England is Mine: A Month in the City of My Dreams

From a very young age, I knew I was going to end up in London eventually. I grew up quite the anglophile, deeply admiring the music of bands like The Smiths, New Order, Radiohead, and The Beatles (of course) as well as enjoying the wit of shows like Poirot and Sherlock. But beyond just consuming British media, I simply felt drawn to London, in awe of its history and culture. London was my nirvana and I was determined to reach it.

I finally got my opportunity this year to live in London as I’m studying abroad here for the fall semester at University of Westminster. To put it quite frankly, it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I’ve lived in London by myself for a month at this point; a month filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. Here’s what I’ve learned about living in The Big Smoke so far.

Caption: My sister writing on the Beatles Abbey Road wall

School

As an American student accustomed to hours and hours of homework assigned every week, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was not the case in London at University of Westminster. Rather than assignments, my classes focus on tasking students with readings, and the overall coursework is graded based off of assessments or presentations at the end of the module. This independent study structure is ideal for a study abroad student like me, who would much rather be out exploring the city than cooped up in a library doing homework.

Transportation

Caption: Me in the Baker Street tube station

Despite my annoyance at living further away from Central London, the tube system is extremely efficient, ferrying me from Zone 4 all the way to Zone 1 in half an hour or so. The London Underground has 11 lines (the Metropolitan line is the best, the Northern line is the worst) and serves 272 stations, making it pretty easy to navigate the humongous city. The system is not complicated at all, just know the line you need to be on and what direction (Northbound, Southbound, Eastbound, Westbound) you need to go. And make sure you stand on the RIGHT HAND SIDE on the escalators to avoid getting called unsavory names by locals.

Food

Caption: Me in front of St. John’s in Marylebone

British food has an unfair reputation for being bland and dull, which has been the complete opposite of my experience here. Restaurants like Maggie Jones serve a comforting farmhouse style of British classics like bangers and mash while places like Fallow hold prestige in the culinary world for their sustainability innovation. I could go on about the variety of foods London has to offer but maybe that’s for a separate article. Other restaurants I’ve enjoyed during my first month here are Dishoom (renowned Indian chain with a retro, atmospheric interior design), Crisp Mayfair (popular New York style pizzeria tucked away in a 1950s style speakeasy), and St. John’s (modern British cuisine and described by Anthony Bourdain as “the restaurant of my dreams”).

Caption: The Tie-Dye (top) and Vecna (bottom) Pies from Crisp Mayfair

Entertainment

Caption: Pushbike performing at Aces and Eights in North West London

In a city like London, it’s impossible to run out of things to do here. I’ve enjoyed plays at Shakespeare’s Globe, films at historic cinemas like Electric Theater, and viewing incredible art at museums like The Wallace Collection. But my favorite pastime here has been going to local concerts.

It’s one of my favorite things to do back home in Seattle, so naturally I’ve been seeking out shows every week in London to attend. Most shows are in the basement of pubs and I love the intimate, communal energy of these sweaty pub basements. These concerts have been a way for me to connect with London’s culture in a genuine, non-touristy way. Some of my favorite bands I’ve seen play so far are Death of Youth (melodic hardcore/emo band from South East London), Maiden (London-based shoegaze quintet), and if i was a pony (twee indietronica duo from London).

Caption: Death of Youth performing at The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch

Caption: Maiden performing at Sebright Arms in Hackney

Caption: if i was a pony performing at The Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury, London.

Living in a new country is intimidating but if I’m being honest, I feel right at home. I’m sure a part of this can be attributed to the fact that it’s an English-speaking city but at the same time, I feel like this is where I’m meant to be. In no time, I’ve become accustomed to London; immersing myself in the local music scene, navigating the city with ease, and befriending locals. But this is all because of the proactive mindset I’ve chosen to adopt. It’s easy to feel alone in a big city as a foreigner, but if you actively seek out opportunities and events that align with your interests (or are completely out of your comfort zone) instead of waiting for them to come to you, you’ll easily find a new home a continent away from your actual one.