I knew that when I left for London, three weeks was either going to be too long or too short. If I came over here and didn’t feel like I really connected with anybody, then my time abroad couldn’t end soon enough. Or, I could fill every day with new experiences with new friends and I wouldn’t want these three weeks to end. And as I’m ending my time abroad, I’m wishing I had more time.
I’m a different person than I was three weeks ago. As cheesy as that may sound, it’s true. I’ve met new people, created new memories in these past few weeks that has already left an impact on me. I’m feeling so much more inspired to travel and do things that will allow me to experience different parts of the world and different people. I feel like I have gained so much from my time abroad and I’m having a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it’s over now.
The course I took, London: Culture Capital of the World has left me with a lot of new knowledge. I felt like with this course, I was able to experience and learn about all different aspects of London culture, from humor to theater to art. My professor Patrick, was absolutely fantastic. He wasn’t always able to give us the class and the course work he wanted, but he worked with what he could. He was always open to answer questions or discuss what fun, exciting events we had done in our free time. He’s a professor I’m lucky I had.
Beyond my university course, I’ve learned so much about myself and learned so much from the people I’ve surrounded myself with. They’ve helped make this experience amazing and they’ve taught me some great lessons I’m going to take with me. Max has taught me to open myself up to meeting new people in any situation I’m in and to crush every moment. Kay has taught me to have fun in every situation and to dance every chance I get. Ceci has taught me to be strong in who I am and that the friendships I made here hold so much importance to me.
On one of my last nights in London, I went to a wine bar with my friends Kay, Ceci, Max, Courtney, and John. We began reminiscing about our time in London and the friendships we had made. Ceci was my first friend I met when I flew into London, both of us waiting at Terminal 5 in Heathrow to meet with our API representative Nadia. We stayed together this entire time. I met Kay the day I arrived in my flat, her living in the flat right above me. Every moment we spent together, we became closer friends. I met Max and John (as well as our other friend Ben) a few days into my time abroad, Ceci and I finding ourselves touring the Tower of London with them before heading to a nearby pub, Dicken’s Inn where we had some drinks and got to know each other. Max even got to jam out to some JoJo while we were there. I met Courtney that day too, and in the evening, we spent our first night out exploring the London nightlife. The friendships I made here in London have filled me with so much happiness and left an important impact on me. Standing there on that bridge that night overlooking London, it hit me that this experience abroad has been one of the best experiences of my life.
This adventure has been more than I ever expected and dreamed it would be. I hoped that I would enjoy my course and meet some cool people. I never expected to feel immersed in the London lifestyle, meet friends I will have for life, and feel like I could call this place home. My walk to school became familiar, became routine, and my nights were filled with laughter and plenty of smiles. I felt like I belonged here, that London had made a place for me. And for that, I can’t thank London enough.
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