I wanted to try something different for my final semester, so I spent 85 days studying abroad in the United Kingdom.
As a a fourth-year journalism and theater performance major, I made the bold decision to study abroad in the U.K; it ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made.
One of the coolest things I did while traveling abroad was take the Eurostar train to Paris. It was truly the greatest week of my life.
Paris was rich in culture and experience and I got to see the Mona Lisa and walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
I also visited the Sacre Coeur, explored Disneyland Paris and enjoyed some delicious food. The vibes of Paris were truly immaculate. Even just biking through the city at night in the rain was beautiful.
I took an eight-hour bus ride to North England to watch Manchester United play at Old Trafford.
Manchester United is my favorite “football” club and it had always been a dream of mine to see them play at their home stadium, so I am extremely glad that I got the chance to experience it.
My first two weeks abroad were a challenge, however.
One thing that shocked me was how cold the weather was. I have lived in Compton for most of my life, so a cold day to me is mid to high 50s. When I landed in London and had to deal with weather in the low 30s and 40s, it was brutal.
Another struggle was the fact that this trip was my first time since second grade going to school without knowing anyone. This was a unique experience for me, especially because I consider myself to be an extroverted and social person.
During my first two or three weeks out there, I had only made one friend and she also studied abroad from Boston and ended up being one of my best friends throughout my time there.
I met her in one of my favorite classes, a theater class dealing with biographical work and collaboration.
The class featured an interesting collection of people. I jokingly refer to that class as the “World Cup” because there was such a multitude of nationalities within it, including American, Canadian, Swedish, Chinese, South African and English students.
The varied personalities and backgrounds along with the fun professor made the class one of my favorites in all my four years of college.
One of the biggest highlights of my time abroad was getting to be a part of the school’s production of “The Great Gatsby.” I was lucky enough to be cast as the main character, Jay Gatsby.
Throughout that process, I began to form some great friendships with my castmates and we ended up putting on a wonderful show.
85 days is not much time, but there’s a saying that goes, “I’m here for a good time, not a long time.”
Doing a show, performing stand-up, making lasting connections, clubbing, sports matches at the bar and seeing landmarks all within this limited amount of time makes that quote ring true for me.
As I return home and prepare for graduation and the future, the time I spent abroad will always be life-changing and unforgettable. Cheers, bruv!