To The Future Study Abroad Student

(an assignment for Crucible of London)

To the Future Study Abroad Student,

When you first step off the plane into Heathrow airport, it may not feel different. You may not quite realize you are in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The same thought may resound throughout the first hour. The first day. Perhaps even the first week. But soon you will discover that London is the heart of cross-culturalism, and if you embrace it and immerse yourself in it, you will have the experience of a lifetime.

Before coming to England, I imagined British culture to center around tea, The Royal Family, pubs, and sights like Big Ben and London Bridge. The British people I imagined I would meet were, I am ashamed to admit, predominantly white. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The variety of cultures, ethnicities and races in London is vast, but not always obvious. If the only walk you take is the one from your apartment to school and then back, you probably will not see London for what it is. I live with fourteen other Americans, and go to school with dozens more. To meet international people, I must be creative. 

There are several ways to do so. First, I recommend reading. Take a copy of The Evening Standard—a free newspaper distributed at the tube stations every weekday—and look for pamphlets or signs that advertise nearby events. Let the publishers do the work for you—they are always advertising for a variety of free events and festivals. Find one near you and check it out. 

My friend and I visited the Urban Food Fest—an assortment of food vendors in an empty car park. We decided to have Jamaican cuisine for lunch when the Jamaicans at one booth urged us to try a sample of their food. While they cooked our lunch, we chatted. Their accents alone gave proof to the diversity I was witnessing. They were fascinating to listen and talk to.

At another hole-in-the-wall festival, I found out about a local group called The Orchard Project, a charity group working to restore orchards in and around London. I watched with fascination as Lewis, one of the members, gave seven of us a tour of a tiny orchard in a patch of grass hidden behind a garage. Inspired by his passion, I signed up to help at one of their harvesting events. Several weeks later, I found myself on a train to an old orchard in Waltham Abbey, where myself and eight locals spent the day twisting apples off the top of the trees with long poles to reach the branches. I certainly didn’t imagine I would end up with neck pain from picking apples when I first arrived in London!

            Another way to learn about other cultures is to be spontaneous and step out of your comfort zone.  Last week, I had several hours to spare when I arrived at Archway, the station located fifteen minutes from my house. Instead of getting on the bus I normally used—the one I was comfortable with— I decided to take a different bus to see which route it took. I ended up getting very lost. After circling a bit, I decided to head back to Archway, and catch my regular bus there. To find my way back, I approached a middle-aged businessman, who was happy to give me directions. We ended up heading the same way, so we made conversation for the entirety of the ten-minute walk. Originally from Uganda, he was interested in what life was like in America. And he talked about home with a nostalgic smile—said, “There isn’t much there, but it’s home”. Then he pointed out the station building, and went his separate way. If I hadn’t been open to explore the area, if I hadn’t taken a different route, and if I hadn’t been willing to talk to people, I never would’ve met this man and wouldn’t have learned about Uganda—however cursory it may have been. Soak up opportunities like this as much as you can—don’t stick too strictly to a schedule or you may miss them. 

London is much different than the rest of England. This week, I took a weekend trip to Brighton, and then traveled further to Isfield, a town in East Sussex. At the bed and breakfast, I was served tea and scones and talked with the elderly owners. This English town was much more like the England I had imagined. I only saw two non-Caucasian families the entire weekend.

Even so, the ideal is the same. You must make the effort to go beyond the touristy sights, or you won’t notice the culture for what it is. Fill your day with festivals, not familiar fast food. Unplug your headphones and listen to the undertones of the city.  Read the local newspaper. Take detours. Ask around. Observe.

The fact is, like ships passing in the night, there are so many events going on at once and you will never be able to see them all. But that’s the beauty of multiculturalism. As one family is celebrating an Indian wedding, another may be picking apples for a fundraiser. Make the most of where you happen to find yourself, and soon enough, you’ll have similar stories to share.

Safe travels,

Leah Mangold

FYSAE Student, Arcadia University

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