In our orientation activities today, I learned some interesting differences between the ways the British speak, and the ways American speak. Mostly it was peculiar that some of their phrases that they use mean something completely different. For instance, when they are in a building they may turn to you and say lets take the apples and pears. Any idea? They’re talking about stairs. Apparently, British people refer to climbing stairs as taking the apples and pears. Also, another phrase that they often use, that we find extremely strange, is “trough and strife”, which is a rhyming scheme and means, “I hate my wife”. However as Americans, we were baffled that simple things to us, are very complicated phrases to them.
   We did an interesting activity in our orientation as well, to introduce us to the foods that they have here that are very similar to ours, but are known as something completely opposite. So we did a taste, touch, feel, smell test that we all have done before in elementary school. However, for each item of food, we also had to name it. One of the items seemed like an ordinary cheese puff, the kind that Cheetos makes. However in London, they call it a cheeseywhatsit. Also, they have these miniature jellies in the shape of either and animal or a human, it was unsure at first. So naturally, we all called them jellybears. Come to find out that they are called jelly babies, and the jellies, if you look closely, are shaped like newborn babies. One of the last items on the list was small, and tasted highly like a peppermint. Told that it was meant to “cleanse the palette” after dinner, we all assumed it was a peppermint candy. Instead, the man told us that in London, it’s called a humbug. It was all so strange.
   It is also apparent that London is part of about four different countries. Not necessarily, but what is meant by that is that England is also known as Great Britain, the UK, and Britain. There are four different sections of London too, the North, the South, the Northwest, and the Southeast. All of which have different opinions of the way the other behaves, and all are completely stereotypical. But it was interesting to see how we can relate to that in the States. For instance, the North of London believes that the South is too laid back and prim, and the South believes that the North is arrogant. In the States, it’s similar with major cities. New Yorkers believe that LA is too laid back and casual, and LA believes that New York is too fast-paced and uptight. It was an interesting analogy to view.

   It is amazing what a ¼” of snow can do to people. Here in London, they rarely ever get snow, and when they do, they act like they’ve never seen it before in their lives. Much like southern US states that rarely get snow, they think that it’s beautiful and exciting. However, for our Philadelphia class, we hate it. Trekking through the snow to get to the metro line is an enormous hassle, only come to find out that since people rarely see snow, they are also afraid of it. The metro line is doubled, as people are too scared to drive their cars in this “bad weather”. The city workers are also not prepared at all. Although, yes, it is true that London rarely gets snow, they have still seen it many times before. Yet they do not own shovels, plows, or save up enough salt to fix the city up after the bad weather, and therefore a majority of London goes into hibernation. It is rather amusing to observe, as most of our orientation activities today were cancelled due to this ¼” of snow on the ground.
   Another particularly interesting part of London lifestyle is their fashion. Of course it’s interesting to me because I am a fashion major, but there are multiple things that are fascinating about their fashions that anyone could notice. First of all, it’s very similar to New York City, because everyone looks like they could be on the cover of a magazine. Some may be geared more towards eclectic magazines, since I’ve seen a considerable amount of pink hair, braids, and tutus. But I’ve drawn a conclusion that fashion is a part of people’s lifestyle here. Everyone from the grandmas to the preschoolers have a certain style that you don’t see anywhere else. I passed by a nanny with her kids this afternoon on the street, and these kids were surprisingly fashion-forward, wearing fashion styles made for their elementary figures. Everyone looks great, everyday. People do not leave their houses in sweatpants like people in America often do. It is not allowed.
   It’s also interesting to notice that I have not seen an unhealthy person yet, which is surprising considering that the lines at fast food restaurants are often down the street and around the corner. When I’m walking through the grocery store, I’ve observed that few carriages are full. Where in America we have places like BJ’s, where it is the norm to stock up with “family size” packages, you will not find that phrase anywhere. They use fewer preservatives in their food; therefore they shop on a daily basis, and buy far fewer amounts of food a week than we do. The grocery store is never packed on a certain day, but rather is always packed. Their eating habits are much different than ours and I feel that contributes to the fact that there are scarce people who look unhealthy. London is also a huge city and walking to work is not uncommon.
   I cannot necessarily say that their lifestyle is better than ours, however I can admit that it is far different than ours.

