Tag: England

Notting Hill & Columbia Road Flower Market

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In  an effort to blog more, I wanted to recap a couple of places that I visited last year but never got a chance to write about. My new year’s resolution is to blog more about my travels in Europe. Here are a couple of gems I went to in London.

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First off was the Columbia Road Flower Market, which is located in Bethnal Green. They had a ton of flower stands on sale, and it gets pretty crowded quickly. I also love the vibe with sellers chatting with customers or yelling out their latest deals to customers. Additionally, there are a ton of restaurants nearby to grab a quick Sunday brunch.

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The second place was Notting Hill, which is such a quaint shopping spot with little stands ranging from old fashioned cameras to alpaca wool sweaters to street food. My favorite part was walking around and seeing all the little houses that were each painted a different color. It’s so cool to see that people actually live these houses too. It seems like a pretty quiet area in comparison to most of London, so it was a nice excursion.

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Outfit details: My flower printed boots in the first picture were from Charlotte Russe and was only $15, and my scarf was actually from a charity shop for $2. My long coat is from boohoo and was on sale for $30, and my fur coat is from H&M and was on sale for $25.

 

 

Going to School Abroad in London: My First Few Weeks

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It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, and immediately after vowing that I’d blog more, I got so caught up with getting settled in London.

School: Going to school in London was a big risk, and the week that scared me the most was the very first session because I wondered if I made too much of a leap. I was stressed over being stressed for classes. How silly does that sound? The first week was exhausting and the transition from undergrad to master’s was so apparent to me. The workload and expectations seem higher, but I also think that’s a good thing. A lot of my friends didn’t pursue a master’s degree, which is totally fine, but it made really feel this enormous pressure to do well and prove that I needed that extra year. It’s definitely not easy, and it’s a big step up from my undergrad, but it’s a good push for me. When I was deciding what school to go to, my friend who came from Europe to the US said I would regret not leaving the United States, and he was completely right!

Transportation/ City Life: The culture shock is definitely something to get used to. Paying with predominately coins is so strange to me, and I still forget to bring my grocery bags with me so that I don’t have to pay for plastic bags. It’s all an adjustment, but it’s so worth it. The city of London is so beautiful. There’s so much to see, and I’m so happy that I’ve befriended people just as adventurous and in awe of the city as I am. One of the prettiest areas was near St. Paul’s Cathedral. I went to a rooftop bar nearby and the view was stunning.

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Nightlife/ Social Scene: When I was in school, I always told myself not to get too comfortable, but I did. I went to the same bars and clubs all the time. I was with the same friends drinking the same drinks, eating the same food, and it felt pretty great at the time. The only time I actually remember going on adventures was when I’d venture to Montreal or Vermont. While I loved my college experience, I’m so glad I decided to go to London and pursue my master’s instead of staying in New York, which was arguably way more of a safer choice in terms of being near to friends. However, every day, I meet people all over the world in areas I’ve never been before. The other day at Oktoberfest, I befriended the DJ and sound guy who were both from Germany. I have friends from Morocco, Ireland and Rome now. Everyone I meet has their own interesting story, and it’s challenging me to grow as a person as well.