University of Wisconsin–Madison

England: Andrea Chavez-Lazaro (Places: Routine & Favorite)

Places: Routine & Favorite

A narrow u-shaped kitchen with a window along the back, lighting up the room.
The kitchen I use everyday.

A place in my daily routine that has never been left out is the kitchen. I love being in the kitchen cooking or accompanying someone else. This space gives me a nice break from being in the room without having to go far. It is small but cozy and somehow we all manage to cook together without hurting each other (except for one instance).  There is a large window covering the wall that goes out to an alleyway, allowing natural light to fill the space.

A view of a river at night, with a lit-up pink Ferris Wheel on the shore to the left, and the lights of the city of London to the right.
The view from the Charing Cross bridge.

My favorite place in London so far has been a foot bridge called Charing Cross. I stumbled upon it by accident when my friend and I were walking back to the tube station. We saw the bright lights from the London eye and followed our curiosity. We went up a long set of stairs to see a beautiful view. The reflection from lights of the London Eye painted stripes of magenta on the river. We also noticed Big Ben on the other side of the river as we approached the middle of the bridge. There was a nice breeze as we walked, it was oddly peaceful for being in such a busy area.

Andrea smiles while sitting in the booth of a restaurant.

Andrea Chavez-Lazaro

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Verona, Wisconsin

A goal of mine for this program is to expand my cultural awareness and understanding of people. Every culture has a unique lifestyle that plays into individual personality and mental processes. Gaining this understanding will provide a way to connect my own knowledge of culture to my newly introduced one beyond a surface level which will benefit me later on as a psychologist.

What do you most look forward to learning about London?

In London, I am most looking forward to learning about the range in cultures within the city. I want to try traditional foods from all around the world and appreciate the variety of languages spoken. I am excited to see how the city embraces its diversity.