Have you made up your mind about your destination? The best accommodation deals are being booked fast, don’t let anyone keep ahead!

I want to find a house NOW!

Sinem's Erasmus experience in London

Published by flag-tr Sinem Seenam — 14 years ago

0 Tags: flag-gb Erasmus experiences London, London, United Kingdom


London is like a dream you will never forget about. It is one of the richest cities on earth. It is unbelievably cosmopolitan and hence multicultural. Lets be honest: It can be very noisy, crowded and unfriendly too (except the Royal Parks, AHH!!). Although I recall the times when I almost got sick of the dirty air circulation in the underground, I can tell you that I fell in love with the tube frenzy. I mean I would forget all about that first air thing anyway as soon as I got on the tube and listened to all those announcements uttered with that lovely, soft British accent! (this is no joke, I totally LOVE British accent) Anyway! I used to reside in a district called Kingston-upon-Thames, which is sooo nice. I could get to Central London in half an hour via train, or if I wanted to pay less I could take two buses, though that would last around 1,5 hours :/. Regardless, the varied means of transportation was one of the things I liked most about London. Of course noone will guarantee you that you can get to a place in 10 mins at all times. For example, Oxford Street is too long to walk along, but at times there is so much traffic that you would get from one end of the street to the other end faster on foot! London is a bike-friendy city, which I admire! I missed seeing business people going to work on their bikes, mothers cycling somewhere with their babies in the bicycle baskets!...
Shopping was so much fun and less painful in London. I never spent huge amounts of money, neither on my food (because there was Asda -Yay!!!), nor on my clothing because they have Primark in London, where I got 2 pairs of flipflops for £1.5 only! :D
Another thing I really appreciated and adored was the highly developed recycling system that they have in England. (Some of you may find this very familiar and unworthy of praise, but I didn't, due to the poorer recycling system of where I come from) During my stay in London, for the first time in my life, I put my food waste in a different bin. I have funny memories of that even. I must have found it (putting different materials in different bins..) so hard to get used to that my landlady had to warn me several times during my first weeks, and she sometimes told me off because obviously I had insisted on throwing bits of kitchen paper in to the food waste bin! :/... but then I grew to be really attentive, so much that I would seperate the tea-bags, putting the tea inside and the paper outside in different bins! (you go 'Wow!!!', I know :P) ... Isn't it peculiar how well you remember every single moment of your experience as an Erasmus? (hmm.. I suppose not every moment, if you are a heavy drinker.. ) I mean we, as people having lived through any kind of an exchange programme, somehow attribute a meaning to every moment of that experience.... yeah, we are cool like that! ;D
There are hundreds of things to say about the wonderful experience called Erasmus, but this seems to be all I can say off the cuff, at least for now. Thanks for reading :)
Good luck to you all.
All the best,
Sinem.

Share your Erasmus Experience in London!

If you know London as native, traveler or as exchange student... share your opinion on London! Rate different characteristics and share your experience.

Add experience →

Comments (0 comments)



Don’t have an account? Sign up.

Wait a moment, please

Run hamsters! Run!