After completing his undergraduate degree at one of the UK's top universities, Oxford, Simon Akam chose the US’s Columbia University for his Masters in Journalism.
He recalls the surprising culture shock he experienced after making the move. “Initially I thought New York would be like England with an accent, but in no way was it at all. The longer I spent in America the more foreign it seemed.”
He also says the cultural differences extended to life at university as well. “The academic environment is also very different – certainly less gladiatorial than Oxford. At times I encountered difficulties but it is important to be open-minded and appreciate the element of adventure involved.”
Adapting to change
This is often the case with international students who travel to countries which speak the same language – they find the culture shock takes longer to build up. However, one thing Simon did find was that America is a much less cynical place than Europe, which he says, can at times be frustrating but is also rather inspiring.
Highlights of his time in New York included the enthusiasm and excitement of New York and New Yorkers. “I loved Central Park on a spring morning and the old masters paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”
He took advantage of as much of New York as he could, from the opera to museums, soul food in Harlem to tea at the Plaza. “I felt enormously privileged to live in that city,” he says.
Simon was also there during the Obama presidential election, which he felt privileged to watch. On the downside, he hated "the subway, the summer climate and the cellphone service."
“I also lived next to a fraternity, which was occasionally frustrating, although always fascinating,” he adds.
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