I've been mulling over this post for a few months now and kept thinking that I'd hold off a bit longer to make sure I still felt the same. For what reason, I don't know. This is supposed to be a place I share my current thoughts and feelings and I decided it's finally time to spill it.
Now, at this point you're probably thinking - OMG SHE MET SOMEONE!! A CUTE EUROPEAN MAYBE?? Well, so sorry to disappoint you, but my love affair is with London. This amazing and beautiful city I've gotten the chance to call home for 8 months (and counting) has swept me off my feet and I've gone head over heels.
When I decided to make this big step nearly 2 years ago (just thinking about that is insane!), I thought that spending a year abroad would be so fun and I'd get to be a kid again exploring a new city and just having the time of my life. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely been all of that and more, but I have also learned more than I could have ever fathomed.
Grad school has taught me more than I ever thought there was to know about HR and independent learning and I'm so grateful for that. With that said, I have to say that the biggest things I have learned haven't come from my classes or my professors (sorry, guys!), but from the people I've met and the experiences I've had. I'm sure this post is something that most people who study abroad or live outside their home country write or think about at a certain point in their journey, but I couldn't help but get it all out of me. I need to share the things that I've found so near and dear to me in what feels like the first leg of a long, long race to find out where my life will lead.
People:
When I moved here, I didn't know anyone. I had left all of my friends and family and familiarity back home to start fresh. I jumped in head first, as most extroverts would do, and was quick to befriend just about anyone I met. Because of this, I've met some amazing people from all over the world who have opened my eyes to the way things are outside of my little bubble. Not only have I met people who are doing the same thing I am, but people who are leaving their home countries for reasons that we couldn't even imagine to better their lives in a place that will care for them. I had not expected this to hit me so hard.
Pubs:
Before coming to London, "going out" for a drink meant planning something out with friends, maybe getting dressed up a bit, and either going to a local dive bar or a trendy bar/club in the West Loop. Pub culture here is so different and so so so much better. There are so many and each one feels just slightly different than the last. You can just pop in on any day of the week, to just about any pub, and you'll find friendly faces waiting to have a chat.
I've learned that beer doesn't need to be ice cold (I know!) and that a pint with friends can be the best end to just about any day. No room inside? No problem. Just grab your glass and pull up a patch of sidewalk because even if they don't have outdoor seating, they don't mind if you make your own. Oh, and the best part? Most pubs close at 11pm, so the grandma in me gets to go home at a reasonable hour without feeling bad!
Language:
You think that because we all speak English, we all speak the same language, right? Guess again! I cannot tell you how many "British" words I have learned since being here. I feel like I learn something new every week and have definitely caught myself saying things like the Brits do more and more often. "Do we have any more bin bags?" WHO AM I?
Not only have I learned lots of British words and phrases, but I've also learned that we really take English for granted growing up in the States. I have met people from all over Europe and Asia, as well as many other places, and the biggest culture shock that hit me a few weeks into being here was that they HAD to speak English to me, but I couldn't speak their language to them. How unfair is that? I felt very guilty about it at first, but realized that being openminded and upfront about it makes everything better. I thought I was brave coming here, but man, can you imagine coming to a country far away from home where you don't know anyone and you don't even really speak the language?
The stuff that matters:
This is plain and simple. When you move 3000 miles away from your friends and family, journey into a whole new city with all new people and a different way of doing things, you definitely learn what you hold most important to you. I've learned who I can count on, what my relationships mean, and what type of person I want to be to those around me.
I struggle with the idea that I have to be "the best" at what I do; get the highest grade, be perfect in keeping up with things, live up to some imperfect standard that I hold for myself at anything I try. I've always had a tough time moving past this, and I still do, but I think what I've learned in recent weeks is that instead of being "the best" at what I do, I should try to be "the best" me that I can be for those around me. Living up to be my best self in all of these situations. If my best self isn't always enough, that's okay because I've been genuine. In essence: no one can be a better you than you.
It's mid-May and I'm about to take my last two finals of my degree. Over the summer I'll be collecting data and writing my dissertation and management report for my master's and certification courses and by this time in 4 months, I'll be able to cross Master's Degree off my bucket list.
In the next two weeks I'll be moving into a flat (there's another one I use constantly!) with some awesome British flatmates, starting an exciting chapter in my work experience, and moving towards the final few months of my time here. I'm not sure what will happen come the end of the year, but I can say with absolute confidence and no regrets that this year has been the best experience of my life so far.
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