Johann

While we were in London we did a lot of walking, especially by the famous River Thames. As you walk along the river you see a lot of people hustling from place to place, but as you make your way, you will probably hear/see a busker or two. These street performers are everywhere in London, and I met one of these lovely people as he performed next to the Thames and the gigantic queue of people lining up to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth. His name was Johann, and he is a singer/songwriter/musician from Sweden. I asked him how the queue was affecting his earnings and he said that he was very grateful that so many people wanted to line up to listen to him sing. He was quite a humorous individual and we got along quite well as we bantered about the Queen and other topics. His Instagram is satremusic, and he always appreciates attention being put on him and his musical talents, so go check him out and his new debut single ‘Summerglow’ on Spotify!

Submitted by Josh

Alfred

The man in the queue. In London after the Queen died, there was a queue the length of 5 miles to see the Queen lying in state. Alfred was an elderly man that I met. He had met the Queen three times over the years, and when I asked him, “Why are you waiting this long just to see the Queen?” he said that the Queen had taken the time to talk with him three times, and the least he could do was to wait and pay his respects. He had worked minimum wage jobs his whole life and was a very hard worker. He said that if there is one thing that he hoped I got out of talking with him it should be that he loved his queen. As an American, I might not understand having a queen or a king. However, I understand loyalty, and Alfred was loyal.

Submitted by Matthew

Michele

Michele Longley first came to the U.K. from South Africa for a holiday. But while she was in the country she decided to work and the only job she could easily get was to work as a barmaid. Little did she know that her future husband would be the owner of the restaurant she was working in. After meeting him, she decided to move to England and renovate a hotel with her then fiancé. Once they had finished that project and the hotel was a functioning business they decided to try and move to South Africa.  

Michele didn’t live there for long though; she had become accustomed to the peculiar culture of the U.K. and saw that it was difficult for her fiancé to adjust. They decided to marry in South Africa but move back to London soon after the wedding. When they got back to the country, the Longley’s were living in the city of London, right by Hyde Park. They both stayed there for a long time renting a house for much less than it was worth, and Michele’s morning walk to work consisted of her walking through Hyde Park. At this time, she worked as a sales assistant for one of the national retail outlets. And because of her proficiency in her job, she was transferred to work in the United States. She ended up moving there and lived in the U.S. for 15 years.

But again, decided to move back to England but this time it was because her family had recently moved to the U.K., and she wanted to be there for them (I was the new family). She then went on to work as a European Sales Manager and is still working the same job. Michele is also a lover of Shakespeare; her personal favourite play is Romeo and Juliet. She states that the play “relates across time.”

Submitted by Sebastian

Sonia

The abroad group visited the Fashion and Textile Museum in London to learn about the history of fashion and design. While we were there, we found a red dress that caught our attention. It had beautiful embroidery all over it. We were lucky enough to run into Sonia, a graduate of the Royal School of Needlework from the Future Tutors Programme who was able to give us more context for this beautiful dress. Sonia is now a Hand Embroider and Tutor. She showed us her little doodle which she had stitched on the dress. The doodle she embroidered was a small part of a bigger work she had previously done. We learned that the dress has traveled around the world to allow people from different backgrounds to embed a piece of themselves, something with personal meaning, onto that dress. It is an inspiring international collaboration.  

Submitted by Victoria

Joshia

I met Joshia in a McDonalds around 11:00pm after seeing Six the Musical on the West End. He has a kind face, and gentle demeanor, and seemed to be the jokester in his group of friends. Joshia initiated the conversation with me by offering a small McDonalds’ coupon for a free McMuffin or Bacon Roll that he had just received with his meal of a cheeseburger and chips. He was surprised to hear we had come so far to visit the city he was born and raised in. He shared the insight that “when you’re born and raised in one place, you take it for granted.” He wants to “see the world one day,” specifically America. The conversation did not last too long, because he and his mates were heading back to the pub to wrap up the night.

Submitted by Kaitlyn

Ben

Meet Ben. A local resident of Bankside, London, UK. He has two dogs, Rudy the black dog with the red collar, and Monday the brown dog with the tan collar. Monday is very friendly and well-trained. After meeting the dogs and talking with Ben about London as well as the Queens passing, he told me that London has felt, strangely, quite nice and that all the people he has come across have been in more of a friendly mood, than what is usual for an English citizen. He has also felt that it has been rather peaceful, which is odd to him. He also mentioned that he has noticed everyone coming together during this time.   At the end of our conversation, he stated that a lot of us have never seen a new monarch in our lifetime, which is a big deal.

Submitted by Gloria

Megan

Megan was sitting across the only table in a Java Java Café (the first place I saw had wifi) when I met her. With a book in her hand and a document open on her laptop, she seemed busy but spoke freely with the café staff whom I later learned she had only met minutes before I entered. For the next several hours, she unfolded more about her life than I expected from a Londoner, which allowed for open and thought-provoking conversation regarding everything from her work helping young people escape gang violence and start healthy families, to street names, good books, and English facts like that of The Royal Standard being the only flag that never flies at half-mast. Having a history degree, Megan also had a great sense for the inner workings of both England and the United States, not to mention a taste for more general fun facts than can be absorbed in an afternoon. Open, curious, well-educated, and thoughtful, Megan is absolutely worth a long conversation if you’re ever in London.

Submitted by Nathan

James

I met James Hawes at Ye Olde Cock Tavern in downtown London. He was immediately willing to sit down and let me interview him for our Humans of UK school assignment. He was an inspired soul, willing to talk about any and every topic I brought up. He explained how he is fascinated by history, especially mythology– and specifically Greek & Norse. When I asked him about Roman mythology, he explained it wasn’t as interesting to him because of its close ties and similarities to the original Greek mythology. He talked about how his grandfather, his idol and role model, had recently passed away. He spent much of his time during the Corona Virus lockdowns, which were much harsher in the UK than in the US, taking care of his grandfather. He described how difficult it was to be there, but how highly he valued the idea that his grandfather would have someone there for him. He was extremely gracious and kind to me as well and taught me how to play shuffleboard (and beat me in a game at that). Ultimately, we agreed on how important it is to travel and meet new people, and I know we both walked away grateful to share that bond and experience.

Submitted by Jaxen