Once I got to my room, it was a bit of a culture shock, to say the least. Coming from having my own home and an adequate amount of space to small living quarters that I had to share was a bit of an adjustment. At around 6p, everyone involved in our program met up in the lobby of our door where we all introduced ourselves and began to do an evening stroll of the neighborhood The area where we stayed was great. Everything was within walking distance from the grocery stores (Mark & Spencer store and Tesco), restaurants, pubs, shopping, you name it. We were also near Battersea Park, which was a beautiful park with walking trails and a zoo that I would end up visiting later in our time here. Here are a few pics below.

Where we stayed: NOTE: Housing may be subject to change during your time in London

Housing in the neighborhoods

My first dinner in London was Fish and Chips. It was DELICIOUS!!!!!!

Here are some tips for when you arrive on your first day:

TIP 1: If you can, pack as light as you can. Unless you plan on taking a taxi or Uber from the airport or to the tube station which is EXPENSIVE, you don't want to be lugging around large suitcases as I did. Plus you only have a limited amount of space in your room to store everything and I'm sure you will be buying things here to return home. 

TIP 2: Expect to meet with the members of your program the evening you arrive. Be sure to get acquainted with everyone from the teachers to the housing staff. It's good to have a good relationship with them.

TIP 3: YOU WILL BE WALKING!!!! I know I've said this already, but be prepared. I was so excited about being in a new area I went walking around getting a feel of the area myself only to later walk around some more with the group. So be sure to rest between our outings if you can/wear comfortable shoes. 

Greetings all!

     First and foremost, I want to take the time to say congrats on being able to be apart of an EXTRODINARY EXPERIENCE! Many people are not able to have an experience going abroad, so to be able to be apart of the Study Abroad Program here at Columbia is not only a once in a lifetime experience, but an honorable one.

     Now allow me to introduce myself. My name is Veronica. I am a student at one of Columbia College's Satellite locations here in Savannah GA at Hunter Army Airfield. I am prior service military (Army National Guard), military spouse of almost 9 years and together we are a blended family of 4 kiddos and 2 pups. Over the past 9 years we've been able to live in a few places such as Virginia, Hawaii (so much fun!), North Carolina, and now Georgia. Georgia is only another stop on our traveling quest, only time will tell where we will be off to next.




     Now the good stuff...THE TRIP!!!!!  Honestly I thought I'd be able to write while I was there but the way we were moving so much and so quickly, by the time I was able to write I was so exhausted! But exhausted in a good way! London is a large diverse metropolitan city, so there is so much to do, so much history in the city, and so many people. I was amazed by it all. But I will start off with some general tips when in London. I will go into more detail on some topics in future posts. (NOTE: if its capitalized and in bold, its very important)

1. Get familiar with the tube system- The London Tube system and bus line is in my opinion by far the BEST transit system I've ever used. Its clean, fast and literally takes you everywhere. The oyster card will be your best friend.
   
   
2. Move quickly- people in London move quickly. They have places to be do not want to slowed down by tourists who doesn't know their way around. 
   They will bump into you if you are in their way with no remorse. So be sure to follow the flow of traffic. Walk on the sides where the majority walks and if you are in way, simply step to the side until you have yourself together.
   
   
3. Wear comfy shoes and be sure to HYDRATE- You will be walking A LOT here in London as many of our coursework is covered around the city. Ladies; DO NOT BRING HEELS. Its not worth it. some of the roads are made of cobblestone and will be going up and down stairs. Please, just don't do it. I brought mine and never wore them. It is good you carry a bottle of water with you as you may never know when you will be able to get something to drink. Many places do offer tap water but with all the walking around you'll be doing, you may need some sooner than expected.
4. ALWAYS LOOK TO BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING: I repeat 
   ALWAYS LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING- Londoners drive on the opposite sides of how we drive here in the states. It is IMPARITIVE that you be sure to loo before you cross and cross at the crosswalks when there is one. If you are to get hit by someone and you are not in the crosswalk. You will be liable for the accident. So please, be safe and look right (well both ways really lol)
   
   
5. Wear LAYERS: During the time I was there, we were spoiled with the beautiful weather. But it was important to wear layers as you will be taking things on and off throughout the day. Some time its warm and then it gets chilly, going in and out of the tube station, you are bound to warm up and cool down throughout the day.
6. Understand that customer service is different here than in the States- Please understand this now as many of the students had a hard time adjusting to the difference. It is very different. Servers do not wait on you hand and foot like you are experienced. They only come around when you need them to. Other restaurants like Pubs for example, require you to go up to the counter and order instead of a server coming to you. They will only bring your food to you. Anything else you go to them. Once you are comfortable with this you will be good to go.
7. Most Importantly....EXPLORE!!!!! You will be there for 4 weeks, and you will have down time to explore in the evenings and on weekends. Please take advantage. I went to so many places both in and outside of London that I could write a book about it. There is so much history in the city and so many different cultures to explore that honestly, 4 weeks isn't even enough time to cover it all.

