对于即将去英国留学的同学来说，最重要的就是尽快适应并融入当地的生活与文化，而最快融入的方式就是了解当地的“美食文化”与“艺术文化”。
一年又一年

国际学生们形色匆匆地穿梭在伦敦各个角落

对伦敦来说，他们年年相似

而对他们（我）来说，伦敦生活短暂而特别

关于伦敦“美食”
对于习惯了国内餐食，有着“中国胃”的留学生而言，在英国往往难以找到合胃口的食物，而学业的重压又令他们无暇下厨，因此，提前了解英国美食几乎成了留学生们行前的“必修课”之一。
虽说英国被称之为“美食荒漠”，但如果是在伦敦，只要你乐于探索，勇于尝试，还是能够发现各式各样，菜系丰富的美食的~


1. A Londoner's day often begins with the familiar "Mind the Gap" announcement at the tube station and a delicious brunch.
Londoner的一天往往从地铁站那句熟悉的“Mind the Gap”和一顿好吃的brunch开始。

2. If I were to recommend tasty European cuisine for Chinese palates, it would undoubtedly be Spanish paella and Italian pasta. The top-listed restaurants on TripAdvisor won't disappoint (remember to make reservations in advance for popular ones).

如果要给中国胃推荐好吃的欧洲菜，那一定是西班牙海鲜饭和意大利面，打开trip advisor列表上比较知名的馆子都不会太差（热门的餐厅记得提前订位哦）。

3. Various kebabs can also satisfy your craving for Chinese-style barbecue. When it comes to Middle Eastern cuisine, falafel and hummus are must-tries. Despite their appearance resembling a "brown combo meal," they are incredibly flavorful. While high in fat and carbs, they nourish the soul.
各种kebab也可以小小缓解一下对淄博烧烤的渴望，说起中东菜一定要提的还有falafel（炸豆丸子）和鹰嘴豆泥，别看他们看着像是Brown套餐，吃起来却是香极了，高脂肪、高碳水虽胖肉体却滋养灵魂。

4. If you're an adventurous eater, I highly recommend exploring authentic British flavors. First and foremost, I don't recommend school cafeterias ( Yeah, I'm calling out UCL's cafeteria). I also don't recommend the overly sweet British desserts. However, you should try iconic British dishes such as the full English breakfast, sunday roast, fish and chips, and my personal favorite, steak pie & pastry. You can sit in a restaurant and enjoy a proper beef pie with mashed potatoes and peas, or you can grab a hot beef pie on the go from the chain store Greggs at tube stations. The pastry is crispy and the meat juice bursts in your mouth, providing a slight remedy for missing meat buns for breakfast.

如果你是一个“头铁”的孩子，一定要探寻本真英国味，首先不推荐学校食堂（实名批评UCL的食堂，），其次不推荐粗放（过甜）的英国甜品，其他英国料理也可以别（偶）有（尔）风（吃）味（吃），名的英式早餐、Sunday Roast、炸鱼薯条，还有我觉得一定不能错过的steak pie & pastry，可以正儿八经地坐在餐厅里吃牛肉派，配土豆泥和青豆，也可以在地铁站的连锁店Greggs买一个热气腾腾的牛肉派on the go，饼皮酥香，一口咬下去肉汁迸发在嘴里，早上吃可以浅浅缓解一下对肉包子的想念。

5. London offers an abundance of creative and delicious brunch options. One of my favorites is OPSO on Paddington St (which I guess can sound like "none" in Korean). It's a Greek brunch place that makes amazing bagels with a rich sesame aroma, accompanied by smooth and creamy cheese and a glass of Greek yogurt. It's a perfect match for a spring morning in London.
伦敦好吃的创意brunch数不胜数，不过我最爱的还是在Paddington St的OPSO（总感觉可以读成韩语的“没有”噢珀嗦），一家希腊brunch，贝果做得出神入化，充满芝麻香气，配上丝滑浓郁的奶酪和一杯希腊酸奶，和伦敦的春日上午绝配。

6. When you're exhausted from writing papers, one of the simplest ways to relax is to put on headphones and go grocery shopping. The fresh and bountiful aesthetics of supermarkets can heal your soul, which has been battered by deadlines and quizzes. My favorite supermarket is M&S (Marks & Spencer). As soon as I enter the store, I head straight to the freezer section to look for strawberry tarts. They also have pistachio cookies (frequently sold-out) and cheese twists. These three items are definitely the shining stars of British supermarket food. Sainsbury's and Tesco, the most common supermarkets, also have daily updated bakery sections. When you take a deep breath of the freshly baked buttery goodness, the rich aroma instantly lifts your mood by 20%.
赶论文疲惫的时候最简单的放松就是戴着耳机去逛超市，用新鲜、饱满的超市美学疗愈被ddl和quiz摧残的心灵。我最爱的超市是M&S玛莎，一进超市就先冲进冰柜寻觅草莓挞，还有常常卖断货的开心果曲奇，加上cheese twist，这三样绝对是广受认证的大英超市美食之光。而最最常见的Sainsbury和Tesco，也有每天更新的烘焙区，猛吸一口带着热乎劲儿浓郁的黄油香气的时候，心情就能再好20%。

