Some things I didn't expect about living abroad

I have a few things I did not expect prior to coming here, but starting easy, I did not expect that the weather would be so nice (so far)! I expected to be greated with rainy and cold weather right when I arrived in England, but actually, quite the opposite was true. My first weeks in England had pleasantly sunny weather, and while it was cold at night, it almost never rained! Of course, this will change in the spring, but it has been great having these sunny days so far.

Another funny thing that myself and other study abroad students have noticed is how British people walk on the streets. I know this sounds strange but let me try to explain. Basically, we have noticed that there seems to be a lack of understanding about which side of the road or sidewalk you should walk on when you are in public. This also applies to grocery store isles, and really any public space where there's lots of people. In America, we generally try to walk on the right side of the street, much like how we drive on the right side of the road. Following this idea, you would assume that British people would walk on the left side of the street because they drive on the left side of the road. The reality, however, is that there is no sense of “sticking to one side of the street” when walking in public. Everyone just walks all mixed up and you constantly have to zig-zag walk to avoid the on-coming foot traffic. I have noticed this in Brighton, in London, and even on the walkways here on campus. It is a very strange phenomenon that I’ve brought up with other exchange students who have noticed the same thing. Sometimes it can make walking around quite hectic.

Another thing about Sussex that I did not expect is how similar it is to NAU! Overall, the campus has a very similar vibe and size to NAU. It is easily walkable and very green, with lots of grassy areas and trees. There are also lots of flowers that have been in bloom for most of the semester. Even the buildings are a similar style to the brick ones we have at NAU.

Stanmer park- with cows!

View of a beautiful sunset from my bedroom window.

Campus in the spring.