London Though.

In recently becoming a part of the "fresh meat" community in London and instantly succumbing to anxiety I've come to the realization that it's not the city, it's me. If I want to make it work I need to adapt otherwise I'm in for a nasty breakup and I refuse to let London over come me and keep me as the fashion loving foreigner. In my life I have visited London a total of four times, 23 days, 552 hours and too many minutes. (Not including the time I have now spent here as a resident) A handful of time really when compared to the time I've spent in places such as Bali, Singapore, Hongkong, New York, Paris, Madrid and even the land of the kiwis. Relevantly it is more time than I have ever spent shopping in 'researching' a country that I'm about to move to. For china, there were the two vacations I had in before moving to Shanghai, the single two day trip I took to Munich to see some of Germany or better yet the zero knowledge I had before embarking to California. Yet for some reason no matter what I do, how I change things up and try to stay non-chalant and "totes-a-local" I end up being the most spot on tourist. Even when I don't do the cliché sight seeing (I'm a sucker for vintage architecture and history) All around the world I had an identity, I was an expat version of a local. I was a part of a community, I could function and I wasn't a white hot mess every second minute. If appears to be that whilst I remain in London, I will forever be a foreigner. (Hey at least I have my clothes still right?) Even my friends have noticed this, and therefor dubbed most of my stories in a category, no classier than, #LottaVs.London.
Case Study 1. The Trains and The Tubies
To put it quite simply I've never had a "smooth" landing in London. The public transportation never wants me to leave Heathrow, let alone get me to the city at an appropriate pace. Not like I'm busy or anything... There was the time of the tube strikes, in which case my journey took five hours, A train, a cab, three tubes and another cab and 150 pounds. In pouring rain, classic London weather. And in the most recent incident I decided to take the express transport, and get on the tube at a more centrally located station.. in order to save time (and not to have to drag around my MASSIVE suitcase..I mean after all I was trying move my closet overseas). The first part did save me time, however getting to the city I found out that at that specific station on this specific day (and only this day) the only possible connection was through the busy oxford circus. Not a possibility since it was mid day saturday, and I could hardly drag my suitcase. (It weighed more than half my own body weight, and was up the height of my hips) Another three tubes, four strangers helping me drag my suitcase up and down the stairs (questioning why I packed a suitcase I couldn't handle insert #bloodytourist comment here), blood covered blistery hands and three hours later I made it to my friend. In short the trains are against me. Don't even get me started on how long it takes me to take off from Heathrow ;)
Case Study 2. Learning my Left from my Right
In short I'm never 100% certain which way is left and which way is right, I just remember which way to go and which way the cars come from. This however when simply switched around is not as easy to adjust to. Having to rely on the "Look Left/Right" signs that have clearly been painted in large font for clumsy foreigners like me already makes me feel like an idiot, but when it comes to T-crossings with no signs and my need to cross the road is where it gets dangerous. From jogging to just simply going out to the shops, I've run into 2 bikes, almost run into 5 cars and the amount of people I bump into is impossible to count. So my vow, not to jog until I can confidently say I know which direction traffic always comes from. Guess it's online-at-home exercises for me (y)
Case Study 3. The Accent Issue (and other customary formalities)
1.Having grown up in international schools from all over the world my accent is what it is, I pick up words and pronunciations from who I hear them from the most. Simple as? I wish. Coming here and meeting people from here I hear "Love your accent where in the states are you from?" Complicated question, I'm not american but I learnt my english there, tell them I'm from Finland and they'll be a)Dazzled I speak english at all b)Not know where that is (or tell me they've always wanted to visit france) or c)both of the above. And the hardest is to explain to an american where I learnt my english, because to them my accent is neither american nor british. I'm simply alien. That too a concept they don't understand, and I don't want to even try to start to explain. Secondly the kissing to say hello, when it comes to my close friends, and people I respect then sure. But I come from a country where we say hello by waving or by a simple hug, and if you want to show respect you do it by not invading somebody's personal space you simply just shake their hands. I personally prefer this especially when it comes to people I have never ever met, because first of all I don't like getting wet cheek kisses from strangers and secondly having lived in multiple european countries where a kiss on the cheek is perfectly acceptable form of hello from strangers (friends kiss each other on the lips) I never know whether it's one, two or three kisses. which never ends in anything than my utter embarrassment, add in a few glasses of rosé (cause a lady knows never to say no to rosé) and I'll basically have kissed everybody at the party. Golly. A part from all of this I feel like me and London will get along just swell. #comeatmebruh'

(L O N D O N A T T I R E) (underwear - CALVINKLEIN) (Leather Jacket - Miss Selfridge) (Classic Button Up - Brandy&Melville) (Ripped jeans - H&M) (Clutch - Zara) (Sandals - Birkenstocks)