Bites of Culture While Studying Abroad in London!

This blog post was written by Study Abroad Alum, Kate Stearns

London is such a diverse city. From borough to borough, you experience different cultures and happenings all the time. With a variety of food, events, festivities, and more, you can never be bored in such an active city, and yet still find many pockets of quiet and peace. Here is a glimpse into a few cultural experiences I had in London! 

First, I should begin by talking about British culture! Tea and pubs play large roles in British culture. During my internship in the second half of the semester, I learned how to make a “proper cup of tea,” according to my bosses. They enjoyed it with milk and honey, which grew on me quickly. A common snack with tea, or by itself, are scones with clotted cream and jam. My favorite place in London for a scone with cream and jam is at Molly Rose Bakery in South Kensington, right by where we lived.  

Pubs serve as a common third space for many Brits. After work or on the weekend, rain or shine, people meet up at pubs for a pint or two to catch up and chat. I love how cozy the pubs are in London, and how each one is thoughtfully designed throughout the interiors and exteriors. They were always a good spot to chat, hang out, play cards, read, and more! And of course, you should enjoy fish and chips at a pub at least once!  

Another fun experience was when two of my friends and I headed to Chinatown in the City of Westminster borough to grab food and see the festivities during Lunar New Year. It was buzzing throughout the neighborhood, with people gathering and lanterns strung around. We grabbed food at a quaint, family-owned restaurant. We wandered around the neighborhood before grabbing mini moon cakes to end the night. It was such a fun way to see a glimpse into Lunar New Year festivities while enjoying a delicious meal!  

The last cultural experience I will dive into is observing prayer taking place in a mosque. “Understanding Civilisation: Islam and the West” is a course I took while abroad. The study abroad program that CSB+SJU goes through, Foundation for International Education (FIE), requires many outings to take place in each class throughout the 7 weeks of class held, prior to our internships starting. In the Islam and the West course, we took many outings to the borough of Tower Hamlets, specifically to the neighborhood of Whitechapel, which has a large Bangladeshi population.  

During one class trip to Whitechapel, we had the special opportunity to observe evening prayer taking place in a mosque. While we studied and discussed the importance of prayer in Muslim culture, it was incredible to witness it taking place firsthand. I don’t have any photos of it, of course, but take my word for it, it was a beautiful experience.  

These three snippets only scratch the surface of how diverse London is, and how exciting each borough is. I am so grateful for my time in London, especially for the new cultural experiences and knowledge that I gained while there.