Cultural Similarities and Differences

Before coming abroad, there was this preconceived idea by many of my advisors and friends that since I was going to London, somewhere where they speak English, I would easily be able to adapt to my surroundings and fit into the area. Although true, in the absence of a language barrier, I did find it easy to adjust to the culture of London. However, there were still differences within some aspects of the culture that I did have to adjust to. Many of these were found not only while exploring the city during my free time but also in my internship while interacting with those around me. Some of the differences would come up unexpectedly and I’m finding that it’s making me learn more about myself and, thus far, it has been a cool experience!

One of the initial cultural differences I noticed, over my weeks here, occurred during my internship. I was not expecting to have much down time and outside of work topic discussions that would happen at the beginning of the work day. Something that is very common here is having a casual talk with coworkers regarding just about anything before truly starting the work day! I’ve found myself talking with my supervisor almost 20 minutes before I truly started doing any work. This was different to me because I am normally used to going to work and beginning my tasks right away. Having that initial downtime is nice because it gives you a chance to learn more about your coworkers as well as settle into the work day. I felt as though people valued developing relationships with their colleagues. Building relationships meant as much as working hard.

Another aspect that is different is the environment within the train station or here known as the tube station! Something I am used to back home whether it be New York or even Boston, is to hear noise and people talking on the train. People will always be talking to each other, there may be people playing music or even street performers dancing in the subway. In London, there is a completely different vibe. On the train, you will sometimes never hear anyone talking at all, and when you do it is assumed they must be American. There is no music or any performance while waiting for the trains. Also, the trains run very efficiently, coming by about every 2 minutes. Very different than back home!

The more common similarities between London and home that I have noticed were the different communities and their names. Being from New England, many of the names in Massachusetts were carried over from the UK. For instance, Haverhill, Leicester, and Shrewsbury can be found in both countries. Also, London has communities called Soho and Chinatown, both of which can be found in Massachusetts and New York. Even though we are worlds away from one another, we both carry very similar vibes. Finding similarities and differences within a new culture compared to one I have lived in for years is something I find very comforting. It reminds me that we are not that much different after all. One tip if you ever visit London and take the tube station, when using the escalator always stand on the right side. If you stand on the left people won’t be happy!