To my study-abroad mates,
The cliché goes, “it’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.” As much as I like to believe that, it is scary to think our parting at Heathrow airport could actually be “goodbye.” Though six weeks is a painfully short amount of time to fully experience an international city like London, it is astonishing to think how fast of friends we have become. I have found a sense of safety and security in your company.
In such a large, culturally rich, diverse urban center, it is easy to get lost in the history of countless English kings named Edward, to be caught up in rush-hour traffic on the Tube, and to feel lonely and homesick. We see each other at our worst—crammed into a small flat, tired and hot without a fan or A/C, distressed about our internship supervisors’ expectations— but experiencing the mutual struggles of adapting to a different culture— learning British terms and navigating the District, Piccadilly, and Circle lines—has brought us together. Like Londoners, we have come to appreciate our different backgrounds and interests and can move beyond our university ties and fields of study.
Upon arriving in the U.K., I knew no one. I had followed a few lost-looking, student-aged Americans that were on my flight, eavesdropping on their conversations in the currency exchange line and tapping into my Holmes-like detective skills (rudimentary, at best) to see if we were in the same program. Better to ask, I had thought, and it turns out they were. We traveled together to our respective flats but embarked on separate journeys.
Seeking companionship is in our very nature. We want a squad, groupies, friendships that will last longer than water poured onto a hot skillet. I found a group in you dozen lovely humans. You brought laughter to my life and helped me enjoy and experience all the city has to offer. Our paths have once again parted after this brief convergence, but our inside jokes, memories and connections will not be forgotten.
There is a lot of talk about “globalization” in today’s world. Political decisions are being made to isolate our countries from one another—and in doing so, isolate people like ourselves. I have taken for granted the privilege to study abroad.
To me, it is a beautiful example of globalization, bringing American students together to meet foreigners, immerse ourselves in a different culture, and learn to respect and value diversity. The idea that this right to travel and form international friendships could be jeopardized in the future deeply saddens and scares me. The current political climate makes me that much more grateful that I had the opportunity to meet you all and share our time in London.
Thank you for being my study-abroad chums. Thank you for an incredible six weeks. I hope to see you one day hopping off the Tube at Earl’s Court Station. I can only hope this will not be “goodbye.”
All my love,
Meredith