My Semester Abroad

Local college students — from the Puget Sound area or studying at a Puget Sound university — are traveling the world as part of their studies; several are sending dispatches about discovering their corner of the globe. They welcome your comments and questions.

Editor's note: Thanks to all the students who shared their experiences on traveling and learning. "Semester Abroad" is being discontinued.

All blogs and discussions:

January 19, 2006

London: Things that make you feel American

Posted by Laura Geggel at 11:16 AM

One thing not cheap in London: movies. Even with a student discount, I paid £9 to see "Memoirs of a Geisha." That's almost $16!

It's so odd the things that make you feel American. Like passing someone on the right when you're walking past them. Here they tend to pass you on the left. It's such a little thing, but I've already done several dance steps with strangers.

After class I went to the British Museum with a girl in my hall and we made it just in time for a tour in Arabian art. The tour guide knew so much: No religious Islamic art can depict animals in it because it's considered sacrilegious, so they like to draw cool designs and flowers along with their calligraphy. The Chinese, via trade and an invasion from an indirect descendant of Genghis Khan, influenced Arabian art; the Arabs copied Chinese images, and in Arab manuscripts of myths and battles the people drawn really look Chinese. You wouldn't know they were Islamic if it weren't for the writing.

Woo-hoo, history! Speaking of which, all of my classes at UCL are going really well.

Jennifer Henrichsen
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