In the midst of writing what seems like a never ending amount of essays for my classes, I have neglected to write about one of the defining factors of my experiences abroad: traveling! I've been able to travel to some incredible destinations, and I've been lucky enough to do so with some even more incredible people. During the past four weeks, I have traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland; Paris, France; and Brighton, England. Each of these places now holds a special place in my heart. Without getting too carried away, I'm so excited to recap some of my favorite traveling memories from my journey so far. During the second weekend of this program, my friends and I made the 5 hour train ride north to Edinburgh, Scotland! After a couple trips to London, our experiences with the train at this point in the program had already been determined: we were going to be running to the platform with seconds to spare, and often times leaping over the gap as the doors were closing. Our trip to Edinburgh proved no different. We left at 5am on Saturday morning, and corralling five girls (and five small suitcases) on a train at the break of dawn proved to be no easy task. Despite the morning's minor discrepancies, we journeyed north to the city of Harry Potter and bagpipes! Upon arriving in Edinburgh, I couldn't believe my eyes. On one hand, I could hardly grasp the concept that I was in such a historically rich and beautiful city. On the other hand, I felt a wave of gratitude come over me for the opportunity to truly experience this feeling, but also how grateful I was to have found a group of girls to do it with. To the OG Edinburgh Travel Squad, I am eternally grateful to have been surrounded by people who embrace what's around them, and never hesitate in the face of new opportunities. Traveling to a city with virtually no plan, no expectations, and no restrictions allowed me to embrace the unknown. Edinburgh is a bubbling cauldron of intricate architecture, bustling streets, and unique culture. When we stepped off the train, there was such an incredible sense of adventure awaiting for us. There is nothing more thrilling to me than wandering a city that has so much to offer. While the main tourist attractions of Edinburgh were important for me to see, my favorite part of the city were the small side roads, the beautiful alleyways, and the authentic gelato shop off the main road of Edinburgh Old Town. To me, the little moments and the small places that I stumbled upon often times end up sticking with me. It's these small moments of pure bliss and adventure that I know will last longer than the 48 hours I spent in Scotland. When looking back at these irreplaceable memories, all I can do is smile and try not to forget all of big and small moments I experienced with some of the most important people in my life by my side. Edinburgh, I can promise you I will be back one day. There are only two words that can begin to fully encapsulate my feelings about visiting Paris. Uninterrupted bliss. From the second I stepped off the plane at Charles de Gaulle Airport, the anticipation of seeing a city that had only existed in my dreams (and Instagram) was overwhelming. Even though we landed late in the evening, I couldn't help but look out the window of the Uber the entire way to our hotel. There's a small moment that I will remember about my trip to Paris for the rest of my life. The pure magic I felt in this moment was irreplaceable, and I know that a moment like that will stick with me forever. When we arrived at our hotel (at close to 1am), we quickly realized that three tired girls and three suitcases were not going to fit in a very compact one person elevator. As I had the key to our room, I stepped on the elevator first and made it up to the 4th floor. I swung the door open, threw my suitcase on the bed, and wandered over to the window. I was barely awake and struggling to keep my eyes open. I displaced the chiffon white curtain, and there before my tired eyes was a scene that belonged in a movie. The Eiffel Tower was twinkling, and my heart was filled with wonder, disbelief, and pure bliss. If I can imagine what this scene looked like from another window just across the road, I like to imagine that the sparkling lights from the tower were also sparkling in my eyes. I know that when things return to normal and when this reality gets further and further into the past, I will be able to day dream about the aroma of pastries and wanderlust that winds between the magical streets of Paris.
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AuthorHello! My name is Loren, and yes that's Loren with an 'o' not 'au'. It's nice to virtually meet you all...welcome to my blog! Archives
August 2019
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