{"id":1602,"date":"2024-01-12T19:46:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T19:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/?p=1602"},"modified":"2024-01-12T19:46:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T19:46:06","slug":"london-there-and-back-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/2024\/01\/12\/london-there-and-back-again\/","title":{"rendered":"London: There and Back Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote this famous quote, \u201c<\/strong><\/span>All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.<\/strong>\u201d<\/strong> This quote is from one of my favorite book series, <\/span>The Lord of the Rings<\/span><\/em>. At the beginning of the series, Frodo finds out he must go on a dangerous journey to save Middle Earth. Frodo responds as most individuals would to this news\u2026 with fear and doubt. Gandolf, Frodo\u2019s wise wizard friend, reminds him that even though we cannot control the events around us, we can control how we respond to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This quote popped into my mind when preparing for the upcoming semester. Now, I understand that traveling from Wisconsin to London isn\u2019t the same life-risking journey Frodo took. Frodo also didn\u2019t choose to have this task on his shoulders, whereas I have chosen to take on this adventure. However, the similarity lies with learning and accepting the journey before me. J.R.R. Tolkien\u2019s quote reminds me to make the most of every opportunity and to use my gifts along the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I get closer to studying abroad, I feel like I am in a type of dream sequence. I have dreamt of traveling the world ever since I was younger; the first occupation I ever wanted was in first grade. It was to be a \u201cteacher around the world.\u201d Fourteen years later, I am on the path to becoming a teacher, and now the traveling around the world part will finally come true. I am excited to fly across the ocean to explore new people, food, and cultures. However, I won\u2019t believe this is actually happening until I get on the plane. \ud83d\ude09<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now, I am in this in-between phase of studying abroad. I am not in London yet, so there is this anxious anticipation in its place. I am planning and getting excited for the upcoming months. I also realize that everyone around me, including my friends and family, will continue their lives while I\u2019m away. There is this bittersweet feeling of being happy to go abroad but also sad to miss out on things back in the States.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This semester, I will take Tolkien\u2019s advice and make the most of the time given to me. I am a fairly independent person, but this experience will help me gain independence in more specific areas, such as figuring out how to cook for myself or learning public transportation. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am also an organized planner. I like to be aware of what is happening around me and have a sense of control in most situations. Through this experience, I hope to slightly relax my need to plan everything out and learn to go-with-the-flow more frequently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Going into this semester, I have created a list of things I want to explore. <\/span>Some main themes on my list include: <\/span><\/p>\n