Today I arrived at my study abroad host institution, the Harlaxton College Manor. This place has been on the periphery of my life for years. My older sister studied here, and hearing about the magic of walking around the manor gardens, studying in the state rooms, or rushing down the mile-long manor drive to catch a cheap Ryan Air flight to some distant land was what caught my imagination in the first place. I was feeling nervous, excited, and above all, ready to chow down on some fish and chips and a steak and ale pie. While I was packing, I imagined all the experiences that were ahead of me. I’d heard from everyone in my life that going abroad during undergrad was a unique window of time when near-complete freedom and independence made it possible to live large and experience the world in ways I would likely never be able to again. I will definitely miss my friends, but I’m also looking forward to using this time of adventure to embrace solitude and self-discovery. I hope that when I am in this new environment and missing all of my familiar crutches, I’ll be able to see myself more clearly and be able to look back on the world I’m leaving behind more clearly. I want to see new places that challenge my preconceptions about them, challenge my ability to competently execute plans, and challenge my perceptions of the home that I’m leaving behind. I want to be very intentional about being open to this experience, and I hope that it changes me for the better. I flew out of the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, connected through O’Hare in Chicago, and finally arrived at Heathrow Airport in London. To save weight in my checked bag, I was wearing a t-shirt, two hoodies, a coat, an outer jacket, and hiking boots, so when I stepped off of my 7-hour flight from Chicago I was sweating bullets. I quickly took off a few layers when I picked up my bag and headed off to find my group. There were university couriers waiting with small, homemade signs. Soon after meeting with a few of my program-mates, we were off on a coach toward the town of Grantham, a small bit of Lincolnshire an hour north of London, which would be my home for the next few months. As we drove, I couldn’t help but notice that central/northern England was remarkably similar looking to my home state of Kentucky. The green hills lulled me into a sense of comfort as we headed up the A1, and as soon as I took my first look at the manor down the drive, I knew it would be a good home for me. When we got off, we immediately began taking pictures and walking in awe around the stately grounds. After a quick bit of unpacking, the heraldry of horns and bagpipes signaled the beginning of our opening ceremony. I’ve just finished an amazing dinner (with incredible sticky toffee pudding!!) and am headed to bed after a successful first day. I am feeling good about this beginning and feel nothing but excitement for the coming time in this beautiful castle in this beautiful country.
