In the words of fellow UK-lover DRAKE, “Oh me oh me oh my.”
Yet another college semester ends, the pendulum of time continues to sway, and I spiral evermore into the abyss of adult life. London is in my rear view (I touched down in Philadelphia a few days ago) and my wholesome American life has resumed.
Looking back on these past four-ish months, all I can say is this: So many life-changing vibes have been felt.
I came to London in January as a naive, uneducated explorer in search of a few cultural comparisons. Never did I think I’d end up jamming to a Spanish version of “Trap Queen” in a Soho club, falling in love with Sunday Roasts, or running into awesome distant cousins.
But enough tears of joy-filled nostalgia, let’s run through a few happenings that led up to the semester’s finale:
-I went to BERLIN! Alongside my pal Emily and a few new friends, I ventured to The Grey City to see what’s up. For whatever reason, I was expecting a dark and dreary industrial city (probably due to its nickname), but it was no such thing. We checked out Checkpoint Charlie and even Museumsinsel, the magical landmass that translates to ‘Museum Island’. Also, I lost my tofu virginity at some Asian vegan restaurant—It was decent!
-My brother from another, DAVID, came all the way from Bucknell Univ. to visit and we certainly lived it up! At the pub one night, we ran into John Hurt, the actor of Ollivander in Harry Potter or the old dude in (the lackluster) Indiana Jones 4. The next day we went to the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios. The following, we nearly drowned at a foam party.
-Azi and I checked out BRIXTON one Saturday and left with wonky vibes. There certainly were some cool spots to see, but we couldn’t shake the sense of massive gentrification as little was left of the authentic London / Jamaican culture. We did find an incredible jerk chicken and plantain spot, however.
-I saw some SPORT!! Some friends and I went to a football match between the national teams of England and the Netherlands where we saw the great Daniel Sturridge out doing work. Also, I ventured to Twickenham to catch a Harlequins rugby match that, despite knowing zero of the rules, was a blast to see.
So as you can see, my UK adventuring went on right until I was kicked out of my flat. But by no means did I finish exploring London, the UK, and certainly Europe—there’s just so much to experience! I’ll surely be back as soon as possible, and to anyone taking the time to read my ramblings, make sure you get yourselves there at some point in your beautiful lives.
To all the family and friends that made this semester so amazing, xoxoxo.
uk vibes 