One of the most interesting things about where I'm studying in the U.K. is that I don't live with a host family who is from the area like many people do when studying abroad. Instead, I live in a flat with two other roommates where we have a kitchen, bathroom, living room and of course our bedrooms. Though I sometimes think it would be easier to live with a host family who could show me around more, I also enjoy living with my roommates, as they are the same age as me and we all are studying here for the first time and have to learn for ourselves. But, we do have to clean the apartment ourselves and that can be a lot of work (I guess I'll never escape chores). Nonetheless, I have learned a lot about the area that I live in and have definitely begun to adopt some different mannerisms.
Though not all people who live in Oxford are connected to the university, the city is unique in the fact that the city was mostly built because of the university. This means that more shops are placed near the colleges in order to attract business from students and many of the stores here market their products towards teenagers and young adults. In fact, we have two malls in Oxford, both within five minutes of each other because there are so many young people in the area!
