Before you go on a trip abroad everyone always tells you that you are going to see things that are different from your home country, that you might get homesick, and that you are going to face culture shock. As part of an assignment for my program I made 20 observations about things that are different here in Northern Ireland than at home and found many things to be surprised about. Locks turning the opposite way, very cheap medicine, and countless others. 

However, one thing really made me say “Aha… I am somewhere much different from home,” and this was almost being hit by a car. 

At home, and especially while away at school, I am very used to crossing the street whenever I want and seeing others cross even when it isnt their turn and although this is incredibly unsafe people often get away with the knowledge that a car would rather not hit them. This really only works because pedestrians have the right of way and I learned that this is not the case everywhere. 

My classmates and I were quick to learn that not only do cars not have to stop for us to cross the road, but they really don’t seem to want to. We stood at a street corner that did not have a metered crosswalk, and we wondered if we would ever be able to cross. 

Not only do the cars not have to let you cross, but the roads are very busy. In the Belfast City Centre there was a different scene, where strength in numbers pushes people to cross as much as we want. But near the university college where we have been staying we stand there and watch the cars drive around the roundabouts in what seems like an endless loop. And with the cars driving on the opposite side of the road, we were even more lost in our crossing attempts. Even though we looked both ways it always felt like we still looked the wrong way!

But I learned not to make assumptions, even with the things that we wouldn’t have thought of before. It never would have dawned on me that the pedestrian might not have the right of way everywhere but I learned the importance of not assuming. 

But we figured it out, and by the second, and last week of our program, we were experts at waiting our turn at every crosswalk. In just two weeks, I got to see lots of differences to complete a world of things that were just the same. Having a chance to learning about the culture and how things work differently has reminded me not to take for granted what seems given. Even if it’s something as simple as bad habits while crossing the road.