in immediately when I arrived and waited for my friends to return. When they did, we were all exhausted so I told them of my unfortunate adventure and we went to bed.

Arc de Triomf!

We stopped at a cute bakery for a treat after Museo Picasso!

Mango sorbet!

Museo Picasso!

One of the street performers we saw!

The next day, I had much higher expectations for so we set early alarms and set out for the Picasso Museum! Unfortunately though, we hit another bump in the road. This leads me to my third tip: ALWAYS ensure that you buy the correct train ticket that includes all the zones you plan on traveling too. We bought the wrong ticket; I believe there was a language barrier between the ticket dealer and us. We had to buy another one at the Barcelona station (we were staying outside of the city). I was so used to the London transportation system, I didn’t realize how different the Barcelona transportation systems might be. But once we were out of that situation, we went to Museo Picasso and it was very interesting to see some of his original works! Following that, we went to a delicious brunch place and walked around Barcelona. We passed through the Carrer de Jardi with the Arc de Triomf! Yes, there is in fact one in Barcelona as well! There were really interesting street performers and it was one of the sunnier days of the trip so we enjoyed wandering around. Then, came time for my favorite part: La Sagrada Familia! Fourth tip: if you wish to tour La Sagrada Familia, book your ticket in advance online. Fortunately, we did do this in advance because our other friends who traveled to Barcelona the weekend before us warned that it would sell out quickly. Despite the bumps in the road, I feel that La Sagrada Familia truly made this whole trip to Barcelona worthwhile for me. It is a stunningly beautiful church with intricate stained glass windows throughout the large space. Truly a perfect picturesque location! I wandered around the main area of the Church for about 45 minutes, that’s how much I enjoyed it (it’s one big space). This is a must-see for me, I highly recommend you put it on your must-see list as well. The stained glass created a beautiful aura of pinkish light in the air and there was so much history to take in. Another room I recommend visiting is the prayer area. There are security guards standing outside this archway to ensure that no pictures are taken and no one is boisterous. It was an amazing feeling when I walked through that archway. Needless to say, I was in high spirits when I left La Sagrada Familia. The day ended well as we wandered around the streets of the city, and ate at an authentic restaurant. We ended the day by walking up and down La Rambla (an energetic, extensive street lined with markets and shops) and gelato from a lovely little bakery!

Front of La Sagrada Familia!

Window wall in La Sagrada Familia!

The altar of La Sagrada Familia!

Stained glass walls!

It’s filled with beautiful stained glass!

Pink aura in La Sagrada Familia!

Stained glass!

Greetn-tinted stained glass!

The pink aura was beautiful!

Entire wall of stained glass!

Pink aura in La Sagrada Familia!

Standing by La Sagrada Familia!

Ceiling of La Sagrada Familia!

Side of La Sagrada Familia!

The designs are so intricate!

Front door of La Sagrada Familia!

Beautiful sun shining through the stained glass!

The murals were massive!

Another exhibition in La Sagrada Familia!

Stairs on display outside La Sagrada Familia!

The next day we allowed ourselves a bit more of a lay in and then boarded the train in Barcelona. Today on the agenda, we had Park Guell and El Tibidado! Our first stop was Park Guell, and a little heads-up it’s a hike up to the top! You have to walk up a steep sidewalk and then there’s a few escalators to the top. Following that, you hike higher up and then go down to the actual mosaic benches and walls. The color of the mosaics were so bright and intense, it was lovely. Definitely a picture destination. The mosaics continue down to the buildings and shops. It was very crowded, so be sure to stick to your time-stamp and budget a good amount of time in. After we had our fill of the mosaics, we went to El Tibidado. We had to take a bus up to the top where you catch the lift to the very top of El Tibidado. It was a beautiful site to see! We caught the sun as it was setting and from that high up it was as if it was right even with our line of sight. Because the sun was setting, the air of El Tibidado was tinted orange and made it that much more beautiful. We went inside the church and rode on the Ferris wheel! The view from the top of the Ferris wheel is unmatched, especially when it is nightfall and all of Barcelona is lit up.

Park Guell ceiling!

