Author Archives: jrm5580

Where has the time gone?

I leave London in less than a month. I don’t know how this happened. I’m panicking a bit. I still have much more to explore since this city is massive and I’d like to venture into different areas of the U.K. I can say, easily, that this has been the best experience of my life. Because of this, I think I won’t be traveling outside of England for the remainder of my time abroad. Of course, this makes me sad because there are so many places that I’d still like to travel to, but I think in the interest of time being in London is most important. I surprisingly haven’t really gotten homesick, at all. That speaks volumes to how much I feel like I belong here. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to live and I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to be here. I honestly feel that studying abroad should be a requirement for college students. Due to the expenses, I understand why it’s not… but it’s much more than just having fun in another country. Seeing what’s beyond America has matured me and helped me more realistically understand the world. When I go home I believe I’ll see things differently than I have in the past and be more open-minded. I’m interested to see if I have any ‘culture shock’ returning home.

Location: London, United Kingdom

Paris!

I traveled to Paris this past weekend. We took the Eurostar underground/underwater train and the ride was only 2 1/2 hours! I fell absolutely in love with Paris. There is so much history embedded in this beautiful city and the architecture was honestly breathtaking. The food was out of this world. I indulged big time. I had nutella and banana cr�pes, croque monsieur (hot ham and melted cheese sandwich on thick french bread) with a sunny side up egg on top, soupe � l’oignon (french onion soup), escargot, and cheese fondue. I don’t know how the French stay think with these options on their menus. A specific restaurant I suggest to anyone traveling to Paris is Le Refuge des Fondues (if you like fondue, of course). They’re most well-known for serving red and white wine in baby bottles. The area the restaurant is in is not central Paris; it has a great atmosphere with a local vibe and is packed with lots of people.

We had three full days of sightseeing and we accomplished so much, yet there’s still so much more I’d like to see. We obviously saw the Eiffel Tower (GORGEOUS) and The Louvre Museum. Other places we went to included the Op�ra National De Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cath�drale, Versailles Palace (stunning), Mus�e Claude Debussy (which included Monet’s water lillies and works by Renoir), the Moulin Rouge, and the famous lock bridge.

On a different note, I almost got pick-pocketed. A woman tried to open the zipper of my pursue as I was entering the Metro but luckily I caught her. If anyone plans on going to Paris, London, Barcelona, or any major cities seriously hold your zipper when getting onto the metro/the tube/busy areas. Pick-pocketers are really smart actually. They know just what to do to distract you and then they capitalize on the moment. In my specific case, the woman was pushing against me as I was trying to get through intentionally, but people might easily think it’s just the crowd. If you feel resistance while trying to get through busy areas, just hold your things closely. The woman got really angry when I noticed what she was trying to do. She actually swatted my hair as I walked away. I was very flustered by the whole situation, but happy that I was conscious of my surroundings!

Location: Paris, France

Trip to Barcelona.

I spent three nights with six of my friends in Barcelona, Spain for my midterm break. The weather was perfect: sunny and breezy, around 60 degrees. The hostel we stayed in was accommodating, clean, and nice. The best hostel I’ve stayed in thus far.

When we arrived on Wednesday we settled in and went for some traditional Spanish tapas (I ordered croquetes). We went out to a ‘shots bar’ and came home relatively early according to Spanish standards. They typically eat dinner around 9PM-10PM, go out around 12AM-1AM, and don’t come home until 5AM-6AM. And they do this on weekdays too! I wonder how they make it to work… The working culture is much more laid back because of this, I suppose.

On Thursday, we walked down to the beach and the marina and did some sightseeing along the way. We saw La Sagrada Familia, which is Antoni Guadi’s “unfinished masterpiece.” I appreciated the architecture of the structure. It was just beautiful. Afterwards we visited Parc Gual, which had fantastic views of the city. We went out to a Mexican restaurant for dinner and then went to a bar-type place for towers of sangria.

