So Long, London

Over the course of the past week that I’ve been back in the U.S. since my study abroad experience came to an end, I’ve been thinking a lot about how best to bundle my abroad experience into a short blog post. Putting the past four months of my life into just a few paragraphs seems incredibly daunting but in the absolute best way possible. Thinking back to how I felt in the week leading up to my departure for London, I remember feeling absolutely terrified about all of the unknowns that I was faced with. While I knew that this experience would be absolutely incredible and that it was an experience and opportunity that not everyone is afforded, the fear and nerves certainly outweighed much of the excitement that I felt. Reflecting on those feelings, it brings me a lot of peace to know that all of the doubts I had and all of the things that I was scared of all ended up fading away just a few short weeks into my program. I certainly knew that it would be a life-changing experience, but I definitely don’t think I could have predicted the impact that my abroad semester would have on my life and how I view the world around me.

Before studying abroad I had considered myself a relatively well-traveled person, as my parents had always wanted to show me the importance of being a capable traveler and wanting to expose my brother and I to different places and cultures, but this semester was certainly one where I expanded my travel horizons. I traveled to 10 different countries in the span of roughly three and a half months, with most of my weekends dedicated to travel. Through these trips, I learned more about not only different communities and cultures around the world but also about myself. I’ve always been very disciplined and self-motivated, but this semester definitely required me to be disciplined in a way that I hadn’t before. Taking a full course load, working an in-person internship, and taking every opportunity I could to travel required a lot of focus and time management skills, and it was certainly overwhelming at times. However, it taught me a lot about how to juggle many different responsibilities while still adjusting to living in another country. 

The memories that I’ve made over the past four months, not only through my travels but also through my time spent in London, are ones that I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life. Being able to study abroad in London with my best friends from back at American University was so incredibly special and I’ve been so lucky to experience so many new things with them. I was definitely a bit hesitant about studying in London since it wasn’t my top choice, but I can now say with absolute certainty that London is the most wonderful city to study abroad in. There’s an endless number of things to do in London and I fully believe that anyone can find their niche – from amazing food and incredible nightlife to West End shows and comedy nights. London offers both big city living and some of the most beautiful parks and green spaces I’ve seen. As cliché as it sounds, I’ve definitely left a huge part of my heart in London and can’t wait for the day I return to my favorite city in the world.