My first full week in London! This bright and bustling city is filled with passion, art, and history; which inspires me every-time I step outside. The fast paced lifestyle and having so much to do, keeps me wanting more and waiting for the next ‘free’ day, where I can explore more of the city. The markets I’ve explored only keep getting better! From food, to jewelry and clothes, you truly can find anything! There are so many unique items, that are only found in markets and London, to which one cannot have it all.

Portabello market, and Notting Hill, is a charming, yet big market, filled with many different types of things that one can buy. As of now, its my favorite place and market to visit! Notting Hill, known for its pastel and colored houses is a must see, and even if you don’t like ‘tourist attractions,’ its beautiful and cute regardless. I had such an amazing time searching through all the booths with jewelry, clothes, and items, that I lost track of time, and soon found myself needing to go back home before the night started! I found an amazing ring that was also a watch!! While I was with friends, this is a wonderful market that you could take yourself on a solo date too! With so many amazing people, and stalls, one would have company anywhere!

I also visited The National Gallery, which houses amazing paintings and art that is breathtaking to look at! Paintings by Monet, Caravaggio, and Van Gogh, are housed here. I was on my own for this trip, and found solstice in being alone, listening to music, and being swept away by the meticulous details in the paintings. After, I traveled by the train (tube) to Regents Park, where I had a wonderful walk around the park, listening to the rain and birds, and taking a break from the city sounds. While I love the London bustling city, it’s also easy to find a park, or get out of Zone 1 of the city, and find some quiet. London truly has something for everyone.

But don’t worry! I have been going to classes as well! The campus buildings are a maze at City St Georges, but following the signs (admittedly going back and forth) I finally found my classes. I’m very interested and excited for the semester to come! However, something that shocked me while attending one of my classes, was the etiquette some students would show their professors. While some of my classes are with other international students, one of them (Victimology) is with primarily English students. I noticed that in this class specifically, some students would talk to their friends during the lecture, and/or start packing up and leaving around 5 minutes before the class was done, while the professor was still lecturing. It was very interesting and eye-opening to see how those students acted in the class, and how it was different then I was taught/how it is in my classes back in the US. Later that day, I went back to my flat and told my flatmates about it, to which they noticed it as well, and were also shocked. On the other hand, it was only the first day/week of class, to which some might find it a bit more difficult to adjust to a school environment after the summer, or other activities. I am interested to see if it continues to happen as the semester progresses.

In all, my first week here has been absolutely amazing, filled with learning opportunities and adventures. Im excited for the next 2 months to come, and to explore more in (and outside) London, as well as get into the rhythm of going to classes again!

https://www.instagram.com/mias_abroad/