Usually during my spring break I find myself laying on a plastic beach chair in the heat of Florida. But this year, I ventured outside my comfort zone by traveling outside of the U.S. As part of Ohio University’s UK: Suffragettes and Soldiers in the Literature of London program, I spent a week in London, visiting the sites of famous feminists and authors, as well as learning about the impacts of World War I.
I had never been to the United Kingdom, and I was nervous yet excited to go to a country I had always wanted to visit, especially as a portion of my heritage stems from there. Now fully recovered from jet lag, here is what I learned while being in London during my first study abroad trip:
London is a fast-paced environment
Obviously, London is one of the world’s biggest cities, but it truly took me aback just how hectic and overwhelming it was at first. As I tried to navigate the sidewalks of the city, otherwise known as the pavement to the British, people weren’t afraid to shove you out of the way to get to where they needed to be. This fast-paced setting made me realize how tough you have to be at times when being in a big city, and sometimes, the glamorization of gracefully walking through the city streets is not actually what any city adheres to. It also caused me to readjust my thoughts on living in a big city, as it can be stressful when some people are aggressive and rushed.
The importance of the women’s suffrage movement in London
In the U.S., the right for women to vote was passed in 1919, but London didn’t grant women’s suffrage until 1928. In my program, we examined the impact of The Pankhurst family, who started the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903, and seeing the sites of where they met was surreal to see in person. When we visited Parliament, there was a glass-stained window that lit up with the colors of the suffrage movement - purple, green, white, yellow and red - at different times of the day, symbolizing the women who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their autonomy and independence, and it was interesting to see the ways in which this movement still can be seen today in London’s architecture and historical sites.
Afternoon tea needs to be established in the United States … immediately!
I wouldn’t have considered myself the biggest tea drinker before going to London, but after experiencing the elegance of afternoon tea, my mind has been forever changed. In London, afternoon tea, as the title suggests, happens during the afternoon hours where friends and family can take a break from their busy schedules to sit down and have a quick snack alongside some piping hot tea. What makes this time of the day even better is that you can also use it for catching up with people, and I think this is much needed in the U.S. especially as a culture that focuses more on getting as much done as possible during the day instead of taking much needed breaks.
The tubes in London are confusing, but easier to use than the subways found in the US
A tube is basically another way of saying the subway in the U.K. and it is possibly one of the most confusing forms of transportation I’ve ever been on. Yet, once you get the hang of it, it beats walking for miles or taking the bus. The tubes run through all parts of London, allowing locals and tourists to get from place to place within a matter of minutes. Unlike the subways, the tubes are way cleaner and less dangerous, but you still have to be hyper aware of your surroundings and the stops you’re looking for. There were definitely a few times on my trip that I missed my stop, but usually, you can always find your way back to where you were meant to go! P.S. There’s also super cool posters that line the walls of the stations.
A week-long studying abroad trip is still exhausting, but rewarding
For some reason, I didn’t think that going for a week to London would be that draining, but oh it was. I was constantly walking around the city and staying up late because of the activities my program provided for us on the trip. The week flew by, but also be filled with exhaustion. However, it was extremely rewarding to visit all the tourist spots like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, as well as see where authors like Virginia Woolf lived.
