My First Week Overseas

After spending the first 19 years, 10 months, and 11 days of my life in the United States, I left my home country, my home town, my home college in New Wilmington to go study abroad in London, England - arguably the world's most cosmopolitan city. I, and around 30 students and 2 faculty from Westminster College endured the 9 hour night flight from Atlanta GA to the Gatwick Airport right outside London. It was the shortest time between a sunset and sunrise I've witnessed.

One could feel the excitement stirring in the air as we touched ground in our ancestral, yet foreign, nation. Gatwick looked like any other airport with its multiple planes and terminals and the like. The feeling of excitement instantly tripled when we were greeted by an airport attendant with a very British "Goo' Mornin' 'ope you 'ad a nice flyte". A growing feeling of eagerness began to permeate our entire group as we very suddenly realized that we were the ones speaking with an accent now. After passing through customs and collecting our baggage, we were bussed to The Grange in Ealing London. It was here where we were torn away from our peers as our host families arrived to pick us up one by one. I was picked up by my host mom named Slava. She is not British but moved from Serbia to London some thirty-plus years ago.

After settling in my small but clean room, I was introduced to the other current students living in the house - 1 student from Spain and 6 students from Italy (who have now departed, but there are two new Italian students staying.

Over the weekend, I experienced the adventurous night life of Piccadilly Square, walked by the Big Ben, touched the tomb of Queen Elizabeth I, drank my first pint, kissed in front of Buckingham Palace, entered Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, split my first bottle of wine, lit a candle at Saint Paul's Cathedral, walked past the Tower of London, and finally figured out the public underground transportation system - or "the tube" as the British call it.

Now the first three days of classes have come to an end and I can only imagine what the rest of Europe has to offer. I intend to find out.
Cheers!