The End

I have been postponing my last blog post about studying abroad for a good week now. I knew the minute it was written would be the minute I realize this wild journey came to an end. Last week was by far the hardest week of my life. It's so difficult to explain because I'm still struggling to figure it out and put it into words. 

When planning my study abroad trip, I never understood how hard it would be to leave. I underestimated the power of kindness and friendship. For me, the most important thing to do abroad was to travel. I can look back at everywhere I have been, but what made it worthwhile was having great friends to travel with and come back to. I thought it would be easy to pack up and leave for my next adventure, but it clearly wasn't. Thinking about it, I can name 5 things I won't miss about life in England. 

1. Having to use an adaptor

.....okay so I can only name 1 thing. 

These four months, I did things for the first and last time all at once. I was stuck in this limbo of wanting to enjoy every minute of life at Edge Hill because I knew it was limited, and not wanting to get close and create a life there. I was terrified because I started to feel so comfortable in a place that wasn't my home. In my mind that really wouldn't happen, but I was seriously wrong. I had my routine and I loved it. I had class on tuesday, thursday, and friday, climbing on wednesday's, open mic nights every month, shooting sports for vibe media, and random travel adventures on the weekend's. I easily adapted this routine and breaking it was the hardest thing. So, while I sit here in Michigan writing this I can't help but look at these past four months with a sense of astonishment. I never thought I could love a place, a school, and people as much as I have in such a short time. 

Time can ruin possibilities, it can pass without a warning, but what's great about it, is it can push you to accomplish so much. Time allows you to figure out who you are while pushing back and making you question your choices and decisions. It's limited, but when you realize this, it's no longer about an expiration date, it's about what you do with it. 

Easter Holiday: Part 3

Our last leg of our Journey was London and Scotland. After a week and a half in France and Italy, it was great to be back in the UK. It felt relieving to be back in a familiar country, even though I had never been to London before. We met up with Erika and continued our journey. I was quick to assume London would be very touristy but I was wrong, London was amazing. We went in the London Eye, saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, took a stroll down Abbey Road, and went in King's Cross Station. 

After another exhausting three days, the Eric/ka's and I headed up to Scotland. Scotland is by far my favorite place I've visited. There is so much natural beauty it is hard not to fall in love with it. In seven short days we were able to explore Glasgow, Oban, Fort William, Inverness, and Isle of Skye. Whilst in Fort William, we hiked to a gorge and spent the day in a valley. That day was by far one of my favorite days since being here. Life just seemed to press pause and I had to constantly remind myself that I was casually taking a nap in a bed of daffodils in the middle of Scotland. 

Gondola ride to see Ben Nevis Mt.

We were in Inverness on Easter and found a church to attend Easter Mass. Even though being away from home and family was a bit difficult, I felt at home because everyone in the community was very welcoming and made sure we were included. 

We also made Easter dinner in our hostel (Yorkshire Pudding!) which turned out really well and shows the importance of surrounding yourself with great people and friends because they make even the hardest of times worthwhile. 

At the end of two and a half weeks, we were on our way back to Ormskirk and I couldn't have been more excited. Ormskirk is home and I am beyond thrilled to be back. 

Easter Holiday: Part 2

After our adventure in France, Erica, Leah, and I made our way to Italy. Venice was our first stop and after a stressful day of travel, we finally arrived at our bed and breakfast. It was good to get away from a  hostel for a few days and experience life outside of the city in a home. The hardest part about being in Italy was the language barrier. Since we were staying outside of the city, we had to figure out which stop we needed to get off at but no one had any idea where we were talking about. The bus stop ended up being on the side of a road surrounded by fields and a small gas station.

In the end, we figured it out and learned how to communicate where we needed to go. Venice was beautiful. We spent our days walking around a lot, getting lost a lot, and eating gelato. Our last night we ate pasta along a canal which screamed Italy. 

After about two days, we packed up and headed to Rome. The cool thing about Europe is that you can hop on a train and be across the country in five hours. We spent our first night at the Trevi Fountain. It was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. 

The next day we went to the Colosseum, Vatican, saw the Pantheon, and ate the best Chinese food.

 I always knew traveling was exhausting but I never fully understood it until our nights in Rome when all we wanted was cheap, good, food close to our hostel that didn't have a sit in or water charge. Our hostel in Rome had a very welcoming atmosphere and we were able to meet people from Australia, USA, Canada, and Italy who were all doing the same thing we were. 

I think the most memorable part of Italy was running into a couple at the train station who spoke italian sign language. I took two semesters of american sign language prior to being here and was able to communicate to them. It is so easy to take school and education for granted but I really understood the value of it at the train station that day. The experience was extremely eye opening for me and helped me remember the value of education and the opportunities it can give you.

