To My Friend From Home I Studied Abroad With,

I remember it all like it was yesterday. I remember boarding the plane, a million thoughts and questions running through my head. What was I getting myself into? Could I actually handle all of this? I was so unsure of what the next few months were going to be like.

I obviously knew that you had been abroad for two weeks already and you had nothing but positive feelings about your experience so far, but I still had no clue to what to expect when I joined you. After a flight full of broken sleep and anxious thoughts, I was snapped back into reality with the feeling of the plane smoothly landing on the tarmac. Given it was my first flight and I was unfamiliar with airplanes and airports, I struggled through customs and how the typical procedures work. I remember feverishly trying to send a text to you and my parents, but the Heathrow Wifi was failing and since I didn't have phone service in another country, I felt stuck.

I was somehow able to lug all my bags through Terminal 5 and out the gates, feeling a little less stressed once I did so. But it wasn't until I saw you standing there with a huge, reassuring smile on your face, looking genuinely happy to be there to welcome me to what I would soon learn is the greatest city in the world, that I felt like no matter what happened these next four months, things couldn't possibly be all bad.

Having you there with me instantly made me feel like I was home again, even though home was over 3,000 miles away. Right away, you started gushing about what your apartment was like, the interesting people you met so far, how the tubes work and how the lights on the Piccadilly line often flickered (so there was no need to freak out about it). I heard about all the adventures you had been on so far and I couldn't wait to join in on some with you.

You helped me carry my bags to my apartment, laughing when we couldn't find the building and looked like idiots walking in circles. You showed me where I could buy a comforter for my bed and recommended the phone plan that I use while abroad. Considering the long flight I had just been on with the subpar airline food, I was starving. You introduced me to Nando's, a restaurant that became one of our go-to meals on a night out. We explored the city together for the first few days and you helped make my transition to life abroad as smooth as it could have been. I could never thank you enough for how much you helped me and how much you enhanced my experience as a whole.

Most of my best experiences abroad were shared with you, whether we were laughing, crying, dancing, or anything in between. We got to travel to different cities and countries together, making memories I know neither of us will never forget. We experienced so many entertaining things together throughout our travels and I can't wait to one day tell our kids about the times we had and all the Honest Burgers we ate. My time abroad would not have been the same without you. You are one of my best friends and I can't believe at such a young age we can say we got to experience living in another country together.

Now that we're both home, it's nice to be able to reminiscence on our time in London together. When school gets too tough or we're exhausted from working all weekend, it is such an honor to be able to see you and spend a few minutes talking about some of our happier memories abroad. These conversations are so meaningful to me, as if we will always get the chance to escape back to those moments in London, if even it is just for a minute or two.

You and London are both so special to me and to have been lucky enough to share all the experiences we did in such an incredible city is truly an indescribable feeling.