Submitted by Joshua O’Donnell on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English and the Department of Theatre…
After about a week in London, I have started to settle into the city. I no longer get lost running to the pharmacy that is only a block from our hotel.
This week, I started to become more independent and was able to do things outside of just what the group was doing. I’m glad that I learned this skill early in the program because you quickly realize that not everyone can agree on doing the same thing.
For example, I saw Wicked the Musical on the West End this past Wednesday by myself because no one else wanted to go or they had already seen it. This was my first time ever seeing the musical in person, and I was able to get seats in the fifth row for 22 pounds and I had a blast just being by myself. It was a bit scary at first because it was my first time navigating my way to a destination by myself in London, but it was entirely worth the initial fear.
In addition, I’ve learned not to take historical landmarks for granted and to try to imagine how the place was in the past. We went to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, this Friday and I was initially not intrigued. However, after viewing the city from the lens of the past, I became more and more interested in what it was like to actually live there back in the 1600s.
With the second week coming to a close and the mid-term approaching, I know this is an experience that I will never forget. There is still so much more I want to do and see and I can’t wait to explore more and more of London every day until we land back in the United States.