Happy to be in Barcelona!

Friends I travelled with in Barcelona!

Lizard mosaic in Park Guell!

Park Guell mosaic wall!

Mosaic bench!

From the top of Park Guell!

Park Guell buildings!

Park Guell sign!

At the top of Park Guell!

Mosaic bench backside!

We had a very early flight the next morning so we tried to book a taxi to the airport for the morning. We thought we had it booked, but apparently it didn’t go through so we found ourselves standing outside our Airbnb at 4:00 am without a taxi to catch our flight at 6:30 am. Once again, resistance! Unfortunately, Uber hasn’t made it to Spain yet and many of the taxi services we looked up were closed that early. So fifth tip: one of the first things to do is look at your host’s recommendations. We were in an apartment style building and after hours of calling taxis that didn’t pick up, we called a number on one of the many sheets on the table. Thank God that taxi service picked up and we had a friend that spoke Spanish. We managed to get to the airport in enough time but it was a stressful journey!

El Tibidado sign!

Walkway to the church on El Tibidado!

Day view at top of El Tibidado!

Forests view at top of El Tibidado!

Sunset from El Tibidado!

Church lit up at night!

El TIbidado church!

Ferris wheel on El Tibidado!

Barcelona all lit up!

Inside El Tibidado church!

Altar of El Tibidado church!

Overall, despite the bumps in the road I am still glad that I went to Barcelona. Being here in England, I only have 3 months to be able to see as much as I can over here for the cheapest I can at the moment. What other times can you fly to Vienna one weekend then Barcelona the next? Sixth and final tip: stay positive despite road bumps and remember to get the most out of whatever experience you find yourself in!

Until next time Barcelona

The School System in the UK!

Despite all of my previous posts about the fun sightseeing aspects of London, I am here to study after all! I am taking three courses and have my internship (London translation: placement) 14 hours a week. So, I am quite busy over here! Something that took a bit of getting used to was the different school system. There are a few specific parts of the education system that are specifically unique. To begin broadly, to be awarded their Bachelor’s degree they only must complete 3 years of University. In comparison to the 4 years that it takes for United States students. I’m still contemplative whether the shortened degree requirement is more or less desirable. I feel as if I cram so much in a semester I don’t know how they can squeeze all the information into three years!

 

Going to school in London is beautiful!

Another stark difference is that you receive your final grade based on only 2-3 projects or essays for the entire term. There are no chapter tests or finals as we are used to in the United States. In fact, I haven’t taken one exam since I came here and I know I won’t be taking any exams in the remaining three weeks. There are no quizzes either, however there are weekly set readings. These readings can range from 10-45 pages, it depends on the subject matter and that professor. However, those are the only regularly scheduled “homework” items. Although, the professors don’t check to see if you’ve read the set readings, you will just have more to contribute in the seminar. I am taking three classes and of these one class has an oral presentation, and two reflection essays due at the end of the semester. Another class has a group project and a 1500-2000 word research essay as the assessment tools. Finally, the last class has a group oral presentation and an essay for the final mark. So, despite not having any exams, you still definitely have to set aside some time every day for a class.

 

My University room!

Another difference that I noticed is the set up of the classes. My classes, and from what I’ve heard majority if not all the classes at the University take this form, only meet once a week for 3-4 hours each session. So, yes they are longer classes than we are used to but you receive 15-minute breaks and the hours are broken up. My longest class is the class that is attached to my internship, that is 4 hours a week. But, my other two classes are only 3 hours a week. This set up works out for me, because on the days I’m off I go to my internship. In the beginning, the class length was hard to adjust too. But, I have gotten accustomed to it and I’m glad that when I go back my 1 hour and 15 minute classes will feel like a breeze!

 

Planning is so important in Uni!

Additionally, the make up of the classes take on a specific form. The class time is broken up into a lecture, a seminar and maybe a workshop. For two of my classes the lecture is the first hour, followed by the seminar for the next two hours. Then, my 4-hour class has a workshop for the last hour while my other class simply ends. In another 3-hour class, the lecture is the first couple hours followed by one hour of workshop. So, despite the longer class time it is broken up well to give the student a bit of a break and change of pace.

