Samantha O'Brochta

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Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Traveling as a Solo Female

One of the first things I get asked when I’m traveling and am approached by a stranger is, “Are you alone?” “Why yes, stranger, I...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: How to Survive Shopping on Oxford Street in London

If one is in need of a bit of a shopping adventure, there is no better place to do it than London’s Oxford Street. A...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My Various Trips Outside of London

From all the comments I’ve read on my posts, I get the feeling that people think I just sit around in London all day, never...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Beating the Expat Life Blues in London

When a person comes to London for the first time, or maybe even the second or third, in their eyes, it’s this metropolis of royalty...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: New Year’s Resolutions for my Time Left in London

It’s finally 2015! I really enjoyed 2014, but know that this year will bring a lot more interesting and new experiences. If you read my...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My 10 Favorite Photos from my Four Months in London

For my final post of 2014, I wanted to show off some of the photos I took around London since I arrived in September. These...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: The Cereal Killer Cafe Controversy – A Look at the New Cafe in London that Sells Only Cereal

Ever since it was announced a couple of months ago, I was ecstatic for the Cereal Killer Cafe to open on Brick Lane. After much anticipation,...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: 5 Easy Trips to Take from London

If you’re conflicted about where to go next in the world, and your starting point is London, I’ve created a list of 5 places that...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: A Beginner’s Guide to Celebrity Events in London

It’s no secret that I have a slight obsession with celebrities and pop culture. In fact, the moment I’m finished with grad school, my career...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: What I’ve Learned from Three Months of Expat Life in London

Being stationed in London for the past three months has been the most amazing experience of my life. I’ve gotten to do and be involved...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Exploring London’s Borough Market – The Best Food Market in London

“How have I been to London three times previously, and now have lived here for almost three months, and still haven’t been to Borough Market?”...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My London Bucket List of Things I Want to Do Before I Leave London

It’s closing in on two and a half months of my life in London, and it’s definitely been a whirlwind of new experiences and stories...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Getting Outside London to St Albans for the Day

When you’re surrounded by a thriving city, especially one as fantastic as London, you can forget there is the whole rest of the country to...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My Favorite Online London Resources For Planning My Life in London

Living in London means that I have access to some of the most exciting things happening. With its city status and unlimited things to do...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: How I’ve Learned from my Travel Mistakes

This “Dispatch from London” comes not quite from London today. For the past few weekends, I’ve been traveling around Europe with my boyfriend, rather than...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: A Rough Comparison of University Life in the UK vs the USA

I’m into week four of my schooling, and it’s interesting to say the least. I had three months at a UK university before so I got...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Being a London Tour Guide for a Special Guest

After waiting patiently for a month for my boyfriend to arrive in London, he is finally here! And let’s just say, I’ve kept him very...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Getting Past the First Wave of Culture Shock in London

I know I’ve finally settled into London because I’ve caught my first cold. Yes, after being here almost a month now, my body has seemingly...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My Favorite Free Things to do in London On A Student Budget So Far

So far, the most wonderful thing I’m finding about London is all the things you can do for free. While it is one of the...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Noticing Big Differences Between US and UK During My First Weeks in London

Now that I’ve gotten a chance to settle in and get over jetlag (yes, it took awhile for me), I thought I’d discuss the differences...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My First Week in London as An Expat Student at the University of Westminster

I finally made it! After a 7-hour flight to Iceland, a 10-hour layover in Reykjavik, a 3-hour flight to London, and 16-hours waiting in Heathrow airport for...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: My Final Thoughts as I Depart for My Year in England

Tomorrow I will head to SeaTac airport and fly off to London to start my year of grad school at the University of Westminster. When...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Things I Miss About England That I’m Excited to Experience Again

Three years ago, when I completed my study abroad program and left England, I knew I’d be back. There were too many wonderful things about...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Goals For My Year in London

My laziness has definitely kept me from doing things before, and the thing I most regret about studying abroad in the past, was that I...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: Nerves & Excitement as I prepare for My Move to London

It’s getting down to about three weeks until my departure, and I am equal parts excited and nervous. It’s a major life change to pack...
Samantha O'Brochta

Dispatches from London: The London Grad School Process – Applying, Scholarships, Housing & Visas

It is my theory that universities accept most international students, with the thought that only a small percentage of them will actually go through with...
Samantha O'Brochta

Introducing a New Weekly Column: Dispatches From London – The Adventures of an American Grad School Student in London

Editor’s Note: Let’s give a big Londontopia Welcome to Samantha, an American Grad student who will be writing a weekly column for us about her...