Looking back on Dublin, I can confidently say that I fell in love with Ireland. The people in Ireland were so friendly and welcoming, and I felt like I was able to develop relationships with the FIE staff and our DBS instructors. I have only been in London for a few days but I already miss the people that we met in Dublin!
The classes that we took in Ireland were so much fun as well. I learned so much more about Ireland than I expected. Our classes covered the politics, history, culture, economics and literature of Ireland. Because of these classes, I feel like I even know more about things like European history and the European Union. I will truly miss being surrounded by the culture of Ireland. From the friendliness of the people, the rich cultural history, and the Gaelic language, I felt a great connection with Ireland and I genuinely hope to return some day soon.
But looking past my sadness about leaving Ireland, I am excited to be in London, England! It is much hotter than I had expected, as Europe is currently experiencing a heat wave, but I guess it’s better than the rain that England is used to! I am looking forward to checking out London’s many amazing museums (many of which are free) as well as the amazing landmarks and palaces. FIE already hooked us up with tickets to tour the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, and I had an amazing time. As a history/Churchill/The Crown/The Darkest Hour fan, it was surreal to see the place where all of these historic events were dealt with by some of the greatest politicians in history.
Our housing in London is in the neighborhood of Kensington, which is one of central London’s poshest places. Just across the street is Kensington Gardens, where the palace that Harry and Meghan live in is located. Kensington Gardens also connects to Hyde Park, which is basically the Central Park of London. It is very exciting to be living in this area that is so close to things like the Victoria and Albert Museum and Kensington Palace.
London is also a great place for traveling to the rest of Europe. We already visited Cardiff, Wales (Cardiff blog to follow), and have plans to visit Edinburgh, Scotland and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Within England, I have plans to visit Bath, Brighton, Stonehenge, Windsor, and more trips may pop up along the way!
Although I fell in love with Ireland, I am really looking forward to all of the opportunities in London. Stay tuned to see what London brings us next!
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