Banking in the land of Shakespeare?

Shara's POV:

To bank or not to bank? 

This was one of the first questions I asked myself when I arrived in the UK.  The advantages were being able to write checks, not losing the value of my money due to fluctuating exchange rates and it would be close at hand.  However, it meant that in times of need, such as paying my credit card bill, my parents here in the States would not have had access to my account.  Credit card companies like money. Access was necessary.  It also meant that when I began running out of money, they wouldn't have had as easy of a time transferring much needed emergency funds into my account.  Food is necessary and unfortunately, money is needed for food!

In the end, I decided to to leave my money in my home bank and I added my Mom to the account so she could easily take care of any issues and problems I had.  This choice really had it's plus and minuses.  As mentioned, the biggest plus was having the availability to pay bills however, I lost money much more quickly.  At the beginning of my year there, the exchange rate was $1.50 to 1 British Pound, however, by midway through the year it had changed to about $2 to 1 British Pound.  It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but as you're spending money in the UK, it dwindles much more quickly and by the last two months I was completely out of funds.  I think in hindsight, I would have opened a bank account and transferred some money, but also left a good deal in my home bank.  The money in the UK could be used as spending money and the money at home for bills and hopefully a cushion for my return home. 

Just a note, you don't need to open a bank account to pay for the fees to the University.  These can actually, if you prepare your home bank and the University in advance, be transferred over quite easily. I just contacted the office before I went over to ask how they wanted to work out the payments and then discussed it with my bank.  The bank needs warning or they think your account is being tampered with. They frown on tampering.  When I arrived in England I went to the office to finalize everything and it all worked out just fine.  Also, if you are studying abroad and not going as an international student, you want to check with your own University.  They might prefer you pay them and they send the checks off to the British institution. 

Ultimately research of your bank here, the banks in the UK (such as Barclays, Lloyd's of London, NatWest, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, etc) and your specific needs will help you choose which path to take.  The question I put to you is, which way are you leaning?

-S.

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Money Matters - Banking (Lauren's POV)

The US to UK Converter: A Necessity

One of the things that is a must-have on your packing list is a UK voltage converter and charger. Of the many electronic items you may choose to bring with you on your trip (laptop, iPod, tablet, e-reader, cell phone, digital camera, to name a few) most, if not all, require some kind of charging; hence the need for a converter to safely plug in your devices. UK outlets run at about 230 Volts while US outlets run at 120 Volts. So if you don’t want to potentially short-circuit your pricey equipment, look for a converter rather than an adapter. Adapters work perfectly fine on most things, but to save yourself some worry I’d suggest getting a converter.

For some reason when I was shopping for my trip abroad I had a hard time finding US to UK converters. I needed one for my laptop and cell phone. (I decided to bring my cell phone from home to use rather than purchase one over there. The options you can take regarding cell phones will be discussed in another post.) The only one I could find was this monster of a converter. I’m not sure why I didn’t think to check Amazon. I don’t remember exactly where I bought it, but I think it might have been Fry’s. Since I was leaving soon and it was the only one I could find in stores at the time, it ended up being the one I brought with me. It certainly took up a considerable amount of room and precious luggage weight. I can only describe this converter in the following way:

Picture a brick. Imagine its general weight and dimensions. That’s what my first converter was like. A brick. It was similar in size and was definitely heavy enough to be comparable. 

Why yes, I did lug something like this around with me to and from England. (source)

I used my converter all the time while I was in England. Beside its size and weight, the only issue I had with it was that it got hot after it was used for a while. That was until I found a much more compact one. One day I went to the electronics store Maplin to find a watch battery and stumbled upon one much more conveniently sized. Considering the Maplin in my area had a small storefront, I wasn’t expecting to find anything of sort, especially a US to UK converter (UK to US, yes I would have expected). Compared to my original converter, this new one was tiny so I bought it. Yes, I did have to pay a lot more for it due to the dollar/pound ratio, but it was worth it. It ended up being a wise purchase because I took the smaller one with me when I traveled within the UK and often used both at the same time in my flat: one to power my laptop and the other to charge my phone. Sadly, I didn’t think to buy a European plug converter as well, so there were a few times when my camera ran out of power while I was on vacation and I had no way of charging it.

A little basic info on the difference between converters and adapters

-L.

Bath

Bath (Part Two but posted first. I like to be contrary. In Part One I will discuss Bath’s main attractions.)
 
You might well wonder if I’m not referring to personal hygiene. No. Nor am I referring to the giant porcelain tub in your home. This is not about home renovations or installing fixtures. I am referring to the beautiful city found on the southwest coast of England.

