What is one challenge you experienced during your first month? How did you overcome it?
One challenge that I experienced during my first month here is the time difference between my home and study country. There is a 5-hour difference, so being able to figure out specific times to talk to people was hard at first because I have so many friends and family I communicate with daily, but I've finally been able to find the perfect times to communicate with them.
I also will add transportation. It was hard at first to figure out exact times and exact trains to take, especially when getting somewhere on time. I have missed my stop, gone too far, been late, and much more with the trains, but being here longer has helped me figure out the best way to get from point A to B.
What similarities and differences have you noticed between your host culture and your own culture?
Some similarities I have noticed between my host culture and my own culture are city life. Living in the city of London is very similar to living in the city of Atlanta. A bunch of exploring, accessible food, events, and parties all in the same area is similar. There are also a bunch of different cultures living in the same area in both places. It is very diverse, so you can get all kinds of foods, clothing, etc., from different cultures. London is MUCH more diverse though, I will say.
Some differences between my home and host culture are the switch between streets/walking. Everything in London is the opposite: the streets, standing in line on an escalator, walking down the stairs in one direction. Everything here is much more organized and thought out, instead of all over the place like America. I will also say transportation is much more accessible in London than Atlanta because the trains go everywhere! In Georgia, if you want to get somewhere, you must drive a car or Uber. The trains only go maybe 30 minutes out from central Atlanta, so easy transportation is very limited back home.
Have you stepped outside of your comfort zone yet? What did that feel like?
An experience where I stepped outside of my comfort zone is exploring the city of London alone. Usually, I'm with friends or one person when I go places, but recently I've been doing things solo, and I've come to love it.
Usually, back at home, I will do solo things because I'm used to the area and know it well, but when I came to London, I decided to start exploring this new place solo, of course safely.
I think doing things alone in a new place you're not used to helps you grow as a person within yourself and get used to doing things you never would think of doing, especially alone. I have loved it here in London so far!