Easter Holiday: Part I

After a stressful week of assignments, I can now sit down and take this time to reflect on the past three weeks. Five countries, ten cities, 7 hostels, 1 B&B, and numerous hours on a train, I am back at Edge Hill with the experience of a life time still weighing on my mind. I started my holiday in Paris which was absolutely magical. In my head, I had this vision that Paris would be some tourist trap (don't get me wrong, there are parts) but there is so much more to Paris. We only had about a day and a half so it was packed with lots of walking, sightseeing, and adventure. We saw the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Luxembourg Gardens, and much more. By far my favorite part of Paris was eating dinner our first night in front of the Eiffel Tower. I was able to just relax and take a moment to appreciate everything this experience has given me. 

Sacre Coeur

Luxembourg Garden

Notre Dame

Eiffel Tower

After Paris, Erica, Leah and I went to southern France to explore Nice, Eze, and Monaco. Nice was beautiful and very relaxing. Whilst here, we explored the neighboring towns of Eze and Monte Carlo. They were all so similar but each with their own style. Nice was a great place to walk around and shop or sit on the beach whereas Monte Carlo and Eze were great areas to explore the streets and local attractions. 

One of my favorite memories of the whole three weeks was spending my last night in Nice swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Nice

Monte Carlo

Eze

Preparation

This past week as been one of the most difficult weeks thus far. It is Thursday afternoon and I am currently sitting in my last lecture of the semester. In less than 24 hours, I will be heading off to Paris for the start of my two and a half week Easter Holiday. I should be excited and eager to leave, however, with so much yet to do it is proving difficult. I have been planning this holiday since I arrived in England and it quickly snuck up on me. I honestly didn't think it would arrive this fast and part of me is sad because this means my experience is coming to an end. However, I turn my focus onto the new and exciting experiences yet to come and focus on getting everything ready before I leave. 

This week was jam packed with essays, reports, and events. I have been to the library more times in the past week than I have over the past two years of my college career. This scares me. 

I also went climbing and had the opportunity to shoot open mic night again. 

I turn my focus to the next ten hours which will be consumed with lecture, seminar, packing, editing, and planning. This three week holiday will test my abilities to deal with short term 'goodbyes' which I'm not that great at. If anything, it will start to prepare me for my departure from Edge Hill in May. 

Moving forward, this time next week I will be in Italy hopefully soaking up the much needed sun. I am extremely blessed to be able to travel Europe with my friends. This will also be the first time I will be in a non-english speaking country which will truly test my ability to adapt and be flexible. It is all part of the learning experience and I cannot wait to see where it takes me. 

Reflection

As I reflect over my past three months here I cannot help but feel a wave of emotions. If you had asked me at the start of this crazy journey what I expected, I could easily tell you "I want to make great friends, learn more about myself, and know that I can do it." Looking back on it I have accomplished and learned so much more. However, I did wrongly assume life would kind of just press pause while I lived up this experience. As my wise friend Leah reminded me, life goes on even when you aren't ready for it. Just because I am in a new country doesn't mean bad things won't happen and it definitely doesn't mean the whole time here will be great, because frankly it hasn't been smooth sailing all the time, as much as I wished it would have been. I have to remind myself that without the issues, tears, and sad times, I couldn't grow as a person, learn from my mistakes, and forgive.

However, what I have also learned was to let yourself have the bad times. Everyone is so quick to remind you how much time you have left and to not waste it being upset or stressed...they're wrong. Time can easily ruin this experience, it can prevent you from getting close to people in fear of getting hurt, it can prevent growth, and it can encourage regret. So let yourself be upset, let yourself be stupid and make stupid choices, and let yourself have a day or two of crying because in that moment it may be what you need, not necessarily what you want.

The end of this experience creeps up on you without a lot of warning. I tried so desperately to pretend like it didn't matter and like I was never going to leave but in the end, I leave. I wouldn't have changed anything about this experience for the world. It has made me appreciate home, family and friends. It is so easy to say you want to travel the world but when you are surrounded by people you like and enjoy being with, it makes everything that much more memorable. 

I wish I could just wrap a rope around the United States and pull it over to England to make leaving easier. That way I'm not a sea away and I wouldn't really leave. But I believe everything happens for a reason (cliche...I know) and airplanes exist as well as email. The friendships I have made here won't leave just because I do and that's a constant reminder I have to focus on in order to enjoy these last few weeks here at Edge Hill. 

I have no clue what is waiting for me in the future but I do know I had no clue this would be something I would have the privilege to experience. So I sit here waiting for the future but enjoying the present.

Where it Takes Me

I've probably said this numerous times, but I am in love with the fact that you can easily go to neighboring towns and cities and experience the culture. Last Saturday, my friends and I went to the Everton vs. Cardiff City football game. This was one of my favorite things I've done since being here. It was such a cultural experience and was so fun. Everton won within the last minute and everyone went crazy, screaming and jumping. It was definitely an experience. 

