It may have been raining cats and dogs, and I may have only been in Cambridge for a couple of hours, but one thing was for certain, I was already in love with my new home. My semester abroad in England was already off to a smashing start, as my new friends here would say.

My fears of living in an entirely new country were overshadowed by the excitement and thrill of being in such a beautiful place. As I rode on the bus from Heathrow Airport to Cambridge, I was in awe of the vast countryside on each side of the highway. After arriving in Cambridge and hauling all my luggage into a taxi, I couldn’t help but stare in amazement at all the beautiful buildings and cathedrals as we drove towards the Valparaiso University Study Abroad Center – my home for the next four and a half months. I had been told Cambridge was a gorgeous city, but I couldn’t have even imagined it being this nice.

I’ve now been in Cambridge for a week and a half. Since then, I’ve managed to get a good feel for the city and learn my way around a good percentage of the area. With the Sir Isaac Newton’s pub just down the street from our house, I’m only a two minute walk away from being able to go buy a meal or a drink while conversing with the locals, or even being able to watch a football (or soccer as it’s known on our side of the pond) match in an enjoyable setting. Cambridge is host to countless other historic pubs, as well. And with the biggest grocery store in the area – Tesco’s – only being a ten minute bus ride away, it’s easy to find food and other necessities for reasonable prices. Also, our class schedule provides us with plenty of time to explore the city and travel around Europe on weekends. Classes start at around 9:15 every day and run until noon on Tuesday through Thursday, and 3:00 on Monday’s. I couldn’t pick a better schedule if I tried.

I wouldn’t have guessed that I would already feel so at home here just a week and a half into my stay, but so far I love it. I’ve already been around the city center of Cambridge countless times and even been to London for a weekend, all this is in just nine days. I can’t wait to see what I can do in four months!

Cheers!

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