 

My friends and I walking to class!

Overall, I find that the adjustments to the learning system are beneficial to each country in different ways. There are definitely pros and cons to both. Despite the differences, though, I have been enjoying learning in a new environment and drawing these comparisons throughout the term. It’s shocking to me that I will be returning back to the States in 3 weeks time! I will definitely take some of what I learned works best for me back to the States.

My Favorite London Location: The Tower Bridge!!

I’m well into my term here in London, and let me tell you it has been wonderful and eye-opening. As I’ve mentioned so many times before, we went to as many places as we could in the time we had so far! I’ve visited the London Bridge, the Shard, Camden, Big Ben, the London Eye and so many more. But, from the moment I saw it I knew the Tower Bridge was going to be my favorite place to be here in London. Besides the fact that it’s so beautiful and majestic during the day, it lights up the sky at night. I was surprised when I saw how saturated the aqua blue color of the tower bridge was. Aqua blue is my favorite color and it meshed perfectly with the stone of the towers.

Tower Bridge in all it’s glory

Look at the beautiful blue!

Tower Bridge

I was told that the London Bridge was actually built to look at the Tower Bridge. So, that’s when you know it is truly mesmerizing. I make sure to take all the people that visit me here to the Tower Bridge, because it is a very nice area along with a lovely sight. There’s the Tower of London right on the side of it and on the other side is the Queen’s Walk. This is a long stretch of pavement that goes along the side of the River Thames and has a fun mini market to the side. Also, there’s some very delicious restaurants next to the Tower Bridge. One of the times we went we ate at a restaurant called Strada which has a perfect view of the Tower Bridge!

View from the London Bridge!

My friends and I went to see the Tower Bridge!

Tower Bridge side view!

Another great experience at the Tower Bridge is the Tower Bridge Exhibition. This is an opportunity to actually enter the towers and the top walkways! Before I knew about this experience, I remember telling my friends how much I would love to actually go to the top walkway in between the towers. My wish came true! Right now, the engine room is being fixed so it was at a discounted price of only a little more than £4 for students! The tour starts as you walk or take the elevator up to the top of the tower. The first time I went I walked all the way up and let me tell you it was a hike!

The Queen’s Walk, fit for a queen!

My partner and I at the Tower Bridge

Once you manage to get to the top you can watch a video about the history and other interesting facts about the bridge while looking at some pictures. Then, comes my favorite part: the walkways! You can actually go on both sides of the bridge so that you get a bird’s eye view of London all around the bridge! What I really love about these walkways is the glass bottom sections. Intermittently throughout the walkway there are windows in the floor that let you look down. There are also mirrors on the ceiling so you get a cool optical illusion of floating. When I was up there, I felt like I was a bird in the sky soaring over the Thames!

Tower Bridge at night!

I took my friend Lulu there when she came to visit!

My Aunt Diane loved the view!

This walkway is not merely for the view, it also has a lot of information on all the other massive bridges in the world. There’s also history about why the Tower Bridge was built, who built it, its use and so on and so forth. A video runs on a loop that informs you of more interesting facts about the bridge. Of course, there’s a gift shop at the bottom of the tower and a few more little surprises but I don’t want to spoil them for you! I highly recommend the Tower Bridge Experience. Also, it’s quite close to the Tower of London as I mentioned earlier, and that is a sight to see all on it’s own. You can spend the day exploring those two landmarks and everything around it! It is a very nice area next to the Thames, I would like to go back for the umpteenth time and simply do coursework while gazing out at the beautiful Tower Bridge and River Thames. It’s quite easy to get to on the tube as well, simply go to the Tower Hill station on the Circle Line and there you are! This landmark is a beautiful piece of London’s vast history.

Amazing London Food!

One of the things that my family and I were most worried about when we decided that I was going to study abroad here was that I would be able to find food that I could eat. I have a very sensitive stomach, I’m lactose intolerant, and I can be quite picky if I’m being honest! I’ve also recently gone vegetarian (pescatarian on some days) so I needed specific food available. I was not disappointed; actually I was very pleasantly surprised. London is a wonderful place for people that have specific dietary requirements. It’s very vegetarian friendly!

