My visual/cultural experience by Jenni Vo

How often does one get to travel approximately five-thousand miles overseas to arrive in the beautiful city known as London? In my case, never before until now.
The instant I exited the airport and took my first steps in London, everything was a real eye-opener! The taxi cabs, the cars, the roads, the signs, the people, the accents, the slang, food, buildings, everything! It was quite amazing. Everything was so different and beautiful. Large old yet detailed loom up over the city and red telephone booths accompany every corner of the streets and there are just so many people! Here I thought L.A was so crowded, and boy I felt silly comparing it to how London is. Night life in London is just as lively and crowded as it is during the day. The experience I had in London really opened my eyes to how different the world outside of the States really is.

How to describe London? Fast. Mind-blowingly fast. People are rushing in every direction, cars speed up when they see people (100 points for every-time they actually hit a pedestrian, the tube (subway) speeds in and out, lights flip on and off. London is also very sophisticated. People are always well dressed 24/7. You will see men walking around in business suits, tuxedos, ties, sometimes even top hats! Women are very stylish and trendy and almost no one wears anything casual such as jeans or tank tops. Instead they are in fancy blouses, skirts, dresses, and heels.

Traveling is a definite unique experience as well. Almost no one travels on wheels, unless of course its by taxi, bus, or bikes. Part of the culture that we experienced was traveling on foot. Driving is a most definite nightmare because of how small the streets are as well as how busy it gets in London.


Because I have never before experienced being so far away from home, navigating was quite a challenge as well as a nightmare for me at first. Never before have I taken so many forms of transportation from buses, the tube (subway), taxi, or train. However, because of these challenges, London is now the most exciting adventure and exhilarating experience I have ever had. London is so different from anything I have ever seen back home and its definitely inspirational in every way!



-Jenni Vo
Woodbury University
Graphic Design