Life After London

Coming home from London was rough. The goodbyes alone were enough to make my heart break, but after a 29 hour journey home, I was too exhausted to mull it over until the next morning. And when I woke up bright and early around 5 am, it hit me hard. I felt an overwhelming sense of something missing, the kind that you can physically feel. I spent that first day trying my best to be cheerful and keep my "when I was in London..." commentary to a minimum. I felt happy to see my family, yet somehow alone and out of sync.

Luckily, that first day was the hardest. Several things quickly began to make me feel better, such as talking to the friends I had met in London, visiting old friends from home, and knocking things off my to-do list that were causing me to feel anxious. It hasn't been a week yet and I know it will take awhile to feel completely adjusted, but it's comforting to know that it's all downhill from here.

To steal a little something from Andrew's London blog...

What I miss about London:

the friends I made, the tube, chicken curry, the West End, TKTS (discount day-of theatre tickets), watching "friends" in our flat, living in a "flat," talking in British accents, listening to British accents, being complimented on my American accent, small grocery stores, free museums, Thursday nights, the cereal blog, the Bakerloo line loudspeaker voice, Regent's Park, totters, St. Martins, pound coins, kitkat caramel, crunchy nut cereal, The Victory, J2O, (bring your own) dinners in "the penthouse," English breakfasts, Evening Standard crossword puzzles.

What I don't miss:

Our kitchen sink, our bathroom sink, accounting for the 8 hour time difference, walking on the cobblestone in heels, the tiny 2 stall bathrooms at Regent's, missing all the Sharks games, timing my internet usage, rude EBS students who don't say thank you when I hold the door for them, rude EBS students who smoke in the courtyard, rude EBS students, using coffee mugs for everything but coffee, the crappy exchange rate.

So what now?

Now I spend a year in Fullerton, finishing up my Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts. I apply to graduate school for Social Work. I (hopefully) watch the San Jose Sharks win the Stanley Cup. I save money. I stay busy. I keep in touch.

And hopefully, I can blog every now and again. Obviously I had this blog long before my semester in London began, so I'll do my best to keep it updated with anything noteworthy. Until then... I hope you've enjoyed reading about my adventures abroad! It was an unforgettable experience that I will truly treasure all my life. Thank you to my parents, ASA, and everyone along the way who helped me get there-- and to the people who made London what it was. You know who you are.

Cheers!