Delicious fluffy pancakes at the Riding House Cafe!

What I expected when I came here was that it was going to be meat, meat, meat only available! Whenever you look up “classic English foods”, one of the first things that comes up is “Traditional English Breakfast”. This breakfast is very different from what we are used to, in fact I’ve talked to a few people here that find breakfast potatoes to be downright strange! The traditional English breakfast includes baked beans, toast, sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms. Strange, right? That just goes to show how different the food is here from America. But, different doesn’t always mean bad. I haven’t had the traditional English breakfast, but I have had fish and chips which really is so amazing here. Other English foods I looked up was chicken tikka masala, meat pie and Sunday roast. What’s the common denominator in all these dishes? Meat! So, you can see my concern. But, coming here and actually seeing the menus at countless different places and also doing my own grocery shopping has taught me that there’s something for everyone here!

Traditional fish and chips at Sherlock Holmes Restaurant did not disappoint!

Hummus dish at Bill’s!

Vegetarian Goat Cheese Salad at Ask Italian!

Shrimp and tomato dish at Mi+Me!

Exotic Fruit Plate at Sketch!

Besides fish and chips, another big dish here is curries. I haven’t had curry ever before a couple weeks ago. I had my first curry and the people I was with were so surprised that I never had it before! There are a lot of good curry places in England, and they are so easy to make vegetarian. You can find curry restaurants pretty much everywhere in London, that’s why the people I was with were so surprised that I hadn’t had curry before! While eating out at restaurants I noticed that while there are a lot of meat options, there are also a lot of options that are vegetarian and even vegan friendly. What I really enjoyed was that a lot of the restaurants we ate at seemed to have specific markings whether a certain dish was gluten free, vegetarian or vegan. Even in the supermarkets there are entire sections devoted to vegetarian food. One very popular brand of “veggie meat” that I recommend is Quorn. They are sold in many local supermarkets and taste great.

 

Pita and hummus dish at Sherlock Holmes Restaurant!

Salad Vegan Pizza at Pizza Express!

Tofu and Brown Rice Bowl at Wagamamas!

Something worth mentioning in this blog post dedicated to food, is that produce goes off much quicker than in the United States. Often, produce has a “use by” date of only a few days after the day that it is placed in the supermarket. A reason for this is that there are no preservatives whatsoever in London’s produce. Therefore, it goes off quicker. So, I learned the hard way that the best thing to do is buy only a few produce items at a time and make sure you use them or else you have to waste money and throw them away. The good news is, I’ve noticed that groceries are relatively inexpensive here compared to in America. I did my entire week and a half’s worth of shopping for under 20 pounds. True, I am only one person but still it’s very affordable to eat home a lot.

Lola’s Cupcakes!

Hummingbird Cupcakes display!

Florentine pizza at Pizza Express!

Veggie Plate at Mi+Me!

However, being in the city, there will be many times that you simply have to eat out several times a week because you are just too busy running around and experiencing London. Many places to eat offer a student discount, I found this out too late when I’d already gone to a place a dozen times then realized that they have a student discount! So, when you do choose to eat out make sure to ask if there’s a student discount available. Speaking of restaurants, my friends and I have managed to gather a good few places that we highly recommend! For brunch, our favorite is the Riding House Café. I believe this is a chain but there’s one only 5 minutes away from Oxford Street, a very popular shopping street, which is only 10 minutes away from University of Westminster Marylebone campus. This restaurant has a good span of options, including delicious detoxifying smoothies and fluffy pancakes. Pancakes are different here than in America, be careful where you order them because often “pancakes” mean “crepes” here. That rather confused us the first time it happened! But lucky enough, The Riding House Cafe had traditional pancakes that were thick and fluffy! For lunch, a delicious place is Nando’s. This is a relaxed restaurant where you go up and order your food, be sure to try the famous Peri-Peri sauce, and they bring it to your table. It’s a great place to go for Portuguese and South African food. As for dinner, we loved Bill’s Restaurant. This was the first restaurant that my friends and I ate at when we arrived in London, and we’ve gone back a few times since! They have a wide range of options and mark items for gluten free or vegetarian or vegan. I highly recommend the hummus dish. My friends swear that the macaroni and cheese is the best they’ve tasted as well. Even the desserts are delicious, we all got different dishes and enjoyed every bit of it!

