London: From a Quiet Town to a Big and Busy City

Coming to London for my study abroad trip has honestly been one of the best experiences I've ever had. Before I got here, I was excited but also nervous because I grew up on the Central Coast, so my day to day life is slower and a lot quieter. I mean I do not even like San Francisco or Los Angeles, but London changed my negative feelings towards big cities. There are people everywhere, the streets are always busy, and there is always something going on. At first it felt overwhelming, especially using the tube and looking the opposite way when crossing the road. Luckily, I had my peers and professors there to support me, and even some locals. My favorite way to explore the city is by walking. I have found so many amazing cafes, shops, and parks this way. Even though I miss the beaches and slower lifestyle back home, living in London has shown me all the good a big city has to offer.

south west cathedral on our way to get proper British food

where we went for our proper British meal and where we all got to bond and get to know each other so

The group went sightseeing right after dinner! Here is millennium bridge in all its glory

One of my favorite parts of the trip has been experiencing London with my professors and classmates. Visiting the Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Design Museum made everything we talked about in class feel much more real. The Tate Modern was gorgeous and unlike any other museum I have ever visited. I feel that it had much more meaningful paintings and different types of art forms. The V&A was amazing because it had everything from fashion and jewelry to sculptures and historical artifacts. The Design Museum focused on creativity like architecture, technology, and product design. It was good, but not really my cup of tea. I also wanted to mention our walk through at Shoreditch. It’s  technically not a museum, but just walking through the streets you find so much creativity and color through the street art. It felt like an outdoor gallery, with these huge colorful murals covering buildings everywhere we looked. Being able to basically have class outside and not just talk about art, but see true art outside is unlike any class I have ever taken.

Here is a very very famous piece of art from Banksy! Very cool to see in person.

leake tunnel was so beautiful and it almost felt like we left earth and landed on a plant full of co

the design museum was absolutely stunning. I spent almost all my time in just the jewelry section!

Another thing that makes studying abroad in London so special is how easy it is to travel around Europe. Since London is connected to so many countries, we can spend our weekends exploring new countries! Some people in my group are planning trips to Amsterdam, Paris, Spain, Copenhagen, Dublin, and many other cities. It is crazy to think that you can wake up in London and be in another country just a couple of hours later. I loved coming back from Paris and doing a whole debrief of our weekends. Some people stayed in England and went to concerts and watched the Norway v. England game. Others went to Paris and some went to Amsterdam! As you can tell the debrief was very long. I chose to go to Paris during the weekend and oh my goodness! What a trip! I visited the Louvre, Palace of Versailles, walked to the arc of triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, then on my last day I did a night bus tour! I would highly recommend the night tour, I did it with the company “big bus”. Overall, everyone had a fun weekend!

here is one of the students in Amsterdam for the weekend! How beautiful!

Here are some of the students in Paris for the weekend! What a hot weekend in Paris though.

other students stayed in London and explore more of England! Look at the luscious green!

Okay, time to wrap this up for now. This study abroad trip has been completely out of this world and better than I ever expected. Crazy to think it’s only been one week! London has given me the chance to learn both inside and outside the classroom while meeting amazing people while creating unforgettable and irreplaceable memories. This trip truly goes deeper than just traveling and studying through. Leaving to study abroad has made me much more open-minded, independent, and confident. I honestly think everyone should choose to study abroad in London (or just study abroad in general) if they get the opportunity. The city has something for everyone, whether you enjoy art, history, fashion, sports, music, or just exploring somewhere new. It is an experience that changes the way you see the world, and I know I'll carry these memories with me long after I return home.