caught in between

I spent my weekend consumed in the world of London tourism; caught up in camera flashes, fold out maps, and the underground (minding the gaps...of course). And although I have lived here for two months previously, and now soon to be a month (WOW!), I can't help but wonder when you stop being a tourist. I walked around all weekend, showing this great city off to some equally great people, and I couldn't help but smile like a kid on Christmas morning the entire time. I would look up at the clock tower that holds Big Ben and just sigh, and it isn't the stressed out sigh, or the sad sigh, but the type of sign that you can't be bothered to hold in because if you didn't sigh, your breath would certainly be taken away all on its own.
I have seen all of these sights countless times, in the daylight and in the dark, with friends, with strangers, and at the right times, entirely on my own, and I still feel blessed to be a part of the world that created such things. I still want to pull out my camera, or to pull on my friends arm and say "seriously, do you realize what you are seeing!" I guess if becoming a local instead of a tourist means that I stop appreciating all of the amazing things that this city has to offer, then I will be a tourist for the rest of my days here, maybe even for the rest of my days in every city I find myself in. I may no longer need a tourist map, and I may not need to take pictures everywhere I go (except of Spencer), but I am pretty sure I will always see this city with both eyes wide-open, because even if I am not a tourist, I love to feel like one!

I also found myself, for a short time, in another place of in betweens. When my friends had to leave to go back to the states, even though I had only seen them for a short time (and only known most of them for that same short time!), I still found myself in between staying and going. After being so excited about the city, and so grateful to spend time with someone I had known for more than a few weeks, I found myself wanting to stay in London forever and wanting to board a plane at the same time. I don't want anyone to think that that statement means I am regretting my decision to be here. It is strictly the exact opposite of that. I am loving my time here so much that I can't even think about boarding a plane and flying back across the ocean, but at the same time I do long for the people at home that made my life so great while I was there, and that are helping to make my life so great from so far away. It is amazing the power that people and places have in our lives and I hated to let familiar people board a plane and leave me with only familiar surroundings to keep me company. The fact that I want to see people from home is a testament to how fantastic my friends and family are, the fact that I love this city so much just really means that you should all come visit me...so I don't have to be so stuck in between! :)

So that has been my world, or at least the last few days of it. Big thanks to Katie, Joe, and Josh (left to right in the picture) for sharing their fabulous attitudes for adventure with me!! And for helping to rejuvenate my love for this city (and for great off the path english pubs!) and my love for people at home!! They had so many great travel stories from just a few days of traveling and it leaves me more excited for the places I will see and the people I will travel with...if you are reading this then I hope you will be one of them, in person or through words! Share your stories and your love and I will do the same.

XOXO
Cheers
WC

one more passport stamp...

Welcome to the world of the terrified, the excited, the young, and the forever adventurous. The world of the independently lonely, the not so independently wealthy, and those who are rich in anything but loneliness. Its my world, at least this version of it is, and it is one I share openly for whoever wants to be a part of it. Its a world that continues to show me that my horizons get wider every time a plane touches down and my world gets smaller every time I find something in common with a stranger. A world where fate is in our hands, but the stars are always there to guide us. This is my world. I would love for it to be your world too, if only through the words I am able to put on pages. The only thing I ask of you in return, is that you do whatever makes for the best story, and I will in turn, try to do the same for you.
This isn't my first letter speaking of adventures and passport stamps, but it does happen to be my first one on this little website (simply because I think it will be easier to post pictures directly in the blog). So for those who have followed the last few travels, and those who are new to me or my words, I am just a simple girl with a small passport and big dreams. I have written from London before, and from all over Central America, and now I write from London again..and maybe a little bit of the rest of Europe thrown in. I will be here for roughly a year and I suggest you prepare for a journey, because I plan on taking you on one!
Here are the whens and whys of it all: I am getting my masters in Sports Psychology at Roehampton Uni in southwest London. It should be an amazing time as I have finally managed to combine so many of my passions into one place at the perfect time in my life to do it. It was a pretty spontaneous decision on my part, and although I don't believe we should leave too many things in this world up to fate, I do believe that there are signs in this life that point us in certain directions. The signs for me to be here were neon green and all around me...in other words, I do believe they were unavoidable. I was at a place in my life were I was ready for a big change. I wanted to travel but had no one to travel with and I wanted to go back to school but was at a crossroads as to where I saw my future heading. I knew I couldn't continue to do what I was doing for another year and so, on a whim, I applied to Roehampton, was accepted, and left about three weeks later. Just enough time to keep me from changing my mind...not that I ever even thought twice about it. And so, I have been here for a full two weeks now, and I couldn't ask for more than my beautiful roommates, my not so amazing flat, and being back in this city for such a long time! I know I should have written sooner though, and for that I do apologize. I hate it when I forget to share my world with people, but in all fairness, I have been sharing a lot with some great new people in my life, both here and in the states, and for that I apologize to no one.
So this is my world...one that for the next year consists of suitcases, journals, essays, public transport, long distance phone calls, maybe some long distance runs, accents, currencies, debt (and more debt), and friends both near and far. It will also consist of plane tickets, backpacks, travel and more travel, history and hopefully a new future. I don't have any crazy stories at the moment, or at least any that I think fit to my introduction blog, but tomorrow is a new day, and there are always new stories to tell. So come back soon, sit with me while you enjoy a great cup of coffee (or tea) and know that at the end of the day....if I don't have a good enough story or adventure for you...you could always make your own.

Cheers and love
-WC