I've been back in the States for nearly a week now and haven't had much time to reflect on my time abroad. It is really easy to get caught up in a routine and quickly fall back into the way of life that you're used to living at home. But that's the whole purpose of going abroad; to skew our daily understandings, to call a new country or city home, and to shape the way we view places, and more importantly, each other. Yet after this marvelous experience, no one really tells you that coming home after a semester of studying anywhere, but especially somewhere like London in my case, can be a bit of a let down. I realize I'm not really in a place to complain…leaving one world class city to come home to another one isn't exactly the worst situation to find yourself in, but I still think it's worth reflecting upon. Living in London completely flew by; it was such a tease to be in a city that offers so much but for only three and a half months. In the wise words of Samuel Johnson, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life", which I couldn't agree with more. There is just simply something about London– the amount of free museums and galleries, the foodie scene, the people– and that 'something' I miss tremendously. Coming home, everything is the same; it's the way you left it and coming back to this after being exposed to so much may be comforting to some, but also a bit mundane. I suppose the old saying 'Home is Where the Heart is' lives up to it's name, especially during the holidays, it's easy to see how especially beautiful San Francisco is. But now I am left with the question, is it possible to have your heart split in to two places to call home and appreciate them both equally?
here are a few shots of the beautiful city by the bay.
xx
