Showing up to London was surprisingly more daunting than I anticipated. Spending time in Europe before, I didn't expect to get as much of a culture shock as I experiences.
First, when I got to the Tube Station in Heathrow, I was so confused with the money and the ticket machine, it was a nightmare. The biggest thing I wanted to do was fit it. I realized that this was near impossible with my suitcase and carry-on. But I trucked forward, basically stumbling through the tube, all the way until I go to Russel Square. Then I got stuck exiting because my suitcase didn't fit out the exit. Nevertheless, once I got settled in, I still was on a mission to start trying to assimilate as fast as I could.
I did do my homework before coming. I bought different jeans that fit a little tighter, because that was something I noticed last time. I also tried wearing just plain clothes, that expressed class but subtly. I believe the that after the first week, I still didn't have the hang of it.
Finally, I took the bus to my internship interview and that was a challenge also. First, I didn't know you had to put your hand out to "hail" the bus, so I missed the first bus I needed being it just drove right by. Once I did get on, I booked it up to the top, just to get to see the sights. I caught myself about fifteen minutes on, noticing that I looked so eager, which no one else did. So I determined that I need to have a look that combines apathy with slight anticipation of getting off.
My goal in the next five weeks will be to assimilate more into the London culture. I particularly want to work on shopping at markets, riding public transit, dressing, walking, understanding the currency (the coins are tricky), and the social aspect of it.
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