On Friday, we went on a 3 hour bike tour of Barcelona. That was probably the highlight of my trip. We learned a lot about the history of the city and got to see so much more than I would’ve been able to accomplish otherwise. I definitely got an authentic taste for what Barcelona’s all about and saw some hidden gems along the way. We then met up with our guy friends who went on a tour of the ‘futbol’ stadium, got some lunch, and walked around for a bit before heading back to our hostel. After a quick “siesta” (or nap) we had our last night out. We went to a bar and then a nightclub. At the bar we were at, you ask for a drink and the bartender gives you the bottle of liquor and something to mix it with. You’re able to pour at your discretion, all for 4 Euros. A great deal. Barcelona is much cheaper than London. We took taxis everywhere and they were extremely inexpensive and drinks were cheaper as well. The mere thought of taking a taxi in London is laughable.

Something I enjoyed over the course of my time in Spain was being able to communicate in Spanish. I’ve been exposed to Spanish speaking since I was just a baby. My mom and I are very close with a Cuban family, that we consider our family as well. I also have been learning Spanish speaking since elementary school. I took Spanish honors and AP classes and did very well on my AP exam, but only had one college Spanish course. So it’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to communicate in Spanish. I’m definitely not nearly as good as I was my senior year of high school/freshman year of college, but I’m proud of the way I was able to understand and communicate the language. It makes me want to jump back into speaking. I know I would be so much better if I studied full-time in a Spanish-speaking city because I would have no choice but to communicate in the main language daily.

We left Barcelona and headed back to London on Saturday. I enjoyed my time in Barcelona but it’s always nice to be back in London; I feel very much at home here. We’re about half way done with the semester, which means I am half done with my experience in Europe. It makes me sad because I really just don’t want it all to end.

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Differences between the U.K. and the U.S.

Here are just some differences in language and in habits I’ve noticed since I’ve been here for 48 days. (I can’t believe it’s been that long!)

When you sneeze here, people don’t say ‘God bless you.’ This most likely has to do with the fact that the U.K. is a secular society, while the U.S. is more religious overall.
No bread served before meals at restaurants and smaller portions, for the most part.
There’s more cursing and cursing isn’t a big deal. There’s obviously cursing in the U.S. but if someone were to curse on TV live in the U.S. sometimes it’s considered ‘inappropriate’ and people get offended. That wouldn’t happen here.
The open container law with alcohol is practiced. My friends take advantage of this.
The sandwich combinations are much more extensive. Here are a few examples of wraps available at Pret a Manger, a chain that’s popular food on the go: Sweet Chili Prawn Salad Wrap (king prawns, sweet chili mayo, cucumber, spinach, coriander, red pepper), Chicken Raita Salad Wrap (British chicken, Raita yoghurt dressing, cucumber, red onions), and Hoisin Duck Wrap (shredded roast duck, hoisin sauce, mayo, red onions, leaf spinach).
No tax on food.
Fries are called Chips. Chips are called Crisps. Candy is called Sweets.
Brits overall are much more sarcastic.
This varies from city to city in the U.S., but I’ve noticed that drivers in the U.K. are much more ruthless on the road. It’s almost as if drivers speed up as pedestrians are trying to cross the road. I’ve heard this is the case for many European countries.
We drive on different sides of the road and thus the driver’s seat and steering wheel are on the opposite side of the car than what us Americans are used to.
‘Pissed’ usually refers to being drunk, not angry.
Instead of being given essay topics for classes, we’re given essay titles. Instead of being graded, we are being marked.
The British use ‘-our’ endings in words where we just use ‘-or.’ I.e. neighbour instead of neighbor and colour instead of color.
The British use the letter s where we use the letter z a lot of times. I.e. realise instead of realize and organisation instead of organization.
Boys are sometimes called blokes.
Pretty girls are called ‘fit.’
Your friends are your mates.
Here, they don’t use the word bathroom, nor do they use washroom or ‘the facilities.’ They use ‘the loo’ or simply toilets.
‘Snog’ means kiss.
The educational systems are different. They define educational age by years, not grades.
College is called university.
We would say a political candidate is running for office. A Brit would say one is standing for election.
The British utilize the 24 hour clock (as does most of the world) while we utilize the 12 hour clock.
Different units of measurement.
Drinking alone and in the daytime is seen as more socially acceptable. Obviously at Penn State and being in college the latter doesn’t seem like a big difference. However, college culture is not equivalent to American culture. I went to a restaurant recently at 12 noon to grab some breakfast to go and I counted 6 people drinking red wine. I often see older people reading a book and having a beer to themselves.