Fast-forward toWednesday, I had the privilege to shoot Edge Hill Uni sports for the day for Vibemedia.  Vibemedia is such a great opportunity to keep in touch with my photography as well as network which was really important for me to do while I'm here. The people involved in it are great and I am so fortunate to have found this organization.

This Sunday, I am taking a day trip to North Wales with other international students that the school has provided. I have taken a break from traveling and just hung around campus which as been a much needed break, however, I cannot wait to get back to traveling. 

It's crazy to think about how much the world has to offer and just how great this experience is. Sometimes it can be hard and I've had tough moments, but I wouldn't change anything about it. I am growing as a person and student and I cannot wait to see where it takes me.

Campus Life

This past week as been very productive. I have a lot of assignments due at the end of March which feels a lot like midterm week (more like midterm month). I still find school a bit difficult because a lot of assignments are outlines which are structured a bit differently than in the States. However, the professors and tutors are extremely helpful which takes the pressure off. My new favorite obsession is spending my whole day in the Hub working on outlines and projects. It's a great atmosphere and it makes me feel at home. 

Other than a week full of school work, things here have been 'normal'. By normal I mean, great. As with every week, I went climbing near Liverpool with the climbing club, went to class, did some shooting for VibeMedia and hung around campus. 

As much as I love traveling and don't want to waste any time, it's definitely good to spend time on campus with my friends. Friendship was the one thing everyone told me about. Saying things like "You will make friends that you will keep forever", "The friends you make will be the best" and so on. This pressure to make lasting friendships made me nervous the first couple of weeks here because it didn't happen right away. The more you put yourself out there and include yourself in random things around campus, the more you will get out of this experience.

Just the Beginning

Being a planner, I had some ideas of what I was going to do here, but I had no idea a climbing club would be an option. That's the great thing about this experience, you prepare as much as you can to leave, but you aren't ready for it until two months later. I still find it hard to grasp the idea of driving two hours and ending up next to beautiful mountains, sheep, hills, and farms or taking a 30 minute train ride and ending up in Liverpool. It would take me a 5 hour flight, plus a layover and cost $1,000 to get to Liverpool from Michigan. It was such a big deal, but now, it's as if it were never new to me. Everything is becoming normal to me and nothing seems so far-fetched anymore. Why not go to Scotland again, or Ireland? As cliche as this is, the possibilities are endless. This is just the beginning of a well anticipated chapter of my life and I've only just started writing it.

One of the great things about Edge Hill is the amount of different societies they offer. Joining the climbing and mountaineering club here has been by far the biggest surprise for me. I told myself I was going to push myself outside of my comfort zone when I got here and I was going to try something new. Well, climbing happened to be it. 

This past weekend we all went to the Lake District to hike. It was by far one of my favorite weekends here. Everyone is so welcoming and it overwhelms me at times because I am so happy to be accepted here when I am clearly new to this. I got to experience England's natural beauty with people that are amazing, views that are spectacular, and rain. I wouldn't have changed it for the world. 

Making Connections

This next week, I turn my focus to my studies as the semester picks up.

The biggest and most challenging aspect of school for me has been the difference in teaching styles. Back home, I took many geography courses which focused on scientific data and analysis. Whereas here, my geography course and others rely heavily on relating the information to real world situations. It is a much different atmosphere and mindset which allows me to really connect to the country and it's cultures. The teaching style has really helped me open my mind to making connections between what I learn and what I experience.

As I returned from my adventure to Edinburgh this past weekend, I couldn't help but reflect on my past month here. I have my good days as well as my bad days just like at home which comforts me to some extent. The more I travel, the more I can't wait to be back at Edge Hill, in my room in Lady Openshaw, eating at the Hub. Life at university is so simple compared to the hours spent on a train, the days in a hostel, and trying to soak in every city and attraction in a short weekend. I never thought my temporary home in another country would feel so comforting. Prior to my departure from the States, Michigan was my home; my relief and safety. In a little over a month, Edge Hill has taken over that roll.

At Home

I can't seem to come up with the right words to describe how incredibly happy I am here. I feel so blessed to be here and truly cannot explain it any other way. I had this thought that living in a different country would feel weird and out of place but I never realized how at home I could actually feel until now. 

Prior to studying abroad, everyone kept asking if I was excited, telling me how great it was going to be and that it will be life changing. I eventually got tired of being asked and truth be told, I didn't quite know what to say so I just gave a uniform answer of "Yup, I'm extremely excited and can't wait." If someone were to ask me today if I'm excited to be here, I would know exactly what to say. I'm not just excited, I'm incredibly happy. Sometimes it just hits me that I'm not going to be here next semester or a year from now and it makes me really upset, but it allows me to make the most out of every day.