Byron’s “Freakshake” my friends and I tried and couldn’t even finish between four people!

So, there is a good starting guide for places to try out when you come here. Along with some food tips that I wish I knew before I came here! There are also some really delicious grab-and-go chains such as Pret A Manger, EAT and Itsu. You can still maintain a good diet when you study here and there are so many delicious restaurants that we don’t have over in the States!

Three of the Best Markets in London!

One of the lovely scenes in London is the market scene! There are several markets scattered about London, and each have their own sort of style. The markets are wonderful places to purchase some fresh food, fashion piece, street food or souvenirs. There are three main markets that I came across whilst I was searching for interesting and fun things to do while abroad. Careful through, some of them are only open on weekends and most of them close relatively early. So, you can spend a day market hopping! Or, there’s actually enough stands to wander around and browse for an entire day at one market. All you need is some good walking shoes and bargaining skills! You can find some of the most unique items and antiques at these markets. And of course, there’s always some delicious food available to try or purchase! So, what are these magical markets? And, where? The three I’m going to focus on are: Borough Market, Portobello Road Market and Camden Market. I think those are a good few to start with. What’s really interesting about markets here is that each and every one has their own individual atmosphere.

I visited one of the markets with my Study Abroad Group!

Borough Market

This was the first ever market that I visited. On my second day here, when my family was still accompanying me, we happened on this market. Again, I’ll say that a reason I love this city. One of many! When you are simply exploring the area, you find an interesting place around the corner. This was the most famous food market. One thing that I’ve noticed is that there was a lot of cheese stands there! Apparently, cheese stands are big in London. At this market they have every food item you could ever want. Everything from spices to meat to fresh produce straight from the gardens to every form of bread imaginable and the most delicious desserts (London translation: puddings). We only explored part of this market and saw all that straight away! Among the stands to buy food to take away, there’s also ready-made food to take around with you as you explore. This is a very good place to do your weekly fresh food shopping; often you can come across some hard-to-beat bargains. There was even more on the other side of the market that we didn’t get a chance to see. Sometimes, they even host events here. For example, on the 19^th of November they will be hosting the Great British Game Food Festival. They bring in speakers, demonstrations and tastings if you register. This is the oldest food market in London and an absolute must see if you’re in the mood for a taster’s day. And fun fact, this was a Harry Potter filming location!

 

Some pastel houses famous to the Portobello Road Market/Notting Hill

Hummingbird Bakery!

The inside of this little bakery is just as beautiful as the cupcakes are delicious!

Portobello Road Market

Now this is the absolute gold mine for an antique collector. This market has over 1,000 dealers up and down the streets that are selling beautiful antiques to transport you back in time. This is the place to come for the classic English tea set. The best section to find some lovely antiques is right next to the Notting Hill tube station. Although, it’s important to note that the biggest antiques trading day is Saturday. I even saw some antiques dated from BC! Once you want to come back to the present, you can stop by the fruit and vegetable stands for a little snack. One stand that really caught my eye were these 3D paper cards that were handmade! They had paper pop-ups of London landmarks, a wonderfully unique souvenir. Along these roads are also quaint little bakeries and then the famous Hummingbird Café! While I was walking up and down the roads, I came across some unique stores and articles of clothing in every color and pattern. If you’re a fan of the film “Notting Hill” you can also visit a film location here!