I can’t wait to find out more!

Location: London, United Kingdom

Trip to Dublin.

This past weekend I visited Dublin, Ireland. I had a GREAT time. My mom was born in Dublin and we still have lots of family living there. I got picked up at the airport by my mom and our very good family friend who I may as well call a relative, Denis.

My mom and I got dropped off at my aunt’s house in Kimmage, about 15 minutes from the city. I hadn’t seen her since my freshman year of high school, so we did a lot of reminiscing and catching up over some tuna sandwiches.

My mom and I then went to Temple Bar, a very cool area of Dublin. We saw Ha’penny Bridge and walked around O’Connell Street. We went to a pub with a live band and had a beer or two. They gave us cheese, crackers, and mustard with our beer, which I thought was nice because we’re never given anything in London! They don’t serve bread before meals like they do in the U.S. This may be a European thing. We ordered nachos and oddly enough they were nacho cheese Doritos with more cheese on them. Not a very Irish thing to order, so that’s my mistake.

We headed back to Denis’ house in Beaumont (also a 15 minute ride from the city) and had tea and sandwiches with him and his wife, Marie. Their house is so quaint. I think I had about four cups of tea, because Denis always insists on having more and I can’t resist. He also brought out some cake and biscuits (or cookies as we would say). And this was all before dinner! The bread in Dublin is so fresh and soft, probably some of the best white and wheat sliced bread I’ve had. We then went to Denis’ daughter’s house for dinner, Julie. I reconnected with his daughters, Julie, Denise, and Diane, who I hadn’t seen since I was a kid. Two of them visited the States when I was little and I came to Dublin when I was about 10. Apparently the last time I was in Dublin I made them learn the Pledge of Allegiance. I didn’t know I was so proud of my country at such a young age. Dinner was great. We had pasta with bacon, leek, and onions, garlic bread, along with some red wine. Afterwards we went to a local pub and had lots of beer and laughs. (Corny). We came back to Denis’ to have… tea and sandwiches.

In the morning my mom and I headed to Bewley’s, a restaurant and cafe in Dublin. We met her two longtime friends, Jenny and Frances. My mom traveled basically all of Europe and some islands with Jenny and I’ve been hearing about her since I was very young. Part of the reason I was inspired to study abroad was because of my mom’s influence. She’s been EVERYWHERE and I seriously dreamed of being able to follow in her footsteps one day. And here I am! It’s pretty crazy. I had a lot of tea and a salmon and cream cheese bagel. I don’t know why my food choices were so strange.

We then went to Trinity College, Dublin Castle, and Christ Church. I got myself an authentic claddagh ring since I lost the one my mom gave to me when she last came to Ireland. We saw the Georgian doors of Dublin, which were so colorful and pretty.

After our day of sightseeing, we went to Leixlip, nearby Kildare, for dinner and drinks at my cousin’s house. It was my cousin’s 21st birthday, so we went to the Gaelic Athletic Association to party. We came back to Denis’ to have some more tea, of course.

When I woke up on Sunday, I had a knot in my stomach. It was really strange but I felt homesick. I haven’t felt homesick at all in London yet, but leaving that great weekend and my family behind felt very sad to me. I want to go back so badly! I encourage any of you out there to visit the country your family’s from. There’s nothing like seeing where you come from, and meeting people you’re connected to.

Now I’m back in London and have begun my SIXTH week of classes. I cannot believe this. I’m staying in London this weekend. I think I’m going to go on a bar tour in Camden and to the Borough and Brick Lane food markets. This week I have to start preparing for my Shakespeare midterm exam, which is on Monday the 20th. I also have a 2,000 word paper for my Analyzing Text and Theatre Performance class. Things will be busy until then, but I leave for Barcelona next Wednesday! We’re staying for three nights and will be returning on the 25th, just in time to celebrate my roommate’s 21st! The following weekend I’m going to Paris. Then I have a few friends visiting for the following weeks. Before I know it, it’s going to be mid march and I’ll only have a month left. All the travel I really need to fit in is Italy. I’m thinking Rome and/or the Amalfi Coast. Casual.

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Updates.

