Thankfully, last Saturday, I was able to fly back home safely and reconnect with my family! In almost an instant I went from being in the United Kingdom to being back at home. Although I am very blessed to be back with my family safe and healthy, some of the feelings I got from making that change so suddenly were almost unexplainable. I decided to self-quarantine so that gave me some time to think about everything.
Initially, I felt as if this shouldn’t be happening. I went through the first 6 weeks of my program perfectly fine, had an amazing spring break, and since then nothing was the same. The next two weeks of the program everyone was concerned with what was going on, which made truly enjoying the program a little harder. I realized although I went through so many different adventures and grew in various ways over my time abroad, I felt I still had so much more to experience, more to discover about myself and London. I had chosen to take this chance for studying abroad early in college and it was something I eagerly awaited. Never in a million years would I have anticipated having to stop everything early because of a global pandemic. Nevertheless, I completely understand the need to take the necessary precautions needed to contain this virus. This entire experience will never be forgotten.
Despite all of that I have been trying to handle this quarantining as best as possible. I have been able to eat my mom’s cooking again which, after two months of cooking for myself, is more appreciated than ever. I have been able to rest and relax more than I have in a while which is something my body and mind really needed. And even though it’s only been a week, I still do not think I am fully over the jet lag. I get tired very early and waking up at 7 AM is beginning to become the norm for me. In addition to that, I’ve caught up with a lot of the main tv series I previously enjoyed watching. My new struggle is now finding new ones shows to watch.
Lastly,I went from walking around London everyday and having 30+ minutes of commute time to different destinations, to being told I shouldn’t leave the house has been quite a transition but, I know, is ultimately for the best. With that being said, I hope everyone is being as safe as they can be. I think although this is all happening it can be a good time to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with ourselves and loved ones. I’ve always tried to look for the best in a given situation. I truly believe if we can find something positive about what is going on right now, things will become easier and get better quicker.
Isaiah's Travels 