Saving Money While Studying in London

Tips to Save Money While Studying in london

·         Make a budget before you ever leave the USA. Know how much money you have to spend and make allotments. $__ for food, $__ for souvenirs and so on. Knowing how much you can spend and on what you can spend it will help with the urge to impulse buy while overseas. Also, go online and budget (translated into US dollars) how much all the activities you want to do cost. This way you can have a list of everything you want to do, how much it costs and then a cutoff point where you run out of money; below that cutoff point I put the things I would like to do if I can scrimp and save or if another activity doesn’t work out. I suggest filling out this budget in an app of some sort so you can update as you spend money and keep tabs on it. You know you will always have your phone and therefore also your budget.

Below was my budget before going to London

And My budget I kept while in London (mostly accurate but I certainly missed a few things)

·         Pay for as much as you can ahead of time. I bought all of my day trips before I ever left the USA. This way they were booked and paid for before I left and I could adjust my budget to relate this. I knew exactly how much they would cost and that helped me to know how much I could spend on other things. Also, when I was in London, I wasn’t worrying about the $150 day trip I was paying for because it was already done so I could enjoy it without the stress of money while there.

·         Think of everything in US dollars and download the translator app ASAP.  The conversion rates are always changing and you need to find out what it is as soon as possible and download a free app that will translate US dollars into UK pounds or Euro’s. When you begin to price out trips, activities, food, souvenirs, you can find out exactly what they will cost you in US dollars and this helps you to not overstretch your budget. Some of the girls I went with did not budget according to the exchange rate and halfway through our trip they were calling their parents for money.

·         Get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. It adds up if you are charged a fee every time you use your card and carrying a wad of cash is not very safe. I got the Capital One Venture card and it worked great and I had no additional foreign transaction fees beyond the exchange rate difference. This is something to look into as soon as possible but I highly recommend it.

·         You do not really need an international phone plan. Everyone thinks they need international phone plans and to be able to text and call while there. I had no phone plan the whole time I was there, I simply used wifi. Wifi is EVERYWHERE over there so if you opt out of a phone plan, you can still communicate with people in the UK as well as those at home. If you truly want a plan, go for it but it is by no means a necessity and is a great place to save some $$.

·         Eat cheap. You’re not in London to eat like a king; your there to learn, research, travel and experience as much as you can. Eating cheap can save you a ton of money. I only ate “out” maybe 3-5 times throughout my whole London trip and yet I was never hungry. I packed PB & J sandwiches, a water bottle and chips when I knew I would be out all day. We stopped at the local Tesco grocery on the way home most days and picked up some simple pasta and sauce and a loaf and bread and had a lovely and filling dinner for a cheap cost. Breakfast was bagels and cereal. Buying groceries and eating in the apartment saved me a ton of money. I ended up spending about $100 less on food than I originally budgeted. The grocery over there is much cheaper than you might expect. When looking for cheap meals out and about, Pret-A-Manger is a great one. Also try the little grocery stores for a small sandwich and maybe a fruit cup.

·         Find the free activities. London has SO many free things to do. All the government-run museums are free, many of the outdoor attractions are free, the parks are gorgeous… so many great things to do with your time and not break the bank. Take a little extra time and find things to do that won’t cost you a thing. Along with the free activities, some activities are as low as 3-4 pounds. You can fill your time in cost effective ways if you just do a little research.

·         Keep track of souvenirs purchased already. Similar to my running budget of my spending while there, I kept a running list in the same app of what I had bought for different people and for myself. This way I did not overbuy for anyone nor for myself. I also did not miss anyone because I made a list before going of who I was bringing souvenirs for and just filled in as I purchased. 

Missing London

It's been almost 3 months since I returned from London. As I sit here in the middle of boring Findlay, OH drinking my morning coffee from my Tower of London mug before I go to class and work, London seems so far away and almost like a long lost dream. The girl who lives my mundane life back home just doesn't seem like the same world traveler who took on London less than 3 months ago. Though it seems like it was all a beautiful dream, I know it was not. It was real and it was hard; it was stressful, confusing and exhausting yet it was the best experience of my life. The more time that lapses from my time across the pond, the more I realize how incredible the whole experience was. London is a city like no other... I took for granted being there for three weeks in a beautiful flat with unlimited time to explore. I am already completely ready to return. There are many things I miss about London but I tried to keep the list short.... or I might start crying into my coffee.

