May 5th, 2005 | The lowdown by Erica Sin

One Month Later. Tips for Living Well.

I've now been in England for exactly one month to the day and what a trip it has been. I think that I've gone through more changes in this one month than I've probably been through in the span of a whole year. But I must say, I have enjoyed every minute of the ride, and as a little commemorative piece to my journey (and urbanlowdown.com's with me), I've put together of the things that I have learned (so far) from being here in England. Okay, here goes:

1. Pack lightly!!! I know every single person will tell you this but really, lugging around an 80 pound piece of luggage with you everywhere with no help is not a good way to begin your trip.

2. Expect to spend lots of money, especially when you first get here. Granted, you'll have worked out a budget for yourself and everything, but TRUST ME, you will spend more than you thought you would. But with that, don't be frivolous with it...you'll regret it later, trust me.

3. Let yourself wander around town. In places like Los Angeles, where I'm from, this usually isn't a good idea because you really could end up in a bad place. In a place like Norwich though, or even London where everything is so compact, wandering around is the best way to get to know the city so that you'll be able to navigate it in a snap.

4. Eat fish and chips!!! You're in England for crying out loud. How can you not??? On a sidenote, when in Norwich, as I have written before, eat at The Waffle House too, I cannot recommend it enough!

5. Let yourself be a tourist too. Yeah, sometimes it's embarrassing to bust out your camera every five seconds as you walk along, but come on, when are you gonna have an opportunity to be a place like this again? Your pictures are going to be a major part of the few pieces of physical remnants of your stay abroad. Make them worth something!

6. Get to know the British students. They won't bite, I swear. They're a lot nicer than you'd expect them to be, especially with the foul mood the freezing weather can put you in sometimes. You have to make a conscious effort to break yourself away from the people that you'll naturally gravitate towards (people from your home) and get to know them, because that is how you're going to get to know the culture and the country.

7. Be wise with your money. Yeah yeah, I know what I said earlier about spending a lot of money. However, once you do get settled in, you don't have an excuse to buy ten million things. Especially if you're planning on doing a lot of travelling, the little things do add up, and the frequent nights to the pub may take the place of a trip to some great place. I'm not saying to not go to the pubs at all, I'm just saying that you need to ration out your resources as necessary to maximize the fun that you will have here.

8. Make friends with other international students too!! This is another great way to explore the new continent or country that you've come to. For example, I never thought that I would spend Christmas in France in the mountains. Well, with my new friend from France, that's what I'll be doing! Travelling abroad is about expanding your horizons, not about keeping it to your comfortable boundaries. Take advantage of the opportunities presented to you.

9. And last but not least, HAVE FUN. You may miss home, but home will still be there when you go back. Who knows when you'll be able to come back here? Live life to the fullest (within your monetary limits of course), stay warm, and explore the world of possibilities that is waiting for you.