Saying Goodbye

Today is my final day in London, and I can hardly believe my time here is drawing to a close. My other roommates have already left for home, and I am alone in the flat, packing and finishing up some last minute work. The past couple of days I have said goodbye to all of my new friends here, those from my classes, from choir, and otherwise. Saying goodbye is difficult for me, but it is the product of this period in my life. I am constantly moving and doing new things, meeting people and leaving people. Soon I will graduate from Fordham, and that will be the biggest goodbye of all, but let's not think about that now.

Even though I am sad that this adventure is drawing to a close, I have by no means sat on my rear and moped about it. My roommates and I threw on last get-together on Thursday, the last night we were all together. We exchanged secret santa/Hanukkah fairy gifts (two of my flat mates are Jewish), and I got a framed picture of the six of us. Very sweet.

On Saturday my roommate Natalie and I went to Westminster Abbey to tour it in earnest. Although I had been there for evensong, I had never taken the time to see all of the memorials and the tombs that Westminster is famous for. Many famous figures are buried at the Abbey, from Queen Elizabeth I to Chaucer to Charles Darwin and Issac Newton. It was amazing to be surrounded by so much history. It was very appropriate to spend my last sight-seeing day at Westminster Abbey, an icon of English heritage.

My guy roommates left on Friday, and the last of my girl roommates left this morning. Being girls, there was much embracing and shedding of tears. I have to say that I thought my flatmates were fantastic; we all got along and had alot of fun together. Living with someone, especially when you're away from home in a foreign country, forges a very strong bond. I have no doubt that I will maintain contacts with those girls back in the states. I miss them already.

I am also very excited to come home; I have missed my family and friends (and my dog) very much. I've also missed living in the USA; while London is fantastic, there is no place like home!

So my flight leaves tomorrow evening, and I get into Logan at about 9:45 pm, eastern time. This is not my last post; I want to finish this blog with my return home and my musings about the experience as a whole. Stay tuned....