So here we go- 9 things I miss about London in no particular order: 

1. I miss Pret. Such yummy and healthy fast food. We really need to get those on every street corner here like they are in London. I especially miss the Pomegranate Hibiscus juice :( USA needs to get on Englands fast food level ASAP.

2. I miss Primark. Cheap, adorable clothing and accessories. Emphasis on cheap. and adorable.... but rumor has it they are crossing the pond and we will soon have Primark in the USA!!!

3. I miss being about to see history on every street corner and anywhere I look. Even just walking from my flat to the Tesco Grocery led me past adorable little Mew's that once housed the London carriage horses and now have cute apartments and townhouses. We lived 2 blocks from Regents Park; a fact we sadly did not realize until the last week. Even our flat was a 100-year-old home that once belonged to a rich London family. Though it was converted to apartments, elements of it's past still can be found such as the servant elevator we used to get to our 5th floor flat and the ornate fireplace in our living room.

Our beautiful home away from home, Hampden House

4. I miss castles. There were castles everywhere. Since I am secretly a princess, this was just perfection in my opinion. Someday I will go back and maybe I will buy one. There are no castles in Ohio and it is incrediably depressing.

5. I miss UCL and Dilke House. UCL (University College of London) was our school while we were in London and it was a huge, sprawling, historical campus. Our classroom and host office (AIFS: American Institute of Foreign Study) were in Dilke House right smack in the middle of campus. To study at such a prestigious and historical university was just so fantastic. Also, AIFS was fantastic. They were there to help and hold our hands when London got confusing and overwhelming or just to have a nice chat after class. Oh and they had Kareoke night and it was absolutly great.

6. Abbey Road. I went all the way to the tube station St. Johns Wood and walked across it (barefoot of course) at least 3 times during my stay. I want to walk across it again. I want to walk where they walked just a few more times... or a lot more times. I want to go back and spend a day just sitting and waiting to see if Paul will wander past on his way to Abbey Road Studios. But for now I will settle for my poster in my bedroom and my Abbey Road mug of course.

The one time I didn't go barefoot

7. Believe it or not, I miss the Tube. It was so easy to just go anywhere. Tap your Oyster card and off you go. Despite when it was crowded, hot, smelly or randomly not running- it is a great form of transportation and once I figured it out, super easy to navigate. Also, all the Buzzfeed lists about the Tube and all its quirks just make me want to balance and wobble my way from Great Portland Street to Tottenham Court one more time... which of course would spit me out right in front of Primark (see what I did there??)

Home base Tube stop

8. Oh how I miss the British way of speaking. Why did American have to lose that accent and word usage when we fought for our independence???? It's just such a nice use of words and the accents *swoon*. My goal is to make Brilliant and Savage happen in Findlay. Hopefully I will be more successful then Gretchen Weiners and "fetch".

9. Ireland. I could make a whole separate post about Ireland but I will keep it short and sweet. 3 days was not enough on this beautiful Emerald Isle but it was still incredible. I kissed the Blarney Stone, walked along the Cliffs of Moher, drank some Guinness in Dublin and discovered that it is truly as green as they say. I am Irish and being in the land of my ancestors was purely moving. Already planning another trip in the future because 3 days just wasn't enough.

Well I am not crying in my coffee yet but I am still missing this city something fierce. I just can't describe it. It was wonderful and beautiful and hard and stressful. We walked to much, slept too little, traveled like crazy and explored everything while making many a mistake along the way and had a few too many #TouristAlert moments and yet it was imperfectly a perfect study abroad experience. I am probably driving my roommates insane because every five minutes: "Omg while I was in London" or "So in London they do this..." or "look what I got in London".... but it's just still at the forefront of my mind nearly 3 months later.

Those three weeks taught me to wake up every morning anticipating an adventure and to take whatever happens in stride and find the beauty in it. Like when it took me two hours to make my way to the Churchill War Rooms despite the city mapper estimation of 20 minutes. Though the tubes I needed weren't running and I walked around South Kensington for an hour in the wrong direction; I found beauty in the mess. I saw beautiful houses and families out for a morning stroll. I passed famous landmarks and Kensington Gardens (3 times...oops). It was a sunny, warm morning and the walk was lovely and refreshing. Something like this normally would have put me in an automatic bad mood and destroy my whole day but through my experiences in London I learned to take it as it was and find the beauty. This experience changed me as a person.... my eyes have been opened to the world and different cultures. I just feel as though I can understand and appreciate differences more after 3 weeks in a different country, culture, and continent. I seek out adventures I never would have before. Instead of holding back and not taking the opportunities that pass by, I want to take those random opportunities and see where they lead me. Every opportunity in London led to something great and I just had to try everything once, even if it was just to say I did, I am trying to apply that to life back home as well; you only live once so make the most of it.

