Social Life
The best way I have found to meet the locals have been in pubs. Pubs are a place for socializing here even if you’re not stopping in for an after-work pint. I found that being American here, causes many natives to want to talk to you more in order to ask random questions or tell you about their adventures in America. In pubs, it is normal to just jump into a conversation or start an entirely new conversation. Most pubs here are very laid back in terms of atmosphere. Booths and tables and chairs are usually very close together with a nice outdoor area as well. There is usually always low music playing as well as ‘sport’ on the tv. The way they are setup, makes it extremely easy to find some type of commonality with someone. The other good way to meet natives is on public transportation. Bus stops and buses are places to meet very interesting people.
The most interesting thing I bought abroad was a tapestry from Camden Market. It was the most interesting thing because of the experience of shopping in the markets. Currency here is relatively simple and self explanatory. The bills and coins are marked with their value. It has been very easy to adapt to the money and prices and I have become very good at finding deals on food, clothes and more here. The problem is, even when you find a good deal in pounds, when you think back to American dollars and the exchange rate, you realize you’re spending way much more. Sadly, anything that is 10 pounds here is actually about 15 American dollars. So, I brought a decent amount of money but I didn’t think too heavily on the change rate, so that would be a tip to keep in mind for future travelers.