Bath, located in Somerset County, is rich with history and culture. The city is best known for the Roman Baths located on the main drag and while the baths, the museum and Bath Abbey are definitely must sees if you are visiting this area, today I would like to speak a little about the shops and interesting finds you can discover here.

One of my favorite little hole-in-the wall finds (that happens to be part of a VERY small but successful chain) is called Ben’s Cookies. They are located on a side street and have the most mouthwatering, delicious cookies I’ve ever had. They differ from the average cookie due to the almost cake like texture. I’ve never had anything like it, and miss these cookies greatly. Truly amazing.

 Another gem is a beautiful tearoom called Hands of Bath.  They have an absolutely lovely cream tea (tea served with a scone, clotted cream, and strawberry preserves). It isn’t fussy or particularly grand, but you are sure have a relaxing rest from touring the city.

Now, don’t forget to scope out the live statues situated around the baths. They somehow manage to paint and clothe themselves in colors almost exactly matching the bath limestone used in the buildings.  Some are quite serious and others like to play with the tourists. They tend to be one of those unique little quirks that are fun to find in a new city.

Also, if you are a Jane Austen fan like myself, it’s fun to just wander around the central area down pokey little streets and alleys. The whole area, despite being filled with modern shops such as House of Fraser, Lush, and Monsoon, retains its aura of Regency glory. Many of her books had scenes based in this wonderful city. It is often used in Austen films considering, I imagine, that it’s rather difficult to reproduce. I still maintain that one of the streets near the baths was featured in a pivotal scene in Persuasion where Anne grabs Captain Wentworth before he leaves. It was exciting to see and yes, I’m an Austen geek. Somewhere I have a photo of that street!

Wandering can be the best way to discover your own finds. You may be attracted to some other little shop or the Postal Museum, or a graffiti covered wall like a coworker of mine. One of my favorites was an AWESOME Oxfam (like Goodwill) bookstore right as you are walking toward all the shops.  I found some hard to find books there! It’s all about your interest and what you like. Go explore.

 -S.

Money Matters—Banking

Lauren’s POV

Probably one of the last things on your mind after being accepted to study abroad in the UK is banking. Such banalities like paperwork and transferring money are the least interesting of topics to contemplate. Your mind is more likely focused on all the fun possibilities in meeting new people, traveling, or moving to another country. Depending on your length of stay and banking preferences, there are a couple of ways to go about handling finances. This post will concentrate on the option of opening up a local bank account as it is the route I took during my time abroad. I chose to open an account in the UK because I was studying there for a full year and wanted immediate access to funds without having to deal with the multiple transaction fees I’d get from using my bank at home.

There are a few different banking groups to choose from when opening an account. Personally, I can’t say which bank is better but I would advise researching the different options beforehand (something I didn’t do much of when opening my own account). Some brands include: Barclays, Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, and NatWest. Many banks offer student checking accounts; a good way of determining which ones are popular is to take a look around your campus for ATMs and/or small branch offices because they will probably be the most student-friendly. Your university’s orientation packet will also likely advise you on suitable options and what kinds of documents you need such as proof of full-time student status.

My university in Norwich was a little different from most UK schools in that it had a central campus (instead of being broken up into multiple areas). On campus, there were three tiny branches where they made it a priority to open new student accounts during the first week of school. As mentioned earlier, I didn’t put a lot of thought into which bank to choose, so I initially opened an account with the one whose name I had heard of the most. To my surprise, there was a minimum fund limit. I had brought money with me, but nowhere near enough to maintain the minimum, so I was looking at the prospect of losing money because I couldn’t keep the base number in my account. Still, I opened the account thinking that the other banks had similar rules. A couple of days later I found out that the other banks actually didn’t have the same minimum requirement, there were actually no minimums at all. (This was at the time of my stay, but regulations might have changed since then.) So off I went to open an account at a different bank and I closed the first account a few days later. The lady at the desk was most likely wondering why I had opened an account only to close it in the same week. Moral of the story is: research the different banks or ask other students which ones they would recommend.

On a side note, if you currently have a Bank of America checking account, you might not need to open a UK account at all. Bank of America and Barclays are part of an agreement between certain banks throughout the world called the Global ATM Alliance. In the Global ATM Alliance, Bank of America debit card holders can withdraw money from Alliance-approved ATMs (or cash machines as they’re referred to in the UK) without an ATM transaction fee—the kind say, you’d be charged if you were to withdraw money from a Wells Fargo ATM using a Bank of America card. However, you may be charged an international transaction fee. If you rather not go through the trouble of opening a UK-based account and already have a B of A account, or if you are only in the UK for a semester or so, this might be an alternative you want to consider.

-L.

One of my favorite places…Nando's!

Nando's!!!