      I will go more into detail in the upcoming posts about some of the places I've visited, what I've learned, and provide you guys with more specific tips to make it here in London if you decide to take this program in the future. 

I began this series with the three things I will miss most from home. I'm excited about home, but there are definitely things I will miss from Canterbury too, so I made another little list -

Walking. I love going on long walks, and it has been so great being able to walk everywhere. Most of the other Americans say they miss driving and are looking forward to having their cars back, but I've enjoyed having long walks as an integral part of my day. Instead of having to make time for a walk at home, it's just my primary mode of transportation. And I've gotten to explore a lot more of the city and become more familiar with it because I walk everywhere.

Travel. This is actually rather two part: the location and the public transport.

• With Scotland above, Wales on the side, Ireland a hope away, and the Continent just over the Channel, it is so easy to travel. For one of my classes, we went to Bruges for a day. Basically everyone here has been to at least 3 other countries. When you talk to British people, they casually talk about weekends in France or holidays in Germany, Spain, Italy. You don't even have to fly if you don't want to. Like I said in an earlier post, the US is like the whole of mainland Europe, so people travel to different countries like we travel to different states. 
• I know it sounds crazy, but I actually quite like the public transportation here. There are so many trains and buses, and they're  actually pretty nice, because so many people depend on them. Unlike in the US, lots of students and adults don't have licenses, and some never get them. Having a car isn't such a priority here. There are so many more pedestrians, and, in fact, the traffic light system is entirely based on pedestrian crossings, not other four-way stops. As someone who vastly prefers walking to driving (purely as a method of transportation, not because of other, more pragmatic factors like time, independence, etc.), I appreciate being able to walk everywhere, and I think the rides are nice. 

In one week, I'll be back in the United States. It's much easier to leave something when you're going to something else. I don't really think about it as leaving Canterbury so much as going home to Christmas with my family.

Again, it's not really something I'd been thinking about when choosing to study abroad during fall term (actually, I'd initially been intending to make next semester, my final semester, the one abroad), but I'm happy, once more, that I came this term. The weather has been amazing; I've met great people; and I'm going home for Christmas, so it's easier to leave. Don't get me wrong, I am going to miss being here. I'm anticipating going home, while also enjoying being away. I'm so glad to be here for the Christmas season - it's truly special - and I wouldn't have had this if I'd chosen spring semester. I'm getting the best of both worlds by getting to a taste of Christmas here, but then going home to have it there too.

I know the house is already being decorated, which will make it even more lovely to return to. Home and family are always full of love and warmth, and then there will be the extra glow of Christmas to enhance everything. I live out in the country, where we have the most beautiful view and a cozy fireplace, and I've been hearing that there's quite a bit of snow, so I'll be home for Christmas, and I'm dreaming of a White Christmas!

PS - Can you tell that I love Christmas songs? I especially enjoy Josh Groban's version, not just because it's Josh Goban (though he's phenomenal and a definite favorite!), but because it's a tribute to those who are separated from their family for Christmas in service.

I didn't think Christmas would be all that different here, but there are a few things. Perhaps everyone else knew about them, but I didn't.

I used to think we started celebrating Christmas early, but they don't have Thanksgiving to ease them into the holidays. There were already advertisements before Halloween was even over. Thanksgiving is an American holiday, so I nearly forgot about it and let it pass me by this year.

But I did remember Thanksgiving, and this was the first Thanksgiving away from home. Everyone says they're thankful for friends and family, but I especially was this year - precisely because I was spending it away from them. I felt their absence. I'm so grateful for the people at home, and I'm grateful for the people I've met here. I've come to appreciate a lot of things from both places. It's been a huge privilege to be able to cross the ocean and come to another country to live for several months. I really do appreciate the opportunity and everyone who helped make it possible. I'm grateful for the people I've met and the experiences I've had. And I'm also grateful for home. I realise all the things I took for granted and how important they were for me (not the least of which was my mother's cooking!). It makes me grateful that they're not gone, that I'm going back to those things soon. I'm recognising all the things I have right now to appreciate and all the things I've had and will have that I should be mindful of. Once you start to count your blessings, you realise how countless they are

Photo Credit: 123Calendars

It seems like having an entire semester to study abroad is a lot of time. You have a long list of things you want to do and places you want to go, and then the time passes pretty quickly. I thought coming for a semester was a long time - since lots of study abroad trips are only a couple of weeks - but so many people here are commenting on how short it is. Most students are here for at least a year.

