My New (Yet Temporary) Normal

Let's see… this week was pretty good. I would even go as far to say it was a “normal” week, or as normal as living in London can be.

I did a few new things this week including: eating my first traditional English breakfast (consisting of bacon, an egg, sausage, beans, toast with jam, and tea) and it was DELICIOUS! I went Borough Market on Tuesday. This market is one of the oldest markets in London, dating back to the 12th century. Woah, I know. We went in the morning, browsed through the shops, walked through the stands, and taste-tested lots of cheese and olive oil. And I mean a lot of cheese and olive oil.

I bought a bottle of wine for the first time this week. The cashier seemed a little confused with my Minnesota ID but we made it, no worries. I also met up with an old friend from middle school. Dylan and I went to St. Joe’s together and he is also studying in London this semester… we actually only live two miles from each other! I was great to get breakfast with him, catch up, and see a friendly face in this big city.

And you will be happy to know, I finally got my laundry done… I payed £5 (or $6.50ish) for one wash and dry cycle. I am emotionally scarred that I had to pay so much to do my laundry and I still haven’t gotten over it yet.

As my week was fairly uneventful, I thought I would share some things I’ve noticed during my time in London so far and how I am feeling about my trip thus far.

An Environmentally Friendly City: London is overall a very environmentally conscious city. The tube is one of the most popular ways to get around, a lot of people bike (which looks exhausting and at times dangerous… remember: cars have the right of way, bikes are next on the list, then pedestrians). Other than cigarettes, I have not noticed very much litter on the ground. You have to purchase plastic bags at the grocery stores. At many cafes, rather than give you plastic silverware, you get wooden ones. A lot of coffee shops use paper straws. There are also a ton of vegan restaurants around the city, making it immensely easy to “eat clean”, which is proven to have more positive repercussions on the environment and lower one’s own carbon footprint.

Netflix and Spotify Differences: Netflix has a different selection of shows and movies to watch… dare I say better selection. And (because I am too cheap to buy premium) Spotify ads are with a British accent. These really are not a big deal, but just something I noticed.

Restaurant Service: In the United Kingdom (and other European countries, as I’ve been told), the restaurant service is a bit different than it is in the United States. It is much more laid back. The focus is more on the customer enjoying and taking their time, instead of the speed of the service commonly emphasized in the US. At a lot of pubs, you order your food and your drink up at the bar. At a restaurant, you order, you drink, you eat, you talk and enjoy. You have to tell the waiter when you want the bill. That took a while to get used to.

My Time Abroad Thus Far: I am three weeks into my six weeks stay in London. And I have seen and done so many cool things and met some pretty amazing people! Being halfway done with my first of three cities is kinda crazy though. It feels as though I am finally adjusting to London, however, I will be leaving for my next adventure in a few weeks. I have booked my flight to Copenhagen for February 18th and it seems to be coming quickly. January is almost over already. I am feeling excited to move to Denmark yet I am sad that I will be leaving London. As you can tell, I am having mixed feelings about my upcoming travels, but that’s okay. It's all a part of my journey.

So here is to my new normal, as temporary as it is. I hope you are also having a pretty normal week (and enjoying it too!)

Peace and Love and Bangers and Mash,

Olivia

Pictures: The view on my way back from class, a cliché photo of my first traditional breakfast, and the iconic Borough Market.