MISTI Blogs

New experiences
Combining my first international trip and my first solo living experience by moving across the world for two months has been a huge step outside of my comfort zone. Traveling abroad had never been possible before for me, and I’ve never lived alone (even at MIT!). When I found out that my full-time job wouldn’t start until January 2025, I realized I could finally take advantage of the amazing opportunities at MISTI. It was my chance to experience the diverse cultures in the UK and Western Europe, and learn how to adapt to a new environment on my own.

There was definitely a learning curve to this! Most people hear that you’re spending a summer in London and assume that you can hit the ground running. After all, there is no language barrier and most people here are very familiar with American culture. However, I underestimated the time it takes to get comfortable living independently in a completely new setting. I had to learn how to maintain a healthy respect for a new place without letting the fear of unfamiliarity prevent me from experiencing the local life. I’m sure that for some MISTI students, the initial exploring can be the best part. But for me, the first few days were admittedly challenging. 

Daily life in London
Despite my inexperience, I gradually became more comfortable with living abroad. Every day, I ventured just a little bit further from my apartment or lab than the previous day. These daily baby steps helped me start to put the puzzle pieces of Central London together. Additionally, the support I felt from my research group at London South Bank University (LSBU) was significant in the beginning weeks.

LSBU is just south of the River Thames, a short walk from iconic landmarks like Big Ben and London Bridge. It’s a small city campus, but it maximized its space with countless labs and research centers like MIT. Our lab, the Sports and Exercise Science Research Center takes a very interdisciplinary angle on sports and exercise science. The project I’m helping with aims to enhance stroke patients’ rehabilitation by using virtual reality games and electrical stimulation.

The lab members are super diverse, coming from all over the world with various academic backgrounds. They understand what it’s like to move to an unfamiliar place and have been a great support system for me. One of the scientists even invited me to join his running club, which facilitates deep conversations among strangers during a weekly 5k. I took another MISTI UK friend with me and we met so many new people from many different countries. We traded stories about our home countries and had fun confirming or debunking myths about life in America. Overall, my daily life in London has given me an appreciation for the city’s amazing public transportation, culturally diverse population, and countless friendly faces who love to connect with someone new.

The fun stuff 🙂
Life has definitely not been all work for me! I’ve explored most of the core tourist spots in central London, often with the company of friends and family who come to visit. I’ve already mentioned the excellent public transportation system here, which also extends to the rest of the country with trains and coach buses to all the major cities in the UK. One of my best weekends so far was when I took a bus to see another MISTI UK student in Bristol and Bath to explore the historic sites of the Roman baths.

London’s queer scene has also been a major highlight of my trip, with iconic neighborhoods living up to their reputation. Sitting between Oxford Street and Chinatown, Soho is the center of LGBTQ+ life in London. Attending London Pride in this area was one of the most joyful experiences I’ve ever had! Being part of such a large, flourishing queer scene has been powerful — it feels livelier, broader, and more established than those I’ve seen back home. The people I’ve met here have all made me feel comfortable to talk openly about my partner and my experiences. Especially in neighborhoods like Soho, publicly displaying that feels very normalized and safe. My partner will be visiting soon, and we’re definitely interested in comparing life as a visible queer couple in London to our experiences in the US. 

Lastly, one of the biggest reasons I chose London for my MISTI summer is the music scene in the UK. As a teenager, I daydreamed about seeing my favorite artists at Glastonbury, Wembley, the O2, Royal Albert Hall… the list goes on. To be able to live out some of those fantasies has been so rewarding. I’ve already gone to see shows at Wembley Arena and Finsbury Park, along with some musicals in the West End, and they have all lived up to the hype. With a few more events lined up, along with weekend trips to Paris and Edinburgh already on the calendar, I can’t wait to continue experiencing life abroad!