Me, Myself & London

I was born and bred in London. I’ve never lived anywhere else. When I meet new people, the initial question is “What's your name?” However, the following question is always asked later in the introductions; “Where are you from?” I always reply proudly “London”. Maybe I should respond with “England”, however I guess why I say London is because I believe that London is the best example of Englishness in England, and that London, in my eyes, is the most interesting, diverse and beautiful city in the world.

Although I have lived in London for 18 years, every time I visit Central London I find a new intriguing place and learn a new fact about this richly historical city. For example, a few weeks ago I went on an excursion with a group of French students to London Bridge, and we found ourselves in St. Catherine’s Dock. I was blown away by the peacefulness and beauty of the dock, surrounded by the busyness of London. It was as if someone had pressed the eject button on a stereo playing an ACDC album and replaced it with Vivaldi. Little gems like St. Katharine's Dock can be found all around London. It seems strange to say that I have fallen in love with this city, but to be frank it’s the truth. London never loses its appeal, its intrigue or its history.

London’s diversity provokes the image of a multi-cultural melting pot. Almost every culture in the world is represented in London, and openly celebrated with examples such as Notting Hill Carnival as a celebration of Caribbean culture where around one million people came to enjoy the party. London’s appeal increases its diversity, as many tourists from across the world flock to see London’s sights and sounds. With these tourists, students also come, to attend one of the many English Courses in one of the many English Schools in London. These English courses in London provide students with the opportunity to experience the English culture and also experience what real English schools in London are like.

By James Ong-Fox