BES-Assignment 9 (Reflection)

I cannot believe how much I have changed and grown during my time here in the UK. Time has gone so fast, it’s hard to believe just how quick I have grown and learned life lessons.

Can't believe I mastered this!

I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is that I am a lot smarter than I think I am. Coming over here I was so nervous that I would never know where I was and I would get hopelessly lost all the time and just end up crying on a street corner somewhere. Even in Arvada I always use my GPS, even when I know where I am going as a safety blanket, so one look at the tube map made my head spin. I remember the first time I went somewhere by myself, even though it was just to a grocery store, I felt so accomplished and proud of myself. I thought, “I hope this feeling doesn’t ever go away.” But after a while it did, but it would crop up every once in a while. For example, one Saturday I was going to take a bus to Trafalgar but they were on diversion and I ended up way far away from where I was supposed to be, but I used landmarks that I knew and found my way to a familiar tube station and got home all by myself. That was a great feeling, because if that would have happened three months ago I would have had a panic attack. I have become more confident in myself, and learned to trust my instincts.

The most important lesson that I’ve learned whilst in the UK is that I cannot always plan for everything. Sometimes things happen, good and bad. Some of my fondest memories happened when things didn’t go according to plan. Like when we found Peter Pan getting lost in Hyde Park.

Some new skills that I’ve learned include: cooking, using public transportation, and general travel knowledge. Before this I had never really had to cook for myself, but if I wanted to eat I had to learn fast! Surprisingly, I learned quick and only burnt a few things. Using public transportation was completely foreign to me, and I’m not usually good at reading maps, so it took time to master. I still have a lot to learn, I’m not totally comfortable with the buses routes/schedules, which would be something I’d have to learn if I was here in the hot months when the tube is supposed to be unbearable. General travel knowledge came as the semester went on. I traveled to: Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, and Greece by every means of transportation possible. I learned: how to plan trips, how to travel effectively, how to get to the airports, what to pack, and what I need to bring to customs, etc. I feel like by the time I leave I will be a professional traveler.

Aside from the thousands of pictures I took while abroad and souvenirs I bought, I want to share my experiences with my friends and family. I know that words and pictures won’t do any of it justice, but I want people to know how great of an experience it was for me. I don’t want to forget anything I’ve done, which is why I’ve been keeping a journal that I write in every day. I want to make a scrapbook when I get home, which will take me all summer but I think it will be a good way of transitioning back into my “normal” life. I want to use the experiences I’ve had whilst abroad and continue to grow as a person through them.

The most surprising part about my experience whilst living in London is that there is literally always something to do. I’d heard it before coming, but I don’t think I really understood. One semester is not enough time to see or do everything. I was also surprised how much there is to do for free: museums, parks, live television broadcasts, walking through the markets, and so much more. It’s not surprising that there is always something to do in London.

Advice that I would give to students coming to London in the future is to make a budget and stick to it. At first it’s tempting to buy everything at Camden Market or go out to eat at a different pub every night, but I would suggest saving money for things you want to do instead of spending a lot of money on shopping or drinks. Every week I would write out what I was going to have for every meal, so I would know exactly what to buy at the grocery store and not waste money. Personally, I knew I wanted to travel and see musicals, so I planned that budget first and then went from there about how to spend the rest of my money. I would also tell students coming abroad to take advantage of every opportunity they can while in London. Don’t pick a nap over a walk in St. James’ Park, and don’t pick a day sitting around watching Glee on your laptop instead of going to Harrods’s with your friends pretending you can afford things. I would tell them to make the most of their time here, it goes so fast. 

Yay for new friends!