Submitted by Veronika Lynch on the 2017 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English and the Department of Theater…
If you have ever wondered why everyone in Europe is so beautiful and fit it is because no one seems to eat. Ever. Throughout the course of my study abroad so far, I have never been so hungry. While we walk through the beautiful streets and view amazing historic architecture, my stomach yells at me with such ferocity that it is hard to focus and really appreciate what I am seeing, but the moment I place that fork in my mouth its like heaven.
When I first noticed that my stomach was beginning to eat itself from the inside out , we took a quick jaunt to the London Eye. A group of 16 of us went to one the most popular tourist attractions in London, and the entire time we were riding in the worlds’ tallest observation point, I was more focused on just how much bread I would shove in my face in the privacy of my hotel room (the answer is a lot).
But on the plus side, all this starvation has allowed me to have a growing appreciation of food and really begin to understand just how much effort and time that restaurants really put into their meals. The weight loss from not eating as many calories paired with walking around six miles a day gives me some leeway on just how many plates of food I can destroy without feeling like I want to vomit. London has taught me to really take the time to look into exactly what it is that I am eating and not just grab whatever is most convenient. Over the meals I have had here, I have been able to have meaningful conversations, build relationships, all the while unwinding from the busy day I just had.
Its only been one week, and I cannot wait to see what else there is in store.