Lately I’ve been sightseeing and exploring London on my own. It’s nice to feel comfortable navigating through the city independently. After class a few days ago I went to the Victoria & Albert Museum. Afterwards I went shopping in Knightsbridge and on Oxford Street. I’ve been here for a month and this was the first time I bought anything materialistic. Self-control. It’s so easy to spend money here. As if London isn’t expensive enough to begin with, I live in an area called ‘The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’ which is very ritzy. Hugh Grant lives next door to me, so that should tell you something. Everyone in London dresses as though they’re on a fashion runway. Casual dress is a rarity. I bet wearing sweatpants is considered a sin. This is much different than Penn State, where people just roll out of bed to go to class hungover.

On my day off I went to The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, and Westminster Abbey. Americans commonly refer to The Houses of Parliament as Big Ben, but Big Ben actually only refers to the bell inside the tower, not the entire structure. (How pretentious do I sound?) I’ve seen pictures of these landmarks since I was young, so I was hoping they’d be as beautiful as I imagined. I tend to build things up in my head, but I was definitely not disappointed. I spent awhile taking in the view. I easily spent 30 minutes just staring at The Houses of Parliament.

Over the weekend I went to Stratford (William Shakespeare’s birthplace) and Kenilworth Castle. I’m not the biggest Shakespeare enthusiast, but I appreciated seeing where Shakespeare grew up. His impact is undeniable, but I’m not as obsessed with him as a lot of people are. Stratford was a nice little town, but some of it was commercialized which damaged the historical credibility of it for me. Kenilworth Castle was gorgeous. We got to climb through the nooks and up to the top and got a great view of the English countryside. As we were leaving it began to snow.

Next weekend I’m going to Dublin! My Mom is there right now and my family lives there. I’ll be staying with a longtime family friend, Denis. (It will be nice to save money by not needing to purchase a hostel!) I can’t wait to see him and my other relatives I haven’t seen in awhile. It will be great to experience Dublin with real Irish people! As much as it’s fun to travel with my friends, this will be an authentic cultural experience.

Location: London, England

My Swiss Adventures.

The Swiss Alps are so beautiful they don’t even seem real.

I traveled to Switzerland with a group of 8 people. 5 of our friends departed on Thursday, January 19th and my two friends and I departed on Friday, January 20th. We left our residency at 4:30 AM for a 7:00 AM flight. We flew Swiss Air; I would recommend them to anyone planning on traveling to Switzerland. I personally never thought I would be going to Switzerland, yet it was first on the agenda. So you really never know where you’ll end up. The flight was about an hour. We arrived in Geneva, Switzerland and then, half asleep, had to figure out how to get to Interlaken by train. Few people spoke even basic English, and those that did had trouble comprehending our questions. Trying to understand French in Geneva was certainly a task, but as we approached Interlaken German became the language to speak, and trying to communicate with Germans is like a comedy routine. It is so interesting to hear other languages, especially when there’s a random transition from smooth French to harsh German. It humbles you to know that despite America’s palpable influence on the world, we are not the center of everyone’s universe. Someone didn’t know what ‘water’ meant when I asked for it; but why would they? As I continue my experience abroad, I realize how unrealistic my expectations are. I didn’t know a word of French or German going to Switzerland, yet I expect for Swiss people to understand English? I’m shocked that I just went into this with no knowledge, expecting to be directed to my hostel in English. Every day is eye-opening. I know it sounds corny but I really do feel myself becoming more grounded.

On Friday night, we went sledding. It felt so peaceful to weave through the Swiss Alps in the darkness. It was a serene experience. On Saturday, we tried classic Swiss cuisine: Bratwurst (technically German sausage) and cheese fondue, among other delectable foods.

We took a scenic train to Grindelwald and got to see the mountains up closer. It was surreal.

Although I didn’t do any ‘extreme’ activities, the trip was worth my while. There is nothing like that view, and my pictures barely do it justice. My next trip will be to Rome or Dublin. As excited as I am about all of this traveling, I feel as though my heart is with London. I actually missed it a lot when I was in Switzerland. I’m beginning to associate myself as a Londoner, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Location: Interlaken, Switzerland

First week of classes complete.

