Lucky #13

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” George A. Moore

Sometime over the course of the last three weeks, I have replaced saying things like, “when I get back to the flat,” with “when I get home.” When I say “home,” I am not referring to my home in the states – though I am ready to be there – I am actually referring to the flat, my home in London. It occurred to me that I have mentioned the flat several times, mostly in reference to it being the “penthouse,” but I’ve never actually shared anything about it. I figure that two days before departure is as good a time as any to give you a little tour of my “home” across the pond.

The Long Hallway

First off, let me tell you a little history about the Study Centre. The buildings that make up the Centre were built sometime between 1685 and 1693. The Centre is in an amazing location in Bloomsbury. The West End, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus are only minutes away. I can practically see the British Museum from the front steps of the building, as it’s only one block away.
You might be wondering why I call our flat “the penthouse.” Well, that is because it is. It is the top flat in building 102. We are four flights and 75 steps up from ground level. While I appreciate the multiple daily workouts I receive from hiking those stairs, there is no air conditioning in these 17th century buildings, so the heat wave that accompanied my first two weeks here was almost unbearable. Also, while I appreciate the aesthetic value of the slanted ceilings, I am a 5'9" girl, so I often feel like I need to hunch - or I'm hitting my head.  

My corner.

Throughout this program, the two things that have really made it all bearable have been my flat mates: Lauren and Crystal. I knew Lauren before joining this program, as she is part of my MLS cohort back home. Even though we knew one another, I don’t think we really knew each other until we were in London. Crystal has been an amazing friend. Always calm, and always optimistic, I’ve enjoyed swapping “mom” stories with her. I can certainly say that I have made some really great friends during this experience, but these two girls have been the best part of the trip. We’ve kept each other sane, even during the difficult situations like moving flats so that we could be live with four 19 year old girls instead of four 19 year old boys.

Common Area.

Kitchen - it's filthy. Living with
19 year olds isn't fun.

 
 
 
 
 

Flat Mate Picture!!

I can safely say that I am excited that departure is right around the corner, and come Monday night, I will be sleeping in MY bed... but I’m going to miss London, and I’m going to miss these girls.