Week 6 Impressions by Iman Sebunya

After a month and a half, London is starting to feel more like home. Really, it wasn't a difficult adjustment especially since all my life I've been moving and home was any place my parents chose to live in at any given time. The funny thing, though, is that here people tend to remind me very quickly that I am not really at home. They often approach me with the question; "What part of America are you from then?” ……Really?? I didn’t realize I have developed an American accent until I came to London. In the States, no matter where I am, as soon as I open my mouth, people ask me “where YOU from?” Which for me is a pretty complicated question that does not receive your typical straightforward answer. However in London I get the feeling they are a lot more familiar with the kind of multicultural nomadic identity that I bring to the plate. That I guess has to do with London for centuries having been the center of a global empire. Also I get the sense so many Londoners are transitory and move in and out and that speaks to me on a personal level.

I find so many things about London to be very familiar and comfortable. I grew up in countries once colonized by the British. So small things from phrases, to snacks, to candy, to school uniforms, to how the window pops open, all remind me of my childhood and the countries I lived in that still have a strong British influence. I remember the first days I got here I filled my trolley at the supermarket with all these familiar treats that others on the trip found foreign. Or when I saw kids walking back from school in their uniforms, it took me back to my primary school days in Kenya where my school followed the British curriculum and system. We even took the same exams as they do here, which are sent to England for marking. The large South Asian community here also reminds me of my time spent in East Africa, as it too has a large South Asian population. So being surrounded by their culture again is also familiar. (Not to mention that I have missed being able to get a good curry!!)

Although a lot of my experiences here have been nostalgic, they have also made me realize how Americanized I have become. I miss American customer service and on numerous occasions I find myself holding back from being too much of a demanding customer. When I go to the chemist to pick out a lotion - I can only pick among maybe 10 different types instead of the huge selection on offer in American pharmacies. Not to mention the bottle of lotion in it’s self is half the size and looks like it can only last me about two weeks if I’m lucky! When ordering coffee no longer is there bewildering choices including half and half, soy, 2%, whole milk, fat free, lactose free, or skimmed. There is simply whole or skimmed if you're lucky. In some ways it's a relief not to be paralyzed by too many choices to make but my years in America have taken a toll and I find I am looking for those choices and even feel somewhat entitled to them. It’s funny how we adapt and evolve according to our surroundings, I wonder what typically British customs I will get used to in my short stay in London.