Goodbye, London and Hello Again, Texas!

I never imagined that seven weeks would go by so quickly. Although I was ready to reconnect with my friends and family back in the U.S., it was so much harder leaving London than I expected it to be! On my last night, I walked from Piccadilly Circus to Green Park, past Buckingham Palace and down the Royal Mall, through Trafalgar Square, by Downing Street and Westminster Abbey, and ended by the Houses of Parliament and Thames River, facing the London Eye. I couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye to the city. So many memories were made in each of these places over the course of the summer, from celebrating Prince George’s birth at the Palace to spotting the royal family during the Trooping of the Colour on the Royal Mall and having long talks with friends on the monument in Trafalgar Square.

I have grown so much as a person this summer. I always hear how much time abroad can change your life, but those words didn’t truly register until I made it home to Dallas. As I reconnect with my friends and family via skype, phone calls, and long dinners, I can see how positively my brief time in London has affected me. I’m more confident and feel comfortable with who I am, and not to mention a new insatiable desire to see the world. Staying in hostels and partaking in some of the nightlife allowed me to relate and get to know people from all over the world. Even if it was only a five minute talk while waiting in line, it made me realize how the world is so much smaller than it seems, but there’s also so much to explore.

Coming back to Texas hasn’t been as difficult as I had originally imagined – when not considering the blazing heat and the fact that now I’m even more confused when trying to cross the street. There’s a part of me that was ready to come back to my daily life here, but an even larger part of me is already longing to go back to London. I now consider London a home, and a piece of my heart will live in that city forever. Seven weeks ended up being far too short of a time to live in the most wonderful city in the world!

My next big adventure is studying in Italy for the spring semester. It will be different having a language barrier, but that doesn’t make me nervous like it used to. I’m also now dreaming of attending grad school abroad, looking into programs throughout England and Scotland. This was only the beginning in what I hope is going to be a long life of exploration. Thank you IES! I couldn’t have asked for a more fantastic summer.