Bekah Lebel
York St. John University, England
My study abroad experience? As cliché as it sounds, studying abroad has been one of the most exhilarating, eye-opening experiences I have ever encountered. During this time I have pushed my limits, gained some major independence, met some pretty amazing people and been to places I’ve always dreamed about.
Contributed Photo
My journey started on Sept. 9, 2014, as I squeezed the last of my things into my suitcase. After three long hours of going through airport shenanigans and saying goodbye to both family and friends, I had finally arrived at my gate. Luckily for me, my mom and sister were coming along for the ride and a little vacation. As I stood at my gate I was filled with both fear and excitement. Since York, England is over three thousand miles away from my beloved Cape Cod, Massachusetts, I knew this was going to be a big change for me. After six and a half hours and some mild turbulence, we finally arrived at Heathrow Airport in London. Jet-lagged and sleep deprived, we finally exited the plane.
I arrived at customs and after thirty or so questions, I was granted my six-month visa. Next we collected our luggage and caught a taxi to our hotel in South Kensington, London.
After four days of sightseeing, pub-hopping and shopping, it was time to say goodbye to my family and head to York. When I got there, the train station in York looked like it could have been something out of a Harry Potter movie. York is an old, historic-walled city that is separated by the Ouse and Foss rivers. York is known for its beautiful medieval and Gothic architecture, churches and its eerie tales of ghosts and hauntings.
I have been studying at York St. John for just about two months now, and I couldn’t be happier. Every day living in York is an adventure. I often find myself wandering The Shambles and getting lost in the beauty and history of this city. Every street has its own secrets and stories to tell. In the day, York’s streets are filled with history and culture, but after sunset students and nightlife take over the city.
During this short time, I have visited cities and towns all over England such as London, Camden, Manchester and Leeds. Outside of the United Kingdom, I have visited places such as Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains (where “P.S. I Love You” was filmed), Ireland and most recently Amsterdam in the Netherlands. And, although I didn’t get to see Gerard Butler, Dublin by far has been my favorite city. My next trip will be going to Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy for five days. While in Italy, instead of staying in the usual hostel, my roommates and I are subletting an apartment from an Italian couple.
Some of the challenges I have experienced are not being home for the holidays. Nothing can make you feel more homesick than seeing videos and pictures of friends. Luckily, I have some pretty awesome friends here who are going to have a big Thanksgiving dinner for other Keene and American students. Regardless of these minor obstacles, I wouldn’t trade my time and experiences abroad for anything.