Warm Beer and Other Things

My Semester in London

Tag: Touristy

Is Studying Abroad in London a Good Idea?

January 4, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Like everything, there are pros and cons, but in this case, I strongly encourage everyone to study abroad. Especially, if you go without knowing anyone, it gives you a good sense of independence and a better understanding of yourself and how culture has shaped your life. Additionally, it opens your mind to being more receptive to different ideas  and allows you to question your own society and way of living. Of course there are times that are difficult and challenging, but in the end it’s worth it.

In regards to studying abroad IN London, my views are more complicated. There are some downsides to studying in London, because it is such a metropolitan city, you do not always notice the cultural differences: cities tend to be similar. When I went to London I was expecting things to look ‘English,’ but you only get that feel from smaller towns like Bath or Dover. Finally, in England, since I already knew English, I didn’t have the opportunity to learn a new language.

However, London is also great because they speak English,  allowing you to really get to know locals and discover the more minute differences between cultures. It also has incredibly cheap flights to the rest of Europe, giving students the opportunity to explore  many different cultures throughout their time abroad. Additionally, London is really diverse, making it easy to meet so many different types of people. Finally, there is so much to do in London, from the free museums, parks, castles, and pubs.

I am thankful I studied abroad and glad I got to know such a cool city with great people.

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Myth Busters

December 12, 2014 / / 0 Comments
While my time in London is coming to an end there are a few misconceptions I want to address.
London is always raining: 
London is not the sunniest of cities, but that does not mean it is constantly raining. In fact, the place that receives the most rain fall each year is a mountain in Hawaii. Additionally, there is a very good chance it rained more during the 10 days I spent in Nicaragua a couple winters ago, then it did during any 10 days in London. That being said, it does not hurt to keep an umbrella on hand while in London.
Everyone has Bad Teeth:
It is true that under the NHS (National Health Service) dental care is not covered. But people have bad teeth in England, just like small populations in other areas have bad teeth. England actually has a rather high percentage for good dental hygiene within its population.
English Food is Terrible:
Curry has become one of Britain’s national dishes and is supposed to be great, especially if you try some on Brick Lane. On the other hand, from hearing from most of my American friends, pub food is kind of bland and they do not have a lot of food we are used to eating. So while not many come to England for its food, there is hope.
They Drink Warm Beer:
Saving the best for last, of course I had to address this at some point. While personally I have never found warm beer in England I have found two possible answers to why this misconception has arose.
1. The English do not keep their beer in refrigerators, rather in cellars. While this may make people assume the beer is room temperature, in reality cellars are quite cold.
2. Personally I prefer this answer.  There are two types of beer. The first, a Lager, which is served at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which is most beers that americans drink like pilsner styles or Heineken.  The second type of beer is Ale-fermented and served at ‘room temperature,’ which is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This is still pretty cold and is supposedly a better taste for stouts and brown ales.
Cheers! (Pun intended)

 

Global Citizens?

December 7, 2014 / / 0 Comments

In my diplomacy class, we often discuss whether diplomacy will cease to exist. One reason, is because of the different ways countries are now able to communicate with one another like non governmental organizations such as the EU. Part of the idea of the EU is to unite countries, creating less boundaries and bringing the world closer to this idea of having people transcend nationalities to become global citizens.

The more I think about this idea the less I believe it is possible. People enjoy sovereignty and still are extremely patriotic, valuing their own views over others. Glimpses of this idea can be seen through the attempt of the Scottish referendum, the  ongoings in Catalonia (Barcelona and surrounding areas). This idea was reinforced and challenged during my weekend trip to Berlin. Berlin is often known for its part during the cold war. One city torn apart for the sake of a preferred ruling system and power.  This is a motif represented throughout the city through the many pieces of the wall still remaining. However, Berlin as a modern city today is quite different. There are people from all over the world who gather in Berlin because of its wealth of alternative culture, art, and music. While these people have yet to transcend state lines, my weekend in Berlin made it evident that a united world still may be achieved through a mix of alternative culture.

Adventures Abroad

November 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

It’s been too long so, I want to bring you up to speed. Because London is THE metropolitan city of Europe, you can get cheap flights to almost anywhere in Europe. Which means, within two hours I could casually meet up with my friend from back home in Barcelona for the weekend. It was great seeing a familiar face and a new place. (Also, got to see Madrid and Toledo).

bikesWhile on a traveling high, within the following weeks, I went to Stonehenge, Bath, Harry Potter Studios, and Cardif (Wales). I will hopefully do a little more traveling while I am here. You know what they say… I actually have no idea, but I assume someone once said, “when in Europe, travel Europe”

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Noticing Some Differences

October 6, 2014 / / 0 Comments

English culture is so diverse , it’s sometimes difficult to notice what IS english culture, especially after coming from such a multifaceted city as NY. But after being here for almost three weeks I have started to realize more nuanced differences than the fact that there are no stop signs in London. For instance, their complete disregard for the American right to bear arms. They just don’t understand why anyone would need a gun.

I also have become aware of how different our newspapers are. I’ve been told that the ‘main’ newspapers here are The Guardian and The Times. Comparing these two to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, makes English news papers look like tabloids. They just don’t seem as serious. There are articles about the royal family with titles like “David Cameron may have said something he shouldn’t have about the Queen.. AGAIN.” While, they do have things that seem more serious, the royal family is a big part of the culture here and insulting the Queen is a rather big offense for them.

Some other differences are in relation to their  views towards smoking and alcohol. Both are so entrenched in their culture, its weird coming from a place where if you smoked in a park, people would instantly heckle you with a barrage of loud obnoxious coughs.

Another interesting difference is how aware they are of the world. From my experience, America citizens are overwhelming unaware of countries past western Europe, let alone their current events. The other day, I had a sixth year (sixth grader) tell me where the island of Comoros is (never even heard of it). Because, England is physically connected to  the rest of the world, its citizens seem to be more educated and concerned with the rest of the world.

Also they use the words naughty… a lot. It’s really amusing.

Arrived in London!

September 14, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Finally arrived in London and already got to check out Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the changing of the horse’s guard. This weekend I went to the closest Jewish establishment near my student dorm to celebrate Shabbat. I live in the Borough of Islington, which is one of the smallest boroughs of London situated in Inner London.

As a Jewish student, it is important for me while living abroad to find a Jewish community to celebrate festivals and perform rituals. There aren’t many Jews in Islington, most live in suburbs of London like Golders Green and Hendon. The twenty Jews that I met when I went to synagogue were mostly elderly and lived outside of the area. The small turnout was surprising considering there are over 300 members of the synagogue paying dues. These few people come back to the synagogue every Shabbat (Saturday)  because they had a deep familial connection to the location: some had grandparents who got married there.

Cheers!

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