Thank you and goodnight...

Soon I will no longer have use for a map. Maps are euphemisms, clean, clear, self-explanatory substitutes for all the mess and mayhem, the clutter and ambivalence and blurring and intermeshing eft and warp of the real places they purport to describe. They are fake documents, pathetic simplifications and falsifications. They’re no longer necessary since I have created a new London, not one made out of stone and brick, tarmac and concrete, but a London created out of memory, imagination and shoe leather. I have created it. I have made my dreams come true. -- Bleeding London

Everybody…

Sadly, this is going to be the last blog post of my London study abroad trip. I am now entering into finals month so I probably won’t have any spare time to be updating and I’m sure y’all wont want to hear about my experiences in the Library. British libraries are pretty awesome though…

So:
Thank you so much for following me as I got to know and love London. From getting lost after buying groceries two blocks away from my flat to inevitably leading friends and family confidently through the city, I’ve consistently been excited to come back and share all of my stories. This blog has been more than a vehicle for me to stay in touch from “across the pond” --it has become a way for me to include you in my everyday life. You were just as a part of the Caribbean day parades, Ethiopian New years, pub-crawls and inter-European vacations as I was and I thank you for that. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my blog would be so widely circulated and taken seriously. Honestly, it has been such a source of pride for me and I cannot thank you all enough. As soon as something exciting or funny happened my first reaction was “YES! I have new material for the blog!”

It feels wrong to say something like “Wow time’s flied…” because while it’s gone by quickly, I’ve also learned a lot. I’ve become more independent... confidant to do things on my own. I’ve had dinner by myself, gone on solo explorations around London and traveled to foreign countries. Despite my newly discovered independence, I’ve also come to appreciate the importance of friends and family even more. In these past few months there have been times when I’ve craved company an ocean away from me, which really just reminds me how lucky I am to be excited about going home to such an amazing group of people.

It’s strange that I’m talking about “going home” already because I’ve tried so hard to make London my home. I feel like I’m just beginning to establish myself in this city and I finally have my routine places… my grocery store, Starbucks, flat on12 Bedford Place... etc and it feels all wrong that I have to begin thinking about saying goodbye.


I loved having you here with me and I hope that you have gotten the same amount of pleasure reading my blog as I have had writing it.