While learning about British culture, I've also had a chance to experience aspects of my friends' cultures as well. I was able to overcome my culture shock by getting to know so many great people and experiencing new things.
As time went on, I got to meet more people from other parts of the world such as India, China, Nigeria, Sweden, the Czech Republic and even some people from the U.S. Eventually the international support group grew from eight of us to more than 30! Diversity at De Montfort University is one of the main reasons I chose to study abroad here. One of the best parts about meeting all these wonderful people is that they all speak English, so communication has never been an issue. However, it is fun to hear everyone speak in their native languages.
Integrating into my study abroad community has allowed me to travel the world through the people I've met so far. While I did experience some culture shock initially, it didn't last very long. I was able to overcome the challenges I faced, and in doing so I was able to fully enjoy every moment.
Some other challenges I faced came from the differences between British English and American English. While the U.S. and the U.K. both speak English, certain words mean different things. One of the most common examples is that in the U.K., "French fries" are called "chips." And they refer to what we consider "chips" as "crisps!" The list of words that are changed or mean something different is very long. The first time I went grocery shopping, I was only able to purchase a few items. Eventually I learned how to work my way through the grocery store. I had to change my eating habits to better fit my surroundings. There is a lot of food that I miss from the U.S.
