Every end is a new beginning

Our first trip to Central London

It feels like yesterday that I arrived in London being scared yet excited for the new journey that was ahead of me. Now 104 days later we are counting down our final days in London, time has really flown by. I still remember the culture shock I was in when I first arrived at Richmond University. We had arrived in this place where the rooms were the size of a closet, where people drove on the other side of the road, and where we were hearing a variety of languages while walking throughout the university. Now this place feels like home. From this experience it has really taught me a lot about myself and has made more independent and confident. Being away from my family and friends in another country was something that was very hard to adapt to. I had to meet new friends on my own, learn how to get around Richmond, and I also had to figure out the transportation. Although it was extremely difficult I am very confident with getting around London without getting lost and I can navigate the tubes just as easily as I could navigate my home town. London has also given me the opportunity to get to know so many people I never got the chance to know before. Before coming on the London trip I didn’t really know many other people from the SEA group but now we all call ourselves one big family (or according to the students at Richmond we are referred to as “the wolf pack”). On top of the many things I have learned from living in London and the many people I have gotten to know, I have also had amazing experiences. Not everyone can say they visited Venice, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Paris, Bath, Stonehenge, and Porto in 109 days, I on the other hand can say I have experienced all of these amazing places. Overall London has been a great experience for me and it has really taught me a lot about myself and my abilities. Although I am excited to go home and be reunited with my friends and family I also know that I am going to miss London. London will always have a special place in my heart and it is a place and experience I will never forget.

Our last trip to Porto