England My Home

Going to England was this long-time dream of mine, but when it was actually becoming my reality, I was daunted and in denial. It isn’t like I spent months or even years building up for this experience, it was just that I had never made such an immense change in my life. I can remember only a couple months ago, I was watching my family vanish as I passed through TSA security and inside a fear of doubt grew. There was this small part of me that wanted to have my trip cancel or to have my flight delayed. I wanted to do anything to not face the fact that I was leaving everyone I loved and everything I knew to live out this childhood fantasy. A fantasy, that in all honesty, grew from an obsession with watching British films and tv, as well as reading their novels.

After spending nearly two months in this country, I have discovered that my love of England is not as silly nor shallow as I gave credit for. It wasn’t the accents that enthralled me or even the great London monuments, it was just that I felt ‘at home’ in this big city. The other day I found myself riding the London Tube, thinking of how wonderful it was to spend the day going to a museum, then having a tea or coffee break with friends, and ending it with a calm night in as the wind and rain came down. The life I’ve created in London was the change I was looking for. I may have hit a few curbs and bumps along the way, but I really do love living here. I like a city that is thriving with culture, feels alive, and teeming. I enjoy the many opportunities to explore hidden paths in the day, to soak in the night life, and the many student and youth discounts which allow me to see theatrical shows or exhibits. I have always enjoyed living in a city where I could go on outings, to try new foods, find places where I was experiencing something. My mind needs a city that is ever changing, ever growing, ever full of human interactions. It isn’t that I look at cultures with fascination, it’s that I want to experience and be part of them too.

I feel lucky to be undergoing this transformative part in my life that has given me newfound freedom and independence. It is allowing me to discover myself and the world, in a space that is heightening my curiosity and igniting my joy for life. I was more prepared and in greater need for this trip than I ever realised. A part of me may have left my home because I wanted to leave things behind, but most of me was ready for the world to change me. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go back home and see it the same way ever again. I think London is just one pitstop to the travels I want to do across the world. It’s turning out to be the stepping stone for greater things to come.