   Part of our program with Drexel Fashion study abroad to London includes a five-day inspirational trip to Paris, France. I was ecstatic to go because it is the fashion capital of the world and my major is fashion design. However, it never really sunk in that the major language spoken in France is French, of which I know very few words. It was certainly different than London, where everyone understood what I was saying. Here in Paris, every person I came across spoke French. It was hard to adjust.
   Imagine being shoved into a world where it is nearly impossible to communicate with the people around you, even if you’re merely asking for directions. Ordering food at a restaurant proved embarrassing, purchasing items seemed nearly impossible, and reading labels and brands was out of the question. Everything, from the street signs, to the warning labels, to the nutrition facts, was in French. When it came to touring the museums and department stores, although the floors were written in numerical style, I found that the French label their floor levels differently, with negative floors and the ground floor as 0. The food was also different, ranging from weird (snails) to impeccably delicious (macaroons). Yet through all the trouble I have been through deciphering the vocabulary of their everyday life, it has been worth it to see the incredible building architectures, with their high painted ceilings, and ornate exteriors, it is the most beautiful city, filled with history and art.
   My study abroad group had a tour guide, and she has definitely been a blessing to our group, showing us the non-touristy locations that we would have never been able to find on our own. She took us a on a boat trip that sailed up and down the Seine River, where we could view the touristy attractions from afar. They included the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, and the Arc de Triomphe.
   Paris is certainly similar to New York, with its crowded streets of trendy business associates scurrying around even on their lunch break. The cars drive also drive fast, and on the same side of the road as in New York. Paris is filled with huge corporations, and there is a shop in almost every building you pass. The buildings are tall, usually occupied by residences above the main floor, similar to New York. In fact, I came across some restaurants named after New York landmarks, and subway stops named after American presidents. The main detail that really makes Paris stand out as a remarkable city in comparison to New York was the detail in architecture. The buildings date back to the 16th Century and have not been torn down, but rather restored. So traveling through Paris is like traveling through the Victorian ages, where the exterior city was as elegant as the people in that time period.

I arrived in London, England yesterday morning, and have become slightly acquainted with my surrounding areas since I have been here. The area we are in is gorgeous, one of the richest boroughs in London, and not nearly as packed as central London is. Therefore, I cannot say that I have had a culture shock yet, but I do not doubt that possibility. There are however, many differences between London and America besides the accent. The main difference would most definitely be the fact that the British drive on the left. It would seem that it would not be a problem if I were not driving, correct? Wrong. When you cross the street in America, you automatically look left, while here it is the opposite. Simple as it sounds, when you are in a rush and just hurrying to cross, one split second of looking the wrong way could get you hit by a car. I know because it almost happened to me! Thankfully, the British must understand this dilemma, since EVERY crosswalk in London has it written on the ground of which way to look when crossing. Thank you London! With food, I was not nearly as confused. After looking over the menus at several different restaurants, I recognized most of the foods on it, which seemed similar to American foods. Some phrases made me feel like an alien, such as a “jacket of cheddar cheese and beans”, as well as a “chip butty”. I have yet to determine their meanings – for fear of seeming like a narrow-minded American – but I sure I’ll decipher the terms soon, since they frequent multiple menus. I rode the “tube” today as well, which at home is known as the subway but in London is so much cleaner that “subway” holds a negative connotation for me now. It was so impeccably clean that I could not even relate it to our subways in my mind because I was so shocked that public transportation could be so tidy and contain such plush seating. Probably one of the last differences that I have recognized so far is that while you can walk the streets of New York City, and overhear everyone’s conversation, it is the exact opposite in London. If the people even happen to be talking while walking, they are talking so quietly that you cannot make out a single word they say. It’s an ironic city, for it can be so calming, yet so crazy at the same time.