I am back.
I am back to say that making friends is proving itself to be much harder than I thought it would be. When I decided to come to London, I thought to myself: hey, on my freshman year of college I made wonderful friends really quickly. I transferred universities on my second year and still managed to find some amazing people very early in the game. Not to mention that I am still extremely close to my high school friend in Brazil. So, how hard could it be to make friends in London?
Well, it turns out it is pretty hard. Here's what they don't tell you when you come to study abroad in London: students have a house department. That means that they are required to take specific classes each semester in order to graduate with the major they want. As they all take the same classes, people from the same major always have class together. So they become friends during their freshman year. Consequence: when you, poor abroad student, come on your second or third year they don't really have any reason to talk to you because all of their friends are sitting right next to them. all.the.time.
Don't get me wrong, I try to start conversations, ask for random things just to get them to realize that I am there. But they barely answer my question and go back to their inside jokes.
I've always been skeptical about study abroad kids that come back BFFs of other students in the program but not of residents of the country. Well, here I am, bitting my tongue as I go out with a bunch of Americans and with no British kids. And I don't even have the language barrier! I don't even know how much harder this would be if I had chosen to go to Germany. Oh boy, it gives me a headache just thinking about it.
So yes, next time I see a study abroad kid at GW, I will make damn sure I talk to that kid. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with the american friends I've made so far and I am I really loving my study abroad experience.
But to be honest, I kindda miss GW, where I actually have really good friends.....
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