 

Street art in Camden

A mesmerizing store in Camden Market

Some of the interesting architecture all over Camden, right next to the market

Camden Market

On the other side of the spectrum, there is Camden Market. Although some exceptional food stands are scattered about, this market prides itself on it’s unconventional shops. It is right in the middle of Camden Town and surrounding it are unique shops with items that you truly can’t find anywhere else. There are some very unique music-esque souvenirs as well as delicious takes on food and every article of clothing you need to live the rock ‘n roll life. Camden Market has some of the most creative sellers you can imagine, with one stall being a wooden accessory shop and the next being an indie rock wonderland. If you’re a vintage collector, this is definitely the place to stop by to purchase some unique pieces to add to your collection. But, there’s also a futuristic clubwear store right in the same market. See what I mean about diversity? Whatever you’re tastes, Camden Market is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. And, it’s in the center of a town with some of the best nightlife to try out when you’re finished browsing.

So there you have it, the run down of three of the best markets in London. And they are so easy to get too! Market’s are big here and you simply must spend an afternoon exploring some of London’s past and it’s future in these markets. They are also wonderful places to buy atypical souvenirs for you’re family and friends back home. Happy bargaining!

How America’s Politics Invade London!

In less than 24 hours, my home country will officially know who our president is for the next 4 years (at least). What a scary thought! I’ve been talking to my American friends here about the election for quite a while. However, what surprised me is that as it turns out the election is at the top of Londoner’s minds as well! One of the first things I’m asked when I say I’m from America is, “So, Trump or Hillary?” People here are just as concerned as everyone back in the States, it’s interesting to talk to them about my home country’s politics. They know more about the election than I do about the Brexit! And I did quite a bit of research on their big political change. From the time I got here, about 2 months ago, that’s been the top question I’ve been asked. And here I was thinking I may get a break from our political strife for 3 months!

 

Loose advert on the London Tube!

It still amazes me that this big ordeal is such a huge event for people all around the world. In my travels while I’ve been in the UK, not just in London but even in other countries, I’ve seen ample advertisement on the election. People have their own thoughts about who should win, and they get quite passionate about it. In fact, I got into a 30 minute discussion about the candidates and election with someone from Germany! Even in the tube, you see a loose advertisement about the election. I was in a bookstore and right at the front and center was a section devoted to Donald Trump. You can’t even walk to get a meal at Itsu (a to-go sushi restaurant here) without seeing some form of advertisement for American politics. It’s everywhere! It really shocks and amazes me that people are this concerned about an election that’s not even happening in their country! One of the most shocking advertisements that I came across was that yesterday, the day before the election, I even saw a London “story” on Snapchat entitled “US Election: Thoughts?” A “story” is an account that anyone can view or send videos into. So, even social media is making this election a big to do. And rightfully so. A lot of people I talk to here always mention the election even when a question isn’t directed at me.

On a magazine at Sainsbury’s

In the bookstore, Waterstones

 

In my sociology class yesterday, my professor found a way to bring up the election. In fact, now that I reflect, in multiple of my classes it comes up. We have a discussion on whether the election is highly gender biased among other things. I was at my internship last night and of course the election was an especially popular topic among the members, due to the election being today, I was saying how I’m a bit scared and they chorused back “We’re scared too!” So, with all this political advertisement and talk about town there’s no doubt this election is a big one. People all over the world believe it is going to affect even them and I don’t blame them! This is a perfect example of how America is a superpower and it’s politics affect the entire world. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the results along with everyone else over here. So vote good and well America!

London Snapchat Story on US Election

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Our Night at the Theatre!

I was so surprised when I found out that plays were big here in London! I was used to seeing plays on Broadway in New York City, but for some reason it didn’t occur to me that plays would be a big event here as well. In fact, in the tube stations you are almost guaranteed to find an advertisement for a West End Play. West End is the theatre company that puts on “Broadway” plays here in London. They put on classics such as “Wicked”, “The Phantom of the Opera” and even “Jersey Boys”! However, they also have some plays that are unique to London, at least that’s my assumption considering I’ve never heard of these plays back in the States. For example one that I see advertised a lot is “Half a Sixpence”. I assumed that this one is unique to London, considering a “pence” is what they call a “cent”. There are other plays such as “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” and more recently “Aladdin”. On all the “Must-See in London” lists I looked up before I came here, many of them had “See a West End play” written in. So, that’s exactly what we did!

 

Apollo Victoria Theatre!

