Halijah Binte Omar

A photo collage of Halijah Binte Omar in London.

This winter abroad program to London has definitely enriched and provided me with so many unforgettable bittersweet memories. It allowed me to have first-hand experience in living abroad as well as provided me with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that not only can be found inside of the classroom.

We stayed for three weeks in London, and we not only got to visit the places of interests, museums and historical sites, but we managed to check out many cool and interesting places such as the Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio, Primrose Hill, having a traditional British breakfast at a rustic pub, exploring Borough Market and many more.

During our study abroad program, we get to observe the cultural practices of the Brits, particularly in dining, culinary, food habits and such. Since we were taking the Sociology of Food module, we explored the food practices, food choices, food origins etc., but were not limited to it. We even visited the Museum of Branding and Advertisement, exhibitions that showcased the historical times of England and learned how food was one of the main connectors, reasons and/or influence for various phenomena.

Although it is a study abroad program, we were not restricted in the confinement of the requirement of our module. After classroom hours, we visited the Borough Market, explored the wonderful city of Central London and watched theatrical performances at night. We even visited Winter Wonderland and got to ride on the breathtaking rides, which literally blew us away. It was a memorable trip indeed, as we got to connect with the students from UB Buffalo, as well as the wonderful people in London who were exceptionally warm and friendly towards us. The atmosphere in London was worthwhile and unforgettable, something that I held close to my heart. It widened my perspective on cultural practices by allowing me to look beyond that what the eyes can see. This study abroad program has definitely enticed me to fly back to London to learn, experience and explore many more exciting places that I’ve yet to discover!

– Halijah Binte Omar