Today marks six months in England for me. To commemorate the event, here are the six most important things I've learned since being here. 1) The things you miss most from home are hugs and the weather. Technology is amazing and allows us to be connected with people from halfway around the world. I can see pictures, watch videos, talk face to face with my loved ones. But that can never replace the inexplicable comfort of being in their arms. And it is cold and rains every day in England. It's beautiful and makes everything green, yeah. But sometimes all I need is the warmth of the Colorado sun and the sky. I miss the sky that is somehow bluer than anywhere else in the world.
2) Experiences don't just happen; you have to seek them out. Even abroad, nothing's going to happen if I just stay in my room. If I want experiences, memories, pictures and stories, I need to go out there and collect them. Even if it means just going for a walk or hopping on a bus to the two over, I've got to go find it. 3) You've got to keep reaching out. It's easy to fall out of contact. It's easy to isolate myself from everyone from home or even everyone from England. Being so far from everything gives me the option to reach out to people and isolate myself. There's a million reasons to not reach out: how busy life is, time zone differences, the energy maintaining social relationships with people here and there. The balance is difficult, but I love these people and I've learned that you've got to keep trying. They'll try too. 4) There are still days you won't believe you're there. At the strangest moments, I look around and realize I'm in England. It seems so simple, so plain, but that small reminder that I've made it to this country I've always dreamed of going to will make my heart swell every time. I made it here and I'm experiencing all I've dreamed. That novelty doesn't wear off. 5) No one will ever stop teasing you for being American. I've been in this country for six months, but just today someone repeated what I said in a horrible Southern accent and someone else said that me going "Ewwww" was the most American thing they've ever heard. Most of my friends are used to the American being around and don't bring it up as often, which lulls me into a sense of false security, but acquaintances and strangers still notice it. 6) You can get anywhere with your own two feet. A lot of people are surprised by how many places I've visited, even locals say they haven't been around England as much as I've been. A lot of them say they wish they were traveling that much. I'm not saying it's easy, but traveling and exploring isn't as difficult as everyone seems to think it is. Maybe we can't all go across the ocean on a whim, but we can go to the town over to see something we've never seen before. Or you can grab a cheap train ticket to a random city. With a little savings and a little planning, traveling isn't nearly as difficult as a lot of people believe. And there is something to empowering about taking myself to a million different places with only my feet and my wits. It's something I'll be doing for the rest of my life.
1 Comment
Cathy Hyams
3/16/2018 12:40:32 pm
Fantastic! Miss you!
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Amy Golden
Amy will be spending the academic year at the University of Sunderland in England studying journalism. Archives
February 2018
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