Today marks a year since I left the U.S. to live and study in London for four months. As I write this I have so many emotions running through my head, as you can imagine. I have an important interview coming up, I'm getting ready for a new semester at CSULB starting next week, I'm going to auditions, etc. And in the midst of it all I, among many of my fellow londoners I'm sure, stopped and took some time to reflect this week. None of us can believe that it has been one whole year since we got on the flight that changed our lives. I know to many people it may just seem like I went on vacation for four months, traveled, and drank in as many pubs as I can. Sure it was amazing to go out to concerts, pub crawls, museums, events, etc. But it was much more than that. It was those people I went out with. What I learned from them and them from me. Those conversations we had on the bus ride home. The exchange of stories and happenings with the locals, my roomate and my host family. Opening my purse and finding three different kinds of currencies from different countries. Witnessing the differences in each culture of each country I visited. It was those little things that meant the most to me. Most importantly, I changed. In every possible way. Every city, restaurant, and street in London stole a little piece of me. I grew up in ways I never even knew was possible. I was forced to make decisions, be spontaneous, responsible, because no one was there to take care of me. I woke up everyday and faced a new challenge and learned how to face them in a positive way. Did it take me a week to figure out the transportation system? Yes. But learning how to do it on my own by getting lost and making mistakes gave me so much confidence that I never had before. Sometimes you just need to get lost to find yourself. When I got to London, all of a sudden I was in this huge, new city. New places, new people, new experiences. And that terrified me. But let me tell you, all the best things in this world do. Many people say that what I did was so brave and they don't know if they could ever have the courage to do it. But the truth is I just wanted this more than anything in my life. Nothing was going to stop me from exploring this beautiful world and all it has to offer. Yes, Of course I was scared. But at the end of the day, the idea of all that lied ahead of me outweighed the fear. I let my heart choose for me, and boy was it right. There is something so freeing about giving up every comfort that you have at home and going somewhere new. You feel so confident in the fact that you can do anything! I came home and auditioned for one of my dream jobs (which I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to do before) and I made it to the very end of the audition. Farther than I'd ever been before. I'm still waiting to hear back, but even if I don't get the job, I am so proud of myself and how far I have come. I can truly say that living abroad made me into a much more proactive, responsible person. I've never felt more motivated to travel, try new things, and learn new things from other people. You'd be surprised how much you can learn from someone when you really listen.
As I write this I'm getting ready to head over to one of our friends house tonight for our "One Year" party since London. Above all things, I am grateful for these lifelong friendships I've made with these great people. Not many people understand what those months abroad were like except them.We may not always be able to get together when life gets in the way. But there is always one thing that will always bind us: London.
Cheers!
Miranda Lopez
Inspiring!
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