I have had the best couple of weeks and for the most part I just hung around campus and went to class. This past Saturday, I had to opportunity to go to a musical called Ghost in Liverpool. It was a great way to start the weekend and experience a day in Liverpool. 

I leave for Edinburgh this Friday and cannot wait. It feels like forever since the last time I traveled. I don't even count going to Liverpool anymore as traveling which just goes to show how hard the "travel bug" has hit me. 

That's another thing I have learned through this experience. Everything seems so big and mighty but when you get down to it and travel, nothing is as scary as you think. 

Lake District

One of the best surprises of this experience has been the opportunity to travel through the university. The university plans day trips to unique places such as York, North Wales, Chester, and Lake District, to name a few. This past weekend, I was able to go to the Lake District. It was absolutely breathtaking and the weather was actually good (I use that term loosely). The group of us took a 25 minute boat ride across the lake and then did a short hike along the side of the mountain. We then stopped for lunch at a pub and walked around a neighboring city called Ambleside.

The university is also providing a trip to North Wales in March which I am extremely excited for. In the mean time, I continue with my classes which are going pretty well. It is definitely an adjustment and I'm not sure if I've got the hang of it yet. Everything here is much more independent and the grades are dependent on one or two large papers or presentations. I try not to think of this as weird, but rather different. I'm hoping this mindset will carry through and allow me to remain openminded about this experience. So far things are great and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Opportunities

I continue to learn more and more each day, about myself and about this experience. To think that less than a month ago I was nervous to hop on a plane and go somewhere I had no clue about is crazy considering I just returned from my weekend trip to Ireland. Even reading this sounds so foreign to me. Back home I couldn't catch a flight for under $100 to a different country. I think that's what I love so much about this place. The opportunity is right at your doorstep, you just have to grab it.

I have also learned the importance of friends. I have met so many incredible people in this short time. However, I have really connected with three other international students from the states, which just goes to show you how close you actually are to meeting new people. I always had this idea that you had to physically leave the states to meet people from very different cultures, ideas, and beliefs.  This sounds absolutely ridiculous, I know, but it wasn't until I met Erica, Leah and Erika that I realized the importance of appreciating home a little more. I think this hit me when we were walking through York when Erica and I (both from Michigan) saw a giant hill and immediately thought how great that would be to go sledding down, while Erika and Leah (both from the south) thought it looked very green. Simple differences like this shocked me because I never truly realized how different our perspectives could be when we live less than 900 miles away. I think I always knew, but the firsthand experience is eye opening. I am so glad I have made lasting friendships with these girls. It is making this process so memorable. 

Putting it into Context

This past week has been eye opening on so many different levels. For starters, I had the opportunity to shoot the men's rugby game, start classes, and travel to York, England.

On Tuesday, there was a fair in the Hub (I can best describe this as a student information/cafe/hangout area) for all the societies. I knew I wanted to get involved in as much as I could so I walked around to each booth and ended up signing up for a bunch of different societies. Coming into this experience, I wanted to push my comfort zone and get involved in activities I wouldn't normally or couldn't normally do. Therefore, I signed up for the Edge Hill Climbing and Mountaineering Society and VibeMedia (the student publication). Having minimal knowledge of climbing, this experience should definitely be new and exciting and I cannot wait to begin it. 

Already, I was able to shoot the men's rugby game the next day. Majoring in photojournalism, this opportunity was amazing. Not only did I get to keep in touch with my photography, but I'd like to think I learned more about the game. I felt at home when I was at the game. Photography is such a normality and I truly got to escape into it in an authentic setting. Looking back at this week, I can finally say I feel more connected to the culture and university and it makes me incredibly excited for the future. 

Moving forward to classes, I was completely overwhelmed to begin because I had absolutely no idea what to expect. When I first got to Central, I was apprehensive to start class but knowing that I was still in Michigan somehow eased my worries. The fact that I had no idea where my classes were only heightened my anxiety. Turns out, as usual, everything was fine. I asked when I didn't know, and I continued to breath (my new motto). I attended lectures for a couple hours and then the class was split into smaller groups called seminars. In both seminars the professor pointed out who the American's were; I was the zebra in what felt like a herd of lions.

And finally, the trip to York. Much like Chester, York was a beautiful English city about an hour and a half northeast of Ormskirk. Erica, Leah, and Erika (my three international friends) took a two hour walking tour of York and visited the York Minster (cathedral).  It was absolutely mind blowing to hear the historical value of the place, much of which I learned in high school and college but never thought I would actually put into context. That right there is why I can't wait to continue this experience. There is so much in life that I have learned and studied and dreamed of, but now I am finally getting the chance to learn first hand and it's completely overwhelming. The good kind though, the kind that makes you realize how great life can be.