My first two weeks here flew by! I had so much fun doing all of the touristy London activities. At this point I can proudly say I know how to use the public transportation system, and I am accustomed to walking on the left side of the walkway. The University of Roehampton study abroad staff were so helpful with getting us settled in, and made sure we had all the resources we needed to start school. There were about three orientations over the weekend after we flew in, covering everything from class specifics, to things to do for free in London. The first few days we landed we didn't have class, so I used this time to buy school supplies, groceries, and of course, sight seeing! I am so excited to see what the rest of the semester has in store for me!
Sight Seeing and High Tea 2/9
For the past few weeks I enjoyed seeing all the touristy parts of London including Big Ben, the London Eye, and the Buckingham Palace! My favorite historical place we went so far was the Westminster Abbey. The Westminster Abbey is a Catholic Church located in Central London where many significant people in the history of England are buried. From monarchs like Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, to renowned scientist Stephen Hawking. It was an indescribable feeling being in the presence of so many important people from history. One of my favorite experiences so far was high tea! High tea is a type of lunch where you get served fancy little sandwiches and desserts served on a platter with different levels. It was fun getting dressed up and getting to experience high tea in the place where it originated. Luckily, we had a local student from Roehampton with us that day so she could tell us about proper etiquette for eating the food. I have finally adjusted to the cold weather here, I no longer complain every time I go outside. I thought the weather would be the hardest part for me coming from Hawaiʻi, but I actually enjoy dressing up for the weather and being able to wear things I couldn't back at home.
Midterm Season 2/18-22
Living in London is by far one of the most exciting things I have ever done in my life but it is important for me to remember the reason why I came here, to study! Conducting my studies at the University of Roehampton has challenged me in ways that I was not expecting. University here is very independent, and students are encouraged to do research on their own without much guidance from the instructor.
In all honestly, this week was probably the least glamorous of my time here. One key difference to note is the lack of tests that we were given as our midterms. At UHM, most of my midterms would have been multiple choice/short answer tests. At Roehampton, all of my midterms were research projects that involved a lot of scholarly journals and independent studies. This difference in culture was a shock to me, however I definitely improved my research skills and independent learning.
Tips for Traveling to London 3/5
Whether you're planning on studying abroad here or just going for a quick trip, London has so many fun attractions to choose from! The best thing, most of them are cheap/free! Almost all of the museums are free, and there are dozens to choose from. My personal favorite was the Museum of London and the British Museum. The British Museum has one of the largest collections of historical artifacts in the world! They even have some stuff from Hawai i which I thought was super interesting! The Museum of London mainly focused on the history of London and touched on topics like the Great Plague, the Great Fire, and Roman London. I felt that it was important to visit the Museum of London so I could understand all of the history about the place I am currently living in.
Another great tourist attraction is the Sky Garden in Central London. Its free, all you need to do is make a reservation in advanced online. While at the Sky Garden you will see on of the best views of London's tall buildings, while being surrounded by nature indoors.
Working on Final Projects! 3/20
Finals Week here is a little different than back at UH. Finals at home consists of studying and memorizing for long hours before our test, making note cards and repeatedly writing notes. At the University of Roehampton (and most UK universities), most summative assessments are research papers! It was way different than what I was normally used to, but it was actually nice to experience a change. During this time I definitely gained more research skills and refined my paper-writing techniques. Most of the work is very individual as well, with little to no guidance from our professors. This means a lot of dedication and discipline is needed during these last few weeks, with Summer break right around the corner, its easy to get distracted! Regardless of any study habit adjustments I had to make, its been interesting to get a taste of what the British education system is like. I think after this semester I have build my independent study skills and have gotten a lot more accustomed to research papers and case studies.
Summer Break Trip! 4/12
After school ended on March 29, my friends an I packed our stuff and headed across Europe! Our first two stops were Prague and Amsterdam. Here are some important tips I put together for traveling to these two places:
Tips for traveling to Amsterdam:
Watch out for bikes! Every road has multiple bike lanes and bicyclist won't be to happy if you block the bike lanes in the already super crowded streets.
With that being said, bike lanes are very safe and efficient, try renting a bike with your friends and take the day exploring the town!
Many places do not take card, make sure to have some Euros on you!
Eating/shopping places will be more expensive in the center, try to go a little bit outside of the main city if you want a better deal.
Tips for traveling to Prague:
Beware of scammers, I have not personally encountered this but many people claim they are over charged at restaurants/stores, and accounts of fake police officers taking belongings.
The Czech Republic uses a currency called Koruna which is very different than Euros and USD. 1 USD = 22.8 Kuronas, make sure to do some calculations before you buy things!
Just like in any other major city, beware of pick-pocketers in busy central areas!
Food is generally cheaper in Prague, feel free to splurge on a nice dinner or meal out #treatyoself.
Balancing Work and Fun 4/13
Although class ended in March, most of my final assignments are not due until the end of April. My tips for traveling after classes are done would be to 1) finish as much as your assignments as you can before leaving and 2) take time out of your day while traveling to get work done. Luckily for me, my friends that I was traveling with also had assignments due, so we all had a dedicated time where we would sit in our hostel lounge and work on our finals. This was good because I wasn't temped to go out when I knew I shouldn't, and we all encouraged each other to be productive! My daily schedule while traveling went something like this: 10:00am - Wake up and get ready/eat breakfast 11:00am - 8:00pm - Sight seeing, museums, markets, restaurants, other touristy things 8:00pm - 10:00pm - Homework time! In all honestly, some days I was more motivated than others, but the most important thing was that I was consistent with doing my work and I allocated enough time per day to get a good amount done. This schedule (along with starting my projects before I left) worked really well for me as I was able to get all of my assignments done early and still experience all of the beautiful cities I visited.
It may seem overwhelming to travel when you are not officially finished with school, but keeping a schedule and holding your self accountable will help you achieve your academic goals while also having fun!
Tips for Being Safe While Abroad! 4/30
It is important to remember that while traveling and studying abroad will be loads of fun, you still need to be safe and aware of your surroundings. Unfortunately in my second month of studying abroad in London, I was pick-pocketed and my phone was stolen from me. Thankfully I was with all of my friends so I was still able to contact my phone company and my parents at home! Although my phone is just a materialistic thing that I could replace, it was a hassle for the next week trying to get around without a map, or a means of communication when I was by myself. To make sure this doesn't happen to you, here are 3 tips to stay safe while abroad!
1. Be aware of your surrounding This one sounds pretty obvious, but I feel like living abroad is a little different than traveling. Because I was living here for two weeks, I got too comfortable even in the busiest parts of London.This was ultimately the reason why I got pick-pocketed.
2. Keep your bag close to you People who pick-pocket in big cities like London are professionals who know almost every trick in the book. In order to be safe you must keep your bag on you at all times, put your bag in front of you so you can see it the whole time, and putting your bag on before your coat so your coat can serve as a layer of protection.
3. Make sure someone always knows where you are Whenever you're going out (especially with someone new or by yourself) let someone know where you are going, who you are going with, and how long you will be gone for. My friends and I even shared our location with each other to be sure we were safe. This may sound like a little much but these are just very small steps you can take to feel safer.
If you're planning to study abroad your parents, counselor, family, and friends are probably all telling you to be safe and nagging your ear off about it. It may get old after a while but you should always remember these tips and any other tips you were given to make sure your experience abroad goes as smoothly and safely as possible.