I’d like to wax poetic about a little (BIG) chain of restaurants in the UK called Nando’s!  Now, if you are residing in or around Washington DC or Maryland, you may have seen/eaten here. It came to the US a few years ago, but still hasn’t made it out of DC and Maryland yet. Sad.

Moving on, this gem is an inexpensive but tasty place to eat. They tout themselves as a Portuguese grilled chicken restaurant. I don’t know whether or not it’s particularly Portuguese and I don’t care. All I know is I LOVE their food. They have a variety of heat levels that range from the wimpiest Lemon and Herb (that’s herb with an ‘H’…if you say ‘erb,’ they look at you like you’ve sprouted wings) to Extra Hot. Just about everything is chicken, though they have some Vegetarian fare and one beef option, though why you’d choose beef is beyond me. And this is coming from a confirmed beef lover.

My dinner of choice: Lemon and Herb Chicken Breast Burger, a side of chips and some Perinaise (Peri-Peri sauce is their signature sauce that comes in a variety of heat levels, though only one is used for the Peri-Peri mayonnaise). I’m in heaven just thinking about it.

If you haven’t tried it, give it a whirl while you're in the UK. I won’t guarantee you’ll love it, but you might and that in and of itself is worth it.

Check out Nando's!

-S.

One of My Favorite Places…The Pound Shop

Taking into account the pound-dollar exchange rate and average college student’s budget, saving money is a must while in the UK, especially if you plan on socializing and/or traveling. One of the areas to cut back on is basic needs/flat shopping (e.g., tissues, toilet paper, kitchen accessories). Rather than become a coupon addict (not that there is anything wrong with using coupons, I use them regularly), take some time to browse your local pound shop. Pound shop fare costs, well, a pound. But don’t be scared off by the idea if you’re imagining a mirror image of dollar shops in the US. Of the times I’ve been to dollar shops (not including the amazing Daiso stores where face massagers and chopsticks are a couple of feet away from each other), I’ve never really felt compelled to purchase anything. Most of the time this is because I’m usually not interested in the merchandise offered. Not at the pound shop, though.

Pound shops are a great resource for cheap batteries, cleaning supplies, and an assortment of brand-name snacks (emphasis on “brand-name”). Want to try Vegemite without buying a huge jar? Go to the pound shop. Need some garbage bags? Go to the pound shop. Of course like any dollar store, there will be random merchandise as well. If you’re in need of a random generic music cd or toy cars, the pound shop is your shopping destination. I would suggest taking a look at the cutlery there as well, especially if your stay is only a semester long. Why buy an expensive set when you’re in the country for only a short period of time? I bought a mug at the pound shop in Norwich and still use it to this day.

A major chain, Poundland, can be found throughout the UK— if there’s one in your area I highly suggested taking a look.

-L.

What Happens When Your Kitchen Doesn’t Have an Oven…

(source)

Having lived in the dorms and eaten at my college’s dining hall for my freshmen and sophomore years, the prospect of living in a suite-style flat while abroad was exciting. Probably the thing I most looked forward to was the kitchen. While I don’t love cooking (baking is another story), I had dreams of making lasagna, stuffed pasta shells, and other goodies in my flat’s kitchen. No more ramen cooked in the microwave for me; it was like I was going to be a true grown-up. Or as a certain wooden puppet-turned-human storybook character would say, “I’m a real boy girl!”

So when I arrived at the university the first day and walked into my flat’s kitchen, I was more than disappointed to learn that there wasn’t an oven. Everything else was there: fridge, stovetop, sink, microwave, and table. No oven. According to my welcome packet, the microwave had an oven function. After one failed attempt at using this mysterious oven setting, I gave up on the idea of baking anything. I then had to think of everything that I could make using the stovetop or without cooking at all. My diet in England mostly consisted of:

• Sandwiches-Easy, didn't require any cooking whatsoever.  
• Cereal-Again, no cooking required.
• Spaghetti-Substitution for my lasagna dreams.
• Eggs-Boiled or scrambled, eggs were fast and easy to make.
• Stir fry-The local Morrisons carried prepackaged vegetable stir fry mixes. Thrown in a pan with some sauce, these required very little effort. 
• Premade meals from the supermarket-Supermarkets in the UK have a variety of refrigerated and frozen options. They aren’t like the sectioned-off plastic container ones that come to mind when you think of frozen meals in the US. They actually taste good.

Not the most well-rounded diet ever. There were times when I actually put some meat into the things I cooked, but I survived mainly on the above items. Hopefully during your time in the UK you’re more creative. Your kitchen might even have an oven (my blog coauthor has informed me that her flat didn’t have an absentee oven problem).

-L.

Gobble gobble gobble...

Turkey Day!!!

