The Tube

Brittany discusses her experiences getting around London on the tube.

I have never lived in a large city before coming overseas for this study abroad program. I have only visited cities and I briefly used the metros in New York and DC. The tube was definitely a new experience for me. 

Not only was I confused on navigating the map system that London uses, but I had no idea so many people used it on a daily basis. Living in a large city like London would be completely senseless if everyone drove places. Not to mention that parking would be ridiculous. Dubai does not have a metro system either so the traffic is just insane. It started to make sense why everyone commutes on the tube once I began to assimilate into the culture. 

Although sometimes I still cannot get the hang of tube etiquette. After my horrific incident of turning around and getting caught in the direct middle of the turn styles, I now know not to look back once you pass through even if you drop your oyster card. I also now understand that talking in general is not a usual tube activity. That was definitely something I had to get used to especially coming from our American culture where we talk to fill silence all the time. 

I really like traveling a lot but it never occurred to me that even in another English speaking country that our cultures would differ so much! I am so appreciative that I get to experience the English culture hands on and I believe it will make me a more tolerant worker in the future. We have to face the truth that our businesses are now looking for more global candidates now that technology has increased. We can literally talk to anyone, anywhere in seconds, which definitely promotes global connections. Learning to be tolerant and respectful of new cultures will be very important in my future and I am glad that I am experiencing them now in my early twenties rather than down the road.