I Feel Like I Belong Here

By Tricia Adams

London is so alive and I can’t wait to explore it all. I’ve only been in London for a few days but each day has been amazing. Though there is no language barrier, there are a few other things that take a little getting used to like the subway or metro system and figuring out the currency without looking ridiculous at the checkout.

Because of the issues at the airport, I got to London a day behind everyone else. So immediately when I arrived at the apartment in London I started playing catch up, literally. I tried to catch up to my group to no avail because their plans kept changing and communication was difficult with spotty internet and little to no cell service. But on the bright side, I rode the metro so much crisscrossing the city that I felt like a pro after the first day and got to see a lot of the city.

By 5:00 pm I gave up trying to catch the group and decided to take a tour of the city from the river. It was a slightly windy day and the wind picked up even more once on the water and the clouds suddenly grew darker. But again, nothing will deter me. I have become a total tourist. I’m no longer worried about meeting up with my group. I’ll see them in the evening at the apartment. I’ve forgotten all about the mess at the airport. Lesson learned. Time to move on. I am suddenly a picture-taking, audio tour-listening, soak-it-all-in tourist.

I am in awe of this city. There is such a balance between old and new and it all seems to blend together effortlessly. On one side of me is the Tower of London, built in the 11th century and number one on my list of places to visit in my free time.

On the other side is an oddly mesmerizing building they call The Shard. A tall, pointed structure covered in glass and looking like it is trying to pierce the sky.

Right beside it is the London Eye, a giant ferris wheel that you would expect to see on a carnival midway, not overlooking a city. And on the other side of the river are the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

Then suddenly, right in front of me is Tower Bridge or what most people mistakenly call London Bridge. Everywhere I look there is something to inspire and amaze. There is a sense of modernity and history all at the same time yet it doesn’t seem confusing and nothing seems out-of-place.

Before I came to London, I read an article about the city’s culture and particularly how they try and struggle with preserving the past while trying to be a modern city and look to the future. I can’t speak for the citizens of London, but from my perspective, the past and future are blending beautifully.