Ms. Vinter can also provide information on relevant counseling services in London. Ms. Vinter is in touch with the American Embassy and other program directors, and should any information be made available by them relevant to your safety in London, or while traveling abroad, she will be certain to advise you of it. This is yet another reason to stay in touch with what's posted on the noticeboard in the office. Remember that you are a visitor in a different culture, a guest, if you will, even though the native language is English. London, as well as other parts of England, is extremely cosmopolitan, populated by people from many other countries and cultures of the world.
Many neighborhoods comprise concentrations of people from such other cultures.
This rich cultural diversity is certainly what makes London a special and exciting place. At the same time, your expectations and assumptions concerning behavior must be modified to the accepted standards of the host country and its inhabitants. Harassment, particularly toward women, is simply not as sensitive an issue in England and Europe as it is in the US Women will likely experience some form of verbal harassment. Do what you can to avoid such situations and if it does occur, walk away. Physical contact or excessive verbal abuse is unacceptable and should be reported immediately.