Turkey is generally available as Christmas is right around the corner and even cranberry sauce (otherwise known as cranberry relish) can be found at your local grocery store. However, creating a feast for just you is not only expensive and time consuming, it’s also depressing. By this point, you have undoubtedly made friends at your university, whether they be of American persuasion or not, and most would be more than happy to have a reason to throw a party. Here’s their opportunity!  

My second year in Bristol, my Bahamian friend and I were both sad that we would not be spending Thanksgiving with our families. After our friends found out, they decided it would be great fun to host a Thanksgiving at the house they were sharing. We also decided to invite some other friends to join the celebration. I cooked turkey, my Bahamian friend roasted broccoli with cheese, another friend roasted parsnips and carrots, another cooked potatoes, one friend fried plantains and the last, but certainly not least, made filet mignon with mushrooms in a red wine reduction. Wow. After gorging ourselves for over an hour, we flopped down on my friend's queen size bed and told stories and sang silly songs and danced around the room. No, this wasn’t quite the typical Thanksgiving, but it was the most entertaining one I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of.  

There’s also the possibility, if you are lucky enough, that the Warden (that’s like a Resident Director) of the hall you are staying in decides to throw a feast in his/or her American students’ honor. This is precisely what occurred my first year in Bristol.  He took one of the formal Fridays (this is a weekly occurrence at Wills Hall in Bristol) and made it a Thanksgiving theme. The three Americans staying at the hall were the guests of honor and were asked to sit at the head table. What we didn't know until dinner was well under way, was that he had invited Chelsea Clinton, who was studying at Oxford at the time, to come  join us. She didn't.  But we had a very tasty meal all the same. They made us turkey and stuffing and all things Thanksgiving. It was a lovely gesture and we all appreciated it...especially since we didn’t have kitchens to create our own.  

I must admit that out of the two, the Thanksgiving with friends was the most enjoyable, but I appreciate the one given by my hall all the more because it was done out of the kindness of his heart. I'm sure Chelsea Clinton didn't factor into the equation at all! 

-S.

Father Christmas and Roasting Chestnuts

Spending Christmas in the UK can be rather difficult for students studying abroad.  If you are one of the precious few who can afford to fly back home (and want to) then good for you! Now stop reading.

However, if you can’t go home due to income restraints or don’t particularly want to spend your holiday with crazy Aunt Beth or drunk Uncle Tom (and who could blame you), then there are several avenues for you to follow!

The first: You are by yourself and your friends have all gone home. This is the most difficult of the three.  It’s hard to not have anyone to spend Christmas with and being a Christmas lover, I found it especially difficult.  My second year abroad I was by myself.  Instead of crying in my eggnog and listening to “All by Myself” playing over and over a la Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones’ Diary, I went out and bought a two foot pre-lit Christmas Tree, a mini bottle of champagne, and some thrift store decorations. I decorated the tree, roasted duck breasts (overcooked actually), and had mimosas.  It was actually pretty fun!  I took a walk and talked to friends over the phone and wasn’t too heartbroken.  You just need to think outside of the box and fill your room/flat with enough comforts and treats to get you through holiday.  It became one of my favorite memories.

The second: Your English friend has invited you to visit with his/her family over the holidays.  It’s important to keep an open mind here.  You are not with your own family and these are not your traditions but that doesn’t make them any less entertaining as long as you expect nothing more than to enjoy yourself.  It’s a great way to learn more about the culture and to ensure that you make some lasting memories!  It also gives you the opportunity to explore parts of the country you might never have visited and if worse comes to worse, it can make an interesting story.

The third: Your friends from home come to visit you!  This can be heartwarmingly lovely or teeth-grindingly nightmarish.  My first year abroad, my best friend from the US and her other best friend (who I had never met…) flew to England to spend Christmas with me.  After making a lovely mess decorating gingerbread houses (see the amazing creations below...mine's on the left) and opening presents, we went to stay with my English friend and her family in London.  And while it was lovely to see them, I found it difficult to completely welcome them.  It was my experience and they had the misfortune to intrude.  It took a day for me to realize that England doesn’t belong to me! Groundbreaking! Once I shifted my attitude around a bit, things ran much more smoothly and I found myself glad that they came.  Remember that while they are there to see you, England is running a close second.  Or you are just the excuse.  Either way, it’s not all about you!

Whichever of these scenarios you happen to fall into, try to be flexible and open.  Only then will you have a pleasant holiday with little to no homesickness. Have a Happy Chrimbo!

-S.

Hiya

Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts. We'll be landing shortly...

Our blog is designed just for you: the first-time study abroad student in the UK. We're here to help you prepare for the most unique experience of your life. As former study abroad students, we'll share tips and ideas, as well as personal stories from our time in the UK. So grab a cuppa and let's get going!

-Shara and Lauren