It really hit me hard this week. And, surprisingly, I’m not talking about homesickness. Quite the opposite, actually. 

Of course I experienced the feeling of disbelief at the fact that I was really going to be in London for an entire summer at the beginning of my program, but this week the realization hit me once again. And this time, in full force. I thought it would sink in looking at Big Ben, seeing double-decker buses (driving on the left-hand side, of course), or hearing the British accent, but I could have never imagined this feeling would come while hearing the announcement that my stop was next on the tube.

After a full day at work, I was exhausted and couldn’t wait to get back to my room and relax. I got on the over-crowded tube frustrated that so many people seemed to be on my exact schedule. After what seemed like forever, I heard: “The next station is Angel” and I thought to myself “Finally. I can’t wait to behome.” And that’s exactly when it hit me. I was calling the house I’ve been staying in and this city I’ve lived in for 3 weeks home and I couldn’t help but smile to myself. I’m in London. I started thinking about everything I’ve done so far and all that’s in store for the rest of my time here and immediately found myself in a better mood. I walked the rest of the way home thinking about how happy I am to be here and how lucky I am to be having such an amazing experience. 

This week was full of adventures and exploring…my favorite. Visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate Modern for my art class was more exciting than I had imagined and I found myself enjoying art more than ever before. And, researching and writing for a travel guide website has only made my list of places to visit longer. 

The weekend kicked off with a music event and live bands on Friday. After a delicious brunch on Saturday, a few friends and I ventured to Trafalgar Square for West End Live, a free music event that features song previews of different shows, including Les Mis, the Lion King, Stomp, and Jersey Boys. We stayed for a a bit and then made our way to the National Art Gallery, right behind the event. We saw a lot of famous artists, like Manet, Van Gogh, and Monet and got to appreciate a lot of good art.

The day was still young, so we decided to make a trip to Covent Garden, but not without stopping to see a street performer first.

What we saw was amazing. This guy would pose us in a certain way and then pose himself to match us. And, Covent Garden didn’t disappoint with street performers, either.

This one rode a 7 foot tall unicycle and managed to squeeze a tennis racket over his body while doing so. Following the show, we browsed through the market for a bit and found lots of handmade items. To finish the night a trip to the island Malta was booked, so it looks like I’ll finally have some good summer weather after all! Today was spent shopping and spending more time at West End Live, making it obvious that going to see a show (among many other things) is definitely on my list of things to do.

As week three wraps up, I’m looking forward to everything coming up. I didn’t think it could get much better than this, but I have a feeling these next few weeks are about to prove that wrong.

Location: London

At home, I don’t go anywhere without my phone. I’m so used to constantly being connected to everyone around me. I consistently check my email or refresh my Twitter, always waiting for a new notification. With my phone, the world is in my hands and I can do anything with the touch of a button. 

It’s different here in London, though. Yes, I’m connected to the Internet where there’s Wifi and yes, I have a UK number, but the whole world is not always in the palm of my hand. It took some getting used to, of course, but it has taught me a valuable lesson: Learn to live in the moment. Without my phone here, I literally cannot keep up with social media at all times of the day. But, I’m realizing that I don’t feel the need to as often as I normally do. What’s important is interacting with everyone around me, exploring new things, and making the most of my time here. That Instagram post or Facebook status can wait. Social media will always be there, but I won’t always be in London.

This week marked the beginning of my class and internship. I don’t think I could have made a better decision choosing to take an art class because I’m getting the opportunity to visit so many museums and galleries. I’m also gaining valuable experience working for a travel guide website and writing feature articles. I’m excited for what’s in store for the next couple of weeks! I also got to explore central London quite a bit this week. Finding cute little stores and restaurants is one of my favorite things, and I’ve found so many near both my house and where I’m taking classes (and Bromley’s not looking too bad to spend my lunch breaks at work).

Today was the most eventful day of the week – I even worked up the courage to try tea (I’ve never been a huge fan)! Starting off the day with breakfast at The Breakfast Club, I played it safe and ordered ginger and lemon tea, and surprisingly loved it! 

My friends and I made it back to the house after wandering the streets nearby, just in time to go exploring a little more. In search of a flower market that we never found, we ended up at a clothing market. Dinner by the canal was the perfect ending to the day, and made me realize how wonderful this experience has already been and how excited I am for everything that’s going to happen in the coming weeks.

“Unexplored paths lead to undiscovered treasures” and the streets of London have very much proven to be treasures I want to find.

Location: London