Dispatches from London

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 am absolutely completely alone! I am telling you this because I want you to follow me down a dark alley and attack me!" That of course, is not my real answer. I usually just lie and say I'm meeting up with a friend later and that usually … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Traveling as a Solo Female

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 quick ten minute walk from Piccadilly Circus, up Regent Street, will bring you to the middle of this metropolis where you look down either way and see a never ending display of shops and things to do. With an H&M placed every couple blocks, the bigger … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: How to Survive Shopping on Oxford Street in 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 going anywhere except to Big Ben. If you keep up with my blog, Wandering Grad, you'll see that I've probably spent a collective amount of over a month outside of London since I've been in the UK. I have also previously studied abroad in England, and during … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: My Various Trips Outside of 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 and history. The first things to see are Big Ben or Buckingham Palace. There's a list of things one has to do while they're in London, and that list can be quite long, with most of the items being free. It's a chance to see a play or musical on the … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Beating the Expat Life Blues 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 blog, Wandering Grad, you'll have seen that my original plan of trying to stay in London and switching to a work visa has been altered. After realizing how difficult it will be to try and stay, I am opting out of that attempt and instead moving … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: New Year’s Resolutions for my Time Left 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 are some of my favorite moments from my adventures around the city the last few months. Thanks for welcoming me so wonderfully to Londontopia, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: My 10 Favorite Photos from my Four Months in London

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, it finally opened on December 10th. It sounded like the perfect sort of restaurant for a Pacific Northwest hipster to go and try, especially one who was missing certain American cereals that tend to cost a lot when bought from Tesco. The … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: The Cereal Killer Cafe Controversy – A Look at the New Cafe in London that Sells Only Cereal

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 are very simple to get to. Sometimes a trip to London needs a little extra journeying, just to add to the fun, so if you want to get away from the city, but not too far away, these places are accessible by a simple bus, train, or plane ride, as well … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: 5 Easy Trips to Take from 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 goal will be to attain my dream job of becoming a celebrity publicist. I get criticized for this a lot, as this field is very superficial and filled with people who don't deserve to be famous. I fully understand these thoughts. The … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: A Beginner’s Guide to Celebrity Events 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 with more things in these 90 days, than I have in my 23 years of living. This is because London grants these opportunities and provides everything I need to keep me busy amidst my studies. As I come to learn more and more about London, I also … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: What I’ve Learned from Three Months of Expat Life 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?" This is the question I was repeating to myself over and over the other day as I ventured this 1,000-year-old market. It took me some time to get to this part of London, most likely as Southwark isn't exactly on my side of the Thames … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Exploring London’s Borough Market – The Best Food Market in 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 to tell. When Samuel Johnson said, "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford," he was right, and that … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: My London Bucket List of Things I Want to Do Before I Leave London

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 explore that has equal amounts of beauty and entertainment. What can be wonderful about London is that you are in the center of this thriving metropolis, but in 30 minutes by train, bus or car, it's like that city of 8.4 million disappears, … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Getting Outside London to St Albans for the Day

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 on any given day, I never have to be bored in London. I feel entirely lucky to have so many events or locations within walking distance (or a quick bus or tube ride if I should so choose). And how I keep myself up to date on what's happening … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: My Favorite Online London Resources For Planning My Life in London

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 staying put in London. I love having London as my home base for getting to and from places so easily. This was one of the major reasons I wanted to be in London; easy-access travel. For a minuscule amount of money (if I … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: How I’ve Learned from my Travel Mistakes

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 a short taste of what it is like to study across the pond, but that was during my undergrad years. I assumed my MA would be much more intense than it is, which is why I tried to mentally prepare myself for school this summer. But I am finding out very … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: A Rough Comparison of University Life in the UK vs the USA

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 busy with a schedule packed full of wonderful things to do in London. He was actually just in London back in March for a theatre tour through his university, so he got to do most of the touristy stuff six months ago. So with that in mind, I set … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Being a London Tour Guide for a Special Guest

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 lowered its defenses and allowed me to get sick. I figured it would happen once I finally let myself get settled in and used to my surroundings. Believe it or not, even though I've spent a substantial amount of time in England already, as … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Getting Past the First Wave of Culture Shock in London

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 most expensive cities in the world (which I am learning through my shrinking bank account), it does offer some amazing things to do for no money at all. For a poor student, attempting to use the smallest amount of her loans towards entertainment, London offers … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: My Favorite Free Things to do in London On A Student Budget So Far

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 I am facing so far in my short time in London. Before you read any further, please note, I am American! I am currently an expat in the UK, who has previously lived here for a number of months, when I studied abroad three years ago. Now I am back for … [Read more...] about Dispatches from London: Noticing Big Differences Between US and UK During My First Weeks in London