Global May Great Britain

My STEP project was a study abroad program in Great Britain. During this program, we spent a month in London learning about the history and politics behind the city. We went on daily excursions, each day after class, to get a better understanding, first-hand. I got to learn about the people of London, and debate what it meant to be a true Londoner. All of these things helped me to expand my perspective in so many ways, and, I hope, have helped to enrich my experience as a student moving forward.

It was so exciting to be in a country that seemed so similar to our own, but that, over time, I came to learn had so many more differences I wasn’t even aware of. Going into this trip, there were many thoughts in my mind that I had already formed about British culture. I knew what I thought were the obvious differences… Londoners drove on the opposite side of the road, there were a few British phrases and sayings that I would probably need to get used to, and tea time is a must and is much more sophisticated than your average cup of coffee here in the states. Yet, there are so many more differences that I wasn’t even aware of. And on the same note, there are so many striking similarities that I was unfamiliar with as well. What I found most intriguing was how this similarities and differences could be simultaneous, which helped me to gain more of that understanding that everyone is similar but yet so unique at the same time. It really is an amazing thing.

While abroad, in addition to changing some of my assumptions about an unknown place, I feel that I also gained a much better sense of self. I became so much more independent while learning to deal with unexpected issues that can arise while traveling. During the course of a month abroad a lot of things can go wrong, and for me, it seemed like everything that could go wrong did… I had problems with flights, money/credit card issues, and I also became sick, all while in a foreign place. Each of these things, however, helped me to be a much more independent person. Because I was in an unfamiliar place I was forced to adapt to these problems and move forward. Although each of these issues was extremely stressful at the time, in hindsight, each of these issues helped me to grow as a person and adapt.

One example in which I was able to see some major similarities and differences was in the political realms of both countries. A main topic of discussion in our course was related to Brexit. Before coming to London, I had heard about Brexit, but really didn’t know all that much about. As a political science major, I regret to say I was way less informed on the topic than I probably should have been. It was astonishing to me, after much discussion in our class, how similar the situation with Brexit is to our current situation in the states and our election of President Donald Trump. In both the United States election and in the UK’s vote to leave the EU there were strange voting demographics, compared to usual, brought on by anger at the people in charge. It was a big difference for me, however, just how open people in the UK were about discussing politics where as in the states that is sort of taboo.

Some of my favorite excursions we went on were the ones involving schooling in the UK. I absolutely loved going to the primary school, and I had been looking forward to going to Oxford from the beginning. In these places were where I found some of the most similarities and differences, and combinations of the two. Going to the primary school was an absolute joy for me. The kids were all adorable and so friendly. I found it so fascinating how, I believe, the students were about 85% Muslim, but the school was owned by the church and therefore taught Christian values. I just thought this was such an interesting concept that seemed to work, but in the states would not really happen. I got the sense that no one religion was imposed upon anyone at the school but religion, in general, was encouraged.

As I mentioned before, a study abroad program would not be complete without a few bumps in the road. One main hiccup that helped me to grow as a person, however, involved my initial travel to London. I had never been out of the country before and this was my first time flying alone, so naturally, I was a bit nervous, but I put on a brave face and toughed it out to seem like a pro traveler. When my first flight got delayed, that brave face quickly vanished. I was panicking! Some of the panic soon left me though when the flight had less of a delay than expected and it looked like I might still make it to my connecting flight. I would really be cutting it close though. So off I went on my first flight, nervously awaiting the landing and my rushed journey to my connecting flight. I landed in Toronto with only minutes until my next flight would take off, but I tried my hardest to make it. I sprinted through the terminals and through security only to miss my flight by a few minutes. These situations seemed so dramatic to me and like the end of the world. However, in hindsight, it was all one big learning experience. I learned how to calm my anxiety in these stressful situations and focus on the tasks at hand. I learned how to be independent, and on the first day in London take a train and a taxi all by myself. These may seem like small things to some, but these were pretty big lessons for me that I will definitely carry on with me in any future endeavors.

This trip most definitely changed my outlook in many aspects, and I believe will enhance my experience as a student, moving forward, and beyond. I feel I have a much better global perspective, and at the same time, I now understand just how much of the globe I still don’t understand. There’s so much world out there to discover and explore. As a political science major I think that it is important to know as much about other people, and their thoughts, so that everyone’s voice can be heard. My experiences in London have only spurred my love of travel even more. I’m more eager than ever to explore new places so that I may get the chance to meet new people and to hear just what they have to say. I think that my career in political science can only be enhanced by trying to learn and understand as much about other cultures as possible, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.