Leaving is never an easy concept. No matter where you’re coming from or headed to, the thought of leaving what you’re familiar with behind is always a little scary. For the ten months leading up to my trip, the fact that I would actually be in England for four months seemed surreal. But last Wednesday, when boarding for my plane was called, everything hit me. In eight hours, I would be landing in London, and as of right now, there was absolutely no turning back.

Thankfully, the crazy emotions that I was feeling about leaving the United States have subsided. I love it here. The moment our bus from the airport arrived in Cambridge, I knew it would become a place I would grow to adore. Everything and everywhere, from the gorgeous old cathedrals and brick buildings, to the cobblestone streets is something that fascinates me. Our house is situated in easy walking distance from anything that you could possibly need, and we have been lucky enough to have great weather in the mid-60’s for the past week and a half.

We took our first group trip to London last weekend, and although we were still jet-lagged and exhausted, we still managed to have a great time. I wasn’t too impressed by London at first, but once a group of us went on a double-decker bus tour, I finally noticed the beauty and charm that London has that sets it apart from cities like Chicago and New York. We were able to go see The 39 Steps, a play that has been voted London’s Best Comedy for several years in a row, watch a soccer (or football, as it is called here) match in a sports pub, and attend the infamous Notting Hill Carnival, which is England’s largest carnival, held in celebration of London’s multi-cultural diversity. We also had quite the adventure with the London “tube” (underground subway) system, and ended up taking a two-hour trip to get where we needed to go, although it was only a 30 minute walk.

The weekend has already begun for me, since we fortunately have no classes on Fridays. Tonight we have plans to go to a karaoke bar, and tomorrow we are going to our first ever English football game, which should end up being an event to remember.

Cheers!

Julie