Officially halfway done my program in London and time is absolutely FLYING! I am currently enjoying life after midterms and was lucky enough to spend my spring break in Italy with my family. We traveled from London to Florence (a new favorite city for me), Florence to Lake Como, Lake Como to Milan, and back to Florence. I am currently writing this post from my hotel room in Florence while packing up to head back to London tomorrow. It is crazy to believe that London feels like coming home now. It is such an honor and such a dream!

After spending some time in Florence, I keep thinking of my friends from Pitt studying here for the semester and all the adjustments that come with being an American student living & learning in Italy. Although there has been plenty for me to adjust to while residing in London, I think the cultural differences are definitely not as drastic as Italian culture may be. Besides the obvious factor of London being a primarily English speaking city, a notable comment to make regarding cultural comparisons is that I find English people to be much more sarcastic and dry in their interactions with others. Americans are very loud and can be obnoxious in certain settings, while the typical English person you sit next to on the Underground is very reserved and keeps to themselves.

In terms of my classes, I do receive unclear or ambiguous directions from my instructors with projects and assignments from time to time. I navigate this challenge by asking my classmates or simply asking my instructor directly because they are happy to help and often do not even realize their directions are uncertain at times. As for many things, communication is key.

A challenge I am facing not related to my classes is taking time to rest. I feel guilty every time I have to say no to plans or cannot attend an outing with my friends because I feel like I am missing out on precious, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Although that might be true, I am a fierce protector of my mental health and need to take care of myself if I am started to feel burnt out or exhausted from all the hustle & bustle both in London and during my travels. As long as I have balance and remember to take care of myself I know I will continue to make the absolute most of my time here.

I am so eager to be back in London with a fresh perspective, and cannot wait to see what else I can explore and learn!