Today, before seeing Measure for Measure at The Globe, the class departed on an adventure through the Borough Market. When we first entered, I was struck by the sheer vastness of the market. There were pop up booths and stalls everywhere I looked; the layout reminded me of a maze. As we came through the entryway, which seemed to be made to fit a double decker bus, we all branched off to the different parts of the market that interested us.
As I walked, I saw fresh fruit and vegetables for the first time since I have been in London. I saw oysters and five booths purely dedicated to cheese. I personally decided to feast on spinach and ricotta ravioli and fresh squeezed orange juice. I then was on the mission to hunt for a place to sit. I knew I needed to be quick and vigilant in order to beat the other people loitering around the benches. All of those games of musical chairs as a child soon paid off. It took a few tries, but in a matter of minutes I had acquired a small portion of a bench that faced the market’s center. From here, I was able to eat my meal in a humane manner while also watching people that walked by.
As the people passed me, I realized how many people were not actually British. I heard Spanish, Chinese, Italian, French, German, and many more languages being spoken. I also realized that I was able to pick the Americans out of the crowd instantly. We are always the loudest ones.
I have recently been feeling very out of place in this city. I have been feeling as if I don’t really belong, even though I have been here very often since the time I was little and I am a citizen of the EU. For some reason I have felt like an outsider in a place that should feel like a second home.
As the crowds swarmed me in the market, I began to realize that I really was not out of place. London is a very international city. There are people who come from all over the world to live in this great place. Just because I do not have an English accent or like beer does not make me an outsider.
The market, while also having great food, made me feel more confident about my ability to adapt to different cultures and countries. I know that I am still very American, but I now feel comfortable walking down the streets of London with the confidence of a local. I now feel like less of an imposter in the country my family is from.
