The English

With our Japan trip around the corner, I will finally wrap up my 8 month English experience. 

Studying abroad led me from one opportunity to another, and even from one country to the next. 

I realized all that I was capable of and the epiphany was empowering. It ignited confidence, independence, and a zest for life.

English Food

The most twisted thing about the U.K. is its lack of twisting. Lemons, that is. 

For many Americans, it strikes as culture shock that England is void of lemonade. The gloomy reality of English lemonade is that no fresh lemons are involved, and it is essentially sprite. 

The English love fresh-squeezed orange juice, halloumi, clotted cream, jam, biscuits, English Breakfast tea, weetabix and big, sweet strawberries that took decades to perfect.

The strawberry season is from May to September, so I came at the right time to eat my fill of juicy, ruby red, $2/lb strawberries. 

Berry season was delightful in England, I loaded up bucketfuls of blueberries from fields in South London, to make cobbler, muffins, or just smoothies and snacks. Even the exclusive and expensive London Borough Market had a great deal (pick three fruit for £1). 

Here’s where you should eat: see Cloë’s Google Reviews and

Camden Market

Portobello Market

Chinatown

The Real Wan

Westfields

Wagamama

40 Maltby Street

Ole & Steen (Download “Too Good to Go” app)

The English Rose

Coombeshead Farm

Gordan’s Wine Bar

Chisuru

Financial Transparency

Here’s how I paid to study abroad. I received these grants and scholarships: 

Generation Study Scholarship

Federal Pell Grant

HPU Need Grant

J. Scott Van Der Meid Scholarship

HPU Study Abroad Scholarship

Gilman Scholarship

Holomua Grant

This resulted in $25,417 of financial aid. I also sold my car ($5,900) before leaving. So in total, I had about $31,317 to pay for my tuition, accommodation, and travel, over the 8 month period. 

The largest and most realistic study abroad scholarship to apply for is the Gilman scholarship. The AIFS summer experience was $12,000 for 12 credit hours. The University of Essex Autumn experience was $19,000 for 12 credit hours. So that just about worked out. I’ve been home and back in the groove of work for the past two months. Fortunately, I am still on track to graduate with no debt.

If you’ve worked out the scholarships and grants necessary to cover HPU, an exchange school is a good option because this will transfer directly to the exchange school you attend overseas. I took 12 credits over the summer because that was the minimum amount required to receive the full extent of my scholarships.

Contact me with any specific questions about my application process and written essays.

Summer

My summer season in England was spent traveling/learning/working. 

On July 19, London reached its hottest day in history at 104.4 °F. 

I was right in the heart of London on a this day, walking to work. Was it as dramatic as it sounds? 

I think so. I saw people faint and desperate for water while firetrucks flew to and from incidents. London isn’t built for that kind of heat. 

If you only get the chance to spend one semester in England, I think Spring would be perfect so that you can experience the range of seasons. 

But if possible, stay a whole year! This summer 2022, pandemic restrictions were lifted and many people traveled around Europe.

Throughout the summer, from May to August, I looked up cheap flight and train tickets on Kiwi. Each trip included Airbnb, food, and transportation expenses. This ranged from $50 to $500 per trip. I visited Scotland, France, Croatia, Italy, Tel Aviv, India, Dubai, Sweden, and Vietnam. 

There are many places in England to explore, so you don’t have to leave the country for great adventures. 

But if you’re like me, island born and raised, try to seize this opportunity. Go all in and travel as much as possible!

AIFS

My home-base was a tall, thin Victorian house in London with a small garden and library throughout my 12-week program with the American Institute of Foreign Exchange. 

I lived with 9 students who also interned in psychology, finance, fashion and media placements. 

My roommates and I communicated before meeting because we all had to navigate our work visa and flights to London. I actually got my Visa from the Immigration office at Waterfront, building 2. It took two months to receive it, so apply early.

Upon meeting, we were instant friends. We adventured together, shared meals, watched movies, traveled, and had a lot of fun. I miss them! 

Some, like me, booked their own flights/accommodation and opted out of the optional AIFS Paris trips. Especially if visiting people we knew.

The other friends I made from my classes were in the first, second, or third three-week AIFS programs. For that reason, they were housed in a different accommodation that could hold more students cycling in and out. 

The accommodation was an apartment 40 minutes away from us via tube. These students didn’t intern, but took a three or six credit course instead. I miss them too!

The AIFS organization is there to help. They put together many events for us each week including: Shoreditch Street Art Walking Tour , Germany v Spain EUFA Women's, King Lear, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Brixton Walking Tour, Stratford-upon-Avon Daytrip, English Country Dancing Class, and so much more. 

This is similar to what HPU does each week, so that students have options for weekly activities when they’re getting used to a new place. 

Personally, I asked AIFS for a lot of favors. I requested to use their computer for my internship, and I asked them to get the interns tickets to the London Eye, afternoon tea, and take us out to a last hurrah dinner. They graciously accepted each request.

They also held all my luggage for me when I left for a month to Vietnam. AIFS has many resources, so they are happy to help. I recommend the organization. 

Fall-Winter

I spent my “Autumn” semester at the University of Essex, check out this blog to learn more! 

The University of Essex is based in Colchester, 40 minutes northeast of London by train.  (The train is overground, the tube is under.)

The University of Essex is home to a beautiful Fall, and it was my first time seeing leaves change colors. There isn’t much to do in Colchester, so the university has many clubs, sports, events, and activities to join.

Towards the end of November, temperatures dropped to 30°F. It was colder and colder from there, and difficult to get any sunlight. Behind a cloudy sky, the sun rose at 9 pm,  then set shortly after at 3pm. It was a true English winter.

Mid-December, it began to snow. Our white Christmas felt like a winter movie. The English ate mince pies and drank mulled wine. I wore a beanie and gloves from Tesco. It was a vibe.

English Adventures

There’s no limit to the English adventures available to you. While you’re there, you must visit:

Alcotraz

Wales

Stonehenge

Bath

Coswolds

The Mandrake Hotel “hidden terrace”

Sky Garden

Chinatown

Giant’s Causeway

St. James Park

Wellington Arch

Tower of London

Windsor

Lake District National Park

Cambridge

Oxford

Snowdonia

Kingston

Character Development - “It’s about the journey, not the destination” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think you have the agency to dictate your experience on planet Earth. You may even find yourself in a rocket to the moon. No matter where you end up, the journey will force you to grow and learn what you were born to know. 

We all come from different backgrounds, which you can use to your advantage or disadvantage. The immersion into so many lifestyles, languages, cultures, foods, education approaches, and personalities that you are not used to, will change you. 

I totally changed the course of my life in order to study abroad. I wanted a long and enriching experience for myself. I worked hard for many scholarships, reached out to family/friends around the world, and let go of any possession or relationship holding me back, which even included my car! Nothing about my experience was passive. I actively participated in sports, events, and skill-buildings lessons with an open mind.

Closing thoughts: Seize every opportunity abroad, have fun doing it, stay in touch with your global connections, take lots of pictures, and don’t expect to pick up an English accent. Be brave, be yourself.