what i wish i knew before studying abroad in London + advice

[@petermcgraw8191]

What i would advise all Americans who come to England to study or holiday , when crossing the road, LOOK RIGHT, LOOK LEFT ANG LOOK RIGHT AGAIN. HAVE A GREAT TIME.

[@sashasmall]

Definitely took some getting used to! great piece of advice

[@suburbia2050]

Good positive and realistic advice for people, I always think it is an overall benefit to a person to travel to another country, long enough to get a proper experience ie living there for a bit rather than just a holiday. Even if some things dont work out it will be something you will be glad to have done later on in life, oh and it's definitely easier to do this when you are younger! With the tube thing it's more a commuting etiquette thing really, the tube trains are quite small so it feels quite claustrophobic so if you are going to and from work and people are being noisy it can grate, but on say Friday/Saturday night, the tube will be more like a party!

[@sashasmall]

thank you! i am always recommending people to go abroad if they have the opportunity. definitely was a great experience :)

[@philipmason9537]

Great tips here and you speak so eloquently. Glad you enjoyed our “little” country ( the US is FORTY times larger than the U.K.) !! A two or three hour flight from England and you can be in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany etc for when you visit here again !

[@craigflower13]

I've heard the, "No tipping," on many vlogs, but I don't recognise this at all. My parents and the rest of my family have always left a tip, my wife and her family do as well. If the service is poor, I don't tip, but most of the time we will leave some money. The amount varies. At an expensive restaurant, 10% is as high as I go, but in cheaper places I may give more like 15 to 20%, depending on how good the service was. Glad you enjoyed your time over here and managed to get out of London. Maybe you could do your Masters in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff or Belfast?

[@sashasmall]

interesting! we were warned to not tip but i would tip occasionally. yes, i am definitely thinking about doing my masters over there!

[@craigflower13]

@@sashasmall I believe it depends on where you live in the UK. I live in Scotland but was born in Wales. Saying thanks to the bus driver happens in both countries, but is much less common, in England, especially as you move further south. Visiting Yorkshire I have seen some people tipping, some places with tip jars and on at least one occasion it was added to the bill. My 16 year old daughter washes dishes at a local pub and gets something like £50-£100 a week in tips, despite only working 10-20 hours per week. My son, works fulltime at a 4 Star hotel and is lucky to get that a month. Thanks for the reply. Good luck in the future and if you like finding stuff out, why not join Quora?

[@joeking5310]

I think most people tip at restaurants, but hardly anywhere else.

[@kevinb9830]

@@craigflower13 Hello, 8 months late here but it's perfectly common to thank the bus driver in England outside of London. I know my local bus in Hertfordshire nearly everyone thanks the driver as they leave.

[@downsman1]

Oh dear, this has spoiled my weekend now! The thought that we won't be seeing your happy smiley face for much longer is desperately sad. Still, at least you've managed to enjoy yourself and will go home full of great memories. Who knows, maybe we can lure you back one day to do a Masters? Don't forget, it's only one year here (mostly) as opposed to 2-3 in the US. Best wishes and thanks for all the fun you gave us..................................the ancient Englishman.

[@sashasmall]

i know! i will deeply miss London, but i will definitely consider coming back for my Masters :)) i might continue to make videos so stay tuned!

[@downsman1]

@@sashasmall Well, that's very good to know, I feel better now. Honestly, you should seriously consider a Masters here rather than the US. The courses are much more focused and, consequently, are much more highly regarded by potential employers. Best wishes......

[@Damaz22]

What’s thrifting? A charity shop? Or cool vintage shops as you mention hipster areas like shoreditch…..

[@sashasmall]

In America, we have these stores that have second-hand clothing and they are usually called thrift stores or vintage stores. so when we shop second-hand, we tend to call it "thrifting".

[@allywelsh5761]

my cousin got married at the harry potter studio! it was such a cool place, def worth a trip out :)

[@sashasmall]

omg thats cool!

[@aaliyahrussell8996]

the tube thing is similar to America and everywhere like always stay on the right

[@sashasmall]

ah well, i’m from LA and we don’t really use public transportation/trains. so, that “rule” was unfamiliar to me

[@caitlinkennedy5381]

can you provide a rough amount of how much you saved vs. spent while abroad

[@sashasmall]

hi! i saved around $5000-$6000 before i left, just because i knew i would want to travel around and buy clothes/gifts/etc. i only really spent around $2500 because i paid for most of my trips ahead of time so i only spent my money on food, transportation, gifts, and little splurges for myself.

[@caitlinkennedy5381]

@@sashasmall rough estimate for what you spent on travel? thanks so much!

[@sashasmall]

@@caitlinkennedy5381 well that varied trip to trip, but i want to say less than $150 on transportation (plane, train, or bus rides) and then how ever much on food and drinks. sorry if that isn't helpful. its hard to remember what i paid in pounds or euros and then convert it USD