This week I had my first sessions of the following classes:

Shakespeare the Dramatist
European Approaches to Text and Theatre Performance
The Theatre Industry Inside and Out
British Youth Culture from 1950s to the Present
Analyzing Text and Performance

None of these classes will be easy, but I’m looking forward to being exposed to European teaching styles. My favorite class will probably be Theatre Performance, followed by British Youth Culture. Shakespeare will be where I struggle. I already have a decent amount of work, but I have so much spare time during the week so it will be much easier to get things accomplished than if I had a packed schedule. I’m required to see a theatre production a week for my theatre classes and I love that about this program. We saw Haunted Child in Sloane Square on Thursday night, and we will see Our New Girl next at the Bush Theatre (fringe-style).

On another note, I’m going to Switzerland this weekend. It’s crazy how this can just be planned in a day, but this Friday I will be in Interlaken with breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps. Me skiing would be a disaster, so I’m going to be sledding and probably eating cheese and chocolate while my other friends ski. Traveling is one of the main reasons I wanted to study abroad, so I am very excited but a bit apprehensive about transportation and currency exchange. Everything will fall into place.

Location: London, United Kingdom

The start of my London excursions.

Today marks my sixth day in London and I feel very much at home. There’s something about this city that is so refreshing, so inspiring. Just walking the streets gives me a different feeling than I’ve ever felt in any city I’ve been to before. Although I’m constantly reminded of the many differences between The U.S. and The U.K., I feel I’m meant to be here and that I belong.

Jet-lag is a real thing. I can finally say I’m adjusted to the time difference. Classes have started and I’m beginning to establish a routine, which makes this experience much more real. I went to my Shakespeare class this morning and I can already tell it will be demanding. I’ve never been a big library person, but I think that’s going to change. I’m able to join a library in Chelsea, where I live, so I think I’ll do that.

I previously thought I would deal with minimal adjustments coming abroad since the U.S. and the U.K. share a language, but I was wrong. There are different words, phrases, spellings, and pronunciations for many things. I haven’t encountered a situation where I’m not able to understand what someone is saying yet, but I’m sure I will. I’ve noticed a couple quirks that were new to me. Instead of saying you’re welcome, a lot of Brits say ‘Cheers.’ Instead of calling food to go take-out, they say take-away. These aren’t huge differences, but it just goes to show how set we are in our own ways. I can already feel this experience broadening my outlook on the world. Even going grocery shopping is perplexing. The first time I went to the supermarket I searched for brands I’m familiar with and just sort of stood there confused when I didn’t recognize everything. As much as it would be easier to pick up the same products I have at home, I’m almost glad I had to try new things on my own.

I had this misconception before coming here that Europeans hate Americans. Granted, we have negative stereotypes linked to us; but after speaking with several Londoners, I found that there are many positive associations with the U.S. Many are accepting, welcoming, and embrace American popular culture. I find myself acting a bit more laid back and refined so as to not feed into any preconceived stereotypes. My personality doesn’t embody the ‘loud and obnoxious’ association luckily (at least I hope…) so that certainly helps me get along with people in London.

There are endless things to see and do in London. I’ve already seen The Tower Bridge, Big Ben, The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, among other famous landmarks. Now that I’m settled in, I want to make it a point to do or see something new every week. I have yet to have fish and chips and a brew at a local pub, so that may be on tap for this week. My goals for the semester are to explore London in depth, to travel to other countries, and to be open to new people from other cultures.

Location: Chelsea, London

Pre-Departure.

My name is Jenny Maughan and I’m a junior at Penn State. I major in Advertising and minor in Theatre and International Studies. My study abroad program (IES: London, Theatre Studies) begins in exactly one month and I cannot believe it’s finally here.

London is the perfect place to learn about and pursue theatre. Being the home to Shakespeare’s Globe and the West End, London is the Mecca for all that is theatre and drama.

I believe this experience will impact my life vastly. Being immersed in London culture and European cultures I’ll experience through travel will broaden my understanding of how the world works. Although I consider Penn State my home, I am so excited to see what’s beyond Happy Valley.

In 30 days, I will be living in London. I will be living what so many people dream of. I have no doubt that studying abroad will complete my college experience.

Location: State College, PA

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Author Archives: jrm5580

Where has the time gone?

Paris!

Trip to Barcelona.

Differences between the U.K. and the U.S.

Trip to Dublin.

Updates.

My Swiss Adventures.

First week of classes complete.

The start of my London excursions.

Pre-Departure.