A group of my friends and I went to the Apollo Victoria Theatre (a West End theatre) and saw “Wicked”! Similar to New York, London has a theatre dedicated to “Wicked” alone. It was nothing short of amazing. The set was magical and intricate while the actors were spot on each line. We were expecting them to have a British accent, but the reality is you only got a listen to their accent very rarely! The acting was flawless, along with the special effects. Even the walk to the play was lovely! My friends and I started in Leicester Square and walked all the way to Apollo Victoria. Then, we happened upon a famous landmark…The Buckingham Palace! We were all amazed that our walk to the theatre led us right to the front lawn of the Buckingham Palace. Only in London can you be walking to a West End play and happen upon a world famous landmark! I highly recommend seeing a West End play if you study abroad here or are here for an extended period of time. In fact, I highly recommend you walk to that theatre even if it is 45 minutes away, you never know what you may come across! Buckingham Palace was beautiful and it was a wonderful night. It was not recommended that we take pictures of the play, so I don’t have many but I’m sure any theatre in London is just as breathtaking.

Buckingham Palace

When we happened upon the Palace!

If you do go to a play, I recommend making an evening out of it. We bought our tickets in Leicester Square, which is always lit up and filled with delicious places to eat. The huge M&Ms Store is right in Leicester Square by the ticket booth, so I would recommend buying some treats for the theatre in there before you start your walk to whatever theatre you are going to. We bought our tickets the night of in Leicester Square and that made them less expensive, so I recommend buying them the night of and just leaving a large chunk of time to get to your theatre. This night was a perfect example of why I encourage you to walk wherever you can, you never know if you might stumble upon a famous landmark!

My Top 5 Tips on Dealing With Homesickness When Studying Abroad!

Okay, so it’s been a couple months since you’ve been around familiar faces and the homesickness is starting to creep in. Classes are getting hard, the holiday season is starting to invade your line of sight everywhere you look and you’re wishing you could just be home with your friends and family again! I have a few tips on how I deal with homesickness when it overwhelms me:

Dad and Daughter saying goodbye!

Mom and Daughter saying goodbye!

1. FaceTime is your friend. Just because your friends aren’t one room away that doesn’t mean they’re not one call away! One of the pieces of advice that my mom gave me for when I started to get homesick was that I should think about what I would when I was at my home university and missing people. Homesickness happens even when you’re at University back in the States. If you’re far away, your family can’t just run up when you get homesick so what do you do then? Call them! If I was at my home university  I’d still be an hour drive away from my family. If I was getting overwhelmed and needed some advice, I would have to call my parents because most likely they wouldn’t be able to just drive down to where I am. That’s just like here! Except it’s not one hour away, it’s one ocean away. But, FaceTime definitely helps to stay connected with people. Seeing their face and the familiar environment around them can bring you comfort all the same.
2. What’s App is your BEST friend. Sometimes you can’t just FaceTime your friends and family when you’re missing them here because you’re out in the street or unable to have a full-on conversation. What’s App is your go-to. It’s a text-messaging service that uses Wi-Fi (or data if you bought a SIM card here and have it on) so it’s completely free! Just texting them a quick “I miss you” and having them send back a bundle of silly memes or comforting words can make you feel like you’re not so far away after all. Or, you can text your friend something you would’ve told them in person if you were home and their instant response can make it feel like the old times.
3. Stick with a routine that you would back home. As humans, we are very much creatures of habit. Even when we’re far away from home in a new environment, doing little things that you would back home can be just what you need to feel better. For example, one thing I always did when I was back home is organize EVERYTHING using my planner. I like to spend a few minutes every night just getting organized and planning out things to do for the next day. I always did this when I was back home, so having that time here is so important to me. Another routine I like to do is write in my Gratitude Journal every night. This was my nightly practice when I was back home and keeping that routine, it’s familiarity, really helps me cope with homesickness.
4. See this as an opportunity to make new friends that you never would have met back home. Meeting people from all over the world has to be one of the best things about studying abroad. I’ve met people from Argentina, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Iran, China, Japan and many other places! And that’s only in the first month! Everyday I’m meeting new people, and that really helps to keep everything exciting here. I never would have met some of my good friends here if I hadn’t come. Also, it helps to meet a lot of people your age that are in the same boat as you. You’re all away from home for 3 months and you’re all trying to make the most out of the experience.
5. Focus on YOU! My last and most favorite tip has to be using these months to focus on yourself. Focus on building yourself, you’re friend group, you’re experience! You’re in a unique situation where you have three months to see everything that YOU want to see and focus on the activities YOU want to do that people back home won’t have the change to at the moment. Use this time to see things that you may not be able to see in the future. You have an Oyster Card and now London is YOUR oyster. I’m also traveling to several different countries in the UK while I am here, this may be the only time that you can spend the weekend in Barcelona for $100! One of the best things I do to pull myself out of a homesickness slump is to make plans with my friends here to see new and exciting things. When you’re going to Vienna one weekend, Barcelona the next and the London Eye after class it makes it a little hard to miss being back home.