Photo Credit: 123Calendars

Sometimes three months seems like quite a duration and sometimes it seems so short. It depends on what you're focusing on. It seems like a long time when you think of the separation from family and friends, etc., but it seems short when you think of how much there is to do, especially when most of the time is really spent on classes. Most people say that the time flies - some say it's too long, and they couldn't wait to get back - but I think it's both.

Photo Credit: 123Calendars

Photo Credit: 123Calendars

I've lived here for months, and it's already become quite familiar; my time here seems to be waning so quickly. At the same time, I anticipate going home and enjoying Christmas with family, etc.

People make everything all-or-nothing, but it's really a mix. It's good to look forward to what's coming and remember what's happened, but it's important to be notice the present and appreciate it too. I have to remind myself to enjoy where I am and what I have. If I don't appreciate now, the memories of the past become bitter and the anticipations for the future become grey, and they all lose their values. It's not a new idea, but that doesn't make it any less real or true

Photo Credit: Oatcakes

Veteran's Day. Remembrance Day. Armistice Day. There are various names and various traditions for the date, but the world is united by commemoration.

Photo Credit: csfotoimages on iStock

Photo Credit: lufer(REPUBLICA DE CALIFORNIA) on Pinterest

Photo Credit: Sam P. on Flickr

One hundred years ago, World War I ended.

People ask me how I like England, and sometimes they're shocked by how much I like it. They aren't impressed with the beauty or history or any of the things I find so fascinating; they think it's boring - because it's so normal to them. Meanwhile, I'm a complete tourist, taking pictures of everything - streets, signs, buildings, statues, scenes - at every turn (thank God for Google Photos!).

Yes, I really am that tourist...

It's pretty fantastic here, but it's actually making me appreciate home more too. Because home is just as fascinating to other people as here is to me. Some people travel to other places, like England, and think it's so marvelous and never want to go back home to where it's boring, but that's how the English feel about their country, and that's how Italians and French and Spanish feel about their countries. We're so used to our cities and countries that we don't appreciate them, and the most amazing things are taken for granted to us. And then, here, somewhere new, the most mundane things seem absolutely amazing.

From the Oxford Botanical Gardens

When I walk down the streets and see amazing sunsets, I pause to relish the sight and feel uplifted. I notice more here, and it just seems better here sometimes. Autumn changes colours, and I get so excited, like I'm a child who's never seen it happen before. But it's just that I'm noticing and appreciating it here. And I should do the same at home and anywhere I go. There is beauty everywhere - sometimes it's a beauty transcending borders (like a sunset or oncoming autumn), and sometimes it's local beauty unique to that place (like the Canterbury Cathedral), and sometimes (usually) it's both - but there is beauty, so much beauty, everywhere. I'm loving it here - I really am - and I'm very glad to be a tourist. I embrace it, because tourist means I find absurd delight in what others take for granted

Just outside Canterbury, past Westgate

Everyone said England was going to be cold and drizzly, but the weather has been sensational! We have had rain, and it does get chilly but never terrible. Weather isn't something I normally give much consideration to, but it's such an important factor when travelling. It's very influential and determinative for the mood of a trip - drink hot chocolate or iced tea? go to museums or open markets? visit building or walk the grounds? I like doing it all, and autumn is the perfect blend.

I'm learning how to use Adobe Photoshop for one of my classes. I'm quite a novice, but I thought I'd show off my skills and Canterbury at the same time ;P

Before I left for England, I was talking to a friend and mentor who had recently returned from traveling through Europe for several weeks. She was telling me about their trip and the lovely people they met; she told me, "just say 'hi.'" That little opening led her to some great conversations, and she made some amazing friends on the trip whom she was keeping in contact with, even after returning to the US.

I'm not a very assertive person by any means - I'm shy and introverted, and I tend to keep to myself, even when I'm not being shy and embarrassed - but her words resonated with me, and I've been putting them into practice more these past few days. It's just a simple, "hello" - nothing fancy or difficult. Sometimes conversations develop and sometimes they don't, but it's just a small amount of effort, that doesn't really cost anything, in exchange for some unimaginable possibilities.

