Time Flies
It’s hard to believe that it has been one month already! A month ago I was stressing about getting my Visa in time, and now it’s me stressing about how hot the tube is going to be during peak time. It really make’s you think about how fast things can change and what experiences you find yourself in, even in such a short amount of time.
Routines
If there is one thing about me that I need, it’s routines. My first two weeks were a bit rough, on top of a huge culture change I didn’t expect, as well as figuring out how everything works. For those traveling soon, you too will have your own routine. It’ll feel natural! I know me a month ago would feel overwhelmed with all the things I do in a day, even though now it seems rather simple. Things that are different always seems more difficult than it really is! I thought the tube seemed complicated at first, I mean look at this map!
But it actually isn’t that bad, I would find it difficult to get lost as everything is interconnected in some way or another. To be honest, I made it this far without data on my SIM card! Even at my hometown I would have freaked out not having any access to the internet when out and about (unless I manage to run into some free wi-fi!). I can say from experience that it is entirely possible to direct yourself throughout London without 24/7 access to your phone, and hopefully that is something that will assure those going to London that getting lost is a lot more difficult than you’d think!
Weekend Trips
As a poor college student with a trait of being bored easily, weekend trips to me isn’t the greatest investment. I would love to see Rome, or the Eiffel Tower, but having only a weekend to go just doesn’t appeal to me. In the end, you can say you saw it, but I want to experience it! So on my weekends, I stay in London and try to see what all it has to offer.
And even though I mentioned in my last blog that I didn’t want to live as a tourist, sometimes going to more touristy areas is a part of the experience itself. I mean, Camden Town where I work is one of the most popular places to go to as a tourist! I believe it’s all a mindset, put yourself in that of a Londoners shoes. Then you can really understand how annoying it is when someone stops to figure out where they are going right at the end of a moving escalator.
I feel I have learned so much in just these past four weeks. And even to me it sounds ridiculous, as how can one learn that much in four weeks. I thought I had an open mind when I came here. But growing up back at home in a small town of West Virginia, it really shows no matter how open you are to change, you can’t actually prepare completely for it. But that’s ok! Because experiencing such a huge difference really shows you that the world you think you know isn’t the only world there is.