I know I have rambled and gotten sappy but it all came straight from the heart. I cannot say enough about this experience and how completely beautiful it was. Saying goodbye to London was hard but I know I will go back someday. I left a little piece of my heart there.

....and  I have to buy a castle.

Does it get more British and beautiful than that?

What I Learned

My research project while in London was about the effect of World War 2 on London and it's people. After being in the city for 3 weeks and seeing the actual effect on the city itself I was struck with a whole new level of understanding. The way the citizens of London suffered throughout this war is hard for an American like me to understand. The food rationing, clothing coupons, endless bombing... it was horrific. We were so separated from these conditions thanks to the Atlantic Ocean and just never experienced the same level of hardship on the homefront. The city bears its scars proudly and lets some of the damage stand as a testament to what they endured and rose above.

The people who lived in London during World War 2 sent their sons, brothers and husbands overseas to fight, sent their young children to the countryside for protection and lived in constant fear of being bombed, invaded, losing their house, running out of food on top of the stress of war overseas. Every part of the city was affected: even the Tube became bomb shelters and thousands literally lived there throughout the war due to the bombing and housing shortages. Even the royals were affected: Princess Elizabeth had to use clothing coupons to purchase her wedding dress. The strength of the Londoners was shown throughout these years. They "kept calm and carried on" no matter what. When food rations grew scarce, they got even more creative with their recipes and grew gardens on every spare green space including the moat of the Tower of London.  When fabric and clothes ran out, they learned to sew and mend what they had to last. Men's trousers became skirts and women's dresses became children's shirts. The ingenuity and ability to adapt was integral to the people making it out of the war as positively as they did. It could have been so much worse....

I must say that I enjoyed researching this topic exponentially. It was so interesting and completely intertwined with most everything in London. I was lucky enough to be there for the 70th anniversary of VE Day, the end of the war in Europe and a day of huge celebration in London especially. I am proud to be an American and I am proud of the role we played in World War 2 but I have a huge amount of respect for the British people and London for how they survived the war and rose above it as strong as ever. They truly embody the idea of "Keep Calm and Carry On" .

Day 15: Imperial War Museum Visit

This morning I had a private meeting with Terry Charman, the senior historian at the Imperial War Museum. I am so honored that he took the time out of his busy schedule to meet with me and discuss my project about World War 2 and the effect it had on the people of London; which is one of his specialties. I had a wonderful discussion with Mr. Charman about the effect of the second world war on the people of London then and how the impact of the war lasted well beyond victory. There were two big things I got out of our discussion:

1. The civilians of London suffered greatly from the extreme bombing. While the government tried to combat the bombs and rebuild for the people, they often learned the lessons of how to best deal with the dire situation after the need had passed. They learned from their mistakes but sometimes it was too late and many civilians lost their lives as a result. On the flip side, the bombing did not kill as many civilians as they had anticipated and this was a result of the precautions put in place and a strong effort on the part of all Londoners. 
2. There was no specific part of London that was the most affected. While the East End was bombed the most heavily, everyone in the city suffered from the constant stress of the bombing, rationing, ford and clothing shortages, the blackout, having husbands, sons and brothers off at war and trying to keep morale alive in the midst of total devastation.

The war did have an unbelievable impact on the city of London and the people of the city. The legacy of the war I have discovered throughout my research is that the war effected very single part of life in London during the war and long after the war. The civilians suffered losses that rivaled the losses on the front lines. People in London are still highly affected by this war and its repercussions. When the speak of life "after the war" they are still speaking of World War 2. In America we were never affected on the same scale as the British people; we were not bombed out of our homes, we were to rationed as heavily and we did not sustain anywhere near the level of civilian deaths. The legacy of World War 2 I grew up on in the United States is significantly different then the legacy here in London. I think that is the biggest shock from my project: I thought I knew this war well and had a thorough understanding of it but upon arriving in the city that still bears scars from the war and suffered so greatly has opened my eyes to a whole other part of the second world war.

