Last week I expressed my appreciation for my bad hair days in Bath, England and why it no longer matters what my hair looks like while I study abroad. This week I will tell you about something that still matters to me abroad: dogs.
Bath is a dog friendly city. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes that welcome dogs inside while their owners enjoy meals and conversations with friends. Leashed dogs are tied to bar stools, eagerly look around at the people walking in and out of the pub. Plus, this city is virtually a dog's dream with the beautiful parks and walking paths along the canal. On my walks to class or when I sit down at a cafe to work, it's inevitable that I will see adorable dogs and this makes me miss my own dog even more.
However, I've been very self conscience about approaching any of the owners to ask if I can pet their dogs. My mind tells me it's foreign to just stop a British person on the street and ask such a weird request. So, I stare, smile stupidly at the passing dogs, and make comments to my friends about how adorable the dog looks; no doubt, it's annoying but I can't help it!
This past Friday, I took a trip to Cotswolds with the ASE program where we visited Broadway Tower and Chavenage Manor (seen below). At this old British manor, I was greeted by three dogs and my heart melted. Once I was off the bus, the dogs walked up to the group of us with their tails wagging, clearly happy to see all these new guests. Until that moment, I had no idea how much I needed to pet a dog. My smile never went away and every time the dogs came up to me I would just started giggling. For me, the best remedy for homesickness was being around dogs.
What's the point? Why am I telling you that the most exciting part of my week abroad has been petting dogs? Because homesickness comes in many different forms and it's difficult to push the feeling away to avoid dealing with it. When the three dogs ran up just to greet me, it was like being welcomed as an old friend. We all need to feel like someone is happy and excited to see us, but when you're studying abroad it's easy to forget what that's like. You're too busy trying to keep up with traveling, studying, and fitting into a new environment that those feelings get pushed back and swell up into homesickness.
Homesickness is going to happen, but what matters it how you deal with it. Cherish the moments when three dogs welcome you to a British manor and make you feel like you're reuniting with friends. And seize the moment to pet any friendly dog abroad. You'll feel a hundred times better! I know I do.
