United Kingdom: Calvin Dong (Places: Routine & Favorite)

Ever since I arrived in London, I knew my day-to-day life was going to be drastically different. My daily routine from Madison shifted from predictable to unpredictable. Every day in London is slightly different due to the mass amount of opportunities within the city. One place that is almost always a part of my daily routine is visiting downtown Chinatown. As a Chinese American, I grew up a majority of my life in the U.S. The area that I grew up in didn’t have a heavy cultural influence from my family’s country of origin and the main disadvantage of that is I missed out on trying a lot of the delicious cuisines available. Chinatown is definitely a part of my daily routine as it reminds me of my family’s background and often fulfills my lunchtime cravings. One of my favorite places in Chinatown is a small takeout restaurant called “Good Friend” which sells the best popcorn chicken you’ll ever have along with other tasty options. The area is also very close to a lot of other tourist attractions so the atmosphere is always very energetic. Overall, Chinatown reconnects me with the cuisines of my country and gives me a sense of what I missed out on by not growing up in China.

Calvin Dong 

Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Major: Marketing & International Business

Program: IES Direct Enrollment – City St George’s, University of London

I chose City University of London because it will allow me to take on the challenge of facing uncertainty in a large city with people from diverse backgrounds. Growing up, I’ve lived predominately in the suburbs which refrained me from experiencing what city life is like. I strive to utilize the location and vast amount of culture immersed within London to learn and enjoy the unique experiences it will provide me.