Olivia Griffin York, England
Surreal.
After describing to my friends and family countless times how my first week abroad has been, there is no better word to capture what I’ve experienced.
I spent the majority of last semester with butterflies in my stomach, scrolling through pages of images and information about the beautiful city of York, England, trying to picture myself living there.
Even though the anticipation was exciting, the pictures could never measure up to the way I felt when our bus drove into the city center.
Contributed Photo:
KSC senior Olivia Griffin siting on the city walls of York, England where she is studying this spring 2014 semester. Below: Griffin visiting Newcastle upon Tyne in England.
Seeing the place that I have been imagining for months was a crazy and overwhelming experience (especially after having spent a full 24 hours traveling and maybe being a little bit delusional).
As soon as we entered York I realized what a breathtaking place it is. When I first walked through the city, it became clear that I would need four months (at least) to see it all.
There is a poetic juxtaposition of old and new; something I’ve rarely found in the United States.
The cathedral looking over the city is ancient, the roads are all cobblestone—yet the shops and nightlife are young and energetic.
It is so easy to go out on your own and walk around, you never know what you’ll find or who you’ll meet.
Since being here I’ve had a burst of energy that seems like it will never end. There is always something to do, always people to get to know. In the past week I’ve made friends from all over the world, explored this amazing city and all it has to offer and began to catch on to the subtle (and not so subtle) differences of living in the U.K.
I’ve been lucky to find that the British are some of the friendliest people I’ve met.
Immediately upon moving into my room, my floormates brought me tea and biscuits and were more than happy to take me into the city and show me around.
The other international students have been nothing but inviting; having 30 people in the same situation as you (where everything is new and you don’t know anyone) makes you feel as though you are always among friends.
It is interesting to learn about cultures from around the world and meet people that you would have otherwise never crossed paths with.
Contributed Photo: Griffin visiting Newcastle upon Tyne in England.
While I have to admit it can be terrifying at first to be alone in an unfamiliar country, it’s quite exciting to know that there is so much room to grow.
Being able to accept that you are scared or worried or upset about something and then move on from it is essential in traveling, and in life.
Things like losing your phone in Newcastle within four days of buying it don’t seem as daunting. In fact, I’ve found that small moments of panic can become meditative if you let them.
This is an opportunity which I would recommend to everyone. To spend four carefree months traveling through a beautiful country and experiencing the world in a different way is bound to change your perspective on life.
Choosing to study in England for me was accompanied a feeling of fearlessness. Each time I do something new here, that feeling is reinforced. I still have three-and-a -half months ahead of me, and I don’t know what’s to come.
All I know for sure is that I plan to appreciate every curveball thrown my way, do things I never thought I would do and have the most awesome semester I could possibly imagine.