the first time i ran away

the past few days have been some of many different activities and friends, and big thoughts.

while I've been trying to vocalize with people and analyze feelings over here, I think I've come to some sort of conclusion about my experience so far and where I think it will go. I don't condone continuously drawing conclusions and trying to sum things up, but for such a foreign personal transition, this time it might just be healthy.

I decided that what everyone gets out of a study abroad experience is inherently going to be different. and that maybe the idea that I come away from this england trip with will be very different from a lot of others. I think there's a lot of variation in the reasons people have for choosing where they study abroad, and some of those might be because they're testing out whether they'd like to live or spend a lot of time in that place. but maybe I'm feeling the opposite. that I don't want to live anywhere such as this when I'm older. I will thoroughly enjoy my time here, taking full advantage of the experience I'm having, the people I'm meeting, the education I'm receiving and the exposure to the ridiculous art scene found in this city, but when I get back I will just do my best to take advantage of all that I didn't get enough of while living here.

trees, snow, stars, lakes, [free] bikes.

this is not to say that I'm not really loving the nature around me, and that I do plan on spreading my wings more and seeing what else england, ireland and scotland have to offer (which I'm sure I'll swoon and cry over). but for now i am making best friends with the park close to my house, called richmond park. it used to be a royal hunting park (consult your downton abbey knowledge) and is huge, 2500 acres huge. you can easily spot beautiful birds, tons of red and fallow deer, people riding horseback (you'll never catch them riding western, however), and many people taking advantage of the parks large scale grasslands, hills, and woods by walking their dogs, running, biking, walking, or taking their families for a day of fresh air.

here are some moments from a hike through the park with katlin and our new french friend, jennifer

there are stables right behind my house, and after the riders go through the park, they walk up my road. i often wake up to the sound of their hooves.