Submitted by Melody Taylor on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
Unlike the University of Delaware, the CAPA London program gives us a week long fall break. However, nobody ever gets fall break back in America, so we all kept calling it spring break. Fall break in London is the perfect time to go on long excursions traveling around Europe, with Italy being the most favored destination. I decided that I didn’t want to be parted from London the whole week, so I took a three day trip to Brussels, Belgium, and Cologne, Germany.
The beautiful part about this trip was that I was completely alone which allowed me to be completely absorbed in the foreign cultures and languages. Instead of going to certain touristy locations in the city, I explored different neighborhoods. I got lost quite a few times, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I ate at cafes where the locales dined. I sat in the park with an elderly woman watching people go home after a long day of work. I went to a cinema that showed classic movies on film. I explored a cemetery where the leaves were falling all around me.
Usually, feeling lonely would be a natural response to the situation I was in, but everyone was so friendly. Whenever I pulled out my map, someone would ask me if I needed help. Once, a man on a cigarette break showed me where a cool record store was, and the best place to get dinner on my map. Everyone was friendly and willing to help. It was comforting that such an abundance of people were eager to aid and converse with the lonely American pathetically speaking French.
While I loved traveling, it was great to be back home in London and sleep the rest of Monday away. The rest of the free week was open for little London activities that have been waiting to happen!