Week of Wonders

The main question among my program-mates (?) this week has been, “Why did you decide to come to London?”

While we all had various reasons, we all agreed that we mainly wanted to travel and experience something new. This became a segue into a conversation about the significance and impact of traveling. We agreed that, beyond the financial component and other circumstances that may prevent people from traveling, we couldn’t imagine a life without traveling now that we have done it. Yes, London itself is not new for me, but I am constantly discovering new things in this grand city.

My roommate, Colleen, and I visited an exhibit this week by Yayoi Kusama titled “sculptures, paintings & mirror rooms.” It’s amazing how tiny rooms of mirrors can not only draw crowds, but also create such beautiful imagery. This exhibition is on a random street near Angel which only makes it feel that much cooler and somewhat exclusive. That’s one of the things that I love most about this city–there’s always something to do or see. Something is always ‘on’.

Even revisiting Bath and Stonehenge yesterday felt new. Since I wasn’t paying as much attention to the history, I could stand back and admire everything around me. It also made me want to go back to Bath and walk through it as a city as opposed to just visiting the main attraction.

There is so much beauty on the countryside of England. I hope that I will have the opportunity to explore more in the coming weeks.

The most important highlight of this weekend was that the sun was out!! It’s so typical to make a big deal about the sun being out in London just like it is when it rains in southern California, but it really makes a HUGE difference. It was still quite windy with random bouts of rain, but there was no excuse to be indoors this weekend.

As I wrote in my last post, taking advantage of the long days is of the utmost priority to me right now. I know it’s easy for me to say “go out and do something,” but I think it is incredibly important to do and see new things even if you are limited to your own city. It’s enriching and inspiring and I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t broken out of my shell and decided to open my eyes.