Courtesy of Austin Morton

Notting Hill.

Clouds. White, billowy, thin-as-air clouds.

While they took up most of my view, they occupied only a small amount of my thoughts upon flying 30,000 feet in the air on my way to a foreign country.

“At least they speak English there,” I thought to myself.

Other than being able to communicate with others on a very basic level, I had no idea what to expect.

Similar thoughts must go through the heads of many college students studying abroad in England for the first time.

Looking back, I wish someone had told me half of the things I’m about to share with you.

For starters, Londoners and English people in general dress very differently from Americans. Knowledge of this is important if one hopes to avoid the unmistakable tourist look and its accompanying behavioral responses from the locals.

Similar to the lifestyle in England, the wardrobe of the average Brit is very elegant and somewhat formal in nature. The Brits take pride in their appearance and very rarely leave their flats looking anything but composed.

This attitude toward clothing is sometimes hard for Americans to grasp given theirs roots in a culture largely dominated by the “jeans and T-shirt” mentality.

Pricing can be tricky in England. Beware of the term “service fee.” While it might sound harmless, the hidden costs it incurs are anything but.

The literal meaning of a service fee in England is essentially payment by a customer, in addition to tipping, to sit down in a cafe, restaurant or even a public park. However, this mysterious charge is not applied in all cafes, restaurants and parks; therefore, it would be wise to follow a policy of ask before you sit.

When speaking of pricing and hidden charges, it is important to mention the exchange rate between U.S. and U.K. currencies. As of July, $1 U.S. is equal to 0.540792 British pounds (according to XE.com).

Given that ratio, it is not terribly inaccurate to claim that one could determine the dollar value of an item by simply multiplying the price in pounds by two. Although not exact, this traveler-friendly method is much easier than taking a calculator from place to place.

Credit cards can be used as a means of softening the blow of foreign exchange rates to your American bank account and should be used when making large purchases abroad (e.g. car rentals, hotel bills, etc.).

According to IndependentTraveler.com, using a credit or ATM card often improves the exchange rate by 2 to 7 percent as compared with cash or traveler’s check.

However, it is important to check with your credit card company before leaving. Some companies incur an additional fee for every transaction made abroad.

Unlike in the United States, restaurant employees, bar tenders and the like do not depend as much on tips in England, because their fixed-pay rate is higher to begin with. Thus, tipping is viewed as optional rather than obligatory.

If you order food at a bar, pick up the food from the bar and pay at the bar — there is no need for a tip. The same goes for drinks — English bartenders don’t normally get tips.

However, if you go to a fancy restaurant, most of the time tip is included in the bill so pay attention. Lastly, if you go to a more casual setting (cafe, sandwich shop, etc.) where you are served, the most you are expected to tip is 10 percent, and if the service isn’t satisfactory even that standard becomes irrelevant.

Now that you are keen on English tipping practices, it might be useful to know some of the lingo. Such knowledge is convenient not only for speaking but for comprehending as well.

Here are a few words that might help you better understand the language of the Brits.

“Queue.” Pronounced just like the letter Q, this British word means “a line of people.”

“Uni.” Short for “university,” this English slang word is the equivalent of “college” in the U.S. However, in England, these two words are not equal because to the Brits a “college” is considered more of a trade school than an establishment of higher learning.

“Underground.” While Americans associate this word with subjects like sewage, dirt, earthworms and the like, English people know it as their primary mode of transportation — a type of “subway” or “metro.”

“Cheers.” Very different from the popular ’80s sitcom set in a bar, this English word is a catch-all used in the place of salutations and good-byes, thank-yous and expressions of mutual agreement.

Yet another essential factor for students to consider before going abroad is size. As is the case in most of Europe, everything in England is significantly smaller than it is in the U.S. — cars, shampoo bottles, elevators, living space, streets and much more.

It is important for students to keep in mind, particularly when packing. Because the streets, elevators and hallways of England are more narrow, one should avoid oversized suitcases for obvious reasons.

Finally, one of the most widely known facts about England is that the flow of traffic is opposite from that in America. Unfortunately, this fact is also one that is most likely to slip the minds of Americans walking in England.

Because cars are coming at you from the opposite side than you are used to, it is important to be acutely aware of traffic when crossing the street. As a general rule of thumb: whatever your instinct is, reverse it.

Also, just because you are on a crosswalk does not guarantee your safety. English drivers take no prisoners, so watch your step.

Keep these tips in mind and you will be sure to have a jolly good time during your stay in England.

Austin Morton plans to graduate from Virginia Tech in the spring of 2008 with a degree in political science and communication. And in case you don’t know already, she loves any type of ice cream and “old” ’80s movies.