I cannot remember the last time I purposefully invited and treated myself to good food. Although I eat regularly— and this past week, I have given my meals more thought than usual, as I have had to adjust my plant-based diet to fit the context of typical English cuisine—I often share meals with others. The dormitory that I reside in at Royal Holloway University is catered, meaning that residing students typically eat meals at the dining halls. At this university, and possibly within England as a whole, it’s uncommon for students to have personal mini-fridges in their rooms. Instead, there is a communal ‘pantry’ room within each hall that contains lockers for students to keep ‘dry’ food (bread, some fruits, sweets, canned goods, nuts) and 3 communal mini-fridges. Incidences of stealing are apparently relatively uncommon, which genuinely surprises me. I have been told that cheese, however, is the most sought after food by students & that the occasional cheese block is coincidentally ‘misplaced’ when left in the pantry room’s communal mini-fridges.
If I’m not eating in the dining hall, I’m usually eating Tesco-bought, pre-packaged vegetable curries in my room, which I share with my brilliant (and very English) roommate, Ella. This past week, which has been replete with a few noteworthy challenges, has been calmed by her kind and endearing presence. I highly recommend for prospective study abroad students to consider sharing a room with someone else. As much as I value my privacy—and to give you an idea, I have never shared a room with someone during my time as a university student, save for the summer I served as an orientation leader—I cannot stress how important and helpful having Ella around has been for me. It’s a wonderful way to either become friends with another international student OR become friends with someone who is from the local area. Also, as much as I have absolutely loved making my way through London this past week, there are few things I appreciate more than our late-night, 2am conversations. We talk about everything from auras, to British vs. U.S. politics, to witnessed ghosts in the room (Founders Hall is both the most flammable building in England and one of the most haunted), to how well we can respectively mimic each other’s accents. Ella and her friends, in case you were wondering, have surprisingly excellent U.S. accents.
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During my time here, I’ve really been reflecting over the type of relationship I hold with myself. I cannot remember the last time I entered a restaurant, by myself, with the intention of eating… by myself. It is a foreign concept to me that I have admired ever since I read Elizabeth Glibert’s Eat, Pray, Love. Yet, here I am—some 4,000 miles away from Florida—enjoying my own presence and celebrating my proper existence in a lovely Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of the quaint, English city of Egham. It feels both soothing and unnatural.
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I am taking advantage of my time here to really delve further from my comfort zone. This week alone, I have navigated my way around the tube/train station multiple times, gained a better comprehension of English restaurant norms, and developed initial relationships with international students from various corners of the globe. I am proud to admit that I spearheaded the creation of a Whatsapp group chat for the 40+ of us exchange students, which has thankfully proved to be useful to others seeking travel buddies.
And, during the past week, I have kept a record of the most initially intriguing aspects of English culture:
- It’s common for English folk to have bathtubs in their common bathroom areas—in dormitories, for instance.
- The train is NOT the same thing as the tube. The tube is usually underground, while the train is above ground. (Though I was also corrected by someone on this, so I am honestly still trying to figure it out). Buses are not the same as trains; they really are just ‘buses.’
- City Mapper (the app) is a life saver, along with the 16-25 railway card (talk about saving money) if you find yourself studying abroad here for a few months at a time.
- ALWAYS look both ways when you cross the road—pay special attention to the right. I am still struggling with this one, but please take care NOT to get hit by a car.
- Most museums in London are free!
- Pay special attention to the words: England, (Great) Britain, and the United Kingdom. These 3 are not the same, even though I used them interchangeably in the U.S.
- ‘Afternoon tea’ can also mean ‘dinner.’
- The English academic system, and associated grading system, is extremely different from that in the States. Be gentle with yourself during the adjustment process. (I am still practicing kindness toward myself in this respect). It is rare for students to score above an 80% on most assignments here, to give you some perspective. Students are also expected to spend less time in the classroom and more time preparing for seminars (similar to ‘sections’ in the States) and preparing for final exams by themselves.
- Students here are also often given more time off during their term than students in the States. We have a ‘reading week’ here in the middle of February where we usually do not have classes. For this week, I am debating between going to Croatia/Germany or going to see the Northern Lights. We also have the entire month of April off. (Seriously). Most students take this time to study for exams, but for visiting students, it’s a great time to relax and travel as well.
- We return to school in May for final exams, which run from May to early June.
There’s so much more to England that I am excited to explore. The more time I spend here, the more enamored I become with the idea of the English countryside. And the closer that spring approaches…the more usual my daydreams of rolling, green hills with grazing sheep become. The other day, on my way to Brighton — a beautiful, LGBTQ+ friendly city on the coast — I saw my first batch of fluffy, cotton-ball coated sheep in the distance. It was spectacular.
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We have also been able to do some traveling around Windsor, and within SoHo and South Kensington. We were even able to make it out to Portobello Market for a few hours. The loveliest part of my travels here, however, has been sharing a brief cry with my friend, Maria, on the train, after being serenaded by a guitar player known as the Camden Cat. It’s extremely uncommon for passengers on the train to speak loudly (especially in the mornings), nonetheless draw attention to themselves by performing. I have been stared at for speaking too loudly with my own friends, sometimes.
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Although I have a lot more to say, and I sincerely thank this blogging opportunity for getting some initial thoughts on paper, I will now retire to my dormitory soon and continue writing in my journal. (I bought a little notebook to write and sketch in during train rides, since the ride from Egham to Waterloo—which is essentially in the heart of London, near Big Ben and Parliament—is about a 50-minute journey). Let’s see what this following week brings us!
For now, I would like to express my most sincere thanks to Ella, the Camden Cat, warm tea and gloves, corner bookshops, modern technology (speaking to family and friends back home has never been easier), and the few, deeply cherished sunny days that sometimes envelop this little town.
I am sending everyone an enormous hug and a grand amount of love. Wherever you are, whatever you may be feeling or thinking, know that I wish you nothing but peace. I hope you find yourself comforted in the silence of yourself. I am definitely learning to do so, in the context of changing landscapes.
In light, or, perhaps as some of my English peers would say,
Cheers,
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Rhi
The Global Gator 