A Mother's Excursion to London: A Narrative

For this post, I want to share my mother's excursion to London. As I previously mentioned, my mother and father visited me in London half way through the semester. Here is my narrative about my mother.

March 15, 2014. That was the day I found out that I was going to study abroad in London for my fall semester of 2014. It was such a happy day for me. I was finally getting my dream of traveling abroad to a place I've always wanted to see. The moment I found out I was studying abroad in London, I called my mom. To give a little background on my mother, she was born in the Bronx in 1960. She lived with her Italian mother, father, two brothers, grandmother, aunt, and uncle. It was a small town house, small enough that she had to share a bedroom with her grandmother. She grew up in an extremely over protected home. She was never allowed to leave the house by herself and couldn't have friends come over. The only things she could do was inside the house with her family. When she turned 18 years old, she had the opportunity to travel to Italy to visit her family. She went with her Aunt Rosemary for an entire summer before college. That was her only chance to go abroad and she could only do it because she was with her family.

When my mother heard the news that I was traveling abroad, she held back some of her excitement. Growing up, my mother did not raise my sister and I in the environment that she was raised in. She protected us like any other mother would, but also wanted us to have childhood memories and experiences that we could remember forever. She was a caring and loving mother and gave my sister and I more than we could ever need. That's why I understand why she was hesitant about my living abroad for 4 months. She didn't understand the need to go abroad for 4 months when I was having the time of my life at school. She didn't know why I would want to put my life in danger and be a young girl in foreign countries. At the same time, she was raised in a very different environment than I was. Additionally, in our area, studying abroad is popular among those students whose parents give them enough money to go. My mother made it very clear that she would not finance my study abroad trip. Therefore, that summer, along with the money I would make during my internship in London, I would have made enough to go abroad.

On the other hand, my father had the traveling bug. Because my mother is so hesitant on traveling, we never went on a European vacation as a family. So when I called my father about my acceptance into the London program, the first thing he said was, "I'm booking a trip!". This made me so excited because by the time my dad wanted to come, it would be halfway through the program and I would have a solid knowledge of London. Along with my mother's issues on flying, I knew it was going to be difficult to get her on a plane to visit me. There were so many conversations about how it would be great for them to come visit because I could be homesick and the fact that they have never been to London this would be a great opportunity to see a different place. My parents, father especially, were so stressed out from work that they desperately need this vacation.

Although I wasn't home, I could only imagine what my father went through the night before their flight to London. "How could you do this to me, Jerry?! I told you I didn't want to take a 6 hour flight! How am I going to stay asleep?". That's when my father had the best idea. Fast forward to the flight the next day, 2 ativans, and a vodka tonic later, my mother was conked out for the entire flight. My father couldn't even wake her up to get off the plane. A few hours later, I met my parents at the airport and the moment I saw them, I started to cry. I didn't realize how excited I would be to see them until I actually saw them.

Looking back, I don't know how I would have lasted 4 months without seeing my family. The fact that my mother didn't even approve of me leaving made me feel terrible. Having her see the sights in London and spending 10 days with my parents away from my friends was just what I needed halfway through the semester.  By the end of their trip, my mother admitted that she understood why I fell in love with London. She didn't even want to leave at the end of her trip.

This is a picture of our first adventure in London at the Tower of London. Can you tell that just a few hours previous, they got off a 6 hour flight from New York? Look at how happy they are in this picture. To think that she didn't want to fly because she was afraid. It's crazy how the things that hold us back are just the things that we need in our life. I am so proud of my mother and the courage that she had to leave New York and see the world. I can't wait for her next excursion across the pond!

11 Must-Do London Attractions

Before leaving for my semester in London, I gave myself zero expectations. I wanted to be completely and utterly blown away by the places I visited and the people I met in London. I am happy to say that the experiences I had at various attractions in London made me fall in love with the city. As I was looking through my pictures from my semester in London, I compiled a list of the best things to do in London.