关于伦敦“其他”
对有一句烂大街的话，其实也同样适用于国际大都市的话：“If you are tired of London，You are tired of life。”我想这一定和伦敦丰富的电影、艺术和话剧文化相关。


1. Odeon cinemas are my paradise for movies. If you're worried about not fully understanding English dialogue, you can always choose versions with subtitles. The British Film Institute (BFI) on Southbank always screens independent films and hosts various art performances. Walking along the riverbank of Southbank, you can encounter street art and skateboard culture. It's truly an underground art hub. The British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Britain, and the V & A Museum often have high-quality art exhibitions, and the Natural History Museum is also worth a visit.
随处都有的Odean影院是每周我的天堂电影院，如果担心自己不能完全听懂英文对白，还可以选择有字幕的版本。Southbank的British Film Institute (BFI) 总有独立电影放映，也不缺各种艺术表演。走在southbank 的河道边，可以看到各种街头艺术、滑板文化，总之是一个underground艺术聚集中心。British Museum，National Gallery，Tate Britain，V & A Museum也常有质量很高的艺术展，自然历史博物馆也同样值得一逛。

2. London offers countless theater shows every day, including immersive theater, musicals, and new adaptations of traditional plays. In addition to the classics like The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, there's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the immersive theater experience of The Great Gatsby, the musicals Chicago and Mamma Mia!, and The Book of Mormon (which is hilarious and highly recommended). Oh, and I also watched a play called Betrayal performed by Tom Hiddleston, which felt like witnessing his publicly-funded love with his wife haha.

除了最为经典的歌剧魅影、悲惨世界、，还有哈利波特话剧，沉浸式话剧了不起的盖茨比、歌舞剧芝加哥、妈妈咪呀、摩门之书（很好笑，推荐）。对了，还去看了抖森演的betray，是不是也算见证了他和老婆公费恋爱啊（但份子钱是不会随的）？

3. On the other hand, London's charm lies not only in the luxury of Oxford Street but also in the vintage markets tucked away in its alleys. My favorite is the underground vintage market on Brick Lane. It houses various stalls with diverse styles, offering second-hand luxury items as well as affordable vintage clothing. It feels like a frozen time capsule where you can spend an entire afternoon and always discover interesting and quirky little things especially for your taste.

另一方面，伦敦的魅力在于牛津街的高奢，也在于街巷里的vintage market。我最爱Brick lane的地下vintage market，里面有各种各样的小摊，风格各异，有二手奢品，也有实惠旧衣。那里就好像一个时间凝固球，在那里泡一下午，总能淘到一些怪异而有趣的小东西。

4. Before starting my life in London, I spent two years in Liverpool, considering myself a "seasoned Brit." Liverpool is a northern city with a friendly and straightforward atmosphere. As long as you know about The Beatles and football, and have eaten pancakes or hot dogs while being stared at by fierce seagulls at Albert Dock, you can establish a comfortable understanding with Liverpool.
在开始伦敦生活之前我已经在利物浦待了两年，自以为是“英伦老炮”了。利物浦是个北方城市，有一种平易近人的直率，只要你熟知披头士和足球，在Albert Dock上被凶悍的海鸥盯着吃过一次可丽饼或热狗，就能和利物浦建立起一种舒适的默契。

London, on the other hand, is much more complex, and I know very little about it. Yet, even after four years, I still occasionally miss that period of time. London is arrogant, with the most discerning eye for talent, but it is also inclusive and diverse.

而伦敦复杂得多，我对他知之甚少，却在四年后仍然时不时想念那段时光。伦敦很傲慢，他有对人才最挑剔的眼光；但他很包容也很多元。

5. Year after year, international students traverse the corners of this city, and for London, they may all seem similar. However, for the students, living in London is a short but incredibly special experience. Instead of saying I miss London, it's more accurate to say that I miss the carefree student days suspended in the air, free from worries.
一年又一年，国际学生们行色匆匆地穿梭在城市各个角落，对伦敦来说，他们年年相似。但对于学生们来说，伦敦生活是短暂而无比特别的。与其说我想念伦敦，不如说是在想念一种悬浮于空中而鲜有忧愁的学生时代吧。