The Morning Mad Dash and Unconcealed Inequality

Let’s discuss public transportation in London, shall we? I am lucky enough to have two other students to work with at my placement, so we get to commute together. Our commute is blissfully simple. We take the closest tube station, East Aldgate, a few stops to Kings Cross and then we walk down the road for a few minutes. It’s that easy. In total it takes us about half an hour, maybe a few more minutes depending on how quickly a Hammersmith and City Line train comes around. We could also take one of those famous double decker red public buses, but the Tube tends to be faster, especially during rush hour. Over this week I have made a few observations during our commute.

First one, we come into one of the busiest and largest stations in London. We see international travelers, school children, business people, and tourists walking quickly and uniformly through the station every day, each trying their best to travel as efficiently as possible. I would say that the majority of the people I see on the Tube are business people heading to their jobs, but it can be kind of hard to tell because people tend to dress nicely no matter where they’re going in London. The stations themselves in London are also a bit different than those in Boston. I’ve noticed that stations are usually quite old and semi modernized. I’ve also noticed that they tend to be a mix of indoors and outdoors. So for example, they will often have outdoor portions that have brick foundations with impressive arches and ivy growing up the walls, yet within that foundation are stations that resemble something close to the Government Center Station in Boston. This surprised me because in Boston all the stations, except some on the Green Line, are self contained underground. I’ve also been really impressed by the efficiency and cleanliness of the Tube, two things that are not guaranteed on the T by any means.

Similar to Boston, the Tube is frequented by the homeless. The stations are warm and dry and I have seen people spend hours walking up and down the trains asking for change. I struggle a lot when it comes to my views on panhandling. My mother was a social worker that worked with the homeless for many years and she hates begging because as someone that used to help the homeless get back on track she knows there is a better way to use your time and to work towards a goal, even when you feel like begging is your only option. I also feel like as a Human Services major myself, I am committed to dedicating my life to social justice work and that in itself is far greater than the change in my pocket. I don’t want to come off as selfish because I keep my coins to myself, I just think that my life’s work is enough, even if it doesn’t help that particular person. I want to make systemic change and I don’t want to contribute to bandaid services. However, I do feel immense shame in denying people their humanity by ignoring their plight. I think that the homeless have committed a great act of courage by being forced to show their vulnerability on their sleeve and it is devastating that the general public turns a blind eye to their desolation. My observations in London have made me realize that this treatment is universal and it reminds me of the hostility the Syrian Refugees, as well as numerous other populations not as frequently discussed in the media, are facing globally. I think that it’s very easy to take a comfortable lifestyle for granted and to begin to believe that so many of our general amenities in life are necessities when in reality we could survive with so much less and provide those without genuine needs with the means of survival. I haven’t figured out yet exactly how that belief will manifest itself in my life but it’s a value that I intend to hold close and remind myself of frequently.

I feel like this blog post took a really serious turn, but I think that studying abroad is about more than the sightseeing and attractions. It is a time for growth and self exploration as well. In these posts I want to be honest and to express myself authentically and I am grateful to have a platform to do so. Of course there are lots of superficial and fun experiences I am having in London and I am happy to discuss those as well, but I am going to do my best to stay present and aware of the more gritty realities faced by so many in this city and around the world as I continue my journey in Europe. On a lighter note, my next post is going to be about food so get ready to discuss beans and potatoes! So British, so little nutritional value, so good.