As reserved as I am, I love meeting new people, and I'm very happy with the people I've met. And I'm happy to be initiating conversation, rather than passively standing by and being passed over so much. Every person we interact with has so much to them - they bring their unique ideas, perspectives, opinions, knowledge, talents - and we bring our own, and the combination can be quite powerful. You never know how fascinating the person beside you can be and how much you're missing by not saying "hi." Maybe it's just a polite smile or maybe it's a brief exchange, but it's usually very pleasant and sometimes exceeds expectations. Maybe it's actually nothing, and there's just an awkward pause that follows or a stiff reaction, but it's still worth it; at least you still gave it a try, and it didn't hurt. I don't say "hi" to every person I pass by, but I try not to pass by every person I come across either

Photo Credit: Heather Goffrier

Yesterday, a friend and I tried something new - something I'd never heard of, and she'd only tried once, a long time ago. We did mortifying badly and were teased about it endlessly, but it was fun. And I was glad to be mocked, because it reminded me not to take myself so seriously. My first reaction was to be embarrassed and bashful, but, funny enough, their laughing set me at ease. They made me able to laugh at myself and laugh it off. Making fun of us was the best way to make us feel better, rather than trying to be too conscientious and polite, overly sympathetic. It was all new and just for fun, and they kept it that way. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves, not take ourselves too seriously

They were laughing at us, but they were also impressed and remarked on our behaviour towards each other, because we didn't get upset or rude. We worked well together - in regards to compatibility, not effectiveness haha. And to me, that was the most important part. Being serious is a good thing, but being focused is more important. You are serious when you're focused, but, when you're too serious, you lose focus of what you're doing and what it's all about. 

It made a great shared experience and fun memory. Because of how silly we were, it made us relish it even better afterwards, rather than just doing it and being done. If it was easy, it wouldn't have meant as much. But it was hard, so we got more out of it in several ways 

Canterbury is famous for Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but it's also famous for its Cathedral. So many tourists pay to visit that all students are given free, unlimited access - which is a major discount because of how many students are in Canterbury. It was one of the first local sites I visited, and I fell in love with it. I've gone back several times - nearly every day since. The building is beautiful, the inside is grand, and the grounds are beautiful. I've taken so many pictures, but I'm always a bit disappointed with them, because they truly cannot capture the intricate detail and vivid splendor. I'm not a photographer, by any means, but even the professional shots cannot compare the grandeur. Sometimes photos make something normal seem better than it really is, but sometimes the photographs simply cannot do justice. No picture, no matter how well it's portrayed and/or edited, can properly convey seeing the Cathedral. I've taken so many and sent them to people, but they can't truly begin to show what it's like. I've seen lots of pictures of grand structures - ones even more grand than the Canterbury Cathedral - but, even today, technology cannot surpass personal experience. I take pictures and share them with others, but they're really for memory, not accuracy. They're really for my personal memory that no one else can access

Canterbury is small, but, unlike Columbia, it's designed so that you can easily walk anywhere. They have good facilities and accommodations for pedestrians and public transport, so it contains perks of a big city, and then it also has the perks of a small town without bothersome traffic. I like being able to walk everywhere - because I've always enjoyed walking and because I dislike driving so - but it is time-consuming. I don't mind the walking, but the time it takes me to get to campus or City Centre really does affect how I block out activities and schedule my days. And sometimes I think it's such a shame that I spend so much time just walking, feeling unproductive. I hate waste, and wasting time is one of the worst types of waste.

But waste just means getting nothing out of the experience. Maybe I'm not accomplishing much on my walks - a bit of exercise, a bit of travel - but I think life is just as much, if not more, about appreciation as it is about accomplishment. As I was leaving campus for the night, I enjoyed the most beautiful sky. Unfortunately, I was walking away from it, but walking away from sunset was still absolutely lovely with soft clouds, pale gradients, and subtle textures. I stopped and took so many pictures on the way home. And every time I turned around to look back at receding sun, I was stunned, as if I hadn't see it before.

I see the sky every day. Nature is gorgeous, and the sky is one of my favorite features - sky and water. I live out in the country; one of my favorite things to do is work outside and enjoy the air and view. But even now, I am still amazed by the splendor. I still admire its breathtaking beauty and am swept away by it. Nature's beauty is everywhere - country and the city.

