World Record: London, England

So it turns out the British don't hate Americans after all. They hate the French. I thought Americans held a decent grudge againstFrance, but it pales in comparison to what the Brits think of their counterparts across the English Channel.

Buy an Englishman a pint, and he'll tell you everything wrong with France, from their cheeses to their record in world wars. I sat through an entire night at the pub listening to two older Englishmen (one being British and the other Scottish) bash France, praise the Queen, and tell me why American football is a travesty of a sport. I had expectations of what a night at the pub might entail, and my first night in London had the expectations met and blown away.

Being blown away has been something of a trend. At first, disorientation left me more trying to find my bearings than actually soaking in my surroundings, but after gaining some bearing as to where I am, I have been in a constant state of awe. The city possesses an overpowering sense of grandness. Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey - everything here projects a regal presence. Coupled with the history tied to everything, even the brick-laid streets, London's immensity makes Boston look like its infant brother. Furthermore, London is very much an international city. Just as New York hosts Little Italys or Chinatowns, London has its share of Little Indias or Little Pakistans (though not literally called such).

Students who previously attended Queen Mary and the study abroad office informed me that the school sat in an "eccentric" part of town. Eccentric is not the right word; exceptional is better. I would say that QM lies in a neighborhood rich in culture, where people of different ethnicities from every corner of what was the British Empire have found their way to England. I came expecting the slums, but instead, it is so refreshing each morning to step outside into a world of blended cultures and tongues. It is not the London of travel television, and in many ways that enriched my experiences here that much more.

For a country that does share a common language with the United States (although I speak "American" from what I've been told) and that has been thought of as a more homogenous culture than back home, the U.K. is quickly transforming into the melting pot of Europe. The London I expected is not the London I have come to know. Images of an older city have become augmented with the flux of modernity and globalism. Right up the road from my university is the site of the new 2012 Olympic grounds. It is a perfect example of London in the global era.

That is not to say that London lacks any history in regard. Westminster Abbey had its initial plans drawn up around 1000 A.D. Constitutional law has its roots right along the Thames. The Beatles, responsible for revolutionizing rock and roll, took their steps across Abbey Road right on the other side of town. The fact that I only have three months to soak in everything the U.K. has to offer, along with traveling to the European mainland, is overwhelming. Considering the time I have to dedicate to my classes, it seems as though my time is fleeting.

The past two weeks have been a blur for me. It began with what universities call "Freshers' Week." It serves as an orientation of sorts, but truly it is an excuse for the incoming classes to spend time getting acquainted with each other over a drink at campus-sponsored venues. For me, I had already gone through the excitement and turmoil of being a freshman. Fellow international students (i.e. other Americans) shared similar sentiments, and we have bonded through our own orientation of sorts. We've taken time to travel and explore the city of London, to do the standard tourist stops, but also break away from the beaten path. Sure the London Eye is a landmark for the city, and who doesn't want to have their picture taken with Big Ben in the background, but how about visiting the bar where Jimi Hendrix launched his career?

And then there is the desire to travel outside of the city and to see the rest of Europe. Friends as well as other Boston College students have become points of interest, especially in the major hot spots like Paris, Rome, or any other major European city. Even with the weak dollar, travel still is a must. While I fully intend to make academics a priority, universities in the U.K. provide students with a week in the middle of the term to catch up on reading. International (meaning American) students take full advantage of this week, departing from London to whatever hostels or friends' floors they can. I expect I'll be doing the same, and it's yet another series of expectations I hope will be blown away.