Nothing's changed. This is exactly what I would've been doing 4 months ago. Even though life carried on without me while I was off living a dream for 4 months... it still feels like time just stopped, and then picked back up when I landed in Boston yesterday.
I drove to the grocery store today... and surprisingly, remembered how to drive. The grocery store looked the exact same... but for some reason, white cheddar mac & cheese is no longer existent. I leave America and Kraft mac & cheese gets rid of white cheddar? Say it ain't so.
I stopped at Dunkin Donuts drive through to grab lunch and a coffee... and had to wait for what seems like forever in line. Nothing's changed.
Some weird realizations just in a trip to the grocery store: everything seemed super pricey. I'm used to buying the cheapest of cheap food at Tesco... with the exchange rate my bread cost $1, milk, $1.50, chicken $5, cheese $2. But at Stop & Shop.. the higher price tags were surprising. Also, I think it's because even though I was paying in British pounds, I never stopped converting prices to USD. So, although I was handing over pounds, I knew how much I was paying in USD. Therefore, nothing is seeming cheaper here. It's all the same, if not more expensive. Weird?
And then, even though I thought the British people were generally friendly, when I was asked "How are you?" multiple times today by Dunkin Donuts and grocery store workers... I realized, no one asks me that at Tesco or other little stores I went to in London. And even the fellow Americans on the plane over with me... all SO nice. I was in such a pleasant shock.
Aside from the grocery store run, all I've done today is watch television and unpack some of my bags. I'm surprised I've unpacked so soon. Usually, after coming home for the summer from college, it takes me a good week to unpack. I guess I was just so excited to unpack all my new goodies! Just as exciting: seeing all the clothes, shoes, items in my room I didn't bring with me to London. It's literally like I have a whole new wardrobe. Shoes I haven't worn in 4 months, my favorite perfume I didn't bring with me, etc.
Anyway... my last few days in London were pretty relaxing. I got my last English breakfast and my last burger & beer deal at the beloved Spoons pub. So sad... Spoons was our favorite! I went to Spitalfields Market one last time where I bought two posters, one said "Keep calm and carry on" and the other was a night view of Westminster area. They will join my other London related posters on my wall in NYC and out in Milwaukee. On Sunday night, Jackie and I walked down to Big Ben/London Eye area so I could say my goodbyes.
London is majestic and so so beautiful at night. Ugh. So hard to say goodbye. But, I will be back, that's for sure. Until next time, Big Ben.
On Monday, after saying my goodbyes to Finsbury Hall, my home for 4 months, I headed to the airport with 3 checked bags, one carry on suitcase, and two purses. But thankfully I had some help.. Jackie :) We hopped on the tube and were at Heathrow within an hour. Thanks to a realllllyyyyy nice American Airlines worker, I didn't have to pay extra for having overweight bags.
So I took my extra cash on over to the duty-free store where I loaded up on British souvenirs, tea, Cadbury and some magazines for my 7 hour plane ride home.
Seven. hours. Business class from Boston to London must have made that 7 hours a lot more bearable, because flying 7 hours in coach seemed like forever. But, I watched The King's Speech and Dinner for Schmucks... both extremely enjoyable. The flight wasn't even half full... I had a whole row to myself. Nice.
I have an admission.... I shed some tears when the plane was leaving London. Couldn't help myself. I was just so sad to say goodbye to a great 4 months and the most amazing city. Blah!
Upon arriving in Boston I was met my some great Bostonian accents, my mama who was waiting for me.. and within moments I had a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee in my hands. Yum, it's never tasted better. Then we headed home, stopping at our favorite BBQ place for dinner. Pulled pork, potatoes and cucumber salad. Delicious.
When I got home, I sat on my couch, drinking Fortnum & Mason tea in my new London mug, wrapped in my union jack blanket I got from Primark, waving a union jack flag (another souvenir) back and forth and wearing my ManU jersey. I'm in America? Really? It's all so surreal.
I am so glad though that I brought so many aspects of England back to America with me. I will drink tea on the regular. I will put cucumbers on my sandwiches instead of lettuce. Cadbury chocolate will replace Hershey's. I will always have a union jack flag hanging somewhere in my bedroom. I have many a mug or glass acquired in my travels. Several clothing items purchased in London will continue to make me feel just a little British. Especially my ManU jersey. I think it gives me this appearance of "girl who watches/likes soccer" when in fact, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm not a ManU fan (I lived in London after all)... but I am a Ronaldo fan.
But the best part of the yesterday?... settling into my AMAZING heaven of a bed. For four months I laid on top of uncomfortable springs and in a small twin dinky bed. And now, I can sink into my double bed, soft sheets, big pillows and huge mattress. Yes.
Right now I am watching the Celtics play the Heat in game 2 of the playoff series. Now this is something I haven't done in awhile. Go Celtics!!
Oh. because I can't go one month without going somewhere, my dad just asked me to come to Puerto Rico on his business trip with him in a few weeks. He didn't have to ask twice. Bring on the beach!
Welp.. I'll blog again soon about my adjustment back into America, as well as my reflection on the semester. And then I'm calling it quits until I begin my next great adventure: NYC!
Cheers xxxx
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