One of my favorite parts of living in London is the view that I have from my dorm room. I find myself sitting and staring at the London Eye for twenty minutes at a time, shocked that I have a million dollar view. At night it lights up above the rest of the city and I just think about how lucky I am to be here!
I can't believe this is my home for the next 3 month!!
When I stepped into Heathrow Airport 2 weeks ago, I knew immediately this is going to be a great semester! I’ve been exploring the city and am getting my bearings. So far, I’ve been on a double decker tour, toured Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, done the London Eye, gone shopping in Covent Gardens, seen “Avenue Q.” I also had a day of orientation with the Institute for Study Abroad through Butler U., which is facilitating my experience at University of Westminster. But credit goes to UVM’s International Ed. Office for helping me get here. Once I picked a continent, I got matched with a UVM advisor who talked me through all my options (SO MANY) and helped me find the program that would best suit my academic and personal interests.
London is incredibly beautiful and historic. Growing up in New Jersey, right outside Manhattan, I was expecting London and NYC to be pretty parallel - they definitely aren’t! London is much cleaner; when I was in the tube station I actually asked someone where the rats were and got very strange looks. The parks are more grand and it seems every building has flowers hanging down from the windowsills. There is a different pace to London that is comforting.
I am studying European history and sociology here. This fits perfectly into my ungrad work. Especially with history. I feel that we only learn one perspective and I think that coming here and getting another will help me round out my knowledge. My goals for the next 3 months are to do well in my classes and travel and take in as much culture as possible!
The hardest part about being away from home has been picking up my phone to call friends in Vermont, and realizing that overseas calls cost a lot in pounds, and double that again in dollars! I have been making friends and everyone I’ve met has been really nice. Confession: I really don't miss UVM. I absolutely love UVM and I was sad to leave, but right now I am so in love with London!!
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