Dear my faithful blog audience,

We’ve done it guys and girls, I’m now inches away from going home and I have to say it is bittersweet. This last week has been one of my best weeks here. I’ve gotten so much closer to all my friends and we’ve just been having a blast every day. It’s a good thing everything back home is so great too. This past Saturday I went into Greenwich with a bunch of my buds and we saw Andrew Bird. He was just awesome. By far the best musician I’ve ever seen. He is just an all around pro. I was spellbound. The set had a lot of new songs, which is usually a bummer, but I was just floored the whole time. So great. Afterwards we got some Spanish cuisine before taking the bus back home (it was too late for the train).
Sunday I put my nose to the grind stone and pumped out my last essays. Then at night I met up with a bunch of people and we went to the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Delicious. I had an avocado and bacon burger and it might have been the best burger I’ve ever had. Guacamole-galore. I’m going to be barbecuing some up this summer for sure. I just got so hungry typing this paragraph.
Yesterday I had my BON ROYAGE (patent pending) get together. It was really fun, great turn out. It isn’t really my going away party though, because I think I’m seeing everyone again tonight for someone’s birthday and then on Wednesday we are doing a clue run. I’ve never done this before but my friend David has. He says its like a treasure hunt thing. We split into teams and get a clue, then we run off around town, or walk depending on how motivated the team is. You get to the spot the clue led you too. And bam! There is another clue. Then the process repeats until we meet David and Mike (who are making the clues) at a pub. Supposedly there is a prize for the winning team. I’m pretty stoked for this one. If its fun we’ll have to plan one back home.
Then on Thursday I’m heading back to New York. Crazy.

Now for my final thoughts:

Coming to London has been an awesome experience. Seeing Europe changed my whole perspective of the world. Everything seems more doable now and I definitely want to travel a bunch in the future. Especially in America, I feel like I don’t even know the place now because I’ve only been to a hand full of mostly east coast states. Desire to travel more and see everything that the world has to offer, I’d say that’s my first big change. Then I’m pretty sure I’ve become a more independent person all around. When I went to college and everything, sure it was an adjustment, but I was lucky enough to have Kait with me, plus I knew my family was just two hours away and I could see them on weekends easily enough. But going to England was the real adjustment. Drop into a new place and see if I can land on my feet. Did I? No not at all. For the first few days it was more like I land teeth first. But woohoo I adjusted, met new people, saw a whole new city and had some really terrific times. By the end of February I had been all over London and had flown to Amsterdam by myself and been totally comfortable with doing everything on my own. Plus, now I’ve got this whole new group of friends and they are all great. Also, even though I’m leaving them now, a good portion are from New York and we’ve all said we’ll meet up a bunch in the city this summer. So becoming more independent, that’s the second big change. When I came here, the main motivation was to do some of my own writing more. I’ve been able to do that a whole bunch, I did more writing this semester than I did when I was taking creative writing classes. For the most part I like it too, but I guess not enough to post to everyone on the internet. Sorry. That’s not really a change but it’s a benefit. Of course, side by side with enjoying London and getting to know all these new place and people was the reminder of everything back home. To be cliche, you don’t know how much you love something until its gone. I don’t want to turn this blog into a hallmark card, but I’ve definitely got a new appreciation for everything and everyone back home now. Big change number three. As for any other changes. I guess I’ll notice them once I’m back home. One is that the drinking age is 21 again. Weepwomp. This past week its been great out here and a couple times my friends and I got some wine and sat on the banks of the Thames and had some as the sun was going down. Too bad that’s just illegal in so many ways back home. I know I’m going to miss this place once I’m back. Like I said though, I’m lucky to have befriended a bunch of New Yorkers. I’m also lucky because now I’ve got other friends scattered throughout the country, so when I get around to seeing the rest of America I could always stop off and see them too. All and all, absolutely terrific experience. I’m really glad I did it and I guess I’ll see you are all soon!

Thanks for reading,

Roy

PS. Uncle Frank and Frank. I went to the two big bookstores in town yesterday looking for that book...sorry, but no luck.
PPS. Jack I’m looking forward to those coconut cups.
PPPS. Hi to Emily and Aunt Christine also.
PPPPS. Hello to everyone else too.