London... A Little Bit of Home

The last weekend in March I had been looking forward to for an extremely long time. I’m a family girl. My sister and my parents are my best friends, so going two and a half months without seeing anyone from home hasn’t been an easy walk in the park. So when I flew to London to spend four days with my boyfriend, Matt, I have probably never been more excited to see a familiar face. Getting into Heathrow Airport and walking out of customs, it was a relief to even see him standing there. A storm had hit the New York City area, and needless to say, I had been freaking out A LOT, praying he would make it there safely. I was almost just as nervous that this was a sign I was turning into my mother, the prime worrier (Love you Mom!)

Matt and the typical London phonebooth

London Eye and Big Ben

It was a perfect four days. The stereotypical rainy London weather didn’t make an appearance at all, and despite what the media may have portrayed, we were unaffected by the riots, although it was kind of neat to watch them across the River Thames as we rode up the London Eye. We became pros at navigating the London Underground, or the Tube. We walked the River Thames at sunset, saw Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey the first day.

The following day we were able to ride the London Eye, which emphasized just how truly beautiful the city is. We saw St. Paul’s Cathedral at night when we were the only ones there, and during the day the following day in a completely opposite crowded atmosphere. Matt was dying to see the Tower of London, which we spent a day touring. It was incredible to hear the stories of this great place and seeing the Crown Jewels was just an extra! Matt was in his glory, like a little kid at Christmas. We saw Buckingham Palace, walked through Green Park, and browsed around Covent Garden.

Matt, River Thames, Big Ben, Parliament

Being with Matt, of course the food had to be good, and boy was it. We ate some incredible meals. A delicious lunch next to the River Thames at a cute and fresh whole foods restaurant. Sushi for dinner at Harrod’s, where we got the chance to explore the amazing food halls, our mouths watering the whole time. We ate a delicious Italian lunch in Covent Garden on our last day.

All in all, it felt so good to be in London. The beautiful architecture, the Western food I’d been missing, being in a country where English is actually heard everywhere you go. But most importantly, it was the person I was with that made it all worthwhile. It was nice to get a taste of home, even if only for four days. But being back in Bulgaria, I’m breathing in every second. I am returning home in less than five weeks, and as the clock ticks down, I know more with each passing day that I'm going to miss everything about living in Bulgaria.