Read. Teach. Travel.: London: What I'll Miss

We have left Croatia and are now in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Since I don't want my last London posts to overlap too much with our current travel posts, I've gotta get this one out ASAP.

Right about the time I was drafting my post on homesickness, one of Joe's friends asked me what I would miss about London when we return to the States. At the time I grumbled/growled "Nothing. There's nothing here that I can't get better at home." I was, clearly, in no mood. But since then I've been thinking about it and I've come up with some things about my life in London that will change when I return to San Diego.

Stopping at Costa Coffee for a treat after class before I get on the bus going home.
This simple activity became part of an established routine on my two days of class each week. On days when the weather, the darkness, or the distance from home were weighing on me, this stop was something to look forward to. On days when I was feeling excited about living in a big, bustling city, this stop was part of a pattern that proved I had created a new life in London.

Public Transportation
Although I missed having a car occasionally, overall I really enjoyed using public transportation to get around London. The busses especially offer a low-stress way to get from place to place; instead of gripping a steering wheel and anxiously trying to make the most of every traffic light, once I boarded the bus I knew that my travel time was out of my hands and I could just relax. Since I don't really enjoy driving and I'd spent the two years before this commuting almost an hour each way for work, it was a relief to be able to read on my commute or even just take in the view. Busses allowed me to see a lot more of London and get a better idea of the jigsaw puzzle that makes up this elaborate cityscape. Whenever it was reasonable, Joe and I always chose busses over the tube for this reason.

our local bus at our neighborhood stop

busses in Trafalgar Square, Big Ben in the distance

My Abel & Cole delivery/Graze snacks
Having fresh, organic, in-season, local, and healthy food delivered to our door every week was awesome. Our Abel & Cole boxes pushed me to try new things as a cook and Graze gave us healthy snack alternatives to candy and chips. I know we can sign up for a CSA at home and that Graze actually exists in the USA also, but I'll miss the British versions.

Quick and Easy travel to what Americans often call "All over the world!"
London to Dublin takes about an hour and costs about $60. I booked trips to Paris less than a month in advance twice. I booked a two week trip around Spain about three weeks ahead. Flying to Croatia was direct, cheap, and took about 2 hours. If I didn't like the flight times/prices at one airport, there were 3 others to chose from. We travelled to Scotland exclusively by train (Paris and Brussels, too) and it took only a few hours. Oh, and no time change (or really minor ones) means no jetlag on arrival. Priceless.

Downton Abbey & Sherlock
I may have had to watch ALL other television on Hulu, but I got Downton Abbey and Sherlock before all of y'all and it was awesome.

Sherlock pub quiz team, We're Bringing Reichenback

The novelty of actually living in a world-recognized city, among history. (I go to Regent Street for the Apple Store...)
There were definitely moments throughout the year when we'd realize that we were living among history. No, we didn't hang out in central London much and it took until nearly the end of our time in London to actually do the touristy things. But I can't explain what it feels like to make plans with a friend and realize that your commute there means you'll be getting out a London Bridge tube stop or walking across Tower Bridge to meet up. Euston Station (which is what J. K. Rowling was actually picturing when she wrote the King's Cross scenes in Harry Potter) was my tube station for school. We went to Baker Street mostly for the Chipotle. My T.K. Maxx store was in Covent Garden. Oh, and we could see the London Eye from our neighborhood every day. Besides the recognizable names and sites, there is just so much to do and see in this metropolis. When we arrived, it was exciting to sign up for Time Out and the Londonist and try to make plans to do and see as much as we could. The posters on the sides of busses and in the tube were like big signs that said "OPPORTUNITY." I also feel like living in a big city meant that we were more willing to travel further for the things we wanted to do. We both hope that this translates to a willingness to use public transportation (though limited) in San Diego when there are things in downtown that we want to do but write off as being too far to drive.

Apple Store on Regent Street

Charlotte Street, one of our favorite places in London

Tower Bridge, 9 pm, June 2014

Cider, cider, everywhere
I don't drink beer and I don't always want wine or a cocktail, but I do enjoy cider and for once in my life I could get it pretty much everywhere we went. This made tagging along with Joe when he wanted to drink craft beer much easier. Beer bars are much more likely to have cider than they are to have wine. Remember Cider Tap, the partner to Euston Tap? It was like these twin businesses were designed for Joe and I.

Reading like it's my job (because it's my job)
I may not have enjoyed everything we read for my master's program, but I did enjoy being back in school this year. I miss teaching and am looking forward to getting back to it, but getting to spend a year reading out of my comfort zone has been good. These last few months especially have been fun because I have finally been able to choose my reading based on background and research for my dissertation. Re-read the Hunger Games (twice)? Yes, please. Read the Divergent series and the Matched series and the Handmaid's Tale all as research? I don't mind if I do. Oh and the Giver and Lord of the Flies and a whole bunch of other literature that I enjoy every minute of, because it's my job to do this. It's research. I love it.

Exclusive time with my husband
And finally, the best thing about this year has been the time that Joe and I have had together. Some people thought we were crazy to move abroad during our first year of marriage, but trial by fire has worked for us. Back home we worked opposite schedules and lived in different cities for almost half of the time we were dating; our tiny London flat, flexible schedules, and intense travel have pushed our relationship to a new level. We joke that we've condensed three or four years of marriage into one. I know that going home doesn't mean that this necessarily ends, but the re-introduction of friends and family into our daily lives means that our alone time will be naturally diluted and going back to work means that I won't be able to stay up until 4 am because I want to eat dinner with Joe when he gets home from a closing shift at 2:30. This year has been intense in a lot of ways, but it has also given us the flexibility to spend a lot of time together and I will always be grateful for that. Over and over again throughout the last year we have agreed that this adventure was the right choice for us and we are so, so glad we did it.

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On our last night in London, we had a get-together at BrewDog Camden (our favorite local spot) for one more evening of fun, games, and socializing with all of the wonderful people we met in our 10 months living there. The night was emotional and surreal and we feel incredibly lucky to have spent this year making so many new friendships that we hope will last a lifetime. Since I don't have many pictures to go with the above post about what I'll miss in London, I'll include pictures from our Going Away party too.