The good, the bad, the ugly

My soror e-mailed me requesting me to let her know what I have found beneficial about living and working in the UK for a scholarship essay she is applying for to study in the UK. I thought it would be proper to post it here for anyone else curious. This is my email reply to her so please excuse any grammer.



That is such a hard question to answer because there are times that I ask myself that same question, why am I here? A lot of bad things have happened to me while I've been here: personally, professionally, financially. However, what I can say as being the best thing about living and working in the UK is that I have been removed from every familiar element from the last 26 yearsof my life, dropped in an island that might as well be speaking a different language, not know a single soul, and expect to fend for myself. The only good thing that can come out of that is some major soul searching, major humbling experiences, and being forced to do things I have never done in my entire life.

I wanted to move here after I studied abroad in 2005. That was a fantasy life b/c FSU's dorm is in Russell Square, basically the CENTER of London. NO ONE lives there that isnt rolling in family money so my perception of London was absolutely skewed. I thought, wow, what an amazing city!
Jump to 2009, I am actualyl living a part of London where "normal" folks reside, I have a real job, taxes being taken out.... the only way to SEE a country is to work in that country. Live where the people live, walk their shoes, shop where they shop. Working in the UK has taught me that America really is the top dog. Every single action I do here, I have to THINK.... Ok I'm at the cross walk, which way do i look? Ok, at the supermarket.. what do I buy? All these brands are forgeign to me. I'm ready to cook. Shit is in celsius. The measuring cups are in metric. Ok.. im going shopping, whats my size? Met some brits.. what the heck does that slang mean? Where do I go for this, for that? Damn everythign closes at 6pm in London and I just got my period and I live alone, now what? I came home from work and my front door is wide open and my place is trashed and all my electronics are gone.. what is the police number? Ok I got it, but they cant come till tomorrow??? Ok. they are here, now what? I cant carry a gun? I cant carry a knife? Really?? I'm stranded in central london, the train stations are closed till 6:30am and I only know 2 people with a car and one of them is not answering. What do I do? How do I get home?

Working in the UK is nothing special, its just like any job you would have back home. To answer your question, what have I found beneficial about living in another country? I've found that I'm not as strong as I thought I was. I only have myself to rely on. I have to be my own cheerleader when I find myself being my own worst enemy. I have to learn to trust complete strangers in order for them to become friends. After 2 bachelors, 1 masters degree, and plenty of work and life experience, none of that taught me how to become and adult because I always had a safety net. I had my family, friends, my car, even my familiar cities in Florida to catch me if I fell. Here, I have to pick my own ass up when I fall, dust it off, and keep on going.

On top of that, I have seen Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Stoneheges, the Roman Baths, Barcelona, next Prague. I have met and conversed with Italians, Swiss, Irish, Pakistans, French. I've seen Wicked, Mama Mia, the Lion King, Thriller Live. I was on a bridge in London at 2am, watching the skyline light up, one by one. I've shopped at Camden Market, Portobello Market, Brick Lane. I've seen in person paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso, Da Vinci. I've eaten the best Indian food of my life. I have a nice group of friends that I enjoy going out with and getting to know that I may not ordinarily have come across in Florida. I've seen and done so much in the short 4 months of being here that granted, life sucks at times, but life sucks at times while being in London.