1. The London Eye: This is a must do twice, during the day and night. The London Eye gives visitors a birds eye view of London's South Bank. You will see a spectacular and eye-dropping view of London that you will never forget. 
2. Buckingham Palace: Need I say more? Anyone who visits London and doesn't take a selfie with a British guard needs to get their priorities in order.
3. Kensington Palace/Hyde Park: I had the luxury of walking through Hyde Park and passing Kensington Palace everyday to class. This long path of green grass with the addition of a beautiful lake allows passersby to relax and enjoy the gardens surrounding them. You might get to see a glimpse of Prince George and newborn Princess Charlotte. 
4. St. Paul's Cathedral: One of the must-see churches in London, St. Paul's Cathedral has the third largest dome in the world. You must climb the 528 steps to the top in order to see breathtaking views of River Thames and my next must-see attraction.
5. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre: Both a working theatre and a museum, the Globe Theatre is a replica of the early 1600s theatre in which Shakespeare's plays were performed. 
6. Millennium Bridge: Many scenes in the beloved Harry Potter series were filmed in London, but the most famous scene was taken at this steel suspension bridge. From the Millennium Bridge, you get a perfect view of both St. Paul's Cathedral and the Globe Theatre. This bridge allows pedestrians to walk over the River Thames.
7. Houses of Parliament and Big Ben: Another attraction that you must visit during the day and at night, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are quintessential must-do London experiences. These iconic structures are worth visiting, despite the crowds and tourists. If you are interested, you can get a sneak peak of the political process and see men with old-fashioned wigs discuss political matters happening today. 
8. Westminster Abbey:  If you are like me and are a fan girl of Prince William and Duchess Catherine, this attraction is a no brainer. Walk the long stretch that Catherine Middleton did and visit the graves of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, just a round the corner from the previous must-do London attraction. 
9. Harrods: Any big shoppers out there? Harrods is the place to go! My favorite time to visit this massive high-end department store was during Christmas time. The beautiful Christmas lights and wonderfully decorated boutiques inside Harrods brought Christmas to life. 
10. Tower of London: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, this historic castle has something for everyone. If you are a history junkie and want to learn more about the bloody tower's past, rent headphones and explore the tower at your own pace. If you are obsessed with the Royal family, take a walk through the Crown Jewels exhibition, where you will see items such as the Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen for each State Opening at Parliament. 
11. Tower Bridge: Want an expansive view of the city? Exit the Tower of London and walk five minutes up the road at sunset to see a magical view of London.

Here are some pictures of my experience at some of the locations listed above. 

My selfie with a British guard :)

View of Tower Bridge at night 

View of Big Ben and Houses of Parliament from the London Eye

These 11 Must-Do London attractions were my favorite parts about the city. I visited these places more than three times because I could not get enough of the magnificent views and wealth of information that the tour guides offered. There are a ton more locations in London to visit, but these 11 places will definitely give first time visitors of London more than enough reasons to never leave the city. 

Quick Facts about London

For anyone who has not been to London, it is a city not like any other. Walking the streets of London is similar to stepping back into history. Famous landmarks such as Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, The Globe Theatre, and countless others gives visitors the chance to step back in time and walk the streets that Shakespeare and John Lennon did. Brits and visitors also have the opportunity to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and travel to the outskirts of London, which include elite schools such as Oxford and Cambridge, Liverpool (home to The Beatles), Stratford-upon-Avon (home to Shakespeare), and Bath (site of the Roman baths).

Since the city's founding in 43 AD by the Romans, London has developed into an increasingly global city. There are more than 300 languages represented within the greater city, with a population of more than 8 million people. London is the leading country in arts, entertainment, finance, media, higher education, tourism, and transportation. The stereotypical idea of London includes afternoon tea followed by strolls in Hyde Park while the men grab a pint of pale ale at the pub. Although you must have a high tea, visit Hyde Park, and order a pint of beer at Bag O'Nails (pictured below), there are so many aspects of London that visitors miss out on because they are blind-sighted by the idea of London and not the actual city. Therefore, I want this blog to show my readers how to explore all of the wonderful landmarks in London based off of my study abroad experience.

Below are 5 Amazing Fun Facts about London that will give you an instantaneous attraction to London:

1.  The Palace of Westminster is the official name of the Houses of Parliament and is the largest palace in the country.

2. There are many famous leaders that are buried in Westminster Abbey, including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Sir Issac Newton.

3. The original London Bridge was in use for more than 600 years and was covered with heads on spikes for more than half of that time, including that of Guy Fawkes.

4. It is insanely difficult to become a cab driver in London: the test is called "The Knowledge" that challenges those wanting to become a cab driver to memorize 320 routes, 25,000 streets, and 20,000 palace of interest within a six-mile radius of Charring Cross (just south of Trafalgar Square in London).

5. The Palace of Westminster has eight bars, six restaurants, 1,000 rooms, 100 staircases, 11 courtyards, a hair salon, and a rifle shooting range.

There are so many more reasons to fall in love with London, so keep reading my blog to see the other incredible experiences that I have encountered :)

Bag O' Nails, famous pub near Buckingham Palace 

Trafalgar Square

Bag O' Nails is a famous pub located around the corner from Buckingham Palace. It is my favorite pub to go to in London. The atmosphere inside the pub makes me feel like a true Brit. I highly recommend this pub when you visit London.