One of my favorite and boldest memories of undergrad is of studying abroad in London during my sophomore year. I thought about studying abroad as a way to avoid a housing situation. The rationale was not logical at all but alas I was only 18. This was one of the best decisions I made. I was excited to live and explore a new city but I was scared about being far away from my family for months at a time. I was used to hopping on the NJ Transit whenever I was homesick and I wouldn’t be able to do that. If you’ll remember this was a time when FaceTime, Skype, Gchat, WhatsApp, and all other easy forms of communication did not exist. I would have to use a cellphone and international calls did not come cheap.
I loved my time in London. I fell in love with the city. I loved that tea was the drink of choice for the Brits. I loved the double decker red bus and the tube. I still have the Oyster card I used that semester. I loved walking around the city taking in all the architecture and the sights. There’s so much history in Europe that does not exist in America. (Colonial Williamsburg does not count!) I loved all the museums, parks, and grocery stores (Sainsbury has a special place in my hear!) I always thought I was independent but that semester truly made me independent. It gave me the confidence of surviving in a new place, finding my way around, and living away from my family for an extended period of time. And I came back with the travel bug that I haven’t shaken off since.
It would be 8 years before I visited again. On my way to my friends wedding in India, I decided to extend my layover in London. To not only visit the city and relive some of the memories but also visit one of my friends. Although it was short visit, I loved seeing the familiar sights of the city. Since my friend lived in in East London I explored a new part of the city. I sadly only had 1.5 days in London and true to the UK it rained the whole time.
And it wouldn’t be fair to be in the UK and not east fish and chips. Thats exactly what I did. I cannot wait to go back again – this time for longer.