The new bedroom view. Waterloo station lies below; the passing overground trains aid my sleep.
By birth, I am a New Yorker. I was raised just outside of the bustling city in the Hudson Valley area, but I now call 14 street and 5th avenue in Union Square my home base. Traveling is second nature to me; my parents taught me from a young age that it’s important to experience the unfamiliar. I took that advice to heart and decided to declare my major in college as travel writing. This decision led me to study abroad at King’s College London at the Strand for the second semester of my sophomore year at college. Though I’ve never been to London before, the action seemed simple; “I’d be moving from one city to another,” I thought, “the vibe should be similar enough for me to adapt well”.
Although I’ve been living in central London for over a month, I’m still having trouble settling in. For the first time, I’m experiencing homesickness, something unfamiliar to me. I’d traveled for weeks at a time before, and never once felt the need to get back to my daily life in New York until it was actually time to go home. London has changed that for me.
I am not ignorant of my privilege. However, I know that my past travel experiences proved adaptability to be one of the skills I put on the forefront of my resume. A personality trait I used to consider one of my strongest is not kicking in, and that is frightening to me. I wasn’t prepared for how much homesickness could affect my psyche. I’ve felt my confidence level drop to an all time low. The doubts circling in my mind became as large and dark as the fog that shrouds this ancient metropolis on a daily basis.
I count myself lucky to say hi to Big Ben everyday, even when the weather is being disagreeable.
I’ve had plenty of time to hypothesize why this adjustment has been more difficult for me than anticipated. One thing I never factored in is the experience of travel as a voyager versus that of a settler. A traveler only views a land in the way the locals want to present it, though they believe they are visiting the most authentic of areas. A new resident will ultimately be exposed to the challenges of living in said locale. Climate, currency, transport, and cuisine will be experienced on another level than even that of an educated traveler. Suddenly, all of the common sense you acquired in your homeland becomes irrelevant.
The sunlight was found embracing the facades on this day.
The concept of a home is something that I have always seen as abstract, but now that I am encountering this emotional separation of myself from my decided “home”, I have been figuring out what the qualities of a home are to me.There are of course elements that are regional. I have come to accept that no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to find a proper slice of pizza, or a black and white cookie here. That’s okay. But I’ve been missing the little moments more: the tangible peace in the air at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning in the Village, before everything’s truly woken up, the comfort from the Renaissance era paintings at Cafe Reggio during the early hours when I choose to pen my thoughts over the occasional almond milk cappuccino. There’s a phenomenon I’ve found where I can’t go a day in New York without overhearing, or mentioning myself, how wonderful it is to be there. There’s always a vibe running through the city that makes you feel like you’re always on the edge of another opportunity. I can’t describe this sensation better than the way my former General Manager, Romain Taverne did: “if you look at the way people walk in New York as compared to people in other cities, it’s not comparable to anywhere else. People don’t walk in New York - they run. That’s their way of walking, and any true New Yorker will always get annoyed walking behind someone who’s strolling slowly. If you walk slow here you’re left behind; the city will not wait for you. You have to walk fast to make it happen, you have to walk fast to be successful.” My greatest struggle thus far has been trying to find a similar push for motivation in London.
Golden Hour captured from one of King College's Strand campus windows in between classes.
I am still learning to cope with my displacement, but there’s at least one moment every day that makes it worth it. My commute across the Waterloo Bridge is one of the happier times of my day. With views of Big Ben, the London Eye, and the uniquely structured Golden Jubilee Pedestrian Bridge, it’s a lovely snapshot of central London’s icons - rain or shine. And it’s been shining more often than not lately! I’m hoping I’m not jinxing the current weather pattern by writing this, but the random 50°F days London’s been blessed with have been amazing, and definitely helpful with correcting my newfound Vitamin D deficiency! I’ve taken to walking through the St. James Park when this happens. The walking paths are just wide enough to allow space for locals and tourists spilling over from Westminster Abbey.
Snapped during a sunny walk en route to St. James Park.
I have found that life happens on the north side of the London Bridges, away from the more residential south side where I live. However, there are a few gems to be found on my side of the river. The Tate Modern Museum is the counterpart to New York’s Whitney, except that it’s always free aside from a few special exhibits! If that didn’t make it cool, Uniqlo hosts “Tate Lates” once a month. This event allows access to the museum after its normal 6pm closing time, free entry to several talks throughout the building, and up and coming DJs spinning their best sets on the top floor. Although the Tate Modern is great, when I want to get work done close to my place I make a beeline for The Travel Cafe. The rustic interior of this space is reminiscent of some of my favorite work cafes in New York. I’ve made their fresh yuzu tea a part of my routine and my addiction to its smooth, sweet, slightly citrus flavor is almost as strong as my matcha obsession (if you know me well, that’s a bold statement)! They almost always have pastries on deck to complement your favorite cuppa, and to top it all off they recently began retailing succulents, cacti, and adorable greeting cards. Talk about the complete package!
A scene from the set of January's Tate Lates featured DJs.
A cup of fresh yuzu tea is the best start to the day.
Though it’s not yet “home”, it would be incorrect to say London isn't growing on me. If nothing else, I know that my adventures here are temporary, and I’ll be running back to my New York in due time. Meanwhile, I’ll be sure to take advantage of all this pretty city has to offer, and it’s central location to many other wonderful destinations.
The succulent/cacti display outside of The Travel Cafe.
Stay tuned for what will probably be one of the most active periods for “Where is my boarding pass?”! Journeys via planes, trains, and the occasional boat are sure to be accomplished soon!