Bronco Bloggers Abroad: Londonmazoo: Surprising Similarities between London and Kalamazoo
The following blog post was originally published on Western Michigan University Study Abroad Office’s blog, highlighting posts submitted by study abroad students. This post was written during my summer in London for the “Media Ethics in London” course.
Joshua Sanchez
Communication Studies
Media Ethics in London, Summer II 2019
As a fan of city and small-town life, I was quick to adapt to the new beat of London city life. Despite the differences of a new culture and environment, there are plenty of touches of American life or Kalamazoo for those that are home sick or Broncos that need a bit of campus life with them when they travel. Their packed sidewalks are an English version of Chicago foot traffic while the streets are packed with road rage and cars thicker than the traffic jams on Stadium Drive at peak rush hour. Not all similarities lay in the logistics of getting around though.
The University of London Spirit Shop
The University of London’s Spirit Shop started as is a misreading of the signage that really said “Student Shop” by one of the students on the Media Ethics in London trip. But with low prices that compare to the spirit shop, the name stuck. On the way between our flat and our classes, this shop was in the Student Central building of the campus and had a lot of great gear to
show off how international Broncos are.
Breweries to Pubs
A drive through Kalamazoo takes you by multiple breweries, London is no different when it comes to their pubs. Sometimes labeled as free houses, these can be a hub for trying traditional meals, fancy fish and chips, and getting an ear full of local slang as neighbors meet up for a drink and a meal after a long day at work. Pubs with interesting names are so common that I found 4 in the span of 5 minutes between the Underground exit and the British Museum (I’m not kidding, I timed it.)
Construction
Did you think being nearly 3,900 miles from Kalamazoo would save you from the headache of construction? Well sorry to bring the bad news, Mate. Construction is still everywhere, and I mean everywhere.
Ditching the car to go by foot will not help you here.
City life may be a constant go, go, go, but you’ll have to be light on your feet as you bypass barriers and cones, even on London sidewalks. But any cardio is good cardio, plus the streets provide an array of stores to window shop as a walk and markets to spice up the trip home.
Traveling to new cultures and countries will always challenge your regular train of thought. But while new tastes, sounds and sights can be overwhelming, it can be comforting to know that many places still share the same comforts and stresses that you have back home.