American Pride and British Prejudice

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” – Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice remains one of my favorite novels of all time! Austen’s novel continues to be a worldwide favorite for generations with its memorable characters and controversial themes. The two main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy quarrel with each other throughout the majority of the novel. The primary theme throughout the novel is focused on the prejudices the main characters have toward one another, and how their pridefulness gets in the way of seeing what’s really in front of them. Hence comes the perfect title, Pride and Prejudice.

Living in London for the past month has allowed me to further understand the concept of American pride. Going away from home shows me what I miss and appreciate about living in America. However, living here also highlights differences between American culture versus the different cultures I am being exposed to. Being a study abroad student means I automatically stand out in some form: whether it be in my flat, on campus, or on the streets. As soon as I speak, I immediately stand out with my accent! It is evident in the way I talk, dress, and behave that I am an American. The tiny little details that make me American (like using a 12hr time clock or using Fahrenheit over Celsius) are something I have never really noticed or thought about differently before. Also being around other American study abroad students has shown me two other things: Americans are loud, and everyone is here for different reasons.

On the first point… Americans are loud! This isn’t necessarily a negative thing. In my experience, the Americans tend to be more friendly, and outgoing compared to the British students. However, it does mean we tend to stand out more in public. In general, British students tend to be more reserved in their personalities and their tone of voice. My professors speaking in class tend to talk with a more quiet, reserved tone compared to my professors at MLC. This has taken time to get used to.

The second point… noticing everyone studying abroad is here for different reasons. Some people are here for academic and career purposes, while others are here to travel and explore Europe, and some people are just here to party and have a good time. It is interesting to ask people’s different reasons for studying abroad and specifically choosing London. That being said, I have tried to surround myself with a group of people who have similar purposes for being here and have similar interests when it comes to traveling. It is hard to balance remaining true to who I am as a person, while also branching out and getting to know a variety of people.

While studying abroad, I get to live on campus in a flat. In my flat, I have six flatmates. Four of my flatmates are British (Holly, Evie, Maya, and Harley), while two of them are other American study abroad students (Grace and Sarah). It has been nice getting to know other students who actually live in the UK. Two of my flatmates (Holly and Evie) are also studying to be teachers! It’s nice to have that in common. We all ask each other questions about each other’s countries and discuss differences in areas like schooling, climate, and food. One day I spent fifteen minutes explaining to one of my flatmates, Maya, the beauty of ranch dressing! Apparently, ranch is something that doesn’t exist here in the UK!

My flat has now become a place I am comfortable in and can call my “home.” In my flat, we each have our own bedrooms and bathrooms. This has been extremely nice to have my own private area where I can relax and reflect on my day. It isn’t the largest room, but it does the job… especially since I wasn’t able to bring loads of items from home to begin with. The kitchen and living area are a space all my flatmates share. I like being able to socialize while making meals and having this common area together. We have parts of the fridge and cabinets divided up evenly, so everyone has their own space to store their food and utensils. I enjoy getting to go grocery shopping and figure out meals on my own. The grocery store I go to is called ASDA. It is a 30-minute walk or a 15-minute bus ride away.

Three things I’ve noticed that are different here compared to the U.S. grocery stores:
1. Bags are something I have to provide or else I get charged extra
2. Items such as produce, or bread go stale quicker because they have fewer preservatives in them
3. Eggs are not found in dairy since they are not refrigerated here

I have also grown close to the flat above mine. This flat has several ISA study abroad students who I befriended and travel with. Part of the reason we have grown close is the fact that we are all American. We are all in the same boat and are trying to travel and figure out everything along the way. Despite all being American, we also notice many differences between us. Many of us are from all over the U.S. and come from different backgrounds and schooling. For example, two of the girls (Shaan and Grace) live in California and go to a film school there. Both of them plan on having careers in the Hollywood industry. It is fascinating meeting people I normally wouldn’t come across outside of this study abroad setting.

One factor I didn’t think of before coming here was sickness! I got sick with the flu around two weeks ago. I did bring American medications with me, so that was helpful. However, being sick and exhausted constantly made me think of home. I wanted nothing more than to sleep in my warm bed at home and eat chicken noodle soup! On top of not feeling well, I also decided to travel and go into the city numerous times the entire week I was sick! While it was fun to travel and see places, it was also doubly exhausting! Fortunately, I am feeling much better now, and am glad the worst is behind me.

I love the University of Roehampton and the beautiful walks I get to take to class. I also have been taking lots of time to go and walk through many of the gorgeous parks found all throughout London. I cannot wait until Spring comes, and the parks become filled with flowers and sunshine!  Looking at all the beauty around me makes me stand back and reflect on God’s majesty. He created everything in this world. It is mesmerizing getting to appreciate His creation and His love more and more every day! Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Highlights since my last post:

• Daytrips to Cambridge, Windsor, and Stratford-upon-Avon
• Celebrating Lunar New Year in Chinatown
• Exploring many of London’s free museums
• Worshipping with the WELS mission church in London

Till we meet again,
Alison Foxen