Submitted by Emily Brymer on the 2016 summer session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Art…
The Visual Communications program to the United Kingdom is one of many firsts for me: My first country visited, my first flight and my first integration of international culture. At first, I thought England would be relatively easy to adjust to because it’s the same language I speak. That’s not the case at all. Though there is no language barrier, the UK is a whole different culture with its own rules and customs. Most customs can be understood with thought. For instance, biscuit = shortbread cookie, chips = fries, crisps = chips, washing up liquid = dish soap, buggy = stroller, etc. However, without time to think, these common phrases/customs can take you off guard. When I first went into an eat-in store, I was asked “take away or stay?”, translating to “to go or for here”. I had no idea what this meant until the cashier impatiently explained it to me. Besides that, London has been a blast, with multiple artist/designer lectures and prolific visits keeping me enlightened and constantly busy.
