Day One in London

It's day one in London, and my homesickness has already eased. Right when I got off my flight I saw a familiar face and realized that another girl from my program had taken the same flight as me. By coincidence, a second girl from my program had landed near the same time as us, so we all decided to split a cab to our flat. I was beyond relieved that I never got lost nor had to lug my huge suitcase around town in attempt to find my flat by myself. Right when I walked into our flat I knew that this journey was worth it. Our kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms were more than what I expected. We were so lucky to have been supplied with so many amenities, like toilet paper, cooking utensils, appliances, hangers and bedding. I was in awe with how extremely clean and chic everything was. Even when I walked into my bedroom, I saw an FIE tote bag filled with mini traveling brochures and books to guide me throughout my stay.

Immediately after we arrived, we decided to take a quick stroll throughout town to familiarize ourselves with the area, buy some last-minute toiletries and grab a small brunch. This affluent area is so quaint and beautiful. Like our flat, the rest of the neighborhood was extremely clean and safe. There were so many pretty and petite white buildings, vintage-styled cabs and various bushes of flowers and greenery. Our very first meal in London was at Cote Bistro, where we each ordered salad. After that we went back to the flat to unpack our luggage and freshen up. We all ended up having dinner at Da Mario, which happens to be one of Princess Diana's favorite restaurants. I treated myself to shrimp, wine and canolli, and I definitely want to revisit this place again before I leave to try another new dish. My first day in London was definitely fulfilling, and now I can't wait to sleep in my comfortable bed and slowly wash away my jet lag.