Author: Kaitlin Watkins

It’s been about a week since I last wrote and it has just flown by. I can tell that my time here will do the same and I can’t say I’m thrilled about that. I have been warned that what I am experiencing is called the “honeymoon phase” and that it will pass. While that may be partly true, I think this is more than just a phase. I am truly falling in love with this city. I have never felt so immediately at home before and some of you may know how big of a deal that is for me. I am at peace here amidst the hustle and bustle of this large city and I am generally just thrilled to be here. In fact, the only situations that have been hard, so far, were the ones where I had to decide what to do that day. There is an impossible amount of sites to see and shops to discover. The list is never ending. Did you know that almost all of the major museums in London are free? Not to mention that if you did somehow check everything off the list or needed a change of scenery, there are more towns and countries only a train ride away!

This week mainly consisted of meetings; meeting new and exciting people as well as meetings with different program heads about the logistics of attending school while living in London. I was fortunate enough to meet and connect with an amazing collection of five other girls at the beginning of the week. They too are participating in the same study abroad program. I am so fortunate to have met them and to have made fast friends with them all. We attended the meetings and the and the orientations together, made some wrong turns and only got slightly lost together, and have already shared so many laughs together. So here is a shout out to the Solid Six (name still in progress)!

Today was one of the first days this week that I have really had the chance to branch out and explore more than just the Bloomsbury area of London. As a proper Sherlock and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fan, I knew I needed to head to Baker Street; especially since I live so close. As I was attempting to find the famous door, I came across so many streets and buildings that oozed charm and character. I ended up at the Sherlock museum where I was able to tour 221B Baker Street. Walking up the creaky staircase instantly transported me into the pages of Sir Doyle’s famous stories. After a thorough tour of the building, I decided to head back home since I knew the sun would begin to set soon after. I ended up running into Regent Park on my walk and decided to quickly walk through. The juxtaposition of the greenery and beautiful landscapes with the London skyline were breathtaking. There were waterfalls and ponds, roses and weeping willows, everything you would need for a tranquil afternoon. If the sun had not been setting, I could have stayed there and explored for many more hours. I know that I will be back to see what other surprises Regent Park has in store.

All in all, I have been utterly charmed by London.

Ta ta.

~Kaitlin

I made it. My adventure has begun and I could not be more excited to see where it takes me. So far, as it is only day two, I have experienced jet lag, had a couple of beers, and explored a very small percent of London.

Day one, New Years Eve, consisted of landing at Heathrow International Airport and taking the Tube to my hostel. I had imagined checking in, grabbing something to eat, napping, then celebrating the end of the year dancing and laughing alongside my fellow travelers. Unfortunately, things don’t always go according to plan. I landed and immediately felt a level of tired I had never experienced before as well as the first unfortunate signs of a cold. As soon as I had checked in, I showered then got into bed and awoke two hours later. My body still believed that it was early morning despite what the clock read. I grabbed a quick bite and climbed back in bed; as sleep was the only cure.

The next day, today, the first day of 2017, I woke up feeling much better and more like myself. I grabbed a cafe au lait to-go from the lobby and left the hostel, camera in hand. I decided that I should integrate into the London way as quickly as possible and what better way to do that then to take the public bus. Now, public buses in London are nothing like any of the many public buses I have taken in the US. They are red and double-decker; maybe you’ve seen or heard something about them? The little British fan inside me squealed in excitement. Without planning I ended up on Oxford Street which is one of the main (and most popular) shopping areas of London. I was more interested in the scenic buildings and fun people watching, as I have plenty of time in the next six months to shop. During my exploration of the winding streets and many little parks, I somehow happened to run straight into the path of the New Year’s Day parade. Lucky me! It was a little bit funny, however, because the majority of the participants in the parade were part of groups from different parts of the US. Every single marching band I saw was from the States. It made me chuckle a bit that I end up thousands of miles from home and end up seeing a parade with a majority of Americans walking in it. I enjoyed standing among thousands of others though cheering on 2017; from all parts of the world. In London fashion, on my way back after the parade, it began to rain down hard. It was time to turn in for the afternoon. And, now, here I am enjoying a cold beer and writing the first of what I hope will be many blog posts about my adventures and excursions and everyday life while here in beautiful, foggy London, England.

Ta ta.

~Kaitlin