Hey Nomads! I know this isn’t my usual advice post for study abroad, but I thought I’d throw in some Halloween stories since it is All Hallows’ Eve!
Happy Halloween! I hope you’ve got some spooky plans for the night of Halloween! If you don’t, or are just unsure of what to do to get in the Halloween spirit, look no further! We had some interesting times leading up to Halloween while abroad. Although the holiday of Halloween is somewhat overzealous in the U.S. (as in we go to the extremes in celebrating Halloween, which I absolutely LOVE), your host country may not be as eerie on the night of October 31st. It may be harder to find some scary things to do, but I assure you, there will be some options for you!
I want to start off lighthearted, as our first encounter with Halloween-esque events was in Paris. We planned our trip to Paris for the first week of October, expecting to go to Disneyland. Although we anticipated seeing Mickey and Minnie along with Belle’s castle, we didn’t plan on seeing the wondrous Halloween decorations that filled the atmosphere of Disneyland Paris. I, myself, love the season of fall (or Autumn), so stepping into Disneyland and seeing all the Mickey-shaped pumpkins, leaves, and Halloween decor really put me in that Halloween spirit early. It was absolutely magnificent! Disney sure does go all out when decorating for holidays, and I’m in no way complaining! So if you’re in Paris around the time of Halloween, or at any point in the month of October, check out Disneyland if you want some kid-friendly, lighthearted, Halloween vibes.
As for London, I’m going to be honest and say we didn’t go trick-or-treating on Halloween. Truthfully, I’m not sure if they do trick-or-treating…comment below if you’re from England and if you know of/like to trick-or-treat. I know I’m in the minority by saying this, but I’m not big on candy, so I wasn’t all that disappointed to not be trick-or-treating while abroad. But I will say this, London still knows how to celebrate this spooky holiday! For instance, if you like scary movies and plays, The Fortune Theatre put on a rendition of The Woman in Black around the time of Halloween. As someone who gets easily scared, I don’t exactly know why I agreed to go with my friends to see this play a few nights before Halloween. I will say, I figured it couldn’t be as terrifying as the movie because plays lack the CGI that movies can incorporate…I will also say that I was terribly wrong. I was absolutely mortified throughout the entire play. I definitely spent most of the time with my eyes closed, grasping my flatmates arm in hopes of the woman in black remaining on the ground level, far away from me. To add some context, our seats were at the very top in the balcony. I’m not exaggerating when I say we were in the very last seats in the upper corner right by the loud speaker and the door. That said, I find that these seats were even scarier than being close to the stage because I feared that the woman in black could easily make her way up to the balcony and stand right behind us. I’m not exactly sure if she did. All I know is the play ended with a loud screeching and my friends and I found ourselves falling out of our seats in fear that she was near us. I can’t exactly say I’d do that again, but if you’re someone who loves eerie, ghostly entertainment, highly suggest you check out what plays and movies are being put on in your area…
Along with our chilling play experience, we also saw many people dressed up on Halloween and even the nights leading up to October 31st. For instance, my roommate and I decided one night to go out to eat over on Carnaby Street. For reference, there’s a club right across from the restaurant that we absolutely love (The Diner); but there, we saw many people lining the street waiting to get into this club. Side-note: Louis Tomlinson also spent his birthday party at this club back in December, if that adds any significance to this place! Anyways, if you’re someone who likes to go out clubbing, Halloween may be a good time for you to dress up and party hard.
All of this is to say that if you’re studying abroad but are someone who celebrates Halloween religiously, don’t hesitate to explore the different plays and events that your host city puts on for this spooky holiday! There’s bound to be something that will get you in the Halloween spirit!
Navigating Nomad 