University of Wisconsin–Madison

England: Gwendolyn (Gwenna) Misna (My “I’m not in the U.S. anymore” moment)

My “I’m not in the U.S. anymore” moment

A tan brick building with a black, sloped roof sits next to a sloped garden with green, red and yellow flowers.
I don’t have a picture from my crazy day at Tesco, so I instead decided to share this beautiful photo from our class excursion to Oxford.

My “I’m not in the U.S. anymore” moment was more like a whole afternoon and occurred during my first week in London. It was a very hot and humid August afternoon—yes, humid. Lesson number one was learning how to dress in layers to adapt to the temperamental U.K. weather. I went grocery shopping at Tesco and marveled at the vast selection of jam and biscuits, for which there was an entire isle. Fun fact: Did you know that in the U.K. zucchinis are called ‘courgettes’ and eggplants are called ‘aubergines’?

While walking home after grocery shopping, I was feeling proud of how much I had learned about British culture— just kidding, I almost got hit by oncoming traffic because I checked the wrong direction while crossing the road. Lesson number two: The cars drive on the opposite side of the road in the U.K.

As I was rounding the corner by the tube station, on the last leg of my journey home, I noticed an elderly woman waiting at a bus stop. But behold, she was no ordinary woman. This lady was dressed from head to toe in Gucci. From her Gucci trench coat down to her Gucci tote bag—which she was using to carry a fluffy white dog– she was dressed to the nines. I admit that I was shocked at first, because elderly women wearing full designer clothing on public transportation is not a common sight in Wisconsin. But after some reflection, I understood lesson number three: People from all walks of life coexist in London, and that’s a good thing. It’s just as normal for an American college student to walk around in South Kensington, as it is for somebody’s wealthy grandmother. London has taught me the art of minding my business, and I’ve begun adapting to the social norms of this city. I’ve learned a lot in my time here and I look forward to all the ways I will continue to grow during my next semester. Cheers!

Gwendolyn smiles in a brightly lit kitchen.

Gwendolyn (Gwenna) Misna    

Major (or intended major): Psychology and Spanish

Hometown: Mount Horeb, Wisconsin