“These are a few of my favorite things…” about London. London has been amazing these past few weeks, and I have discovered a lot about the country that has significantly contributed to my experience here in London. A few of my favorite things are quite simple and rather than the big tourist attractions they are more a part of the daily life here in the UK.
The first I would say would is the parks here in London will certainly be memorable for me. I absolutely love the parks and that might possibly, believe it or not, be one of my biggest takeaways from the trip. The parks here are lush, green, and well taken care of. Back home where I am from, it appears people rarely go out to our parks. However, here in London on a good day the parks are absolutely filled with people of all ages. Families go out to the park and play together, friends hangout, and people sit and enjoy the moment. I really enjoy this sentiment, and I connect to it a lot. This is something I would like to pursue to do when I am back at home.
Another one of my favorite things is the Tube. I love the Tube because it is practical and relatively not too stressful to use. It can be crowded at times but even when it is crowded it can be relaxing. When I am on the Tube, this is usually the time of day that I can think and do reflection. It is a good time to sort my mind. The Tube serves as a pleasant interjection during my busy days. Making time for thought and reflection is important to me because it helps me sort things out and plan better. Since we do not really have an overarching system that is like the Tube in Pittsburgh, I must find my reflection and thought time at different times of the day. It is just convenient to sort of have it built into my day here.
Third, something that I really enjoyed about London is the people that I met. During my stay here, I had the awesome opportunity to meet local Londoners and form friendships. I have, unexpectedly perhaps, made friend here in London that I have gone out with and hung out a few times over the course of my stay. We intend to stay connected over the internet and keep in touch. It has been a wonderful opportunity to come out of this program with new friendships and that is something very meaningful to me.
Lastly, an amazing part about London is that it truly is a gateway to the world. It sounds cliché but I love that it is true and I will remember it. While here, I took a weekend trip to Iceland. This was a little off the beaten path compared to the normal Amsterdam and Paris trips that are so common, yet it was easy to do because of the amazingly central location of London. Anyone who decides to visit London for an extended period of time, please do not confine yourself. Explore the world… it is an option here unlike other places. Even to places less traveled like Iceland. This was certainly one of my favorite things.
Overall, London has been awesome and no doubt I intend to come back. I love it here, and this list is just of few of my favorite things that will keep me coming back.