1 Week and 1 Day

Today is one week since we left America to embark on our adventure abroad. To say the past week has flown by would be an understatement. Honestly, the first few nights were hard. The word "culture shock" is thrown around quite frequently but no one explains to you how sad it can be sometimes. Not that the culture is so entirely different than ours but as I've said before, I'm from a small town and living in a city is quite different. Although you may be surrounded by people, you might be missing home or conveniences or people. The first few days were slightly hard due to my lack of preparedness - I only had small amounts of shampoo, conditioner, soap etc. with me. Imagine little Hannah scouring big London in search of her favorite shampoo. ( I didn't find it - found a cheaper brand- you're welcome mom!) However, I promise it became easier day by day and I truly do enjoy every day I have here.

So thanks mom, for letting me go on what is becoming a truly life-altering adventure. I don't know what I'd do without your support on my trip - can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

Maybe you're wondering... What's the 1 day about in the title of this post? Well today was the 1st day of school I had at SULondon! I've been anticipating this day for a while and the day went without a hitch. Obviously an important part of studying abroad is the first word, studying. They warned us our classes would most likely be more difficult than we expect. However, my first two classes seem to be right along my alley!

The school was not like I pictured it to be (I'll upload some pictures of classrooms in a little bit). For example, classrooms don't have desks. But heck, I like working at a table much more than the miniature desks where your notebook doesn't fit on any portion! Instead of having a whole campus, you have one building with a pretty small student lounge. If anyone from SUAbroad is reading my blog, please increase the size of your student lounge if at all possible. It can get quite crowded! :)

 My first class is regarding the History of London but is taught through 11 objects. Basically, we learn about different sections of history through studying various pieces of architecture, portraits, gardens, etc. We end up visiting all the objects on Wednesday mornings. I'll make sure to take pictures each week and this week, as we are heading to the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday morning. I'm really excited to explore different portions of London with a guide. As much as I like exploring on my own, it can be quite nice to have someone explain to you everything you are seeing.

After a break, including a nice nap and lunch, I headed back to the school for my second class of the day, Sports in the UK. It's taught my a female lawyer (who is now my role model) and she leads a dynamic, lively discussion. We will be visiting places such as Wimbledon, doing a sports walk through London, Oxford v. Cambridge boat race, and some different soccer/rugby matches. One of the main reasons I came to study in London was because of the sports scene and the potential to immerse myself in the sport culture here. This class does just that for me and I believe I will love every second!

I think studying abroad is going to be vital to my personal and academic life. Personally, it is forcing me to grow more independent and not be fearful being by myself or completing every day tasks alone. The first time you walk to the grocery store in London was a bit daunting but is now a typical occurrence. Academically, I am hoping to work to make connections with some of our sport guest speakers and remain in contact with my professor. I believe her personality, abilities, and expertise could turn her into a valuable mentor!

So here I am, one day complete! Our classes here run 15 weeks but one week is our break and another is finals. So we really end up only having classes for about 12 weeks, considering another week is mostly midterms. I am grateful to have such a short semester but it is sure to be a packed one.  Days seem to go by slow but as soon as you lay your head down at night, you're amazed that another day is finished. I am truly blessed to be having this experience and thanks so much for reading along! Happy Monday!