Chuffed to Bits (Cheers, England!)

Reunited in London with Dia and Becca from the Reutlingen program!

Who’d have ever thought that I’d wish for a translator while speaking my own native language? Despite the fact that the British speak English, there were so many instances during my ten-day excursion to the UK in which I felt like I was listening to a completely foreign language. Okay, maybe that’s a BIT of an exaggeration. But when pants are “trousers” and underwear is “pants”, or when potato chips are “crisps” and french fries are “chips”,  (not to mention the fact that everyone drives on the other side of the road), it’s not hard for a Yankee to get a little confused.

All joking matters aside though, I truly fell in love with England during my time there. As was the case with my trip to Belgium back in February, I’m incredibly fortunate to have family living in Leicester (a city about two hours north of London) who took me in with open arms, and gave me the full “British Experience.” If you’re wondering what that entails…

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  Harry Potter fans, recognize this place? (Christ Church in Oxford)

  Fish and chips, more Cadbury’s chocolate than I care to admit, a number of English ales and ciders, pork pies, sausage rolls, crumpets, scones, and lots of tea

• Taking a day trip to Oxford, where we saw the gorgeous University buildings, took a tour on an open-air double-decker bus, and walked through Christ Church… also known as the set of the Great Hall from the Harry Potter movies
• Spending a day at a refurbished medieval castle, climbing hundreds of stone steps and taking in the amazing views of the English countryside from the tops of the towers
• Participating firsthand in the Grand National horse race (everyone in the family bet one pound on a horse, and my cousins took me to the “bookie” to place the bets before we all watched the race together)
• Exploring the old English countryside, where one of my cousins grew up amidst the endless miles of sheep farms, centuries-old stone churches, boating canals, and of course, the classic old-fashioned neighborhood pub

Doesn't get any more medieval than this!

Along with all of that, I got to spend four (chilly!) days in London, which (despite the weather) was endlessly beautiful to me. I’ve heard from a number of people who have been to London that it’s a city you will either hate or love, and it is with great confidence that I can say that I’m part of the latter group. I don’t know how anyone could find it to be a disappointment – there’s so much rich history, distinct culture, and exciting energy buzzing in the air there. Not to mention the fact that my London experience was highlighted by a fantastic reunion: I met up with my good friends Becca and Dia, who are currently in the Reutlingen, Germany program. We spent our time together covering every last corner of the city on foot, from the River Thames to Buckingham Palace, accompanied by lots of Cadbury’s chocolate, peanut butter and honey sandwiches (nothing like living on a college kid’s budget!) and the joy of catching up and swapping travel stories.

Last time I saw these guys, they were all babies! It was so wonderful getting to reconnect with them.

Though the unique range of traveling I had during my stay in England was vast and punctuated by dozens of fascinating sights, I think the overall theme of my journey in the UK was the wonderful experience of reconnecting. Getting to spend time with my friends from back in Valpo while in London was like a breath of fresh air – there’s nothing like picking back up where you left off with old friends. On the other side of things, I haven’t seen my British family in twelve years, and going to visit those cousins was like receiving a long-overdue gift. Along with the many adventures that they took me on, I’m never going to forget the “regular” moments: sitting around the dinner table telling stories, poring over old photos of my grandparents, parents, and other relatives when they were young, playing on the Wii with my younger cousins (in the picture on the right), or my daily “British vocabulary lessons”.

In all, this trip was a wonderful gift, and I’m “well chuffed” that I was able to experience all the things that I did. Years from now, just the thought of England is going to warm my heart with dozens of happy memories of family, friends, and adventures. I’m so blessed, and England was just another example of the many reasons I have to be thankful.