Arriving in England was, let’s face it, terrifying. Don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful and exciting, but it was a new city in a new country in a new part of the world that I had never ventured into before. The entire trip felt like one big heart attack mixed with a shot of adrenaline. You know, in a good way. I’ve learned so many things and met so many amazing people… I can’t express enough how much of an impact this trip has had on me. Not only have I learned so much about the UK, but I’ve challenged myself and passed with flying colors. (Meaning that I wasn’t pick-pocketed or caused an international uproar. Always a plus.)
Matt Smith is incredibly hard to draw.
There are a couple things that could have been better, but every mistake turned into something fantastic. For example, I went to Ireland for a weekend thinking that I would be meeting up with others, but they were nowhere to be found. However, that weekend was one of the best I had abroad. In another instance, this time in Whales, I was lost for an hour because I couldn’t cross a river. This led me to one of the most beautiful shorelines I’ve seen in my life and guided me through an apartment complex where one of my favorite actors supposedly lives. These little accidental adventures will most likely be some of the best memories from this trip. Lets look at some statistics, shall we?
Before London After/During Trip
Countries Visited: 2 5
Average Walking Stamina: 45 min 2-2.5 hrs
Average Hours of Sleep: 10 hrs 7 hrs
Daily Use of Public Transit: None Bus and underground
6 plane rides
6 train rides
Average Tea/Coffee Intake: 1/day 4-5/day
# of Currencies in wallet: 1 3
# of Full Sketchbook pages: 0 76
While abroad, I’ve met 2 men involved heavily in Doctor Who, 1 actor from from Harry Potter, seen 2 plays, fallen on a bus or tube 0 times, met 1 relative in Ireland, cried out of joy 7 times, saw 3 of the actual TARDISes, drank countless cups of tea, made friends with 7 bobbies, taken 2,409 photos and videos, finished 30 journals against all odds, and gained an enormous new confidence in myself. I know that everyone says how beneficial traveling the world is and how much it can change your perspective, but I’m going to say it anyway; this trip has changed my life. There are very few instances I have used that sentence.
My guide Moira from the Tower of London saw me off at the airport!
After returning I’ve seen surprisingly little of my friends here. Many are leaving soon for their respective colleges while I don’t have to return until new student week (one month from now). My daily regimen has consisted of drinking three cups of tea a day, reading Norse mythology and Sherlock Holmes, sketching constantly, and watching Doctor Who and Sherlock. I suppose you can take a girl to England, but England will NEVER leave the girl. Becky
Isn’t crying for joy when touched by something while traveling simply the best? Michele
This is fantastic. I just arrived in England last week, only I’m staying in Ormskirk, near Liverpool. Which actor did you meet? I have lots of favorite English actors — I figured since there were so many and England’s pretty small, I’m bound to meet at least one in three months. I’m glad to hear you had such a great time. I’ve been here for less than a work and worrying that I’m not getting enough done. It’s hard getting into the permanent, 3-month mindset. It’s nice to hear that it worked out for you. 😀
-Marissa
I met Mark Gatiss and Christopher Eccleston. I nearly passed out both times. 🙂 I know how you feel; I felt sooo awkward the first few days, but England has so much to offer that it’s hard to stay in that mindset. You’re going to have so much fun! I’d love to hear how it’s going! I’m sure you’ll meet someone famous any day now. 🙂