Dear Pre-London Self,

            What an amazing experience you are about to have! The next few months you spend in London are going to absolutely fly by, so make sure you enjoy every second. I know you’ve heard this already, but it really is true! I can’t believe my time abroad is coming to a close in a few short weeks.

            I can’t lie, I am proud of how much I’ve grown during this semester! I was really nervous to leave my family, friends, and Pittsburgh behind. I’ve never lived farther than thirty minutes from home, so heading across the Atlantic was really intimidating. That being said, I am so thankful that I got outside of my comfort zone and headed to London. I have become so much more independent being on my own and figuring out how to live in a completely new country.

I’ve learned how to adapt to a different way of life that I was used to. I share a tiny bedroom with no storage with two other people, I commute on the underground forty minutes to class every day, and I intern for a PR fashion company. While London is still English speaking, that does not mean there aren’t cultural differences. I’ve had to learn and adjust to these cultural differences.

I also have continued to get outside of my comfort zone while abroad as I have been traveling to as many other different countries as I can. As I write this, I am currently on a plane to Nice, France, for the weekend. What kind of life is this?! I have definitely taken advantage of the opportunity to travel and am so thankful for all the other countries I have gotten to experience.

One piece of advice that I was given before coming to London but didn’t necessarily take is to pack light. You will be sending two bags of clothing to your family to take home to Pittsburgh with them when they come for a visit!

Another piece of advice is to really just make the most of this special time. While of course it is important to rest, see as much of London and other countries as possible! Oh, and book trips in advance, so that the prices don’t go up too much.

Overall, what surprised me the most about my global experience is simply how much I love it here in London. While of course I am eager to be reunited with my family and friends, I don’t want to leave! I have really fallen in love with London and know that I will be back in the future.

Past-self, I am so excited for you to have this experience!

Warmest,

Catherine