When applying for this program, I immediately knew that London is the city where I wanted to spend the summer interning. I had never been to Europe prior to this trip, so I was overzealous with the opportunity to live in England for the summer. I imagined spending my time after work eating fish n’ chips, riding double decker buses, and stopping into a typical red phone booth for a quick call. Obviously, these expectations were only minor, and stereotypical, aspects of typical British culture.

Coming from a moderate-sized suburb where everything you need for entertainment and living is within a five mile radius of my home, I was ready to try living in a bustling city. I quickly learned that I severely underestimated just how busy London is and how diverse the culture truly is. For one, I was pleasantly surprised the first time I stepped on the tube and heard a different language every other minute, walked down a busy London street and saw a plethora of restaurants with food from all around the world, and was constantly bombarded with activities and events happening on a daily basis all around the city. That is perhaps what I enjoy most about London, the abundant opportunities to truly immerse yourself into the social, artistic, and culinary lifestyle of the city. In just a short week’s time, I had a list of dozens of activities I wanted to partake in and even more places I wanted to visit throughout the summer. Over the past month, I have tried my best to consistently engage myself in the city life of London. Whether it was trying Ethiopian food for the first time (YUM), going pub hopping on a busy Saturday night, travelling to the West End for a musical, or strolling through the British Museum, I have constantly been keeping busy. And it isn’t a hard task. London basically calls for you to explore everything it has to offer and there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy.

Living in London has been one of the best experiences of my life. For anyone who is thinking about applying for an internship abroad, I highly recommend choosing London because you are not only coming to a city where people drink tons of tea and speak with wonderful British accents. You are coming to a city where you can experience more than just London life and British culture. You are experiencing all different parts of the world all within the confines of England’s most lively city.

P.S. I forgot to mention this, but if you ever come to London, keep your eye out for the amazing street art everywhere you look. It’s like walking through a museum of all the local talent, and you will not be disappointed.