It never crossed my mind before I left that I would have to start from the ground up when I got here. When I walked through the doors of my empty dorm room it finally hit me that all I have is what’s in my one luggage and one carry-on. Everything I own is no longer 15 minutes down 281 North. It is now 4,000 miles away…across the Atlantic Ocean. So after I let that sink in, I then became emotional and called my mom.
But don’t worry. That spoiled American pity party lasted for about 5 seconds. I went to bed and the next day began a week long venture to find the UK versions of Target, Walmart and HEB so I can eat, sleep, and use the bathroom yep, my dorm room didn’t even have toilet paper in it.
I’ve been channeling my inner adult and shopping just like I’ve watched mommy do all these years. I’ve been on the hunt for the best deals, the best brands, using my currency converter, only getting what I can carry back onto the Tube and only getting what I need. I knew I was abroad when I got overjoyed to buy things like laundry detergent, a shower curtain and paper towels.
When I walked into Wilko ( kinda like a Walmart) I literally got misty eyed! I was like, “I will live, I will survive!” A similar emotional introduction was experienced at Sainsbury’s (the super HEB) of Britain. I was so excited to get food. There’s no meal plan at my campus, so food and the concept of eating has taken on a WHOLE new meaning here. Seeing various American products like Starbucks, Ritz, Skippy and Chipotle have the most powerful effect on my mood.
It’s the simple things.
[TIP for future study abroaders: If you are in a developed country, don’t panic. You can find American brands and you can definitely find that country’s brand equivalent. Try to go shopping with a local if you can just in case something doesn’t make sense about their supermarkets, especially if you are in a non-English speaking country.]
It’s The Simple Things by Bria Woods is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Bria In Britain 