 

Having friends come to visit you from back home definitely helps!

Making new friends is one of the best cures!

Explore London with new friends!

You may just meet a lifelong friend!

When people visit, show them you’re favorite places!

Overall, I would just say to thoroughly enjoy your time here. Realize that you are only here for 3 months and that’s a very short time in the grand scheme of things. I’m trying to use this time to the fullest, and exploring wherever I want too because this is one of the only times I can just decide on a whim that I want to see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Exploring new places and meeting new people all the time is so exciting, when it comes to 3 months you’re going to wish you had more time in London!

Rock ‘N Roll Tour Around Soho!

My partner visited me this past week and he is a massive Beatles fan. One of our top bucket list items was to participate in a Beatles Tour. We ended up getting the tour for free, a nice “it’s Friday” gift from the woman at the counter, and got to hear about all the important places in rock ‘n roll that no one really knows about! We were lucky enough to get a tour guide that was extremely knowledgeable on rock ‘n roll history in Soho, with an extreme interest in the Beatles. The tour was comprised of a small group of people and lasted about 2-3 hours. It was so interesting to hear all the history that took place only 15 minutes from my current residence here!

Bag ‘O Nails Club!

Jimi Hendrix Experience was played here in 1966!

McCartney met Linda Eastman here in 1967!

Ronnie Scott’s Bar!

McCartney Productions Limited full front!

Mozart’s old residence!

McCartney Productions Limited logo!

We heard about the Beatles’ first gig, how they replaced a member, their last gig and every little nuance in between! One of the first stops was Ronnie Scott’s Bar. This was apparently the place that the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix played together. After, we got to visit Carnaby Street and hear about all the antics that went on there, did you know one of the Beatles was such a troublemaker? You’ll find out if you participate in this tour! We also got to visit the Bag ‘O Nails, an important landmark for both Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney (see plaques)! Spoiler alert: that’s where he met Linda Eastman! Another stop on the tour was Trident Studios, a recording studio where some of the most popular songs of that time were recorded (think Hey Jude, Bohemian Rhapsody and Space Oddity!). What I really enjoyed about this tour was all the little insider information our tour guide shared. Also, I enjoyed that we saw other music landmarks too. Including one of the places Mozart grew up in and wrote a Symphony when he was not even 10 years of age! We also got to see the 20^th Century Studios front, where apparently sometimes the average pedestrian can see some famous actors walk in and out of to this day! There were so many more landmarks and fun stories he shared with us. I highly recommend the rock ‘n roll fan check out a tour around Soho.

Trident Studios track list

Paul McCartney’s guitar!

THE rooftop where the Beatles played their last live gig!

Abbey Road

20th Century Fox Film Co. Limited

To keep the Beatles theme of the day, we visited the iconic Abbey Road! We visited after the tour and it was so remarkable to see the famous Abbey Road and snap a picture just like the Beatles! Each and every day I find a new adventure I want to participate in or a new landmark I simply must see. That’s what I love about living in London, there’s always the chance to see something that will amaze you.

Abbey Road Crossing

Abbey Road Crossing

Abbey Road Crossing