Firebreathing Tubas and Orientation

Man smiling at a table with sandwiches and chips in front of him
Kevin V Au
 January 12, 2016
River view of the London skyline with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament under a cloudy sky.

After 11 hours on a plane, surprisingly decent airplane food, and a 45 minute wait at the UK border I'm finally here in London! I've met some awesome people so far and saw some pretty cool sights. I've definitely fallen in love with London already and can't wait to spend the next few months learning about the culture and city. Here's a glimpse at some of the cool things I've seen so far!

 

Historic castle with tall stone towers and archway, cloudy sky above.

Historic castle gate with stone towers under a cloudy sky.

1. Stone castle with towers under a cloudy sky.2. Two stone towers with arched entrance.3. Garden with green lawn and castle in background.

Fun fact (kind of): I like history! So visiting Windsor Castle (one of the Queen's residences) and the historic town of Eton was pretty awesome. 

1. Gray stone castle with tower and archway.2. Stone castle entrance with two round towers.3. Lush garden and path near castle tower.4. Ferris wheel with blue sky and trees.

River view of the London skyline with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament under a cloudy sky

Couldn't pass up a free ride on the London Eye. As expected, the view was amazing. The picture above really doesn't do it justice. 

First image: London skyline with Big Ben under a cloudy sky. Second image: Two people joyfully jumping on a sunny beach. Third image: Person posing in front of a brick building with columns. Fourth image: Group of people at Platform 9¾ in a train station.

We tried to get onto the Hogwarts Express but we didn't get enough of a running start. 

Street performer playing a tuba with a small flame coming from the bell, seated in front a brick wall.

No caption needed.

Compact room with two beds, a small table, and a city view from a large window.

And here's my small and cozy bedroom for the next few months. 

Between being jet-lagged and orientation taking up most of the week, I haven't had too many opportunities to really explore the city. There's a ton of festivals and events going on in London and I can't wait to see them all. If I survive crossing the roads here you can expect to see a lot more exciting things coming up!

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Man smiling at a table with sandwiches and chips in front of him

Kevin V Au

I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. I am currently a Junior at the University of Rochester majoring in Psychology and planning to become a Physical Therapist. I love food, obstacle course racing, martial arts, drawing, and getting into philosophical discussions with my friends. I will be studying Health Practice and Policy in London and I'm excited to share my experience abroad!

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Home University:
University of Rochester
Major:
Psychology
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