Study Abroad London - Department of Geography & the Environment

Undergraduate Kristy Morehead spent the Spring 2014 semester in London. We caught up with her to learn more about the experience.

How was your time in London?

The spring of 2015 was a point in my life that revolved around one of my favorite cities in the world. Not only did I get the chance to explore all the odds and ends, I was able to make memories there. I cannot imagine my life today without my love for London. I think about my time in London and only have happy thoughts. My time in London was not long enough! I was constantly exploring the city and the unique character it holds. Certain activities could only happen at certain times of the day such as the beautiful view Southbank offers once the sun goes down. Sometimes I would go to places in the day and again at night just to see how different it looks. One of my favorite photos was on the Millennium Bridge facing St. Paul’s Cathedral. The lighting of the picture was stunning, although that view is completely different during the daytime, extremely different with the classic cloudy English skies. I was lucky enough to have beautiful weather while in London. Of course, there were not-so-beautiful days, but that can happen anywhere in the world. When I first arrived I froze day in and out! I wore piles of clothing layers. But as the time went on, I was walking around in a t-shirt without getting cold at all. Watching the seasons change from winter to spring was truly enjoyable.

Why did you choose London?

When I was eleven years old I was invited by People to People Student Ambassadors to take a twenty day trip to England and Scotland. While I was on my trip I spent approximately 3 days in the greater area of London. My eleven-year-old self did not think that was nearly enough time. So from that trip, I made a personal goal to study abroad/live in London to truly get a grasp of the city and their culture. It took roughly ten years to return back to London, but I managed to fulfill my childhood dream!

Where did you live and how did you like it?

Location, location, location. Location is the main point of Geography, and living in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea made me realize how important location actually is. Living in a flat opposed to home stay changed my whole experience. Choosing a flat meant I was already in the city. If I wanted to go to Big Ben on a whim, I was only three stops away on the Tube. If I had chosen a home stay, I could have lived approximately ten stops away on the Tube. I saved so much time by choosing the flats. One of my favorite reasons for choosing the flats was the amount of friends I made, which led to three new best friends. Friends that you make abroad are people who share memories that will last a lifetime.

How did you get around London?

All of the transportation methods are very easy to access. I was always on a bus or the Underground. It was a part of everyday life. After the first week in the city I became accustomed to the Tube manners: Not talking to people unless you know them, making eye contact is not common and when it does happen look away as fast as possible, saying ‘sorry’ even if it was their fault, walk fast, and go with the flow of traffic. I like to reference the Underground to Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic: everyone is going to work, they know exactly where to go, and they are walking very fast. The routine of the Tube was easy to pick up. I came to realize if you're talking on the Tube you’re foreign. Learning all the do’s and don’ts made me feel like a true Londoner.

You had an internship while you were in London. Can you tell us about that experience?

Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) is a charity that preserves and creates open spaces for the public on the south side of the Thames River. My internship at this organization gave me different jobs for each day I worked. On Mondays, I was outside with the volunteers tidying up the open spaces. Tuesdays were originally allotted for social media to promote their new garden. Later, I made an interactive map for all of the trust’s locations. Finally, on Thursdays I would organize the Green Fingers group for children to learn about the local environment. I learned so much with the people at BOST and it was a great way to interact. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. After a month or so they stopped looking at me as the newbie and instead I was one of the staff. I left Bankside Open Spaces Trust with great experiences with the organization.

Thanks for sharing! Any final thoughts?

When my three months in London came to an end, I was not ready to go. I still had so much to see and memories to make. I agree with Samuel Johnson, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. There are never ending performances, free museums, tours, markets, parks, and landmarks – there is an exciting city around you.

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