Richael Best here, your study abroad blogger newly returned to Aix after an impulsive jaunt to London this weekend. Actually, it wasn’t that impulsive. A friend of mine found really cheap plane tickets months ago and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity, even if it would just be two days. The impulsive part was adding on a day in Paris and skipping two days of class, but that’s a story for another time. I’m so glad I went. It was one of my first times really traveling by myself. Even though I met up with friends in each city, I had to figure out all the transportation details heading there and between different locations, and had time to explore by alone. I’m so glad I have experience with lots of cities and have no problem figuring out public transportation. Even though London and Paris are huge, they’re still manageable when you know what you’re doing. I kept being shocked at how simple things were in London without a language barrier, even though it’s a minimal challenge by now.

My favorite solo excursion was going to the Tate Modern in London. I went to the museum three years ago with friends, and I had to go back. I love modern art, and the collection is large and exciting. I also never go to museums by myself, and it was sort of a revelatory experience. What a treat to be able to go at your own pace, not worry about what everyone else in your group wants to see, have time to simply observe rather than murmuring instant, unfocused opinions. Another great thing is that entrance is free and the museum is open until 10pm on Fridays.

I stayed with Lisa, a friend of a friend I met here in Aix. Carly joined me in London eventually, but I had some time with Lisa before she arrived. It was great to have an excuse to meet new people, and it was so easy to get acquainted since we have friends in common and are both studying abroad. Basically, there were instant, obvious, and interesting conversation topics. I ended up making dinner with Lisa in her dorm’s kitchen while a few of her friends dropped by to say hello. Carly arrived at about 1am, and we ended up talking with her until 3, when we all went to sleep, Lisa in her little bed and Carly and I curled on the floor next to her.

I was also able to see Mia, a good friend from high school, who is also studying in London. We went to Borough Market, which has millions of places selling all types of wonderful food with samples. We tried truffle oil, potted pheasant, turkish delight, sheep cheddar cheese, blood oranges, and various other things before splitting a giant sandwich of sausage, arugula, grilled onions, peppercorn sauce, and horseradish for lunch. Then we went to Camden market, which has miles of little clothing, leather, accessory, and ethnic food stalls stuck between the canals. So many curiosities! We ended our long outing by stopping by a used book market sort of near the London Eye. It was full of people because it was a beautiful Saturday, but it was fun perusing the random books. I found an interesting edition of Grapes of Wrath that will be my next bedtime book.

We ended up meeting Carly and Lisa and some of Lisa’s friends for dinner at a pub, where I tried pear cider and meat pie for the first time. Somehow we ended up talking until 3am again, which came much too soon thanks to daylight savings time.

I expected getting around London to be shockingly easy after Aix, and it was, in a way, because I got to speak English. But at the same time, it felt somehow wrong. It has become the norm for me to use French when addressing people I don’t know, and speaking English felt oddly cheap and unimportant. I don’t completely understand why this is, but I think I’ve become so used to the everyday challenge of getting around and communicating in French that English is too easy. I wonder if most people have this experience when learning another language––if, when the new language becomes the default mode of communication, the native language becomes less important. I thought it would be the opposite, that English would become more and more dear to me because I can speak it fluently and am confident in my ability to express myself, but it is as if French has become my “public” language. I speak English frequently with American friends, but with my host family, the administration at school, and anyone I meet in town, it is always French. The equivalent for the French would be, I suppose, the switch between the familiar “tu” and the more formal “vous.” Of course, I use “vous” in my daily interactions with strangers, so maybe French has become my language of respect. It felt improper to address the bartender at the pub, for example, in English, as well as the officials at the train stations. I wished there was another level of politeness I could attain in English.

Despite my internal language struggles, I loved London as a city, and I can’t wait to return for a longer visit someday. Everyone I met was incredibly nice, and the city felt lively and welcoming and cultured. What a wonderful weekend away!