I have had a hard time articulating into words how much fun I had studying abroad and how much I loved it. It exceeded all my expectations and I wish I could experience it again. If you have the chance to study abroad, please take it!
Being in another country for 5 weeks gave me so much opportunity and a new perspective. Not only did London bring me so many new experiences, but so did traveling outside of London. Thanks to Millenium Tours and our ability to travel with the first class britrail pass, I was able to travel to places like Wales, Scotland and France.
I think the greatest overall experience I had while being abroad is being exposed to a whole new world. I was exposed to so many new cultures, things to do and ways of life.
Cultures varied everywhere, not just from country to country or city to city but even from one neighborhood to another. I loved exploring different parts of London for that reason. London’s culture varied so much with demographics as well. There were some areas with more standard living places to eat and shop whereas other places were very high end. In the neighborhood, South Kensington, where we stayed, it was an affluent part of London with luxury cars everywhere you looked, and nice restaurants. As much as I loved staying in the area, I also loved going to new areas of the city that offered something different. Places that were younger and more artsy, such as Shoreditch, gave a whole different experience. I think exploring the different neighborhoods and what they had to offer was my favorite thing about London.
Also, on our trip with Millenium Tours to France, Normandy was very different from Paris with culture and things to do. Normandy was coastal, more laid back and rich in war history. Paris was very crowded, touristy and full of museums and tourist locations. Even though we were in the same country and the cities were only three hours away from each other, they felt so different. I personally liked Normandy more because of the scenery, cooler weather and laid back atmosphere. Paris was very crowded and overwhelming, and I felt rushed trying to see all the tourist destinations I wanted to see. I loved Paris and would recommend it to someone who had not been there before, but I did like other places I visited more. I think learning what you do not like is an important part of traveling that not everyone talks about. Knowing what type of places you’d prefer to see and understanding what you do not like saves you time.
You will come to learn while studying abroad, more than you ever have before, how precious time is. I felt like time was fleeting from the moment I got there and I knew I had to make the best of my time while abroad. Recognizing what things I was interested in doing such as museums, shows and parks allowed me to save time. I did not use my time toward things I did not want to do.
I had the best time abroad exploring culture, things to do and ways of life. My perspectives changed and I experienced so much. I would do it all over again a million times if I could and I hope everyone gets a once in a lifetime opportunity like this.