Life isn't just about what I can do or get done. It's about appreciating what already is

Photo Credit: SeekLogo

Photo Credit: SketchRepo

As an international student, many people ask me where I am from and, after I say the US, they naturally ask what it's like or how it's different from Canterbury. It's actually difficult for me to describe because, even though I haven't traveled much (within the US even) and haven't really known much different, and even though this is an entirely new country across the ocean, it doesn't really feel all that different. Even the accents - people are always asking about the British accent - but even that isn't overly noticeable. I noticed it a bit at first and every once in a while it strikes me, but, for the most part, it sounds normal. Part of it is because I've been decently immersed in British culture prior - I've read a lot of British literature and seen several British shows - so there hasn't been much that's surprised me. And part of it is because I don't think there really are that many major differences. Originally, we adopted our culture from them, and then, as we grew, we've become such a dominant culture that the rest of the world is adopting ours.

England is a first-world, Western country with more than just a shared language. Actually, one of the first things I noticed was how similar we are. They listen to largely the same music; they have television and radio programs like ours; they advertise like us; they even have several American brands (Asdas, which is Walmart; Aldis; H&M; Starbucks; Subway; McDonalds). And they have local brands that imitate ours (instead of Starbucks, they have Costas).

In fact, Canterbury is even more like Columbia because it's a small town that's enlarged by being a university center. Because of all the students, it becomes busier. Half the population is students, and the permanent inhabitants are mostly families, which affects what sorts of businesses are here. It has the bustling air of a big city and some of its layout and benefits, with public transport and taxis, but it is still a small town - or a small city simulating a large one. But it doesn't have the modern architecture of big cities with towering office buildings and skyscrapers. It doesn't attract innovators or innovations; it adopts them in time, but it doesn't produce them - and, in this way, it is a bit different from Columbia, because Columbia isn't a major hub, but it does have a number of startups and small entrepreneurs. It isn't as expensive as large cities. It feels like I've come to the British version of Columbia.

One of the main and most obvious differences, though, is its history. I told my hostess that I was surprised they grant students free access to the Cathedral year-long, and she said it's because they have so many tourists, mainly Americans, that they don't need to charge students. And, at night, the inside is closed to the public, but the grounds are open and free to everyone. Even the townhouses have a more quaint architecture to them. They have a beautiful blend of progressive modernity and ancient history that coalesces, rather than clashes.

Photo Credit

Because they're so close to the European continent, most of them have traveled to many different countries and fairly cheaply, which I'm a bit jealous of. The US is so large that the mainland contains four time zones, five including Alaska. From the UK to Russia is only three. So, for us to travel around in the same country is the same as for them to travel around the Continent to multiple countries, experiencing different cultures, cuisines, languages, and histories. I am a bit jealous of that.

The other differences are much smaller. They smoke a lot. We do too, but much more with vaping, with less aroma and litter. And I think they actually dress more liberally than we do.

Photo Credit

The housing is different here too. We mostly live in apartment buildings or have our own houses and private lots with space in front, back, and on the sides, but they mostly have townhouses, each self-contained and individual but all conjoined together, side-by-side. They have front and backyards, but they're smaller and no outside area to go back and forth. In the halls (or dormitories), they are much more like apartment buildings. They're arranged suite style, so students each have their own rooms, and then they share a common bathroom or two, living space, and kitchen.

So when people ask me to describe where I'm from and how it's different, I don't have much to tell them. There are differences, but I've noticed more similarities

I called home the other night, and everyone was asking what it's like in Canterbury.

Walking through City Centre is like walking into a fairytale. It reminds me of the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast (my favorite because it's a princess who reads!). I recalled that early scene when Belle is walking through town to the bookstore. Canterbury is a  beautiful blend of history and modernity. It has thrived through the centuries, so it has a quaint, traditional air without feeling decayed or outdated. It feels like you're visiting the past but not stepping back into it. There are old, brick shoppes and modern office buildings. The streets and sidewalks are cobblestoned but bustle with cars and buses.

It's actually a lot like Columbia as a small, student city. Because it has so many schools and universities (University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, King's School - to name a few), it imitates the large city vibe with lots of pedestrians walking everywhere, buses and taxis always transporting, and two trains going in and out all day. Most of the inhabitants are students or families.

As a university city, a large portion of the population is international. It's England, but there are many visitors from all over the world. Some study for just a few weeks, some for years, and some to live here permanently. People ask me about hearing the British accent, but I hear foreign tongues and global accents just as much. There are shops and cafes advertising cultural shops advertising British paraphernalia and cuisine, but there are also Thai groceries, American candies, and French boutiques.

Walking through City Centre is like the "little town" Belle sings about, but they also have Westgate Gardens, which feel like a fairytale in a very different way. There are large willow trees, a river, bridges, outlooks, and rock walls. It's a little oasis from city life with the fresh feeling of autumn as school begins