Staggering statistics

 After my meeting with Mr. Charman, I went through the entire museum. There was a special exhibit called "Fashion on the Ration" which revolved around how people dressed and how fashion changed during the severe rationing throughout World War 2. The coupon system for clothing limited the amount of clothes you could buy new and the clothes were more practical and no frills. Utility Wear was the norm in this time which was a basic, hardy wardrobe built to last but with no frills or embellishments. When even these basic clothes became scarce, the government encouraged women to "Make Do and Mend" their clothing. Re-purposing and mending was the new norm. Sewing classes were offered around the city and there women could learn to turn old mens shirts into baby clothes or an old pair of trousers into a girls skirt. Fabric shortages caused the skirt hemlines to rise, pleating to become unfashionable and things like double breasted jackets and silk stockings were not allowed. It is amazing to me how much the people of London had to live through. America got out of this war very easy thanks to the Ocean's of protection but England was right there with just the Channel for protection. We never saw the level of food and clothing rationing , bombing or death in America that they dealt with day to day in London. It was hard to understand just how little we suffered in the war until I was actually there to see the lasting damage and read their history. Clothing and food rationing was something I had never realized existed until I began to study the wars effect on London.... And it had such a lasting effect on Londons people.

Examples of rationing information

Another part of the museum I found interesting was their Holocaust exhibit. It was so incredibly well done. I cannot say I enjoyed it as their is nothing about the Holocaust that is enjoyable but I was deeply moved and learned a lot throughout that exhibit. Such a terrible and bloody stain on human history that must never be forgotten so that it never get repeated.

They had a portion of the Berlin Wall in front of the Museum

Overall my visit to the Imperial War Museum was wonderful. The hours I spent in the Museum were highly informative and the whole museum is so well done, dedication to detail was impeccable and every exhibit great to explore. I have to say it was my favorite museum in London.

Such a wonderful museum

** I want to say a huge thank you to Mr. Terry Charman for taking some time out of his busy day to let me pick his brain about World War 2 and the effect it had on the people of London. I am so thankful he chose to share some of his vast knowledge with me.

Day 14: Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Oxford University

Today we had another day trip! Our tour guide today was hilarious and our driver's name was Atilla (I am NOT kidding) and he was also hilarious. Our whole group was much better then the first day trip which made for an enjoyable day despite some rain. Our first stop was the ancient castle Warwick built by William the Conqueror in 1068. The castle was later turned into a stately family home and that was what we toured. The castle was beautiful and there was ancient arms and paintings adorning the walls. Unfortunately it was raining very hard throughout this stop which made it a bit less fun.

Very rainy morning at Warwick Castle

Our next stop was Stratford-Upon-Avon to view the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It amazes me that the house is still there and walking through it was so cool because you literally stepped back in time. In one room there were professional actors who said they would take requests from any Shakespeare work and perform a part of it. The performed the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet wonderfully. Such a fun touch. The whole town of Stratford was adorable and just so English.

Birthplace of Shakespeare!!

Inside his house

Our last stop was the oldest university in the world: Oxford. We took a short tour of the campus but it is so sprawling that we only got through a small piece. We were able to go inside Brasnose College which boasts alumni such as David Cameron and William Golding. I also got to see the statue that inspired Nearly Headless Nick in the Harry Potter movies and the lightning bolts carved into the sidewalk outside the Sheldonian Theatre that gave inspiration for Harry to get his lightning bolt scar. I also saw the Eagle and Child pub where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien met to read each others developing novels and discuss writing and literature. As a huge fan of both, this was a huge fangirl moment.

Original stained glass beside replaced clear glass following WW2 bombing that shattered the original windows in this room inside Brasnose

Project related, inside the common room for Brasnose College, some of the stained glass windows had been blown out during bombing of WW2. Instead of replacing the stained glass, they replaced the windows with clear glass so the effect of the war would never be forgotten. This is yet another example of how this country bears their scars with pride. They choose to remember the bad times and how they rose above it instead of covering up the scars and trying to forget.

Most beautiful university

Nearly Headless Nick!!!

Look familiar? Harry?

Pub where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien discussed their famous novels such as Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The  Witch and the Wardrobe!

On the way home, a car broke down in the middle of the road and our bus driver and guide decided to move it for the guy so they put the bus in park and literally pushed the car out of the way. Quite an entertaining end to our day. Overall, I highly enjoyed this day trip as I got to see more of England and view some places of huge historical and cultural significance. Of course I had to get an Oxford sweatshirt so I look extra smart back in the states ( I have always wanted an Oxford sweatshirt!).